Updated bucket list for 2011

So far, not so bad checking off the bucket list. I'll update furthermore, when some are completed, and which to be removed (if it's not feasible), and added.. After all, all this is not for 2011 alone. If you see anything that I should do, feel free to toss suggestions my way!

Learning
Ghost Hunting 101 at University of Louisville/Delphi Center ( Completed in May 2011)
Writing/publishing a book. (In process- a nonfiction)
Sand Tray techniques
Learn how to make a tube drum (January 2011)

Self-Care
Write a letter about bad memories to a relative and do a burning/cleansing ritual.
Walk 25 labyrinths. (So far, six so far, in IN, LA, KY, DC, MD)


Stop being the peacekeeper and stand up for myself. (In process)
Make a list of things that make me happy- small, big, profound, simple (March, 2011)
List about what you really like about yourself.
Do an unplugged day. (3 times so far this year)
Ask friends to do compliments about me, (words, artwork, whatever!) and make a poster.


Books
The Happy Book (In process)
Feminism: The Essential Historical Writings
He's a Stud, She's a Slut and 49 Other Double Standards Every Women Should Know
The Feminine Mystique (April, 2011)
Sexual Politics
(the list is long..I'll keep 'em on Goodreads- you can look 'em up.)
Make a list of your favorite childhood books and explain why you love them.

Community
See The Vagina Monologues
Play in Vagina Monologues (If you know V-Day w/ deaf themes in 2011, ring me up!)
AIDS Walk (Will do in September!)
Habitat for Home in New Orleans
Set up a community activity of creating a labyrinth of shoes
Do a cheer-up package for a friend or three. (Done!)

Art
Create a mosaic of a labyrinth.
Paint again. (so far, 11 paintings!)


Start and finish a quilt.
After going to an event of your favorite activity (comic, science fiction, romance convention) and get freebies, do a bulletin board with the collection.
Scrapbook on collection of postcards


Health
Exercise 2-3 times a week.
Go to the park with the dogs once-twice a week.
Make healthy dishes from scratch


Charity
Volunteer for clean-up at a national park (July 2011)
Donate hair for Locks of Love and in honor of my aunt, cancer suvivor. (No luck!)
Drop off clothes at Goodwill (two times so far)
Freecycle listing of the television and entertainment center (May 2011)
Donate money to a non-profit organization fighting domestic violence (February 2011)
Donate money to Green Project- New Orleans
Make cookies and donate to a soup kitchen.

Just for fun of it
Get a tattoo of triple labyrinth on your shoulder
Get the frog tattoo refreshed/re-colored.
Try something that you had never tried before.
Try a new food each month. (Greek yogurt 1/11, almond milk 2/11, eel sushi 3/11, olives 4/11, cow's tongue 5/11, dill pickles 6/11)
Send beanie dolls to American soldiers (anysoldier.com) (1/11) Take pictures around the town, with quirky things and create artwork from photos.
Write 20 posts for my blog for 2011.
Go naked, fingerpaint/paint the walls (in the shower) and self.
Watch a meteor shower at the wee hours of August (August, 2011)
Attend a Comic book convention.
Go to a Science-fiction con.
Have your 'gnome'(my stuffed Erif Horse) at weird places taken with photos! (In process)
Blow bubbles at your porch and observe visuals through the bubbles.
Play with playdoh- do the 10 things with them (your name, an image of yourself, cupcakes, animals, landscape, and so on.)(January 2011)
Make the perfect kid's day menu and eat the food on the menu- you ARE a kid that day!

As promised.

Vacations/Trips
Wisconsin

3 trips in 2011. (Wisconsin, 1/11 and 6/11, and Louisiana 3/11- so far)


Nashville, TN (country music sightseeing)
Waverly Hills Sanatorium
Star Trek Exhibition/Louisville Science Center (February 2011)
Frazier International Historical Museum
Ventriloquist museum- Fort Mitchell, KY (only museum about ventriloquists in the world)

The Story of Beautiful Girl

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The teaser in the cover had attracted my eyes, especially with a deaf charater, a character with a developmental disability, an old woman content in her life; all became chaotics with a newborn baby. The reading would keep you hanging in there, wanting to know what happens next; it's not easy to put aside to sleep or work. Heartfelt, thought-provoking, and despite the despair, you find glimpses of hope and determination to live for the baby and love. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT- if you have ten books to read for the year, I beg you to include this book on the list!



View all my reviews

End of January Days

One month down, since I had set up the bucket list (for first-time readers, be reassured, I'm NOT dying..I just like the sound of the name, instead of "do things").... The month mostly had been good except for one or two sick days and a snowstorm, which I think was more fun than an hassle, especially with the dogs sticking their heads into the snow and folicking around.

All right, we need to figure out what I had completed or started in process...

