101 in 1001 Redux

My list was officially up on December 1, but I sort of spaced on it. You guys, I didn't do so hot on this project. Then again, I also had a lot of random crap on this list. Let's take a look at my successes and failures:



1) Go to Ireland, damnit. (BOO-YA! Completed November 17, 2008)

Oh hell YES. Of all the things on this list, I am most happy that I completed this one. Pictures are still forthcoming.

2) Start taking Irish Step Dancing lessons again (Completed summer 2007, although it wasn't with a teacher I particularly like)

So, I did this last summer. It was listed as a ceili dancing class, but it wasn't at all - It was a regular old step dancing class. I really had issues with my teacher, who actually did have his TCRG, but then went rouge and formed the American Association of Irish Dancers & Teachers (as opposed to the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America) because of some bizarre falling out. It wouldn't have been so bad, except I got the distinct impression that he either made shit up or did the opposite of the IDTANA out of spite. The last class, he took issues with — I swear to God — the way I tied my shoes. Which, SERIOUSLY? Also, when I just looked the AAIDT up to link to it, the website is now defunct, so let that tell you everything you need to know.

I'd like to do this again, with a teacher in IDTANA with a TCRG, but my life needs to calm down a bit.

3) Get into grad school (Completed 4/13/06)

I WILL GRADUATE THIS MAY, PEOPLE, AND EVERYONE SHALL CALL ME "MASTER."

4) Figure out a budget for myself and start living within it so I don’t go from paycheck to paycheck

Hrrrm. Some months I'm better about this than others.

5) Make my own zine, and distribute it

OK, not done...yet. But underway. And seeing as this is a major component to my thesis, it will indeed get done.

6) Buy a digital camera (Completed 9/4/06)

Oh my god, I love Iris SO MUCH. Now I just need to buy new lenses for her.

7) Buy a new 35mm (Completed 6/4/06 -- Thanks, Uncle Mike for the gift!)

Have it, but I don't USE it as much as I would like — film is expensive. I also bought or acquired several other 35mm cameras.

8) Take a photography class (Completed 12/2/06 -- Photography Workshop with JJ Tiziou)

Best $50 bucks I ever spent.

9) Redesign the Inis Nua website (again), this time in a fashion that both my brother and I like

I'm calling this half-done. If you click on that link, you can see that the site's been redesigned. And while I like it BETTER than what it was, it still sucks and needs reworking. My brother seems happy with it, though.

10) Learn Dreamweaver or FrontPage so that I don’t have to code everything by hand or use Photoshop or Quark, which are not really web design programs

OY. Need to get on it.

11) Make cool-looking artwork for the apartment (Completed 8/1/2008 -- I am counting the art I did for the show. Hey, it's hanging in my apartment now)

So remember how I took a workshop taught by J.J.? Then I ended up in an art show with him! So that was kind of rad. And I've gotten a lot of complements on the piece.

12) Host a semi fancy dinner party (Completed 4/16/06 -- I'm counting Easter Dinner because it was a holiday and semi fancy and did I mention that I made LAMB?)

Yeah, I ruled this one. I had a table cloth, matching napkins, candles and everything. So what if it was my family?

13) Spend a night on my fire escape with wine, cheese, and a companion

Sort of regret this one didn't happen, but eh, not too hard to achieve.

14) Attend another Preston & Steve singles mixer, just to prove that my spirit wasn’t broken by Prince Fucking Charming.

Mmm, nope. And you know? Kind of don't have a desire to go to one anymore.

15) Plant a garden (Completed 4/21/07, I finally planted my window box)

Damn squirrels ate my plants.

16) Attend another Irish festival

I have no idea why this didn't happen. I went to lots of Irish events though.

17) See Seamus Kennedy Live

Didn't happen. Would still like to do this, when he's playing a pub or something.

18) See Flogging Molly live (again)

I was holding out for my friend Erin to come with me, and then I got sort of disenchanted with Flogging Molly's latest albums, which sound like all of their other albums. So there you go.

19) Spend a day in New York City with the Triplets

Oh, this one. We keep trying to set it up, and it keeps falling through.

20) Become pen pals with someone overseas

Maybe something will come out of the conference?

21) Buy sexy lingerie and wear it. Look good while doing so. (Completed 8/26/08 -- Nothing too fancy, but it got the job done)

Score.

22) Join and begin regular attendance at a gym (Gym was joined 7/21/06, but regular attendance can't begin just yet because gym doesn't open until 8/17/06)

So I had a really good thing going for me in the spring and part of the summer where I was going to the gym, like 4 times a week. And then, predictably, I fell off the wagon. I'm chasing after the wagon again, though, because the fat roll of sadness has returned with a vengeance.

