Okay, I have one more list to share of summertime activities I hope to do at least once this year. As I was looking up different summer bucket list items, I had quite the epiphany. As I’m marking off items and writing about the experience, it’s not so much for a bucket list but for the moment of doing something different. I consistently create lists to keep life interesting and not a same-same routine. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely some items that would be so great to accomplish, see, or experience at least once in my life. But, there are plenty of things that aren’t necessarily a “gotta do before one dies” that still makes a “life fulfilled” activity, and worth having on lists.
Here’s a few activities I hope to check off & write about the experience for the summer of 2021:
Standup paddle board
(more 1b) paddle board on more than one lake
Bicycle
Hike
Visit more state parks
Go camping
Go out for Brunch
Be strong enough to do a hand stand
Go to different ice cream places
Experience a Woga class (yoga + wine)
Drive-in Movie (or outside popup movie)
Farmer’s market
Day trips / explore nearby towns
Try different food trucks for dinner
Paint Kindness rocks and leave on hiking trails
Go to Poor Red’s in El Dorado and enjoy a Golden Cadillac drink
.
.
.
.
Hope to be able to add more to the list. What are some summer activities (big or small) that you are looking forward to doing?
Found on Days of the Year,National Day Calendar, and Susan Boynton’s wall calendar. I may not celebrate all, but I like to be aware and at least honor these everyday holidays. (There are a lot more daily ones out there, not to mention the different weekly or monthly ones, those listed below are just the ones I am most interested in).
You can see what days I celebrate over on my Instagram page.
Say Something Nice Day & National Pen Pal Day
Global Running Day
World Bicycle Day
National Cheese Day & Doughnut & Fish and Chip Day
National Hot Air Balloon Day
National Drive-In Movie Day & National Yo-Yo Day
National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
National Best Friend Day
Donald Duck Day
National Iced Tea Day
Flip-Flop Day & Corn on the Cobb Day
Red Rose Day & National Rose Day & National Record Store Day & Loving Day
Sewing Machine Day & International Axe Throwing Day
Flag Day & Strawberry Shortcake Day & Bourbon Day
Nature Photography Day & Smile Power Day & National Lobster Day
Fresh Veggies Day & National Fudge Day
National Apple Strudel Day
International Picnic Day & International Sushi Day
Juneteenth
Father’s Day
Summer Solstice & International Day of Yoga
National Onion Rings Day & National Chocolate Éclair Day
Pink Flamingo Day & National Pink Day
Bomb Pop Day & International Fairy Day
Strawberry Parfait Day & Global Beatles Day
National Canoe Day
National Sunglasses Day & Pineapple Day
Paul Bunyan Day
National Camera Day
National Meteor Day
What days will you be celebrating? Are there other days not on this list you will be participating in?
Going into the Memorial Day Weekend, I took a look at the “1001 Movies to Watch Before You Die” book to see what was listed in their War genre. Thankfully there is an index of movie genres, so I don’t have to figure out what movies fit into what genre. Here is the list from the 2018 edition.
