As a continuation of yesterday’s Friday’s post, here is the second half of the Bucket List I wrote on a cocktail napkin when I was drunk, in a bar, 24 years old and a woman scorned

1. Inspire Bill for  idea for a book (I think I did this that night, but I can’t remember the book idea)
2. Teach Tony a lesson (remember…we were broken up.  And I taught him a lesson – I married him )
3. Learn how to fix a car
4. Be in a talk show audience
5. Roast a turkey – It wasn’t exactly the most fantastic turkey, but it wasn’t terrible
6. Quit smoking – nope, haven’t done that one yet
7. Convince Janelle she’s not fat (Janelle was a co-worker of ours.  She was not fat. Haven’t seen her in years.)
8. Go to Fiji
9. Open a bar (I’m surprised this was on my list back then.  But did it…livin’ the dream)
10. Get a degree (Although I attended college, I never did get a degree.  I’m not sure I want that one to stay on the list, though.  In my opinion, I can learn what I want to learn without getting a degree.  The only reason I would need a degree would be to advance at a job.  I plan on being my own boss for the rest of my life)
11. Drink at Sal’s Bar – Sal’s bar was a little bar in Crafton, PA.  It was an old guy bar. But I always wanted to go in.  I did.  It burned down a few years after I went in, so it’s a good thing I crossed it off when I did.
12. Get a tattoo – I did that.  Twice.  And they were both during that ‘break-up year.’
13. Marry a rich man – Semantics, semantics.  Tony was not rich when we married.  We are not rich now.  But who’s to say we won’t become rich?  I’m holding out for that.
14. Scuba Diving – I’ve been snorkeling, but never scuba diving.
15. Get a bitchin’ car – Yeah, that’s still on the list.  Unless you count a Chrysler Pacifica as a bitchin’ car.   No?  I didn’t think so
16. Drive on the autoban – Another interesting one….
17. Be on a t.v. show
18. See a volcano
19. Belly button pierced – that was when I was skinny.  No more.
20. Go to Seattle
21. Finish this list (I think it was actually ‘finish writing this list.’  That’s why it’s crossed off)
22. Paint a picture

So, that was the bucket list from way back when.  Sorry I didn’t get to finish this weekend.  I met up with old friends, headed to the science center, cleaned, napped…it was all good.

Anyway, you’ll notice that there’s no mention of kids or a family on this list.  Well, if I had written this list either six months earlier or six months later, that stuff would have been on there.   But, as I said, I was a woman scorned at the time, and had (temporarily) given up on the whole “white picket fence, 2.2 kids, American dream” thing.

I’m going to work on this list.  And, I think I’ll create a new one.  I may leave some stuff off that’s on this old list.  But I have plenty more to add.  I’ll need to think about it a little.  I’d love to see your bucket list!  Please share   You can leave a link in the comments here, or send me something on twitter (@hdowney) or facebook (facebook.com/heatherdowney).

Have a great day!

Well, I’ve figured out what to write about.  I am no longer in my little funk.  I’m a glowing ball of sunshine (a little sarcasm there).  I think we’re going to plan a trip to Idlewild.  I think.

Anyway, I was poking around in the garage, seeing if I had enough crap to participate in our neighborhood garage sale.  I didn’t get very much accomplished, but I DID come across a bunch of old memories.  I looked through yearbooks.  I found an old program from my High School musical.  And I found this:

It’s a list of things I want to do before I die.  There’s some more on the other side, so I’ll save that for tomorrow. So, let’s investigate this a little further, mmmmkay?  Just remember – when I wrote this I was 24, drinking beer in a bar, and Tony and I were ‘on a break.’ (read:  he broke up with me, and we didn’t get back together for a year).

