Welcoming in 2012

     I am very eager to welcome in 2012. Goodbye 2011, and good riddance. To properly welcome in 2012 it only feels appropriate to recap my accomplishments of 2011, few as they may be!

     Going in to 2012, my expectations for what I am going to accomplish on this list are not incredibly high. If I were to write out my list of what I hoped to accomplish on this list, however, it would look something like this:

#7- Have a Child. If this didn't happen in 2012 I would be awefully concerned.

#16 & #18- Grow my hair so that it touches the top of my buttocks and then cut it and give it to a hair charity. It should be plenty long enough by the end of 2012, and hopefully by then I can just chop it off and have it short for a while

#10- Graduate from College. Again, would be very concerned if this didn't happen

#46- Get in to Graduate School. Here's hoping!

Honestly, anything else will be a bonus. Low expectations for 2012 as far as quantity, but for sure the quality of what I expect to be crossing off my list this upcoming year is superb :-).

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Creating My Family's Coat of Arms

    Complete: Drop #69- Create my own family Coat of Arms

      I have to say that I miss doing art. I took an art and design class last spring, but in high school I used to draw/paint all the time. I was even in the National Art Honor Society, and participated in state art competitions every year or so. Ah, the costs of growing old. Anyways, something I've always wanted to do was make a family 'Crest'. I put it on my bucket list a couple of weeks ago and with school out, I decided it was a good opportunity to do something fun with my time. So, here it is!

The Nguyen Family Crest/ Coat of Arms

      This is a family 'Coat of Arms', if you will, for my husband and I. It was more for fun than anything, but each part actually does have a meaning that was fairly carefully thought out. I tried to incorporate my husband in to this as much as possible, but I found that the difficulty in this is that family Coat of Arms are mostly from Europe, so Vinh's family surnames, although the most popular in Vietnam, doesn't actually have a crest. Makes sense. So, although the parts of the crest encompassing my side of the family are more apparent, I did include his as much as possible, it's just that the inclusion is much more abstract.

     I used Wikipedia as a source for what should be included in a Coat of Arms. I am usually completely against using Wikipedia as a source for anything except a portal to potentially credible sources, but this is just for fun. It's not like I'm doing this as an art thesis or anything.

     The two fish on the side are the 'Supporters' of the shield. The supporter could be any animal, person, etc that is local to the area or means something to that group of people. I chose the fish because it is my (and Vinh's? debatable) zodiac symbol.


     The shield is designed with both my mother's and father's surnames in mind. The left is half of the design from the Unger family Coat of Arms, while the right is half of the design from the Moynihan Coat of Arms.   In the middle bottom is a turtle shell. For me, the turtle represents growth and stability, as well as having the ability to acknowledge the past while looking forward to the future.

Unger (Left), Moynihan (Right). Courtesy Ancestery.com,
Irishsurnames.com 

The bottom part is the abstract element that is a nod to my husband's ancestry. It consists of three parts: the Compartment, the Order, and the Motto. The Order is the star. It is often a symbol that is associated with the persons that the shield represents. The yellow star is in the middle of the Vietnamese flag, and although it is a simple symbol it is representative of that culture. The banner is red and yellow, another nod to Vietnam, while the shape of the banner itself is modeled on the outline of the country itself. Perhaps obviously at this point, the Compartment represents water, as in the water that borders Vietnam, and an appropriate landscape for the fish to 'stand' on. The words themselves are Latin, as is often traditional with Coat of Arms, and translates to 'Loyalty to the End."

     The last part worth talking about is the top part, which consists of the Helm, Mantling, Torse and Crest. The Helm is the helmet, and doesn't really have any significance. Coat of Arms need a Helmet. Similar with the Torse, which is the cloth on top of the helmet, and the Mantling. The only requirements for the Torse and the Mantling is that it is to be of the two main colors of the Shield. The Crest is the Dragon, which represents both my and the new baby's animal for the Chinese Zodiac.

     So that's complete! And it was a fun project. Gave me something to do, and allowed me to relax and do something I enjoy doing, but with a purpose.

Update: Drop #7- Have a Child

It's a Girl!!!

12wk, Sucking Thumb

       Went to the doctor's today for the 20 week ultrasound. Everything is where it should be, which of course is great. Heartbeat is normal, it has all its fingers and toes etc., sleeps with ankles crossed like its Daddy and oh, yeah, IT is a She!

20 Wk, Spine, Ribs, etc.

      Today I am officially halfway through the pregnancy. Now if only I can maintain feeling this good through the rest of it and I'll be all set! Both Vinh and I are very excited *Insert Smiley Face*. He's already shopping for shackles and a shot gun :-D

Drop #66- Plank

Planking...

http://www.planking.me/

The Stupidest Thing Ever...

An Interesting Find

     In my restlessness I was organizing some boxes that we still haven't unpacked from our move back in August (can you tell that we can't wait to move out of here?) when I came across the planner I used my senior year in high school. It had been touched by the flood that wrecked havoc on our basement last spring, so the pages had blended together and were water damaged. I briefly flipped through it and lo-and-behold, look what I came across:

If I remember correctly, the picture that seeped through from the other side of the page is a sketch I drew of John Steinbeck based on his portrait on the back of one of his books.

     Ladies and Gentleman, Stephanie's Senior Year Bucket List 2006! It goes all the way up to 100. It seems like high school senior Stephanie and college senior Stephanie still have some things in common.

