Gratitudes

Since I made a list of things I want or want to do, I thought I should make a list of things I have or have done. So here are my early thoughts.

1. I have two healthy, happy children.
2. I have a helpful, loving, supportive husband.
3. I have a decent public education.
4. I have flexible work that I can do during naps, at night and on weekends (in addition to my part-time work-week schedule).
5. I have been to England, Scotland, Belgium, Germany, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Canada.
6. I have seen a shark (a very small one) while snorkeling.
7. I have hiked in a rain forest.
8. I have been to Alaska and Hawaii.
9. I have been to Miami, Key West, San Francisco, New Orleans, Denver, Austin, Baltimore, Atlanta, Portland, Houston, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Las Vegas and several other U.S. cities.
10. I have been to Disney World several times (and once I stayed at the Polynesian with my high-school friend Lauren).
11. I have been on a cruise to the Bahamas.
12. I have been to Puerto Rico.
13. I have run a marathon.
14. I have been to a rave (once is enough).
15. I have been to Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Mariners, Sonics and Brewers games.
16. I have met one celebrity--Kelly McGillis
17. I can knit simple things.
18. I have won an award for writing.
19. I can see the lake from my living room 8 months of the year (it's frozen for about 5 of them).
20. I have been to the San Juan islands twice, once just with Matt and once with my family for a magical Thanksgiving.
21. My family loves and tolerates me.
22. I don't have any fillings.
23. I've managed to stay in touch with some friends even after I've moved away or they've moved away.
24. I've never broken a bone, had major surgery or a need for long-term medication.
25. I have been in two weddings besides my own.
26. I am a Godmother to Sam.
27. I have a lovable if naughty dog.
28. I have lived in Washington, D.C. and Seattle, Washington.

I'll keep adding to the list. Feel free to make suggestions.

100 Things to Do

I don't like the term "Bucket List", but I wanted to keep track of the things I want to do at some point in my life.

1. Visit Rome with Matthew
2. Become fluent in a foreign language
3. Build my own house (must have wood floors and a double wall oven)
4. Write a novel
5. Replace my lost wedding ring
6. Run another marathon (and without an injury)
7. Have a flat stomach so I can wear a bikini
8. Cheer my kids' sports teams from the sidelines
9. Have a house that is good for entertaining (see #3)
10. Live near extended family
11. Have my teeth whitened
12. Learn to sew
13. Learn to ski
14. Visit Andrea, Steve, Sam and Matthew
15. Visit Kathy and H
16. Visit Beth, Jason, Sam and Claire
17. Visit Emily, Sean and Eva
18. Visit Andrea, Chris, Lucian and baby girl
19. Live in a big city again
20. Have a job that I love, that I can bike to, and that wouldn't dream of ever giving up
21. Take my kids to Disney World
22. Have nice skin
23. Send my kids to camp in the Great North Woods
24. Learn to sail
25. Learn to like camping
26. Go to the Toronto Film Festival
27. Go to the Oscars
28. Spend a summer in a cottage by the sea
29. Write a screenplay
30. Live in a foreign country
31. Get certified to teach something (writing perhaps?)
32. Be able to do a handstand
33. Eat chocolate and bread in Paris
34. Ride a gondola in Venice
35. Drink wine in Florence
36. Explore Prague, Krakow and St. Petersburg
37. Shop for cool modern fabric, notecards, toys and furniture in Copenhagen
38. Go to Rio
39. Live in Los Angeles
40. Drink a beer in Dublin
41. Buy jewelry in Sante Fe
42. Learn history in Boston
43. See a Broadway play in New York City
44. Wander the markets in Marrakech
45. Visit Istanbul
46. Get a latte in Portland (again)
47. Practice my rusty German and eat Laugen in Munich and Berlin
48. See Aimee Mann, Amy Winehouse, Brandi Carlile, Lucinda Williams, Emmy Lou Harris and John Mellencamp perform
49. See Shawn Colvin and the Ditty Bops again
50. Live abroad for a year
51. Go to a high school reunion
more to come....

Accident Prone

Audrey is many things--sweet, feisty, affectionate--but she is not graceful. In fact, the little darling seems to tumble more regularly than most 18-month-old-cutie pies. The scabs from her last fall just fell off when she did it again. She face-planted on the hard kitchen floor. She split her lip and knocked a tooth loose. The dentist said the muscles might tighten but they might not. If not, she'll have to have a root canal. Normally they don't save baby teeth, but Audrey is quite young to lose a tooth (most of her baby teeth haven't even come in yet) and the front teeth are integral to proper speech development. If the dentist does save it, it will still likely discolor.

My poor girlie.

Yes We Can

It should be no surprise that I am beyond pleased with the outcome of the election. I am an unabashed Democrat, true, and I would be celebrating if it were Hilary who had won. However, I think Obama is different. He is proof that hope is never futile and well-intentioned hard work is never wasted. He reminds me that by working together (call it community organizing) we can achieve sea change. Because, to me (and I expect to many others) that is what this is.

After eight years of suffering under the leadership of a man I neither respected nor trusted, I have an articulate, intelligent and captivating president. No, he is not perfect. No one is. But he has changed the language of politics, risen above muck-raking, refused to behave less than civilly and shown that anything is possible.

Do I think he will solve all of this country's problems? Of course not. Do I think he'll put us on the right track? Definitely.

Here's to hope.