A list of things before I die (a.k.a. my bucket list).

Bucket lists have always interested me. I’ve never really understood why they were called bucket lists, though.  I guess it’s because it’s things you wanna do before you kick the bucket??  Seems a little weird to me, but you know, English is pretty weird that way.  I’ve taken to calling them bucket lists now, though, because it’s what everyone else seems to know them as, and it’s just easier than explaining why you hate the name every time you use it.

Anyways, so I’ve had one made long before I knew what they were called, and even now, I continue to add to it.  I think I was nine years old when I first started writing down the list I’d been keeping in my head for as long as I could remember.  Some items have never changed (hug a panda, see the northern lights, learn to surf), while others have been added as soon as I discovered it was possible to do them or that they existed (swim with sharks, write a book, walk the Skywalk at the Grand Canyon).

Thankfully, I’ve crossed a few off my list: I’ve climbed a volcano, visited Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, camped at Bruce Peninsula National Park, climbed a pyramid (well, technically a ziggurat, but I’m not gonna be picky).

I figured I’d list a few here for you all, in case you need some inspiration.  Of course, there’s other, less photo-friendly items on my list, like write a novel, learn a new language, see a broadway play, spend the night in a haunted house, learn to drive standard, and visit all 50 states.  Plus, you know, ride a hot air balloon, swim with dolphins, go horseback riding, go paragliding, see the Sphinx…. you get the point, I’m sure.

I would love to see the Cristo Redentor and Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.	The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.  The animals aren't afraid of people!! Galapagos islands, Ecuador. I’d love to go and interact with the animals there. They’re not afraid of people!! Galapagos islands, Ecuador. I’d love to go and interact with the animals there. They’re not afraid of people!!
J.K. Rowling is my idol, and I'd love to meet her.	Machu Picchu has always been at the top of my list.
Hadrian's Wall, Northern England.	Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada.
The Festival of Lanterns in Thailand.  It looks like it'd be so beautiful to watch!!	Kid Cudi.  His lyrics are incredible, and I'd love to tell him how much I admire him and his honesty.
African Safari.  I think it'd be amazing!!  Hopefully one day it'll happen for me.	Angkor Wat in Cambodia.  I'd love to watch the sunrise.
Party in Rio de Janeiro for the Carnival.	The Great Wall of China.
Own a pair of Louboutins.  They're just so pretty!!	See the Northern Lights (aka Aurora Borealis).
Hug a panda!!	Skydive

So there you go.  I’m sure I’ll come up with others as time goes by, and hopefully I’ll get to knock some off my list soon.  I’m hoping that within the next year I can go horseback riding and maybe ziplining or skydiving.  I wanted to get cliff jumping out the of the way, but instead I jumped off a high ledge inside a cave, which I’m not sure counts as a cliff.  And next year, a trip for sure.  Maybe Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail??  Maybe Comic Con in San Diego??  Or maybe I’ll just buy a pair of Louboutin leather boots (and/or sparkly stilettos).  I’d so love that!!
What’s on your bucket list??

Blogging challenge: my desktop

7. Screenshot your desktop.  Explain it.

Well, this one is kinda boring, since I have Windows 8, which means that nothing really needs to be on my desktop.  I'll screenshot it anyways, though.

Okay, so as you can tell, I have two monitors, both of which are widescreen.  My background pictures change every five minutes from a folder where I've put in pictures of places I think are super pretty (which are labelled at the top) and pictures that have quotes that I like.

As for what's on there, well, there's two quotes in the sticky notes that I've heard recently, which are "Write every day.  Not every other day.  Not tomorrow.  Not after the party.  But before.  The more you write, the more comes out of you.  If you don't give inspiration an opportunity, it will never arrive," which Ethan Hawke said (wwll, wrote) in an answer during a Reddit AMA, and "It's better to write for yourself and have no audience and have no public than write for the public and have no self," which was said by Cyril Connolly.

There aren't too many programs, just a few shortcuts: Photoshop, Calibre (to read ebooks), Handbrake (to convert movies to iTunes format), iTunes, the LotR game I haven't played yet, Mozilla Thunderbird (for some volunteer work I was doing), and a few random folders.