23) Publish something – be it writing or photography (Completed July 2, article in Ticket)

Both writing and photography! Not exactly what I would have chosen, but I did it!

24) Submit something to Brevity.

Oops

25) Get an iPod (Completed 5/24/06 -- Mr. Nano, I love you)

Yay!

26) Do the "Faces that I Love" photography project

Hmm. I don't have as strong as a desire to do this project anymore.

27) Take Tammika to Bob and Barbara’s for Drag Night

Oh MAN. This still needs to happen. It didn't help that B&B was CLOSED for awhile, due to some jerk faces at L&I.

28) Win a game of RISK while playing against Gary

Why on earth was this ever on my list? I hate playing RISK with Gary.

29) Complete 2 crochet/knitting projects

BWAHAHAHA. You mean me? The Queen of Unfinished Craft Projects?

30) Attend 2 more First Fridays (Completed November, 2008)

WOO. I wish I lived closer to the city. I would go to so many more.

31) Go to the Smithsonian

By rights, this should have been accomplished.

32) Visit my cousin Michael in Pittsburgh (Taken off the list because I was all ready to go, bags packed and everything, and he canceled on me. It's his turn to come to me.)

Null.

33) Go to California (Completed October 2007 -- San Fran with Stephanie!)

This was so rad.

34) Visit Lisa Nicole

She visited me, though.

35) Visit Brian Fry (Completed 7/27/06)

YAY!

36) Finish the 50 Books Project (Completed November 2007)

Huzzah for being a book worm!

37) Host an MST3K night

I sort of did this actually, just not to the degree I had intended, so I'm not counting it.

38) Get contacts and get over my issues with touching my own eyeball

You know what would really help with this? Vision benefits and not being a poor grad student.

39) Get a CD player for my car No longer applicable/needed now that I have my iPod.

Null.

40) Make and sent a postcard to PostSecret (Completed 7/19/04 Shhhh...secret)

I've actually sent 6 in, now. Love a girl with secrets.

41) Go to at least 5 yard sales this summer (easiest item on this list, by far) (Completed 8/19/06, and then some)

God. I have far too much crap.

42) Get a piercing in addition to my positively chaste one-hole-in-each-ear (Completed, 4/14/07)

My mom didn't react all that badly, considering.

43) Watch the Lord of the Rings Trilogy with my cousin Alex – this would be his first viewing

I think I was bogarted by my Uncle on this.

44) Introduce my cousin Nicky to Monty Python – He’s only six, but I can already tell he’s developing the perfect sense of humor for it.

Oh my god, Nicky was six when I started this list. Still want to do this.

45) Send something into Found

I'm so bad at finding things. Kelly is so much better and lucky at this.

46) Take the portraits of the Peace Mission members

Not for lack of trying. They're funny about having their photos taken. Plus, all of Mother's health concerns have kind of distracted them this past year.

47) Upload all my photos to Flickr (Calling this done because it may not be all but it's totally at, like, 95% of my photos)

Dude. The Flickr Pro account practically pays for itself.

48) Learn how to ride a bike (I KNOW, I KNOW. I AM SO CLOSE IT’S RIDICULOUS) (Completed July 4, 2008)

Oh man. I can ride a bike. I CAN RIDE A BIKE. I am so glad I got this done before I turned 30.

49) Go on retreat with Kate

Null, because Kate no longer goes on retreat, due to a falling out.

50) Cook the perfect fondue

I need more cheese in my life. Shut up, fat roll of saddness.

51) And the perfect chilli

Mmmm. I need a new crock-pot.

52) Make the first move on a boy I like.

Actually, this one is kind of arguable.

53) Have a fling (Completed 8/24/08–present Go me!)

Has it really been 4 months? Blush.

54) Visit the Sweet Candy Distro & Alternative Arts Center

I never did make it there, and now it's moved to Georgia.

55) Spend a weekend with Erin in Philly

We did a day, not a weekend.

56) Organize the 141 Reunion. Have people actually attend

Well. Hope springs eternal.

57) Throw one more party of MLK caliber

I'm sure my graduation party will rival this.

58) Go to 4 movies in the Philadelphia Film Festival

It is hard to do this whilst maintaining a full-time job.

59) Help Dave on one of his films

He hasn't made any in awhile.

60) Take an art class of some sort (Completed Fall 2007, Visual Literacy Class)

It was a good class, too.

