#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?

#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:

• joined the Bone Marrow Registry, so between that and donating blood, I’m working on #68 Save Someone’s Life
• visited Savannah
• saw UNC play (and win) in the NCAA tournament.
• attended a Ren Faire 
• got a star named after me, which could fulfill #94 Get Something Named After Me (I’m still holding out hope for a street or a building or something.)
• While SCUBA diving in Hawaii, I saw a Sea Turtle in the wild; that’s not on the “official” list but still cool
• went to the VA Derby where I was in the top 10 finalists for the hat competition.
• visited the Biltmore Estate.
• attended a Demolition Derby,
• finally went to Rocky Horror Picture Show
  
• got into my girly side by doing a pin-up shoot.

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?

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

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?

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

Close-up
Closely Watched Trains
Cloud-Capped Star, The
Clueless
Color of Pomegranates, The
Color Purple, The
Come and See
Come Drink With Me
Conformist, The
Contempt
Conversation, The
Cook, the Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover, The
Cool Hand Luke
Cool World, The
Cow, The
Cranes are Flying, The
Crash
Cria!
Cries and Whispers
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Crowd, The
Crumb
Crying Game, The
Cyclo
Daisies
Dance, Girl, Dance
Dancer in the Dark
Dances with Wolves
Dangerous Liaisons
David Holzman’s Diary
Dawn of the Dead
Day for Night
Day in the Country, A
Day the Earth Stood Still, The
Daybreak
Days of Heaven
Dead Man
Dead, The
Dear Diary
Decalogue, The
Decline of the American Empire
Deep End
Deer Hunter, The
Defiant Ones, The
Delicatessen
Deliverance
Departed, the
Dersu Uzala
Deseret
Destry Rides Again
Detour
Diaboliques, Les
Diary of a Country Priest
Die Hard
Diner
Dirty Harry
Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The
Do the Right Thing
Docks of New York, The
Dodsworth
Dog Day Afternoon
Dog Star Man
Dog’s Life, A
Dolce Vita, La
Don’t Look Now
Double Indemnity
Double Life of Veronique, The
Down By Law
Downfall
Dr. Mabuse, Parts 1 and 2
Dr. Strangelove
Dr. Zhivago
Dracula
Dracula
Drowning by Numbers
Drugstore Cowboy
Duck Soup
Dumbo
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Ear, The
Earth
Earth Entranced
Easy Rider
Eclipse, The
Edward Scissorhands
El Norte
El Topo
Elephant Man, The
Empire Strikes Back, The
English Patient, The
Enter the Dragon
Eraserhead
Europa ’51
Europa Europa
Evil Dead, The
Exorcist, The
Eyes Without a Face
Faces
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fanny and Alexander
Fantasia
Fantastic Planet
Farewell My Concubine
Farewell My Lovely
Fargo
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Fat City
Fatal Attraction
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Fight Club
Firemen’s Ball, The
Fires Were Started
Fish Called Wanda, A
Fitzcarraldo
Five Deadly Venoms
Five Easy Pieces
Flaming Creatures
Floating Weeds
Fly, The
Foolish Wives
Footlight Parade
Forbidden Games
Forbidden Planet
Force of Evil
Forrest Gump
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Fourth Man, The
Fox and His Friends
Frankenstein
Freaks
Freedom for Us
French Connection, The
Frenzy
From Here to Eternity
Full Metal Jacket
Funny Games
Gabbeh
Gallipoli
Garden of the Finzi-Continis, The
Gaslight
General, The
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Gertrud
Get Carter
Ghandi
Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The
Ghost Busters
Giant
Gigi
Gilda
Gimme Shelter
Gladiator
Gleaners and I, The
Glengarry Glen Ross
Glory
Go, See, and Become
Godfather, Part II, The
Godfather, The
Godson, The
Gold Diggers of 1933
Gold Rush, The
Golden Coach, The
Golden River
Goldfinger
Gone with the Wind
Good Bye Lenin!
Good Morning Vietnam
Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, The
Goodbye Children
Goodfellas
Gospel According to St. Matthew, The
Graduate, The
Grand Illusion
Grapes of Wrath, The
Grave of the Fireflies
Grease
Great Escape, The
Great Expectations
Great Train Robbery, The
Greed
Groundhog Day
Gun Crazy
Gunfight at the OK Corral
Gunga Din
Guys and Dolls
Halloween
Hannah and Her Sisters
Hanyeo
Happiness
Happy Together
Hard Day’s Night, A
Harder They Come, The
Harold and Maude
Haunting, The
H„xan
Head On
Heartbreak Kid, The
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse
Heat
Heaven and Earth Magic
Heavenly Creatures
Heiress, The
Henry V
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
High Noon
High Plains Drifter
High School
High Sierra
High Society
Hill 24 Doesn’t Answer
Hills Have Eyes, The
Hiroshima mon amour
His Girl Friday
Hold Me While I’m Naked
Hole, The
Hombre
Hoop Dreams
Horse Thief, The
Hotel Terminus:The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie
Hour of the Wolf
House is Black, The
Housekeeping
How Green Was My Valley
Hud
Hustler, The
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
I Know Where I’m Going!
I Walked with a Zombie
Ice Storm, The
If?
In a Lonely Place
In the Heat of the Night
In the Mood for Love
In the Realm of the Senses
In the Year of the Pig
Incredible Shrinking Man, The
Independence Day
India Song
Into The Wild
Intolerance
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Irreversible
It Happened One Night
It’s a Gift
It’s a Wonderful Life
Ivan the Terrible, I
Jacob’s Ladder
Jaws
Jazz Singer, The
Jeanne Dielman?
Jerk, The
Jezebel
JFK
Johnny Guitar
Judge Priest
Jules and Jim
Juliet of the Spirits
Jungle Book, The
Jurassic Park
Kandahar
Keeper of Promises
Kes
Kid Brother, The
Kill Bill Violume 1
Killer of Sheep
Killer, The
Killers, The
Killing Fields, The
Killing of a Chinese Bookie, The
Kind Hearts and Coronets
King Kong
King of Comedy, The
King of New York
Kingdom, The
Kippur
Kiss Me Deadly
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Klute
Koyaanisqatsi
Kramer vs. Kramer
L.A. Confidential
Ladies Man, The
Lady Eve, The
Lady from Shanghai, The
Ladykillers, The
Land Without Bread
Landscape in the Mist
Lantana
Last Battle, The
Last Chants for a Slow Dance
Last Laugh, The
Last Metro, The
Last Picture Show, The
Last Seduction, The
Last Tango in Paris
Last Wave, The
Last Year at Marienbad
Laura
Lavender Hill Mob, The
Lawrence of Arabia
Le Rose En Vie
Leopard, The
Letter from an Unknown Woman
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The
Life of Emile Zola, The
Lion King, The
Little Big Man
Little Caeser
Little Miss Sunshine
Lives of Others, The
Lola
Lolita
Lone Star
Long Goodbye, The
Lord of the Rings, The
Lost Weekend, The
Louisiana Story
Loulou
Love Me Tonight
Luc¡a
M
M*A*S*H*
M. Hulot’s Holiday
Mad Masters, The
Mad Max
Madame de…
Magnificent Ambersons, The
Magnolia
Make Way for Tomorrow
Maltese Falcon, The
Man Bites Dog
Man Escaped, A
Man From Laramie, The
Man in Grey, The
Man of Iron
Man of Marble
Man of the West
Man Who Fell to Earth, The
Man who had his hair cut short, The
Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The
Man with a Movie Camera, The
Manchurian Candidate, The
Manhattan
Manhunter
Manila in the Claws of Brightness
Marketa Lazarov
Marnie
Marriage of Maria Braun, The
Marty
Masculine-Feminine
Masque of the Red Death, The
Matrix, The
Matter of Life and Death, A
M‚diterran‚e
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Me and My Gal
Mean Streets
Meet Me in St. Louis
Meet the Parents
Memento
Memories of Underdevelopment
Meshes of the Afternoon
Metropolis
Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Song
Mildred Pierce
Million, The
Mirror, The
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
Modern Times
Money
Monsieur Verdoux
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python’s Life of Brian
Moonstruck
Mortal Storm, The
