my life as ali...
ali

good vibes and high fives...

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September 2nd, 5:20pm 1 comment

DONNA MARTIN GRADUATES!!

most of you know my love for beverly hills 90210...
today's date forms this unforgettable zip code ... 9-02-10.
and to you, beverly hills, we honor you...

sidenote: you will notice that i made sure to choose a season where the opening credits features the famous "fist pump"

let's take a stroll down memory lane and remember the gang that we all loved.

october 4, 1990 - may 17, 2000

brandon walsh
brenda walsh
kelly taylor
donna martin
steve sanders
dylan mckay
david silver
andrea zuckerman
scott scanlon
cindy walsh
jim walsh
nat bussichio
jesse vasquez
clare arnold
valerie malone
ray pruit
carly reynolds
noah hunter
janet sosna
matt durning
gina kincaid
mrs. yvonne teasley
jackie taylor
dr. john martin
felice martin
mel silver
jack mckay
samantha sanders
rush sanders
emily valentine
joe bradley
antonia "toni" marchette
colin robbins
susan keats
tracy gaylian
camille desmond

BONUS: a clip from one of my favorite episodes!

(download)

Posted
August 30th, 9:24pm 8 comments

baby got blog...

hello my loyal followers… i’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaack!  

i know many of you have been patiently awaiting this post…and i’m glad to be back, the last few weeks have been hectic. first i had an unplanned trip home. and when i got back it was right back to the start of football “hell weeks” (and a big sarcastic thank you to california for greeting us with 100+ degree weather… me no likey!)

so here i am, back from my “not-so-vacationy” vacation…ready to blog. but there is a slight problem…apparently my brain is still on hiatus. i’ve found that one of the hardest parts to this blogger lifestyle is coming up with a blog subject. sure, diary like entries can be really interesting, but when my current life is “football. sleep. repeat.” – there really isn’t much to write about.

that’s where all of you come in…i need a guide, some inspiration, a personal motivator, if you will… what do you guys want to hear about?

i’ve brainstormed a little bit and come up with a few possible ideas for future blogs.
and SURPRISE…it’s another list! (i know, i know…a list! you’re all shocked.)

you’ll notice some ideas are pretty generic, and to be honest, boring. but then i fueled up with a big bowl of cheerios and really got into the true spirit of the endeavor. soon enough you’ll be entertained, or laughing at my idiocy... 

TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG:

*my top 5 favorite tv shows
*my top 15 favorite movies
*my top 25 favorite songs
*document awesome websites as i come across them
*things that make me laugh
*document all naps for a month (where, when, how long, dreams i had)
*dear santa (my christmas list)
*things i want from life
*visually document all the food i eat for one week
*my ridiculous tan lines of summer 2010
*my favorite on-going pranks with friends
*document the silly/stupid things in life that are precious to only me
*if my life were a movie (who would i cast as my family/friends)
*talk people into posing for a picture wearing my migrant field worker hat..then post the collection on my blog

other potential blog ideas (all of which i stole from miss alexis ..thanks lex!):
*visit a cool landmark and document my adventures
*things you love (list things i love that other people just don't get AND list things other people love that i just don't get)
*learn how to cook something new and share it with everyone
*random celeb facts
*reality tv rants or raves

Posted
August 15th, 9:57pm 1 comment

to my gram...

"you can shed tears that she is gone,
or you can smile because she has lived.
you can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
your heart can be empty because you can't see her,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
you can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
you can remember her only that she is gone,
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
you can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back.
or you can do what she'd want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on."

caroline constantini

january 2, 1913 - august 15, 2010
you refer to the dates on a tombstone
from the beginning… to the end.
you note that first came the date of her birth
and often speak of the following date with tears,
but  always know that what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.
for that dash represents all of the time
that she spent alive on earth.
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

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Posted
August 15th, 7:30am 0 comments

project 365...

the plan: take one photo a day for one year. simple, right?

