Updated Bucket List 2016

My New Years Resolution for the year 2016 was to be a better version of myself than I was the previous year. I like to believe I have grown some this past year. I am definitely a different version of myself than I was a year ago. I think it’s a “better” version. 

I wanted to make an updated post to my bucket list post from three years ago. I have organized the list, and moved all of my accomplishments to the top.

I am still living the dream; MY dream.

Completed in 2016:

Attend a Poetry Reading

Experience the Grand Canyon

Get a Self Portrait in Italy

Go on a Gondola in Venice

Go Shopping in Milan

Go to Egypt

Climb a Pyramid

Cross Country on a Train

Visit the Grand Canyon

Eat Pasta in Italy

Attend a Cirque Du Soleil Show

Be Photographed Beside the Pyramids of Giza

Previously completed bucket list items:

Have a Cup of Coffee With a Stranger (Achieved 2015)

Dine in the Eiffel Tower (Achieved 2015)

Be Smiling in a Random Persons Photo in the Back (Achieved 2015)

Jump into a Fountain (Achieved 2015)

Drink Champagne in France (Achieved 2015)

Drink Guinness in Ireland (Achieved 2015)

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland (Achieved 2015)

Eat Chocolate in Belgium (Achieved 2015)

Eat Crepes in France (Achieved 2015)

Get Lost in a Foreign Country (Achieved 2015)

Dance Like No Ones Watching (Achieved 2015)

Don’t Use the Phone For a Day (Achieved 2015)

Attend a Yoga Class (Achieved 2015)

Become an Early Riser (Achieved 2015)

Do a New Year Dip (Achieved 2015)

Do a Boudoir Photoshoot (Achieved 2014)

Cut my Hair and Donate It (Achieved 2014)

Become a Film Maker (Achieved 2014)

Fly a plane (Achieved 2014)

Be in 5 Magazines (Achieved 2014)

Eat Cajun Food in New Orleans (Achieved 2014)

Go Ice Skating (Achieved 2013)

Drive around Big Sur (Achieved 2013)

Cross-Country Road Trip (Achieved 2012-2013)

View the Golden Gate Bridge (Achieved 2013)

Drive Along Route 66 (Achieved 2012)

Drive Along the Pacific Coast Highway (Achieved 2012)

Drive from Home to the East Coast (Achieved 2012)

Go to Colorado (Achieved 2012)

Become a Runway Model (Achieved 2012)

Stay in Death Valley (Achieved 2012)

Eat a Lobster in Main (Achieved 2012)

Eat Ribs at an American BBQ (Achieved 2012)

Be a Vintage Model For a Day (Achieved 2012)

Be on the Cover of a Magazine (Achieved 2012)

Bake my Own Bread (Achieved 2011)

Here are the remaining open bucket list items:

Climb a Rock Wall

Drink Only Water For a Year

Go For Walk in Central Park
Achieve 1,000 Goals

Add a Picture /video/blog of all my Goals

Attend a 10-Day Vipassana Meditation Course

Attend an Inner Awakening Retreat

Be a Mentor to Someone

Be a Part of an Important Movement

Be a Part of Habitat For Humanity

Be Blind For a Day

Be on Stage in Front of Thousands of People

Be Part of a Disaster Relief Team

Be Part of a Peaceful Protest

Be Passionate About a Cause

Become Courageous

Become First Woman President

Break a Guinness World Record

Build Schools For Women and Girls in Developing Countries

Buy a Stranger a Meal at a Restaurant

Change Someone’s Life For the Better

Completely “Unplug” For a Week

Create a Travel Journal

Do 365 Random Acts of Kindness in a Year

Do a Buddha Meditation

Do a Favor For a Stranger on the Scale of “Pay It Forward”

