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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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Third Quarter Results 2011

September 28, 2011 by Jessica 9 Comments

I have to admit, it’s really gratifying to look back on where I started with this list and see how much I’ve accomplished. When people ask me “What’s next on your list?’ and they expect some big adventure, I have to admit that I’m really mostly just down to travel at this point (by and large). But, never fear, I’m always adding new adventures to the list-I’ll never run out of things to do!

#1 Write a Novel:  Nada, yet. Big plans to do the National Novel Writing Month in November.

#11 Visit Every State:  Managed to cross Hawaii off the list.

#16 Get into the Guinness World Book of Records: I haven’t donated blood all year so epic fail on that. Plus, I bought the Record Book for last year because I thought I’d be in it for the Skinny Dip but it wasn’t included. It doesn’t mean I’m not in it, it just means the Skinny Dip record is in the BIG official books that Libraries get, not the fun little one available for simple people like me. :(

#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: I spent all summer on The Master and Margarita but I’ve mostly been working on the Global Challenge. I’ve also read Fantastic Mr. Fox, Rabbit, Run, Mildred Pierce, and the latest Sookie book. I’m really not doing very well with reading this year compared to my last few years.

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

#52.2 Global Reading Challenge: So far I’ve read Winesburg, Ohio (North America), Evil Angels (Australiasia), The Good Earth (Asia), Out of Africa (Africa), The Master and Margarita (Europe), and The Road (Future). All that’s left is Love in the Time in Cholera (South America), which I’m currently reading.

#89 Learn to Cook:  I was working toward 52 recipes this year and I’m currently up to 47.

#93.5 Get Your Name in the Ring of Honor:  COMPLETED this one too! We’re planning the “plate party” as we speak.

#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: I only have Shane and Intolerance left.

#20 Sing Karaoke: COMPLETED!

#28  Sell a piece of art (and realize my childhood dream, which is #8 on the 101 list): Nada, so far.

#38 See a Movie in a Drive-In Movie Theater: I’ve been making excuses on this one. Anytime I’ve been free, the Drive-In movie theater closest to us wasn’t showing something I wanted to see. Hopefully the stars will align and I’ll get both a free weekend and a good movie.

#39 Lose 20 Pounds: COMPLETED!

Not on the list for this year’s goals but I also joined the Bone Marrow Registry, so between that and donating blood, I’m working on #68 Save Someone’s Life. I visited Savannah and I saw UNC play (and win) in the NCAA tournament. We went to a Ren Faire and I also 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.) Also, while SCUBA diving in Hawaii, I saw a Sea Turtle in the wild; that’s not on the “official” list but still cool.

We went to the VA Derby where I was in the top 10 finalists for the hat competition. I ate Haggis at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and bugs at BugFest (both part of #7 on the 101 list). I went on a demonstration (#98), Hot Air Ballooning! (#22 on the 101 list) and visited the Biltmore Estate.

So how are you doing with your goals for 2011?  Only 3 more months until 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 #7: Eat…Bugs

September 19, 2011 by Jessica 20 Comments

COMPLETED!

I had been eager to make my way to BugFest for the last two years and finally made it this past Saturday. My whole reason for attending was for their Cafe Insecta for the express purpose of eating bugs. Local restaurants concocted dishes that included bugs as a major ingredient and, for the most part, crickets and mealworms factored heavily as the preferred bug to use (as you can see from the menu at the bottom of the post).

For whatever reason, I thought the bugs would be all chopped up in the dishes; that I wouldn’t really see them so it wouldn’t really be that big of a deal. So imagine my surprise when I got in line and saw the first dish with HUGE whole crickets, complete with wispy antennae, that looked like they had just been plucked out of the bushes.

Oh well, just mind over matter, I figured. I got one serving of everything except the chirps and salsa because that restaurant was just setting up when I came through the line. I sat down with my plate of food and figured it was best if I didn’t really think about it. After a few photos of the food and of me posing with the food, I just started shoveling it in.

The cricket jambalaya was fine, the crickets were just crunchy. The mealworm maque choux was fine too; the worms kinda being crunchy as well. There were some deep fried cajun crickets and they were kinda tasty.