61) Go camping (Completed 9/9/06)

Christopher deserves more of the credit for this.

62) Figure out my spirituality/religion/whatever

I'm getting closer. Catholic Pagan Quaker!

63) Protest for something I believe in

Does casting my vote for Obama count?

64) Volunteer to help a local liberal candidate running for office

I did do some canvassing for Obama, but he's not local.

65) Attend a Drinking Liberally meeting with Carol

Hmmm. This, by rights, should have been done.

66) Party with Amanda and Christina

We still need to do this.

67) Send care packages to Nick, Brian, and my John

Not even close.

68) Develop a writing schedule – writing that is outside this blog, that is.

Yeah, OK.

69) See The Daily Show live (Completed 4/16/08)

Again, most of the credit goes to Christopher for this.

70) Host another Lost viewing party

Doh!

71) Figure out a way to get out of this rut that I’ve been living in for the past 6 months --- i.e. start taking risks and not over thinking shit so much

Calling this done, as I've been going "balls to the wind" lately.

72) Learn Tarot better (I'm counting this as done. I've bought two books on the subject and now give myself semi-regular readings. I'm not quite ready to read other people yet, but I'm getting there)

Done and done. Would still like to learn more.

73) Get a pedicure (Completed 8/2008)

Now that's it's winter, I'm realizing how rough my feet can get and how much they need it.

74) Learn how to make an awesome round of the following drinks: mojito, mint julep, sangria (Mojito completed, even if Kelly didn't like them, I did)

Mmmm. Sangria.

75) Play blackjack at a casino

Why on earth was this on the list?

76) Get my own credit card and start using it responsibly (Completed October 2008)

Done.

77) Learn how to drive stick

Nope, not even close.

78) Learn ASL

Nope.

79) Host a brunch

Who the hell am I? Martha Stewart? BRUNCH, really? (I think this was just an excuse for mimosas)

80) Do Habitat for Humanity again

Kelly made an inquiry about this, but there wasn't a whole lot of response from the Habitat people.

81) Go to Gay Bingo

Still need to do this.

82) Have another Office Bowling Night

Sigh

83) Buy a new bed, one suitable for a grown up girl who may, or may not as my life is pointing out lately, have male visitors

OK, so I didn't get this done. But. About 2 weeks ago when Renee moved to Chicago, I inherited her bed. So now I do indeed have a big girl bed.

84) Attend another one of Maria-Rita's gigs

Man, I suck.

85) Learn how to tango

I begged Mike to teach me, and he never did.

86) Visit Longwood Gardens

Nope.

87) Sing "Shoop" at Kareoke

I haven't been to Kareoke in a long time.

88) Learn how to French braid my own hair

Still can't do this. I always miss a big chunk.

89) Go to the Ballet

Nope.

90) Learn how to sew proficiently, well enough to make my own clothes

See number 29.

91) Spend a night clubbing in Philadelphia

Hmmm.

92) Attend a costume/Halloween party in a costume that I really like (Counting this as completed on 10/21/06 -- I've always wanted to be Dorothy!)

I was also Twister and Tippi Hedren from The Birds, both of which ruled.

93) Redecorate the living room

Kind of hard when you're poor. Does hanging Gary's art count?

94) Figure out a way to keep Dill from peeing in that one corner (Solution: Move his litter box there. Although, technically, it was Kelly that did it. But we talked about it before hand. Whatever.)

Dill finds new places to pee though.

95) Spend a week with my hair dyed a funky color – pink, blue, green whatever – corporate dress codes be damned

Pfft.

96) Attend shows other than my brother’s at the next Fringe/Live Arts show (Completed 2007 Fringe Fest)

Yep.

97) Figure out a plan for my laundry and stick with it, so it doesn’t pile up again

Right. I'll be good about this for a week or two and then it's right down the tubes.

98) Clean my car (Completed in October, at some point. Of course, it's dirty again now, but what can you do?)

And so it goes.

99) Fix the bumper on my car

Frankly, spending $1000 on a dent seems silly.

100) Get new fish for the aquarium at work (Completed, 1/3/08)

Sadly, Martha died while I was in the UK.

101) See Stella, or whatever project those boys think of next when it comes to town. (Completed 5/13/06, sort of. I saw 1/3 of the Stella Trio when Michael Showalter came to town with Eugene Merman. I am totally counting this, although if Stella should tour again I will see that again, no doubt)

Stella didn't tour again within the timeline, so Michael Showalter had to suffice (which he totally did! Call me, Michael!)