Some things that are on the old bucket list that are already on the current one:

#1. Write a Memoir
#3. Visit all 50 states
#15. Donate hair to Locks of Love
#30. Own a House
#43. Take a Photo Every Day
#58. Send a Postcard to Postsecret

Some things that are on the old bucket list that I actually did, even though I forgot all about the list:

#14. Learn how to Cook Vietnamese Soup

#17. Go to a Concert

#21. Work in a Jewelry Department

#31. Go Scuba Diving

#35. Adopt an Abandoned Animal

#83. Start a Charm Bracelet

Some things that are silly:

#18. Make a Music video Featuring my Life or my Feelings

#51. Become a Grand Master at Suduko

#69. Never Turn Down an Opportunity to Try a New Food

#72. Get to the End of Endless Bejeweled

#90. Pet a Lion

#93. Try Camel Meat

A few things that I would like to add to my current list:

#37. Stand up for Something I Truly Believe In

#48. Identify 100 Things that Make Me Happy

#70. See the President in Person

#80. Love my Job

#82. Start a Family Tradition

#100. Pass on a Legacy

     A few comments: Something I found interesting was how subjective some of the items on the first list were. Maybe I've become too philosophical since high school, but what defines happiness? What is considered a legacy? If I love my job one day can I cross it off the list, and what if I love it but then end up hating it? I find the things on the new list are a bit easier to measure. It's easier to tell when I've graduated college or gotten a million dollars in assets.

    Before I came across this list I was debating whether or not I would allow myself to change my current list if I didn't want to do something on it in the future. I think that I have to allow myself that flexibility, else I would be stuck with a goal that may no longer be obtainable or enjoyable for me to strive for (ex. try camel meat??).

Update: Drop #27- Wean Myself from Social Media

     I haven't been on Facebook since mid August, and I can't say that I miss it.

     I've done this Facebook Sabbatical' before, but I've never done it for this long. It's been nearly four months since I've logged in. The reason for this past sabbatical has been so I can maintain focus on real life and my senior year in college without unnecessary distractions. It's been absolutely wonderful, just as my last sabbatical was.

     This sabbatical officially ends Friday, coinciding with the last day of this semester. Today I am going out and buying an old-fashioned pen and paper address book. Yes, if I can remember my password I will log on to Facebook friday, but it's going to be to ask people I actually care to keep in touch with for thier contact information. After that, I'm deleting my Facebook. There's still plenty of ways to keep in touch with the people I care to keep in touch with. Humanity has been successful enough up until this point without social media sites and, although times are changing, that doesn't mean I can't pick and choose what parts of me changes with it.

     I am not God. There is no reason for me to be checking up on what everybody is doing, just like there is no reason for anybody to be checking up on me. By the time spring semester starts up, my Facebook will be deleted.

     New York Times wrote an article yesterday about other 'Facebook Resisters'. It isn't a particularly persuasive article, but it provided me just enough food for thought to basically solidify the decision I already made about my own usage on the site. There is a link to the site below:




Photo Courtesy Steve Dykes for The New York Times

To visit article, click here

 

Update: Various Comments About Various Things

     I have recently decided that my bucket list is pretty boring. Do I really want to live a boring life? Why aren't there more adventurous, exciting things on this list? Why don't I want to swim with sharks or see the seven natural wonders of the world? Shouldn't I be aspiring to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or submarine down to the wreck that was once the Titanic?

     I thought about it a little bit more, and really I don't need all that much in my life. I don't have the desire to fly to the moon or spend thousands of dollars traveling the world. Yes, I do have certain places that I would love to visit and certain things that I would love to do, but I guess the reason why I want to do these things aren't just so I could say that I did it. It's moreso because that experience is going to mean something to me once I do get around to it. I guess it's the underlying reason for accomplishing something rather than the accomplishment itself that provides a sense of accomplishment.

     Regardless, I decided to stop being such a dried up prune and update my list to make it a bit more interesting. I had a lot of help from some other people's lists, but honestly not much. I guess I am not a risk-taker. Anyways, they are drops 49 to 56.

     Also a little bit about how I recently changed the blog, if there is anybody out there (?). Those items on the bucket list which are completed are now hyperlinked to the blog where I talk about thier completion. A bit of technical awesomeness on my part :-). In addition, I also made my background less depressing. That is all for now!

Drop #47- Conduct a Life Interview with a Family Member

     I would like to talk about this one a little bit.

     Life interviewing is something that I heard of only recently. The concept was developed by psychologist Robert Atkinson from the University of Southern Maine. Basically the concept is to sit down with someone for one or more sessions of however much time you need and record the individual's whole life from birth until present. It can be a stranger or someone that you know well, or maybe someone in your family you don't know well but wish you did. Although it was developed by a psychologist, it isn't a type of therapy. Yeah, it's good practice if you want to work with people, but the goal is to help the person record an account of thier life.

     I would love to do this with a lot of people in my family. I think it's a great opportunity to learn some things about them and my family history that I could have never known otherwise. Most of all, however, I think I would like to do this with my Nana. I really don't know much about her and her life other than who she is today. I would love to learn who she was, and what she did that brought her to this moment in life.

     To learn more about life interviewing, you can visit the Univerity of Maine's website by clicking right here. The website will describe what life interviewing is, some sample questions, and even some life stories that were conducted. There was a book published too that you can get on Amazon if you are seriously considering conducting a life interview.

