82. Be part of a murder mystery game

A couple of my friends get together every year and play out a murder mystery game. Whenever the day is set, I always end up having to miss it for various reasons. But not this year, this year I finally got to take part in the murder mystery...and it was so much fun! I didn't really know what was involved in playing one of the games but it seemed really straight forward and once we got started everyone got in to their character's persona and the game took life. I would definately play again...and it helps to play with the right people too.

41. Be vegetarian for one month

I did it. It took a lot of determination, but I was able to go for an entire month without eating meat, which for me is a very big deal because I love meat. For almost the entire month of October, and the end of September not a single piece of meat entered my body, I am quite proud of myself for accomplishing this on my list, as I have tried to be vegetarian before and failed miserably within one week. My parents refused to help me, so I was forced to make all my food myself and I actually really enjoyed it. There is something relaxing about cooking in a way, and I was able to make some dishes that were delicious. Even things like lasagna, that are traditionally made with meat, I made with peppers and other vegetables instead. Although I had to skip out on the turkey dinner this year for Thanksgiving I didn't really mind, after the first week I didn't even find myself thinking about chicken or beef, and it got easier day by day. Until the last week, that was when I started couting down the days I had left until I could eat meat again, which was a very poor decision on my part.
But I managed to succeed and I am very proud. I might even take a break from meat again it was refreshing to have more vegetables, in a way I felt like I had more energy and I felt as if I was eating healthier.

7. Chop off my hair and donate it to cancer patients

I have always wanted to donate my hair for wigs for cancer patients; I just kept putting it off, telling myself that it wasn’t long enough and wondering what it would look like after it was gone. On September 11, 2010 I finally did it. After telling my hairdresser, Dana, that I wanted to donate my hair, she proceeded in tying it in a ponytail at the bottom of my neck and in one move she cut my hair right above the elastic band. After tying the layers together and making sure it wouldn’t fall apart we measured how much was cut off…13 inches…that is a lot. Once my hair was gone, Dana took control and started styling what was left of it in to something manageable. About an hour later I was walking out of the studio with much shorter hair and my ponytail in a plastic bag ready for donation. The charity I chose to donate to is Locks of Love Canada, they specialize in wigs for children with cancer and they seemed like the perfect choice. After packaging up my hair and mailing it across the country I feel really good about what I did. Knowing that my donation will help a child somewhere makes me feel like I have done my part. I still have yet to get used to my short hair, but I am sure that it will grow back quickly. Until then, I am loving the fact that I can pretty much get up and go without having to worry about my hair.


http://www.locksoflove.org/index.html

6. Get my belly button pierced

Conquering my fear of needles twice in one day may not have been the smartest idea, but I did it, and I must say that I am very proud of myself.
Trisha agreed to go with me for moral support because there was no way I could do this on my own. About an hour after donating blood I was sitting in the waiting area of West Coast Piercing and Ink Den in Guilford patiently waiting my turn to be stabbed with a needle. After signing all the necessary papers and reading the after care procedures it was my turn. I was lead in to the back room where I was sterilized and prepped, my belly button was cleaned with an alcohol solution and I got to pick out the jewel that I wanted to be pierced with. I lay down on the table and felt the cold clamp position and grip tightly where I was going to be pierced, after marking the exact spot with a pen I was told to take a deep breath in and hold it, then slowly release it. While exhaling I felt the slight pinch of the needle, which was left in my stomach while the guiding pin and the jewel were prepared. The needle was removed and was replaced with the guiding pin, followed by the jewel itself. I was told to stay down for a few seconds and then slowly sit up. Feeling okay I stood up and took a look. I was a bit shocked to see my new piercing sparkling at me in the mirror, but I was smiling anyways. While waiting to pay I started feeling light-headed again and had to go and lie back down  in order to prevent myself from fainting. I was given a lollipop and was told to take some deep breaths, which helped me feel better after a couple of minutes. The piercing site is still quite sore, and I have to clean it two to three times a day to make sure it doesn't get infected.
It was a long day, but completely worth it.

There will be a picture posted when the redness has gone down a bit.

