Looking up - A craft room gone crazy

I'm burned out.  I admit it.  I haven't had a real vacation (more than 3 days off in a row) since last June.  I know it may sound like I'm whining like a spoiled brat, but I need some time to just "be".  Of course, "being" for me is still fairly active.  BT (Before Troy), I had gotten into the habit of taking the week of Labor Day off of work.  It was great because I could get 9 days off in a row and it only cost me 4 days of vacation.  Besides, my birthday usually falls during that week.  Sweet!  I would use the week to finish/start projects around my house, sleep in, veg, work on any craft projects I had going, etc etc etc.  It was fabulous.

Since Troy came on the scene, my vacation days have been scheduled to make the most of motorcycle riding season and spending those vacation days on ACTUAL vacations.  Go figure!  While that has been wonderful, I've really been feeling like I'm neglecting my house.  A LOT!  For instance, I started laying tile in the basement right before I met him and that project STILL isn't finished.  We'll just say that was over 6 years ago.  YIKES!

So, I took the day off to make some headway at home.  My craft (aka JUNK room) is bulging at the seams and sending me to a not very nice place mentally, so it's time to get rid of some crap stuff.  I've been scouring the local thrift stores in search of containers to store my supplies and I've been pretty lucky in what I've found since most everything has to fit into a shelf I have from Ikea.

This morning I started the sorting and dejunking and so far I've rounded up 3 BIG boxes and 1 HUGE bag of stuff to donate and I feel MUCH better already, so things are definitely looking up!  The problems I'm having now are that I (1) have waaaaay to many interests and hobbies and (2) I am trying to fit too much furniture in what is essentially a fairly small bedroom.  So I need to find new homes for a bookshelf, a chair and my treadmill (maybe the treadmill should go somewhere I MIGHT actually use it, huh?).  I thought I was going to move the bookshelf to my back room, but I got rid of enough books that I don't need to use it back there.  Whew!

In the process of dejunking and reorganizing, I'm taking the time to label everything.  I just have to say how much I LOVE my labeler.  It's fantastic.  For those things where I want the labels to be a bit more decorative, I'm using my Cricut and my sewing machine.  Once I've finished them, I'll show you the old (1950s and older) suitcases I'm in the process of redoing to hold all of my extra photos.  I take a LOT of photos!

Stay tuned!

Fabulous Friday Finds - The Secret is in the Sauce

Recently I've been doing a bit of web searching and a few weeks ago I found "The Secret is in the Sauce". It's a website devoted to connecting women bloggers with one another each day. Every weekday they have a featured blogger who is Queen for the day. On a daily basis about 400 bloggers check in and check out the Blogger of the Day. It has been an amazing way to connect with women I might otherwise meet. It's even been a source of inspiration for me to keep getting my house (literally and figuratively in order).

So, if you've got a few minutes go over and check them out. I'm certain you will not be disappointed. You'll probably even find some new soulmates. I know I have.

In the meantime, I'd love your input. I'd like to be featured as a blogger of the day on their site at some point. In order to do so, I have to submit three of my best blog entries. I'm kind of partial to some of them, so probably not a very good judge as to what are my best. I'd love to have your input. I've listed some of my favorites below. Take a look and let me know which 3 you think I should submit. Thanks for your input and I truly thank you for reading my thoughts and helping to make me feel so loved.

1. My weight loss woes

2. Donate my hair to Lock of Love

3. Strawberry Picking

4. Goodbye Sisko

5. Sasha!

6. An organized craft room

7. My reduction surgery
follow-up on the surgery

8. My motorcycle win!

9. The physics of wind on a motorcycle

10. Why I love motorcycling

11. The voice of God

12. Nostalgia

Read 50 Books

1. "The Book of Illusions: A Novel" by Paul Auster, 1/14/2007

2. "Case Histories: A Novel" by Kate Atkinson, 2/20/2007

3. "The Firm" by John Grisham 06/20/2007

4. "How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions-and You Can Too" by Annie Duke 01/27/2008

5. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini 04/26/2008

6. "Sweet and Low: A Family Story" by Rich Cohen 06/07/2008

7. "90 Minutes in Heaven: An Inspiring Story of Life beyond Death" by Don Piper 06/07/2008

8. "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time" by Greg Mortinson and David Oliver Relin 07/13/2008

9. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert 07/23/2008

10. "Cane River (Oprah's Book Club)" by Lalita Tademy 07/28/2008

11. "Your Money Counts" by Howard L. Dayton, Jr 09/15/2008

12. "Flaming Iguanas: An Illustrated All-Girl Road Novel Thing" by Erika Lopez 10/15/2008

13. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel (Oprah Book Club #62)" by David Wroblewski 02/09/2009

14. "The Tale of the Unknown Island" by Jose Saramago 02/13/2009

15. "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister: A Novel" by Gregory Maguire 02/16/2009

16. "A Single Thread" by Marie Bostwick 02/22/2009

17. "The Man Who Planted Trees " by Jean Giono 02/23/2009

18. "Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness" by R. Thaler and C Sunstein - 03/11/2009

19. "Water for Elephants: A Novel" by Sara Gruen - 03/16/2009

20. "The Dogs of Babel: A Novel" by Carolyn Parkhurst - 03/20/2009

21. "Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest To Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass LookBig, Or Why Pie is Not The Answer" by Jen Lancaster - 03/24/2009

Books #16 and #17

#16. "A Single Thread" by Marie Bostwick - Cheesy, but a very quick read and it'll make you feel good.

#17. "The Man Who Planted Trees" by Jean Giono - Very short and sweet. It'll make YOU want to plant trees!

Tell them what we've got, Johnny!.....

...It's a BRAND NEW CAR!

Ok, so brand new may be a stretch, but it is a new car to me. I did it. I took the plunge. I went car shopping with my dad on Saturday, December 27th and had no intention of actually buying one, but the steering is starting to feel a bit wonky on my old one, so I thought maybe it was time to at least go look. I think I smelled desperation wafting over from the car dealer as we drove through the lot. He was practically salivating at the fact that there was actually one potential customer on the lot on the Saturday after Christmas. Needless to say, I was the only one there. Later on in the day, he actually had the kahones to say that, despite what the media was saying, their business was doing really well. (Insert crickets chirping here) Sure, mister! That's why you all are condensing your business from 3 lots down to 2. It's because business is really booming! Please.

Anyway, I was fairly proud of my negotiating skills. When I bought my first car 8 years ago, I didn't do any of the negotiating. I basically let my brother and dad do all the talking and when they were finished, I asked how much I owed and where to sign. This time I had done some research (thank you, Consumer Reports) and felt better educated about what cars were out there that were well made and would fit into my price range. Besides, I didn't HAVE to buy a car and I'm pretty sure he REALLY wanted to sell one.

It was interesting to see my dad's reaction when we were talking (just the two of us away from the sales people) and I said I would consider paying $X. He said, "With tax and everything?!?!" I said, "yep!"

It's a unique experience to see these sorts of negotiations from the stand-point of another generation. My parents are children of people who came of age during the Depression. My dad was laid off for much of the 80's due to poor economic times. My parents have, until recently, both worked at least 2 jobs EACH. They are the kind of people that aren't going to rock the boat. When I recently told my mom that, after doing some research, I felt like I was underpaid and that I had asked for a raise, I think she was simultaneously shocked and unnerved. I've been telling her for years that she is underpaid and that her company should show that they know her value by giving her more money. She simply shrugs it off and says things like, "In this economy, I'm just happy to have a job." In this economy I'm thrilled to have a job as well, but that doesn't mean that my skills are any less valuable.

I think for my dad, these negotiations brought him that same unnerved feeling. I think he thought I was crazy basically asking for the moon. I figure, I'm gonna start with the moon, if I only get the top of Mt. Everest, that's still pretty good. After all, as I said, I didn't HAVE to buy a car.

