What have you done? (Part 3 of 3)

I have had this sitting around unfinished for some time, and I was compelled tonight to finish it. Here's the rest:

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101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

--I’ve driven over it, but not walked it. There’s a small rest area on the north side of the bridge (that is featured prominently in X-Men 3) that Wifeness and I stopped at to take pics and have a snack. It was a fond moment of a wonderful adventure!

102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking

--“Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand.”
“Just like that river twisting through a dusty land.”
“And when she shines she really shows you all she can”
“Oh, Rio, Rio! Dance across the Rio Grande…”

103. Had plastic surgery

--Hadn’t even had surgery at all until I was 36 years old. I’m not a looker, but I don’t need bigger boobs yet.

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived

--Probably more times than I know. The universe takes very good care of me.

105. Wrote articles for a large publication

106. Lost over 100 pounds

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback

108. Piloted an airplane

--I did this!! A colleague of mine owns a plane and took me up for a little while. While we were up, he let me take the controls. It was nerve wracking, but a lot of fun! I can understand why people enjoy flying.

109. Petted a stingray

--No, and I’m a lot more nervous about doing it now since Steve Irwin showed us all what can happen when you do.

110. Broken someone’s heart

--I’m sorry to say, I have done this, and I work every day to pay the karmic debt incurred from doing so. I know what it feels like to have my heart broken, too.

111. Helped an animal give birth

--Does putting my arm all the way up to the elbow in cow vagina count? It sure is warm up there…

112. Won money on a T.V. game show

--No, but I got to do some graphics and sign work for Wheel of Fortune when they came to Las Vegas some years ago. I still have a bonus prize card blank!

113. Broken a bone

--I’ve busted a lot of my parts, but never broken a bone. I’m not sure how I’ve managed to avoid it, to be honest, but I’m grateful.

114. Gone on an African photo safari

--“Honey, what is that lion doing with that tire iron?”

115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced

--Neither below nor above. I suppose I wouldn’t be opposed to doing it, but I don’t know as I’d ever be motivated. I like the thought of having my tragus pierced. What do you think?

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol

--Yes, yes and no.

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

--There’s a great story to be told someday about Mac, the old man who lived next to the farm where I grew up, and the walks we used to take in the woods to gather wild mushrooms and fiddleheads to bring back to his small cabin. He used to sauté the mushrooms in butter, then fry liver with them, adding the fiddleheads at the end to blanch them. To this day, it is the only way I’ve ever eaten liver that I liked.

118. Ridden a horse

--A couple of times, when I was young. I’ve had better luck with work horses. We used to have a horse. Her name was Dolly and she was HUGE. We used her to haul wood out of the woods. She could drag a 16’ length of hackmatack pine like it was a tin can!

119. Had major surgery

--Yes, I have. [Here’s the story…]

120. Had a snake as a pet

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours

--I remember once, after staying up for nearly 70 hours straight, sleeping for 2 consecutive stretches of 12 hours each, waking up just long enough to pee and eat cereal. I’m sure the other 4 hours were in there, somewhere, too.

123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states

--U.S. States: 25
--The World: 11

124. Visited all 7 continents

--3 down, 3 to go (Antarctica and all its cold can kiss my ass.)

125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

--Several times. I’m hoping to take SiSi on her first overnight canoe trip next summer.

126. Eaten kangaroo meat

--Does it taste like chicken?

127. Eaten sushi

--Tastes like fish, not chicken.

128. Had your picture in the newspaper

--I’ll have to look for an archive of one to share.

129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

--I feel like the answer to this is “yes”, but I can’t honestly think of an instance. If anyone out there has one, I’d love to hear it!

130. Gone back to school

--Present tense. Until January.

131. Parasailed

132. Petted a cockroach

--With a rolled up newspaper! Hard! Repeatedly!

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes

Yes. They weren’t great.

134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey

--No, but I get credit for reading Umberto Eco in his original (and, may I say, obfuscatory) Italian.

135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read

--Ralph Ellison. I was intrigued by Invisible Man, and decided I needed to take some time with it. I’m glad I did.

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

--I believe that everyone should do this once, and because they will go hungry if they don’t. I have a much deeper appreciation for what I eat and why because of it. That’s not to say that I don’t value vegetarianism as a choice. I just think it’s good to understand deep down why you choose to eat what you do.

137. Skipped all your school reunions

--So far. Is anyone out there going to their 20th at Lee Academy?

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

--I had a great time trying to communicate with small children in a tribe of indigenous people in the Brazilian jungle when I was there. I was impressed at how hard it was!

139. Been elected to public office

--If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve.

140. Written your own computer language

141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream

--All the time! It’s great!

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

-- I certainly won’t have to put my parents into hospice. They’ll just ride off into the sunset.

143. Built your own PC from parts

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you

145. Had a booth at a street fair

146: Dyed your hair

147: Been a DJ

148: Shaved your head

--I always said I would at the first sign I was going bald. I’m still waiting…

149: Caused a car accident

150: Saved someone’s life

--You’re welcome, Fred.