Do a Twenty-Four Hour Silence
Do Charity Work Abroad

Do Something Crazy For Charity

Do Something New Every Month For a Year

Do Something Nice For a Homeless Person

Do Something Nice For Someone Who Will Never Find Out

Coast to Coast Train Trip

Couchsurfing in 10 Countries

Cruise Around the World

Cruise Mexico

Cruise the Caribbean

Cruise to Alaska

Cruise to Antarctica

Drive Around Australia

Explore Africa

Explore Asia and the Far East

Explore Australia and New Zealand

Explore the Amazon Rainforest

Explore the Desert on a Camel Safari in India

Explore the Galapagos Islands

Get a Lei in Hawaii

Go Backpacking Through Europe

Go on a Real African Safari

Go Swimming in the Dead Sea

Go to a Big Medieval Fair

Go to a Big Time Movie Premiere in Hollywood

Go to a Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan

Go to Brazil

Go to China During Chinese New Year

Be Time Magazine’s Person of the Year

Become a Cheese Connoisseur

Become a Freelance Writer

Become a Programmer

Become a Published Author

Become a Supermodel
Become a Translator

Become a Travel Writer

Become a Wine Connoisseur

Become an Author a Successful Blog

Travel By Seaplane

Backpack Across Europe

Backpack Across South America

Backpack Across the Himalayas

Backpack Appalachian Trail

Backpack South East Asia

Backpack Trough Australia

Backpacking Through New Zealand

Camp in the Backyard

Travel the Amazon River

Climb a Mountain

See the Northern Lights

Hike in Nepal

Visit Yosemite National Park

Hike Machu Picchu

Bake a Cake For Someone For No Reason

Cook 30 Recipes from 30 Different Countries in 30 Days

Cook an Entire Meal from Another Culture

Eat a Gyro in Greece

Eat a Six-Course Meal That I Prepared

Eat a Traditional Food from Every Country

Eat Apple Strudel in Vienna, Austria

Eat Chinese Food in China

Eat Curry in India

Eat Fish and Chips in London

Eat Greek Salad in Greece

Eat Maple Syrup Pancakes in Canada

Eat Mexican Food in Mexico

Eat Olives in Greece

Eat Poi in Hawaii

Eat Sushi in Japan

Eat Using Chopsticks in Asia

Create Passive Income

Establish my Business Before I Turn 40

Gain Financial Freedom

Go an Entire Month Without Spending Any Money

Invest in a Stock

Invest in Gold

Invest in Real Estate

Invest in Silver

Invest in the Stock Market

Save $10,000

Stay on a Strict Budget and Save For a Goal

Attend a Presidential Inauguration

Attend a Sydney Opera House

Attend a TED Talk

Attend a Writing Class

Become Bilingual

Become Fluent in French

Become Fluent in German

Become Fluent in Italian

Become Fluent in Spanish

Complete a Course to Become a Photographer

Complete a Novel

Complete a Rubik’s Cube

Complete all the Books from ’1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die’