Number 69? Check!

First of all you guys, I should tell you that I hate my list. I've come to the realization that I am going to FAIL, and miserably at that, at completing my list. Like, seriously. I have until the end of December to complete all of this nonsense and it is just not going to happen. Look at number 83. Do you know how much a new bed costs? I am sorry, I do not have $1000 to spare for something like that. In fact, I don't have $1000 for anything at all. And look at number 28. That, my friends, is an act of purist optimism considering that I suck at strategy and sort of hate RISK, not to mention that Gary lives at his job and therefore isn't around to play anyway.

But moving on...


69) See The Daily Show live.

I feel sort of bad crossing this one off of my list, since I really didn't do anything at all to achieve this. Huge, major, MAD props go out to Christopher, since he did all of the work to get us to see this show. I just blithely allowed myself to be led around New York to all the Snark and Awesome.

And I really need to thank Christopher because not only did he arrange for the tickets and such, he also planned the entire day out for us. What time we should leave, how we should get there, what trains and subways to take, where to eat lunch, etc. I didn't have to worry about anything! He even had a little map that he printed out from the internet and a list of all the subways and their stops and which bus* to get on. It was all rather Eagle Scoutish and endearing, so of course Kelly and I had to give him shit for it. But really, it was a godsend and it was so nice to not have to worry about anything. So thank you, Christopher.

And friends, it was wonderful. I mean, the standing in line for an hour kind of sucked, but really, that was the worst part of the day. And if standing in line for a bit is the worst thing you can say about an experience like this, then you're doing pretty good.

We had Jose with us, and we managed to convince him to play the gimp card. And it worked, because they walked us around from the back so we got to walk across The Daily Show stage and thus right past Jon Stewart's desk. We also got rad seats right on the floor in the second row so I was about 20 paces from the man the entire time (the studio is TINY).

Jon Stewart is just as sexy, funny, and nice in person as you could hope. He took a few minutes to answer questions from the audience, was able to riff with general aplomb when some silly woman's cell phone went off -- despite approximately 50,000 reminders from all of the show's staff and crew to turn your cell phones off, not on vibrate or silent, but OFF, COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY OFF -- in the middle of the interview portion of the show, and then later still was so kind to her by telling her not to worry about it, that the editors would snip it out, and relating a funny a story about the Oscars. He was just so lovely and completely awesome. How I did not run on stage and tackle him in a moment of fan-girl glee is beyond me. It took a lot of self control, let me tell you.

The show whizzes right by when you're in the audience. The commercial breaks are considerably shorter, and sadly, Jon has no time to chat or engage with the audience during them since he's getting notes from writers/producers/fancy TV people during the breaks. Since the show goes by so quickly it's kind of anticlimactic when it ends. I don't want to say that it's a let down or anything, because it's not. It's just that the warm up people get you so pumped and your cheering loudly and laughing and giddy and excited and you really do sort of want to tackle Jon Stewart in a bear hug or at least high-five him, and then all of the sudden it's over. And you have to go about your normal Jon Stewart-free existence, and let's face it, it's just not as good.

Also dorkingly thrilling to me was to see how it was all done. Being an old amateur theater techie, I really coveted the crew's Boba Fett ear pieces and the dashing about with wires and watching them wheel the cameras in. I kind of want to work there. Hello Daily Show, will you hire me? I work hard and I am cute!

The show we taped broadcast last evening at 11 p.m. (which we didn't get to see because we were on our way home) and is being rebroadcast tonight at 8 p.m. (which I won't get to see because I'll be in class) so you should try to catch it and listen for Christopher's whistles and my WOOOOOOO!

*A bus, I might add, that we never got on, much to Christopher's dismay. We walked instead since 1) It was a beautiful spring day, 2) traffic was kind of sucky, and 3) It was only a mile, fer cryin' out loud. But M20 bus, if you're reading this, Christopher loves you and totally wanted to have a rendezvous with you.

Operation Bookworm: Complete!

Well, I did it. Not only did I do it, I completed the project a full month ahead of schedule. My goal was to read 50 books this year, and somehow I did it. Don't ask me how, what with school breaking my brain this fall and watching all that Doctor Who. Nevertheless, I managed to read 50 books in less than 52 weeks. Here's a rundown:

1. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
   I read this book based on the recommendation from one of the numerous bloggers I read and having read Philippa Gregory's The Queen's Fool last year. I recently found out that the book is going to be made into a movie, so I'm curious how that will turn out.
   
