99 Things I've Done and An Award for the Queen !

First things first, Serena at Dream with Fishes presented me with the following lovely award :

"This blog invests and believes in PROXIMITY, nearness in space and time of relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find friends and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers."

How cool is that ? Thanks so much Serena !

I have decided to give the award to just one person who I think deserves this reward very much and that is Melissa at Wonderous Wild Wanderings. Her enthusiasm and true zest for life is totally contagious and she is a supportive and encouraging friend to me in Blogland ! Consider yourself awarded, Beautiful Girl !

So I have seen this list going around - I think I saw it first at Dawn's blog D'Blogala. It is a list of 100 things you may have done. You are supposed to highlight the one's that apply to you and then post it that way.

So as I started doing just that, the Ugly Queen came for a visit ! I started comparing myself to others (Thinking "What if I have less things highlighted than her ? Does that make me a loser ?"). I started looking for ways to stretch the truth to fit the list ("I have seen the edge of the Grand Canyon from the Hoover Dam, that counts, right ?" or "I stood in front of the Louvre, that's close to the Mona Lisa, that counts too, doesn't it ?")

Then I started to get mad ( "Who made this stupid list anyway ? Who cares if I have never been to Italy ?"). Usually I love making lists or telling random things about myself but this wasn't doing it for me. Something about comparing myself to this list felt icky - like it was more about what I hadn't done than what I had. I do enough of that one my own, maybe, putting myself down for what I haven't accomplished or what I missed out on. Been there, done that too damn often, thanks !

So to turn it around and in honor of my 99th post, I wrote a list of 99 Things I Have Done. I am proud of some of them. I am less than proud of others. Some of them just are random things. But you know what ? I did every one of them. Little old me! That's cool ! These 99 things are just a little reflection of my human experience. The act of writing then down was an interesting few moments with myself. I am still working out what the list has taught me or what it says about me. But it was definitely an interesting exercise to try, especially for all you list lovers out there ! Try it yourself if you are so inclined.

99 THING I HAVE DONE

99. Looked down from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

98. Walked hand in hand with my man on the beach.

97. Fallen deeply in love.

96. Lost a parent - R.I.P., Daddy.

95. Read and entire book in one day - "Thorn Birds" at age 12.

94. Played with a Ouji board

93. Learned to read Tarot cards

92.Screamed until I threw up.

91. Watched meteor showers in the middle of the night.

90. Had a picnic in the snow.

89.Kissed a dolphin - twice !

88.Chose a puppy from a litter of 12.

87.Was on tv at least three times (age 6, age 28, age 41)

86.Won a Canoe Paddling contest

85. Took a shower in a waterfall

84.Threw my own birthday party (with presents!)

83.Wore Groucho Marx glasses at the Mall (not on Halloween !)

82. Saw "O"(Cirque du Soleil) in Vegas

81. Took 300 elementary school kids to see "Allegria" (Cirque du Soleil) in Montreal

80. Was honored to be a godmother three times

79. Stood in two states at the same time (Nevada and Arizona)

78. Visited a WWII Memorial in Dieppe, France.

77. Kissed an "older" man (I was thirty, he was 55).

76. Sold my artwork.

75. Won an award in High School

74.Broke my arm while skating.

73.Rescued an animal from an animal shelter.

72. Had a pet euthanized.

71. Let a bird eat from my hand.

70.Drove to the top of Mt. Washington, New England's Highest Peak.

69. Loved, really loved, a job.

68. Bought a brand new car.

67. Paid off student loans.

66. Bought a house.

65. Swam in turquoise water.

64.Ate periwinkles (fresh water snails )and loved then !

63. Ate chicken heart and gizzard soup, and loved it !

62. Had cafe au lait in a cafe in Paris

61.Had a car accident that totaled the car (no one was hurt, thank God !!!)

60. Learned to drive at 32.

59. Had appendicitis.

58.Took anti-depressants

57.Wore a tiara and a feather boa

56. Read all of the Harry Potter Series

55. Listened to all of the Harry Potter Series on Audio Books

54. Been really really scared but done it anyway

53.Taught people of all ages, from kindergarten to seniors

52.Been given diamonds by a man who loves me.

51. Been rocked in my mother's arms as an adult.

50. Danced like no one was watching.

49. Made a self portrait.

48. Told someone I hated them and really meant it.

47. Told someone I loved them and really meant it.

46. Done "it" in a public place.

45. Had my life saved by a friend.

44. Made a baby laugh.

43. Comforted someone after a nightmare.

42. Rocked a baby to sleep.

41. Was a nanny.

40. Was a maid of honor.

39. Sang Karaoke

38. Saw "Les Miserables" in both French and English

37. Dressed up and went to a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

36. Jumped in the snow naked after a sauna.

35. Skinny dipped under a full moon.

34. Had a broken heart.

33. Trained a dog to do a new trick.

32. Had an unrequited love.

31. Slept outside under the stars.

30. Stayed up for 36 hours.

29. Had jet lag.

28. Had a panic attack.

27. Thought I was going to die.

26. Skipped down the road with a Grandparent ( I miss you Bubbie.)

25. Read the "Artist's Way" and did Morning Pages

24. Screamed under a train overpass as the train went by.

23. Lived without electricity in the city for days in January.

22. Remember exactly where I was on Sept. 11, 2001 as events unfolded...

21. Hosted a Christmas Gathering.

20. Hosted a Thanksgiving Gathering.

19. Fallen off a horse.

18. Broken a mirror.

17. Got a University degree.

16. Went back to school at 29.

15. Lost 20 pounds.

14. Sunbathed in the nude

13. Quit Smoking !!! Yay me - 4 months now !

12. Worn a wig just for fun.

11. Own a wand

10. Had a dream come true.

9. Went to a Justice of the Peace

8. Forgave someone who hurt you.

7. Grew a plant from a seed.

6. Walked in the rain without an umbrella and completely enjoyed it.

5. Ate a snowflake.

4. Jumped in a pile of leaves.

3. Felt beautiful.

2. Learned to ride a bike.

1. Felt completely happy.

Wow...I am pretty awesome ! ;-)

Happy Tuesday !

(Stayed tuned for my 100th Post - Think Giveaway !!!)