Awkwardly Social

When I told Mr. F I wanted to go to a Dodger game, it was partly to cross off another item on my 101 in 1001 list. When he seemed totally excited to go and started talking about Manny Rodriguez*, I got a little worried. I mean, I just wanted to go and eat a hot dog and hear the crack of the bat, and he was talking about actual players and Joe Torre and how in the hell did I start dating someone who actually enjoys baseball, and was he going to start listing stats and make me pay attention at the game and how would that be any fun?

Then I remembered that his son plays professional baseball in Europe and I calmed down. I mean, it’s not like he’s some kind of sports freak, or maybe he was! Maybe he pushed his son like crazy to be a baseball player and his son, just to please him, kept playing, and then when he couldn’t take it anymore he moved to Europe and that’s when Mr. F followed him out there and told him he had to be a baseball player no matter what!

Actually, I didn’t think any of that. I mostly thought about hot dogs. And how many I could eat without feeling really guilty. The answer was high. And, maybe I was too, but more likely I was drunk. So I flat out asked him, “Do you like, LOVE baseball, or… Because I just sort of want to be at the ball park. I like the atmosphere and hot dogs and my grandpa watched baseball…” And then he stopped me and said, “Look, man,” sometimes he calls me man, “I just love the inherent drama. Also Manny used to live at the Ritz in Boston, which I dig.” And so I breathed a sigh of relief and told him that we should get tickets, thinking one Saturday in late summer we’d catch a few innings from the nose bleeds, eat a dog (or seven!), drink a beer (or 3 vodka tonics!) and be done with it.

A few weeks later he said he got us tickets. Good tickets. Enviable tickets. For a night game. And there were four of them. So we invited the newlyweds and set out for a game at field level, third base line, free food, and interesting insight on one of your friends (Ands’ has a favorite re-up, who was sent back to the minors and then got asked back to the Big Show, his name is Somebody Dewitt.) (His first name is not “Somebody.”) (His last name might not be Dewitt.)

There is something so magical about a baseball diamond. I know, I know! Baseball is boring! I agree. Wholeheartedly. But when you’re at field level and you can see Manny walking by and the crowd does the wave and people all sing the ball game song, and there are free Dodger dogs, you kind of overlook the fact that not a lot seems to be happening. And then after two vodka tonics and some peanuts and a serious moment of celebrity stalking, you realize that a lot is happening. And after that a bat breaks, our re-up hits a homer and the Dodgers win!

I am so glad I put this on my 101 in 1001 list. Even if I checked it off a month too late.

*His last name is Ramirez.  I’m a dork.

I finally finished that stupid script that’s been hanging over my head for the past… 7 months? It doesn’t seem like I started it that long ago, but yeah, I think it’s been about that long. It’s still a pretty rough first draft, and it needs to go into a Beautiful Mind vision wall phase - something I’ve been dying to do with a script (any script) for a while, where I make a crazy wall out of the shit that needs to happen and I circle things and put pictures up and I get to drink a lot, but I’ve never been excited enough about my material - so if you come to my apartment (not likely, I don’t let anyone come over because I’m a dork and when people pop by I only meet them outside) in the next month or two be prepared to face the crazy.

In all honesty, I hope it’s not as bad as I think it is - especially since Tara has to read it… poor thing.

Extra Dirty Vodka Martini for me tonight! Yippee!

I was watching a Tivo’d episode of Martha this morning and she was talking about the importance of Sunday dinner. It must be something to do with church (her guest was Donny Osmond) and the gathering together of family that makes it important. Louie and I are only two people, but there is something about preparing a big, well-planned, hearty meal for Sunday dinner despite the fact that the actual day is kind of arbitrary.

On my 101 in 1001 list I have the ridiculous item # 55, which is to cook dinner seven days in a row with side dishes and everything. Since I work full time, I don’t really have the time to do the seven days in a row thing. I think I’m going to try and alter that to - cook seven Sunday Dinners in a row, with side dishes and everything. We’ll see how that goes in the coming weeks, but for tonight, I’m cooking Pork Roast (in the slow cooker my sister and brother-in-law gave me for Christmas) using this recipe from Apartment Therapy: Kitchen, mashed potatoes using the Mark Bittman How to Cook Everything recipe, and green beans (also from the Bittman book). If I had my druthers I would do a dessert as well, but I think it’s enough to start with a main course and sides.