well let's start by going back about a year ago to when this whole idea came about... i was in the beginning stages of planning my high school 10 year class reunion. my first (and biggest) task was to locate all my former classmates...and i was determined to track down all 168 of them no matter what it took. i was a bit overwhelmed. i had no idea where to start. my first thought – “facebook! everyone has a facebook!”  so there i was, typing in name after name and “friend-ing” many people i probably hadn’t seen or talked to in 10 years. it was a little scary. but as i started to spend time checking out old classmate’s pages and pictures, i came across one girl, katherine nelson, who had a photo album that caught my eye. she titled it “a picture each day in 2010” – katie had pictures of her, her friends and family, food she ate, places she visited, purchases she made, and even pictures of whatever tv show she might have spent the day watching. i loved the idea.
now let’s fast-forward back to present time. a couple weeks ago i was back in menominee for the big 10 year reunion. i guess i thought that time had flown by but that things really hadn’t changed all that much. cathy, lexi and jodi were still some of my best friends, “talking fat” was still hilarious, sub shoppe tacos were still my favorite tacos, i had basically the same haircut as i did my senior year, and according to our senior “mosts” list from graduation where i was voted “most determined to stay single” …well, i was still single. but after seeing some old faces and talking with them i realized that yes, time does move surprisingly fast... but also, that so many things have changed. i have two degrees, i’ve backpacked europe, i’ve lived in alabama, utah and now california. tracy lives in london. cathy is married. jami has two kids. we are almost 30 …THIRTY! so where did all the time go? it’s like the world was in fast-forward…and i needed a pause button. a few days ago i came across katie’s photo album update in my facebook news feed.  i hadn’t thought about that album in a long time, but thought now might be just the right time to start one of my own.
so two days ago, project 365 was born. i’ll be posting my pictures in an album on my facebook page – join me in my adventures over the next year. i’m not really sure what i hope to accomplish... maybe it will just be a simple way to remember the year in a photo book time capsule. or maybe this will be the time when i move from taking the quick “picture” to actually taking “photographs”. or maybe this will be the “thing” that helps me understand what is really important to me in life. but no matter how it will all turn out…the journey ahead looks pretty incredible. so stay tuned…

special thanks to my former classmate, katherine nelson... a year long photo journal seems simple, but it's a journey in which i hope will open my eyes to new things. for you sparking my interest in this adventure, i thank you.

Posted
August 13th, 12:13am 4 comments

lucky 13...

i firmly believe that everyone needs a tag line.
i’ve chosen for myself: good vibes and high fives.

tagline
pronunciation: \'tag – lÄ«n\
function:
noun
date: 1926
1. an ending line (as in a play or joke) that makes a point; especially one that serves to clarify or create a dramatic effect.
2. an amusing or memorable phrase designed to catch attention in advertisement: a slogan

examples of famous taglines:
*great lakes, great times. ...the michigan tourism commission
*what can brown do for you? ...UPS
*play. laugh. grow. ...fisher-price
*are you in good hands? ...allstate
*only you can prevent forest fires ...US forest service
*got milk? ...california milk processor board
*can you hear me now? ...good. ...verizon wireless
*kid tested. mother approved ...kix cereal
*the happiest place on earth ...disneyland
*the quicker picker-upper ...bounty
*when you care enough to send the very best ...hallmark
*delightfully tacky, yet unrefined ...hooters
*they’re g-r-r-r-r-reat! ...kellogg’s frosted flakes
*what happens here, stays here ...las vegas convention and visitors authority
*betcha can’t eat just one ...lay’s potato chips
*let your fingers do the walking ...yellow pages
*good to the last drop ...maxwell house
*it’s everywhere you want to be ...VISA
*the champagne of bottled beer ...miller high life
*take a bite out of crime ...national crime prevention
*made from the best stuff on earth ...snapple
*just do it ...nike
*this is your brain. this is your brain on drugs. ...partnership for a drug-free america

back to me... ali: good vibes and high fives.
and now, for your viewing pleasure...
GOOD VIBES...

AND HIGH-FIVES...


thank you. come again.

Posted
August 12th, 9:07pm 3 comments

on the 12th ... to my favorite #12...

this article was passed on to me from my mom. it is written by a sports anchor from fox6 in milwaukee. it really doesn't get any better than this... go pack go!

"Save Me A Spot"

This job affords me some incredible opportunities. Being a member of the 
FOX 6 Sports team means I've been able to witness and report on events 
and people that many can only admire from a distance. I never take these 
situations for granted and sincerely appreciate being involved in 
whatever capacity each permits. 
  
Monday marked just the most recent case as I had the unparalleled 
privilege to be a part of Aaron Rodgers charity event to benefit the 
MACC Fund, a charity towards eradicating childhood cancer and blood disorders. 

Scattered throughout the crowd of rabid Packers aficionados, were the 
people who I consider the event's real MVPs. They are the families 
who've been forced to deal with one of life's toughest sentences - the 
loss of a child. 

