Sarah's 100

Happy Independence Day

2011-07-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July everyone. Let's remember the reason for the day and thank the soldiers who make it possible. The USA may have it's problems but there is no where like it. I think sometimes that we take freedoms we have for granted.

Harry Potter MBTI meme

2011-06-28T16:55:00.001-07:00

Evidentially Lupin is an INFP...which, now that I think about it, makes sense.

Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

Reading & Goal Update

2011-02-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

One of the items on my 100 list was to keep track of everything I read in one year. I did exactly that in 2010. Here are the stats if you are intrested.

Books started = 89
Books Finished = 82
Unique Titles = 73
Unique Authors = 26
Series = 14
Genres = 8
Average days to finish = 6
Mean days to finish = 4

This was actually kind of fun and I'm going to continue keeping track of what I read.

Another of my goals is to learn cake decorating. K and I have enrolled in the Wilton class that starts at the end of the month. Hurray!!

President Obama's Speech

2011-01-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

I cancelled my cable at the beginning of the year so I read the transcripts of the president's speeach at the AZ Memorial service this morning. Whether you agree with his politics or not there are some good things there. (The full transcript can be read here.) A couple of my favorite passages are below.

But at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized -- at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who happen to think differently than we do -- it's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we're talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.

This is one of the issues that makes me the craziest. I'm tired of the idea that if someone doesn't agree with us they must be inferior to us somehow. We can probably learn more from the people who think differently than we do than we can from those who agree with us if we will just open our minds. We can also can more tolerance and peace if we can put ourselves in their shoes. The number of hate crimes and wars would go down if we could do this.

As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let's use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy and remind ourselves of all the ways that our hopes and dreams are bound together.

Soldier's Night Before Christmas

2010-12-24T09:05:00.000-08:00

This poem makes me cry but I think it is important to remember the soldiers that keep us safe and their families. They allow us to have the freedom to celebrate Christmas or any other holiday we wish. Many soldiers will be celebrating Christmas away from their families this year. Some will never come home. Let us keep them and their families in our prayers.

I want a hippopotomus for Christmas

2010-12-18T13:53:00.000-08:00

I love this song because it makes me laugh.

The Christmas Guest

2010-12-16T15:42:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Guest by Helen Steiner Rice has been one of my favorite poems since I was a kid. My parents had a Johnny Cash Christmas record with him reading this poem. When I got older, I found it on cd and bought it as soon as I good. This poem goes with the scriptures Matthew 25:2 and Mosiah 2:17.

The Christmas Guest

It happened one day at December's end

Some neighbors called on an old-time friend.

And they found his shop so meager and mean,

Made gay with a thousand boughs of green.

And old Conrad was sitting with face ashine.

When he suddenly stopped as he stitched the twine.

And he said "My friends at dawn today,

When the cock was crowing the night away,

The Lord appeared in a dream to me.

And He said, 'I'm coming your guest to be"

So I've been busy with feet astir,

Strewing my shop with branches of fir.

The table is spread and the kettle is shined,

And over the rafters the holly is twined.

And now I'll wait for my Lord to appear;

And listen closely so I will hear,

His steps as he nears my humble place.

And I'll open the door and I'll look on his face."

Then his friends went home and left Conrad alone,

For this was the happiest day he had known.

For long since his family had passed away.

And Conrad had spent many a sad Christmas Day.

But he knew with the Lord as his Christmas guest,

This Christmas would be the dearest and best.

So he listened with only joy in his heart,

And with every sound he would rise with a start,

And looked for the Lord to be at his door.

Like the vision that he had had a few hours before.

So he ran to the window after hearing a sound,

But all he could see on the snow covered ground

Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn.

And all his clothes were ragged and worn.

But old Conrad was touched and he went to the door

And he said, "Your feet must be cold and sore.

I have some shoes in my shop for you.

And I have a coat to keep you warmer, too."

So with grateful heart the man went away.

But Conrad notice the time of day

And he wondered what made the dear Lord so late,

And how much longer he'd have to wait.

Then he heard another knock, and he ran to the door,

But it was only a stranger once more.

A bent old lady with a shawl of black,

And a bundle of kindling piled on her back.

But she asked only for a place to rest,

a place that was reserved, for Conrad's great guest.

But her voice seemed to plead, "Don't send me away,

Let me rest for awhile this Christmas Day."

So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup

And told her to sit at the table and sup.

After she had left, he was filled with dismay

For he saw that the hours were slipping away

The Lord had not come as He said He would

And Conrad felt sure he had misunderstood.

When out of the stillness he heard a cry.

"Please help, me and tell me - Where am I?"

So again he opened his friendly door.

And stood disappointed as twice before.

It was a child who had wandered away,

And was lost from her family on Christmas Day.

Again Conrad's heart was heavy and sad,

But he knew he could make this little girl glad.

So he called her in and he wiped her tears,

And he quieted all her childish fears.

Then he led her back to her home once more.

Then as he entered his own darkened door,

He knew that the Lord was not coming today,

For the hours of Christmas, had all passed away.

So he went to his room, and he knelt down to pray.

He said, "Lord, why did you delay?

What kept You from coming to call on me?

I wanted so much Your face to see."

Then softly, in the silence, a voice he heard.

"Lift up your head - I have kept My word.

Three times my shadow crossed your floor.