Mother and the Whore, The
Mother India
Moulin Rouge!
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Muppet Movie, The
Muriel?s Wedding
Murmur of the Heart
Music Room, The
Mutiny on the Bounty
My Brilliant Career
My Darling Clementine
My Fair Lady
My Left Foot
My Life to Live
My Man Godfrey
My Night with Maud
My Own Private Idaho
My Uncle
Naked Gun, The
Naked Lunch
Naked Spur, The
Nanook of the North
Napoleon
Nashville
Natural Born Killers
Natural, The
Neco z Alenky
Network
Night and Fog
Night at the Opera, A
Night of the Hunter, The
Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Shooting Stars, The
Night, The
Nightmare on Elm Street, A
Nights of Cabiria, The
Ninotchka
No Country for Old Men
No Fear, No Die
No Man’s Land
North By Northwest
Nosferatu, a Symphony of Terror
Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht
Notorious
Now, Voyager
Nutty Professor, The
October
Odd Man Out
Official Story, The
Oldboy
Olympia Part 1: Festival of the Nations & Part 2: Festival of Beauty
On the Town
On the Waterfront
Once
Once Upon a Time in America
Once Upon a Time in China
Once Upon a Time in the West
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
One-Eyed Jacks
Onibaba
Only Angels Have Wings
Open City
Open Your Eyes
Ordet
Ordinary People
Orphans of the Storm
Orpheus
Ossessione
Our Hospitality
Out of Africa
Out of the Past
Outlaw Josey Wales, The
Ox-Bow Incident, The
Paisan
Paleface, The
Palm Beach Story, The
Pan’s Labyrinth
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
Pandora’s Box
Papillon
Paradise Now
Paris, Texas
Passage to India, A
Passenger
Passion of Joan of Arc, The
Passion of the Christ, The
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
Pather Panchali
Paths of Glory
Patton
P‚p‚ le Moko
Peeping Tom
Peking Opera Blues
Performance
Persona
Phantom Carriage, The
Phantom of the Opera, The
Phenix City Story, The
Philadelphia
Philadelphia Story, The
Pi
Pianist, The
Piano, The
Pickpocket
Pickup on South Street
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Pier, The
Pierrot Goes Wild
Pink Flamingos
Pinocchio
Place in the Sun, A
Planet of the Apes
Platoon
Player, The
Playtime
Point Blank
Poltergeist
Postman Always Rings Twice, The
Pretty Woman
Princess Bride, The
Princess Mononoke
Prizzi’s Honor
Producers, The
Project A, Part II
Psycho
Public Enemy, The
Pulp Fiction
Puppetmaster, The
Purple Rose of Cairo, The
Quatre Cent Coups, Les
Queen Christina
Question of Silence, A
Quiet Earth, The
Quiet Man, The
Rabbit Proof Fence
Raging Bull
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Rain Man
Raise the Red Lantern
Raising Arizona
Ran
Rapture, The
Rashomon
Real Life
Rear Window
Rebecca
Rebel Without a Cause
Reckless Moment, The
Red and the White, The
Red Desert, The
Red Psalm
Red River
Red Shoes, The
Red Sorghum
Reds
Report
Repulsion
Requiem for a Dream
Resevoir Dogs
Return of the Jedi
Reversal of Fortune
Ride Lonesome
Right Stuff, The
Ring
Rio Bravo
Rio Grande
Rocco and his Brothers
Rocky
Rocky Horror Picture Show, The
Roger & Me
Roman Holiday
Romper Stomper
Room with a View, A
Rope
Rosemary’s Baby
Royal Tenenbaums, The
Rules of the Game, The
Run Lola Run
Rushmore
Sabotage
Safe
Salo, or The 120 days of Sodom
Salt of the Earth
Salvador
Sansh“ Day–
Saragossa Manuscript
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
Saturday Night Fever
Satyricon
Saving Private Ryan
Say Anything
S t ntang¢
Scarface
Scarface: The Shame of a Nation
Schindler’s List
Scorpio Rising
Scream
Se7en
Searchers, The
Seconds
Secret Beyond the Door
Secrets & Lies
Senso
Sergeant York
Serpico
Servant, The
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Seven Chances
Seven Samurai, The
Seventh Seal, The
Seventh Victim, The
Sex, lies, and videotape
Shadow of a Doubt
Shadows
Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors
Shaft
Shame
Shane
Shanghai Express
Shaolin Master Killer
Shawshank Redemption, The
She Done Him Wrong