   
2. Diary by Chuck Palahniuk (reread)
   Oh, Chuck. How I love you. And how well you hold up to multiple readings.
   
   
3. You're the One That I Want: A Gossip Girl Novel by Cecily von Ziegesar
   I...uh...OK, you know what? I never said it had to be a high class book or anything. Sometimes a girl needs to read fluff about snobby New York brats, their fabulous clothing, and sophisticated bitchery.
   
   
4. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
   Oh god. Remember how I made an ASS out of myself when I met David Sedaris in October? Good times, y'all, good times.
   
   
5. Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
   Hot damn, is Margret Atwood a good writer. I can't decide if this book or The Handmaid's Tale is my favorite by her. One thing I will say, is that Cat's Eye perfectly captures how vicious and rotten girls are to one another.
   
   
6. Macbeth by William Shakespeare (Witchcraft in Literature)
   OK, so Justine objected to Renee and I using books that we had to read for school in this project. Renee and I both essentially told her to kiss off. Tough. It's a book and it counts.
   
   
7. Secret Lives of Men and Women: A PostSecret Book compiled by Frank Warren
   
   
8. The Witch by Thomas Middleton (Witchcraft in Literature)
   Christ. Tolkien couldn't follow the plot of this play, there are so many ridiculous threads and characters.
   
   
9. The Witch of Edmonton by William Rowley, Thomas Dekker and John Ford (Witchcraft in Literature)
   
   
10. The Portable Dorothy Parker by Dorothy Parker
    Becky bought this for me and I devoured it in a weekend. I wish I was witty and clever and lived in the 1920s so I could be apart of the Algonquin Round Table.
    
    
11. Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
    Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman
    April Witch by Ray Bradbury (Witchcraft in Literature -- short stories, together I'm counting them as a "book")
    Ehhhh, a bit iffy here. I'm bending the rules with my definition of "book." But if you have a problem with it, I did some extra credit (see bottom of list).
    
    
12. Night by Elie Wiesel (Reread, for Creative Nonfiction)
    I forgot how devastating this book is in its simplicity. Killed me.
    
    
13. The Crucible by Arthur Miller (Witchcraft in Literature)
    
    
14. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (Reread)
    "It was really cool getting to meet you!" I hate myself.
    
    
15. The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike (Witchcraft in Literature)
    Dear Mr. Updike: You don't understand women at all. Still an interesting read though.
    
    
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Reread, Witchcraft in Literature)
    
    
17. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (Reread, Witchcraft in Literature)
    
    
18. Kathy's Story: A Childhood Hell Inside the Magdalen Laundries by Kathy O'Beirne
    Number 472 on the List of Bones I Have to Pick With The Catholic Church
    
    
19. Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins by Emma Donoghue (Witchcraft in Literature)
    I really really loved this one. Got me all interested in reading other works by Donoghue.
    
    
20. Charm School Book One: Magical Witch Girl Bunny by Elizabeth Watasin (Witchcraft in Literature)
    Graphic novels totally count.
    
    
21. Harry Potter and The Prisioner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (Reread, Witchcraft in Literature)
    
    
22. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (Reread, Witchcraft in Literature)
    
    
23. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix by J.K. Rowling (Reread, Witchcraft in Literature)
    
    
24. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (Reread, Witchcraft in Literature)
    JESUS. I got a little burned out on Harry Potter, having to read it for school. I had thought that it would be all fun, and that I wouldn't have to reread for class. But then I became discussion leader for the books and I had to and read them in a completely different light. Truthfully, it was kind of hard.
    
    
25. Girl With A One-Track Mind by Abby Lee
    Pure smut. Awesome.
    
    
26. A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown
    So, disappointed by the lying antics of James Frey? Read this -- it's non-fiction, well written, AND 100% true.
    
    
27. The Cider House Rules by John Irving (Reread)
    
    
28. Drawing Down the Moon by Margo Adler
    I am well on my way to becoming a Pagan! I would like to point out that this book was impossible for me to read in a linear fashion. I have no idea why.
    
    
29. Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue
    
    
30. The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits by Emma Donoghue
    
    
31. Touchy Subjects by Emma Donoghue
    I've become quite the fan. Donoghue is one of my new favorite writers.
    
    
32. Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth (Irish Novel)
    
    
33. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (Irish Novel)
    I couldn't help but think of the KitH and Monty Python sketches while reading this.
    
    
34. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
    Aww. The end of an era, you guys.
    
    
35. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce (Irish Novel)
    I had a deal with my Dad: If I had to read Joyce during the summer, so did he. He agreed. We shook hands and everything. Guess which one of us welched on the deal?
    