Three times I came to your lowly door.

I was the beggar with bruised cold feet;

I was the woman you gave something to eat;

I was the child on the homeless street.

Three times I knocked, three times I came in,

And each time I found the warmth of a friend.

Of all the gifts, love is the best.

I was honored to be your Christmas guest.

Here is Johnny Cash's version:

Chistmas - The Old City Bar

2010-12-15T17:08:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas, it is my favorite holiday hands down. So, over the next few days, I'm going to try to post some of my favorite Christmas songs and poems.

I discovered "The Old City Bar" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra a couple of years ago and it embodies some of the things Christmas means to me and reminds me to look for those less fortunate than myself. One of my favorite lines is: "If you want to arrange it, This world you can change it, If we could somehow make this Christmas thing last."

You can find this song on their album "Christmas & Other Stories."

Here are the lyrics:

In an old city bar
That is never too far
From the places that gather
The dreams that have been

In the safety of night
With its old neon light
It beckons to strangers
And they always come in

And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The music was low
And the night
Christmas Eve

And here was the danger
That even with strangers
Inside of this night
It's easier to believe

Then the door opened wide
And a child came inside
That no one in the bar
Had seen there before

And he asked did we know
That outside in the snow
That someone was lost
Standing outside our door

Then the bartender gazed
Through the smoke and the haze
Through the window and ice
To a corner streetlight

Where standing alone
By a broken pay phone
Was a girl the child said
Could no longer get home

And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The bartender turned
And said, not that I care
But how would you know this?
The child said I've noticed
If one could be home
They'd be all ready there

Then the bartender came out from behind the bar
And in all of his life he was never that far
And he did something else that he thought no one saw
When he took all the cash from the register draw

Then he followed the child to the girl cross the street
And we watched from the bar as they started to speak
Then he called for a cab and he said J.F.K.
Put the girl in the cab and the cab drove away
And we saw in his hand
That the cash was all gone
From the light that she had wished upon

If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last

By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger
And to know who needs help
You need only just ask

Then he looked for the child
But the child wasn't there
Just the wind and the snow
Waltzing dreams through the air

So he walked back inside
Somehow different I think
For the rest of the night
No one paid for a drink

And the cynics will say
That some neighborhood kid
Wandered in on some bums
In the world where they hid

But they weren't there
So they couldn't see
By an old neon star
On that night, Christmas Eve

When the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
And in case you should wonder
In case you should care

Why we're on our own
Never went home
On that night of all nights
We were already there

You can hear it here:

Discworld Meme

2010-11-19T09:12:00.000-08:00

I love Terry Pratchet and his Discworld series, especially those that relate to DEATH or the Watch. So, when I saw this quiz I had to take it and share the results with you all.

Your result for The Which Discworld Character Am I Test...

Susan Sto Helit

You scored 88 intelligence, 66 morality, and 64 physical strengenth!

As Death's granddaughter (a long story, which you greatly dislike), you inherited his ultimate practicality and lack of fear. In fact, boogeymen and other childhood boggles fear YOU. Often assisted by the Death of Rats and his raven, you manage to fix the Universe inbetween working as a governness and educating the masses. The ultimate teacher.

Take The Which Discworld Character Am I Test at HelloQuizzy

Gratitude

2010-10-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm getting more and more cynical and pessimistic as time goes by. I don't like that about myself so I've decided to post at least 3 things I am grateful about every week.

Today I am grateful for:

1. My family
2. That I have a job
3. The green space behind my apartment

Places I've been

2010-06-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

I know, it's been ages since I posted anything here. I guess I haven't had much to say. Anyway, for lack of any real content, here's a map of all the state's I've been to. I believe I've stayed at least one night in each of these but some of them may have been drive throughs.

visited 17 states (34%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

High Tech vs Low Tech

2010-01-23T07:21:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about this a bit lately. I love technology. I like have new gadgets, a great computer, new phone, etc. However, I'm often unwilling to pay for it. I would like to have a new, flat screen, high-def tv but I refuse to pay the price for one when I have an old tv that works just fine.

Also, as much as I like having my shopping list on my phone I find that I prefer to have a hand-written to do list. it doesn't make a lot of sense but there it is.

Reading Challenges

2009-12-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for new authors to read and so I follow a couple of book blogs. One of them had a reading challenge that they were planning to do next year. I wasn't interested in that one but I started wondering if there were more out there. There are so these are the three I decided to do.

This challenge uses the 101 Best Fantasy List and these are the rules:

1. Pick the number of books you want to read. It can be a mixture of the top 101, and/or the whole list. For example, you might want to aim to read 5 from the top 101 and 5 from the rest of the list.

2. Create a list of the books you want to tackle. You can create a list now, or add them as you go. Completely up to you.

3. The challenge runs from 10/10/09 to 10/10/10.

4. Please post the direct link to your 101 Fantasy Reading Challenge post. (so that other participants can visit and see what you are reading)

I'm going to try to read at least 10 books from the list. It started 10/1/09 and ends 10/1/10. Given the amount of fantasy I read I don't expect this to be the easiest of the challenges.

The guidelines for this one are to read either 3.14 or 8 books in the sci fi genre and their is a list at the site. I don't read a lot of straight SciFi anymore, most of what I read is in the realm of fantasy so I'm going for 3.14. It started 8/28/09 and ends 8/9/10.

