My 40th Birthday Weekend – I Went on a Ghost Hunt

by | Dec 23, 2017 | 45 before 45, 50 before 50, All About Erik, All About Me, All of Us, Bucket List, Personal, Redefining Perfect

I am a total ghost geek.

I watch every ghost hunting show that comes along. I don’t stick with them all, but I take a gander to see if I like it.

So one of my bucket list/45X45/50X50 items was a ghost hunt.

And I managed to swing my way into a ghost hunt right here in Indiana at the Randolph County Infirmary.

It was through a company, and though there were issues, it was a really cool way to spend my 40th birthday weekend.

There were 40 of us there (issue primo uno). There was instruction on the devices, and a session with their psychic.

Then we went on our hunt.

I willingly went alone into a very dark, creepy, boiler room to do a solo EVP recording where I got pushed on the shoulders (so cool).  Unfortunately my EVP session was contaminated by the people talking super loud in the next room, and the people walking heavily up and down the stairs.

I caught orbs in my pictures, and got to use EMF detectors and Spirit Boxes. It was awesome.

I’m not one of those people that got mopey and depressed over my 40th. Even through the rough year I was having…but this?

This was an awesome way to spend my birthday. I want to do it again. With less people, in a more notorious place.

Hubby is all in with me.

Next stop…Waverly Hills. Next year…hopefully.

 

 

 

50X50 – Counting Them Down

by | Dec 5, 2017 | 50 before 50, All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Bucket List, Redefining Perfect

A few months ago I updated my former 45X45 list to become a 50X50 list. Since I first put it out, I’ve managed to check at least one more item off the list, and we’re about to head into a new year, so I thought it would be a good time to go over it, make sure I still want to do them all, and set myself a goal to finish at least one, if not two next year…

Think I can do it? Some of these are kinda crazy-pants.

 

50 X 50

  1. Take a real vacation. (Not to Buffalo, not w/ the kids) (Done 4/23/12)
  2. Take my kids to Disney World. (Done, thanks to Make-A-Wish 10/28/14)
  3. See my name in print (get published, e-zine, paper-zine). (Done 6/24/12 – Sirens Call June 2012 Issue)
  4. Have a novel published. (Done 2/8/13 – Changing Tracks & 17 more times [so far] by 7/18/15)
  5. Get my Dominion Falls books series in front of a producer.
  6. Completely tidy my house.
  7. Take a photography class (or 2 or 3)
  8. Perform on stage again (done 12/4/15 – Violet Grey in A Charlie Brown Christmas)
  9. See Colorado
  10. Camp – really camp in the Rockies
  11. See Yellowstone
  12. Go skydiving. [Yes, I feel slightly insane here]
  13. Go to a blogger’s conference. (done 4/23/12)
  14. Sit at a book signing/author’s conference.
  15. Get on a regular exercise regime & stay on it for more than 3 months.
  16. Hand craft (knit, sew) 1 item for ME for a change.  (DONE 4/1/12)
  17. Make a complete Victorian era dress from skin out. (underthings complete, corset 50% complete)
  18. Get some crazy color in my hair (purple, blue, pink highlites/streaks) Done 2/11/12
  19. Read the Harry Potter series aloud to my girls. (2/3 of the way through by 8/4/17)
  20. Sing Karaoke 
  21. Get up close with the wolves & photograph them at Wolf Park.
  22. Move to Florida.
  23. Pay off debt.
  24. Get a car that is less than 2 years old
  25. Run a 5k. Done 9/22/12 
  26. Do something daring (paragliding, zipline, etc.) Done 7/14/12
  27. See the butterflies at the Indy Zoo (Done 3/19/13)
  28. Learn sign language.
  29. Go on a road trip with a girlfriend
  30. Go on a hot air balloon ride
  31. See Cirque du Soleil (Done 6/27/2012)
  32. Ride a horse – not a trail horse. A real ride on a horse.
  33. Volunteer
  34. Stop drinking pop
  35. Visit Disneyland (Done 5/2/17)
  36. Get a tattoo (Done 7/16/11)
  37. Go on a Cruise [preferably Alaskan, but I’m not picky]
  38. Go on a wine tasting (Done 10/16/10)
  39. Get a Henna tattoo
  40. Take my husband to swim with sharks
  41. Fly first class
  42. Read at least 50 of the 100 Greatest Novels (I am saying the book can be from either of the 2 lists there. In total I have read 8/50 at this point)
  43. Have a real spa day (Done, thanks to Hubs, 7/2014)
  44. Visit a real haunted location (Done 7/16/16)
  45. Sell a photo
  46. Visit Salem, MA
  47. Visit both US based Disney Parks in one year. (Done 9/4/17)
  48. See a solar eclipse. (Done 8/21/17)
  49. Have one of my pictures on the Indianapolis Zoo website.
  50. Go through a sweat lodge ceremony.

