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2012

Goals for 2012

January 2, 2012 by Jessica 13 Comments

I’m pretty pleased with what I did in 2011 but that doesn’t mean I’m slowing down any! This won’t be a big year for travel or too much adventure but there are still plenty of things for me to do!

#8 Sell a piece of art (and realize my childhood dream, which is #28 on the 40/40 list)

#46 Scuba Diving: Continue practicing my newfound SCUBA skillz by going to the rock quarry at least once.

#52 Read the Greatest Books Ever Written (#7 on the 40/40 list): I mostly have really long ones left so out of the 10 remaining, I’m going to tackle 4 this year. As ONE of these things to read is the ENTIRE works of Shakespeare, I also want to see 2 plays performed live.

#65  Shout ‘Drinks Are on Me!’ in a Pub or Bar (#17 on the 40/40 list): I’m waiting to go my bar on a Tuesday afternoon at 3pm. I can swing buying drinks for 5 people.

#68 Save Someone’s Life (#8 on the 40/40 list): Donate 6 pints I’ve gone back and forth on this. I know they say donating blood can help save someone’s life but I guess I feel like I can’t be sure if MY blood actually saved somoene’s life. But most people seem to think this counts so let’s compromise. If I donate 5 gallons (which is 40 pints and the quickest I’d be able to accomplish that is 7 years), then can we say the likelihood of ONE of those 40 pints actually saved somebody’s life?

#84 Learn to Ski (#32 on the 40/40 list): As a hold over from the original list I had in high school, it’s high time I did something about this one.

#93.5 Get Your Name in the Ring of Honor:  I completed this goal in 2011 but I’ll have my plate unveiling this year.

Goals from my 40 Before I’m 40 List:

#1 Be Able to Do a Pull Up

#11 Learn to Rock Climb: Already have the Groupon in hand to make this happen!

#18 Watch the Top 1,001 Films: Watch 100 this year

#25 Drink All the Beers on the GQ List: Drink 20

#35 Visit all of the NC Breweries: Visit 10 this year

#36 Learn How to Ballroom Dance: Have the Groupon in hand to do this one as well! I think I’m going to try Salsa!

#37 Start Using Coupons

#38 See a Movie in a Drive-In Movie Theater: I’m putting a stipulation on this one. If they simply insist on showing family movies I’m not interested in, I’m not going to force myself to sit through some animated drivel just to check this one off. I think it would be super fantastic if they showed something like Star Wars. Could you imagine seeing that outside at a drive in movie theater? You’d really feel like you were in space!

From the Sports List:

#18 Attend a rugby game (and learn the rules): There are actually some local teams

#19 Attend a cricket game (and learn the rules): There’s actually a local league!

#24 Attend the Kentucky Derby: There is SOME talk about going this year with my good friend Jessica so hopefully this is happening this year.

Also, not officially on any lists but I’m hoping they do the “Over the Edge” event this year so that I can repel down the side of a building and I have also never been to a tea room and I want to try that out.

Think that’s enough? What’s on YOUR goals for 2012?

101 Things before you die, 40 Before I'm 40, Achievement, bucket list, Entertainment, Excitement, life list, Life Management, Miscellaneous, Nature, Recklessness, Relationships, Sport and Activity, things before you die, Travel
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Scuba

Final Results 2011

December 30, 2011 by Jessica 12 Comments

This has been quite the year, having very little to do with the list. But despite things going on in my personal life, I still managed to get some things done on the 101 Things to Do Before You Die list. May not have been as exciting as 2010 but still managed to tick things off the list!

#1 Write a Novel:  Big FAIL on the National Novel Writing Month again. I feel like I keep coming up with excuses but seriously I just had WAY too much going on in November. I said this last year but maybe I just need to pick another month.

#11 Visit Every State:  Original goal was to go to Pennsylvania but I’m not going to complain about checking Hawaii off the list instead!

#16 Get into the Guinness World Book of Records: I haven’t donated blood all year so epic fail on that. HOWEVER…AANR didn’t try to break 2010′s Skinny Dip Record, so that still stands!