The Thai jelly was, through appearance alone, the most unsettling. Translucent jasmine jelly that very clearly had gray-brown whole worms suspended throughout was not terribly appetizing. But, trying to just power through, I scooped up a cube of the jelly and popped it in my mouth. The jasmine flavor itself wasn’t great and then as I thoughtfully chewed, I realized that the texture was probably very similar to what worm would really feel like.

Close Up of Worm Jelly

And I gagged.

Like, full-wretch, had-to-fight-back-getting-sick-in-a-very-public-place, kind of gag. I closed my eyes, quickly swallowed, and reached for a carmel apple with worms. I (correctly) figured the apple and carmel taste would be the dominate taste and I could just concentrate on something else.

Oh, what I would have given for some water right about then.

I figured after eating about 5 whole crickets, and some very juicy worms, that was sufficient as completing this thing to do as done, so I didn’t clean my plate, leaving about half of what I had been given. I snatched my Mealworm & Chocolate Chip Cookie (the worms in THAT were all chopped up and you couldn’t see it or taste it, so it was just a yummy cookie) and nibbled on that as I walked around looking at some of the exhibits. I purposely didn’t go into the Museum to see the spiders, which meant I also missed other opportunities to eat more bugs (including chocolate covered ones) but I don’t feel that was any great sacrifice.

So…I ate bugs. Do I feel a need to do it again? Nope. Am I glad I did it? Yep.

Acro Café

Cricket & Crawfish Jambalaya
Mealworm Maque Choux

Market Restaurant

Chirps and Superworm Salsa

Spize Café

Cricket Costini with Thai Peanut Cream
Lemongrass Toasted Waxworm Spring Salad

Thai Villa

Chirping Chilli Sauce
Ice Age – Thai Jelly w/ Mealworms

Whole Foods Market

Mealworm & Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mealworm & Cricket Cranberry Chocolate Bark

101 Things before you die, Achievement, Excitement, Life Management, Nature, Recklessness
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Thing to Do #23 (40/40): Run the Warrior Dash

August 31, 2011 by Jessica 20 Comments

COMPLETED!

I’ve been so excited to share this post with you but I had to wait for photos from the race to become available.

We had a great time at the Warrior Dash and I would absolutely do it again. While Hurricane Irene ravaged the North Carolina Outer Banks some 300 miles away, we experienced a sunny and balmy day. We arrived a couple of hours before our start so we wandered around and took in the sights; the last 4 obstacles were set up all at the end so plenty of spectators could watch and we were actually in the minority for NOT dressing up. We saw plenty of girls in tutus, guys in superhero costumes, a splattering of spartans and vikings, and other generally random dressed up people with face paint and matching t-shirts.

We were in the 2:00 wave and with a countdown and a blast of fire, we were off! I managed to run the whole first mile and then we hit the first obstacle, which was low walls interspersed with barbed wire. Because of my infamous lack of upper body strength, I flung my leg on top of the walls and pulled myself over using my just my legs. For all six walls. Closely following that obstacle was a series of (empty) dumpsters interspersed with tires to run through. I did the same trick with my legs again, resulting in very fatigued legs!

We ran another mile back and encountered our next obstacle, which was a balance beam type structure, quickly followed by the dreaded rope wall. The wall was about 20 feet tall and had a few foot holds. I didn’t think about it; I just grabbed the first empty rope and started climbing. Nearing the top I almost looked down but realized that would probably end me so I just kept going, believing completely that I could make it over without plummeting to my death. Grabbing the rope beside mine, I carefully went over the wall and climbed down on the ladder type structure built into the wall. Of all of the obstacles, I was the most proud of myself for completing this one.

The next obstacle was a tent-like structure that had curtains of tarp throughout that blocked light, resulting in you crawling in complete darkness. Fine, but I managed to crawl right into a 2×4 that made up part of the wall. I scraped my knees too, which is probably a first since I was 10.

After that we climbed over a cargo net structure followed by a bleacher-type structure, which you climbed up and then slid down a firemen’s pole. That was followed by a slimy pond (complete with icky green film floating on top) where we climbed over submerged logs.