8. Donate blood

Even though I am horribly afraid of needles, I wanted to donate blood. There are quite a few people I know who have needed blood in the past and they got it from blood donors, so I thought that I should do my part to help and donate as well.
On August 19th I went with my friend Trisha Caspersen to donate, unfortunately both of us could not get in at the same time so when Trisha goes to donate I will be going with her for moral support.
The donation process began with one of the nurses taking down some of my information, like my name, phone number and address. She then took a small needle and pricked my finger to get some blood, after squeezing the puncture site for a couple seconds she used an eyedropper to collect the blood and drop it in to a chemical solution. The solution is used to make sure that there is enough iron in your blood for you to be able to donate. If the blood drops to the bottom of the container within 15 seconds you are good to go. My blood dropped quite quickly, and I was given a questionnaire to fill out, that had to be done completely in private. After filling out the forms, I was lead into another room, where I was interviewed by a nurse about my previous sexual partners and my blood pressure, pulse and temperature were checked. Since everything was normal I was given the green light to go donate. I was given a big reclining chair to sit in and another nurse came to try and find a vein. After checking both arms, twice, she found a suitable spot on my right arm and began preparing to put the needle in. It didn't actually feel like much, there was a pinch and I felt a slight tingling going up my arm, but it passed quickly and before I knew I the nurse was already collecting my blood in to the vials that she had prepared. About five minutes later, one of the nurses noticed that my blood was pumping quite slowly, so I was given a warming blanket to warm me up, and it worked within seconds. Once I was all done, I was told to stay seated and put pressure on my arm where the needle had been. I was feeling alright, but I was light-headed all of a sudden, one of the nurses came rushing over saying that I had gone quite pale and she asked if I was feeling okay. After explaining I was light-headed, my chair was flipped up, so I was almost upside down, and there were three more nurses scattering around me pressing cold compresses to my wrists, forehead, neck and joints, I was given a juice box a couple minutes after and was told to drink it slowly. Trisha thought the whole thing was absolutely hilarious and was laughing in her chair beside me while I was drinking my juice. Ten minutes later I was ready to go, and I was told to sit in the waiting area and have one more juice box and some cookies before I left.
The experience wasn't completely traumatizing, and now that I have done it I feel that I have done my part in helping someone who needs it. I think I will donate blood again, just maybe not too soon.

26. Bellydance

I have always wanted to try bellydancing because I thought it looked really cool. A friend of mine, Trisha Caspersen, had a video that taught a couple of moves and what was said to be "a very easy beginner's routine". That was not the case. After five minutes I had already broken a sweat and was completely exhausted. I somehow managed to complete the 90 minute video and somewhat mastered the "easy" routine. When I woke up this morning I was sore from head to toe, I could barely even move because some of the moves from the video involved moving in ways I didn't even think were possible. I must admit though, although it was very difficult, bellydancing is a lot of fun. I borrowed the video from Trisha and have promised myself that I will work on the routine once a day until I believe that I have completely mastered it. It is a fantastic workout as well, because you are using muscles that you normally would not use and well as building stamina by working on cardio at the same time. I wanted to take bellydance classes, but I think that the video will do the job for now.

9. Turn my cellphone off for a week

I may have partially cheated with this task, but to me, it still counts as being completed. My family and I were invited to Toronto for my cousin's wedding. It being an east indian wedding we planned to go for 7 days in order to be there for most of the parties and traditions.

Having my cellphone off for a week wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I think that all the wedding preparation and planning and partying may have helped to take my mind off it. It was refreshing not checking my phone every couple of minutes, and constantly texting someone wondering what they were up to. But, it was also strange, a couple of times I caught myself almost going in to my bag, picking up my phone and turning it on...just to see if there were any messages. I managed to control myself and keep my phone off for the full 7 days, until I landed back in Vancouver.

I wouldn't mind turning my phone off again for a short period of time, because it did relieve some stress, but unfortunately I do not think that will happen until my vacation outside of the province, as I am completely addicted to my cellphone.

51. See the Lion King

After receiving tickets to the Lion King as a gift from a family member a few months ago I was absolutely thrilled. Not only would I be able to see one of the shows I have been aching to see, but I could also cross something off my list. On July 17 my family and I drove to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and took our seats.

The show was fantastic, the music, costumes, makeup, and overall performance was incredible. It was an experience of a lifetime. If I ever get the opportunity, I would watch the show again in a heartbeat. Sitting in my seat watching one of the stories I loved as kid made me feel as if I was seven years old again.

Maybe, if I'm lucky I'll get to see this show again.

18. Wear a dress for no reason

After waking up and groggily putting on the first thing I saw (which happened to be an almost pink sundress) I made my way out the door to start my day.
I am not a very "girly" girl I guess you could say. I much prefer the comfort of shorts to wearing a dress or skirt. I rarely ever wear dresses, and when I do there is usually some reason behind it, such as grad or a birthday party or a special event or occasion.
So today without realizing what I had done I walked out of my house wearing a dress...for no particular reason at all.
I must say, I did enjoy it. I felt a lot more feminine, and even though I felt as though a lot more people were staring at me as I walked by I didn't really mind like I usually do.
The small heat wave the lower mainland is experiencing might have tapped in to my subconscious and given me the thought that perhaps a dress would keep me cooler than my usual shorts and shirt. I must say that it did.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt more confident in a way, knowing that I could in fact wear a dress for no reason and the world did not end.
For those people out there who don't believe that I actually wore a dress today, my witnesses are Brian Russell and Stephen Borgen, who I spent a good portion of the day with.

After spending a hot sunny day in a light summer dress I can honestly say that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be...and I might even do this again. It was refreshing.