Learning:
I had registered for the ghost-hunting 101 at the Delphi center, which will start on April 20th- I do look forward to attending the class- that is if the class won't be cancelled. It had been cancelled last year due to not sufficent individuals registering for it. :::fingers crossed::: I do hear that one trip with ghost-hunting will include Waverly Hill Sanatorium- I do HOPE so!

Another learning goal- tube drums! Oh yes.... I had gotten the instructions off the internet, and with a friend's help, worked on making a tube drum last weekend. Here I was, cutting the tube (4 feet long, 12 circle tube) in half, so we'd have two 2" tubes- two drums in total.










With the friend, we had to stretch the moleskin (and I'm telling you, it's NOT easy to find pack cloth or skin for the drum here in Louisville!)

And here is the completed tube drum! I have to say, it came out much better than I expected, and I do plan to make two-three more drums, with different fabrics, including Mexican Day of the Dead skulls. :D














Now, I hadn't done anything for the self-care list, and that's what I need to work on this month, which I think, more fitting, since I do need to learn to love those aspects of myself, that I'm not comfortable with, and to appreciate myself, as people do, and believe them.

Books:
I am currently working on the Happy Book by Rachel Kempster and Meg Leder. I love a lot of stuff in that book; finding my favorite stickers and stick 'em in the book, or to list favorite movies, or get ideas like the postcrossing (where I could send a postcard to someone on the other side of the world, and receive postcards from strangers- I just think that nifty!).













I'm also reading the Feminine Mystique. It doesn't help that the book is a bit dry, so easier for me to get distracted ..... Bad Lola, bad Lola, drop that doll! Sorry.. Lola is my dog, and she does get herself in trouble these days...anyway, back to this book- I am reading much books as I can on feminism..why? I feel that I need to learn more about the cultural aspects of womenhood and how it applies to me, especially with practices and norms around here, and how I can adapt feminism to myself, and not apologize for it.


Community:
I was planning to go to New Orleans in March, but due to the finances, I'm starting to think I won't make it, and that means I might not be able to do the volunteering Habitats for Humanity. That isnt the end of the world, although, since I can also volunteer at the same organization here in Louisville or another state this summer. I'm working on finding more information about Vaginia Monologues and how to bring it here to Louisville, especially for the Deaf Community.


Art:
I have gotten four canvas frames, and paints- I look at the canvas frames and I feel somewhat anxious yet excited. I somewhat can see what I am going to create, yet I'm afraid that my perfection tendency might interfere with the attempt, especially that I had stopped painting some years ago. I'm picturing doing labyrinths on those canvas, and I'm thinking...am I overachieving...? There is this canvas frame, with a labyrinth already pencilled in, awaiting for the painting, and that is what terrifies me.


Health:
I try to attend the gym 2-3 times every week, although there had been a week that I skipped- and I could make excuses, but why bother lying? I do know that that it IS easier to go, if I have a gym friend to hang out- however we have different schedules which contributes to the complications. :P
I had attended the January month healthy seminiar about appropriate eating, and I had determined to meet with a dietician to set up a healthy food routine. I have religiously followed the routine, although it is tough- protein every time I eat, with smaller portions six times a day?! I do know that I had lost some weight, and that's a plus. :)

Charity:
I had donated clothes and stuff to the Good will, and I'm starting to think that I need to get rid of more stuff, while I'm doing this. Being 40 years old here, and I'm thinkng, "do I truly need all this?" Not the 60% of stuff, I suspect. I'm also looking into freecycling so people can get stuff what they need, and I'd not have to worry about transportation especially with furniture!

Just for the fun of it....
Oh! :D I had sent out a postcard to a random stranger on the other side of the world, Postcrossing, in which you can check out for yourself- would be keen to get postcards from everywhere in the world. I can't wait to see my first postcard. :D

I played with playdoh! I know it can be childish, but I found it relaxing and enjoyable; a fun de-stressor that helps relax muscles and become mindful about yourself...










Take my "gnome" Erif, the fire horse and take photos of Erif in strange places as we travel... I had done that with Erif on our trip to Wisconsin visiting a dear close friend, Ash! One photo is already added to the Bucket list post- you can check it out. :D



Trips:

I had gone to Wisconsin to visit Ash, for a weekend, and it was worth the 16 hours round way road trip! I had seen amazing things, including a drowned hydrant deep in snow, snowman cheese, the IceBox, and a weirdo comic shop that could pass for a frat for geeks if there was one.

I do plan to go up to Wisconsin in June, this time for Ash's wedding, and to explore the Doors county, the Evensong spa (http://www.evensongspa.com/evensong_spa_facilities.htm )with its labyrinth (after all, it's one of Bucket List goal for me to walk 25 labyrinths this year), and Circle Sanctuary cemetery (http://www.circlesanctuary.org/cemetery/), the first Pagan green Burial Ground in the United States.