What remained were the four obstacles all in view of the spectators: a jungle gym type structure, a cargo net wall, fire, and the mud pit. I had forgotten to tighten up the drawstring in my shorts so after getting wet in the pond, when I jumped over the fire, my shorts almost fell off!

Jumping over fire!

I tried to rather gingerly jump into the mud but it was like quicksand and almost sucked my shoes off. I waded through the waist deep mud to get to the barbed wire. Crawling on my hands and knees through the mud, spectators were yelling at me, harassing me, saying “You aren’t a real warrior! Get on your belly and do it right!” That was a little weird but I just ignored it and kept on.

Emerging from the Mud Pit

I cleared the barbed wire and ran grinning across the finish line where they immediately adorned my neck with my Warrior Dash medal, insuring it would get terribly muddy.

(Notice I'm holding up my shorts?)

Here’s a video of the obstacle course (not done by us, of course, but gives a better impression of the obstacles I tried to describe above):

We met up with Lydia and Steve (preggo Lydia couldn’t run it, obviously, much to her chagrin) and Steve finished about 10 minutes before us (Alex and I finished in 53 minutes). We grabbed a quick, muddy group shot before heading over to try to get sprayed clean by the water trucks. It mostly just got the mud that was caked on but thanks to the wonderful red clay of the North Carolina foothills, we were stained pink.

We gulped down our free beers (my first Bud Light and I was so tired and thirsty, it was the best thing I tasted all day), Alex grabbed a quick turkey leg, and we decided to make our way to Alex’s parents, who lived nearby, to take proper showers. In his mother’s clean bathroom I peeled off my mud stained clothes and realized a veritable pile of dirt and other debris had fallen off of me! It took 3 scrubbings and I was still slightly pink.

I loved every minute of the Warrior Dash and had a blast. I would totally do it again and would hopefully even improve on my time!

What do you think? Would you do it? Have done it, or something like it? I know Stefanie has!

40 Before I'm 40, Achievement, bucket list, Excitement, life list, Recklessness, Sport and Activity, things before you die
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Thing to Do #93.5: Get Your Name in the Ring of Honor at Flying Saucer

August 29, 2011 by Jessica 21 Comments

COMPLETED!

Yesterday I finally completed something I’ve been working on pretty regularly for almost 3 years: I drank my 200th different beer. I started this thing to do in March 2009 and drank a LOT of beers I’ll never drink again. As someone who doesn’t even like beer, this was all the more the challenge. However, I do have to say, I have found a few I’ll gladly drink again. And the best part? I can finally be the type of girl to grab a Solo cup of beer with everyone else, rather than be that high maintenance girl who is swilling hard liquor…or just settle for water.

Now technically we don’t have our name in the Ring of Honor…yet. Our “Plate Party” will be Sunday, November 6th at which time we’ll have $200 to use for our bar tab and our plates will be “unveiled.” We’ve chosen Sunday because North Carolina drafts are $3 and $200 will go far at that price! If you happen to find yourself in the Raleigh area that day, feel free to stop by!

My 200 beers are below, in reverse order (my latest beers are at the top of the list and the earliest beers are at the bottom). I foolishly didn’t keep a diary or some record of which beers I liked and which I didn’t, but by and large I enjoyed most stouts and porters, as well as many fruit beers, lambics, ciders, and wheat beers. I found I didn’t like IPAs, barleywines, or kolsch.