Always Remember

The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee


When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Thank You

I am a little bit late in doing so, but I can officially cross two items off my ten year list. On Tuesday March 30, 2010 a very good friend of mine walked past me and told me I looked beautiful, as I always did. At first I was hesitant to believe him, because of all days to tell me so, he picked the one day I looked absolutely awful. Hair pulled back in a sloppy ponytail, wearing a baggy sweatshirt and no makeup whatsoever. However, his comment had me smiling like an idiot for the remainder of the day, and most of the night. As I thought about what he had said, it occurred to me, that perhaps he picked that day to tell me because I hadn’t put the effort in to my appearance, and that didn’t matter. Even though I looked as if I had rolled out of bed, I still looked beautiful to someone. Because of that realization I understood that I was smiling because the comment made me feel happy, made me feel good about myself.


So, to the friend who tells me I look beautiful on days when I look a mess, to the friend who seems to always be able to make me laugh, and to the friend who made me honestly smile for the first time in a while, Thank You.

"The Bucket List" - In ten year periods. #1

This is my list of 101 things to do in ten years. I want to look back on my life and not wish that I had done something, I want no regrets. The list is in no particular order, and everything is of around the same importance. I will be updating the list with blogposts and photos when I have completed something.
Here we go:

1. Smile and mean it
2. Go dancing in a fountain in Rome
3. Sing in front of a crowd, and not be afraid to do so
4. Dance in the middle of the street
5. Get a tattoo
6. Get my belly button pierced
7. Chop off all my hair and donate it to cancer research
8. Donate blood
9. Turn off my cellphone for a week
10. Get a degree
11. Go to Australia
12. Bunjee jump
13. Do the Relay for Life
14. Run the entire Sun Run
15. Be in two places at once
16. Skinny dip
17. Have someone tell me I look beautiful, and mean it
18. Wear a dress for no reason
19. Completely trust someone
20. Have a day at the spa
21. Go on a road trip with my best friend to wherever we end up
22. Watch a Canucks game in Library Square
23. Tell a stranger a secret about me
24. Get onstage at a concert
25. Try to dance on and around a stripper pole
26. Belly dance
27. Go skating on an outdoor ice rink or lake
28. Ride an elephant
29. Go on a trip with my dad
30. Travel to Greece
31. Backpack across Europe
32. Go to Thailand
33. Stay out all night and watch the sun rise
34. Apologize to everyone I have hurt
35. Have breakfast in bed
36. Spend a day on a boat
37. Get paid for journalism
38. Take a photo a day everyday for a year
39. Be on the big screen
40. Have an out of body experience
41. Be vegetarian for a month
42. Be on the "jumbo-tron"
43. Graduate Journalism school
44. Watch a movie at the drive-in theatre
45. Have a scary movie marathon
46. Cook from a cookbook
47. Walk on hot coals
48. Ballroom dance
49. Experience New Years in New York
50. See the Phantom of the Opera
51. See The Lion King
52. Go to Disneyland/world and go on every ride (Universal Studios too)
53. Visit the original 7 Wonders of the World
54. Have sex in 10 crazy places
55. Do the polar bear swim
56. Witness the Northern Lights
57. Get the perfect "bikini body"
58. Master meditation
59. Buy a brand new car
60. Go to an exotic place and try every alcoholic drink on the menu
61. Let my friends blindfold me and take me anywhere they want for one day
62. Ride in a hot-air balloon
63. Fly first class
64. Rent a limo just because
65. Be handcuffed to someone for 24 hours
66. Watch all the Star Wars movies back to back
67. Have a real "teenage girl" sleepover
68. Swim with sharks
69. Sneak out, stay out all night, sneak back in
70. Model for a photoshoot
71. Walk on the catwalk
72. Have a massive paintball fight
73. Play a neighbourhood-wide game of hide and seek
74. Attempt to break a Guinness World Record
75. Karaoke
76. Go on a cruise
77. Have a bonfire
78. Stand ontop a double decker bus
79. Make a Buckingham Palace guard move
80. Do the Bikram Yoga 30 day challenge
81. Drive a Formula One car
82. Be part of a murder mystery game
83. Cook a turkey dinner all by myself
84. Go on a wine tasting tour
85. Go to Russia for the 2014 Olympics
86. Go to London for the 2012 Olympics
87. Fly in a helicopter
88. Learn how to bartend
89. Write a song
90. Ride a motorcycle
91. Make a "build a bear"
92. Move out of my parents' house
93. Play beach volleyball...on the beach
94. Draw sidewalk chalk art
95. Do every dare I am given for 24 hours
96. Walk across the Capilano Suspension Bridge
97. Do the Grouse Grind
98. Ask someone I just met for their phone number
99. Dine and dash
100. Climb a tree
101. Hide something somewhere, and go back in ten years to see if it's still there

Ready, set, GO.