    On a related note, if you are interested in life stories in general there is a great project by StoryCorps. Booths are set up at various locations in the United States, as well as a traveling booth that goes to various locations. Anybody can interview anybody else about whatever topic they choose, and it gets archived in the Library of Congress. A great way to become familiar with this is to watch some of the animated shorts that StoryCorps has made out of a few of the interviews. Watch some of them here:



StoryCorps Animated Shorts

  

Update: Summer

     This summer was a complete waste of time. I suppose that's what happens, though, when you let your mind get away from you. Anyways, I didn't really get a lot accomplished on this list... nothing even close to what I wanted to do. But, it's fall semester now, and it's time to refocus myself and remember my goals in life. So, here's an update on what I wanted to accomplish vs. what I actually did accomplish:

1. Paint a really incredible painting- I would have been happy with a simple rough draft of this. Didn't happen. 

2. Catch up on all my bills- Got some of this accomplished, no thanks to me.

8. Learn Vietnamese- Didn't learn any Vietnamese this summer.

13. Have a successful garden- I had good intentions with this! Unfortunately I was gone way too much this summer so my garden went from growing successfully to a weed garden. 
15. Become fluent in Spanish- Nope

18. Cut my hair short and give it to a hair charity- I wanted to do this over the summer, but my best friend is getting married next September and I'm the maid of honor. She wants me to keep my hair long for the wedding. She's right- long hair for weddings is so pretty :-). I'll cut it in a year or so.

32. Go scuba diving- I did this!!!! Completed!!! Did it in St. John USVI and it was amazinggggg.....
33. Jump off a cliff in to water- It isn't too late to do this, but I don't think I'll be getting to it this summer....
40. Read the Bible (Including old testament) and Quran. - Yeah.... No.......

41. Send a postcard in to PostSecret- Actually I think I will make the time to do this in the next week or so. Haven't done it yet though

     Soooooo That's what I accomplished from my list this summer.... basically nothing. Very disappointed in myself. But, Like I said before, I just need to refocus. Update next week.

Update: Drop #17- Visit all 50 States

     The ones in red are recent :-)

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
25/50...! Halfway there!!!

Complete- Drop # 32: Go Scuba Diving

Did this at St. John!

So this isn't me scuba-ing, obviously... Didn't take any pics of the actual scuba
but just know that I DID do it! Pretend!

We hooked up with one of the scuba instructors on the island. Her company is called 6-Paq scuba, and she's been diving for nearly 30 years. She talked and talked, droning on for about two hours in the hot caribbean sun about what to do, how to do it, etc and giving me a physics examination every few minutes. Ultimately, though, it was worth it. I guess she's one of the few people who will take people scuba diving without requiring them to go to a full day class beforehand.
 
     Anyways, after two hours of her talking and telling us how to breathe etc, we put on the gear and we were in! I kind of just dragged along the bottom for a while; my weights were too heavy. Anyways, after she adjusted me and I got used to the environment I was good to go! It was amazing to me how quickly you can  raise to the top just by simply breathing the wrong way. The water pressure plays neat tricks. I'd find myself exhaling what seemed like three times the amount of air that I had inhaled!

     The sealife at St. John is amazing. There's so many coral reefs so close to the shore. She took us to a secluded beach and pointed to a rock formation sticking out of the water to her right. The water was crashing over it, but under the water it was so calm. I told her that my main goal for the dive was to find a sea turtle. Sure enough, she found it! it was gliding so peacefully in the water. It let us pet it, even, and stuck with us for a good ten minutes or so. That was definitely a highlight of the trip as a whole.

     Soooooooo..... One more drop down!

Complete- Drop #45: Win Something

I hadn't really won anything in my life.
     ... Okay, that's not completely true. In kindergarden, I came closest to guessing the correct amount of jellybeans in a container they made look like a bunny for Easter. I won the beans.

Buuutttt.... that doesn't really count, now does it?

     Shows how long it's been since I've updated this thing. A few months ago, I attended a fundraiser for my dad's cousin. The grand prize was a trip to St. John USVI, and I won it!

     It was a very beautiful place indeed, and we tried to do as much as possible while we were there. Turns out my dad's cousin lives on the island, and we stopped over to visit them. The landscape was beautiful no matter what part of the island you were. Wild cows and goats roamed freely and would often block the streets, and deer would graze openly in the fields. We also saw lots of hermit crabs, lizards, iguanas, and a couple of mongooses (mongeese?)

     On the last day of our trip I saw the end of a rainbow. It was literally 200 feet away from me. For the record, there is no pot of gold :-(. But, that's quite all right! Aaand that's the story of how I completed #45!

Summer

     As nobody would notice since I am basically the only person keeping up with this blog, I haven't updated for a while. Definitely not posting every week! It may not be immediately obvious as to why I stopped posting as religiously as I used to. But, upon further evaluation, it becomes clear that my last post was posted on the week of a notable event: The end of my Facebook Sabbatical.


     The sabbatical itself was amazing. I highly recommend it to anybody who has to check their social media site at minimum once a day. For those who stay logged on all the time, I think it is necessary. I found myself much more motivated, and got a lot more done. I finished school, started a garden, started my volunteer job, kept up with this blog, etc. I was hoping I wouldn't slip back in to my old routine, but I suppose it is inevitable. On a positive note, though, I no longer use it on my phone. So, I am no longer FBing on the run. Deleting the Facebook account is looking more and more attractive. Perhaps when summer is over, and school starts again.

