Wordless Weekends: Upcoming Honeymoon
Category Archives: Things to do before I die
Do before I die – # 25 Experience a game of roller derby
# 25. Experience a game of roller derby
Ever since I found out that women still play this sport I wanted to go to a game. So when a friend said that he was going to get tickets I knew that I was in. We decided on a date (Saturday, May 22nd) and bought our tickets. The match was the Garden State Rollergirls (an all-female flat-track roller derby league based in Wallington, NJ) against Diamond State Roller Girls (based in Delaware).
What is roller derby you ask? Invented in 1920s America, roller derby has evolved into a predominantly female sport – and one that is fiercely aggressive. Teams take part in bouts and score points by getting their “jammer” – usually their fastest player – around the track ahead of opposition players. They earn a point for each one they lap, but while the jammer is trying to get round, the other team is trying to stop her, using almost any means possible. Most players in these leagues skate under aliases, many of which are creative examples of word play with satirical, mock-violent or sexual puns, alliteration, and allusions to pop culture (i.e Beantown Brawler, Little Red Riot Hood, Costa Fortune). Players actually register their chosen names and no two in the world can choose the same.
I had a blast. With each lap around the track that they did I became more and more amazed. Their stamina was outstanding. The skills and the way they picked themselves up was astonishing. They made me want to go right back home and buy a pair of skates and learn to skate the way they were. I loved the fact that women of all shapes and sizes were playing – that they were confident and strong. I will be definitely going to another game soon!
Go out…do it. Get to it!
I am so ashamed to say that I haven’t done much on my “Do Before I Die List”. I really need to get a grasp on life and really live it. Do you have a list that you have that you been meaning to do? Go out…do it. Get to it! I know I am going to!
“Do Before I Die”
Swim with dolphins/Go whale watching/Travel to Europe/Scuba dive in Australia/Fly in a hot air balloon/Go white water rafting/See the Eifle Tower in person/Take a hike in a rainforest/See an active volcano in Hawaii/Have the body of my dreams/Visit California/Be completely dept free/ Write a best seller/Become good at something meaningful/Have at least one child/Own a home/Take a camping trip in Maine/Write a screenplay/Influence my kids as much as my parents have influenced me/Give blood/Learn to play the guitar or piano/Kayak in the ocean/Spend the night on a boat/Sing karaoke/Take a cruise/Learn French/See the Grand Canyon/Travel cross country/See the Northern Lights/Ride a gondola in Venice/See the Great Wall of China/Learn to ballroom dance/Learn to ride a horse/Sell some of my baked goods/Learn self defense/Learn yoga/ Win the lottery/Take a cooking class and learn to cook better/Learn to sew/Buy a new car/Visit Alaska/Stay in a suite of a 5 star hotel/Take a photograph I can proudly hang on my wall/Attend a major film festival/Make someone cry with happiness/Plant a tree/Brew my own beer/Get a personal massage/Write my will/ Spend a night in a castle/Make my own cookbook/Ride on a motercycle/Save enough to live comfortably during retirement/Learn to drive stick shift/Run in marathon/Learn to make the perfect cheesecake/ Visit Yosemite National Park/Open my own cafe/bakery/ Start my own business/Visit the Vatican City/Visit the Louvre/Go fishing/Grow my own garden/Learn to shoot a gun/Paint a Picture Good Enough to Hang on the Wall/Save my Pocket Money for a Month and Spend It All at Once/Research my Family Tree/Meet Someone Famous/Ride something bigger than a horse (elephant maybe?)/Travel somewhere by train/Cross a glacier on foot/Learn how to make a national dish/Travel to Germany and experience Oktoberfest/Fall deeply in love – helplessly and unconditionally/Sit on a jury/Shower in a waterfall/Drive across America from coast to coast/Own one very expensive but absolutely wonderful item/ Lose more money than I can afford in Vegas/ Make bread from scratch/ Visit Paris/ See a bullfight/See a space shuttle launch/ Go snowtubing/ Go on a camping trip/ Experience a Rollerderby/Have a croissant at a French cafe/Go berry picking and make pies/Plan my wedding/Give birth/Go Dog sledding/ Swing down a huge zip line/Go Parasailing/Restore contact with three people I’ve lost along the way/Learn to blow glass
Ten Things I’m Really Loving Right Now…
Ten Things I’m Really Loving Right Now…
1. Brie Cheese. K and I had a wonderful cheese platter not to long ago. So we have been trying to use all of the cheese in different ways. The other day I made a tomato soup with orzo and grilled cheese. I made three different types of grilled cheeses…American, Spicy Jack and Brie with pear preserve. The brie was my absolute favorite.
2. Packing. I am on my way this Friday to visit my grandfather in Florida. I don’t know why, but I love packing. Figuring out what I am going to wear and how much to pack to perfection. I hate when I pack things that I don’t need. I know too many people who pack things for “just in case”. When do you really need three “just in case” outfits? Rarely you need one.
3. RareMinerals Renew & Reveal Facial Cleanser. This is a water-activated powder formula that gently cleanses, exfoliates and nourishes skin, leaving skin purified and baby-soft. You see I have been having a horrible time lately with finding a cleanser that does not make my skin react. I have very very sensitive skin. So when my boss recommended I try this and I did. So far it has worked wonders.
4. Magazines. I don’t know about you, but when I go out and get the mail and see that I received a magazine it makes me completely happy!
5. My new buttery soft leather bomber jacket. Oh weather when will you be chilly enough for me to wear it? I want to right now!