So, I negogiated and got pretty close to what I told him I would consider (with a few perks thrown in) and when we were all done, he said, "I think you got a really good deal." While I was seeking his approval in my decision, it was nice to know I had it.

Even though I didn't expect to actually get it crossed off the list before next July, every time I fire up that remote start and hop into a warm car on a cold Indiana morning, I'm thrilled to have a new car.

.....If anyone's interested, I have a car payment due January 26th. I haven't had one in over 5 years and I'm not enjoying the prospect of having one for the next 4 years. Ugh.

#91. Pick apples and make a cobbler (and recipe 5 of 6)

I've always loved fresh baked goods. My mom was always great at making them (sometimes to the detrement of our waistlines). So, what's a better way to welcome autumn than to get out and enjoy all that nature has to offer by picking some ripe, juicy apples? That's just what Troy and I decided to do on Saturday morning.

We hitched up the steeds (our motorcycles), checked the maps (actually my GPS), and heading for greener pastures (orchards) just southwest of Indianapolis in Mooresville, IN. The weather was simply perfect and we made sure to pack some bags to haul the fruit of our labors home. After all, not everyone sets out to pick apples on motorcycles. Actually, the orchard was quite busy and we were the ONLY ones to arrive on motorcycles. You should have seen the looks we received! :-)

After consulting with one of the men working there on what varieties of apples would make the best cobbler, we headed toward the Jonathons and Cortlands. I've never actually heard of Cortlands, but they are a VERY good apple which tended to be larger than the Jonathons.

We scanned the rows which were nicely labeled for ease, found what we were looking for and headed towards the trees further from the road as we assumed they would be less picked over. We were right and before we knew it had picked a peck (actually a 1/2 a bushel). It came in quite handy to have Troy around as he's much taller than me and some of the best apples were higher up on the trees.

When we had finished picking the apples and had packed them on the bikes, we decided to check out the little store that they had there. There were lots of already-picked apples for those less adventurous souls who weren't in the mood to check out the trees for themselves as well as pumpkins and baked goods. We decided that our hard work (not really) had earned us a bit of a treat. Troy opted for a water while I tried their apple cider slushy. We split a very cake-like elephant ear. YUM!

Armed with my apple booty, I set to make the apple cobbler. It was amazingly easy. Having never made one, I wasn't sure how difficult it would be, but I had no problems. The most time-consuming part was actually peeling and coring the apples. Luckily I have a great peeler and apple corer/cutter. With the right tools, it's a breeze. In less than an hour, I had a lovely apple cobbler. Since Troy doesn't like fruit (apples apparently taste like grass. Who knew?) and I don't need to eat a whole cobbler, I took it into work and shared. It got rave reviews and even enticed someone who never eats the "kitchen treats" to try a bit. She said it was amazing.

The only problem I have now is that I still have quite a few apples left. So far, I've made 2 cobblers (took the other one down to Troy's family), an apple crisp (to be enjoyed at my church meeting tonight) and given away 8 apples. I still have about 30 apples left, I think. Anyone have any good recipes or ideas?

If you'd like to try to make one of your own, here's the recipe. It's from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook or you can find it online here (http://www.bhg.com/recipe/desserts/cherry-cobbler/). I would double the topping next time. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
6 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened pitted tart red cherries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. For topping, in a medium bowl stir together flour, the 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, salt, and, if desired, cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.

2. For filling, in a large saucepan combine the cherries, the 1 cup sugar, and the cornstarch. Cook over medium heat until cherries juice out, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Keep filling hot.

3. In a small bowl stir together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just to moisten. Transfer hot filling to a 2-quart square baking dish. Using a spoon, immediately drop topping into six mounds on top of filling.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until topping is golden brown. If desired, serve warm with ice cream.