I have to add one thing, with having the bucket list, I do notice that I have more motivation to do things and to seize the opportunity to experience things. I suspect if not for this, I would have gotten deeper into depression- aye, I have been experiencing depression lately, and to have the list had helped providing me the motivation and aspiration to complete what I can.

and..it's FUN!

Bucket list... Goals....."Things to do"..... for 2011

First of all, I'm reassuring you..I'm not dying, nor with any intention to end myself by end of this year...I just like the sound of the "Bucket List"! :D

After skimming through the book "The Happy Book" (Here is the link to the book), I was thinking..and noticed a friend doing her list- I was like 'Doh! that's what I had been thinking for a long while, but needed someone to smack me in the head first!" That's what I had been wanting to do, a list- since I had been noticing that my list grows, grows and grows as older I get, and I don't get to do much of 'em..perhaps that's why I'm very much "down' these days... this would help with keeping me busy, and motivated for this year...I'll worry about 2012..heck, they say that's when everything ends.. the perfect quote.."I have goosebumps, people."

So here is the list...I will add if I desire..and if in process, the goal will be showed this way, and when the goal is accomplished, the goal will be marked.

Learning
Ghost Hunting 101 at University of Louisville/Delphi Center
Writing/publishing a book.
Sand Tray techniques
Learn how to make a tube drum (1/11)

Self-Care
Write a letter about bad memories to a relative and do a burning/cleansing ritual.
Walk 25 labyrinths.
Stop being the peacekeeper and stand up for myself.
Make a list of things that make me happy- small, big, profound, simple
List about what you really like about yourself.
Do an unplugged day.
Ask friends to do compliments about me, (words, artwork, whatever!) and make a poster.


Books
The Happy Book
Feminism: The Essential Historical Writings
He's a Stud, She's a Slut and 49 Other Double Standards Every Women Should Know
The Feminine Mystique
Sexual Politics
(the list is long..I'll keep 'em on Goodreads- you can look 'em up.)
Make a list of your favorite childhood books and explain why you love them.

Community
See The Vagina Monologues
Play in Vagina Monologues (If you know V-Day w/ deaf themes in 2011, ring me up!)
AIDS Walk
Habitat for Home in New Orleans
Set up a community activity of creating a labyrinth of shoes
Do a cheer-up package for a friend or three.

Art
Create a mosaic of a labyrinth.
Paint again.
Start and finish a quilt.
After going to an event of your favorite activity (comic, science fiction, romance convention) and get freebies, do a bulletin board with the collection.
Scrapbook on collection of postcards


Health
Go to the gym 3 times a week.
Attend monthly health seminars at the gym
Do Wii Fit at home 1-2 times a week.
Look at yourself in the mirror and say "You're getting there" and smile at yourself.
Lose 25 pounds.


charity
Volunteer for clean-up at a national park
Donate hair for Locks of Love and in honor of my aunt, cancer suvivor.
Drop off clothes at Goodwill
Freecycle listing of the television and entertainment center
Donate money to a non-profit organization fighting domestic violence
Donate money to Green Project- New Orleans
Make cookies and donate to a soup kitchen.

Just for fun of it
Get a tattoo of triple labyrinth on your shoulder
Get the frog tattoo refreshed/re-colored.
Try something that you had never tried before.
Try a new food each month. (Greek yogurt 1/11)
Send beanie dolls to American soldiers (anysoldier.com) (1/11)
Take pictures around the town, with quirky things and create artwork from photos.
Write 20 posts for my blog for 2011.
Go naked, fingerpaint/paint the walls (in the shower) and self.
Watch a meteor shower at the wee hours of August
Attend a Comic book convention.
Go to a Science-fiction con.
Have your 'gnome'(my stuffed Erif Horse) at weird places taken with photos!


Blow bubbles at your porch and observe visuals through the bubbles.
Play with playdoh- do the 10 things with them (your name, an image of yourself, cupcakes, animals, landscape, and so on.) (1/11)
Make the perfect kid's day menu and eat the food on the menu- you ARE a kid that day!

As promised.

Vacations/Trips
Wisconsin

3 Road trips in 2011 (Wisconsin, 1/11)

Nashville, TN (country music sightseeing)

Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Star Trek Exhibition/Louisville Science Center

The Good, The Bad, the Cuddly- toys at Frazier International Historical Museum

Ventriloquist museum- Fort Mitchell, KY (only museum about ventriloquists in the world)

Ah, Midsummer Night's Dream....Jules' spirit enmeshed.

That Shakespeare play has always been my favorite of all his plays....

Bottom: "Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will
do any man's heart good to hear me; I will roar,
that I will make the duke say 'Let him roar again,
let him roar again.'