6. Turkey Hill’s Colombian Coffee Ice Cream. Someone needs to seriously take this out of our freezer. I have a small bowl of it everyday and absolutely love it!
7. Pandora Radio. If you have not checked it out yet please do! Pandora Radio knows just what I want!
8. Closet Cooking. Kevin has so many recipes that I am dying to try out.
9. Stews. I can’t wait to make more this fall/winter. We ate my beef stew for two days and K still wanted more!
10. Sunday’s. K and I have made Sunday’s just for us. Breakfasts, movies, music, dancing, reading, games and just having fun with each other. No one else. I love Sunday’s now!
Life happens. Blog accordingly!
Whats a girl to do when her schedule is booked and doesn’t have time to blog? She feels bad. Well, I was hoping I could blog in the last couple of days, but life decided to happen. I’m a bit bummed that I missed the last couple of days because I was so close to finishing this months NaBloPoMo, but I was too busy with…
1. Birthdays
My father’s birthday was this Friday. This Saturday we had the whole family get together for one big celebration (it is also my aunts, a close family friends and my birthday this month).
2. Baking
I have made the total of 3 birthday cakes, two crumb cakes, a pie and 2 dozen cookies this week. I love baking, but this week I think I am going to take a break from it (my birthday is this week). Of course this means that I am going to miss this weeks Tuesday’s with Dorie (which I didn’t want to) but I just can’t do it. I need some time away from the oven!
3. Cleaning
I have been dying to go through our kitchen and pantry. Everything needed to be organized because I couldn’t find half the things that I needed for baking. I organized everything and then did the usual housecleaning, laundry and a bit of food shopping.
4. White water rafting
My sister has wanted to go all summer long. Since Sunday was going to be a nice day and the dam was being opened we decided to go. So my sister, her boyfriend, K and I jumped into the car and drove up to PA. It was amazing. The rapids were fun and the company was even better. We did a four mile run this time instead of the two hour like we usually do. Came home exhausted and happy.
One could always wish…
One thing that I have always wanted to do is open a bakery. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about it. I don’t have any formal training and I have never have worked at a bakery. But I love being in the kitchen. I love baking. I sometimes need to. I makes me happy beyond words. I think that one day I will. K will be the coffee and sandwich man and I will be the baked goods girl. I see so many other bloggers opening restaurants and bakeries and I am completely jealous. I have a couple of friends also who want to get into the action. Who knows…maybe some years from now we will all own a bakery together just like the one below….
# 53. Ride on a motorcycle
# 53. Ride on a motorcycle (from the Do before I die List)
Ekk I did it!
K has had a motorcycle for about two years now. He has asked me numerous times to hop on, but I just could never bring myself to do it. I have always been scared of them and heard so many bad stories. So when he decided that he was going to sell his cruiser and get a faster less cruiser like motorcycle I knew I had to ride. So on the “Do before I die list” it went and then I never really thought about again. Months go by and he finally gets a seller. Still I do not ride. This weekend he informs me that this Friday it is going to the new seller. So Wednesday night I hop on.
I was scared. Scared and shaking but knew that it was something I needed to experience. K and our friend D talked me through what I needed to do. Put the helmet on. Check. Teach me to hop on. Check. Hold on. Check. And we were off. We went around our apartment complex twice (completely not ready for the road and other cars! lol). I was nervous and shaking but at the same time I had a smile on my face. I was giggling. I think I like a bit. The only problem that I had was that I am a control freak so whenever K would go faster or turn I would squeeze him really hard.
I am so happy I decided to try it out. I liked the feeling of freedom and the wind against my skin. It is something I not sure I would do again (ok maybe I will), but I am happy that I am starting to push the boundaries that I have so that I can experience things that I have never experienced before.
# 23. Kayak in the ocean
When K and I were in California we decided that we wanted to go kayaking in the ocean. It is something that neither of us had done before and has been on “My List of Things to Before I Die”.
When we first got to the place they geared us up with life jackets, helmets and instructions. Usually for kayaking you don’t need a helmet but we opted for the tour of the 7 Caves and sea cliffs experience. The area we were in was La Jolla. The sea caves of La Jolla open outward along the waterline of the cliffs just east of the cove. Carved out over the centuries, these awe inspiring cliff formations are easily viewed and visited by kayakers, snorkelers, swimmers, and tourists. They are often overlooked because of their sheltered location, but a trip to their waters is an unforgettable experience and a treasure worth seeking.
So all suited up we headed for the kayaks. The first time trying to get into the ocean was comical. Both K and I fell out of the boat and into the surf. Pulling our boat out we tried again. Again we fell out. The third time we got it right and off through the waves we paddled. Finally after getting through the waves we made it to calmer waters. There we practiced our paddling (you both have to paddle same side/same time). The guide then took us to the first cave. It was so exciting entering the cave and knowing that the water had formed it. Each cave was unique. Afterwards, we paddled around and were visited by sea lions, fish and leopard sharks. I was a bit nervous at first having never seen sharks/sea lions so close and in the wild. I keep hearing the Jaws soundtrack in my head even though there was no way that they could hurt us.
While sitting out in the ocean I began to realize how small we really are. How there are so many things out in the world that we won’t experience or even see. How many other things are so much more important then taking out the garbage and/or missing your favorite television show. It has made me want to go out and do something. Anything. We have been trying to schedule outdoor activities. Things that will get us out and really enjoy nature and our bodies. I want to experience everything that this world has and enjoy this life I have.