5. Makes 6 servings

6. Apple or Pear Cobbler: Prepare as above, except, for filling, cook and stir 6 cups sliced, cored, and peeled cooking apples or pears, 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until boiling, stirring occasionally once fruit begins to juice out; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes or until fruit is almost tender, stirring occasionally. Combine 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch; add to filling. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

#24. Drink no soda for 6 months

I successfully made it 6 months without drinking soda. It actually wasn't bad. I don't drink a lot anyway (maybe 1 at lunch 2 times a week and then 1 on the weekend with a meal), so it wasn't a struggle. What was difficult was ordering at restaurants (basically fast food). There aren't a whole lot of drink choices if you don't want something chocked full of sugar. I tried to stick to iced tea if they had it.

The worst part about the challenge was at my birthday party. There was a ton of soda to drink and I couldn't have any of it. That's what they made wine for though, right?

Ugh...so many things to blog. So little time.

I've recently been MIA from my blogging duties, but I haven't let the time pass me by without marking some things off of my list. In order to whet your appetite, here's a list of items that I will hopefully be blogging about and posting pictures of in the next few days: (In no particular order)

2008 Indiana State Fair

The Aerostich Very Boring Rally II

Spa day with my mom

My birthday and casino night birthday party

Completion of 6 months without soda

The Inaugural running of the Indianapolis MotoGP

In addition, this weekend Troy and I are gonna take a motorcycle ride to an orchard where we will pick apples and then I will go home and make an apple cobbler. Yet another item to cross off!

So, stay tuned and I hope to not disappoint.

Good News / Bad News

Good News: I went in and asked my boss for a raise. And I got it! After doing a bit of research, I realized that compared to other actuaries of my skill/experience, I was underpaid. That, combined with my mortgage going up $160 a month due to taxes, was motivation enough to go in and ask for what I deserve. After my boss did a bit of research around the company, he agreed. So, yeah for more money!

Bad News: That, of course, increases the amount that I need in order to fulfill the 9 months worth of savings item on my list.

That's ok. I can save a bit more now that the paycheck is a bit fatter. :-)

#28. Memorize the US Presidents

I did it! I can totally say all of the US Presidents (last names only - let's not get crazy) in order from (1) Washington to (43) Bush. I had been working on them for a while and pretty much had them all up until the McKinley at the beginning of the 20th centry. Then I could also do the end from Kennedy up until the current Bush. For some reason I had a mental block on those middle guys. They all kind of look the same to me. There's nothing that really distinguishes each of them from one another for me. I'm sure that for those presidential historians out there, that's probably blasphemous, but I'm no presidential historian (thank goodness!)

The last time I memorized the presidents, I was in middle school and there were only 40 presidents. I'm getting old!

So, here they are (I'm not looking at anything, I swear! In fact, the next time you see me, challenge me and I'll spew them all out from memory right in front of you. I dare you!):

1. Washington

2. Adams

3. Jefferson

4. Madison

5. Monroe

6. John Quincy Adams

7. Jackson

8. Van Buren

9. Harrison

10. Tyler

11. Polk

12. Taylor

13. Fillmore

14. Pierce

15. Buchanan

16. Lincoln

17. Johnson

18. Grant

19. Hayes

20. Garfield

21. Arthur

22. Cleveland

23. Harrison

24. Cleveland

25. McKinley

26. Roosevelt

27. Taft

28. Wilson

29. Harding

30. Coolidge

31. Hoover

32. Roosevelt

33. Truman

34. Eisenhower

35. Kennedy

36. Johnson

37. Nixon

38. Ford

39. Carter

40. Reagan

41. Bush

42. Clinton

43. Bush

Book #10 Completed

Book # 10 was "Cane River" by Lalita Tademy. I actually read this book about 10 years ago, but any time I'm asked for a book suggestion for a book club, this one seems to come up. I remember finishing it very quickly and feeling like I couldn't put it down. When the book club at church decided to take it up as our reading selection, I was afraid that my memory would have failed me and that it wouldn't be as good as I remember. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I loved it just as much this time as I did 10 years ago. I could barely put it down again. I NEEDED to find out what happened to these people! I cheered for their triumphs and cried at their misfortunes.

It's a little over 400 pages, and COMPLETELY worth the time if you have a chance to read it.