Sweetwater 420
Ska Mexican Lager (CAN)
Ska Special ESB (CAN)
Wychwood Hobgoblin (BTL)
Duck Rabbit Doppelbock
Wells Banana Bread (BTL)
Amstel Light (BTL)
Fosters Oil Can (CAN)
Asahi (BTL)
Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale (CAN)
Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils (CAN)
Unibroue Ephemere Cassis
Lhasa Beer
Bass Ale
Bells Amber (BTL)
JK Scrumpys Apple Cider (BTL)
Carib Lager (BTL)
Sierra Nevada Summerfest
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Yuengling Lager
Leinenkugels Sunset Wheat (BTL)
Schneider Edel-Weiss (BTL)
Pyramid Apricot (BTL)
Foothills Pilot Mountain Pale Ale
Sam Adams Summer
Fullsteam Carver Sweet Potato Lager
Bells Kalamazoo Stout(CASK)
Belhaven Scottish Stout (BTL)
North Coast Old Rasputin NITRO
Crispin Hard Apple Cider
Anderson Valley Summer Solstice (CAN)
Duck Rabbit Milk Stout (BTL)
Avery White Rascal (CAN)
Brooklyn Brown (BTL)
Lost Coast Downtown Brown (BTL)
Blanche De Bruxelles
Duck Rabbit Rabid Duck
Duck Rabbit Porter (BTL)
Orginal Sin Hard Cider
RJ Rockers Son of a Peach (BTL)
Lost Coast Rasberry Brown (BTL)
Lindemans Cassis (BTL)
North Coast Blue Star Wheat (BTL)
New Belgium Fat Tire
Southern Tier Hop Sun
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis (BTL)
Lindemans Peche (BTL)
Raspberries N’ Cream
Half and Half
Snake Bite
Lime N’ Lager
Lava Lamp
Cream of Wheat
Black Velvet
Foothills Red Ale
Aviator Saison De Aviator Royale
Fullsteam Southern Lager
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
Green Flash Double Stout (BTL)
Duck Rabbit Brown Ale (CASK)
Black n Tan
Aviator King Rat Stout
Duck Rabbit Amber Ale (BTL)
Roth Raleigh Red
Flying Dog In Heat Wheat (BTL)
Old Speckled Hen
Lost Coast Great White
Brooklyn Lager
Blue Moon
Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils
Tecate (BTL)
Red Stripe (BTL)
Spaten Optimator (BTL)
Oskar Blues Old Chub (CAN)
Warsteiner Dunkel (BTL)
Anchor Porter
Dos Equis Amber
Sweetwater Festive Ale
Rogue 21
Ska Nefarious Ten Pin Porter (BTL)
Terrapin Moo Hoo Milk Stout
Rogue Shakespeare Stout (BTL)
Founders Dirty Bastard
Sam Adams Winter Lager
Big Boss Aces and Ates
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Lindemans Kriek (BTL)
Bells Oarsman
Foothills Hoppyum IPA
Lonerider Grave Robber
Negra Modelo
Eel River Acai Berry Wheat (BTL)
Cottonwood Pumpkin Ale
Heavy Seas Marzen
Abita Purple Haze
Sam Adams Oktoberfest
Fullsteam Workingman’s Lunch
Chocolate Truffle
Duck Rabbit Marzen
Carolina Oktoberfest
Woodchuck Amber
Ballast Point Black Marlin Porter (CASK)
Foothills Barrel Aged Total Eclipse Stout
Stone Imperial Russian Stout
Mother Earth Endless River Kolsch
Foothills Hurricane Hefe
Fullsteam Summer Basil Farmhouse
Bullpen Pale Ale
Carolina Pale Ale
Carolina Summer Ale
Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale (BTL)
JW Dundees Honey Brown
Big Boss Blanco Diablo
Carolina Strawberry Ale
Big Boss Bad Penny Brown
Sam Adams Imperial White (BTL)
Smuttynose Robust Porter (BTL)
Floris Pomme (BTL)
Xingu Brazillian Black (BTL)
Kulmbacher Festbier
Ommegang Hennepin
Dogfish Head Palo Santo (BTL)
Sam Adams Double Bock (BTL)
Anchor Steam (BTL)
Allagash White
Samuel Smith Imperial Stout (BTL)
New Holland Dragons Milk
Founders Centennial IPA (BTL)
Red Oak
Duck Rabbit Brown Ale (BTL)
Left Hand Milk Stout
Rogue Chocolate Stout (BTL)
Pyramid Apricot
Guinness Draught
Samuel Smith Taddy Porter (BTL)
Magic Hat #9
Smithwicks Ale
Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
Mad River Steelhead Scotch Porter (BTL)
Lion Stout (BTL)
North Coast Old #38 (BTL)
Pete’s Strawberry Blonde (BTL)
Founders Porter (BTL)
Aviator HotRod Red
Lonerider Shotgun Betty
Flying Dog Tire Bite
New Belgium 1554
Carolina Winter Porter
Woodchuck Pear Cider
Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout (BTL)
Woodchuck Granny Smith (BTL)
Lindemans Framboise
Big Boss Angry Angel
Duck Rabbit Baltic Porter
Foothills People’s Porter
Lonerider Sweet Josie
Breckenridge Vanilla Porter (BTL)
Ipswitch Oatmeal Stout (BTL)
Leinenkugels Berry Weiss (BTL)
Battlefield Bock
Duck Rabbit Wee Heavy
Hummingbird Water
Flying Dog Road Dog (BTL)
North Coast Old Rasputin (BTL)
Flying Dog Gonzo Imp. Porter (BTL)
Avery Out of Bounds Stout (BTL)
Great Divide St Bridget’s Porter (BTL)
Fullers London Porter (BTL)
Brooklyn Brown
Victory Donnybrook Stout
Youngs Double Chocolate Stout
Murphys Irish Stout
Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout (BTL)
Highland Oatmeal Porter (BTL)
Anchor Liberty Ale (BTL)
Lagunitas IPA (BTL)
Sea Dog Raspberry Wheat (BTL)
Holy Mackerel Mack in Black (BTL)
Ska Porter (BTL)
Highland Black Mocha Stout (BTL)
Sam Adams Imperial Stout (BTL)
Leinenkugels Sunset Wheat
Sam Adams Honey Porter (BTL)
Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout (BTL)
Lost Coast 8-Ball Stout (BTL)
Duck Rabbit Milk Stout
Sam Adams Black Lager (BTL)
St Pauli Girl Lager (BTL)
RedHook ESB
Sam Adams Light (BTL)
Highland Gaelic
Sam Adams Boston Lager
Sam Adams Cream Stout (BTL)
Wolf White Wolf Golden Ale
Becks (BTL)
Rogue Dead Guy
Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock
Sam Adams Cherry Wheat (BTL)
Spaten Franziskaner Hefe-Weiss
Foothills Seeing Double IPA