     On another note, I haven't not had a job since I was 15 or 16. So, this summer is going to be very interesting for me. I find myself bored quite often (and, hence, on FB). What I have decided to do to alleviate that boredom is to get as much accomplished on this list as possible, and start a few of the bigger, more time consuming tasks. Here are some of the things I would like to either get started on or accomplished, and a bit about how I plan on going about doing it.

Drops to Work on this Summer: 

1. Paint a really incredible painting

• I am not for sure how I am going to do this or what it's going to be of, entail, consist of, etc. I suppose the first thing I should do is really get an idea of what it is I am going to be painting. I think I would really like to do an abstract, but mix in other materials and objects which are quite distinguishable. Come to think of it, even if I get a good idea and perhaps a rough draft of the painting out this summer, I'll be happy. I can always start on it whenever I feel motivated to do so (what I am trying to say is I am not motivated right now... ha ha).

2. Catch up on all my bills
8. Learn Vietnamese

• I do really want to learn this language. I'm going to have to Rosetta Stone it up ASAP, and accomplish as much of it as I can

13. Have a successful garden

• I have already started my garden! Right now I am trying to grow lettuce, snap peas, tomatoes, carrots, scallions, onions, lemongrass, herbs (cilantro, basil, parsley, mustard greens, Thai basil), and attempting Serrano peppers (which started out good, but are recovering slowly from transplantation). I am having two major problems: The first, is that weeds are rapidly spreading. I'm not always 100% sure which one I am supposed to pull and which is the vegetable. And secondly, cats use it as a litter box. Yuck. Other than that, everything is looking pretty good!

15. Become fluent in Spanish

• I'm already pretty good in Spanish. I'm just going to try to change my settings over, make everything in Spanish, and practice that way. My main focus this summer is on learning Vietnamese. If I can catch my Vietnamese up to the level of understanding I have in Spanish, it will be a successful summer.

18. Cut my hair short and give it to a hair charity

• This kind of coincides with the previous drop of growing my hair out to the top of my buttocks. I think it's close enough. By the end of the summer, I think I am going to call it a quits and cut it short. I've had it long for 5 yrs plus. I might chicken out by the end of the summer, though. Yeah, I'll probably chicken out.

32. Go scuba diving
33. Jump off a cliff in to water
40. Read the Bible (Including old testament) and Quran.

• Not planning on finishing, but would like to get started

41. Send a postcard in to PostSecret



     I was going to put drop 45 down also because it's something that's quick to cross off, but I'm not ready for a tattoo yet. And besides, I ended up putting a lot more down here than I thought I would. I suppose that a lot of these are doable in summer's time. I just loose track so easily of the day. I'm so used to being busy all the time that, although no longer being so time restricted is a relief, I also don't know how to properly use the spare time to get things done. I've always had to be somewhere at a certain time, and that more often than not is no longer the case. This will give me something to do and work towards.

     Oh, I also have to do those darn GREs... but that's not on the list

Update: Drop # 38: Get Rid of this Horrible Acne Once and for All! (as well as reference to drops 13, 28 and 38)

     I am not about to post any before/after pictures or anything like that... And all you lovely negative people who are holding back secret feelings of schadenfreude at my misfortunate skin, keep your mouths shut! Ever since I stopped working at my previous job, my skin has taken an almost immediate turn for the better. It's kind of amusing, really. I am assuming that the stress from working at that place had quite an impact on me. Although it isn't clear all the way, I am positive that there was no way of repairing or trying to get rid of the stress-reduced acne except, of course, reducing the stress. And, I am also convinced that there was no reducing the stress and strain that my previous job put on me without simply not working there anymore.

     On a somewhat related note, although it was not necessarily my choice to leave my previous job (although I could easily argue it was, and I can present such argument if anybody would care to hear. I'll just assume at this point that nobody really does), not working there anymore has really injected an incredible amount of positiveness and productivity in to my life. If I was still working there is a good probability that I would not have had time to start my garden (which I did this past sunday), do half the papers I have had to turn in, or start my volunteer job I have going on now. Really, the acne relief is an unexpected benefit. The benefit to my schoolwork alone is enough to be satisfied.

     But, enough about all this. Let me just sign off this week by stating that the main source of my unwanted acne has been eliminated. With a little bit of acne medication and perhaps an increase in my consumption of water, hopefully it will clear up...!

... Just don't STRESS ME OUT! :-)

Complete- Drop #28- Volunteer/Intern in my Field

     Finally!

     I've had the position set aside for me for almost two months now, but volunteer services took forever! They take thier job very seriously over there. I didn't want to cross this off my list until everything was official and there was nothing else in my way of starting. But, that's okay. I finally got myself in the door! I started last week. Soooo this drop is complete!



This is the building I am volunteering in. Basically, I am volunteering at a Psychiatrist's office doing clerical/ organizational tasks, etc. Although it sounds kind of mundane, I actually find the research they are conducting there very interesting, and it's already been a learning experience. Thus far, everybody has been very nice and have expressed gratitude towards me being there helping them out. (Man, look at the lawn/trees. It feels like spring will never start!)

     Sssooooooo...... YAY! My second thing to cross off my list! I've also had an offer for an internship elsewhere, which I have to follow up with. I basically have it, but I've been out of contact with them a while. Anyways, I only had to do one or the other to call this complete. I kind of wanted to split this up into two seperate drops, but I'm trying not to alter with the list once I put something on it. :-).