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
Andrei Rublev (Andrei Rublyov) (1966)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Ascent (Voskhozhdeniye) (1977)
Ashes and Diamonds (Popiól i Diament) (1958)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
The Battle of Algiers (La Battaglia di Algeri) (1965)
Battle of San Pietro, The (1945)
The Battleship Potemkin (Bronenosets Potyomkin) (1925)
Best Years of Our Lives, The (1946)
Big Parade, The (1925)
Big Red One, The (1980)
The Boat (Das Boot) (1981)
Braveheart (1995)
Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)
The Burmese Harp (Biruma no Tategoto) (1956)
Cabaret (1972)
Chimes at Midnight (Campanadas a Medianoche) (1965)
Christ Stopped at Eboli (Cristo si è Fermato a Eboli) (1979)
Come and See (Idi i Smotri) (1985)
The Cranes are Flying (Letjat Zhuravli) (1957)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Deer Hunter, The (1978)
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Downfall (Der Untergang) (2004)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
English Patient, The (1996)
Europa Europa (Hitlerjunge Salomon) (1990)
Forbidden Games (Jeux Interdits) (1952)
From Here to Eternity (1953)
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Gallipoli (1981)
General, The (1927)
Glory (1989)
Gone with the Wind (1939)
Good Morning, Vietman (1987)
Grand Illusion (La Grande Illusion) (1937)
Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka) (1988)
Great Escape, The (1963)
Gunga Din
Henry V (1944)
Hill 24 Doesn’t Answer (1955)
Hiroshima mon amour (1959)
I Know Where I’m Going! (1945)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The Leopard (Il Gattopardo) (1963)
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The (1943)
M*A*S*H (1970)
Napoleon (1927)
The Night of the Shooting Stars (La note di San Loreno) (1982)
Open City (Roma, Città Aperta) (1945)
Paisa
Paisan
Paths of Glory (1957)
Patton (1970)
Platoon (1986)
Ran (1985)
The Red and the White (Csillagosok, katonak) (1967)
Red Sorghum (Hong Gao Liang) (1987)
Salvador (1986)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Schindler’s List (1993)
Sergeant York (1941)
Shame (Skammen) (1968)
Shame (2011)
Sherman’s March (1986)
Shoah (1985)
Soldier of Orange (Soldaat van Oranje) (1977)
The Sorrow and the Pity (Le chagrin et la pitie) (1971)
As I am looking at May’s posts for my end of the month check-in (recap); it seems I never did one for April. So, this will be covering two months of things.
I went to Napa, California for a friend’s bachelorette / birthday all weekend long. It was so nice to get out of the house and do other things, in another location. Visited a couple of new wineries. And then said friend had her wedding this last weekend. Another nice outing and seeing friends in person. Even some I haven’t seen in a few years.
My dad bought me an inflatable standup paddleboard and I went out on a lake with friends. I got one that had a pump, and it was so easy to inflate and deflate. It also felt just as hard as the other boards. So, as the temperature gets warmer, I’ll be on the water more than hiking trails. I hope to still do some, but the paddleboard is the new obsession and maybe going to different lakes.
Went out to a trivia night at a brewery. Playing trivia is a love / hate activity. It’s fun with friends, sometimes you pull that random piece of knowledge out from your brain, but most of the time your stumped for the answer.
I decided to re-organize a few things and deleted most of my bucket list posts. I forgot I did this once before and had saved the posts. But I didn’t make a list to know which ones I reposted, so, I figured it’s better to start over. If you come across a story that sounds like déjà vu, that’s why. I’m hoping that rereading (& updating if needed) those posts will help get me going to do new ones too. I went looking at other people’s lists, and so many have grand travel plans (which hopefully they can start getting back to) and other big, audacious, uncomfortable, scary, expensive and possibly downright crazy items on it. But rereading the items in the 2001 things to do book, had me remembering so many little things also make life just as memorable. Especially if you are doing it for the first time.
What’s something you are looking forward to doing in June?
General Things Done the Past 2 Months:
Out of town for the weekend.
Went out on Lake Natoma with friends paddleboarding (need to get in shape)
Breweries, Cocktails, & Wineries: See posts over at “My Drinktopia”
Domaine Chandon in Napa, California (I’ve been here before but my friends hadn’t)
Domaine Carneros in Napa (terrible service and yucky wines)
(2018 edition) In looking at all the movies, I’ve come to the realization that there are movies (like some dramas, horror & foreign) that I have absolutely no interest in watching. Which means I need to learn to be okay with knowing I will not completely watch all movies on the list. There are movies that were on previous lists that I will watch, so maybe I’ll still get to 1001.