Wow! That’s a long list!

101 Things before you die, Achievement, bucket list, Excitement, Life Management, Recklessness
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warrior dash

Countdown to Warrior Dash: T-Minus 3 Days

August 24, 2011 by Jessica 6 Comments

This Saturday is the long awaited Warrior Dash. Honestly, I’ve not really done much in the way of training. I’ve ran a few times but as this is only 3 miles, every time I ran, I didn’t really get out of breath. The only thing I’m worried about is anything that requires upper body strength; I’m actually a lot better than I used to be through Zumba and some weight training but I’m still pretty weak.

Of course, the Earth may not want me running this race. I got to feel my very first earthquake yesterday. Also, you may not have heard, but we have Hurricane Irene heading our way that may either cancel or postpone the race. (Although, if I ran the Warrior Dash in a hurricane, how bad ass would that be?!) We’ll see!

They’ve posted info about the course and we should expect 12 obstacles:

  1. After running a pretty good distance, we reach the first obstacle, which is a “teeter-totter” type challenge
  2. It doesn’t seem too daunting but climbing through a darkened tunnel could be a little disconcerting
  3. After a bit of running, 3rd challenge is climbing through tangled ropes
  4. A little more running, 4th obstacle is climbing over cargo nets
  5. I like this one: the 5th obstacle is climbing over junk cars (fun!)
  6. Then I get to rappel down into a ravine (Yay for rappelling!)
  7. This one will take upper body strength: climbing over a wall covered in cargo nets
  8. Finally time to get wet, I get to trudge through waist deep water and over logs
  9. Now that I’m wet, what better thing to do than climb up and down hay bales and get hay stuck all over me?
  10. And to really challenge my weak spaghetti arms, I finally have to climb over a wall and just drop down to the bottom. If I wimp out over anything, this will be it.
  11. My favorite obstacle: jumping over fire!
  12. And to end, I finally get dirty by crawling under barbed wire through mud

EDIT: As of Thursday, August 25th, they completely re-hauled the course. So ignore everything I just said and click here to see the obstacles: http://warriordash.com/register2011_carolinas.php

I’m getting pretty excited and can’t wait for the great photo ops. This is one of the more adventurous things I’ve done in a while and I’m ready to get my adrenaline going!