When I was making my grocery list, I went over the menu with Louie. I asked him if he liked pork. He wasn’t really sure. He said he didn’t eat a lot of pork. I asked if that was because he didn’t like it, but it seems that he just hasn’t really had it. Later as I was unpacking the groceries and starting the roast he asked me if pork and lamb were the same. Awww… cute. I told him that pork comes from a pig and lamb comes from a sheep. Boys are adorable.

I know it’s ridiculously old fashioned and seemingly anti-feminist for the woman in the relationship to do the cooking. But for me it’s something I enjoy doing. I love that Louie will try anything I make and he’ll honestly assess the results. I love that he really hasn’t had much exposure to home cooked meals, so it’s kind of a novelty to him. And I really like the challenge of making something I’ve never made before. It’s all really satisfying. I guess if it was my ‘duty’ or expected of me I’d feel differently, but since it’s an appreciated aspect of our relationship, I really love doing it. Also, I drink while I’m cooking. So… there’s that.

Happy Sunday.

As part of my ongoing quest to listen to more music in the apartment (it’s checked off the 101 in 1001 list) I try to sift through the ginormous iTunes library on my computer and find songs I either have never listened to, or that I haven’t listened to in months. For the 2 of you who have never seen the iTunes interface, it gives you basic information, including number of times the song has played, and the most recent date on which it played. It also tells you how much music you have on your computer. Right now my computer is sitting pretty with 11 days, 2 hours, 24 minutes and 26 seconds of music. That’s slightly inflated because I have some Spanish Language programs and a few books on tape on there. (The Spanish Language programs… man, I need to get on that. Or just go ahead and learn Chinese before they invade. I guess with that logic I need to get me some alien tapes up in here. Anyone loan me their Klingon. Ooooo. I’m a nerd.)

The annoying part about this iTunes version I have and the ancient iPod I have, is that they don’t talk to each other. My iPod says I’ve played “Fame” by Irene Cara (shut up, it’s good to running music) 38 times, while iTunes isn’t so honest and says I have never once played it. Which makes the A student in me want to get the credit I deserve. I’ve tried to manually update the number of times played in iTunes, but it wouldn’t let me. Also, it felt a little like sneaking into the grade book and changing my grades. The iPod shuffle does update the iTunes interface, which is good because if I die, I want the world to know that not only is Britney Spears in the top 10 most played songs 4 times (she has good beats… shut up) but so is a classical guitarist named Vehkavarra. (Ok, fine, he’s in the top 15, but still!)

I’m not really sure why I care that I’ve never played the Paul Simon that I have on there, or even the Peter Frampton (which I really should delete, stupid Frampton). But I really hate seeing songs on there that I haven’t ever listened to. Songs I actually like (Frampton, not included in that, he’s just an example. No really. My dad gave me that. oh nevermind.) It’s even worse that Pat Benatar is just kind of sitting there, not listened to for 3 years! How is that possible? Especially since it appears I’ve played the hell out of Sean Paul.

Sometimes I put it on Party Shuffle and let the cards fall as they may, but that usually gives me a little too much Mozart and not enough Carly Simon. A little too much Spanish for Beginners (which would be an awesome J-Lo album title… hm… don’t tell her) and not enough Buena Vista Social Club. I’ve tried doing playlists, but in addition to being obsessive compulsive I also have a bit of crow in me. I see something shiny and the next thing you know I’m watching dumb videos on You Tube or trying to find a history of the New York subway system on line, and by the time I get back to iTunes I’ve forgotten what I was doing and a year later I’ll open a playlist I named something like “Awesome Songs I Should Always Be Listening To,” and it’ll have like a Sinead O’Connor song and maybe Cat Stevens. Cat Stevens, by the way, is someone you should always be listening to, what a songster.