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor – Arctic Monkeys (released 2005, album “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”, Garage Rock, Indie Rock, Punk Rock)
Respect – Aretha Franklin (released 1967, album “I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You”, Soul)
I Say a Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin (released 1968, album “Aretha Now”, Soul) – should also listen to same song by Dionne Warwick (released 1967, album “The Windows of the World”)
U Don’t Know Me – Armand Van Helden (released 1999, album “2 Future 4 U”, Garage House, disco)
Sun City – Artists United Against Apartheid (released 1985, album “Sun City”, New Wave, R&B, Hip Hop)
Kung Fu – Ash (released 1995, album “1977”, Power Pop)
Dum Maro Dum – Asha Bhosle (released 1971, Film Score, Indian Rock)
One Armed Scissor – At the Drive-In (released 2000, album “Relationship of Command”, Progressive Rock)
212 – Azaelia Banks (released 2011, album “Broke with Expensive Taste”, Hip House)
Please Love Me – B.B. King (released 1956, album “Singin the Blues”, Blues)
The Thrill Is Gone – B.B. King (released 1969, album “Completely Well”, Soul, Blues)
Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Backstreet Boys (released 1997, album “Backstreet Boys”, Pop)
Manic Monday – Bangles (released 1986, album “Different Light”, Pop Rock)
Guilty – Barbara Streisand and Barry Gibb (released 1980, album “Guilty”, Pop, Disco)
Romeo – Basement Jaxx (released 2001, album “Rooty”, Disco, House)
No Sleep Til Brooklyn – Beastie Boys (released 1987, album “Licensed to Ill”, Rap, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal)
Sabotage – Beastie Boys (released 1994, album “Ill Communications”, Rap, Hard Rock)
Dub Be Good to Me – Beats International (released 1990, album “Let Them Eat Bingo”, Dub)
Loser – Beck (released 1993, album “Mellow Gold”, Alternative Rock)
Devil’s Haricut – Beck (released 1996, album “Odelay”, Alternative Rock)
Most of these were found on Days of the Year,National Day Calendar, and Susan Boynton’s wall calendar. I may not celebrate all these everyday, but if I were, these were the ones I’ve picked from the list(s).
You can see what days I celebrate over on my Instagram page.
Kentucky Derby Day & Lei Day & May Day & Mother Goose Day
International Harry Potter Day & Lemonade Day
National Paranormal Day & National Two Different Colored Shoes Day & Garden Meditation Day
star Wars Day
Cinco de Mayo Day
national crepe suzette day
No Pants Day & Cosmopolitan Day
National Coconut Cream Pie Day & National Have a Coke Day & National Train Day
Mother’s Day & National Moscato Day
National Shrimp Day & National Clean Up Your Room Day & Golf Day
Eat What You Want Day & National Twilight Zone Day
International Nurses Day & Limerick Day
Frog Jumping Day & National Fruit Cocktail Day & Top Gun Day & Apple Pie Day & World Cocktail Day
Dance Like a Chicken Day & National Buttermilk Biscuit Day & Shades (sunglasses) Day
Chocolate Chip Day & Astronomy Day & World Whisky Day & Bring Flowers to Someone Day & Straw Hat Day
National BBQ Day & National Love a Tree Day & National Mimosa Day
National Walnut Day & Pack Rat Day & Work From Home Day & Pinot Grigio Day
International Museum Day
National Devils Food Cake Day
World Bee Day
National Strawberries & Cream Day & International Tea Day & World Mediation Day & Bike to Work Day
Sherlock Holmes Day & Harvey Milk Day & National Craft Distillery Day & World Paloma Day
World Turtle Day
Tiara Day & National Scavenger Hunt Day
National Wine Day & Towel Day
National Paper Airplane Day & Dracula Day & World Lindy Hop Day
National Grape Popsicle Day
National Burger Day
put a pillow in your fridge day
Water a Flower Day
Memorial Day
What days will you be celebrating? Are there other days not on this list you will be participating in?
I grabbed a list from an online site regarding the 1,001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die, (Book Link). Hopefully it’s an accurate list. I’m going to try to get through list in one year, which would be about twenty songs each week. I will be creating this Music Monday Playlist to share which songs I will be listening to, for the week.