1. Kill Bill (Bill was my very good friend at the time. I didn’t really want to kill him, but he must have been getting on my nerves)
2. Skydiving – Yes, I’ve had the opportunity a couple of times recently.  I will do this.  Maybe next year.
3. Learn to play the harmonica – Interesting…
4. New Ride at Kennywood.  I still haven’t ridden this.  At this time, the new ride was the Skycoaster. I just haven’t gotten to it yet, because I’m not a fan of parting with the money.  But I will.
5. Ice Skating – I had done it when I wrote this, but I wanted to make sure I did it again.  I did
6. Roller Skating – Um, same as number 5
7. White Water Rafting – Did it, had fun, drank beer after.
8. Skiing (Ski) – I think I meant snow skiing here I’ve still never gone. I don’t really want to.  But I should do it once in my life
9. Skiing (Water) – Again, never did it.  Don’t really WANT to, but I should.
10. NYC – I have been to New York.  We went in high school and saw Cats.  But I want to go back one more time.
11. Disney World – When I wrote this, I had only been there as a kid.  I have since gone with Tony a couple of times.
12. Cancun – Yup, same as number eleven.
13. Paintball – I have played paintball.  But I don’t think (although I’m not exactly sure) that I’ve done it again since I wrote this list.
14. Ride a Dolphin
15. Go to Idaho (Please, remember…I was drinking when I wrote this…no offense to anybody in Idaho)
16. Move Out – I did this a few months after writing this
17. Blow a bubble bigger than my head
18. Milk a cow
19. Surf
20. Parasail
21. See Pearl Jam in concert (Not so sure I’m up for concerts, but I’d try again for Pearl Jam.  I think.)
22. Eat 1 lb of grape jelly beans (There’s no way I could do it in one sitting, though)
23. Build a cool sand castle (I’ve build sand castles, but nothing really COOL)
24. Pet a giraffe
25. See Letterman
26. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone ( I think I meant this literally…if not, I can cross it off)
27. Go to Vegas (Yup, never been to Vegas)
28. Meet Brad Pitt

Stay tuned for 29-50 tomorrow!

First, let me say that I’m sorry for not posting over the past week or so. I truly got on vacation mode. Good thing I was actually on vacation. I relaxed. Really relaxed. I swam. Tony and I actually went OUT and had appetizers and drinks. I also plowed through three books while on vacation (more on those later – The Sookie Stackhouse novels – love ‘em). And you know what else I did? I posted some old pics on Facebook.

Now that was fun. Because I was at my folks’ house, there was a treasure chest of old photos. I tried not to be TOO embarrassing. Well, not to anybody else, anyway. I really don’t mind embarrassing myself. At all. Anyway, here are some of the pics that I posted, for your viewing pleasure.

I actually posted the entire class picture, but I didn’t want to step on any toes here on the blog. But, do you see that? Would you like to compare Look at Chloe:

Now, there’s a 3 year age difference here, and I was limited to whatever pics I have on my laptop (‘cuz I’m comfy on the couch, here), but there really is a crazy resemblance. I mean, she does have my genes and all…so I shouldn’t be surprised. So, here is what she may look like in 17 years:

My entire family thought I looked like Joanna Kearns in this picture. I guess I sort of do.

So, where have I been going with this? Well, since being on Facebook and catching up with lots of old friends (from grade school and high school), I’ve been reflecting a bit. To be quite honest with you, there are large chunks of grade school and high school that I don’t remember. I mean, I remember the big things that happened, and if somebody tells a story I may remember some of the smaller things. But I don’t remember the details. And I’m fine with that. I’ve never been one to dwell on the past. Ever. If I’m looking at old photos, my brain might dance there for a while, but I’ve never been a ‘Coulda, shoulda, woulda’ kind of girl. My focus is always on the future. (So much so that I sometimes forget to enjoy the present). And I like it that way.

There were a bunch of us commenting on a photo from high school, and the conversation turned towards what we would have done different in high school. I’ll be the first to admit…high school wasn’t all peaches and cream. And my first instinct is that I would have not worried about boyfriends and spent more time with friends. But then I realized that if I didn’t go through EXACTLY what I went through when I was younger, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. If I didn’t date the people I dated, befriend the people I befriended, go to the parties I went to, have ALL of the relationships I’ve had…I may be different right now. And I like me. Yes, there are some things I would like to improve. But all in all, I’m good company for myself.

And hopefully I’m good company for you! So, it’s now 2:30 am. I’ve had four hours of sleep already, and I think I’ll head up for 3 or 4 more.

That whole ‘improve’ thing. Definitely want to improve my sleeping schedule!!!!