Right now I’m listening to Simon & Garfunkel’s Concert in Central Park album and it’s… good, but there a couple of songs that (Old Friends) kind of make me think they could have left them out of the concert. Can you believe that I had never listened to it before on this computer? I can’t. I used to think I was a hippie in high school and this and Peter, Paul and Mary were like my discoveries. I used to think I was so damned original for listening to old music. That’s what I get for growing up in a small town, I didn’t know that people actually listened to hippie music anymore. From where I sat, it was all Classic Rock (man, CCR, I still love that band) and country (which kind of explains why I have a few Little Texas and Reba McIntyre songs in the library. oh, shut up.) and I was leading a musical revolution. I guess I was in my own mind.

Oh. Final song, Sound of Silence. This live version of it irritates me for some reason, I guess because the stupid crowd gets really LOUD during it. It’s the Sound of Silence, bitches. Respect. Fucking New Yorkers.

Thanks for all the support ladies and gents, it means a lot.  I finished the LA Marathon and I actually am feeling good enough and crazy enough to consider doing it again.

I’ll have a full post about it later after I compose my thoughts on the subject, but I wanted to especially thank my boyfriend Louie for being awesome - he drove me to the marathon, met me at mile 19 (with more awesome friends, who will be thanked in a moment) and he picked me up - then he rubbed my foot and made sure I wasn’t dead after I started feeling a little crappy.  I love that man.

I also want to thank Waller, Catherine, Melissa, and Tara for coming out on Mile 19.  It was so amazing to see them there cheering for me.  I’m getting a little choked up thinking about it.  If nothing else, marathoning is very emotional.

Eric, Dave, Karma and Joe met me at the marathon.  Eric and Dave have run 8 marathons, this was their ninth, it was really cool having them start with me, giving me pointers.  Karma and I crossed the finish together, we had been seeing each other here and there on the course, and I’m glad we got to finish together.  It made me want to train with a group for the next one.  I was going to celebrate afterwards with chicken and waffles, but started to feel really nauseated and my head was killing me, probably from the cliff bar and dehydration, so I bailed and went home, took a shower and went to sleep.  But I wanted to thank them because they really made this experience that much better.

I never imagined in a million years that I would run a marathon.  More to come.

This weekend was too busy. And when I tell you what I did, don’t scoff and say that’s nothing, you did hardly anything, because scoffing is mean.

1. Ran 4 miles
2. Ran 8 miles
3. Went out for breakfast.
4. Rode the Ferris Wheel at the Santa Monica Pier. (#53 on the 101 in 1001 list. Not as scary as it looks.)
5. Went to an art show. (which was terrible)
6. Had dinner at a friends house, played guitar hero and got a bit tipsy.
7. Worried about the marathon.

See. I didn’t do that much. But Monday morning hit me hard, right in the stomach. Does this mean I’m boring?

Shut up. Who asked you?

Louie asked me this weekend what kind of stuff I’ve been writing for The Artist’s Way. (A book my friend Jen calls a freaky cult book that should be avoided at all costs.) I kind of wiggled uncomfortably in my seat, sighed and looked out the window. I was trapped. In the car. Far away from my freaky cult book. Was this some kind of intervention? A prelude to a harsher set of questions?

me: um, you know. I’m just. It’s morning pages. Which is like a journal. Sort of a way to clear my head and make the page a safe place to put anything.

[My cult leader would be so proud of that answer! Artfully dodging yet still saying something that sounds like I’m actually saying something]

Louie: I thought you were going to say I had to buy the book or something.

[shit. he’s totally on to me! I was going to tell me he should read it if he wanted to understand it! stay cool.]

me: ha. hahaha. no. Nothing like that. Just clearing my head. Page is a safe place. Routine. You know, that kind of thing.

[and doing excersizes wherein I have to list people who are supportive and those who are not. I’m encouraged to excise the ones who aren’t from my life…]

Louie: Well. Good.

[Phew. Louie still technically supportive. Highly suspicious but supportive. He gets to stay. For now.]

I’m in Week 4 of this dumb book. I think this is the farthest I’ve gotten before and the exact week I quit. I know that because this week I’m supposed to go on a “Reading hiatus.” That is, I cannot read anything. Nada. Zilch.