#46 Scuba Diving/#87 Conquer Your Fear:  COMPLETED! (Well, at least the SCUBA diving portion. Time will tell about whether I’ve conquered my fear of water)

#52 Read the Greatest Books Ever Written: The only one I read this year was The Master and Margarita. I spent all of my time working on the Global Challenge. But I also read Fantastic Mr. Fox, Rabbit, Run, Mildred Pierce, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and the latest Sookie book. 13 books total for the year. Not my best effort but better than most, I guess!

#52.1 Shakespeare Reading Challenge: Originally I was going to attempt to actually see some plays performed but my schedule never worked out. I really haven’t put any energy into this one :(

#52.2 Global Reading Challenge: COMPLETED! I read Winesburg, Ohio (North America), Evil Angels (Australiasia), The Good Earth (Asia), Out of Africa (Africa), The Master and Margarita (Europe), The Road (Future) and Love in the Time in Cholera (South America).

#89 Learn to Cook:  COMPLETED! (Sorry, I haven’t posted about my last 5 recipes yet. I’ll do that in the next couple of weeks).

#93.5 Get Your Name in the Ring of Honor:  COMPLETED! Planning on hosting my plate party in 2012.

#105 Krispy Kreme Challenge: COMPLETED!  Warrior Dash: COMPLETED!

Goals from my 40 Before I’m 40 List:

#6 Start Saving for Retirement: COMPLETED!

#19 Watch AFI’s 100 Best Films: COMPLETED!

#20 Sing Karaoke: COMPLETED!

#28  Sell a piece of art (and realize my childhood dream, which is #8 on the 101 list): FAIL!

#38 See a Movie in a Drive-In Movie Theater: Anytime I thought about it and had a free weekend, they weren’t showing anything I wanted to see. Pushed off to 2012.

#39 Lose 20 Pounds: COMPLETED!

Not on the list for this year’s goals but still to be noted:

On the official list but not planned at the beginning of the year:

  • #7: Eat Exotic Foods: I ate Haggis at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and bugs at BugFest
  • #98: Go on a Demonstration: COMPLETED!
  • #22: Go up in a Hot Air Balloon: COMPLETED!

So in 2011 I completed 11 of my goals, 4 of which are from the original 101 things to do before you die list, which brings the total to 38 things completely done and 13 things partially done. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. And I’m thinking 2012 is going to be even better!

So how did you do with your goals for 2011?  What do you have planned for 2012?

101 Things before you die, 40 Before I'm 40, Achievement, bucket list, Entertainment, Excitement, life list, Life Management, Miscellaneous, Nature, Recklessness, Relationships, Sport and Activity, things before you die, Travel
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Thing to Do #35 (40/40): Visit All NC Breweries

November 28, 2011 by Jessica 7 Comments

I added “Visit All NC Breweries” to the 40 Before I’m 40 a few months ago and I plan to try to visit 10 in 2012. North Carolina boasts more craft breweries than any state in the American South, with 21 brewpubs and 28 production breweries statewide. My rule is that if any are added while I’m doing this goal, I’m not going to break my neck trying to go to any new ones added after this date. Another rule is that I have to have drank a beer at these places because there are several I’ve visited but didn’t drink a beer while there. But the good news is that I’ve already been to a few (marked below) including Fullsteam, which I visited this past weekend.

I had several Fullsteam beers while I was doing my 200 beer challenge and I really liked Workingman’s Lunch (which, how could you not love a beer that’s served with a Moon Pie?) but I also tried their El Toro this past weekend, a cream ale I enjoyed as well. The actual brewery is pretty cool, a renovated warehouse offering picnic tables within where patrons can bring in  from the food trucks parked outside. It looked like people also brought in board games and other things too, so the atmosphere is obviously one of just very chill, “anything goes” type mentality.

(Updated January 9, 2012)

Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company

Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company

Craggie Brewing Company

French Broad Brewing Co.

Green Man Brewery

Highland Brewing Co.

Lexington Avenue Brewery

Oyster House Brewing Co.

Wedge Brewing Company

Pisgah Brewing Co.