The last one doesn't have any images to post that I can see but it's the A-Z challenge and starts Jan 1. I'm doing the author challenge so I need to read a book by an author that starts with each letter of the alphabet in order. When i get to X I may end up just going for an x in the author's name. We'll see how it goes.

Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T05:56:00.000-08:00

Thank you.

School choices

2009-10-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

So...it's been a while since I updated this blog. I don't really have an excuse except that I haven't done much. I have updated my SCA blog more recently but that's about it.

I have been wanting to go back to school for my Master's degree for a while but I have been struggling with what, exactly, to study. Ultimately, I want to be a college professor but I need to figure out what to do until then. I want to do something that has more impact on the world for good. I don't feel like I'm doing that in my current job. So, here are the programs I'm considering.

Masters in Public Administration at PSU with a specialization in Global Leadership. It's a fairly flexible degree and I could continue to work in business if I wanted but I could also work for an NPO and help people more than I am now.

Industrial/Organizational Psychology at PSU. This would allow me to use the MBTI and study personality theory a lot more. Since that is something I've very interested in it's a very tempting idea. I would also be helping people more.

If I could afford to quit my job and go to school I would be tempted to do the MS in Tourism Industry Management with a focus on Sustainability at UH, but I can't afford that unless I get a lot more loans and I'm not sure that's something I want to do.

So, now I just need to figure out what to do and get up the courage to do it.

Happy Independance Day

2009-07-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Today is the day to celebrate the freedom we have in this country. I think a lot of us take that freedom for granted.

I don't think I can ever tak it for granted after my college experience. Two brothers in my ward were from Africa. Their father and brothers were killed because they belonged to the wrong political party and they had no idea where their mother and sisters were. That doesn't happen here.

In Iran in the last two weeks people have died because they believed the election was fixed. Others were taken captive who had the misfortune to be connected to exiles of the country. That doesn't happen here.

I'm proud to be an American, even if I don't always agree with the leaders of the country. Being an American gives me the right to disagree with them and be as vocal as I like about it. I can even call for a recall of those leaders if I feel strongly about it.

America has it's problems, but as long as we take care of each other and follow the constitution, we can overcome those problems.

This Weekend

2009-06-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

Marianne and I went to Tacoma this weekend. We went mostly to see the Museum of Glass. I was a little disappointed. It was actually fairly small, it felt like a gallery show more than a museum. I'm glad I went though. We did go to the bridge again but I didn't take any pictures this time. (The pictures I took last year can be seen here.

We also went to the Point Defiance park while we were there. All of the pictures I took can be seen here. Here are a few of my favorites though:

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

picture found here.

Today is Memorial Day and amidst all the bbq's and celebrating the day off I think it's important to remember those who died to make this country what it is. We're not perfect, but we have a lot of really good things.

Some of you know I seriously considered joining the military after college and sometimes still wonder if I made the right decision by not joining. Most of you know that my brother has served in the Navy for about 11 years now and my sister served in the Army for a short time. My brother has been to Afghanistan and Iraq. Two of my cousins also served in Iraq, one in the Marines and one in the Army. An uncle served in Vietnam and another served during Vietnam but was never deployed. My grandfather served in WWII in the Navy. So, as you can see, we're a patriotic family.

Not everybody can serve in the military but we can all help our country. We can serve in so many ways here at home. We can send letters and care packages to deployed soldiers. Help children and homeless. Lobby our representatives for what we think this country needs to be better.

I don't always fit in here but I'm damn proud to be an American and if it came down to it, I'd die to protect it.

I think Keni Thomas says it best in his song "Hero." If you like it, go buy his cd.

Just 18, growing up on the wrong side of the law

Somewhere, someday knew he’d have to rise above it all
Told his family he’s gonna go fight for his land
Little brother can hold down the farm, and Mama please understand
Mama begged him not to go
Mama lost her little boy, but a country gained a hero

The desert air hit him square in the face, and boy you were right
Somewhere in between the fight he finally new what it meant to be alive
He was just 3 years shy of 21, and they gave that boy a gun
Mama begged him not to go
Mama lost her little boy, but a country gained a hero

Yeah, well, some say a hero is born to be brave
But I’m here to tell you that a hero is a scared man that don’t walk away

Mama sits by the flag of the USA
Tears well up in her eyes as she bows her head to pray
And she says, “Son, I know you had to go”
But mama lost her little boy, but a country gained a hero

Yeah, gained a hero
Well, it gained a hero
We gained a hero
Yeah, gained a hero
Gained a hero
For the USA
Oh, for the USA

Underrated and Overrated

2009-05-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

One of the blogs I read did this a few days ago. She listed 5 things she feels are overrated and 5 that she feels are underrated. Note - this is a highly personal list but I thought it was interesting.

Overrated
1. Political Parties - They generally serve as a divisive element in government. Rather than see the thing that need to be done and doing them, the individual parties argue about who has the best idea. So, nothing gets done.

2. Twitter - I really don't need to 40 character updates 50 million times a day about what you are doing.

3. Designer Jeans - I just can see the sense in paying over $100 for a pair of jeans. If I really want to I can get the same look with an iron, some thread and a bedazzler.

4. Luxury SUV's - SUV's are meant to haul stuff and go places you can't go in a regular car. They are not meant to be a status symbol.