I find this stupid. My cult leader tells me, of course someone who is addicted to words will find this stupid. But seriously, there are things that are attached to my paycheck that require me to read. Here’s where the cult leader actually told me to procrastinate. It’s some sort of weird trick.

Anyway, I’m going to do it, because when you are in a cult you do what your leader tells you to do, even if it involves drinking Koolaid or killing oneself while wearing a dorky purple robe. You just do it. That means I won’t be reading blogs or comments or books or magazines or news stories. Basically, everything won’t be read. Except stuff that gives me my paycheck.

Also, I’m taking the week off of blogging to get some screenwriting done.

My reading blackout week ends on Christmas Day. I’ll be voraciously checking up on your lives and I can’t think of a better Christmas present than that.

Happy Holidays! XOXOXO

This weekend Louie was kind enough to drive me all over Los Feliz in an attempt to find a 5 mile route that didn’t involve me having to run uphill both ways. Don’t laugh. There was a route that was like that… and it was snowing, and there were bears! So I treated him to a Tail O’ the Pup hot dog, and knocked #43 off the list. Tail O’ the Pup doesn’t have the flash of Pink’s. But it is a good dog at a good price with no mile long line.

Which brings me to another list. THE LIST OF THINGS LOUIE’S NOT ALLOWED TO DO! EVER! Which is a thing that I thought up because when a girl goes off cigarettes, she also goes out of her mind. Louie was unable to remember an item on the list and I told him I was going to publish the list on the internet so that he would always know where to find it. Then he said he’d break up with me if I did that…so here’s the list!

Just kidding. I don’t want him to break up with me over things like, “Remember every word I’ve ever said or typed, and do not dare ask me to repeat myself. GOD!” As you can see, it’s probably better you don’t see the things I’ve screamed at Louie over the past couple of days. I mean, except for the one I just wrote. I hope he doesn’t break up with me over this.

We had a 507 dinner last night, which means my film school friends were subjected to, how do I put this nicely, me. It always surprises me when people I haven’t seen in a while know exactly what I’m up to, and when I get that confused look in my eye they only have to say one word. So I don’t get to tell them about myself only about the other things I do that don’t involve me, which is a very short list and so… now I’m boring at parties. Well, more boring. Amazingly enough, a lot of the people there had not only run the LA Marathon, but a couple of people have run it multiple times. Film school attracts some fucked up people with a mission to kill themselves by any means possible (myself included). Also, they ask about my uterus. Which is a perfect segue into my current question, “What the fuck is going on with my girl parts?” It’s like my uterus heard all the talking about it, and felt like it had to deliver a story, so… it did.

My period… started EARLY! What the? I know. I don’t know. I’m not amused, Uterus. NOT AMUSED! I will publish a list of shit you are not allowed to do on the internet! TITLED: SHIT MY UTERUS IS NOT ALLOWED TO DO! And you won’t get to break up with me because of it, because HA! You’re stuck with me, BITCH!

So. Have a pleasant Monday.

Also. I ate so much meat on Friday, I think my blood is pure iron now.

All the cool kids did this back in the day, and I love lists, especially when I get to cross things off of them.

Here’s the deal:

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).

1001 days from now is August 7, 2008. As I complete them, they’ll be put in bold, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get a little story or a photo to go with it.

