Life and a Bucket List

First of all, let me explain.  For those of you who do not know what a bucket list is, in a nutshell, it is a list of things you want to do before you die.

Yesterday, I turned 51, 1 year over the half century mark.  When the hell did that happen?  It does not seem like it was so long ago that I thought 51 was ancient, someone who already had 1 foot in the grave.  Now that I am 51 I realize I still have many active years ahead of me, but not as many as I had 30 years ago.  Hence, the discussion of a bucket list.  What have I done and what do I still want to do.

First things first, have I actually done anything yet that could be called a bucket list item even though at the time it was just called having fun or being adventurous.  Absolutely!!!  I was adventurous and a bit nuts in my younger years.  The adventurous gradually  toned down as the arthritis started setting in, but I am still, and always will be, a bit nuts.  I have not climbed Mt. Everest.  I have not dined with the president. I have not run a marathon or made a scientific discovery.  What have I done? I submit the following list not as a means to brag, but to demonstrate that we can all find things in our past that we can look back on with pleasure and/or pride.

Things I have done (In no particular order):

• Went skydiving
• Skiied the Swiss Alps 
• Traveled to Japan (OK, only Okinawa, but it counts)
• Traveled the USA
• Served my country (USAF)
• Lettered in sports
• Spent Christmas in Paris
• Flew in a Lear Jet
• Sat at the base of the Washington Monument and watched fireworks on the 4th of July
• Climbed the Eiffel Tower
• Touched the Rosetta Stone
• and so much more.....

OK, I say this not to brag but to encourage you to look back on your life and recognize the things that you have done rather than dwell on the things that you have not done.  If you are young, take advantage of your youth.  See the world, climb a mountain, catch a fish.  The years sneak up far to quickly.  For those that are older, it is not too late.  The only person stopping you from your adventures is you.  Make a choice to live every single day.  Do something that is for you and you alone.  The most painful thing that you will ever live with is regret.

One of the big things I gave up in my life was skiing.  I quit skiing for 2 reasons.  First, when I married my husband did not ski so I thought that meant I couldn't ski either.  Stupid.  By the time I divorced, it was too late to start skiing again.  The arthritis had set into my knees.  How stupid to think I had to give up a part of me, something that made me happy, for someone else.  It is something that I have missed for almost 30 years. Now that I am 51 is it too late?  Hell no.  I made a decision that I wanted to enjoy life again.  I want to hike, I want to ski, I want to play sports.  Damn knee!  So, last month I had my knee replaced.  I want a better quality of life.  I want to do something for me and only me.  Not for my boss, not for my kids, not because society thinks I need to, but because I WANT to ski again.

This has been an amazing experience for me.  Frustrating, painful, discouraging and hopeful.  I have kept my eye on the goal, not the obstacles.  My Dr. is certain that I will be hiking in a couple of months and skiing by winter.  I have pushed myself and my only concern is make this experience count.  It is not about the age as much as the attitude.  In this particular endeavor, attitude was 99% of the process.

My Bucket List now evolves everyday, as it should.  Make what you do count.  Make a difference in the world.  Above all do something for you every day.  Be a little selfish.  Take a bubble bath (yes, guys too), put away your work and take a walk, listen to the birds, get a pedicure.  Enjoy yourself!!!

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Who IS to Blame?

Agree or disagree, I don't care.  This is my opinion.  After watching all of the posts and groups forming everyday on social media sites, I can't keep quiet about this any longer. What am I referring to?  The Gulf oil spill resulting from the explosion on a BP owned drilling platform in April 2010.

I, personally, am NOT blaming BP for this environmental disaster. WE, as in all of us, are to blame. This oil spill could have been the result of a blow out on any one of the oil rigs sitting out there in the Gulf of Mexico, BP owned or otherwise. It is our greed and laziness that has caused this.  We have all been wearing blinders about the dangers to man, beast and environment.  There really is no safe method for extracting fossil fuels from the earth.  I personally think that offshore drilling is the most irresponsible of all methods.  Yet we continue to drill offshore using bigger drill platforms and creating more risk.