5 Internet of the Phone - I really don't need to be constantly available. Has our addiction to the internet gotten so bad that we have to see it on a 3 inch screen?

Underrated
1. Books - I LOVE BOOKS. This shouldn't be a surprise to many people but it's true. I love the feel and smell of books. I love being able to curl up and loose myself for a while in a different place. I'm not sure I could get that in a digital reader.

2. Sunshine - The sun gets vilified occasionally for causing skin cancer but nothing makes me feel better than sitting in the sun with my 30 spf and reading.

3. Natural Fibers - 'nuff said

4. Peace and quiet - I think this might be why I don't ever want email on my phone. I get so busy sometimes that it's nice to just sit and enjoy the silence.

5. Helping Others - 'nuff said.

My New Hero

2009-04-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

This woman is my new hero. She proves that you should always take the chance to fill a dream.

Elemental Beauty

2009-03-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

I got 25% in all areas so I don't know how they decide which one is right. Oh well, here it is.

Your result for The Elemental Beauty Test...

Natural Beauty

25% Earth, 25% Air, 25% Water, and 25% Fire!

You scored 25% Earth! Outstanding!

The Earth element is a natural beauty. They tend to keep more toward greens, blacks, and natural colors for their wardrobe and their make-up, if they wear it to begin with. They tend to be grounded and not caught up in the latest trends. They are more interested in doing what feels right for them and being in touch with what is around them.

For inner beauty earth elements look for stability and commitment. They look after others and their family. They are realistic and tactile, meaning they aren't afraid to touch and be touched. But they can also be quite stubborn and unmoving when their mind is made up.

Zodiac signs for earth are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn.

You also scored:

25% Water: Water is the etheral beauty. They like things that drape and shimmer. The love vintage and heirlooms; things with emotional ties and history. 0% Water may mean that you don't trust or use your intuition. Equal Water and Air would indicate a person that is a hard worker with a need for security and an attachment to possessions.

25% Air: Air is the fearless beauty. They are offbeat and funny. The mix old fashions with new and love to make new trends. They aren't afraid to be new or crazy. 0% Air could indicate that you have trouble looking at things objectively. Persons with equal Earth and Air are usually those who think and use good common sense.

25% Fire: Fire is the alluring beauty. They like to wear bright colors and show some skin. They are sexually minded and spicy. They use a lot of charm to get what they want. 0% Fire can often be seen in someone that pushes and tries to force self-expression. An equal Fire and Earth person is someone who has the ability to be powerfully creative. Fire provides the motivation and Earth provides the tangible results.

Take The Elemental Beauty Test at HelloQuizzy

100 List Recap

2009-02-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

It's been a year since I started this blog and it seems like a good time to look at my 100 list and what I've accomplished in the last year. So here goes.

14. Learn to do Majorca - I took a class on this at an SCA event. I'm not very good at it and I'm not sure I enjoy it enough to get better.

22. Get to Artisan level in the E&E guild - I may eliminate this one.

36. Cook dinner from scratch at least once a week - This is one of my new years resolutions as well, it's going moderately well.

40. Take lunch to work at least once a week - as I cook more this is happening more often.

67. Become an SCA herald - hold at least 1 office - I am the Dragon's Mist pursuivant currently and will be applying for a kingdom deputy position when it opens later this year.

68. Make/own a complete Tudor outfit - working on this now.

93. Get a passport - I got a passport in January.

Wow, I'm doing better than I thought, still have room to go though.

Spice Meme

2009-02-12T08:01:00.000-08:00

Your result for The Which Spice Are You Test...

Fennel

You are Fennel!
You're a cool cat. Crisp, clean, fresh, and extremely complicated. You're like quantum physics or modern jazz. Think Niels Bohr meets Ornette Coleman. You may look normal now, but once you sprout, you look kind of, uh, funny.

Take The Which Spice Are You Test at

Castle

2009-01-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

When I was younger a friend and I had this plan that she would by the Newschwanstein castle and I would buy the one Cinderella's castle is modeled after. I was going to move mine so it was across the lake from hers. However, I've found a much better castle and I'm not moving it. It's The Swallows Nest in the Ukraine. At least half of it's appeal comes from it's location. So, she's going to have to move hers instead.

Goal Update and a New One

2009-01-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

I've decided to add another goal for the year. I want to read all the standard works this year. I decided to start in 2nd Nephi instead of starting over and I need to read about 6.5 pages a day to finish all four in the year. I did great yesterday but then worked 18 hours so I haven't read yet today. I'm not done with the project so I'm not sure when it I'll be able to read today.

As far as my other goals, I'm not doing great. I'm having a hard time leaving the computer off in the afternoon. I may start with a different day.

I made tortellini soup the first week. I haven't made anything yet this week though. Not sure when I'll have time to.

Year in Review

2009-01-01T14:27:00.000-08:00

I got this from Trina's blog, and, like her, I really had to think about some of the questions.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? I went to both crown events and started 2 blogs.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't think I made any resolutions last year. It's not something I do much, it feels too pressured. I did however create a 100 list.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, I have a new niece.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes

5. What countries did you visit? I didn't travel out of the Pacific NW much this year. I went to a conference in Georgia but that's it.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? More faith

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? I don't know if any date will stick. Events will, a friend dying, a new niece being born healthy despite being several weeks early, the trip to Washington with my sisters, some of the great SCA events I went to, getting to see Riverdance.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Becoming a better herald

9. What was your biggest failure? Lack of faith

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nope, some minor allergy issues but I'm mostly healthy otherwise.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My new bed, it's so nice to lay down without my feet hanging off the end of the bed.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Our service men and women, they go out everyday knowing they may die or be seriously heart for their beliefs.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The media during the presidential election.