Those who sprung for the tickets were not disappointed. In a world where 
many athletes regurgitate canned and rehearsed responses, the Packers 
quarterback was refreshingly candid. Aaron addressed a number of topics 
with in-depth, honest reaction - even some that if reprinted and mass 
distributed might raise some eyebrows.  
  
Aaron stressed the importance of availability and accountability. In his 
opinion, it is a player's responsibility to attend all of the team 
activities as they are all intended to better the team as a whole. And 
then, similarly, he addressed the importance of taking the 
heat/criticism when one falls short of expectations and duties. 
  
He is never nervous to take the field. Aaron is supremely confident in 
the preparation he's put in during the week leading up to Sunday's match 
up. The way the 2009 season ended was disappointing but his 
self-confidence was not affected by the outcome. One of the toughest 
realizations was that that combination of players would never take the 
field together again. He likened the team to a family and admitted that 
conflict can and does occasionally exist but they try to handle such 
situations with maturity and civility. 
  
He talked music and his love for tunes at a young age revealing that his 
mom used to sing and play lullabies and country music when he was a 
child. Aaron's record label Suspended Sunrise is a product of this 
passion but also a contingency plan for life after football. His 
favorite song is Ben Harper's 'Forever' and he's envious of John Mayer's 
guitar skills though not his tabloid reputation. He appreciated my 
affinity for Keith Urban but gave the audience a thumbs-down when I 
mentioned fellow country crooner Kenny Chesney. 
  
His favorite book is The Bible and he tries to read it every day not 
just when life's challenges and struggles surface. 
  
His favorite movie is The Princess Bride which he admits he's caught flack for 
but says he and his childhood friends can recite every line from the film and it is 
simply a great story. 

Rodgers' answers  to questions on this night were certainly admirable. And I 
honestly didn't think I could respect Aaron more.    But I was wrong. 
  
My friend, the father of that young girl who passed, was there that 
night. He was one of several attendees brought up on stage where he caught 
a football thrown by the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. 

He asked Aaron to sign the football he'd caught. He wondered if 
he'd make it out to his daughter. It isn't shocking that Rodgers 
obliged. What caught me off guard was the dedication he made. It wasn't 
until after Aaron left that I first saw the autograph... and the simple 
yet sweet message that brought tears to this father's eyes: 
"To Cheri the angel. Save me a spot. - Aaron Rodgers" 
  
I hope that Packers fans realize how lucky they are to have such an 
upstanding young man leading their team on the field every weekend. I 
hope they appreciate the challenges that were thrust upon him and 
acknowledge the maturity with which he handled them. I hope they stand 
behind the kid and respect him not only for his incredible talent but 
for his intelligence and honesty, poise and compassion. 
  
My job has afforded me the chance to watch Aaron Rodgers play football 
for the last few seasons. But I am truly thankful for the opportunity to 
see the other side of this impressive young man. And pass on some of 
what I witnessed to you.

(download)

Posted
August 5th, 11:04pm 9 comments

raindrops on roses...

its been one of those days, or few days. soooo, today while swimming laps i was thinking of ways to get myself out of my mini-funk. once again i thought to myself, “self, you should blog about it”.  so it was decided – i’d pass the time planning out part dos (that’s “two” for you non-spanish speakers) of my blogosphere appearances. weird?? i think not. i mean, really...what else is there to think about while swimming laps other than “1...2...3...breathe” (bore snore!),  or “man, i hope no one is watching my legs jiggle underwater” (not the best motivating mantra), and of course the obvious thought “michael phelps aint got nothing on me” (seriously...go home, michael!).
today’s blog topic of choice: things that make me happy (and why). i know, i know, my loyal followers (9, to be exact), it's another list. but don’t fret… esta chica es todavía realmente graciosa. (which translates to: “this girl is still really funny”). sidenote: you see, monday’s finale of the bachelorette has inspired me to randomly throw in some español on occasion. now i’m not sure which is worse ...the fact that i watched the entire season and loved every second of it (and am now admitting it here) OR the fact that the bachelorette producers actually put in all those clips of roberto/ali (ali fedatowsomethingorother, the bachelorette, not to be confused with me, ali, blog author extraordinaire) and their mini-spanish lessons.  uhhh, corny??  sí! sí! (yes! yes! come on people...) but then again, perhaps you never even noticed these brief eye-rolling moments because you were too fixated on roberto’s perma-SUL (and for you non-abbreviators in the crowd, SUL is sweaty-upper-lip). i mean, i know there are make-up people on that show... DO YOUR JOB!! DAB THAT SUL!!

moving on...
LAS COSAS QUE ME HACEN FELIZ (“things that make me happy”) ..and why.