    
36. At Swim, Two Birds by Flann O'Brien (Irish Novel)
    Crazy, Post-modern, deconstructionist book. I hated it whilst reading it (my kingdom for a quotation mark!), but loved it given a few days distance. The book sticks with you and months later I find myself pondering passages.
    
    
37. The Commitments by Roddy Doyle (Irish Novel)
    Book is WAY better than the movie.
    
    
38. At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neil (Irish Novel)
    
    
39. In the Forest by Edna O'Brien (Irish Novel)
    
    
40. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
    
    
41. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
    
    
42. Ant Farm by Simon Rich
    
    
43. Bad Behavior by Mary Gaitskill
    
    
44. Only in Your Dreams: A Gossip Girl Novel by Cecily von Ziegesar
    They made a TV show out of it. So it can't be all bad.
    
    
45. Paula Spencer by Roddy Doyle
    
    
46. The Know-it-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become The Smartest Man in the World by A.J. Jacobs
    From a recommendation by Charlie McCormick
    
    
47. Pope Joan by Donna Cross
    
    
48. His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
    Gee, thanks Stephanie. Because I needed ANOTHER dorky obsession.
    
    
49. His Dark Materials: The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman
    
    
50. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
    Based on a recommendation from Mikey Likes It and indirectly for my Visual Literacy Class.

EXTRA CREDIT
The Alphabet Versus The Goddess by Leonard Shlain (for Visual Literacy)
His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman
Doctor Who: The Sick Building by Paul Magrs
That Huge Honkin' Compilation of Philosophy I had to read for Critical Theory
Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella

You guys, I'm pooped. And curiously, on the lookout for new reads. Start recommendin'. 2008 is just around the corner.

Number 42? Check!

I was going to tell you all about my insane weekend -- about how I ran around like crazy on Friday, the bridal shower and bachelorette party, Teener's birthday party and random cops, and Bloody Brilliant on Sunday. But really, let's just cut to the chase to the big news:



42. Get a piercing in addition to my positively chaste one-hole-in-each-ear

I got my eyebrow pierced. What do you think? Does it suit me?

Q: Did it hurt?

A: No, it didn't hurt, not really.

On the way to the parlor Kelly turned to me and said, "Ooooohhh! Are you nervous?"

"Not really," I responded. "I don't think it will hurt too much. No more than giving blood anyway."

"Uh, No, it's going to hurt A LOT MORE than that."

Gee. Thanks Kelly. In case you're wondering, she was wrong. It didn't hurt much more than giving blood. It was more uncomfortable than painful. And it was over in like 2 seconds.

"You're such a BIG GIRL!" Kelly exclaimed when I got it done without flinching or anything. "So brave!"

It's still a tiny bit tender when cleaning, and it looks slightly swollen in the morning, but it seems to be healing nicely. The barbell is a bit bigger than I would prefer, but the starting barbell needs to be larger in order to compensate for initial swelling. In about a month or so I can change the jewelry and I plan on getting something a little smaller, tighter, and discreet.

Q: What has the reaction been like?

A: Generally, pretty positive.

I would say about 97% of people have given it a thumbs up. My brother (after taking 4 hours to notice it) said, "It's not without its charms," which I take to mean that he's not wild about it and was trying to be polite. Everyone else who has wrinkled their nose at it were people who don't like piercings in general and they informed me that they wouldn't like it prior to me getting it. So I'm not so offended. There are, of course, the people who have said nothing at all, and I'm assuming they are either being polite and not mentioning it because they are from a different generation and don't understand or because they haven't noticed it yet.

The best reaction by far was from Miss J who actually screamed when she noticed it, most likely since it hadn't even been 24 hours since I last saw her and suddenly I had extra holes in my body and she was So! Shocked! After she was done screaming, she excitedly admitted she loved it. Another good reaction came from Renee who yelled, "When did you get that done! Are you trying to be like me? Are you going to move to Chicago and fall in love with a boy too?!" Renee, I will always strive to be as awesome as you, so: maybe. Justine also had a great reaction after taking forever to notice it by demanding to take multiple photos of it and then telling me at random intervals how "hot" it was.

Q: WHY???

A: Why not?

I, uh, needed more jewelry in my life?