Complete an Online Class

Do Crosswords Every Day For a Month

Do Sudoku Every Day For a Year

Get a Scholarship For University

Get a TEFL Qualification

Get Certified As a Lifeguard

Go on a University Exchange

Know the Alphabet Backwards

Learn 100 Basic American Sign Language Signs

Learn a Burlesque Routine

Learn a Computer Programming Language

Learn a Form of Martial Arts

Learn a New Language and Speak It Fluently

Learn a New Word Every Day For a Year

Learn a New Word from an Unknown Language Every Day For 30 Days

Learn a Trade

Attend a High School Reunion

Attend One Wine Tasting a Month

Create a New Family Tradition

Grow Old With the Love of my Life

Have 50Th Wedding Anniversary

Have a Picnic in Central Park, New York

Have a Romantic Flight in a Hot Air Balloon

Apply to Be a Jeopardy Contestant

Apply to Be an Amazing Race Contestant

Attend a Broadway Show

Attend a Charity Ball

Attend a Concert As V.I.P

Attend a Film Premiere

Attend a Lantern Festival

Attend a Masquerade Ball

Attend a Paint Party

Attend Carnival

Be in Time Square on New Years Eve

Build a Snowman Taller Than Me

Celebrate the 4Th of July in Washington Dc

Dance Salsa in Rio Di Janeiro

Dance With an African Tribe

Dine in the Dark

Drink a Glass of Red Wine in Chile

Drink Rum on a Caribbean Beach

Drink Tequila in Mexico

Act in a Movie That Hits Theaters Nationwide

Act in a Short Film

Appear As an Extra in a Drama

Appear in a Music Video

Appear on Television

Attempt a New Recipe Once a Month For a Year

Be a Part of New York Fashion Week

Be on More Than 4 TV Shows

Become Great at Playing Guitar

Build a Computer

Build a Functioning Solar Still

Build a Giant Sand Castle

Build a Gingerbread House from scratch

Live in a Log Cabin

Put together a complex Puzzle

Build a Sauna in my Home

Build an awesome Tree House

Build a Website

Build Affordable Green Communities

Complete a Painting in One Day

Complete a Wine Journal

Create a Children’s Book

Create a College Photo Album

Create a Documentary

Create a Publication

Put together a Scrapbook

Create an Iphone Application

Create Melted Crayon Art

Decorate a House

Capture a Tornado on Film

Circumnavigate the Globe By Sail

Climb to the Top of a Rope in a Gym

Cross a Country With Bicycle or By Foot

Do a Firewalking

Do a Polar Bear Plunge

Do Human Bowling

Go at the Top of the Highest Building of the World

Go Bull Riding

Go Dog Sledding

Go Go-Karting

Go Into a Zero Gravity Room

Go Storm Chasing

Go White Water Rafting

Go Zip Lining

Hang Glide

Have a Nascar Experience

Arrive at an Airport and Take a Flight Randomly

Attend a Beach Bonfire

Attend a Beach Party

Attend a Mind Reading Show

Attend an Event at Buckingham Palace

Bathe In Chocolate

Bathe In Milk

Bathe In Oil

Be a Contestant on a Game Show

Be a Couchsurfing Host

Be a Flashmobber

Be a Member in the TV Audience

Be a Street Performer For a Day

Be a YouTube Star

Be an Extra in a Television Show

Be in Two States at Once

Be Inside an Igloo

Be Interviewed By Jay Leno

Be Interviewed On Oprah

Be Invited to the Playboy Mansion

Be Listed As One of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People

Be Nude on a Nude Beach

Be on a Radio Show

Be on the Cover of Rolling Stone Magazine

Be on the Front Page of a Major Newspaper

Be on Webcam With Someone For Twenty Four Hours

Become Ambidextrous

Belong to a Secret Society

Blow Bubbles in the Rain

Buy Someone’s Groceries Just Because

Call Someone, Tell Them to Look Out Their Window, and Be Standing on Their Front Lawn

Celebrate my Birthday in Another Country

Change Clothing in a Phone box

Climb a Light House

Collect a Coin from Every Country I Visit

Collect a Jar of Dirt from Every State

Collect a Penny For Every Year I’ve Lived

Create a World Map With Pins of Where I’ve Been

Dance all Around the World

Dine at Sanyou Cave Hanging Cliff Restaurant, China

Do Everything With my Left Hand For a Whole Day

Do Something Absolutely Spontaneous

Do Something Unexpected

Don’t Talk a Whole Day

Draw Funny Faces on all the Eggs in my Fridge

A hundred times I (didn’t) miss you.

I miss you. 
Oh, how I miss you. 

Your coffee is getting cold

Being lonely is getting old. 

I miss the way you said my name

Silently on hold. 
I miss waking up next to you

Only you were never there

So I guess all of this really isn’t fair. 
I longed for that kiss goodbye 

As I walk down the stairs 

I must have just missed you. 

You don’t really care. 
I missed you in the audience of my show

Because you know, you never go 

But let’s just go with the flow. 