1. Run a marathon. (completed 3/19/06) Ran the LA Marathon. You can read about it here, here or here.
2. Take a Spanish class.
3. Take a photography class.
4. Take a dark room class.
5. Visit Europe again.
6. Visit Belize.
7. Visit Wine Country.
8. Get a professional massage. (Completed 7/23/08 - I have a very generous boyfriend.)
9. Read all the books on the Modern Library’s 100 Greatest Novels List. (ha!) (24 down, 76 to go, as of 10/27/07)
10. Read 20 of the books on the Modern Library’s 100 Greatest Non-Fiction Books List.
    1. The Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas
    2. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
    3. Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
    4. Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
    5. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
    6. Black Boy by Richard Wright
    7. The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein
    8. Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington
    9. Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster
    10. The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois
    11. The Autobiography of Mark Twain by Mark Twain.
11. Write another screenplay. (Completed 8/16/07) My “Here We Are Now” script, it’s a rough first draft, but the material is all there. A quick (ha) re-write and I’m golden.
12. Finish the Robin screenplay.
13. Finish the Mining script.
14. Write a short story.
15. And submit it to 5 places for publishing.
16. Get my teeth cleaned.
17. Quit smoking. (Ongoing) I feel like this is done, but you never know, it might become un-bold someday. Fingers crossed, it doesn’t!
18. Pay off at least one credit card.
19. Take swimming lessons.
20. Buy a piece of furniture that is not used, and does not require assembly. (I’d really love a beautiful dresser.)
21. Take a Yoga Class.
22. Listen to music in the apartment more. (Ongoing-6/18/06) I think this can be checked off. Louie and I listen to music a lot now, he always has something playing on his computer, and if it’s something I can’t really hear or don’t like I put in my head phones and rock out to pop music.
23. Go to another stand-up comedy show. (Completed 5/22/06) I kind of thought I was never going to be able to check this one off the list, even though it’s a relatively ‘easy’ one in theory. The big problem is, the comedians you know, and have heard of are super expensive to see. The comedians you haven’t heard of… kind of hard to take a risk and spend a night not laughing, or pity laughing. Waller’s sister is a comedian and she put on a show with some of her New York transplant comedian friends, and a good time was had by all. Except I accidentally heckled one guy. And then Louie heckled him. I feel bad, but not that bad. ‘Cause I don’t really know him.
24. Have brunch at the Scientology Celebrity Center (and do not convert). (Completed 1/21/07) This was a lovely way to spend my birthday. I cannot wait to get the photos developed. The interior where we had our brunch had gorgeous dappled light, beautiful greenery and just a luscious feel. The food was passable, but the company was amazing. It was a great day.
25. Do laundry once a week for a month in a row. (Without complaining). (Completed 12/22/05) So nice having clean laundry and not having to lug 80 lbs of it up and downstairs when I’ve waited two months to do it.
26. Get my CA driver’s license. (Completed 12/8/06) I honestly don’t know why this took me so long, except for my extreme fear of government institutions. I had to take a written test and I’m happy to say I got a 100%. Because I rock. I am now a registered voter, and on the ‘jury duty’ radar.
27. Buy a photo album each year. (2005-check, 2006-check, 2007-check) (Complete 8/22/07) I’m considering this done. I actually purchased the 2005, 2006 photo albums, ones that you can hold in your hands. And for 2007, since I never have people sitting around looking at photo albums, I bought myself a pro Flickr account.
28. Fill it with pictures I’ve taken (even if they’re printed from my computer). (2005-check) (Completed 8/22/07) I’m also considering this done, even though I’m not printing photos anymore. I’m organizing my stuff on my Flickr page and occasionally if there’s a shot I really love I’ll print it to go on the wall, but I just don’t have the time or the space to load up on photo albums, and like I said above, no one looks at them anyway.
29. Re-visit Washington DC
30. Re-connect with Sara M.
31. Sell CD’s that have been sitting on my bedroom floor for a year. (Completed 4/31/06) Allie, Megan and I had a garage sale. I unloaded so many CDs I was giddy. I came home with $92.00 dollars after cleaning out my closets and under my bed and letting the garage salers rifle through my used belongings. So liberating. I’m taking the rest of the CDs to the Public Library tomorrow.
32. Donate CD’s that ‘they’ won’t buy to the Public Library. (Completed 5/6/06) Such a relief to get these out of the hallway, my car and my life. Very big load off my tired shoulders. Downside? I discovered a disgusting moldy spot in the backseat of my car where I spilled a full Grande Cafe Au Lait. I’m repulsed by myself.
33. Volunteer at the library at least once.
34. Adopt a puppy/adult dog. (Completed 3/24/07) I seriously didn’t believe this would ever happen. Lula is a great dog, and I’m so glad I found her.