Nantahala Brewing Company

Carolina Brewery – Chapel Hill (DONE: Oatmeal Porter)

Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery

Four Friends Brewing

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Ass Clown Brewing Company

Bull City Burger and Brewery

Fullsteam (DONE: El Toro/Working Man’s Lunch)

Triangle Brewing Company

The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

Huske Hardware House Restaurant & Brewery

Mash House Brewery & Chophouse (DONE: Raspberry Porter)

Aviator Brewing Company (DONE: Black Mamba Stout)

Natty Greene’s Pub & Brewing Co. – Greensboro

Southern Appalachian Brewery

Loe’s Brewing Company

Olde Hickory Brewery

Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery

Mystery Brewing Company

Carolina Brewing Company

Weeping Radish Farm Brewery

Outer Banks Brewing Station

Mother Earth Brewing Co.

Hops Grill Brewery

Carolina Beer Company

Catawba Valley Brewing Company

Old North State Winery and Brewery

Carolina Brewery – Pittsboro

Big Boss Brewing Co.

Boylan Bridge Brewpub (DONE: Pullman Porter)

LoneRider Brewing Co.

Natty Greene’s Pub & Brewing Co. – Raleigh

Roth Brewing Company

Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company

Dry County Brewing Company

Heinzelmannchen Brewery

Frog Level Brewing Company

Red Oak Brewery

Front Street Brewery

Foothills Brewing

40 Before I'm 40, Achievement, Entertainment, Recklessness
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DSC_2436

Getting in Touch with My Girly Side

November 10, 2011 by Jessica 26 Comments

I always like to say that 101 Things to Do Before You Die is more than just ticking things off a list and is instead about getting outside of your comfort zone. Try something new. Do something completely different.

Some of these items may be seem pretty mundane or unimpressive but if they are things I’ve never done, then they are interesting to me. This has been true especially in the last year as it seems I’ve been doing quite a number of new things that really only girls would do.

I’ve had my nose waxed (that’s right, my nose hairs were yanked out of my nostrils in two sharp jerks). I stood naked and cold in a small closet of a room while I was carefully spray painted a slightly darker color of tan. I’ve started a monthly regimen of voluntarily allowing acids brushed onto my face, resulting in layers of my skin flaking off for days afterwards, not to mention writhing in pain from an orange stick being jabbed into my pores to extract any dirt. After the application of ice packs in an attempt to dull the pain, lasers have (and continue) to remove hair permanently from my body.

And all of these things were done in the name of beauty. Geez it hurts to be a girl.

But with all this pain comes a little fun sometimes. Although I hate having my photo taken, I bought a Groupon for a Pin-Up Workshop and Photo Shoot. The deal was they would show you how to do the make up and hairstyles of the pin up models of the 1940s and 1950s, dress you up in outfits from the era, and then do a photo shoot in pin up style poses.

I’m not a complete tomboy but I’m especially lost when it comes to makeup and hair. Pin Up style makeup called for heavy eyeliner, perfectly penciled lips, and the application of false eyelashes, all of which I have no experience with. Intimidated and afraid I’d do it incorrectly, I had one of the instructors do it for me.

We all curled our own hair but again the instructors took control of my ineptitude and styled it in an outrageous 1940s era ‘do. There were outfits and costumes they provided that we could use but I had brought along a 1950s era cone bra and matching underwear that I was excited to try. In other class photos I had seen girls dress up in similar outfits but in my class I was the only girl wearing lingerie!

I felt awkward and silly during the photo shoot and it showed in my first few photos but then I became more comfortable and a few photos actually turned out ok. On my way home, I enjoyed the stares at the gas station with my outrageous hair and over the top makeup.

So this was my fun, silly, girly thing to do. I thought it was neat and I’ve always liked the styles of this era. I thought long and hard about sharing this photo but then I figured I’ve talked about skinny dipping and the Kama Sutra. Including a photo of myself showing as much skin as you’d see on the beach isn’t that bad, I guess.

So what are your thoughts about the horrible, painful things girls subject themselves to all in the name of beauty? Are you into pin-up type hair styles and fashions too?

Entertainment, Life Management

Updated 1001 Films to See Before You Die

November 4, 2011 by Jessica 6 Comments

I posted awhile back about the 1001 Films to See Before You Die list. At the time I had about a quarter (252) but I thought I’d revisit the list now that I’ve complete the AFI list. I hoped I had moved up a little bit. Now I’ve added this thing to do on my 40 before I’m 40 list. Although this will definitely take me a few years (if I watch two movies a week, it’s going to take almost 7 years), I could say, without a doubt, that after having seen all these films, I’d be one of the most “well-watched” (is that a term?) people around.

