break from posts about 101

to post the following:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/13/AR2007101301426.html?sid=ST2007101902742

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/walter-reed/index.html

These stories are ridiculous. And it's sad that nothing really seems to have changed from what we've seen. I'm really tempted to call the reporters from these stories and tell them J's story. But I think he'd tell me he would get in trouble, etc.

what to do what to do

i'm going to pick a few goals to target each month, so here are the ones for end of july through august:
-try bikram yoga (just bought a groupon! wooo)
-go to sleep before 11pm for a full week
-start yoga nidra 2x a week
-start elements/foundations course
-get a new passport (i just found my old passport with my old last name so, i really don't feel like doing this but i need to)
-go to a free movie (apparently these are over, so this will have to wait until next year.)
-shoot a gun (maybe on hold)
-buy another dresser
-clean out closets/storage/get rid of/give away a bunch of stuff in storage
-get a new haircut (ok, moving this to sept/oct when i actually maybewill have $$)

-go to a professional tennis match (legg mason 7/29-30)

-create a dc bucket list post

i think 11 is a good number of goals to try to complete (or start) in the next month :)

4. bikram yoga, (scared?) plus bonus goals

i'm intimidated by bikram yoga. something about paying to be in a heated room and sweat and do funny poses..just sounds weird to me. but so many people love it, i have to give it a try. (for some reason i really enjoy trying things that many people think are crazy/hippie/ridiculous/whatever.) i've read that to prepare, you should drink more water than normal for the days before. i'm going to do it this weekend. there. committed. (this did not happen)

it's funny how it took me weeks to finish the 101 list, and then after i posted it i started thinking of a bunch of other things i would have included. i think i'll just make them additional or bonus goals, or keep a list in case i need to replace any goals:

-join/start cornhole/skeeball team one season (starting 7/20!) bonus points for both +2

-see mayday parade live again
-go skydiving again, preferably somewhere awesome near a beach
-say yes to everything (reasonable) for a day
-say no to everything for a day
-wear actual work clothes to work for a week (this one is so tough for me)
-take an anti-gravity yoga class (http://www.stylebyme.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/anti-gravity-yoga.jpg )
-take a parkour class (just because how ridiculous is it??)
-learn how to effectively icing cupcakes so they look pretty instead of messy (yet yummy)
-buy one of the deal of the day vacations, and just go
-take a sailing class
-see a penguin. in person. (ridiculous)
-take a picture with a celebrity
-send a secret to postsecret

#72 - 50 questions that will free your mind

(From: http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/07/13/50-questions-that-will-free-your-mind/ )

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? I think I'd stay in the 21-25 range forever. Old enough to drink, young enough to not have to be completely responsible alllll of the time.
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying? Never trying.
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do? Absolutely no idea, it makes no sense, but it's just how life goes.
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done? I hope so, if not my life will have been kind of meaningless.
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world? I could be cliche and say something like end world hunger or end war, but I think I'd like to just make people more understanding/open to new ideas.
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich? Volunteering. I would absolutely love to "work" by volunteering and leading volunteer events.
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing? In life, a little bit of both; career-wise, not necessarily settling, but I guess settling for what my skills/background fit.
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently? I'd definitely take more risks, though I like to think I'm already a risk-taker. Maybe I'd have less regrets and just do things with less thinking. And travel more.
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken? A little, but obviously not completely..no one can control the course. I think we can kind of steer our life in different directions, but I don't exactly think we have control, I think there are some other forces in play.
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things? Probably about doing the right things.
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do? I'd say something and then change the subject. I'd hope that if they were people I respected, that they'd respect my friends.
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be? (No way coudl I offer just one, so I'd like to offer three:) "Smile, breathe, and go slowly." or “Be Yourself. Life is precious as it is. All the elements for your happiness are already here. There is no need to run, strive, or struggle. Just Be.” or “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.”- John Wesley
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one? It depends on what kind of breaking the law it would be, and what kind of "saving" - saving a life? yeah. if it involved killing though, i don't think i'd be able to do it.
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity? I'm really not sure.
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people? Care. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but I feel like I go out of my way for people more often than not, and much more than people are willing to go out of their way for me. That sounds kind of sad, but I think it's just a different way of thinking?
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy? People don't think the same.
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?  What’s holding you back? Travel to other countries. Money :\ And time.
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of? I feel like everyone is.
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why? Of places I've already been - Hawaii...I think. I'm not sure I'd move to somewhere I hadn't visited, but I'd love to live somewhere in Europe..I think.
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster? Nope, and I really hate when people let the doors close when someone is walking up!
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton? joyful simpleton
22. Why are you, you? upbringing, education, experience, friends/family
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend? i hope so
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you? losing touch with a good friend who lives near you seems worse because you still have the opportunity to see each other
25. What are you most grateful for? friends/family
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones? wow, this is a really hard question. i honestly have no idea, i wouldn't want to lose old memories for sure, but the idea of never being able to make new memories seems pretty horrible...
27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first? I don't think so.
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true? yep.
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset?  Does it really matter now? 5 years ago would be summer of 2006..so yes kind of remember it, and no it doesn't really matter now
30. What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special?  i have a really bad memory (as in i can't remember things when asked, haha)..but i liked beach vacations every summer
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?  probably when volunteering or when hanging out with the kids
32. If not now, then when? easy answer - tomorrow. but, good question. now is best.
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose? hope i guess..if you don't try, you can still hold onto that hope. once you try and fail, the hope kind of dwindles.
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever? yes
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars? i have no idea, misunderstandings, different experiences, politics...
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil? without a doubt? no, i don't think so. i think there are always doubts, and many grey areas.
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job? no, at least not right away.
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing? more work i enjoy doing, for sure. i hate being bored!
39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before? this day? kind of.
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in? i'm not really sure if i ever have.
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today? family.  if possible, i'd just have a nice big party and invite everyone i know :)
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous? nope. unless it was famous for something amazing, like curing a disease or helping a ton of people.
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living? passion.
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right? i think it's always time, but could depend on the situation.
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake? it's so much easier to look back than to jump into the unknown
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you? many things probably.
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing? yoga nidra.
48. What do you love?  Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love? music. friends/family. helping people. sharing music. beaches. and yes, i think so.
49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Or the day before that? yesterday being fourth of july, yes i think so..hanging with the kids was fun, and watching fireworks from the base was nice. the day before that and the day before that..probably not.
50. Decisions are being made right now.  The question is:  Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you? probably letting others make them, not good i know.

67. enter a baking contest

(will be updated with pics soon)

so i entered the "bake off" this Sunday on a whim, and made s'mores cupcakes. these turned out amazing again, except that they're messy and since there is a huge marshmallow in the middle, when they come out of the oven the middle sinks in and then the cupcake kind of falls apart. so they aren't pretty, but they are so delicious it doesn't matter.

anyway, the "bake off" was definitely rigged. i have no problem at all with losing, but losing when the owner waited 30 minutes past the cut off time for a friend to show up, then the friend runs in with a cherry pie at the last second (wearing a lil bo peep dress, i'm serious, i can't even explain)...and then they happen to start the "bake off" right then and she just happens to win....even though when you walk by her pie and see the slice they cut out, the pie itself looks like cherry soup, not cherry pie.

anyway, so a disappointing experience. i think bake-offs should be judged by consumer favorite, or by a panel of non-biased judges. that is all.