13 days into February and no blog from me! How dare I! :)

Actually, I've been meaning to write for a few days, just been to lazy. Seems like the cold weather will do that to me! :( Anyway, I got a CD from a friend of Erin's the other day that runs a computer slide show of pictures of Erin (the same show shown at the memorial service), and has newspapaer articles about her, as well as lists. One of the lists was "50 Things To Do Before I Die". Maralynn said it hung on her refrigerator, but never said when it was written. Erin accomplised a good amount of that list. In the midst of all the talk of attacks on the U.S. and bioterrorism, I've been wondering if my "Things To Do Before I Die" List would ever be as "finished" as Erin's was. The imminent threat has me a bit scared that if it ended tomorrow, my list would lack highlights, or astriks noting the things I'd done.

So, I've been trying to come up with a list of things I'd want to do. When it comes right down to it, this isn't easy. I've decided that I'm too much of a realist anymore to truly be a dreamer. But, I'm trying. I'm trying to believe that the bioterrorist threats are just that and the U.S. taking on the world will prevail. In that vain, (and not the one that tells me why make a list just to die tomorrow and never accomplish anything) I've put together a partial list for you all. You'll see it again as I'm sending it as an email in the hope that everyone I send it to will do their own and then set forth the plans to accomplish some of them. So, here's mine (in no particular order):

* Swim With The Manatees (March 8th! :) )
* Learn to Speak (fluently...well, conversationally) another language
* Complete a 5k - running (Well, I'm doing the Susan G. Komen one on Mother's Day, but I doubt it'll be running)
* Positively influence a stranger's life
* MLB Baseball Stadium tour
* Drive a race car
* Skydive
* Travel to a couple Carribean Islands
* Be a redhead
* Sing on stage in front of a crowd (I have a heard time coutning Kareoke, but can't forget my Senior H.S. solo)
* Acting in a play or musical
* Balance my checkbook (to the penny...just once)
* Own a bulldog (or maybe a couple if I decide to breed them)
* Do something spontaneous
* Leap before looking (just once)
* Be photographed for a magazine (as in model, not in those "Don't" sections for dressing)
(if I specified a taseful spread in Playboy, would that be wrong? :) )
* Go to a well-publicized dressy eventl (like Inaguration Ball or Academy Awards)
* Attend Mardi Gras (2000)
* Go to Spring Training (March 6th! :) )
* Become domestically "neat"
* Vist the rain forest
* Go to Mexico for "real" mexican food (and a good pair of espadrilles!)
* Wear a size 5 (I was SO close - bought a size 6 dress for Danielle's wedding! :) :) )
* Become an "expert" on something
* Learn to change the oil in my car (filters and all)
* Get married and have children

It's a work in progress...but I hope you enjoyed it! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!