Currently I’ve seen 298 on the list (films I’ve seen are in black):

12 Angry Men
1900
2001
3-Iron
39 Steps, The
42nd Street
8 1/2
A One and a Two
Actor’s Revenge, An
Actress, The
Adam’s Rib
Adventure, The
Adventures of Priscillia, Queen of the Desert, The
Adventures of Robin Hood, The
Affair to Remember, An
African Queen, The
Age of Gold, The
Aguirre: The Wrath of God
Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer
Airplane!
Akira
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul
Alien
Aliens
All About Eve
All About My Mother
All Quiet on the Western Front
All That Heaven Allows
All That Jazz
All the President’s Men
Alphaville
Amadeus
Amarcord
Amelie
American Beauty
American Friend, The
American Graffiti
American In Paris, An
American Werewolf in London
Amores Perros
Anatomy of a Murder
Andalusian Dog, An
Andrei Rublev
Angel Face
Angels with Dirty Faces
Animal Farm
Annie Hall
Apartment, The
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypto
Archangel
Ariel
Artists and Models
Ascent, The
Ashes and Diamonds
Asphalt Jungle, The
Asthenic Syndrome, The
Atalante, L’
Atlantic City
Atonement
Audition
Autumn Afternoon, An
Awful Truth, The Babe
Babes in Arms
Babette’s Feast
Back to the Future
Bad and the Beautiful, The
Bad Day at Black Rock
Badlands
Baker’s Wife, The
Ballad of Narayama, The
Balthazar
Band Wagon, The
Bank Dick, The
Barefoot Contessa, The
Barren Lives
Barry Lyndon
Batman
Battle of Algiers, The
Battle of San Pietro, The
Battleship Potemkin
Beat the Devil
Beau Travail
Beautiful Troublemaker, The
Beauty and the Beast
Before the Revolution
Being John Malkovich
Being There
Belle de Jour
Ben-Hur
Best of Youth, The
Best Years of Our Lives, The
Beverly Hills Cop
Bicycle Thief, The
Big
Big Carnival, The
Big Chill, The
Big Heat, The
Big Parade, The
Big Red One, The
Big Sky, The
Big Sleep, The
Bigamist, The
Bigger Than Life
Bird with the Crystal Plumage, The
Birds, The
Birth of a Nation, The
Bitch, The
Bitter Tea of General Yen, The
Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, The
Black Cat, The
Black God, White Devil
Black Narcissus
Black Orpheus
Black Sunday
Blackmail
Blade Runner
Blair Witch Project, The
Blazing Saddles
Blonde Cobra
Blowup
Blue Angel, The
Blue Kite, The
Blue Velvet
Boat, The
Bob the Gambler
Body Heat
Bonnie and Clyde
Boogie Nights
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Boudu Saved from Drowning
Boyz N the Hood
Brave-Hearted Will Take the Bride, The
Braveheart
Brazil
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Breakfast Club, The
Breaking Away
Breaking the Waves
Breathless
Bride of Frankenstein
Bridge on the River Kwai, The
Brief Encounter
Brighter Summer Day, A
Brightness
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
Bringing Up Baby
Broadcast News
Brokeback Mountain
Broken Blossoms
Buffalo 66
Bull Durham
Burmese Harp, The
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butcher Boy, The
Butcher, The
Cabaret
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The
Cairo Station
Camille
Captain Blood
Captains Courageous
Caravaggio
Carmen Jones
Carrie
Casablanca
Casino
Cat People
Ceddo
Celebration, The
Celine and Julie Go Boating
Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, The
Chariots of Fire
Children of a Lesser God
Children of Paradise, The
Chimes at Midnight
Chinatown
Chinese Ghost Story, A
Christmas Story, A
Chronicle of a Summer
Chungking Express
Cinema Paradiso
Citizen Kane
City Lights
City of God
City of Sadness, A
Cleo from 5 to 7
Clerks
Clockwork Orange, A
Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Read more…

40 Before I'm 40, bucket list, Entertainment
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rhps

I see you shiver with antici… pation

November 1, 2011 by Jessica 12 Comments

I had avoided attending Rocky Horror Picture Show for years. I had seen the movie at home since it’s on the original list of movies to watch before I die. But as to seeing the show “live,” I was uncertain as to what would be done to me. I was convinced someone would try to embarass me or call me out in front of the crowd and there is nothing I hate more than being put in the spotlight with everyone looking at me.