Drop # 43: Attend a SNL Taping

     I should have researched this a bit better before I put this on my list.

     Common sense is that if you want tickets to an event, you go and buy them! Well, not if you want to see Saturday Night Live...

     Apparently, there are two ways you can score yourself some SNL tickets...

1. This is the 'easy' way. During the month of August, you can email the show and enter into a 'raffle'. Basically, a majority of the tickets are given out at the yearly raffle, and it is at this time that the tickets for all the shows through out the year are distributed. If you are selected, you will receive two tickets for a random show, and they are free. Yay, you!
2. This way takes a bit more effort. On the day of the show, be in line in front of the studio by 7:30am or so. If they have any left over seats after the host's/musician's guests, you have a chance of getting in to either the dress rehearsal or the actual taping. Even if you get a standby ticket, there is no guarantee of admittance until you are physically in you seat. So, you can be literally backstage, and still be turned away. Wow.

     On the bright side, there is no monetary aspect of attending SNL(if you don't take in to consideration the cost of going to NY, of course). I'm not at all willing to attempt the showing up at 7:30am approach right now, so I suppose every August I'll just enter the raffle like a good girl and hope that I'm chosen.

Drop #28: Volunteer/Intern in my Field

     I am very close to completing this drop.
 
     I have actually had offers to do both of these, I just have been so busy that I lost track of the intern one. I have to call them soon just to give them a heads up that I am available whenever they need me. The other one- the volunteer position- man it's taking forever to finish! It's a position with a psychiatrist at a hospital, and the volunteer office has a million things that need to be done before you can start. It's been about 1 1/2 months now, and hopefully when I call Friday, I will get the go-ahead. Volunteer-office lady takes her job very seriously.

     Sooooo.... Hopefully, when I update this again next week, the title will read Complete- Drop #28: Volunteer/Intern in my Field... (?)

Drop # 13: Have a Successful Garden

      Ah, yes. Finally. It's officially spring! You wouldn't know it, though... There's still piles of snow laying about where it had been plowed off the roads. And oh, yeah.... We're supposed to be getting some snow later tonight! Geez Louise it's nearly April! Regardless, the other day it really did feel like spring... And thus, my mind wandered off to the garden I hope to create. Hopefully if it's nice enough this weekend and if I have the time (which, as the pattern has been going, it's unlikely) I can observe where the sun falls best, rake out the spot, and prepare the compost I started last year for incorporation into some raised garden boxes.

     I really would like a large garden, but time and again I am reading that this is the worst way to begin gardening. I can see how that makes sense, and have to agree that jumping in to a large garden will most likely be an instant turn off and motivation killer. Yet, I can't help but to think back to my childhood, when my father grew a large garden (at least, I think it was large. Perhaps if I viewed it now it would be much smaller than I remember). But, for now, I will do my best to start out small and simple, perhaps with a seperate, window herb garden, and a few plants in clay pots or whatnot as well. So, as of right now, this is what I hope to grow:

Garden:
-Romaine Lettuce
-Tomatoes
-Cucumbers
-Scallions
-Peas (?)
-Cabbage (?)

In a Pot:
-Lemongrass
-Serrano Peppers

Window Herbs:
-Flat Leaf Parsley
-Regular Basil
-Thai Basil
-Cilantro
-Several Varieties of Vietnamese Herbs (It sounds as if all I have to do is buy some at the market and let them grow some roots to get these started, then I can utilize them as hanging plants on the porch)

     I don't feel as if this list is too extensive, as the only plants that are going to need a good deal of upkeep are the ones in the garden. As far as I can tell thus far, the window herbs and potted plants most likely just need watering daily or so. I'm hoping this will be a success. I think I can handle it :-). Will keep this updated, and pics to come as soon as this is well underway.

Drop #33: Jump off a Cliff into Water




Cliffs on Block Island... Obviously I will not be jumping off of these!

 
     This drop is pretty lame.

     I think the main reason why I chose to put this in my bucket list is because I've chickened out of it before (or, more so, I wasn't properly dressed for it). Summer is right around the corner, so the opportunity should present itself sometime soon. I would love to get this over with and cross it off my list.

    I remember a few summers ago, my husband and I met up with some of his friends to do this. We had to walk through some woods, but as soon as we got to the wide opening, there were just cliffs surrounding a large pond. I didn't have my bathing suit but even if I did, I can't say that I would have jumped. The cliffs were probably a good 20 to 30 feet high or higher, although you could easily find a ledge at almost any height in between.

    My fear most likely lies in the unknown; what if I hit the ledge on the way down? Is there something on the bottom I can hit? What if I can't get to the top fast enough because I sunk so deep? I think these are valid questions. Yet, I also need to remember to take some risk in life. I mean, jeez. I don't do much risk-taking. Anyways, my point is that I hope to polish this drop off this summer. Now only if I can work on looking decent in a bathing suit...