14. Where did most of your money go? Bills

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My niece is the only thing I can think of.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? I can't think of any.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? about the same b) thinner or fatter? about the same but hopefully a little healthier c) richer or poorer? about the same

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? read

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Cleaning

20. How did you spend Christmas? At my parents' house with my sister, parents, aunt, and grandmother

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? No

22. What was your favorite TV program? I watch far too much tv. Favorite shows include, Grays Anatomy and NCIS. I also enjoy hockey games, especially the Canucks and Winterhawks.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I think hate is a very strong word. There are people that annoy me but I don't hate anyone.

24. What was the best book you read? I read a lot so I can't name any one book as the best

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? I can't think of any.

26. What did you want and get? A new bed

27. What did you want and not get? A new couch

28. What was your favorite film of this year? I'm not really sure I watched any of last year's films.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 32. My parents and sister came over and we barbecued. My friends also had a little party for me at Sept. Crown

30. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying? More faith in God's timing

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? I don't think it changed, I'm pretty simple.

32. What kept you sane? Hanging out with friends and, conversely, those days I had to myself.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I don't really "fancy" any public figure.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? I've gotten really cynical about politics so I don't think anything surprised me this year.

35. Who did you miss? My family and friends that live far away.

36. Who was the best new person you met? This question doesn't make sense to me.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Don't let fear of failure keep you from doing what you want to. (Still working on it.)

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. I can't think of any.

New Years Resolutions

2008-12-28T09:59:00.000-08:00

I know it's a bit early but I've decided on 2 New Years resolutions this year.

First, I want to try a new recipe every week. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just new. I'm hoping this will get me out of the habit of relying on boxed food. I'm going to start tonight with Tortellini Soup.

Second, I've decided I waste too much time on the computer so I will turn it off by noon on Sunday and not turn it back on until Monday. I may decide to leave it off all day by the end of the year but I want to start slow.

Bored

2008-12-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

I am officially bored. There was 14 inches of snow this morning. (Far more than Portland usually gets in a year.) I didn't want to deal with chains (required) and the bus wasn't coming to my stop so I decided to work from home. I hate typing on my laptop but did get some stuff done. I'm going stir crazy though. If I decide to work from home tomorrow I'm going to have to at least walk to the store, just to get out.

I'm trying to watch a hockey game but I can't focus on it either. It's even the Canuks!!

Anyway, while I was bored I found this. This is all the states I've been too, in most cases I stayed at least one night in the state.

visited 18 states (36%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or try another Douwe Osinga project

Snow

2008-12-21T13:13:00.001-08:00

It's snowing and church is cancelled for the second week in a row. You have no idea how funny I find this.

Anyway, here's the view from my balcony.

Happy Christmas

2008-12-20T09:51:00.000-08:00

more animals

This one reminds me of something we did in Institue years ago. We went around and each gave Jesus a birthday present of something we were going to work on for the following year.

more animals

I just thought this one was funny.

Happy Christmas Everyone.

Creativity

2008-12-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

I posted some thoughts on creativity on my other blog. I couldn't decide which one to post it on so I decided to post a link here.

MBTI and blogs

2008-11-25T08:43:00.000-08:00

One of the blogs I read is about the MBTI and how it can be used in our lives. For those of you unfamiliar with this, it is the Meyers-Brigg Type Instrument and it is a method to determine personality type. It's the only profiler that most people, including me, believe to be accurate.

It defines 16 personality types made up of 4 preferences. These are:

Extroverted/Introverted
Sensing/iNtuitive
Thinking/Feeling
Judging/Perceiving

Anyway, the blog had a link to this site that analyzes your blog and tells you what type it is. I sent it to both of my blogs and got ISTP for this one and ESTP for the SCA blog. I found this to be kind of funny because everytime I've taken the sorter, whether it's the official one or a smaller one, I'm INFP. The only preference that is even close is the E/I all the rest are fairly extreme.

After I looked at the results I went wandering around the web looking for MBTI stuff. I found this site that had an interesting sentence that I think explains why I'm so middle ground on most issues:

They live life in an intently personal fashion, acting on the belief that each
person is unique and that social norms are to be respected only if they do not
hinder personal development or expression.

I sometimes worry that I don't have strong opnions about important issues. I've realized though, that I do have strong opinions as they pertain to me, just not as they pertain to others. I think that's ok. I think everyone has a right to live life as they see fit and nobody has a right to take that away.

Anyway, that's enough rambling for now. If you want to learn more about the MBTI check out the links in the blog and I'll list a few more below.

Keirsey - one of the acknowledge experts in the field
Tempermanet sorter - a short version of the test. It may not be as accurate as the full test but it will give you an idea.
Personality Page - an easy site to read.
Kingdomality -another theory that seems to be based off the MBTI. It relates personality to peoople in a medieval kingdom.

