The Metaphorical Magpie

The Been There, Done That, Must Get to That meme

A fun little meme I picked up from Toni at Simple Sparrow.

As I was doing it, my first thought was, "Man, whoever wrote this is obsessed with Paris." Then I began to suspect the author is a subject of the Queen of England because of the spelling of "cheque" instead of the American spelling. A few are funny in the sense that it would stink if you could check  them off but you certainly wouldn't put them on your to-do list. (See #46, 67, 75, 77, 93 and 97.)

Play along if you like.

Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity (I don't believe in spending more than one can afford, even if for good. One should know their limits and be fiscally responsible first. Generous second.)
7. been to Disneyland/world
8. climbed a mountain (I have visited several and been fully awed. I've got no desire to "conquer" a mountain. I appreciate its greatness. Climbing it would spoil that for me.)
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited Paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch (I like to learn from someone. I feel more confident when I learn from someone who knows what they are doing already.)
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping (Um, I don't really know how to swim. So this is out.)
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in Venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen Niagara Falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors (both of my parents were adopted, so I am clueless about our heritage)
35. seen an Amish community
36. taught yourself a new language (I've attempted Spanish and French. Still trying.)
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied (I don't think money can ever be the source of satisfaction.)
38. seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen Michelangelo's David in person
41. sung karaoke
42. seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited Africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkelling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theatre
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of China
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold Girl Scout cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood (Unfortunately, I can not donate blood because I have a clotting disorder. I would if I could.)
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a cheque
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the Lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in Times Square
74. toured the Everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in London
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the Vatican
82. bought a brand new car (Me? Buy new? Ha!)
83. walked in Jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the White House
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury (I have a burning desire to do this. I got called for duty only once and wasn't even called to the courthouse. I hope to serve one day.)
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby 
95. seen the Alamo in person
96. swum in the great Salt Lake
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

Welcome Winter

The winter solstice comes as a relief to me this year. I am so happy to begin a new season. Freshen up the house. Readjust my attitude. Begin again. Today is the shortest day of the year and I slept in gloriously late after getting up early for school lately. When I awoke, the power was out in the house. Allowing me to enjoy a quiet house, read, pet my dogs and watch the birds. Last night, the ground was dusted with snow that looked like powdered sugar on french toast. Soft rain washed it away today, wiping the seasonal slate clean as well.

Autumn, I love you like a sister; but this year you brought me down. With you came anxiety and stress, painful separation, doubt and change. You turned cold earlier than usual, leaving me shivering, missing the majesty of flamboyant maple leaves and feeling alone.

Winter, I am ready for you. We have candles for flickering, a fireplace for warming, an oven for baking, birdseed for sharing, friends for enjoying, books to read, music to sing to, snow covered paths to crunch over, cups of cocoa to sip, snowmen to dress, films to catch up on, soups to simmer, new opportunities to pursue and a warm hand to hold.

Please come in, Winter, I'll put the kettle on so we can sit down over a cup of tea and get reacquainted.

80's Christmas flashback

Humming along with the holidays

December Views: Movie suggestions

It's the time of year that I usually put together lists of all the films, concerts etc that I've taken in during the year. I've scarcely had time to do that but I want to share a few films with you that are worth seeing.

Slumdog Millionaire- The director, Danny Boyle, who brought us Trainspotting, delves into the gritty underbelly of a city far from Scotland (although there is a sly nod to Edinburgh in there). The film follows the path of a young man who finds himself a contestant on the Indian version of Who Want's to Be a Millionaire?. It turns out that all of his life experiences add up to him knowing the answers to questions that will catch him a huge pot of money. Yet he is motivated by love and loyalty, not the rupees. The story is told in a fresh visual style, is not too cloying, has a great soundtrack and a fun Bollywood sequence if you stick around for the credits. in select theaters now. This film should get lots of attention at the Golden Globes and Oscars.

Man on Wire- Now available on DVD, this documentary about a Frenchman, Phillipe Petit, who walked on a tightrope  between the World Trade Center towers in 1974. Prepare to be awed and inspired by this man driven to walk a thin line between reality and magic. This is a well crafted documentary. Netflix it, baby!

December Views: Thrifty holiday greetings

This year instead of knocking ourselves out designing holiday cards or tramping from paper goods  store to store looking for a design that reflects our stylistic sense for the current year at a price point that won't shut down the bank account, I opted for something different.

Finding myself with free time between leaving the newspaper and starting school, I popped into several thrift shops and rummage sales. About $3 later, I had enough holiday cards to satisfy our extensive list of people on our list plus more. With less stress about whether the cards are perfect or not, we find ourselves having more fun writing the greetings. It's actually surprisingly fun matching the card to our friends personalities and interests, too.

Have you done anything thrifty and new this holiday season?

If you'd like to exchange cards with me, send me an email and we can sort out mailing details. A girl can never receive too many holiday cards!

December Views: Laying low

Things are more than a wee bit topsy turvy over here for us lately. I'm still trying to think of a way to write about some of the highs and lows we've ridden in the last month. Sometimes, I wish I was a dog. A very spoiled, naughty, adorable dog like Mr. Quentin Badass. He's got sense to just hunker down on the couch, stay warm and relax.

I hope to get my blog legs back over the weekend. Culinary school started this week and it's kicking my rump roast.

xoxo!

December Views: First come the clouds, then clarity

  to participate in or view the  devastating beauty of the December Views movement sweeping the blogosphere as we know, toodle over to the main December Views page.