A 101 quandary

I am in a 101 quandary. I'm at a loss. I need your help.

What's the point of my 101 list? Is it simply something to keep me busy? Is it a way to stretch myself beyond my current boundaries? Is it a way to feel like I've accomplished something in a society that tells me that without fulfilling the roles of wife and mother I don't really count? Is it a way to suck the marrow out of life? It's probably a mixture of all of these at some level.

But here's where my quandary comes in. I have just 355 days left of my original 1001 and, without the intervention of a miracle from God or a rich uncle to wipe away my credit card debts, fill my 401(k) and buy me a new car, there are just certain things on my list that I am NOT going to be able to finish by July 15, 2009. Then there's the problem that I've created by creating my NEXT 101 list, which is to start July 16, 2009 (no rest for the wicked, you know). There are things on that list that I would like to do now. For instance, I would like to (#79 on the new list) buy an odometer for my bicycle so that I could know how far I bike in a week, etc. Troy suggested that I swap something from my current list to the new list, but that sort of feels like cheating. On the other hand, if these lists are sort of a way to live life to the fullest and to do those things that will challenge me, make me happy, give me a sense of fulfillment, should I really put it off simply because it's not the official starting date?

So, this is where you come in. I've added a poll to the blog and I would love to know what you think. Perhaps I'll even let majority rule! Let me know what you think, folks!

Book # 9 Complete

I've finished book # 9 of 50: "Eat, Pray, Love". Amazing. I completely love this book and could relate to it in so many ways. I don't often reread a book, but this is one I think I may need to revisit about once a year.

I HIGHLY recommend it!

Book #8 of 50 completed

I've finished book number 8 of the 50 the I need to read for this list. The 8th selection was "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortinson and David Oliver Relin. It's a true story about a man who is building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The schools are especially built in very poor areas of the country and with the goal in mind that girls should be educated. It's a great story and an even better cause.

Books #9 and #10 (currently being read): "Eat, Pray, Love" (341 pages) and "Cane River" (500+ pages).

I may need to switch to some Dr. Seuss books for their brevity!

Perhaps THIS wasn't the best time to try to get that 401k to grow.

I'm not sure if any of you check the items on the 101 list that are currently in progress. I put them at the top so they are easy for me to update. If you HAVE been watching, you've seen that the progress I've made towards having $XXX,XXX in my 401(K) has been going the WRONG direction. This isn't because I've foolishly been dipping into it to feed my wild lifestyle (HA!). It's simply because it has been losing money. I'm sure many of you are in the same boat.

At first, I wasn't terribly bothered by the dip in my balance. I kept reassuring myself that I was buying those stocks On SALE every time my contribution hit my account. In fact, I even upped my contribution %. I thought, "They're on sale! I should stock up!"

Let just say that my enthusiasm for this line of thought has wained considerably. Despite raising my contribution level, I have "lost" over 10% of my account value since the beginning of the year. That means that, despite having put about 15% of my pay into my account since the beginning of the year, my actual account balance is only VERY slightly above what it was on January 1, 2008.

Now many of you, myself included at times, will say that I haven't actually lost anything. I still own all of those stocks. I don't think that really counts when they aren't worth as much and the value keeps dropping every day.

All of this is to say that perhaps trying to get to a certain dollar amount by July 15, 2009 may be out of my grasp. When I made the goal, I had to earn a tiny .023% of my account balance each day or 8.7% annually. Because of my losses over the last 9 months or so, that amount has grown to 23%. Now come on, people! Is that really going to happen? After all, I don't think we're in the Clinton administration anymore, Toto.

#71. Take a cooking class with Troy

On Saturday, June 28th, 2008, Troy and I participated in a cooking class at the Chef's Academy. They are a full-time culinary school, but also offer classes to the community on several weekends throughout the summer. The cost for the class was $75 each and our topic for the day was tapas, which are, essentially, spanish appetizers.