Music Monday 01
96 Tears – ? and the Mysterians (released 1966, album “96 Tears”, Garage Rock, Pop Rock, Psychedelic Rock)
Voices Carry – ‘Til Tuesday (released 1985, album “Voices Carry”, Pop, New Wave)
Because the Night – 10,000 Maniacs (released 1993, album “MTV Unplugged”, Alternative Rock, Folk Rock, Soft Rock)
Dear Mama – 2Pac (released 1995, album “Me Against the World”, Hip hop)
Bonita Applebum – A Tribe Called Quest (released 1990, album “People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm”, Alternative hip hop, Jazz, Rap)
More Than a Woman – Aaliyah (released 2001, album “Aaliyah”, Pop, electoro, hip hop)
Dancing Queen – Abba (released 1976, album “Arrival”, Disco, Europop, Euro Disco)
Voulez-Vous – Abba (released 1979, album “Volulez-Vous”, Disco, Europop, Euro Disco)
The Winner Takes It All – Abba (released 1980, album “Super Trouper”, Disco, Europop, Euro Disco)
Whole Lotta Rosie – AC/DC (released 1977, album “Let There Be Rock”, Hard Rock, Rock and Roll)
Back in Black – AC/DC (released 1980, album “Back in Black”, Hard Rock, Rock and Roll)
Kings of the Wild Frontier – Adam & The Ants (released 1980, album “Kings of the Wild Frontier”, Post Punk, New Wave)
Walk This Way – Aerosmith (released 1975, album “Toys in the Attic”, Hard Rock, Funk Rock)
The Sun Always Shines on T.V. – A-ha (released 1985, album “Hunting High and Low”, Synth-pop, pop rock, new wave)
Save Me – Aimee Mann (released 1999, album “Magnolia” Soundtrack, Contemporary folk)
Kelly Watch the Stars – Air (released 1998, album “Moon Safari”, Space pop, chillout)
Tired of Being Alone – Al Green (released 1971, album “Al Green Gets Next to You”, Soul)
The Snake – Al Wilson (released 1968, first released as single only, Soul)
Woke Up This Morning – Alabama 3 (released 1997, album “Exile on Coldharbour Lane”, Electronica, acid jazz, trip hop)
You Oughtta Know – Alanis Morissette (released 1995, album “Jagged Little Pill”, Alternative Rock, Post-grunge)
Most of these were found on Days of the Year,National Day Calendar, and Susan Boynton’s wall calendar. I may not celebrate all these everyday, but if I were, these were the ones I’ve picked from the list(s).
You can see what days I celebrate over on my Instagram page.
April Fool’s Day / National Burrito Day (1st Thursday of April)
Good Friday / National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day / World Autism Awareness Day
World Party Day / National Chocolate Mousse Day / National Tweed Day
Easter / Walk Around Things Day
National Deep Dish Pizza Day
National Carmel Popcorn day
National Beer Day / No Housework Day
Draw a Picture of a Bird Day / National Empanada Day
Name Yourself Day / National Unicorn Day / Cherish an Antique Day
National Siblings Day / International Safety Pin Day / Golfer’s Day
National Pet Day
National Grilled Cheese Day / National Licorice Day
National Scrabble Day
Look up at the Sky Day / National Gardening Day
Take a Wild Guess Day / World Art Day
Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day / National Eggs Benedict Day / National Orchid Day
National Crawfish Day / National Haiku Poetry Day
National Animal Crackers Day
Bicycle Day / National Garlic Day
4/20 Day / National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day
National Banana Day
Earth Day / Jelly Bean Day
National Picnic Day / Talk Like Shakespeare Day
Silly Pajamas Day / National Pigs in a Blanket Day
World Penguin Day / National DNA Day / National Zucchini Bread Day
Pretzel Day
National Prime Rib Day / National Tell a Story Day
Superhero Day / National Great Poetry Reading Day
Zipper Day / National Shrimp Scampi Day
International Jazz Day / Arbor Day / National Oatmeal Cookie day
What days will you be celebrating? Are there other days not on this list you will be participating in?
Easter is this weekend. It seems to be an unwritten rule that moms give their children chocolate bunnies without the ears. Or maybe it’s just my mom? I am not sure when she started doing it, but she would make it seem like there had been no tampering of the wrapping on the chocolate bunny. But when we opened it up, no ears. Kinda of a quirky and fun tradition, I guess.