*my parents (why? they are my parents, it’s an obligation...no? kidding! all jokes aside... they are wonderful, loving, kind, funny, supportive, down to earth and easy going, always there and call me out on my crap. and then i love that they both have a little bit of crazy… examples: my dad, he’s stubborn and always right. ALWAYS! even when we prove him wrong, the facts are wrong, the source is incorrect …he’s still right. he always wins. ALWAYS! and my mom: let’s just hope i don’t inherit her “crazy-gene” which will one day lead me to believe that our cat can actually talk and carry on a normal conversation. hello, ridiculous!! ... but aren’t they great? sí! sí!)

*michigan’s upper peninsula (especially my hometown: menominee) (if you ask why, you clearly haven’t ever had the pleasure... i love being a yooper, the small towns, friendly people and familiar faces, the great lakes (great times!), pasties! (mmm!), the smell of summer, tacos from the sub shoppe, the northern lights, 1st street at christmas, “say yah to da U.P. eh” bumper stickers, crusing the strip, the menominee marina, the way i can use my hands to make a mighigan map, campfires/bonfires, the mackinac bridge, sunsets over lake michigan, the winters.  the list could go on ...and on.)

*writing letters (why? “snail mail” will always be cool in my book. i love to write real mail and pop it in the mailbox. and getting real mail is always more exciting than a boring old email. hint hint.)

*movie matinees...alone (why? it’s simple. it’s mid-day relaxation at it’s finest)

*nicknames (why? who doesn’t love a good nickname? my friends and i love giving nicknames to everyone we meet. part of it might come from growing up in the U.P., i’m pretty sure people there are known by their nicknames – it’s so intense that i am a firm believer some people might not even be recognized by their real name. i have a nickname of my own... gator. gates, for short.)

*cheese (why? uhhhh, do i need a reason? IT’S CHEESE! and me likey!)

*my job (why? i love always being around sports and athletes. i love the sweat and pains of practices to get the payoff of a winning season. when my team wins, i get a feeling of absolute calm. i always want my athletes to be healthy and competing, but i get really excited when i see an injury. i’ve always said my dream athletic training job would be to work tennis at an international level. soooo, any followers out there who can help me make this happen – let’s do it to it!!)

*sweatpants (why? pure comfort. i also like them long enough to cover my toes and drag on the floor.)

*national anthems at sporting events (why? i get goosebumps everytime. it’s an amazing feeling.)

*abbreviating words (why? simple ...it’s hilar (hilarious)! i’m even a member of the facebook group “abbrevs - sweepin the naysh”. my friends and i have some faves (favorites) of our own: abbrevs (abbreviations), deets (details), perf (perfect), menoms (menominee), approp (appropriate), beaut staysh (beauty station...came about while working at maiden lake supper club when lexi, jodi, cathy, erin and i would be getting ready for work. “beaut stash” was days we glam-ed up our hair and make-up), vid staysh (video station... means watching numerous movies in a row or one movie on repeat. preferably, vhs))

*delilah radio (why? i love the requests and dedications (i will one day call in and request a love dedication, therefore crossing off another item on my “murtaugh-list” (thank you ted mosby), the corny stories of love and love lost, delilah's overly calming voice, and her all-too-predictable song selections after talking with callers.)

*bald eagles (why? ok, now i don’t like bald eagles in the “research” way or a “i want one as a pet” kind of way… i like them in the "searching for them in the trees while driving throughout the U.P. with my dad" kind of way.)

*my friends (why? because mine are the world’s greatest! i have an amazing group of childhood friends from home who are still some of my best friends. i think that situation is very rare and feel lucky to still have them as friends everyday. i also spent a blip of my life at northern michigan university, where i met 3 of the best friends i could ever have. and then there are my good friends from all the other places i have lived and worked over the years. if only we could all live on our own island together... now that'd just be dangerous. and one heck of a party!)

*survivor (why? most times you'll probably regret getting me started on this topic: i just love the game itself. my friend jer and i have a special survivor connection: we like the same people, we hate the same people, we even make spreadsheets before each season to strategize before/after each episode, we have laughed over many episodes until we cried, we have gotten in fights over non-survivor things that somehow always turn into a discussion of a similar situation from a past survivor episode - example: one time jer even jumped on the windshield of my car in the pouring rain and was screaming "39 days!!! you don't know what you would do!!!!". sooo, any followers out there with any cbs connections to getting me on the show...help a girl out!!)