Update: Drops 26, 27 and 39

     My Facebook Sabbatical thus far has been a success. Granted, it's only been about five days, but hey- I can only make the days go by so fast! Plus, I have to post either today or tomorrow to show progress on drop 39. I have to say, though, I am really very much so enjoying my sabbatical. How nice it is not to have to pay attention to everybody's sob stories and excuses for not living for the day! I know what you may be thinking, perhaps... Nobody makes you partake in all of the drama that is the world of social media. Well, of course not. Hence the Sabbatical. But, really, just by logging on and going down the 'newsfeed', glancing at what's on the mind of various friends and acquaintances both old and new, I am convinced that whether it is known or not, it does have an effect on your daily do-ings (if you will...). The very first day, I just felt such positive-ness, almost (it felt like) in the form of a sense of relief. I still occasionally feel like logging on, yes. But I am convinced that the longer I continue on my Sabbatical the better I will feel, the more positive I will be, and I don't know that I will even bother with it again. Don't quote me at this point, though :-).

     As far as my organization and an attempt at becoming a neat freak... I am trying. I think this is something that may take a long time to adjust to. I am taking it slow, and have started out with my wallet/purse. I am trying to keep all things that belong in a wallet actually in the wallet rather than pockets, floating in huge purse, etc. It's kind of floundering right now; it has its ups and downs. On a related note, I took my spring break to do the typical clean out the living space routine. My question is... Is it really supposed to stay as neat as when I cleaned it? It's amazing how little effort it takes to really mess this place up. What am I supposed to do, run around with paper towels and disinfectant everywhere?

     And, although the house is currently clean, the basement has flooded from all the melting snow. It's only about three inches, really, but now damp basement smell is coming up into the house. Yuck.

Update: Drop #27: Wean Myself from Social Media

Facebook Sabbatical

     Let's be honest; this weaning thing just isn't going to work. I think there's a good argument in support of technology as an addiction. It's amazing how many times I see people checking thier phones just to see if there's anything to respond to.

     I was listening to NPR on my way home from work one night (yes, I do partake in National Public Radio... I'm a bit of a loser hehe). The guest, an expert on something or another pertaining to this issue- I can find the source if anybody's interested in learning more- was talking about just this topic. Basically, his concept of why people cannot wean themselves from social media or technology may be explainable partially due to our innate desire to not be bored. That is, every time we go to check these things, a little shot of adreneline rushes to our head from the prospect of something special being there, waiting for us to read it. Usually, yes, it ends up being junkmail. However, the prospect that we'll get a message from an old friend, perhaps, or even something announcing good news or fortune. Therefore, when we pick up that device, we are searching for that rush of adrenaline to relieve the boredom. Yes, I can see how this makes sense. I wouldn't attach my name to this theory just yet, but it's plausable.

     So, I have decided that there's no weaning off of social media; I just have to give it up. So, I'm going on a Facebook Sabbatical. This Sabbatical is going to last me anywhere from two months to a year. No Facebook. It's coming off my phone also. With help from others, I have come to the conclusion that although social media is a great virtual 'phonebook' so that you can easily contact someone when needed, it's a horrible communication tool. While it promotes openness of ideas, concepts, and a freedom to share your voice, it does so with undertones of ignorance, hate, and misunderstanding. How easy is it to say things to somebody you would never say to thier face on 'face'book? It's very easy, of course. How many hours does the average person spend a day on social media and the likes? Spring's coming, anyways, and I wanted to start a garden...

     Anyways, starting tomorrow (ironically, Facebook's self-proclaimed 'Day of Peace') I'm done for a while. Ideally, I hope this Sabbatical allows me to take some time to clear my mind and rid myself of the evil-ness that can occur as a result of text-on-a-bright-screen. When it ends, I would hope that the ultimate result would be a minimal relationship with social media, if a relationship at all. So, I might be updating this a lot more now... either out of boredom or accomplishment... Hopefully it's the latter!

Update: Multiple Drops

     So, I'm sure everybody is just dying to be updated at this point on my progress on completing my bucket list, especially the drops which I have already discussed. I can cut the anticipation with a butter knife. Well, let me just tell you exactly how I'm progressing thus far.

     Oh wait... I'm not.

     Surprise surprise. I am speaking exclusively to what I had decided to focus on first.

     To be more precise, I have yet to totally commit to getting back down to my ideal weight of 130lbs. I haven't even committed to drinking an appropriate amount of water on a daily basis, never mind eating more fruits and veggies or (heaven forbid) getting into a decent workout habit. Nope, not feeling it in the cards anytime in the near future.

     As for my organization skills? I did organize my purse, and I am attempting to keep receipts either in the trash or in my wallet. It's just so easy to stuff whatever it is (ID, bank card) in my jacket pocket. Coincidentally, it seems as if everything I put in my jacket pocket has a natural tendency to wander on roads, classrooms, wherever. In other words, it FALLS OUT, and then I fail miserably at locating whatever the item is. Regardless, I have been keeping up with this drop the most. Honestly, if it was public knowledge at how little effort I have been putting into the simple task of keeping my purse/immediate self organized, it would speak LEVELS to the amount of effort other drops have been getting. Ah, well....

     Social Media? This seems to be getting MORE attention now that I have made and put this on my bucket list. Perhaps it is due to the lack of effort needed to access such sites as Facebook. With two touches of the screen, I am automatically connected to everybody I never bother to see or really keep in touch with anymore. I learn so much about people I barely knew just by those two little touches of my touchscreen portable device. If you're even reading this blog, it says something about your connection to the virtual world. I can conclude you either accessed this blog in one of two ways:
     1. Through me letting you know of a random update through the FB... orrr.....
     2. Quite randomly and most likely in error

     With that said, I have other drops well underway. There isn't much value in discussing them preliminarily, however, so I won't make a post until they are official and complete :-). Hope good weather is coming your way, wherever you may be from.

