Have You Ever...

Instructions: Take the following list and star the items you have completed or experienced. (I decided to modify this and share the story.)

1. Started your own blog - obviously

2. Slept under the stars - girls camp, slept on a rope hammock which was incredibly uncomfortable.

3. Played in a band - Nope

4. Visited Hawaii - I wish.

5. Watched a meteor shower - Hello, Grubfest. It is a yearly tradition 'round these parts. As long as you ignore the bulls, you get a great view of the stars. (To learn more, read here and here.)

6. Given more than you can afford to charity - can't help it sometimes.

7. Been to Disneyland /world - never been to any of them, though I've been so close to most of them...in Paris, visiting Jessica in California, and everyone used to go from NH to FL while growing up. But I never went. (KLEB shakes her head in shame.)

8. Climbed a mountain - of course.

9. Held a praying mantis - nope, not a fan of holding bugs

10. Sung a solo - this would terrify me

11. Bungee jumped - want to, but haven't.

12. Visited Paris - lived there in 1999. LOVED it. Soooo amazing.

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea - I think this would be fun, but no.

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - does water painting count?

15. Adopted a child - obviously not

16. Had food poisoning - nope

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - yup, went with Brian Buell and Vince in 1999.

18. Grown your own vegetables - If you've seen my parent's garden, you know the answer is yes. I actually love gardening.

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France - yeah, it was surprisingly anticlimactic.

20. Slept on an overnight train - several while traveling Europe. I lost an earring on one of them. If you see it, let me know.

21. Had a pillow fight - I am one of five kids, so OF COURSE. My favorite pillow fight ever was between Jessie, Aimee, and I in New Zealand. Of course, I won.

22. Hitch hiked - no way. Too dangerous.

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill - nope, I feel it is unethical.

24. Built a snow fort - Yup, we used to build tons of them in NH. In high school Ethan had tunnels connecting his collection of igloos in the back yard.

25. Held a lamb - I don't think so. But I have fed a baby tiger. Close enough.

26. Gone skinny dipping - nope.

27. Run a Marathon - Yup. Top of Utah, 2004.

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice - No, I thought it was too expensive. Maybe in the future.

29. Seen a total eclipse - in high school. Someone gave me a welding hat to look through to get a glimpse of it.

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset - Of course. I grew up 45 minutes away from the ocean. We used to love to watch the sunrise from the beach in high school.

31. Hit a home run - not that coordinated.

32. Been on a cruise - not yet. Cruises are pretty tame. I prefer rougher travel while I am younger, but I'd take the opportunity if it came. But I try to save the tame traveling for when I am older.

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person - several times. My parents were so bugged one summer because they took us there and all we wanted was to go back to the swimming pool. It was about 104 degrees, humid, and we had no air conditioning.

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - yup. Quebec and Nantucket cover most of them.

35. Seen an Amish community - When Ginette got off her mission in Kirtland, OH we went to visit. Plenty o' Amish there. I love the little buggy signs on the roads. My favorite though is the Amish hat-head.

36. Taught yourself a new language - well, working on Spanish.

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - Yup, in my pre-law school years.

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person - nope. Only been to Venice. I'd rather go to Cinque Terre.

39. Gone rock climbing - of course.

40. Seen Michelangelos David - not the real thing, unless there is a replica in the Louvre.

41. Sung karaoke - yeah. But it took me many years to get up the nerve to do it.

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt - nope

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - nope

44. Visited Africa - I want to sooo badly.

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - In Nantucket for sure. I am in love with the ocean day or night.

46. Been transported in an ambulance - nope

47. Had your portrait painted - sketched but not painted.

48. Gone deep sea fishing - nope

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person - nope

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris - On my 21st birthday. While living there I went many times.

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling - no, but I'd love to.

52. Kissed in the rain - You bet.

53. Played in the mud - I'm sure.

54. Gone to a drive-in theater - of course. In NH and Utah.

55. Been in a movie - Yup, but I haven't watched the movie yet.

56. Visited the Great Wall of China - not yet.

57. Started a business - Yup. An LLC.

58. Taken a martial arts class - no

59. Visited Russia - no, but I want to.

60. Served at a soup kitchen - no.

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - Yup, I was a girl scout once.

62. Gone whale watching - Um, I'm from New Hampshire, so of course. We went in high school on a dreary, gray day. Nearly everyone got sick, but me. I love rocking boats, turbulence, etc.

63. Gotten flowers for no reason - Yup.

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - Gave plasma once in college and nearly passed out. Gave blood for the first time in September, and nearly passed out. I finally have a donor card and have a goal to become a regular donor. This stat has really inspired me to give more:

"Proponents of income redistribution even give less blood than opponents. In 2002, people who agreed that the government should improve living standards for the poor represented 28 percent of the population, but donated just 20 percent of the blood. Meanwhile, people who disagreed that the government should improve living standards - believing that "people should take care of themselves" instead - were 25 percent of the population, but donated 31 percent of the blood. If the entire population gave blood at the same rate as opponents of social spending, the blood supply would increase by more than a quarter. But if everyone in the population gave at the same rate as government aid advocates, the supply would drop by about 30 percent."

- Who Really Cares, America's Charity Divide, Who Gives, Who Doesn't, and Why It Matters Pg. 57

65. Gone sky diving - not yet.

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp - No

67. Bounced a check - No, which is surprising considering how spacey I am.

68. Flown in a helicopter - no, but I want to.

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - no.

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial - Yup. Loved it.

71. Eaten Caviar - In France, of course.

72. Pieced a quilt - No.

73. Stood in Times Square - Yup, with Vince and Brian in '99.

74. Toured the Everglades - No.

75. Been fired from a job - No

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London - No

77. Broken a bone - Fractured my ankle on September 11 the year I turned 20.

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle - Plenty o' times. Just last night, in fact. Shaun and I had a yearly tradition to Nebo Loop on bike in the fall while I lived in Utah. He loved to see how calm I could stay while he drove crazily. I trusted him. Paul, on the other hand nearly killed me while driving in the city. Turning left on a red arrow wasn't the best idea. I'm so glad mom doesn't read my blog.

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person - I flew over it once and took a picture. But that doesn't count.

80. Published a book - Nope.

81. Visited the Vatican - Not yet.

82. Bought a brand new car - only ever owned my white Ford Escort. It was used when I bought it.

83. Walked in Jerusalem - not yet.

84. Had your picture in the newspaper - not that I know of.

85. Read the entire Bible - several times. Reading the Old Testament now.

86. Visited the White House - I am not positive, but I think I've been in there many years ago with Ginette.

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - um no. I am so grateful that other people do this so I don't have to.

88. Had chickenpox - Yup.

89. Saved someone's life - no.

90. Sat on a jury - No.

91. Met someone famous - Who hasn't.

92. Joined a book club - Yup, with Rachel and her sisters. I really enjoyed it.

93. Lost a loved one - Yes, by more means than just death.

94. Had a baby - nope

95. Seen the Alamo in person - nope

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake - Um, it really stinks, in case you haven't been there. So no. But I have camped out on Antelope Island, which is an island in the Salt Lake. That was good enough for me.

97. Been involved in a law suit - Not the way this question means.

98. Owned a cell phone - Yes, and I miss it sorely right now. (It is missing.)

99. Been stung by a bee - Yes, I made it all the way to high school before I got stung. I was so mad.

100. Read an entire book in one day - Many.