40 Before I'm 40, Achievement, bucket list, Excitement, Recklessness, Sport and Activity
1031479730_fjM8Q-M

Going Over the Edge

August 10, 2011 by Jessica 14 Comments

This is just a really short post but I just found out about this and am both really upset that I didn’t hear about it sooner and super excited about doing it next year.

Apparently there is an event happening in Raleigh, NC called Over the Edge that is a fundraiser for the Special Olympics North Carolina. On October 1st, participants that have raised at least $1,000 will rappel 32 stories off the Wachovia Capitol Center Building on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. I can’t do this because 1) I am hosting a baby shower that day and b) I am only finding out about it now and I don’t have time to raise $1,000. But you bet your sweet bippy that I’m doing this next year.

I’ve heard about events like this and I’ve even known some other life listers who have done it but I didn’t realize we had an event like it here. How bad ass is this?! To rappel off the side of a “skyscraper”! (don’t laugh, it’s the tallest building we have in Raleigh).

bucket list, Excitement, Recklessness, Sport and Activity, things before you die
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palm

Second Quarter Results 2011

June 30, 2011 by Jessica 16 Comments

I’ve got one more post on Hawaii but I’ll take a quick break to update you on the first half of the year’s goals. It’s funny to think that at the beginning of the year I didn’t think I would have much going on this year. I’ve done a LOT!

#1 Write a Novel:  Nada, yet. Big plans to do the National Novel Writing Month in November.

#11 Visit Every State:  Originally the plan was that we would go to Pennsylvania but that got scrapped when I got a new job without vacation. But then Alex had to go to Hawaii for work and I decided to tag along!

#16 Get into the Guinness World Book of Records:  Working on being the world’s largest blood donor.  Between being on antibiotics and having a low iron count, I still haven’t donated this year yet.  So far I’m up to 6 pints over my lifetime.

#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: I’m working on The Master and Margarita right now but I’ve mostly been working on the Global Challenge. I’ve also read Fantastic Mr. Fox, Rabbit, Run and the latest Sookie book.

#52.1 Shakespeare Reading Challenge: I’m supposed to be reading 12 plays this year but I’ve got nothing yet.

#52.2 Global Reading Challenge: So far I’ve read Winesburg, Ohio (North America), Evil Angels (Australiasia), The Good Earth (Asia), and Out of Africa (Africa) as part of the challenge. The Master and Margarita counts for Europe and then all I have to read is The Road (Future) and Love in the Time in Cholera (South America).

#89 Learn to Cook:  So far I’ve done 32 recipes (Look for a coming post about the last 4 I’ve done).  That’s a little better than one a week so I’m doing really well with this goal.

#93.5 Get Your Name in the Ring of Honor:  I’m currently up to 174.  My new job is only one block from the Flying Saucer and I’ve gone there after work a number of times for a pint.  I’m getting this one done this year!

#105 Krispy Kreme Challenge: COMPLETED!  We’re also signed up for the Warrior Dash for August.

Goals from my 40 Before I’m 40 List:

#6 Start Saving for Retirement: COMPLETED!

#19 Watch AFI’s 100 Best Films: One thing I HAVE been doing is watching films (for proof visit here, here, and here). I only have 20 left.

#20 Sing Karaoke: COMPLETED!

#28  Sell a piece of art (and realize my childhood dream, which is #8 on the 101 list): Nada, so far.

#38 See a Movie in a Drive-In Movie Theater: No plans yet

#39 Lose 20 Pounds: So far I’ve lost 13.4 pounds by using Weight Watchers!

Not on the list for this year’s goals but I also joined the Bone Marrow Registry, so between that and donating blood, I’m working on #68 Save Someone’s Life.  I visited Savannah and I saw UNC play (and win) in the NCAA tournament.  We went to a Ren Faire and I also 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.) Also, while SCUBA diving in Hawaii, I saw a Sea Turtle in the wild; that’s not on the “official” list but still cool.

So how are you doing with your goals for 2011?  Is the year flying by for you too?

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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