This seems like a boring post, so I'll add a few of my favourite pictures out of all the backgrounds.   The two ink ones came as part of a theme I downloaded from Microsoft.  The other pictures I find mostly of Reddit's The SFW Porn Network, mainly the EarthPorn and CityPorn subreddits, as well as Trey Ratcliff's work, which he shares on his site here.  Then I add the location using Photoshop (I don't change anything else, I just got tired of having pics come up and wondering where it was) and add it to my Themes folder.  I've added the sources as best I can, but I wasn't able to find them all.  If anyone knows, please let me know so I can credit the photographer!!

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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Blogging challenge: communication

6. What is your preferred form of communication? 

Although I prefer face-to-face, I'd have to say that texts and chat (Facebook or Gmail) are probably the way I communicate the most.  I'm not sure when texting became the thing to do, but somehow, it did.  I have friends who I don't think I've EVER called, although I talk to them often.

I used to love being on the phone, at least with close friends and boyfriends.  I loved talking for hours about everything and nothing.  When I was younger, I'd even enjoy watching TV or playing a computer game while on the phone with someone, because it was almost like they were watching it or playing with you. 

And then, somehow, that stopped.  It became easier to text people instead of talking to them.  Even with my last boyfriend, who I dated for three years, I only texted or talked over Gchat with.  Seriously, I think I talked to him on the phone only a handful of times.  In three years!!

Craziness.

But nothing beats going out for dinner or coffee and catching up, venting, or plotting your world takeover.  I miss my epic coffee dates with Jess!!  Maybe I should do more to keep in touch and not lose contact with people.  And not just a message here and there that doesn't mean anything, but actual, meaningful contact.

I'll get on that.  And if you read this, feel free to call me (or text/message me, whatevs).  We'll do coffee, catch up!!

Blogging Challenge: De-stressing

5. How do you de-stress?

This one is fairly similar to the last blog challenge question, but I'll answer it anyways.

Well, considering I spend most of my life stressed out and in a somewhat freaking out mode, de-stressing doesn't come all that easy.  There are a few things I can do, however, that help me to calm down and just take a breath.

1. The beach and swimming.  Sadly, seeing as I live in Toronto, there is no ocean beach or even really nice, clean, swimable area nearby, so my favourite place is Sauble Beach.  At about 2 1/2 - 3 hours away (depending on traffic and how you drive), it's a beautiful place to go.

Panorama of Sauble Beach.

2. Organizing and decorating and cleaning.  Yes, I know it seems weird, but when I'm really stressed, cleaning my space helps.  It's like I'm metaphorically cleaning my head as I throw out garbage and make space around me and place everything where it should go in a neat and orderly fashion.  Usually, this is followed by me re-decorating or moving stuff around and putting new stuff up.

3. Reading. Unfortunately, this has been loosing its calming factor lately.  I get agitated and distracted much easier than I used to.  Although I did just start a new book (well, new to me) called The Baghdad Blogger by Salam Pax, which is pretty freaking interesting.  I've also started to read World War Z by Max Brooks, and I've got a copy of The Cuckoo's Calling by Roberth Galbraith (a.k.a. JK Rowling) waiting for me.

4. Driving.  Preferably by myself and for a fair distance, with music blasting and singing as loud as I can possibly sing.  Even better if this ends at a beach.  I also like driving adventures with friends, where we just go, without thought to where.  It leads to some pretty interesting places!!

5. Tobermory.  I definitely de-stress there. It's my favourite place in the world, and I'd go there any time, for however long, with whoever wants to see it.  Just hike to a nice spot and sit down and stare out at the lake.  It's a good feeling, especially if you've worked hard to hike to that spot.  And the water, regardless of how cold it is, is amazing.  Clear blue, it looks like you could be in the Caribbean.  Here's a few pics I took on the latest trip there for your viewing pleasure:

The view at Pebble Beach.

The view on the way to Cave Point, the highest point in the park.

Tom and Kacper enjoying the rocks (and waves) and Half Dump Log.

Kacper walking into the water at Half Dump Log.

That's all I can really think of.  Nothing lately has really been helping me calm down, as money and work and life have become an incredible weight on my shoulders.  The week in Tobermory helped, but now it's back to applying for jobs and getting my life back on track.