Grace Marie

2008-11-14T23:37:00.001-08:00

I have a new niece. Grace Marie was born at 3:11 this morning. She was born at 35 weeks but was 19 inches and a little over 5 lbs. (I can't remember her exact weight right now.) They were worried about her lungs because she is early, but she came out screaming so everything seems to be fine. Katie is doing well also. I will post picture when I get them if her parents ok it.

Big Read

2008-11-11T13:09:00.000-08:00

I saw this on Trina's sisters blog and thought it looked fun.

Anyway ... The Big Read (apparently sponsored by the BBC) reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they’ve printed.

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you love. (Or asterisk, since there is no underline option on Blogger.)
4) Reprint this list in your own blog so we can try and track down these people who’ve only read 6 and force books upon them.

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen*
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling*
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee*
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. 1984, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame*
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone, JK Rowling*
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling*
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban, JK Rowling*
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D’Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery*
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett*
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett*
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett*
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones’s Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight’s Children, Salman Rushdie

I've read 28. Not too bad - definately better than the 6 BBC estimates. Some of them were required reading but a lot of them were by choice.

Goals

2008-11-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

I've made a little bit of progress on my 100 list lately. I applied to be the shire herald for Dragon's Mist and since no one else applied I'm pretty much guaranteed to get it.

I'm also working on a web site based on my SCA persona. Right now I'm thinking it will have pages based on general info, daily life, famous people, etc... I'll let you know when it's done.

Clothing & General Conference

2008-10-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the Saturday morning session of General Conference on my way home yesterday (they are available as free podcasts) and heard this quote from Elder L. Tom Perry:

"In the Book of Mormon story of the tree of life, it was the people whose 'manner of dress was exceedingly fine' who mocked those who partook of the fruit of the tree. It is sobering to realize that the fashion-conscious mockers in the great and spacious building were responsible for embarrassing many, and those who were ashamed 'fell away into forbidden paths and were lost'"

This really struck a chord with me. At my current job everyone dresses very nice. Most people shop at Nordstrom, Macy's, and Banana Republic which are the closest stores to us. I've started to feel like the way I dress is inferior even though no one has said anything about it. I resist buying clothes at places like JC Penny because I'm sure people will know and look down on me for it.

Nobody is going to know where I shop and if they care, so what? I have more important things to do with my money, like buy a house, travel, and maybe help someone.

The other thing that bothers me is that as I window shop on my lunch hour I start to think $50 pants are a good deal. They aren't. I can get pants and jeans for less than that and shouldn't waste my money on things that aren't important.

Meme - I'm a Doris

2008-10-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't posted anything substantial in a while and I'll try to do better. In the meantime, here is this:

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Doris!

You are a Doris -- "I must help others."

Dorises are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.

How to Get Along with Me

* Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.

* Share fun times with me.

* Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.

* Let me know that I am important and special to you.

* Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.

In Intimate Relationships

* Reassure me that I am interesting to you.

* Reassure me often that you love me.

* Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.

What I Like About Being a Doris

* being able to relate easily to people and to make friends

* knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better

* being generous, caring, and warm

* being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings

* being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor

What's Hard About Being a Doris

* not being able to say no

* having low self-esteem

* feeling drained from overdoing for others

* not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish

* criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should

* being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tume in to them

* working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings

Dorises as Children Often

* are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism

* try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding

* are outwardly compliant

* are popular or try to be popular with other children

* act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention

* are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted Dorises), or quiet and shy (the more introverted Dorises)

Dorises as Parents

* are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)

* are often playful with their children

* wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"

* can become fiercely protective

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Shrubbery

2008-10-02T12:57:00.001-07:00

Those of you who like Monty Python should enjoy this:

more animals

Political Rant and Ramblings

2008-09-24T13:38:00.001-07:00

This post will not address the issues involved in the current presidential election because they are not the most frustrating thing in this election for me. The issues are issues and everyone has a right to their opinion and to vote for the person who shares as many of those opinions as possible.

No, my frustration is the media's focus on very irrelevant things in this election. Specifically Obama's race, Mccain's age, Romney's religion, and Hilary and Palin's gender and fashion choices.

Now, I understand the arguments behind most of these issues. I just don't agree.

Their afraid McCain will die, which is pretty stupid really considering that we're all going to die and age doesn't necessarily have much to do with it. Some people die as babies and some are still raring to go at 100. Irrelevant.

Romney's religion: Irrelevant. Yes, we are shaped by our beliefs but I don't think he was going to make everyone convert or even agree with his religion. We should have focused on his history as a government and business leader. The man has a very good financial mind and we could definitely use that right now. But no, we focused on his religion instead.

Obama's race: I really don't get this one. I don't think he's the every man he's trying to portray himself as but I don't think his race has anything to do with it. I think the question "Is America ready for a black president?" is rather insulting to the American people.

Hilary and Palin's gender. "Is America ready for a woman president/vice-president?" Seriously? Many other developed, powerful nations either have or have had women leaders. Some very male dominated societies have had women leaders. Granted, they don't tend to live very long due to assassination but still. Why are we asking this question? Women have strengths and weaknesses just like men and we should be basing our decision on the issues not gender.

Now for the biggest frustration- Hilary & Palin's fashion choices. When Hilary was still in the race every article mentioned what color her pants suit was. Now, it's Palin's turn. Nobody does this with the men. I don't open to the political articles and see that Obama or McCain wore a blue suit today. What's the point? Fashion choices have absolutely no bearing on how someone will do as a leader. It doesn't even make sense.