We are far to dependent on fossil fuels for our daily existence. As long as we require ANY petroleum products, they will keep drilling. This oil is not used only to fuel our automobiles, boats, snowmobiles, motorcycles, etc. But, also in endless amounts of other products that we use everyday. (Click here for article regarding these products)

The question to ask yourself is "What am I doing to reduce my carbon footprint and, more importantly, minimize/reduce my dependence on fossil fuel". 

I AM, however, outraged that this has happened. We need to work diligently to get this stopped, cleaned up and compensate those people whose livelihoods have been damaged. We have been generous to others, now is a time to step up as a nation to help OUR country. We held telethons and fundraisers and clothing drives when Haiti was hit by a catastrophic earthquake.  We need to think about all of the fisherman and people who are business owners or employees in the industries that rely on tourism on the gulf who no longer have the means to support their families.  

The next disaster could be in your own backyard. (Click here for an example)

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Ode to Orange (If you knit or crochet, this is for you)

Today I am visiting the whole "Eeeeek, I have orange yarn in my stash, where did it come from and will it contaminate my other yarn!" issue. On a loom knitting group Knifty Knitter Looms there was a discussion about the repugnancy of orange yarn, OK, so I was the one that used the word repugnant. But, in my defense, I was referring to the terrible neon orange acrylic yarns that have only one use...Hunting caps and vests. And yes, I do have one of those skeins in my stash and NO, it has not contaminated my stash. But, just to be on the safe side, I have quarantined the offending skein in a plastic bag and put it with my other acrylic yarns (yes, I AM a yarn snob.). Interestingly, everyone who responded to the orange yarn thread had one or more those offensive masses of fiber in their stash of yarn, some dating back to pre-industrial age yarns. So, what to do with these parasites. Team Scarves...yes, there are professional sports teams that have chosen this color to represent them on the playing field. Thereby subjecting their loyal fans to painting faces and bodies in this color. Halloween.....scary holiday enough said.

Don't get me wrong. I actually like the color orange, in the right shade and right medium. I use orange yarn on a regular basis, but it is not disgusting acrylic straw. I have made several beautiful scarves using orange shades and complimenting colors. The moral of the story is that if you must use orange yarns, which happen to be quite fashionable in the right types. Please, Please, Please, use a nice orange yarn, not neon acrylic.

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Ducks, Geese and......Pelicans?

Seriously, Pelicans?  I was sitting by my bedroom window the other night working away on my laptop (ok, so I was chatting on Facebook) and my little Irish Thug (son) leans across me to peer out the window and says "What the heck?  Are those swans?"  OK, now I am stoked!  Swans?  In our little lake?  What an honor, Perfect Princess will love that (Strains of music from Tchaikovsky start playing in my head).  Then he says, "No, wait, what are those birds with the really long beaks?"  Hmmmm, long beak, size of a swan....Pelicans?  OK, so much for ballet, now I am thinking Finding Nemo.  I ran out on the deck to see 6 pelicans floating across our little lake.  I really had no idea that pelicans could actually look graceful and, dare I say, elegant.  I can see why Little Irish Thug mistook them for swans.

Normally we have families of geese and ducks in our little lake.  This is such a fun time of year to see all of the babies.  Perfect Princess loves standing on the deck throwing bread in the water saying "Grandma, make them come eat, I gave them bread"  Maybe I should curb that enthusiasm a bit, I believe Marie Antoinette said something similar and look what happened to her.   'No Perfect Princess, they do not have to eat the bread, allow them to be free citizens on the lake and we shall share our bounty with them.  They may partake of the bread of their own choosing.  We must not gloat about our abundance for fear that they may turn my humble home into a remake of Hitchcock's "The Birds" ' No seriously, we do love the water fowl on the lake and we did discover that they do not like Cherrios to eat.  We'll stick to bread, with or without Marie.

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