Drop #26: Become a Neat Freak

     I'm not going to put a picture up to prove it. Just take my word: I'm a mess. I have decided that I am genetically predispositioned with the inability to pick things up off the ground, organize schoolwork and other papers, clean, fold, close cabinet doors, keep my car clean, etc. My level of disorganization distrupts my life on a daily basis. Whether it's my inability to locate my debit card or ID, taking forever to find my car keys or cell phone, or not having all my schoolwork with me when I need it, I cause myself a lot of extra hassel.

     The whole get down to thirty pounds thing isn't taking off right now, mostly due to my inablity to keep up with it. This Drippity Drop is similar in the way that it requires conscious habit-changing throughout the day. Instead of shoving a receipt in my pocket or purse, I have to remember to throw it away or file it. Instead of shoving my card or ID in the same pocket that I shoved those receipts in, I need to put them in thier designated spots in my wallet. I think I will start these small steps tomorrow: Organize purse; empty out pockets; find habitual places for different items.

Drop #35: Create a Signature Dish

I am so close to completing this drop... I am actually making the original concept of the dish tonight for dinner. I do, however, have ideas as to how my current interpretation of the dish can be improved, and would like to post the recipe complete with side dishes and all. Stay tuned!

Complete- Drop #25: Cook Bun Mam

     Once I got past the fact that this recipe does not exist in English, and varies so much in Vietnamese, I think I was finally able to figure out how to cook this thing! With that said, I am pretty sure this is the only English recipe for Bún mắm. I'm not for sure if this is the way it's typically done, or how close it is to the actual taste it's supposed to be since I have never actually eaten it elsewhere, but it passed the taste test.


     For the Soup:

Pork Bones
Mam Tom (a very stinky, purple shrimp paste)
Catfish
Squid
Shrimp
Aubergine (not pictured)
Pork Belly
Lemongrass (6 stalks did the job)
Garlic (however much. I used 4 large cloves)

Rock Sugar

MSG (Optional)

  Parboil the pork bones. Rinse, heat up a fresh batch of water, and put bones back into the pot. Heat to boiling and skim top as needed. Cut the bulb off the lemongrass, smash, and add to broth. Skim periodically. Add the Mam Tom (maybe about a quarter of the container... I put a bit more than half and it came out really strong... You can add more later) to the broth. After a few hours of cooking chop/food process the remaining lemongrass stems until very small. Do same with garlic. In a frying pan, put some oil in the pan. Cut up one of the pork belly, add to the hot pan, and fry up with the lemongrass and garlic. Once cooked, add to the pot. 
     When you think you're getting close to being done (you can let the soup boil as long as you want) get your seafood ready while you're frying up a whole strip of the pork belly. Slice the fried pork belly the same was as before, and set aside. Cut the aubergines so that the slices are circular, about 1 and 1/2 inch thick, and cut those in fours. Throw in the soup. cook until tender, then remove.


     Strain the broth, and remove the bones, lemongrass etc. Reheat the broth, and cook the seafood. While doing this, start your noodles (bun rice noodles)


Toppings:

   

Bean Sprouts
Culantro (similar to Cilantro but stronger...)
Ngo Om (Rice paddy herb)
Rau Den (Chinese Spinach)
He (Type of Chive)
Ong Choy (Water Spinach, stems only)
Bac Ha (Taro Shoots)
Thai Basil
Banana Flower
Scallion
Lime


     I found I had to pickle the banana flower after cutting it into thin rings in order for it to keep color, so don't slice this until you're just about to serve. The only other odd prep for the toppings is to remove the stems from the water spinach and to cut them in long, thin strips. Keep them in cold water so they curl.


     Put noodles in bowl, ladle broth on top, throw on culantro and scallions. Serve with the plate of herbs and a spoonful of the mam tom on the side, and you're all set!

     The smell of the soup, I have to be honest, was not pleasant. Once I was able to push past that, the broth itself was pretty good! Again, I'll have to check it's authenticity to another one (once I find it), but I am considering this a success!

Anti-Drop: General Complaints About Myself and my Bucket List

     I've only just begun this list, and already I have personal complaints about it.

     My goals are so very boring! Everything I hope to complete before I die, it seems, has to do with personal self improvement. Although I can say I have tried to be the best I possibly can be, it's honestly not very exciting. I even googled other people's bucket lists for ideas as to some exciting things I might want to do, and nothing sounds remotely desireable. It's official: I'm boring. With that said, I need to live a little.

     Complaint #2: The point of trying to keep up with this blog is to remind myself of what goals I want to accomplish. Although I have thought about the drops that I have blogged about thus far, I honestly can't say that I have done too much towards thier completion. For example, every day I wake up and decide that tomorrow is the day to start drinking more water and eating healthier; it's never TODAY! And, although I have acknowledged my desire to wean myself from social media, I still feel the need to check it a million and a half times a day. Even this is somewhat considered a social media... Although I do not normally announce my updates of this particular blog on sites such as Facebook.

     So, although it is not a drop, my general goals at this point seem to be 'live a little' and 'be proactive'.



               Yeahhh.... We'll see how that goes......