Ok, so I'm done ranting. For the record, I don't know who I'm voting for yet. I have a pretty good idea, but I'm not 100% sure. There are things about each that I don't like.

Recipe Request

2008-09-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

I am trying to eat a bit healthier than I do now. Since I am generally only cooking for myself I tend to rely on a lot of packaged meals and canned soups. Then, for lunch I go to one of the various fast food places around work. This is getting expensive and isn't very good for me. So, I am asking for recipes that are fairly easy, realatively healthy and freeze well. If you have any please let me know or if you know a good source online that would be great as well.

Me Like Hockey

2008-09-19T18:35:00.000-07:00

The Winterhawks season opener is tomorrow night. I'm hoping to go but I don't know if it's going to happen. In the meantime, my friends introduced me to this song.

Japanese Garden

2008-09-08T19:37:00.000-07:00

While I was off I went to the Japanese Gardens here in Portland. I love the peacefulnes of Japanese gardens. Here are some pictures:

I don't think I would ever have the patience to do this.

Fish - they're such pretty colors.

AHHHH...I've been tagged

2008-09-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by Simi,
DA Rules: Answer da questions using only ONE WORD. Then tag four others.I'm going to tag Heather, Trina, Tawnia - I know it's only 3 but that will have to do for now.

1.Where is your cell phone? PURSE
2. Your significant other? NONE
3. Your hair? LONGISH
4. Your mother? HOME
5. Your father? WORK
6. Your favorite thing? READING
7. Your dream last night? DIDN'T
8 Your favorite drink? JUICE
9. Your dream/goal? MASTERS
10. The room you’re in? OFFICE
11. Your hobby? SCA
12. Your fear? SNAKES
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? ISLAND
14. What you’re not? ORGANIZED
15. Muffins? BLUEBERRY
16. One of your wish list items? BOOKS
17. Where you grew up? OREGON
18. The last thing you did? SPREADSHEET
19. What are you wearing? CLOTHES
20. Favorite gadget? CAMERA
21. Your pets?NONE
22. Your computer? DESKTOP
23.Your mood? TIRED
24. Missing someone? EVERYONE!
25.Your car? SUV
26. Something you’re not wearing? RINGS
27. Favorite store? POWELLS
28. Like someone? NOPE
29. Your favorite color? LOTS
30. When is the last time you laughed? YESTERDAY
31. Last time you cried? SATURDAY

#'s 10 & 37

2008-08-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

I bought a learn guitar kit yesterday. It has dvd's, cd's, and a couple of books. I'm off work all next week so hopefully I will be able to get a start on #10 - Learn to play the guitar.

Also, since I'm off next week, I'm hoping to do #37 and quit drinking Mt. Dew. It's not good for me and I need to stop.

We'll see what happens.

Memories

2008-07-22T21:11:00.002-07:00

A couple of my friends are doing this on their blogs so I thought I would too.

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you.

Busy, busy, busy

2008-07-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't posted in a while. The whole family was here in May, everybody left, then Joan and Katie came back a few weeks later. Here are some pictures:

Me, Carissa (Ben's oldest), and Katie, as taken by Joan in my parent's back yard.

Joan's feet at the beach. My mom thinks it's weird but I like it! I think it's cute and the composition's not bad either.

Joan pretending to drive a safari truck at the zoo.

Joan feeding the lorikeets at the zoo. The funny thing is that we took here there when she was about two and she wanted nothing to do with the birds. She was fine looking at them but didn't want them touching her.

I didn't get a picture of it but at one point my mom had about 4 birds on her arm.

Marianne, Katie and I went up to the west side of the Puget sound one weekend. Living in Oregon we find it odd that beaches can be private. By law all Oregon beaches are public. BTW, Katie would probably like it noted that she is pregnant in this picture.

Union Station in Tacoma. I just think it's a cool building so I took a picture.

There is a museum of glass in Tacoma and they have a bridge of glass outside that is free to view. All the glass is done by an artist named Chihuly and I have to say he's probably one of my favorite artists. Plus, I love glass.

Anyway, that's what I've been up to lately!

BTW, I don't know what's up with the hyperlinks at the top of the post and I don't feel like fixing them right now.

Grad school

2008-06-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

I think I have finally figured out what to do at grad school. I want to go to Portland State for an MBA with specializations in International Business and Sustainability. Hopefully, I will be able to find a position helping companies and countries develop sustainable tourism enterprises. Tourism is one of the few completely renewable resources if it's done right.

This will help me on a couple fronts.
1. I don't feel like I am doing enough to help make the world a better place. I'm so sick of people talking about saving the rain forest or the coral reefs or whatever without considering the people who relay on farming or fishing or whatever. It's important to save our natural resources but we can't do it without finding another way for people to feed their families. I think that tourism can really marry these two goals.

2. I went into Hospitality in college because I wanted to travel and I haven't done much of that.

So, I'm studying for the GMAT now and hope to go to PSU fall of 2009.

The color of my aura...

2008-04-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

Your Aura is Violet

Idealistic and thoughtful, you have the mind and ideas to change the world.
And you have the charisma of a great leader, even if you don't always use it!