*naps (why? naps rock!)

*toothpaste for dinner comics (why? let me just give you an example of a few of my favorites and you can decide for yourself…)

 

Cankles
Regular_neck

Today_is_the_day

*pickles (why? mmmmmmm!!)

*getting my sweat on (why? the feeling afterwards is what i consider to be heaven. i still sometimes struggle with the motivation, but am getting better everyday. (encouragement welcome!))

*franny (why? basic comfort. franny is a doll i got when i was born. i still have her and take her most places i go. those of you who have had the pleasure of meeting her, you’re welcome.)

*green bay packers (why? born and raised fan. they are LEGEND - wait for it, and i hope you're not lactose intolerant because the next part is DARY... LEGENDARY!)

*reading (why? sometimes there is nothing better than a good book.)

*quoting lines from favorite tv shows (will & grace, how i met your mother, sex and the city, beverly hills 90210, and yes...on occasion, even gossip girl) (why? why not? it’s hilarious! and they make for great status updates on facebook - always provoking good back and forth banter.)

*crazy tan lines (why? beeeecause they are ridiculous! and a good conversation starter...usually.)

*movies on vhs (yes, i still own a vhs player! who doesn't?) (why? because vhs will never go out of style…at least my style. some of my vhs favorites: home alone, footloose, empire records, indian summer, father of the bride, airborne, what about bob?, grease, legally blonde, the sandlot, dirty dancing, the wedding planner.)

...“when the dog bites, when the bee stings
when i'm feeling sad
i simply remember my favorite things
and then i don't feel so bad”

stay thirsty, my friends...
el fin. (the end.)

 

Posted
August 2nd, 12:28am 2 comments

ready... set... bloggy blog??

a few years ago a friend of mine introduced me to a blogger friend of hers. and by "introduced", i mean more along the lines of "dude, you have to stalk my friend's blog. she is hilarious." and hilarious she was. i was inspired. i thought to myself... "self, you should start a blog. you are kinda funny." and since then you ask? all talk. definitely no walk.
so here i am. and crap, now i need a topic... i'll start generic. everyone seems to have a bucket list these days. basically we live, we die, and the wheels on the bus go round and round. simple, right? i like simple. but i also want more. i want some show stoppers in-between all that! so it's decided - i'm starting a list. i'm not even sure if there are proper "bucket list" rules or not... like does it have to be called "bucket list" or "100 things before i die" or "the buried life"? and what if i can only think of 99 things to put on my 100 things list? and am i allowed to steal things from other people's lists? can i put outlandish ideas or do they all have to 100% realistic? i guess i'll learn along the way.

for now, ladies and gentlemen, sit back and relax as i introduce to you.....

ali's "murtaugh list" (thank you, ted mosby)
*read more by completing the the NY times "top 100 books of all time" list
*learn sign language
*go to a farmer's market every weekend for a month
*be part of a murder mystery dinner party
*find a 4-leaf clover
*work sports medicine staff at an olympic games

*get a library card (as of 8-2-10 @3:33p i can OFFICIALLY cross off my first "murtaugh" WOOO!! tracey, thanks for the little nudge to get me started!)
*run a marathon (my plan: train for another half and finish in a respectable time. then buck up, train some more, and conquer the full)
*go to an old school drive-in movie
*i've read "1000 places to see before you die". pick my top 10 and visit them
*take a class on meteorology
*lick the liberty bell
*go to a survivor live finale
*volunteer at a soup kitchen
*spend new years eve in times square
*be on a reality show. (clearly my dream...survivor. but if that doesn't pan out, i DO live in laguna. i mean something else has got to come along, right?)
*live in a different country for at least 6 months
*see wicked! (3-13-11... orange county performing arts center)
*fly first class
*learn a foreign language
*go to a macy's thanksgiving day parade