I miss you. 
Oh, how I miss you. 

I miss that time you kissed me on the beach. 

That kiss was just out of reach. 

Sorry, this has become quite the speech.

I really did miss you. 
I miss you because you’re familiar, not because you’re safe. 

I mostly miss you when you’re late. 
I miss you when you’re sober. 

I missed you before you said it’s over. 
Remember that big trip?

Yeah i missed you. 
Oh, how I miss you. 

I miss the way you taste

Like a spoiled wine you drank too late. 
A hundred times I miss you. 

But not the way you think. 
And every night I go to sleep

I miss you. 

The story you don’t tell

 
I never wanted to tell my story

I never wanted anyone to hear it 

Because then they might tell me I was to blame
But here I am anyway 

Hoping, maybe someone will feel the same
The truth is – it has nothing to do with anyone else. 

This story is about me

I own every ounce of it
I was neither innocent 

nor a victim.

I was simply human, 

in all of my sin and glory
I was lonely and loyal, 

and I was neither
I was scared and having fun, 

and yet higher
It was not black or white, 

or shades of gray

It was splashes of violet 

and violence

all the same
It has a name.
Before you tell me “I told you so”

I’ve already gone down that road

Of blaming myself

for no self-control.
I know you may want to say you’re sorry this happened to me

but before you do, know

I shouldn’t have drank as much as I had.
I had choices. 

I should have taken a taxi home

I shouldn’t have gone out alone.
Trust me, I’ve been told them all.

Yet, like some, I was in the moment.
I wanted to feel accepted 

and so I felt expected to put on a show.

I laughed with the best of them. 
Left my drink unattended

You can guess how this ended.

Have you ever been fully cognizant, 

yet unable to control your own body?
My “friend” promised he would keep me safe. 

I guess I got that promise too late. 
Blacking in and out of what looked a lot like rape.

But not to him.
And he told my husband I let him in.
Before you feel sad, know that I’ve already felt bad. 

I’ve dealt with that.
I’m not sharing this story for you. 
It’s for her

It’s for the girl who feels guilty for something that happened TO her.
So that maybe she will know 

You’re not to blame.
And maybe not today

But someday
It won’t be the same,

But it will be okay.

What wins, the sword or the pen.

At the spoken word poetry event, the coffee shop owner said something so profound that she told to her children “If you collect anything, collect words. Words are the most powerful thing there is”. [http://www.30asongwriterradio.com]

It really stuck with me. I’ve always believed words truly are powerful. I had written in my notepad “Be aware of your words, as they are powerful. They may not change the way the wind blows, but they do change the way your life goes.”

Are you afraid of the dark?

Getting ready for Oct. 24th spoken word poetry event. Here is another new poem;

When we were young,
How many of us cried out,
“Just wait until I’m older!”

Look, as the adults around nervously fidget in their seats as their minds raced to –
“Don’t wish this hell on yourself.”

Remember when Hide and Go seek was a game you played with friends?
Well now that I am older it has become a game I play with love.

Love doesn’t play fair. It’s like Red Rover, Red Rover
Except love clotheslines you.
Every. Single. Time.

Mom kissing my skinned knees when I fell
Became Mom trying to get me to stop hyperventilating
long enough for me to tell her
he doesn’t love me anymore.

When I was young,
it was the monsters under the bed that scared me.
No one warned me to be afraid of the monsters in my bed.
I didn’t realize monsters could look so much like men that I loved,
so much so that I started questioning love and not men.

We learned to grieve when our pets passed away,
but how little opportunity we had to learn to grieve when the love of our life chose to walk away.
“Hey, I can still see you over there.
Happy.
Without me.”

How we are so affected by the choices we make
and don’t make,
and how they control our lives.

Love scares me
You scare me
He scares me
She scares me

I guess you could really say
I scare me.

What a beautiful world we live in,
where we can face that fear head on
and come out a little bit more alive.