Fairy: Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Call'd Robin Goodfellow: are not you he
That frights the maidens of the villagery;
Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern
And bootless make the breathless housewife churn;
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm;
Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?
Those that Hobgoblin call you and sweet Puck,
You do their work, and they shall have good luck:
Are not you he?

Helena: Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?
When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?
Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man,
That I did never, no, nor never can,
Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye,
But you must flout my insufficiency?
Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do,
In such disdainful manner me to woo.
But fare you well: perforce I must confess
I thought you lord of more true gentleness.
O, that a lady, of one man refused.
Should of another therefore be abused!




Puck: I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round,
Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier:
Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn,
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.

Titania: My Oberon! what visions have I seen!
Methought I was enamour'd of an ass.






Theseus: More strange than true: I never may believe
These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover and the poet
Are of imagination all compact:
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,
That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:
The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
Such tricks hath strong imagination,
That if it would but apprehend some joy,
It comprehends some bringer of that joy;
Or in the night, imagining some fear,
How easy is a bush supposed a bear!



Pyramus: "O grim-look'd night! O night with hue so black!
O night, which ever art when day is not!
O night, O night! alack, alack, alack,
I fear my Thisby's promise is forgot!
And thou, O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall,
That stand'st between her father's ground and mine!
Thou wall, O wall, O sweet and lovely wall,
Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne!


and my favorite quotes from the play itself...



Puck: If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.






Bless his heart, that Shakespeare had seen into the Otherworld and attempted to show us the world...and methinks..he did it well. Bravo, the poet of comedy and love, the writer of drama and sorrow, the sorcerer of grace and magick, Shakespeare!

Where did 2006 go??!

Eek! I didn't realize how time flew! One day I was crazy making copies for my notebook to give to the human services program at my college, printing out graduate applications, writing essays and doing research about universities that offers mental health or psychology graduate programs AND work with deaf clients. Next day I know, it's already 2007; I just returned from another state where family resides. I have to wonder how they could stand Kansas and not go insane. Oh wait, some of my relatives did. Never mind! I looked up my old blog and realized an oop. I said I'd make 10-12 blogs after June and I only made four. Can we say, I'm awfully busy? Hehehe. I look forward to volunteering, writing more articles after I do more research and working on my quilts. I hope to write blogs about HIV/AIDS in Deaf community (yes some of Deaf can get HIV/AIDS, thank you,) start a debate about movies that get on folks' nerves (like "Sound and Fury" "Di Vinci Code" and "Harry Potter" series,) I also want to talk about mental illnesses and discuss books that are about real individuals with mental disorders. Very interesting, I'm telling you! I just finished three books while I was visiting family. What else could I do when they all were content watching television all the time??!!! I read "Murphy's Boy" by Torey Hayden, "Sybil" by Flora Rheta Schreiber and "Nobody's Child" by Marie Balter and Richard Katz. Very good. I will write about those books soon. Also I hope to do research about mental illness in the Deaf community (yes, some of Deaf can have mental disorders.) All right, I have to get going and take a shower. I have a LONG day tomorrow. Oh yeah, by the way, I graduated with a B.S degree in Human Services Mental Health Counseling! Whooo!

Written by Jules

Bored to tears.

had been released home from the hospital back on November 22nd. Ever since I have been trying to entertain myself when not working with OT and PT therapists... So...I read books. Titles: Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire- done. Incubus Dreams- done. Butterfly- done. Mental Health and deafness ethics- done. The Postman- done. Night Dreams- done. ArchAngel- done. Shadows and Shades- done. Currently on Dime Store Magic.... :P I had seen too many movies that I'm like watching reruns. lol miss talking with you all.

Magic, that's your name.

"Each of us, no matter how cynical or jaded has, at one time or another, had an encounter with magic. I am not talking about when they saw a lady in half or pull a rabbit out of a hat or make a silver pocketwatch disappear. When, after the loss of a lover or partner or friend, the seemingly unstopping pain suddenly fades, that is magic. When, the tenacious roar of a tenor saxophone works its way up from below ground by way of a sidewalk grating and your foot starts tapping, that is magic. When a young woman, for no apparent reason, turns on the street and smiles right at you, that's not only magic, that's as good a reason as any to get out of the bed in the morning. And while it's true that there's no trick to sawing a lady in half-- if all you want to do is saw a lady in half-- we can not only encounter magic, we can be part of it. Each of us has that choice. We can ignore the pain and splendor and suffering and joy of the world around us, OR we can dive right in, getting both shoes muddy and help." That saying was in "Witching Hour" a DC graphic novel. When I saw the saying, I immediately knew the author understood that's the true nature of magic. It is neither wrinkling your nose, nor to float with some friends' fingers under your body, nor waving a wand to conjure something up. It just is. No more, no less.