Anyone?

Hey there, readers.

I'm looking for some help with some of the items on my bucket list. Mostly, for the bigger items. If you are able to assist in ANY way (money, services, time), please let me know.

Such as:

• If you know someone who owns cows that I can learn to milk a cow
• If you have an "in" on a skydiving instructor
• If you know someplace nearby to do bungee jumping
• If you know someplace that does trapeze
• If you want to donate money, or buy an event (such as skydiving, bungee jumping, dance lessons, dog sledding) for me to do, or that we could do it together.

I would be very grateful for any type of help. Even for people to send me Groupons or Living Social deals for items that are on my list. I need as much help as I can to be able to finish more items on here!!!

-A

Things I Want To Do In 2015 (The Official List)

Here is the OFFICIAL list* of the things I want to do in 2015:
(in no particular order,
in memory of Erin)

1. Celebrate Chinese New Year [1] [2] [3]
2. Try to trapeze
3. Kayak in the sea/large river
4. Ride a Catamaran 
5. Hang out in a tree house
6. Skinny dip (in the sea or lake)
7. Kiss upside-down like Spider-man
8. Make my own paper [1]
9. Canoe a river
10. Try to slackline [1]
11. Hike in a cloud
12. Catch a butterfly (then let it go)
13. Whiten my teeth
14. Yawn bomb [1]
15. Stalk a stranger
16. Send a message in a bottle
17. Hand milk a cow 
18. Hang out in a graveyard
19. Learn to scuba dive
20. Learn to snorkel
21. Dance naked in the rain
22. Try a paleo diet for a week [1]
23. Watch a meteor shower
24. Learn to shoot a gun
25. Fly a box kite
26. Camp on Lake Superior
27. Write a "Letter to the editor"
28. Make a secret hideaway book [1]
29. Bungee jump
30. Learn to dance the Tango
31. Learn to dance the Salsa
32. Send a package to a stranger
33. Go dog sledding
34. Vow a day of silence
35. Roll naked in the snow 
36. Get fortune told (Completed April)
37. Learn to yodel
38. Run a 5K (completed May 10)
39. Try actual sushi (or more fish)
40. Learn to golf
41. Spend a day at the MIA [1]
42. Watch Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
43. Watch Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
44. Watch Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
45. Watch LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring
46. Watch LOTR: The Two Towers
47. Watch LOTR: The Return of The King
48. Go rock climbing
49. High-five 5 complete strangers
50. Go tailgating 
51. Learn to juggle
52. Ride on a hot air balloon
53. See the Northern Lights
54. Swim with Dolphins
55. Do a color run
56. Go skydiving
57. Spend 1 day at a spa
58. Ride a motorcycle
59. Get an adjustment from a chiropractor
60. Leave 5 inspirational messages anonymously in public spaces (completed April)
61. Take a kickboxing class
62. Send a postcard into Post Secret [1]
63. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage
64. Go paint balling
65. Watch all of Pierce Brosnan's "James Bond" movies
66. Get a cream pie thrown in my face
67. Throw a cream pie in someone's face
68. Donate blood
69. Take a self-defense class
70. Submit a photo to Jones Soda [1]
71. Watch all of Firefly
72. Go to a symphony blindfolded
73. Ride a mechanical bull
74. Go water skiing
75. Make 1000 Origami paper cranes [1] (in progress: 500+ done)
76. Make a gingerbread house
77. Get hypnotized
78. Get a book signed by the author (Completed February 15)
79. Take a pole-dancing class
80. Write a letter to myself to open up in 5-10 years
81. Go behind the Minnehaha Falls while they are frozen
82. Make a blessings jar and add to it all year [1] (in progress)
83. Start a blog and document the whole experience (in progress!)
84. Finish classes to graduate with my Bachelors degree (Final class: Summer 2015)
85. Cherish each moment I get to spend with my nieces (continuous)
86. Put myself out there more/Take more chances in my personal life (continuous)
87. Live life the way Erin would- with reckless abandonment (continuous)

So, I have deleted the items that I got done last year. I'm going to try and focus on the future and what I can try and get done this year.

If anyone wants to help, donate or join me in completing these, let me know!!!

-A

* Suggestions of items to add are always welcome!

This year in review... (with possible controversial content)

So, I have decided to kind of sum up 2014 on here. I'm going to warn you, 2014 kinda* sucked, and I'm going to just talk about EVERYTHING, even the drama. So, don't get offended, since no names are going to be listed.

My year started out with losing my cousin. She was 24 years old.

January and February continued with lots of drama, both personal and professional. I got bitched out over stupid stuff on social media by others who were grieving, and the issue was never resolved. My job got a new Pharmacy Manager, a new Team Lead, and multiple turn-overs in our department within the first few months.

In March, I thought I was getting better, by allowing myself to celebrate St. Patrick's Day (my cousin's birthday), and also allowing myself to open up and get a little comfortable with a guy that I was dating. Big mistake. The guy dumped me via Facebook Messenger early April.

Late April, early May brought an semi-impromptu trip to Mexico for a comedy festival. It was probably the best thing I decided to do. I feel like I was channeling my cousin when I booked the trip.

Late May, my oldest sister welcomed her third daughter. Also, my cousin got married, and it was a beautiful ceremony and beautiful event that was the first happy event for that side of my family since my cousin's death. The night ended with me puking my stomach out outside of the hotel, so I guess I would call it a good night!

June and July kind of blended together, with a reception for one of my good friends' wedding that they had when they went and eloped in Las Vegas on January 1st. Also, there was girls weekend.

August, I celebrated my birthday. It was a bit bittersweet with not being able to have my cousin with me, and not very many people came out to celebrate it with me. Other than that, I had a good night.

September through November kind of flew by, with school, work and trying to work on myself. There was some family drama that happened at Thanksgiving, but that's to be expected with almost all families.

December, was the second worst month this year. I lost 2 friends. One, to complications after falling off of a pyramid in Mexico**, and another to an accidental overdose which none of us knew about, not even his best friends. The Twin Cities comedy scene is a lot less funny now that they are gone.

I didn't get as much done as I would've wanted this year, but I am going to be rolling over my bucket list to 2015, and continue to do those items on the list.

****************************

If I had to put my year into the context of food, I would have to say that my year was kind of like baking cookies: It sucks when you have to mix all the ingredients together and wait for them to be ready, is wonderful when you get to eat them and enjoy the deliciousness of them, then sucks again when they are all gone.

I started the year with hopes that it would be amazing. Some parts were. Some parts weren't. I'm grateful for what I have, and I'm thankful that I have accumulated many great friends that have helped me through a rough year. Thank you.

-A


Links to the Obituaries of my friends/cousin that passed this year: #1 #2 #3

* Kinda = REALLY.
** Yes, you read that correctly.