{26 years and she's still kickin', well that is if she doesn't choke on her gum}

So I am what I can say very confidently the ripe young age of 26. April 29th marked the day and as the years start to tick on by faster just like my parents warned me they would, I must say that I am happy to be looking forward to my thirties. In fact, I am gleefully giddy about it. Something tells me those years are going to be what making up for all the strange ones right now will give me. Bliss! But I do have an interesting question. Why is it that people spend endless amounts of time dreaming off into their futures? Wishing on to no end, wishing into emptiness, and wishing beyond wishful hope that THAT time was now instead of later? Well, I can tell you that I am not doing that at all and I am not in the least declaring that it is wrong at all ether. Just telling you that unlike some people I know that have absolutely DREADED the idea of turning thirty, I on the other hand am going to welcome it with open arms! =) I have felt like I was thirty for the last five years. Really, ask anyone who knows me. Even my grandma who called the other day from Florida said that she thought I was going on 32. So yep. I guess I need to go and live a little bit. Something I plan on doing much of pretty soon. Is it illegal to switch the year of your birth on your birth certificate? Okay... totally joking but I have been thinking of it. Only thing is, that probably entails breaking into the Court House and messing around with stuff that they have. So that would totally be illegal. Okay, never mind. =)
I think this next part deserves a nice new paragraph. Otherwise, as I am always tempted to do, I run on and on and on and realize that all my words are jumbled up into one massive block of letters and well, even I hate that so I promise I won't do that to you either. =)  Okay but here is a list of all the fantastical things that I want to fill my new year doing....

* Write a letter to Santa (he is STILL my hero)
* Ice Fishing (mmmm, to get caught in a blizzard)
* Snow Shoeing (running in show shoes anyone? It's pretty cool, especially when you fall on your face.)
* Launch a message in a bottle (could it end up in the news?)
* Try out for a play (something different, funny, and preferably a musical)
* Kayaking on Lake Superior (as long as I don't drown this could be really fun)
* White water rafting (again, high death rate. anyone interested?)
* Camping (who doesn't like the idea of being mauled to death my mosquitoes?!)
* Learn to ski! (yeah I know, I live in the most ski friendly place on earth. so what's wrong with me right?)
* Visit my friend Kim in Oregon (i heard the green foliage will make you goofy)
* Fly to Alaska and just MAYBE never come back =) (yep, lets just upgrade that to maybe NEVER)
* Hot air balloon ride (what if it explodes while I'm in it?)
* Get myself a passport (just another chance to humiliate myself with another ugly picture)
* CPR course (i really need a refresher)
* Archery (Guinevere? You are SO dreaming!)
* Make more snow angels then I did last winter =) (and try not to get frost bittin this time.)
* Snorkeling (you will most likely see a fish that makes you laugh so hard that you end up INHALING water and choke to death, UNDER the ocean.)
* Fencing (doesn't that just sound, NEAT? Yeah, NOT. Super ugly. Heck, even though Bond Girl is highly glamorous it is highly unlikely that any guy will enjoy me pinning him down on the ground.)
* Create some more pots in the ceramic studio (yes, that actually LOOK like pots. not slabs with glaze on them)
* Take a community ed class on nature/wood survival (and the trick here is to NOT get lost while you are learning to NOT get lost =) )
* Considering, (only considering) a 14 month masters program. (Hm... okay, already a bad idea. Scratch that!)
* Try out for DSSO Choir for Handel's Messiah (have always wanted to do that!)
* Host an afternoon tea (pinkies up ladies!)
* Get lost on a road trip just for fun! (now this would be fun. Because now you have plenty of time to laugh so hard that turning purple is okay. No one can see you turning purple and comment on the fact that purple is really NOT your color.)
* Dance the night away, in FASHION! (Go Go Boots anyone? I'm sure my aunt still has a pair I can borrow.)
* Spend one night under the stars (and don't get eaten by a wild animal. I'm just saying...)
* Write a song and play it to someone special (and don't get sooo nervous that you get sick in the process)
* Volunteering at Grandma's Marathon (this is a great incentive to lose thirty pounds because all those rail thin bodies will make you want to start throwing up right there.)
* Watch the Tall Ships enter the Duluth Port (Captain Jack Sparrow! RRrrrrrrrrrr. HOT!)
* Trip to Bayfield Apple Festival (only I can't eat the BLASTED apple. Okay... then I will just gaze upon the lovely field and bay. LOVELY!)
* Watch the sled dog marathon (now this is always interesting. Slobber, dog air, dog poop, hanging around people that are WAY cooler then you, and pretending that maybe if you wore the right thing, tossled your hair, and didn't wear any makeup that you would be the coolest person too. Hm. So not me. Although I think the puppy kisses are totally worth the trip.)

Okay, I suppose that is just about as much as I should be allowed to write about. Right? But doesn't it look like a fantastic list of fun things? And they are all double. Well, okay maybe a couple aren't. One in particular is fencing. Who really wants to see anyone in a tight uniform like that? UGH! So any way, do you have any lists that you guys keep going on fun things to do? Now it is not like I totally expect to do all or anyone one of them. But it is still neat to think about possibly doing one or more of these things at sometime in your life. =)

Oh and by the way... I swallowed my gum today. Something I have ALWAYS wanted to do. Blast is that a horrible feeling. And it was something I super could NOT avoid. My coworker had my gasping for air I was laughing so hard today. One inhale and GULP, down went the Citrus-to-Mint Stride gum. Nasty stuff. But I'm trying to wean myself off of it altogether. I wonder if they have a Stride Gum Chewing Anonymous group or something. Because I have all the tale tell symptoms of super sick chewing gum people. Except for one thing. Okay two things. It always stays in my mouth. Yep. And I do NOT play with my gum or snap it loudly. Nope. We just chew together happily. Enjoying each others company and sometimes, sharing a tear or two. Knowing that our time together is growing short. Tears. Tears. Parting is such GREAT sorrow. Okay, I'm getting over it. See, I'm sick! ROFL! =)

So, on with the flow!

Cheers!