What have you done?

I read this on a friend's blog, and was surprised to see how many of these things I have done (bolded). I have had a good life, so far! :) Thanks, Rachel, for making me stop and realized how blessed I am. Please copy and past this into your blog - I want to see what you have done!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (would cooking count?)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Ran a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (fish count, right?)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Stuff I'm thinking about.....

• I wish my dad were alive to see this day.
• My 6-year-old son didn't understand why it was such a big deal that we elected an African-American president. He sees no difference between the various colors of people's skin. He and his sister will grow up in a world where a black man is president and the Red Sox have won two World Series'. I'm so glad for that.
• I will miss Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. But not Sarah Palin.
• I wish I still lived in the DC area. I'd like to go to the innaguration.
• Would things have turned out differently if we had seen more of the John McCain we saw in the concession speech last night during the campaign?
• I'm not bitter any more, Jo-Ann. Are you? :)

One Day More!

So here we are. November 3. 11th Hour. As someone who seriously enjoys politics, and typically can't get enough of this stuff, even I'm done.

I did go digging around this morning about something that had piqued my curiosity. I heard that in Alaska, each citizen (man, woman and child) gets a stipend every year from the oil companies. This money, paid via taxes and tariffs of the companies that remove natural resources from the ground in Alaska (i.e., oil) is distributed via the Alaska State Government. There is no State income tax there, nor is there a state sales tax. It's is believed here that Alaskans own the natural resources of Alaska.

I think this is a great idea! No, I'm not being sarcastic. I seriously think that this REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH, that comes from the COLLECTIVE RESOURCE POOL of the citizen's resources is, frankly, a beautiful thing.

But let's call it what it is: Socialism. Redistribution of wealth.

Apparently, Alaska's governor agrees with me. Read the whole article, but savor the last paragraph: New Yorker Magazine: Like, Socialism.

Whatever you do tomorrow, please vote. If you don't, you will have no right to complain about what happens after tomorrow.

Overheard coming from our bedroom last night....

"..... did she just say NUKEELAR?"

"Answer the f'ing question, bitch!"

"Okay, now she's getting worked up!"

"Whoo-Pah. He's got her where he wants her now!"

"Don't wink at me anymore. I'm not your boyfriend."

"Did he just say 'Bosniacs'? I have to Google that...."
Ed. note: It's a word. Bosniaks are Muslim people from Bosnia/Hertzogovinia. Who knew?

"Aw, he got all choked up there!"

"Do you think she's had diarrhea for a week?"

"She's taking beta-blockers, you betcha!"

I think Joe Biden came off like a gentleman and a scholar. Sarah Palin came off like she should have been wearing a gingham dress, pigtails and carrying her butter churn. But you know what? A lot of people believed gingham-clad farm girl Mary Ann was the true heart and soul of Gilligan's Island. Wonder what kind of VP she would make?

Ya just never know with Putie Putin!

"As Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state."

Trusting my gentle readers to know who said these words.

Italy, finally.

Boy, did time get away from me! Summer is over, we're back in school, I've already run my first fall program (orlando, yuck...) and I haven't even begun to share the fun of our trip! So, here goes.... in chapters, from my journal.

Italy, Day One - Departure from Boston

Red eye flight. 8 hours long. 6 year old boy. The math is pretty simple. However, a little benadryl helped him get a few hours of sleep on the plane. He was the only one though!

I knew this would happen... so I booked...

Day Two - Rome (sort of)

We landed in Rome right on time at 8am on Friday morning. We had to wait nearly 40 minutes for our luggage, then customs, an immigration... but then there was our trusty driver, Luigi, waiting for us outside of customs. 4 bottles of water and 20 minutes later, we were checked in to our hotel (Marriott Rome Park - not anywhere near the city, but a nice pool, a comfy beds) and crashed. Yes, I have always given the advice to get out in the sunlight.... get the seratonin levels going... beat that jet lag! But having not slept even ONE minute on the plane, we were all ready to sleep. And sleep we did!

Peter was first to make Italian friends - two boys who were the sons of the (so VERY hot) lifeguard at the pool were the only ones swimming. They spoke NO English, and Peter can say Grazie and Bun-Journo.... but play is the international language and they got on just fine.

Dinner, a little television and bed finished day one.

Day Two - Civitavecchia

The Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas is a really nice, mid-sized ship. We had sailed to Bermuda last year on the Grandeur (twin sister), but I found the Legend to be nicer. The rooms are a little bigger, the storage a little better and the public space much nicer. The ship guests were 90% Brits - which made it feel very international, yet with the comforts of home (i.e., chicken nuggets at dinner). The first night was lovely, a beautiful Mediterranean sunset, a cool breeze and the promise of great adventure lay ahead.

Day Three - Portofino

I've long said that if I eat my vegetables, hold back on the potty words and behave myself, heaven will look like Portofino. It was as I remembered - a fairy tale town of villas on steep hills tumbling down to the blue waters of the Med. T has decided she wants to live there, and plans to open a branch of a friend's boutique, even. Sounds like a good plan to me!

After wondering around a bit,

shopping, climbing one to many hills


then relaxing for a cold drink, we were back on the ship ready for our next adventure.

Head Like a Lump of Unbaked Bread Dough

Can't. Stop. Laughing.