A list of all of the things that I did this year (2007). A recap of some of the good stuff anyway…
- Went to Burning Man – An art festival that takes place once a year in the desert in Nevada. I have bogged extensively about my experiences, some worthy of this list even!
- Got my own car insurance – One of the things officially marking the “It’s over between my husband and I”. I haven’t paid for my own insurance in like 7 years. It’s a good feeling that I am becoming independent again.
- Dyed my hair a crazy color! Maybe still a conservative style, the under half of my hair was and still is red!
- Learned how to do henna. Even more importantly, I got good enough that people actually occasionally PAY me for it!
- I went Geo-cashing for the first time. I very fun hobby. Basically, people hide things everywhere… all over the city, in the mountains, beaches, parks, parking lots. There are cashes everywhere. You go online and find clues then you go look for the locations. I found several and a friend of mine and I made our own cash for others to find. It is at Cape Lookout State Park Campground in Oregon just south of Tillamook.
- I went to the vampire ball. Also an annual event. There were several hundred people gathered in an old dimly lit marble dance hall. The costumes were amazing. I even got a pair of dental implant fangs for next year!
- I went camping with a group of about 100 people. We stayed in teepee’s. It was kinda cool; I didn’t get much sleep that night. I slept on concrete with a big pillow and a few blankets. Although mass quantities of Rosie’s Mojito probably contributed to that quite a bit.
- I made a sock elephant. The same thing as a sock monkey but… an elephant! It was evil! I gave it away!
- I co-hosted an Italian night at a friend’s house and got to make my famous spaghetti for about 30 people. I don’t think I have ever made a batch quite as big. I also made risotto and chicken Parmesan from scratch for the event. Considering I own a catering company, this isn’t sooooo impressive but it was a really nice night!
- I learned how to make fused glass pendants. One of the glass studios here in Portland donates scrap glass in the form of pendants to cancer children. People volunteer to put them together then the studio fires them in the kiln, strings them onto necklaces and donates them. It was fun. I made about 200! I want to go back and make some more. I wear one I bought every day, and people are always complementing it!
- Attention everyone… Karaoke in 15 min! I became a Karaoke snob! I learned that with the right equipment, even I could be a good singer. I know cause Billy Idol told me so :0) hehe… for a while there I was singing at least once a week!
- I learned how to swing dance!!! I also discovered West Coast Swing… its naughty! I think it’s funny how for weeks and weeks I would ask people to explain the difference between east and west. They always said something about slot dancing, nobody ever mentioned it was naughty! Friggin people holdin out on me!!!
- I participated in Santacon! There were estimated to be approx. 900 Santa’s this year carousing the streets of Portland. http://drunkenrampage.com/event_pages/december/December.html
- Earth Dance was something that I felt quite honored to be part of this year. So yeah, it was kind of a drunken druggie hippie fest BUT!!! The meaning behind it was quite overwhelming. It made me all tingly inside. You see, it was a global event. This year it was broadcast underwater to earth dances all over the world. At the exact same time everybody held hands in a giant circle for a prayer. Probably the most spiritual thing I have done this year. http://www.earthdance.org/
- I was the kelp princess in a gorilla masquerade. Yup, that’s right… iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii’m KELP!!! SO this is another event similar to santacon thought up by members of the cacophony society. Similar to those folks who go to burning man. Some of the same people actually. The concept is, the theme is picked and the bar is announced at the last min. Everybody meets at said bar in costume. SURPRISE!!!
- I tried Paella for the first time. Didn’t really like it…
- Learned how to make sushi! This was awesome! I sort of just decided to make a hand roll one day for a friend. I went sort of modern California roll crazy… After that, I had the chance to host an event for friends with a trained sushi chef. We made sooooo much and it’s soooo easy! Seriously, I need to have another sushi night soon!
- A Portland tradition… I watched flicks on the bricks. This is something that every Portlander who is willing to stray into downtown during the summer should do at least once or twice a year. It’s free! They put up a huge movie screen and hundreds of people come and sit on the steps in Pioneer Square to watch a movie. It’s really cool!
- I was a Cheerleader! I learned the routines, got up on stage and shook my pom poms. Hehe…
- I got to see a play which sort of corresponds with the next thing I did this year (dated for 6 months for research) the play was called “Bad dates”. It could have mimicked my 6 months as if the writer had read my journal exactly! The main character in the play even talked about being hooked up with a gay guy on a blind date. LOL! If you get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it. It was really funny!
- So yea… I dated for 6 months for research. I posted various types of ads on Craig’s list and other dating sites then went out with the guys. I learned some crazy things both about guys and myself. There are some really funny stories in this blog about some of them. Including the date with the gay guy. :0)
- My friend TK taught me how to play the flute… I should have bought one to practice on. I need to look into that!
- At burning man, I rode a bike for the first time in like 15 years. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I remember it. This year, I am all over bringing a bike to get around! It’s sooooo much easier than walking! Of course, a golf cart would be too… hehe
- And of course… I started this blog! Lucky readers!!! :0)
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Ummm. Let me add a bit if I may:
You shared yourself with others. You told stories about yourself and let others in and made them smile and laugh, or perhaps shed a tear. Made them think anyway. You cooked meals for people and gave generously of your unique hospitality. You imbued others with your incessantly happy attitude and outlook. You made others want to sing and dance and play (and wear tattoos). You helped define the ‘fun factor’. And then you went out and developed new talents and shared them as well.
In short, you touched hundreds of lives in a positive way and made new friends that you will have forever. You made others feel important and became important to them as well. And there is nothing more important than that my dear. A good year so far, I feel.
Oh yeah, and you partied like a rock star! Never mind how I know this…
LOL! You make me sound so much more important than I really am. You get to write my blogs from now on. :0) But seriously. Thank you!