 

The newly done items for this year were:  Visit both US based Disney Parks in one year, and See a Solar Eclipse.  Both were done in the past couple of months, and were awesome.

Now for 2018, I want to knock off at least two of them.  One I know for sure I’ll be doing is to be sitting at a book signing/author’s conference.  This is happening in March for sure, and I’m super excited.  I’m hoping, maybe, that I can do the first class flight, too…if I can bump up my ticket to the conference I do every year.

Oooh, maybe I can find a place to do a sweat lodge. That would be awesome.  What do you think?  Which should I choose?  Or is there something you think I need to add to the list that isn’t there? I’m super open to suggestions. I like having a mix of “way out there” hopes, and some more do-able.  I’d even be willing to bump it up to a higher number to add items in.  😀

40 – And Still Hitting My Stride

by | Jul 18, 2016 | 45 before 45, All About Me, All of Us, Bucket List, Redefining Perfect, Story of Me

authoravToday I turned 40 years old.

I didn’t fear this day.

I still am not upset. I don’t feel like I’ve crested a hill, or that anything is going downhill.

This weekend I ghost hunted.

Went to an exotic animal sanctuary.

Spent time alone with my husband.

I am not where I plan to be in the future, but I am good where I am.

I am about to have one of my birds fly the coop, and the other two are out of elementary school with eyes on the future. I have a husband to whom I’ve been happily married for nearly 14 years. I have a dog, and a fish, and I’m able to work the job of my dreams (writing) when I can.

I am working on my 45X45 list, and have knocked out a few of those dreams this year. Now that I’m 40, I may take another gander at it to see what I may wish to change.

Either way, I am 40. I am embracing it without fear or upset.

Because 40 is awesome. 40 is when I feel like I’m coming into my own.

Hello 40.

On Stage Again – Knocking Out That 45X45 List

by | Jun 13, 2016 | 45 before 45, All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Bucket List, Random, Redefining Perfect

I turn 40 in about a month.

I’ve been blessed in the past couple of years to be able to unintentionally fulfill a few items on my 45 X 45 list, and have my sites on a few more in the next couple of years.

However, this past fall-into-winter, I stumbled into a role in the local community theater.

One of my customers at the bank was the producer and urged me to audition.

It was A Charlie Brown Christmas, so of course I did.

IMG_20151205_184133Say hello to Violet Grey.

Also in the cast was Shermy (my hubby, Erik), and a couple of Woodstocks (Kennedy & Molly)…and backstage you could find Denver helping out.

For two months we rehearsed.

Sang.

Roller skated!!!

I had forgotten how much I loved doing theater.

Plenty of excuses not to.

This turned into a family affair and was the perfect way to dip my toe back into the theater pool.

More auditions are planned (this month! Eek!).

Though my available time has waned in recent months, that theater bug has re-seated itself into my blood.

This was about more than knocking another item off of my bucket list.

It was like coming home.

I won’t go all crazy 4-shows-a-year-so-I’m-never-home again.

But I won’t go too far away from home again.

This time, though, it’ll be just me.

Revisiting the 45X45

by | Jul 20, 2015 | All About Me, All of Us, Bucket List, Redefining Perfect

992849_534427239953606_377488782_nSince it was just my birthday this weekend, I thought now would be a great time to revisit my 45X45 list.  The last time I checked it was over two years ago!  Yikes. I don’t even remember what’s on half of it. I have a feeling I might be changing a few things up. I have about 6 years left to clear the list, so let’s see where I am.

A color legend is probably important.

RED is done.
ORANGE is working on it.
BLUE is new (replacing something else).