Tapas got their start as simply a slice of bread or cracker used to cover a glass of wine or sherry in order to keep flies out of it. Over time, the bars where these drinks were served started to put morsels of food on top of the bread or cracker. Bars were soon competing with one another for patronage based on how good their tapas were. The better the tapas, the more customers they might entice. It is now customary in Spain for at least one tapa to be served when a drink is ordered as a matter of course.

For our cooking experience, there were 19 participants in the class and the chef divided us up by table and together, the 4 tables prepared 4 different dishes. Our table (with 5 participants) was in charge of preparing a seafood, chicken and chorizo sausage paella. It's a good thing we had some many at our table because many hands made for very light work.

The Paella Posse, as we like to be called, consisted of (from left to right): Dana, Mark, JB, myself and Troy. There was quite a bit of cutting that needed to be done. Troy tackled the chicken, which consisted of dicing up 24 chicken thighs. He did a great job! Dana and JB then took on the peeling and deveining of the shrimp while Mark and I started to dice up the vegetables (red peppers, green peppers, onions, green onions and parsley). In no time flat, the prep work was done and Dana was starting to throw everything in the pot to cook. The only thing we didn't do was saute the chicken before adding it into the pot. The only thing it was missing was a but of a crunch that the sauteing might have given it. Apparently it didn't matter since the chef said it was excellent.

The class started at 10:00 with a bit of a lesson on the history and culture of Spain, then we cooked. So, by the time 12:30 rolled around, we were ready to eat and taste a bit of wine (which was also included with the class). The first dish we enjoyed was a tortilla. A tortilla in Spain in almost like an omelet. It was egg and potatoes served with an aiolli, which is a spicy sauce in the mayonaise family. It was simply delicious! The second dish and third dishes were served together. They were 1) a grilled portabello mushroom topped with goat cheese and red pepper and 2) mussels prepared with ham and tomatoes. Troy had never had mussels, but he claimed to like them. I thought they were quite yummy and when there were leftovers of everything else left to take home, there definitely WEREN'T any mussels left on our plate. I had polished them off!

Finally was our paella dish. It was a really great, hearty way to finish. All of the meats, seafood, vegetables and rice were cooked to perfection. The chefs even commented several times that it was really good!

We had a great time and are even considering taking another class in the fall! In addition, I got to count this as one of my new recipes (#3 of 6 - See 101 List item #98).

#101. Make another 101 List

I know it's probably a bit premature to have compiled a new 101 List seeing as how 1) the current list is only 26.7% completed and 2) there are still 449 days until the next list is set to begin. However, I'm in the mood to get some things crossed off of the current list (this is #27 completed) and I keep thinking of things that I want to add to the next list. I'm afraid I will forget them, so I just decided to go ahead and get this one out of the way.

The irony is that I'm very excited about this new list. I don't think the first list was all that difficult to compile, but this one was somehow even easier. I think I probably could have come up with 200 things to do/see/experience in the 2 3/4 years that start July 16, 2008! I've been pondering why that is.

Recently I had a conversation with someone who was somewhat fascinated by my list and the concept behind it. They asked me what percent of the items I would need to complete in order to be happy with it. For once, I think that's not the point of this exercise for me. I'm a list checker. I love to cross things off of lists when they are completed. I won't say that I've turned over a new leaf or changed completely, but I will say that this 101 list is more about the journey than the destination right now. Yes, I want to complete items, but not just so that I can cross them off my list. I want the EXPERIENCE that each item represents. It's so wonderful to be able to look back at the items that have been completed already and remember how out of sorts I felt at the Bingo hall or how overwhelming it felt to complete workout #10 and know that there were 490 ahead of me.

I realize that there are 74 items left on my list and that I most likely won't complete them all, but I can't wait to see what adventures trying brings me.

For now, I concentrate on the current list of 101, but I know that a new list awaits all prepared out on the horizon.

For those of you (you lone 2 or 3 souls) who are interested in knowing what's on the new list, I'm not going to give away all my secrets, but I'll make a one time offer. If you want to know one of the items, simply leave me a post and tell me a number between 1 and 101. I'll then let you know what the adventure for that item number is. The limit is one number per person.