The purpose of your life: saying truths that other people dare not say

Famous purples include: Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Susan B. Anthony

Careers for you to try: Political Activist, Inventor, Life Coach

http://www.blogthings.com/whatcolorisyourauraquiz/"
What Color Is Your Aura?

Snow in Astoria

2008-04-03T21:30:00.001-07:00

Snow in Astoria
Originally uploaded by oisswafford

I was in Astoria this weekend for a heraldry symposium and it snowed! On the 2nd to last day of March! Crazy.

Biggie's Tree

2008-03-20T18:24:00.001-07:00

They cut down Biggie's tree while I was work today!! I came home, opened the window, and it was gone!!! I wanted to cry.

I've been trying to get a picture of him for the last couple of days and now it doesn't look like it will happen. I just hope he wasn't in the tree when they cut it down.

For those who don't know, Biggie is the name Joanie gave the squirrel that lived in the tree outside of my apartment. There are other trees so hopefully he will find a home in one of those.

Asparagus

2008-03-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

With asparagus coming into season I thought I would share my new favorite asparagus recipe. You just lay them out on the pan, drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Put them in the oven at 450 and cook about 5 - 6 minutes. They're great.

100 Things to Do Before I Die

2008-02-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

At the end of last year I decided to make a 100 list. I found all sorts of links about them online and went to work. It took a while but I finally did it. I some how feel more accountable if I share them here but there are a couple of caveats. First, the list may change over time. Second, some of them are life long goals and will never be crossed off the list. Finally, I haven't decided how to measure some of them. Anyway, here they are:

1. Get a masters degree
2. Teach at the college level
3. Do the cancer relay walk at least once - the 24 hour one
4. Help stop violence, especially towards women & children
5. Support/Promote Literacy
6. Help BYUH accomplish their mission
7. Help a children's organization
8. Learn Celtic Step Dance
9. Learn to play the harp
10. Learn to play the guitar
11. Learn how to do stained glass
12. Make a ginger bread house
13. Learn at least 2 calligraphy hands
14. Learn to do Majorca
15. Learn Opus Anglican Embroidery
16. Learn basic freestyle embroidery
17. Learn Temari
18. Learn Bargello
19. Take a photography class
20. Have a studio/workroom to work on my many interests and can leave current projects out if I want to
21. Complete at least 1 original SCA scroll
22. Get to Artisan level in the E&E guild
23. Publish a photo - bonus if it's in Nat'l Geographic
24. Sing in a "Messiah" choir at least one more time.
25. Learn how to draw
26. Make a stained glass window for my own house
27. Research Swafford line
28. Research Masters line
29. Research Zweifel Lines
30. Research Wood Lines
31. Learn to snowboard well enough to go down advanced runs
32. Learn rock climbing/bouldering
33. Complete a duathlon
34. Learn to Kayak - flat water
35. Learn to mountain bike
36. Cook dinner from scratch at least once a week
37. Stop drinking Mt. Dew/cut back on soda consumption
38. Learn to eat a balance diet
39. Make exercise/physical activity a habit
40. Take lunch to work at least once a week
41. Learn Spanish
42. Learn Japanese
43. Learn ASL
44. MBTI Certification
45. Publish a web page - this blog doesn't count. I want to build one from scratch.
46. Learn cake decorating
47. Learn how to troubleshoot car problems
48. Design & Plant and English Garden
49. Learn more about Feng Shui and incorporate it into my house
50. Rescue at least one animal from a shelter or rescue organization
51. Keep a gratitude journal for at least 1 year
52. Follow Benjamin Franklin's quote re: talking about others
53. Own a house
54. Own all of the Valdemar series in hard back
55. Keep a regular journal - make it a habit - this blog doesn't count. Some things are to personal to share with the whole world. :-)
56. Stop being afraid to let people close to me
57. Dedicated library in my house
58. Have an article/story published in a travel magazine
59. Get braces
60. Keep track of all the books I read for at least 1 year.
61. Have a backyard with a hammock
62. Own all of Ann McCaffrey's sci fi/Fantasy books in hard back
63. Build labyrinth/maze
64. Learn to get up at the 1st alarm instead of hitting snooze forever
65. Vacation home on an island - preferable near the water
66. Keep an organized database of my favorite quotes
67. Become an SCA herald - hold at least 1 office
68. Make/own a complete Tudor outfit
69. Fully develop my SCA persona
70. Live by faith not fear
71. Study the Scriptures
72. Study Jesus the Christ
73. Study A New Testament of the Articles of Faith
74. Read the entire Bible-not the same as #71 this I can measure
75. Read the Apocrypha
76. Read the Pseudopigrapha
77. Live in Europe
78. Visit Alaska
79. Visit the British Isles
80. Visit Europe
81. Visit China - preferably with my sister
82. Visit Fiji
83. Visit Australia
84. Visit New Zealand
85. Swim with dolphins
86. Go on a photo safari in Africa
87. Visit Easter Island
88. Attend the summer olympics
89. Attend the winter olympics
90. Ride in a glass bottomed boat
91. Go whale watching
92. See Orcas in the wild
93. Get a passport
94. See the sun come up over Haleakala
95. See the volcano on the big island
96. Visit at least 100 of the places in 1000 Things to See Before You Die
97. Go on an adventure vacation
98. See Polar Bears in the wild
99. See sharks in the wild
100. Visit Victoria, BC