 

****

45 X 45

  1. Take a real vacation. (Not to Buffalo, not w/ the kids) (Done 4/23/12)
  2. Take my kids to Disney World. (Done, thanks to Make-A-Wish 10/28/14)
  3. See my name in print (get published, e-zine, paper-zine). (Done 6/24/12 – Sirens Call June 2012 Issue)
  4. Have a novel published. (Done 2/8/13 – Changing Tracks & 17 more times [so far] by 7/18/15)
  5. Get my Dominion Falls books series in front of a producer.
  6. Completely tidy my house [w/reference to KonMari]. (Started w/  my clothes. Lots left to do)
  7. Take a photography class (or 2 or 3)
  8. Perform on stage again
  9. See Colorado
  10. Camp – really camp in the Rockies
  11. See Yellowstone
  12. Go skydiving. [Yes, I feel slightly insane here]
  13. Go to a blogger’s conference. (done 4/23/12)
  14. Go to a writer’s conference
  15. Get on a regular exercise regime & stay on it for more than 3 months.
  16. Hand craft (knit, sew) 1 item for ME for a change.  (DONE 4/1/12)
  17. Make a complete Victorian era dress from skin out. (underthings complete, corset 50% complete)
  18. Get some crazy color in my hair (purple, blue, pink highlites/streaks) Done 2/11/12
  19. Read the Harry Potter series aloud to my girls. (1/2-way through by 7/18/15)
  20. Sing Karaoke 
  21. Relearn French. (Actually working on this at the moment)
  22. Pay my house off (long shot – but I can dream)
  23. Get a car that is less than 2 years old
  24. Run a 5k. Done 9/22/12 
  25. Do something daring (paragliding, zipline, etc.) Done 7/14/12
  26. See the butterflies at the Indy Zoo (Done 3/19/13)
  27. Be a reenactor at Conner Prairie
  28. Go on a road trip with a girlfriend
  29. Go on a hot air balloon ride
  30. See Cirque du Soleil (Done 6/27/2012)
  31. Ride a horse – not a trail horse. A real ride on a horse.
  32. Volunteer at Kennedy’s CF clinic
  33. Stop drinking pop
  34. Visit Disneyland [Been to WDW many times, would like to see the other]
  35. Get a tattoo (Done 7/16/11)
  36. Go on a Cruise [preferably Alaskan, but I’m not picky]
  37. Go on a wine tasting (Done 10/16/10)
  38. Have a photo at the State Fair (preferably getting a ribbon for it)
  39. Take my husband to swim with whale sharks
  40. Fly first class
  41. Read at least 50 of the 100 Greatest Novels (I am saying the book can be from either of the 2 lists there. In total I have read 8/50 at this point)
  42. Have a real spa day (Done, thanks to Hubs, 7/2014)
  43. Visit a real haunted location 
  44. Sell a photo
  45. Visit Salem, MA

*~*

Well, I’ve made a few changes, obviously. Some are still long-shots, but if I don’t dream big it’ll never happen. I really need to not forget about this again. 45 is coming up faster than I care to think about.

What about you? What’s on your list?

A Moment 25 Years in the Making

by | Aug 5, 2013 | 45 before 45, All About Me, Blogging Life, Bucket List

*I’m totally re-exposing my nerd status with this post, but I don’t care one bit.

NKOTBWhen I was 12 years old, I was one of those girls…

With New Kids on the Block posters taped ALL over my walls.  The pictures ripped out of magazines, the buttons, all of it.

One thing I never got to do that I always wanted to, was go to a concert.

Last night (thanks to the help of a twitter contest from Bohlsen Group) I got to achieve that life-long teenage dream.

Totally bucket list worthy…and so much fun.

Of course, it helped to go with a fellow big fan – Heather…who was my date since I didn’t wish to torture my poor husband.

Indianapolis was the last stop on the package tour, so we got to see BoyzIIMen and 98* (98-who? The crowd thinned out at that point for bathroom breaks, etc…both Heather & I had trouble recognizing anything beyond 1 song, I think).

The sound quality wasn’t very good (I even had trouble recognizing very well-known NKOTB songs sometimes)…but still, just being there and being able to clearly see these men on stage was amazing…

And I have to say – they have gotten BETTER with age. I’ve always had a weak spot for Joe Mac…but now? He’s totally on my list (sorry, Hugh Jackman, you are no longer the sole person on ‘the list’).

My 12 year old self is so happy with my adult self.  Finally achieving a silly dream that still just made my year. Seriously.

One of the best concerts I have ever been to.

Bar none.

(my 12 year old self says it IS the best ever…she’s a bit biased)