No, for real. It was time. I sort of regret not getting it done earlier, like in college when it was more acceptable to punch holes in random body parts. I feel sort of old having it now. But then, you're only 25 once, right? I don't have much time left to do crazy random shit, so I might as well do it now. And I'm tired of being prissy and boring and dull and plain. I needed to do something. I needed to do something bold. Something crass. Something...effective. It's a "Sack up, ho" message to myself. It's a reminder to me that I'm tired of living in limbo, to just shut up and DO SOMETHING already. Grow some balls. A promise to myself that I'm going to take better care of myself, be better in general, like myself more. To remind myself that I may hate my futzy hair and crooked ass smile, that random mole by my lip, my too-large birthing hips, the way my one eye gets squinty and small when I grin, but that this is me, damnit, and that I have what I have and I better start appreciating it for no one else will. For a thousand reasons.

Q: You do realize that people are going to have a harder time taking you seriously and earning their respect with this? That there is a negative stigma on "pierced" people?

A: Yes. Don't think that I didn't think about that before I got it done, or that I didn't stand in front of the mirror Monday morning staring at it and breathing heavily in an oh-my-god-what-did-I-do way because I just put HOLES in my FACE and I had to walk into my CORPORATE OFFICE in 15 minutes. (The office, by the way, is fine with it -- which I knew they would be, it's just...you know.) And then I had a little Come to Jesus with myself because: I like it. And you know? In this day and age it's pretty tame. And on the flip side, there is a different "stigma" that comes with pierced people and that I don't mind having. I am different.

In other news, I have to figure out how to tell my parents who are going freak out.

Well, as Miss J said, at least it's not a tattoo, right? Wink

101 in 1001

Oh Jesus, you guys. This really sucks. I was about 1/3 of my way through my list on the 101 in 1001 Project when Diary-X crashed and typical of me, I didn’t have a backup. So now I have to start again, from scratch. You better believe that I am going to have a back up list of this one, baby.