My friends and I made our way to the theater by 10:30pm, anticipating a large crowd during Halloween weekend. There were a good number of people in the theater already but we could have easily waited a good while before arriving. While waiting, we observed the early crowd and quickly discovered that most in attendance were 1) much younger than us (18-24) and 2) all just a little socially awkward. There was a lot of running and chasing each other around the theater, something I haven’t personally done since I was in elementary school, and most were just generally loud, yelling inappropriate things. We remarked that we were all old fuddy-duddies, almost falling asleep before things had begun and being annoyed by the running around and silliness around us.

It being Halloween weekend, they started things off with a costume contest, which was actually a lot of fun. There was a good bit of nakedness, with electric tape and g-strings being the attire of more than one young lady. The guy who won was a dead ringer for Dr. Frank-N-Furter and even entertained us with a great rendition of “Sweet Transvestite.”

Finally, finally, everything got started. They called up all the virgins, which I ignored. More than half the theater went up front, probably around 150 people, so I wouldn’t have been the center of attention by any means, but I don’t like crowds and I was fine just observing the virgins getting their “cherries popped.”

I do have to say emcee was good, very professional and funny. We had purchased prop bags and once the movie began, were able to throw rice during the opening wedding scene. There was so much going on between the movie, the live re-enactment of the movie down front, and other people wandering in the aisles yelling random things. Unfortunately for us, the guy nearest to us was screaming the responses to the movie, so much so that I couldn’t really understand what he was saying or what was being said in the movie that would make the responses clever.

We stood up to dance along to “The Time Warp” and enjoyed the underwear run but honestly by that point, we, the old fogies were ready to go. I had seen most of the “big” things you’re supposed to experience at RHPS and I was honestly not really having much fun. I was sleepy and generally annoyed at the yelling and chaos. I didn’t know what was going on and was growing irritable at just the noise and running around.

So, after years of building up RHPS as this scary event, it ended up just being this silly thing that was mostly just full of kids running around and yelling.

Am I really this old and boring?

Oh well. I count it as having been completed. I’ve got to stop pushing myself to complete things I don’t like. I tried it. I decided it wasn’t for me. That’s enough.

So how about you? Have you been to a screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show? Did you like it? Am I really this old and boring?

40 Before I'm 40, Entertainment, Excitement
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dracula-tour

10 Best Places to Spend Halloween

October 29, 2011 by Jessica 6 Comments

I love Halloween. I talked about how much I enjoyed it in this post from last year. Because of some things going on in my life right now, I won’t really be able to celebrate it this year like I have in the past and this will be the first year in six years that I didn’t dress up for Halloween. I did go see Ghostbusters on the big screen a couple of weeks ago, which was AWESOME! and I did something last night that has always been on my list of things to do before I die that was kinda Halloween-y (look for that write up in a coming post) but I’ve missed not decorating my house and going to Halloween parties. Oh well. There’s always next year. In the meantime, I thought at least my blog could get into the spirit with these ten great destinations for a Halloween vacation:

1. San Francisco. This is a city that loves to play and to dress up in costumes. It is no wonder that there are plenty of things to do here for Halloween. Options range from kid-friendly events like trick-or-treating at the zoo to decidedly adults-only events like the annual Exotic Erotic Ball and Adult Entertainment Expo. There are numerous other costume and candy events at local attractions, hotels and clubs.

2. New York City. This is another terrific destination city for people who want to check out cool local Halloween events. The place to be for the big Halloween party is Greenwich Village. Here you’ll find an amazing costumed parade and lots of live music. You will also find a crowd because nearly two million people typically come out for this big event. You may have thought New Year’s Eve was the time to head to New York City (and it is) but don’t underestimate how amazing the city is at Halloween.

