1. Neil Armstrong was a touring docent the day we visited the Smithsonian's Uger-Hazy museum.
2. Any day at Cedar Point in my childhood was a lifetime thrill.
3. I've ridden in two B-17's, the Nine-O-Nine and the Yankee Lady.
4. I've swam with wild dolphins (surrounded by them) in Hawaii.
5. I've toured the Arizona Memorial with a bunch of sentimental Americans who all cried.
6. And I cried the first time I visited Cemetary Ridge at Gettysburg.
7. I loved quoting Jimmy Stewart leaving Union Station by pointing to the Capitol and saying, "Look! Look! It's the Capitol dome!"
8. I've searched for sharks teeth on Caspiran Beach in Florida.
9. I've sang worship songs standing on the uppermost deck of a cruise ship, the wind and sea whipping around me.
10. I've slipped the surly bonds of earth, and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings...only as a passenger, but still.
11. I've clung to door handles while traveling crazy roads to beautiful places in Arizona.
12. I've hiked the Inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon.
13. I've explored an empty plantation in the Turks and Caicos.
14. I've stood on the border of Scotland and knew in my heart my people were from the lowlands (years later this was confirmed.)
15. I ate French fries on the Eiffel Tower.
16. I was (and probably still am) afraid of the mummy at the Toledo Museum of Art.
17. I prayed for my knight in shining armor in a 12th century Norman church in England.
18. I've climbed to the top of York Minister with a toddler on my back.
19. I adore conch salad because I trusted a cabbie in the Bahamas.
20. I've had a wild stingray placed on my back.
21. I've had a monkey named Jano sit on my head.
22. I've seen two presidents, Gerald Ford and George W Bush in person.
23. I was struck speechless when I met Sean Hannity and didn't wash my hand the rest of the day!
24. I hung out with Jordin Sparks for an hour.
25. More impressively, I flew with Chris and Martin Kratt.
Martin walked me to my next gate.
26. I've drank a $400 bottle of wine (and yes, it was worth it!)
26. My heart beats faster when I'm around any kind of plane, especially if they can go supersonic.
27. I love to dance, but really wish I hadn't broken my hand while doing so.
28. I love living with art in my home.
29. Look of Long Years by Howard Terpning speaks to my very soul.
30. Howard Chandler Christie's full length portrait of his wife, Nancy Palmer Christy, as featured in Architectual Digest captured my 12 year old imagination. I knew then I would own art like that someday.
31. I've seen Hail Mary's thrown and caught for the win at Michigan Stadium.
32. I rooted for 50-1 long shot Giacamo, and he won the Derby.
33. I've eaten picadillo in Key West.
34. I know where the best pasty's are in the UP.
35. I've eaten fresh raspberries by the handful right off the vine.
36. I've stalked the Amish with a friend because she's an Amish-wannabe.
37. I've held and read the letter my great-grandmother wrote my great-grandfather in 1912.
38. I've buried my face in lilacs.
39. I've smoked a hooka...and liked it.
40. I can make Lebkuchen like my Grama.
41. I've had many teas at the British Tea Garden with dearest friends.
42. I've flown over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter.
43. I've sailed in a tall ship in Newport News...and was terribly sea sick.
44. I've walked over the Tower Bridge in London, then visited the Crown Jewels.
45. I've stood outside the Louvre and Balmoral, unable to visit either as they were closed.
46. So instead I've enjoyed the Museum d'Orsay....sigh! Monet!
47. I've felt like the Princess of Wales, being handed 60+ floral bouquets.
48. I've created events specifically to wear ball gowns and tiara's to...
49. ...and I've worn dresses inspired by the American flag with pride.
50. I learned to two-step in Texas (which is apparently different from the AZ two-step, or just simply the fact that while I love to dance, I don't dance well.)
51. I've done touch and go's in a single engine plane with my dad.
52. I watched Top Gun in the theater with my 14 year old son, who then decided to become a navy pilot.
"Because I, sorry Goose, we; WE were inverted!"
53. I had lunch with the governor of Arizona and the CEO of the Diamondbacks.
54. I tailgated with the governor of Michigan before he was governor.
55. Come to think of it, I've met four or five governors. Most memorably, I had a fly fly into my mouth while speaking to Gov. Engler and his wife, which I reflexively spat out in front of them.
56. I climbed a rock wall using only one hand.
Still amazed it was possible.
57. I rowed for 5000+ meters with no hands.
58. I've been featured in interviews for the AP, New York Times, NPR, CBS, ABC and NBC.
59. I will always stop and sigh when I hear The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Just the Way You Are, Georgia or anything by Otis Redding.
60. I won "Debater of the Year" in high school; not to be confused with the honor of being voted "Most likely to come from another time, planet or dimension" by my fellow seniors the following year...
61. I travelled Great Britain for two weeks.
62. I drove cross-country with my nine year old (and she threw up on the state of Ohio. Significant as a Michigan fan.)
63. I have two mother in laws and adore both of them.
64. I own a personal library.
65. I've spent hundreds of hours in the storage room basements of museums.
66. I've been the recipient of true Southern Hospitality.
67. I read Gone With the Wind by the pool at a hotel on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta.
68. I walked a confederate graveyard with a descendant of one of the dead.
69. I've stopped at war memorials and quietly read each name out loud. For a moment, they are remembered.
70. Breastfed three babies for a total of five years and thoroughly enjoyed it.
71. I've rescued two dogs from shelters.
72. Sigh...tantric. Enough said.
73. Any meal involving deep salt water fish is worth recalling and savoring...Ono!
74. I dated Jimmy Hoffa's grandson.
75. I've lived in no fewer than four "House of Dreams."
76. There have been times my voice was trained to sing-and I sang.
77. I love public speaking...but the greatest honor I had was eulogizing my father in law, who called me sweetheart.
78. My nana took me thrifting, and taught me how to negotiate a good deal.
79. I'm a published writer...and now I'm writing a book (or two.)
80. I hiked the Grand Canyon solo on the one year anniversary of my first husband's death.
81. I visited Mt. Rushmore at 7am, and had the place to myself.
82. I know the power of a pair of high heels.
83. I've been mountain biking and thought I was being chased by something, likely because while hiking earlier I saw a mountain lion.
84. Sat near an airport and watched planes take off and land...usually by my self, occasionally with others. Strangely, this is my favorite thing to do in Vegas.
85. I've been steampunked. And liked it. A lot.
86. I've had pen pals I've never met (and one that I have) that have enriched my life.
87. I've lived the IDIC Vulcan philosophy, as well as Kirk's motto, "I don't believe in the no win scenario."
88. Best of all, I was born on 8/8, in 1971 (9-1 is 8, 7+1 is 8) and have a sister 8 years, 8 days, 8 hrs and 48 minutes younger than me. This lifelong obsession with 8 has brought me joy in dark days, and why I stop at 88 sweet things.
Seeing as 23 of these 88 have happened in the past year, I'm feeling quite a bit better. Counting your blessings is more than just your family and friends, your circumstances. It's the memories of the life you've lead...excuse me. I think I need to go rethink a time machine!!!
Eeeee!!!!!!!! :):):):):)
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