We are treating ourselves to a honey baked ham and chipotle sweet potatoes for Easter dinner. That’s pretty much it, not sure what else my mom and I might do on Sunday.
It is so nice having the sun still out when I leave at 5pm from work. We’ve bbq’d a few times and did some spring cleaning & decluttering. I’ve gone on more hikes and even hung out with friends at a new winery. I celebrated a few of the wacky everyday holidays, like baking scallops on baked scallop day. Hopefully I can keep this momentum of doing different activities going.
What’s one thing you are looking forward to doing in April?
General Things Done the Past Month:
More hikes & checking off visits to different California State Parks
Breweries, Cocktails, & Wineries: See posts over at “My Drinktopia”
(2018 edition) In looking at all the movies, I’ve come to the realization that there are movies (like some dramas, horror & foreign) that I have absolutely no interest in watching. Which means I need to learn to be okay with knowing I will not completely watch all movies on the list. There are movies that were on previous lists that I will watch, so maybe I’ll get to 1001.
Most of these were found on National Day Calendar and Susan Boynton’s wall calendar. I may not celebrate all these everyday, but if I were, these were the ones I’ve picked from the list(s).
National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day and World Compliment Day
National Banana Cream Pie Day and Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss Day
World Wildlife Day
Marching Music Day
National Day of Unplugging
National Oreo Cookie & Frozen Food Day
National Cereal Day
International Women’s Day
Get Over It Day
Mario Day and Day of Awesomeness
Worship of Tools Day and National Johnny Appleseed Day
National Alfred Hitchcock Day and National Girl Scout Day and National Baked Scallops Day
Genealogy Day and National Earmuffs Day
National Pi Day (also Daylight Savings)
The Ides of March and Everything you think is wrong Day and National Napping Day (this holiday follows the day after Daylight Savings)
National Panda Day and National Everything you do is right Day and National Artichoke Hearts Day
St Patrick’s Day and National Corned Beef and Cabbage Day
National Sloppy Joe Day
National Let’s Laugh Day and National Backyard Day
International Day of Happiness and March Equinox (1st day of Spring)
World Poetry Day and National California Strawberry day
International Goof Off Day and National Bavarian Crepes Day
National Puppy Day and National Chip and Dip Day
National Chocolate-covered Raisins Day and National Cheesesteak Day and National Cocktail Day
Waffle Day and Tolkien Reading Day
Purple Day (Epilepsy Awareness Day) and Make Up Your Own Holiday Day
Quirky Country Music Song Titles Day and National Joe (coffee) Day and Passover
Something on a Stick Day and Palm Sunday
National Mom & Pop Business Day
Pencil Day and National Take a Walk in the Park Day and National Virtual Vacation Day
Coloring Crayola Crayon Day and Manatee Appreciation Day and Cesar Chavez Day
What days will you be celebrating? Are there other days not on this list you will be participating in?
I had good intentions to get back to doing well with postings and working on checking items off my lists of things to do / experience. Now it’s almost the middle of the third month of the year and I haven’t done squat.
I will say, with the sun shining for longer time of the day, and it acting mostly like spring is here (just had a very cold day with hail making it look like snow on the ground yesterday). The this has put a pep in my step and feeling more energized to get going and making things happen. Crossing fingers I can get on track with my goals for this blog and going on more adventures (even if it’s more staycations).
General Things Done the Past Month:
More hikes & checking off visits to different California State Parks
(2018 edition) In looking at all the movies, I’ve come to the realization that there are movies (like some dramas, horror & foreign) that I have absolutely no interest in watching. Which means I need to learn to be okay with knowing I will not completely watch all movies on the list. There are movies that were on previous lists that I will watch, so maybe I’ll get to 1001.
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell
Open the book 📖 and turn the page. Take a look into the life of a Systematic Bipolar Beauty 👑💖✨See how I handle things in everyday life, as well as share my dreams, goals, and a few secrets here and there. So put on some tunes 🎧, light a candle 🕯, grab a pen 🖊, and write with me.
