My Summer Vacation

June 27, 2012

It is now here! The time of year that all the kids are out of school and get to celebrate Summer Vacation! Gosh how I wish I had one. Sadly, being a member of corporate america, I get the standard two weeks worth of vacation and work 9-6 Monday through Friday the other 50 weeks of the year.

Sigh!

However, just because I don’t have the two month recess that my little friend Pam has to recoup from the strain of first grade and prepare for second grade, that doesn’t mean I am going to be a slave to the corporate grind. I have a few things planed:

  • I am taking a tone and burn class at the gym – the same one I signed up for in March. I have been enjoying it so I enrolled in another eight week session
  • I am taking an art class – it is a two session class where I am going to replicate a painting – should be interesting after my Bob Ross experience
  • I am dinning in the dark with a few friends – Don’t worry, I will tell you all about it
  • I am training for my 10 mile Disney Tower of Terror race in September – I have already logged 33 miles during the month of June!
  • I am trying out a new restaurant – MP Taverna – with the Doc to celebrate her summer vacation (she needs to recoup from her school year too!)
  • I am having tea at the Plaza just like Eloise – a special date in celebration of my little friend Pam’s 7th birthday.

So what are YOU doing for your summer vacation!

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Let’s Shake the Dust of the Bucket List

February 24, 2012

As I was catching up on my fellow bloggers postings from this week, I came across a some inspiration. The source : Time for a new to do list « Maggie Mae’s Days. Lovely Megan, who I have been quietly following for almost a year now, posted how she was looking to revamp her “list”. This inspired me two-fold. First, she got me thinking that I should reevaluate my bucket list. I accomplished a heck of a lot over the past year. Incase you have forgotten I have already completed the following:

  1. Finished reading Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
  2. I beat Jobin at Words with Friend – I’ve only done it once, but I’ve done it!
  3. Ride a Zipline
  4. Attended the Mermaid Parade
  5. Get Certified in CPR
  6. Paint some happy little trees (ala Bob Ross / Joy of Painting)
  7. Eat at Blue Hill at Stone Barns

My Bob Ross Attempt

I also have a few things that are “works in progress” such as :

  1. Solving my Rubik Cube – I twist it around at least three times a week
  2. Getting to my goal weight – the scale has been going in the wrong direction since I started my new job but I am tipping it back the way I want it
  3. Attend the Opera – Jobin and I talked about going to the Opera so hopefully I can cross that off this year
  4. Visit my friends in San Francisco – I am headed West for work in another month, which means I am going to see my San Fran friends which I CANNOT wait for!
  5. On March 20th I will have maintained my blog for one whole year!

With all these accomplishments and WIPs, I need to add some fresh energy in to the list. I have a few things to add in so keep an eye out for some upcoming updates.

Second – Megan mentioned something that sounded like such a wonderful, generous gift to give someone. Megan mentioned wanting to make a “20 Things I Like About You” list for friends and family. I think this is such a beautiful idea. I am asking all of you, my dear faithful readers, to consider trying it for someone in your life. I know if I was on the receiving side of that list I would be truly moved. Wouldn’t you? In comparison to tomorrow’s assignment this should be an easy task (Dum dum dum – What does Souzapalooza have planned for tomorrow?) Just go pick someone off you friend list and give it a try! (Feel free to share the link to this post along with it so they know where you got the motivation!)

If you feel like sharing some of your thoughts and ideas on the assignment, please leave them in the comments!

And of course, please check out Megan’s blog Maggie Mae’s Days for great posts and beautiful crafts (she’s really talented) Thanks for the inspiration Megan!

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What I Did On My Summer “Vacation”

September 8, 2011

Ok, Ok, you all know that I wasn’t on summer vacation. However, since I am going back to work at the same time that most people are going back to school, it is compreable to a summer vacation. As a result, I decided to do a little ‘summer adventures’ recap:

  1. I ran my fastest 5K race ever – (Running Like (and For) a Girl)
  2. I entered and am a finalist in the Samsonite “This Bag Can Take It Contest” – (if you haven’t seen the video yet, here it is:
  3. I completed 3 Bucket List items (Painting like Bob Ross, CPR, and Ziplinning)
  4. I got a new library card
  5. I made the most incredible zucchini bread and my short and sweet zuchinni bread post became my most popular post ever…surpassing my post about seeing pregnant Natalie Portman at Stone Barns (Spotting Celebrities at Stone Barns – Natalie Portman)
  6. I visited Ikea and bought fabulous new bedding (Ikea – The Epcot of Furniture (Even Though it is All From One Country))
  7. I enrolled in the Institute for Integrated Nutrition
  8. I learned to play Texas Hold’em at School of Cards (Know When to Hold ‘Em, Know When to Fold ‘Em)
  9. I became certified in CPR and AED from the American Red Cross
  10. I “put myself out there” 
I think this may have been my most productive summer ever!
What do you think? What was your favorite summer story from my blog? 
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My Blank Canvas – Another Completed Bucket List Item

July 19, 2011

Yesterday morning I decided to embrace my inner artist and let some creativity come out to play by embarking on another bucket list item, #46 – Get a copy of The Joy of Painting and try to paint some happy little trees!

I found out that The Best of The Joy Of Painting is on the Create Channel. You can find out what episodes are on and when by visiting their website. I set my DVR to capture the “Forest Edge” episode that aired at 6:30am last Tuesday. I also purchased an inexpensive acrylic paint set, a canvas, some brushes, and a mini easel (it was on sale) which I figured would work for my Bob Ross Adventure.

My Blank Canvas on the Mini Easel

Unfortunately, I did not realize that Bob works in oils. I only have acrylics. I also did not have the exact brushes that Bob had either, but I worked with what I had. I watched the episode in its entireitey and then I played it as I painted along with Bob. I kept rewinding parts to follow along (I’m sorry, I can’t make a masterpiece in 30 minutes like he can, mine took about 90).

So here is what Bob Ross’s “Forrest Edge” looked like (yes, I took a photo of my TV):

Here is what my “Forest Edge” looks like:

Working with the acrylics, I had a harder time with some of the effects that Bob was using, but I don’t think it was a bad first attempt.

What do you think? 

For anyone interested, I found this link to the episode of The Joy of Painting that I followed. If you do attempt it, please share your results. I’d love to see them! Forest Edge Episode

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