35. Train adopted dog in the Koehler method.
36. Figure out my ROTH IRA. Where is it? Who’s my guy? Can I transfer it? I did this, signed up for online statements, figured out how to invest, etc. And… have yet to do any more investing. Someday I’ll have a real and true savings plan. Some. Day.
37. Figure out a way to organize my mail, bills and possessions. I’m thinking a whole organization plan is in order. (Completed 10/28/06) I’m considering this done. I have a basket for the mail, that still remains mostly unopened because it’s usually junk, but I know exactly where to find it. I have been using Quicken for 2 months now and I have a calendar that also reminds me to pay bills. My possessions are mostly organized, I’m still really messy, but I know which pile things are in now. It’s really quite satisfying.
38. Create a database that details my books, CDs, movies, etc. Finish my production notebook for my movie so I can get my damned diploma.
39. Create a database of books read and movies watched. (Completed 3/4/07) My reading lists can be found here, and my movie list here.
40. Visit the Getty. (Completed 3/10/07) My mom is in town this weekend and I usually struggle for things to do with her while she’s in town. (We’re cut from the very same picky cloth.) She had never been to the Getty and she likes to ‘cultural things’ so, I killed two birds with one stone. I love the architecture of the the place, but the exhibits were a bit lacking in breadth. I’m not a very good ‘museum goer’ as I tend to be a little irreverent about the work, but I think that is part of the fun, figuring out what you like, what makes you uncomfortable and what you think is plain crap hanging on a wall.
41. Visit the MOCA (Completed 1/13/07) I dragged Allie along with me to see the SKIN + BONES exhibit, and actually enjoyed it. It’s about the intersection of fashion and architecture and how they feed each other. I was dreading this one, but it was really quite nice.
42. Find and Buy a pair of designer jeans that fit me, and don’t make me look like a lard ass. (Completed 12/31/07) I got a pair of MNG jeans by Mango, not technically the high end designer I was thinking of, but I love them and they give me great ass. I’m calling this complete.
43. Eat a hot dog at Tail o the Pup before it closes down later this month. (Completed 11/13/05)
44. Learn to knit.
45. Learn to quilt. (Completed 10/21/06) I’m considering this completed. Obviously I haven’t mastered quilting yet, but I’m actually not sure I have the time or patience or even desire to keep this up. Which might mean I will never finish the next item. We shall see, shan’t we.
46. Make a quilt. (Completed 10/26/07) I’m calling this done. I only put one block together and I didn’t back it or anything, but I seriously will never do anything more quilty than that. Cheating? Sliding by? Sort of, but I don’t care.
47. Buy a guitar.
48. Learn to play it.
49. Play it by a campfire, sing-a-long style.
50. Take possession of my saddle. (Completed 7/22/06) This was a pain in the ass only because I decided to do it during a heat wave. No one said I was smart.
51. Take possession of my cedar chest. (Completed 7/22/06) See above. It’a a really cool piece of furniture that I’d like to use as a style template for the rest of the bedroom. It’s kind of 1960’s-ish.
52. Go horseback riding.
53. Ride on the Ferris Wheel on the Santa Monica Pier. (Completed 3/12/06) This was actually really fun, and not scary at all. Louie and I went and took pictures of each other, and marveled at the view. Sometimes you just need to be a tourist in your own town.
54. Eat a romantic dinner in Malibu.
55. Cook dinner for seven days straight Sundays in a row. Real dinner. With side dishes and everything.
56. Take a self portrait for Waller to hang in his apartment (that sounds weird, but he asked for it).
57. Buy a record player. (Completed 4/31/06) I didn’t exactly buy a record player so much as move in with Louie (who has a record player). I’m considering this done because it would be silly to buy one now that we already have one.
58. See the Supreme Court in session.
59. Sell my flute (Completed 1/13/08) I sold it for way less than it was worth, but I am pretty sure it was either that or move it to yet another apartment, which I really didn’t want to do.
60. Get my Tiffany necklaces cleaned.
61. Sell something on E-bay.
62. Renew my passport. (Completed 4/7/07) Oh man, what a cluster-fuck. But completed and used 3 days later.
63. Re-design my webpage. (Completed 1/17/2007) I’m considering this done. It’s kind of a moot point now that I got rid of the old domain and I have awkwardlysocial.com parked. Also I’ve commited myself to changing the banner every now and again, so done and done.
64. Learn Photoshop.
65. Learn Illustrator.
66. Learn enough CSS/HTML/other stuff to do my webpage myself.
67. Write a spec 1 hour.
68. Write a pilot.
69. Ride my bike. (Completed 12/11/05) Felt awesome, hope I can do this more often.
70. Get a bike helmet. (Completed 12/28/05) Went to REI with my sister, I look kind of retarded in it but feel so much safer on my bike now.
71. Crochet something other than a scarf (preferrably with a pattern, like my Grandma’s famous afgans).
72. Read 5 Presidential biographies/autobiographies.