3. Transylvania, Romania. Who doesn’t think about characters like vampires when Halloween rolls around? What better place to indulge in that historical fantasy than in Translyvania? The city lives up to its name with lots of cool Halloween events that play off of the Dracula theme. The best place to be is Bran’s Castle (also known as Dracula’s Castle), which is in the creepy Carpathian Mountains. A huge Halloween event takes place here throughout the week combining costumed fun with historic tours. (If I was ever going to visit Transylvania, this would definitely be the time to do it!)

4. Venice, Italy. This was recently named one of the top five Halloween destinations in Europe. That is because it has a little bit of everything that you could want for a Halloween vacation. There’s a local ghost tour through an eerie historic landscape. There are legends about the terror of sea monsters. And this is a destination that a lot of people have always longed to visit.

5. Anoka, Minnesota. This isn’t a destination that a lot of people know about but it’s one that does come alive around Halloween. That’s because this little Midwest town has decided to make its claim to fame by becoming the Halloween Capital of the World. The entire month of October is filled with Halloween related events including Halloween food festivals, parades and a big jack-o-lantern contest.

6. Chicago, Illinois. A more urban Midwest destination that also features great Halloween options for visitors is Chicago. Check out the events at Navy Pier, which include a haunted house and a “carnival of curiosities”. Check out the haunted ships, the Six Flags Great America Halloween celebration and the pumpkin patches around the city. Check it all out!

7. Bisbee, Arizona. This small historic town is home to hotels that are reported to be haunted. It’s a charming little getaway with a bit of a spooky side to it. Explore old copper mines, take a day trip to the historic Old West town of Tombstone and go pumpkin picking at nearby farms. This vacation is best for adults looking for a romantic little retreat for Halloween although there are kid-friendly activities in the region.

8. Savannah, Georgia. Do you want to do something really creepy for Halloween? Take a trip to Savannah, a city that is filled with cemeteries and has been reported to be home to numerous ghosts and spirits. They play off of this at Halloween and provide lots of spooky events for people of all ages. Carriage tours, a Creepy Pub Crawl, a walking tour of haunted areas, and a pirate-themed restaurant are all popular options for Savannah’s Halloween visitors. (When we visited Savannah in January, there WERE a lot of ghost stories)

9. Norcross, Georgia. One of the most popular things to do during the Halloween season is to visit a fictional haunted house, the kind of place that is designed to frighten you in a fun way. Netherworld Haunted House in Norcross, Georgia has been ranked the number one haunted house in the United States. That makes it a destination worth checking out. (I’m a big scaredy cat and can’t watch horror movies with all the lights on in the middle of the day. Last year I finally went to a local haunted house and buried my face in my hands the whole way through. I’m not sure I could make it through something like this).

10. Orlando, Florida. This Disneyworld destination is popular at all times of the year but it comes alive with fun family-friendly events. A top pick is Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios.

So what do YOU do for Halloween? Ever been to any of these places to celebrate Halloween? Do you like horror movies and haunted houses or are you as big of a scaredy cat as I am?

Entertainment, Travel
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Demolition-Derby-6

Demolition Derby Time!

October 26, 2011 by Jessica 11 Comments

First of all, I want to apologize that I’ve been absent lately. I’m sure you don’t care too much but I’ve missed YOU…and I’ve missed blogging. I enjoy writing and I do this for me so I hate not having had this outlet lately. Suffice to say I’ve had some things going on but hopefully I’ll be writing more in the coming weeks…especially as November starts next week, which means NaNoWriMo! I didn’t finish last November and even though I have so much going on, I think I need this even more right now.

On to the Demolition Derby…

I almost didn’t go to the NC State Fair this year. Although I’ve talked about my love for my fair at great length in past posts and was even a finalist for the Deep Fried Ambassador this year, it just seemed like it wasn’t in the cards for me this year. Fortunately, some friends started talking about going to the Demolition Derby, which is apparently held every year but that I have, somehow, managed to never attend.

What is it about humans that love destruction? And don’t even try to say it’s just me. I’ve been at hockey games where the crowd was worked into an animalistic frenzy during a bloody fist fight on the ice and I’m here to tell you that the cheers that went up from those Derby grandstands on Saturday were next to ecstasy. And I was yelling right along with them.