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Start Date: March 6, 2006

End Date: December 1, 2008

Entries will be bolded when completed

1) Go to Ireland, damnit. (BOO-YA! Completed November 17, 2008)
2) Start taking Irish Step Dancing lessons again (Completed summer 2007, although it wasn't with a teacher I particularly like)
3) Get into grad school (Completed 4/13/06)
4) Figure out a budget for myself and start living within it so I don’t go from paycheck to paycheck
5) Make my own zine, and distribute it
6) Buy a digital camera (Completed 9/4/06)
7) Buy a new 35mm (Completed 6/4/06 -- Thanks, Uncle Mike for the gift!)
8) Take a photography class (Completed 12/2/06 -- Photography Workshop with JJ Tiziou)
9) Redesign the Inis Nua website (again), this time in a fashion that both my brother and I like
10) Learn Dreamweaver or FrontPage so that I don’t have to code everything by hand or use Photoshop or Quark, which are not really web design programs
11) Make cool-looking artwork for the apartment (Completed 8/1/2008 -- I am counting the art I did for the show. Hey, it's hanging in my apartment now)
12) Host a semi fancy dinner party (Completed 4/16/06 -- I'm counting Easter Dinner because it was a holiday and semi fancy and did I mention that I made LAMB?)
13) Spend a night on my fire escape with wine, cheese, and a companion
14) Attend another Preston & Steve singles mixer, just to prove that my spirit wasn’t broken by Prince Fucking Charming.
15) Plant a garden (Completed 4/21/07, I finally planted my window box)
16) Attend another Irish festival
17) See Seamus Kennedy Live
18) See Flogging Molly live (again)
19) Spend a day in New York City with the Triplets
20) Become pen pals with someone overseas
21) Buy sexy lingerie and wear it. Look good while doing so. (Completed 8/26/08 -- Nothing too fancy, but it got the job done)
22) Join and begin regular attendance at a gym (Gym was joined 7/21/06, but regular attendance can't begin just yet because gym doesn't open until 8/17/06)
23) Publish something – be it writing or photography (Completed July 2, article in Ticket)
24) Submit something to Brevity.
25) Get an iPod (Completed 5/24/06 -- Mr. Nano, I love you)
26) Do the "Faces that I Love" photography project
27) Take Tammika to Bob and Barbara’s for Drag Night
28) Win a game of RISK while playing against Gary
29) Complete 2 crochet/knitting projects
30) Attend 2 more First Fridays (In process -- one down, one to go!)
31) Go to the Smithsonian
32) Visit my cousin Michael in Pittsburgh (Taken off the list because I was all ready to go, bags packed and everything, and he canceled on me. It's his turn to come to me.)
33) Go to California (Completed October 2007 -- San Fran with Stephanie!)
34) Visit Lisa Nicole
35) Visit Brian Fry (Completed 7/27/06)
36) Finish the 50 Books Project (Completed November 2007)
37) Host an MST3K night
38) Get contacts and get over my issues with touching my own eyeball
39) Get a CD player for my car No longer applicable/needed now that I have my iPod.
40) Make and sent a postcard to PostSecret (Completed 7/19/04 Shhhh...secret)
41) Go to at least 5 yard sales this summer (easiest item on this list, by far) (Completed 8/19/06, and then some)
42) Get a piercing in addition to my positively chaste one-hole-in-each-ear (Completed, 4/14/07)
43) Watch the Lord of the Rings Trilogy with my cousin Alex – this would be his first viewing
44) Introduce my cousin Nicky to Monty Python – He’s only six, but I can already tell he’s developing the perfect sense of humor for it.
45) Send something into Found
46) Take the portraits of the Peace Mission members
47) Upload all my photos to Flickr (Calling this done because it may not be all but it's totally at, like, 95% of my photos)
48) Learn how to ride a bike (I KNOW, I KNOW. I AM SO CLOSE IT’S RIDICULOUS) (Completed July 4, 2008)
49) Go on retreat with Kate
50) Cook the perfect fondue
51) And the perfect chilli
52) Make the first move on a boy I like.
53) Have a fling (Completed 8/24/08–present Go me!)
54) Visit the Sweet Candy Distro & Alternative Arts Center
55) Spend a weekend with Erin in Philly
56) Organize the 141 Reunion. Have people actually attend
57) Throw one more party of MLK caliber
58) Go to 4 movies in the Philadelphia Film Festival
59) Help Dave on one of his films
60) Take an art class of some sort (Completed Fall 2007, Visual Literacy Class)
61) Go camping (Completed 9/9/06)
62) Figure out my spirituality/religion/whatever
63) Protest for something I believe in
64) Volunteer to help a local liberal candidate running for office
65) Attend a Drinking Liberally meeting with Carol
66) Party with Amanda and Christina
67) Send care packages to Nick, Brian, and my John
68) Develop a writing schedule – writing that is outside this blog, that is.
69) See The Daily Show live (Completed 4/16/08)
70) Host another Lost viewing party
71) Figure out a way to get out of this rut that I’ve been living in for the past 6 months --- i.e. start taking risks and not over thinking shit so much
72) Learn Tarot better (I'm counting this as done. I've bought two books on the subject and now give myself semi-regular readings. I'm not quite ready to read other people yet, but I'm getting there)
73) Get a pedicure (Completed 8/2008)
74) Learn how to make an awesome round of the following drinks: mojito, mint julep, sangria (Mojito completed, even if Kelly didn't like them, I did)
75) Play blackjack at a casino
76) Get my own credit card and start using it responsibly (Completed October 2008)
77) Learn how to drive stick
78) Learn ASL
79) Host a brunch
80) Do Habitat for Humanity again
81) Go to Gay Bingo
82) Have another Office Bowling Night
83) Buy a new bed, one suitable for a grown up girl who may, or may not as my life is pointing out lately, have male visitors
84) Attend another one of Maria-Rita's gigs
85) Learn how to tango
86) Visit Longwood Gardens
87) Sing "Shoop" at Kareoke
88) Learn how to French braid my own hair
89) Go to the Ballet
90) Learn how to sew proficiently, well enough to make my own clothes
91) Spend a night clubbing in Philadelphia
92) Attend a costume/Halloween party in a costume that I really like (Counting this as completed on 10/21/06 -- I've always wanted to be Dorothy!)
93) Redecorate the living room
94) Figure out a way to keep Dill from peeing in that one corner (Solution: Move his litter box there. Although, technically, it was Kelly that did it. But we talked about it before hand. Whatever.)
95) Spend a week with my hair dyed a funky color – pink, blue, green whatever – corporate dress codes be damned
96) Attend shows other than my brother’s at the next Fringe/Live Arts show (Completed 2007 Fringe Fest)
97) Figure out a plan for my laundry and stick with it, so it doesn’t pile up again
98) Clean my car (Completed in October, at some point. Of course, it's dirty again now, but what can you do?)
99) Fix the bumper on my car
100) Get new fish for the aquarium at work (Completed, 1/3/08)
101) See Stella, or whatever project those boys think of next when it comes to town. (Completed 5/13/06, sort of. I saw 1/3 of the Stella Trio when Michael Showalter came to town with Eugene Merman. I am totally counting this, although if Stella should tour again I will see that again, no doubt)