1. Ronald Reagan: When Character was King A Story of Ronald Reagan by Peggy Noonan
2. John Adams by David McCollough.

73. Clean the bathroom once a week for a month.
74. See a high school basketball game.
75. Figure out my HS B-ball documentary pitch.
76. Spend a Saturday at yard sales on the rich side of town.
77. Go to the Rose Bowl flea market. (Completed 12/10/06) If you are a vintage clothes fan this is defintely worth the price of admission. I’m more of a ‘clothes that have never been worn’ fan, so it wasn’t quite my thing. I was actually hoping for more old cameras and tchotchkes, but was happy enough to find one guy that had a working Super 8 camera. I bought it and Tara and I are planning on shooting something with it this week. So that made it worth it.
78. Super Secret one (A) that I will only reveal if I accomplish it.
79. Super Secret one (SS) that I will only reveal if I accomplish it.
80. Take piano lessons.
81. Have sex in the shower.
82. Ride on a Vespa through the Italian country side.
83. Buy an expensive/designer hand bag.
84. Complete the Artist’s Way. (Completed 4/21/07) Done. Still in recovery, but the writing is progressing. I’m glad I did this.
85. Sip sweet tea on a wrap-around porch in the South, while listening to the Blues.
86. Celebrate my 30th birthday somewhere awesome. (Completed 1/22/06) Vegas is awesome. Having all my friends celebrate 30 years of me in Vegas…awesomer.
87. Finish my novel.
88. Read the trades for a week. (Completed 3/31/06) I’m not really sure why I put this on my list, but I did it and boy was it tedious, also very depressing. I’m glad it’s over.
89. Have an answer for the infernal and maddening question, “What do you do in your free time/what are your hobbies?” that doesn’t have the words TV, watch movies, read books in it. (Completed 10/28/06) I have a hobby/activity now that I love, and simultaneously hate. I jog and train for marathons. And I’ve really started liking spending time in the kitchen, though I don’t consider myself a cook yet, it is a nice way to pass time. I’m considering this done.
90. Use my Cuisinart. (Completed 12/11/05) Used it for the Bourbon Balls recipe. Tough clean-up but enjoyed making use of it.
91. Make a big pot of chili, freeze the left-overs and have them for lunch for a week (or however long they last). (Completed 12/6/05) And it was awesome, I really liked this task.
92. Shoot a video/short/thingie a month for 5 months.
93. Take a drive up the coast, stopping wherever and whenever I want to. (Completed 8/9/07) On my road trip up to Oregon, I took a detour to a short strip of the 101 that has the Redwood Forest on one side, the other side has breath taking views of the jagged Pacific Coast. I definitely wouldn’t have taken this 6 hour detour if it wasn’t on my list, but I’m so glad I did.
94. Let Louie take pictures of me. (the dirty kind) (Completed 1/22/06) Staying in a hotel with mirrors on the ceiling presents opportunities that cannot be passed up. Of course, I want to burn the photos now.
95. Go to another Dodger Game. (Completed 9/3/08).  I know this is a month too late.  But I wanted to put it on here.  I did it!  It was so much fun.  Now I am spoiled forever from the great seats.
96. Eat a Dodger Dog.  (Completed 9/3/08).  I know this is a month too late.  But I wanted to put it on here.  I did it!  YAY, MEAT!
97. Go to a hockey game.
98. While there, don’t ask what’s going on.
99. Take the LSAT.
100. Apply to Law Schools of my dreams.
101. Pay off Perkins Loan.