I can't wait to spill the beans!

#65. Enter a Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament

I guess, technically, since I entered a Texas Hold'em Tournament scheduled for May 2/3, 2008, I completed this task, but I'm pretty sure I meant that I had to actually compete in it as well.

Since I paid $135 for the privilege, I should at least give it a shot. The top prize is $10,000 or a seat at the World Series of Poker. Should I get that far, I would most definitely take the money and run! With 400 - 500 participants expected, my chances of taking home that top prize (or any of the top 15 prizes) looks like it's slim to none.

Here's hoping my luck gets better than it has been in the home game lately. I'll keep you posted. Wish me luck! (Because I'd rather be lucky than good any day!)

One Month Soda-Free

As of today, April 16, 2008, I have been one month soda-free. How is it? It's actually not that bad. I was never a huge imbiber of carbonated beverages to begin with, so perhaps it would be tougher for someone who was kicking a Big-Gulp-a-day habit. I usually only had maybe 5 sodas a week and they were always diet sodas at that. I would usually have a company-provided diet coke with my lunch 3 days or so a week and then perhaps one on Friday evening with whatever bad-for-me dinner I was having. Then usually one on Saturday if we went out to eat or something.

Most of the time, I actually drink water or juice or tea. I'm not sure if those are any better for me given the sugar content in most fruit juices, but I'm gonna stick with this thing.

In the beginning, as with any addiction, I imagine, it was a lot more difficult. I think it was more of a habit than anything. I would usually just grab one from the fridge here at work while I heated up my lunch in the microwave. Then there's the draw of certain foods. Somehow water with pizza or spaghetti just doesn't seem to work for me. Alas, I have succeeded so far anyway.

1 month down, 5 more to go.

#41. Visit the Indianapolis Museum of Art

The Indianapolis Museum of Art, located 4000 Michigan Road in Indianapolis, IN is truly a treasure! Imagine great works of emotion and inspiration, history and human struggle all gathered together in one place! The best part is that, instead of locking it all up from the fumbling, child-like hands of the grimy masses, it is all there for us to see and enjoy and study and smother ourselves in ....for free! How amazing is that?

Since I last visited the museum (circa 2000 or so), lots of changes have been made. There is an amazing installation of speakers in the lobby. They are strung up on colorful wires and play a nearly inaudible symphony of human voices. The artist asked 37 people to softly say things that they might whisper into the ear of a loved one. The result is a haunting lullaby. It is an astounding marriage of technology and humanity.

Since the weather outside was less than hospitable for our desired activity of motorcycling to an annual event in Illinois, our decision to visit the museum was made after a leisurely morning full of a busy schedule of loafing around. Consequently, we didn't make it to the museum until about 2:20 and they were closing at 5. With as many great items to view as the museum has, we will definitely budget our time a bit better next time.

We didn't really have a plan of attack, so we just started at the beginning (I think). We chose the first floor and, specifically, the European artists. In the main entrance of the first floor gallery was a collection of sculpture studies by Rodin (of The Thinker fame). The collection of sculptures was from The Gates of Hell, which was a massive sculptural piece he worked on for much of his life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodin#The_Gates_of_Hell

Some of my favorite pieces were from the Art Deco and Art Nuveau sections of the museum. They have a flowing, feminine quality to them and display an amazing combination of form and function. Okay, sometimes form takes over function, but they are pieces in an art museum!

The section on porcelain was simply astounding. It is a clay that is so fine, it can be made into objects that are nearly paper-thin and quite fragile. The ornate vases were quite a site to behold, as was the history on porcelain itself. Because the ingredients weren't readily available in Europe, as they were in Asia where most of the pieces originated, the Europeans had to basically reverse engineer it into its component pieces. This was all done in an effort to make it more economical for people to own.

If you've an afternoon free, I would highly recommend a visit to our amazing IMA. If you don't, you should definitely make the time!