Drop #27: Wean Myself from Social Media

     I've written about this very topic on other occasions: the distinguishable difference between the present and past's ideaology of 'here and now,' and how the definition has drastically changed due to the role of social media. The concept itself is comprehensible. Before the internet, the last memory of someone would be in their flesh and blood.  After that, their lives would become a mystery.  The mind would fabricate scenarios as to what became of them. Often times, the next time we would hear their name would be upon their death.  In today's day and age, comparably, the ability to keep in contact with people we would have otherwise left behind is mind-boggling. With the click of a mouse, I can rediscover an old friend from elementary school. I can track the lives of old boyfriends and preoccupy my mind with their recent marriages, and learn useless information about people I never really cared about. Honestly, I don't care to know about anything that I can't ask anybody personally.

     So, why are social media sites so addicting?

     I was recently listening to a program on NPR (forgive me for not linking to the original source) which discussed the current addiction to certain technological medias such as social web sites, email and text messaging. According to the expert, the hope that somebody has made a comment on one of our recent posts or the idea that we have received an email from an old friend results in a rush of adrenaline. This rush is more likely to be desirable when bored. It is the addiction to that adrenaline; the prospect something has happened results in the sudden urge to check our facebook statuses or email accounts. Really, it makes perfect sense. After all, nobody really expresses the desire for boredom. In the age of portable media, the adrenaline is but a click away. What prevents one from tapping in to a solution to boredom?

     For this reason, I would estimate that I check my facebook a minimum of twice a day. Necessary? Of course not. In reality, it is the procrastination of mundane tasks such as completing a paper that results in constantly checking my 'newsfeed'. However, everything I learn about those individuals on my facebook is not only subjective, but single-sided. In other words, I get a part of the story and no major impact is made on my life. Rather, I am left desiring the memories of the past rather than the black-on-white status updates. Meaningless. Intangible. For this reason, it is my goal to wean myself from social media sites. Of course, completely giving up such technology in this day and age is unrealistic. Therefore, that is not my goal. Instead, I just wish to un-obsess myself from it: to only check up on old connections once a week rather than twice a day. That is the goal; we'll see how it goes.

Drop #4: Get back down to 130 lbs (and stay there)

     I am not by any means huge, but 130 has always been a magical number for me. Perhaps it is because it was what I weighed when I got married... Regardless, it is a completely realistic goal and a more healthy weight. The trickiness of this 'drop' is the last part added in parentheses. This does not require a diet or detox, but rather a change in lifestyle.  That's right: frest fruits and veggies, regular exercise, drinking lots of water, and consuming less fat (sugar, carbs). I've been putting this off for quite a while now, mostly due to my love affair with hearty pastas and delicious breads... Well, it's time. Sad face.

     I am going to have to take this slow; one change at a time. So, here's the plan:

Step 1: Consume more water (approx 64 oz/day)
Step 2: Replace bad snacks with healthier ones
Step 3: Eat more fruits and veggies
Step 4: Start excersizing again

     It's pretty simple, really... It is committing to the change which is difficult. So, my goal is to master each step individually before continuing on to the next.

Drop #25: Cook Bun Mam

     Apparently, Bun Mam does not want to be reproduced...

     From what I can gather, this is quite a unique soup originating in- and not straying far from- South Vietnam's Mekong Delta. It is not in any of the cookbooks I have searched in, and it seems as though restaurants do not make it in this area. The recipe is unGoogleable in English. However, if I go to google.vn and search, I can find the recipe in Vietnamese. When translated, the ingredients are:

- colorful fish sauce
- Flexible fish sauce
- catfish (or snakehead fish)
- bacon
- fresh squid
- Shrimp silver card
- open water, chili slice
- delicious sauce
- pork bones
- fresh rice noodles
- a private branch of fingers
- minced garlic, cilantro
- banana cells, stem cells guns, vegetables and basil plants, vegetables, coconut, sprout.

http://my.opera.com/Norah-Nguyen/albums/showpic.dml?album=725762&picture=9803043#bigimg

     Where am I going to find a private branch of fingers?

      Regardless, I am determined to make this soup. All in all, it doesn't seem to be so difficult. The challenge is going to be figuring out exactly what is in this stuff, what it's supposed to taste like, and what the hell are all this new, crazy herbs that are supposed to go on top of it? Any insight from a random passerby would be greatly appreciated at this point.

Drop #20: Cook Through an Entire Cookbook

The Cookbook: The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook

 

      I chose this cookbook in hopes that cooking some more complicated recipes would aid me in drop #11. It has something like 325 recipes ranging from spaghetti and meatballs to tea-smoked duck with a honey-soy dipping sauce; from appetizers to home-made breads and desserts. Some of the recipes do require special tools and ingredients that I have never worked with, while I have no desire to make some of the others. Regardless, I have plenty of time and occasions to make all of these recipes, so hopefully I can just bring the recipes featuring ingredients I don't favor and drop it at some fancy holiday party.

Drop #17: Visit all 50 States

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
TexasUtah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

19/50. Still got some work ahead of me!

Happy New Year!!!

I was going to start this out as a New Year's Resolution Blog for 2011, but that seemed rather pointless and boring. So rather, I decided to turn my Resolutions into bucket list goals- and added just a -few- long term desires- into a list of what I wish to accomplish before I 'kick the bucket'. Being I am still young, crossing off the items on this list should prove not only challenging, but also rewarding. I hope you enjoy this blog as I unexpectantly embark on this journey of life-goal fulfillment!