She’s Gotta Have It
Sherlock Jr.
Sherman’s March
Shine
Shining, The
Shoah
Shock Corridor
Shoot the Piano Player
Shop on Main Street, The
Short Cuts
Sideways
Silence of the Lambs, The
Silver Lode
Sin of Lola Montes, The
Singin’ in the Rain
Sixth Sense, The
Slacker
Sleeper
Sleuth
Smiles of a Summer Night
Smiling Madame Beudet, The
Smoke
Snake Pit, The
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Solaris
Soldier of Orange
Some Like it Hot
Sons of the Desert
Sorrow and the Pity, The
Sound of Music, The
Spartacus
Spellbound
Spider’s Stratagem, The
Spirit of the Beehive, The
Spirited Away
Splendor in the Grass
Spring in a Small Town
Stagecoach
Stalker
Stand By Me
Star is Born, A
Star Wars
Steamboat Bill, Jr.
Stella Dallas
Sting, The
Storm over Asia
Story of a Cheat, The
Story of the Late Chrysanthemums, The
Story of Women, The
Strada, La
Stranger than Paradise
Stranger, The
Strangers on a Train
Straw Dogs
Streetcar Named Desire, A
Strictly Ballroom
Strike
Stroszek
Sullivan’s Travels
Suna No Onna
Sunless
Sunrise
Sunset Blvd.
Superfly
Suspiria
Sweet Hereafter, The
Sweet Smell of Success
Sweet Sweetback’s Badasssss Song
Swing Time
Tabu
Tale of the Wind, A
Tale of Winter, A
Tales of Ugetsu
Talk To Her
Tampopo
Targets
Taste of Cherry
Taxi Driver
Ten Commandments, The
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator, The
Terms of Endearment
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Host
The Man Who Knew Too Much
The Queen
Thelma and Louise
There Will Be Blood
There’s Something About Mary
Thief of Bagdad, The
Thin Blue Line, The
Thin Man, The
Thin Red Line, The
Thing, The
Things To Come
Third Man, The
Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
This is Spinal Tap
Three Brothers
Three Colors: Blue
Three Colors: Red
Three Kings
Three Lives and Only One Death
Throne of Blood
Through a Glass Darkly
Through the Olive Trees
Time to Live and the Time to Die, The
Tin Drum, The
Titanic
To Be or Not to Be
To Have and Have Not
To Kill A Mockingbird
To Live
Tokyo Olympiad
Tokyo Story
Tongues Untied
Too Early, Too Late
Tootsie
Top Gun
Top Hat
Total Recall
Touch of Evil
Touch of Zen, A
Toy Story
Traffic
Trainspotting
Travelling Players
Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The
Tree of Wooden Clogs, The
Trip to the Moon, A
Tristana
Triumph of the Will
Trouble in Paradise
Trust
Tsotsi
Turkish Delight
Two or Three Things I Know About Her
Two-Lane Blacktop
Umberto D
Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The
Unbelievable Truth, The
Underground
Unforgiven
Unknown, The
Untouchables, The
Unvanquished, The
Up in Smoke
Usual Suspects, The
Utu
Uzak
Vagabond
Vampire, The
Vampires, Les
Vanishing, The
Vertigo
Videodrome
Vij
Vinyl
Viridiana
Voyage in Italy
W.R.:Mysteries of the Organism
Wages of Fear
Walkabout
Wall, The
Wanda
War Game, The
Wavelength
Way Down East
Wedding Banquet, The
Week End
West Side Story
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Wheel, The
When Harry Met Sally
Whiskey Galore!
White Balloon, The
White Heat
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Wicker Man, The
Wild Bunch, The
Wild Reeds
Wild Strawberries
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Winchester ’73
Wings of Desire
Winter Light
Within Our Gates
Withnail and I
Wizard of Oz, The
Wolf Man, The
Woman Under the Influence, A
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Woodstock
World of Apu, The
Written on the Wind
Wrong Man, The
Wuthering Heights
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yol
Young and the Damned, The
Young Frankenstein
Young Girls of Rochefort, The
Young One, The
Z
Zabriskie Point
Zero for Conduct
Zero Kelvin

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?

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?

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?

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

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!