*find my doppelganger (5-7-11... netflix commercial ali. see her for yourself here...)
*become more "green" (9-9-09 to 9-9-10... marked the 1 year mark for, anything i need, me always "bringing my own bags")
*own a really nice camera
*attend game 7 of the world series
*visit a planetarium
*swim in all 5 great lakes (superior, michigan, ontario, erie, huron)
*see at least 2 broadway shows/musicals each year (2011... wicked, 9-to-5. both were fab!)
*meet a member of the 1980 US olympic hockey team
*go on a road bike trip with my mom
*watch a packer game in every NFL stadium
*dance in an open field underneath the stars
*do something totally outside of my comfort zone
*go on a vacation with my best girlfriends
*attend a tree lighting at rockefeller center
*do the 90210 opening theme song "punch" with tori spelling
*improve my posture
*be part of an intervention
*go wine tasting and learn wine appreciation
*become a parent
*attend a movie premiere
*teach a spin class (8-6-10. it was purely luck. our regular spin teacher didn't show and everyone still wanted a class. the guy next to me said "you are a regular why don't you go up and lead us?" it took a little encouragement...but i did it! it was a total blast!)
*kiss a hot stranger and then just walk away
*bang on the glass at a stanley cup
*walk a round at the masters (golf) with my dad
*be part of a slapbet with a friend
*walk a red carpet (7-13-11... ESPY awards. walked the carpet on the way into the nokia theater)
*stop biting my fingernails
*call radio personality delilah and request a love dedication
*explore my spirituality
*go to a superbowl (2.6.11 superbowl XLV in north texas at cowboy stadium. i attended with my dad. world champions: green bay packers!! packers 31, steelers 25. it was a dream!)
*visit the home alone house
*visit the father of the bride house (2.21.11 my friend sarah and i had sweet plans that fell thru... our back-up wasn't too shabby - hollywood tour of celeb homes. FOB house, we found it!)
*see the northern lights (i'm from the upper peninsula... it's common, IF you know the secret places to catch a glimpse)
*drive cross country staying in only small town b&b's or camping
*volunteer as a "big sister"

*make a photo album with a new picture everyday for a year
*attend the march madness ncaa tourney (3.24.11... sweet 16 round. watched sdsu/uconn and duke/arizona. sat 2nd row courtside)
*be fashionable for a week
*sing kareoke...alone

*meet jim cantore
*go to the kentucky derby and wear a fancy hat
*be inducted into a hall of fame
*prove that love actually is all around
*spend a summer in canada
*get my picture taken by the paparizzi (7-13-11... i'm pretty sure it's safe to assume when i met justin bieber on the red carpet before the ESPYs, that the pap got my photo.. i'm big time.)
*learn how to develop my own pictures in a darkroom
*throw a fistfull of glitter in the air under a bright light and spin as it falls down on me

*plant a tree and watch it grow
*dance with ellen degeneres
*visit new york city during fleet week
*laugh so hard i pee my pants

*go without tv for one month
*work as the athletic trainer for an episode of the biggest loser
*take a sabbatical

*practice yoga
*get another tattoo
*watch a game on center court at the US open (tennis)

*learn how to box
*sleep overnight on a boat
*win a trivia competition

*try speed-dating
*do something completely selfless...and tell no one.
*meet mike holmgren
*attend the national cherry blossom festival in washington dc

*grow my own garden of vegetables
*join the "red hat society"
*ride a moped without crashing it
*learn how to play chess
*climb up the statue of liberty
*look fear in the face and say "i just don't care"

*talk to strangers more
*get something published (i was a research assistant in undergrad for one of my professors. early 2011 "cultural competence in sports medicine" by lorin cartwright and rene revis shingles was published. in that book (page xiii), you will find the acknowledgement for my contributions. although someday i would like to be published as a solo act... for now, this will do)
*shake hands with anderson cooper
*workout with bob harper
*complete a bikram yoga 30 day challenge
*send a message in a bottle
*donate blood
*learn how to fly fish
*attend (and survive) mardi gras (june 2011...i highlighted this, but haven't yet crossed it off... you see, i didn't attend a mardi gras, BUT i did spend 5 days in new orleans for my annual NATA conference with a bunch of my favorite ATCs. we partied like rockstars. it was out of control. it was legendary. and it kicked my butt. i'll probably need a few more of these "practice rounds" before i attempt mardi gras. baby steps, people... BABY. STEPS.)
*get my picture "fake" holding up the leaning tower of pisa
*make the front page of a newspaper
*have a better understanding of what people in the "business" world really do
*help 7 people cross something off their "list"
*write a letter to my best friends telling them what their friendship means to me
*find a unique, cute little travel mascot to take with me on all trips and photograph "him" next to touristy sites wherever i go (kind of like the traveling gnome)


and that's my list. for now...

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