Since I’m a big fat girl and didn’t know anything about Demolition Derby, I rapid-fire asked questions of my compatriots about the rules. For those of you that have also missed out on the wonder that is Demolition Derby, this is what I got:

  • The goal is to be the last “man” standing…or the last car moving in this case.
  • You aren’t supposed to hit in the driver’s side. The only safety equipment the
    drivers wear is a helmet, a very small safety neck brace, and a seat belt. That’s it.
  • You want to avoid hitting cars with your front end because this does damage to
    your car too! (Seems obvious, I know, but I literally asked why they didn’t ram each other more)
  • CAUSE DESTRUCTION!
  • Um…that’s about it

It was a lot of fun. In the first “heat,” there were 10 cars that clunked into the ring and lined up in two rows, back to back. I quickly realized that the key to being good at Demolition Derby is being able to drive backwards. (Not to mention probably a general lack of concern for safety). It was a muddy field and it was a delight to see the bald tires slip and skid, especially after a few key hits had bent the axels. Mud was flying everywhere and a couple of cars even caught on fire.

I was delighted to see that of these 10 cars, 2 were female drivers. Awesome!

There were three “heats” and the whole thing only lasted about 1.5 hours. And given the event and where it was, I’ve definitely had my fill of seeing Confederate flags for the next five years. But I’m glad I went!

So have YOU ever been to a Demolition Derby? Would you get in and be a derby driver?

Entertainment, Excitement, Sport and Activity
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shawshank

Thing to Do #19 (40/40): Watch AFI’s Top 100 films

October 17, 2011 by Jessica 10 Comments

COMPLETED!

I’ve now seen all the films on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Films list. Found some that I liked and some that I’ll never see again. Some I had seen through the completion of the film list from the original 101 Things to Do Before You Die list.

Below are short reviews of the remaining the seven films I watched to finish off the list and below that is the entire list for your reference, some of which have my personal opinion reflected next to the title.

Sullivan’s Travels

This is exactly what a “classic” movie should be. A cute love story with pretty lead actors, a little slapsticky comedy, a poignant message, and a happy ending.

Intolerance

It took me five times to get all the way through this epic silent film. This is the hardest I’ve ever worked to get through a film. And I’ve watched Eraserhead.

Nashville

A very long and slow and LOUD movie. It’s a Robert Altman film, so he likes the multistoryed plot. But if you stick with it long enough, all the different plot lines weave together and it slowly draws you in enough for you to want to figure out what happens with each character.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Ok, I’m not going to lie. This is a challenging film. But if you can push through it, I think you’ll be pleased. All the actors are just really so strong (they were all nominated for an Oscar with Elizabeth Taylor and Sandy Dennis winning), and considering it’s two hours of dialogue, and loud, screaming dialogue at that, they’d have to be at the top of their game. It DEMANDS an emotional response from you, whether you say you liked it or not by the end.

City Lights

Of all the Charlie Chaplin films I’ve seen, I liked this one the best. It had the sweetest story and, for whatever reason, he seemed a little less silly. The boxing scene was my favorite. The film is easy to watch and makes you smile.

King Kong

I can admit that for 1933, these special effects must have just been amazing. Because even in 2011, they weren’t THAT bad, especially given all the overdone CGI I’ve seen in some movies lately. I knew the story and had certainly seen the remakes, but I could appreciate this original’s place in film history.

Shane

This was ok. The sound was a little off so I had difficulty following what was being said. The little boy was a little annoying and so was the mother by the end. I dunno. Meh.

CITIZEN KANE-ok
THE GODFATHER-good
CASABLANCA-better the second time I saw it
RAGING BULL-ok
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN-great!
GONE WITH THE WIND-GREAT!
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA-not my cup of tea
SCHINDLER’S LIST-good
VERTIGO-good
THE WIZARD OF OZ-good
CITY LIGHTS
THE SEARCHERS-ok
STAR WARS-good
PSYCHO-great
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY-um…no
SUNSET BLVD.-great
THE GRADUATE-good
THE GENERAL-great!
ON THE WATERFRONT-ok
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE-GREAT!
CHINATOWN-ok
SOME LIKE IT HOT-GREAT!
THE GRAPES OF WRATH-ok
E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL-good
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD-GREAT!
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON-GREAT!
HIGH NOON-great
ALL ABOUT EVE-good
DOUBLE INDEMNITY-good
APOCALYPSE NOW-ok
THE MALTESE FALCON-not my cup of tea
THE GODFATHER PART II-great
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST-ok
SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS-good
ANNIE HALL-ok
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI-great
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES-good
THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE-ok
DR. STRANGELOVE-ok
THE SOUND OF MUSIC-GREAT!
KING KONG
BONNIE AND CLYDE-GREAT!
MIDNIGHT COWBOY-good
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY-great
SHANE
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT-great
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE-great
REAR WINDOW-great
INTOLERANCE-not my cup of tea
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING-ok
WEST SIDE STORY-ok
TAXI DRIVER-good
THE DEER HUNTER-ok
M*A*S*H-ok
NORTH BY NORTHWEST-good
JAWS-good
ROCKY-good
THE GOLD RUSH-ok
NASHVILLE-ok
DUCK SOUP-not my cup of tea
SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS-good
AMERICAN GRAFFITI-ok
CABARET-GREAT!
NETWORK-um…no
THE AFRICAN QUEEN-GREAT!
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK-GREAT!
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?-good
UNFORGIVEN-ok
TOOTSIE-GREAT!
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE-good
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN-great
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION-My favorite movie ever!
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID-GREAT!
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS-great
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT-ok
FORREST GUMP-good
ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN-ok
MODERN TIMES-ok
THE WILD BUNCH-ok
THE APARTMENT-GREAT!
SPARTACUS-good
SUNRISE-ok
TITANIC-good
EASY RIDER-GREAT!
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA-good
PLATOON-ok
12 ANGRY MEN-good
BRINGING UP BABY-good
THE SIXTH SENSE-great
SWING TIME-great
SOPHIE’S CHOICE-good
GOODFELLAS-GREAT!
THE FRENCH CONNECTION-ok
PULP FICTION-GREAT!
THE LAST PICTURE SHOW-um…no
DO THE RIGHT THING-good
BLADE RUNNER-ok
YANKEE DOODLE DANDY-ok
TOY STORY-great
BEN-HUR-ok

40 Before I'm 40, Achievement, bucket list, Entertainment
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1984

Banned Book Week!

October 5, 2011 by Jessica 13 Comments

I’m actually at the North Carolina Librarians Association Annual Conference this week in glamorous Hickory, NC. I’m doing the trade show thing promoting my educational organization but I thought this post was especially appropriate given where I currently am.

Technically, I’m a week late but it still works.

Here are the top banned books according to the ALA. If you’d like more information about why these books were banned, visit here. The ones I’ve read are in black; haven’t read, red (if you look at the numbers, it looks like some books have been removed).

1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
6. Ulysses, by James Joyce (sitting in my pile “To Read”) 
7. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
8. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
9. 1984, by George Orwell
11. Lolita, by Vladmir Nabokov (sitting in my pile “To Read”)
12. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
15. Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
16. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
17. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
18. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway
19. As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
20. A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway
23. Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston
24. Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
25. Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
26. Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
27. Native Son, by Richard Wright
28. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey
29. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut (sitting in my pile “To Read”) 
30. For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemingway
33. The Call of the Wild, by Jack London
36. Go Tell it on the Mountain, by James Baldwin
38. All the King’s Men, by Robert Penn Warren
40. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
45. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair
48. Lady Chatterley’s Lover, by D.H. Lawrence
49. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess (sitting in my pile “To Read”) 
50. The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
53. In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote
55. The Satanic Verses, by Salman Rushdie
57. Sophie’s Choice, by William Styron
64. Sons and Lovers, by D.H. Lawrence
66. Cat’s Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
67. A Separate Peace, by John Knowles
73. Naked Lunch, by William S. Burroughs (sitting in my pile “To Read”) 
74. Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh (sitting in my pile “To Read”) 
75. Women in Love, by D.H. Lawrence
80. The Naked and the Dead, by Norman Mailer
84. Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller
88. An American Tragedy, by Theodore Dreiser
97. Rabbit, Run, by John Updike

Hmmmm….only 20. Looks like I have more reading to do!

Achievement, Entertainment
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