To Do List

My best friend Matt has a new girlfriend. Well she's actually not new, she's been alive for quite a bit of time, but she is relatively new to his romantic intentions. They started dating in October and I couldn't be happier. Why? Well she is one of the 7 girls that I hang out with, one of the infamous best girlfriends circle.

Now from what I hear sometimes it gets a little hairy having your friends date ... not so on this one. maybe it's cuz he is one of my oldest best friends (and someone i dated for a while) and she is one of my best friends (whom i've known for over 3 years now) AND they are incredibly perfect for each other and deserved of each other like no other couple i know. maybe it's just incredibly wonderful to see them both so happy. maybe it's just amazing to see love at first sight happen before your very eyes (when it's not you and you can actually SEE it). i don't know what it is, but in any case, our circle of friends all get giddy when we see them together.

why do i bring this up you ask? well, as my title suggest this will eventually turn into a list of sorts. and the reason i started out with Matt was because he said something really cute about what he and *k* are going to be doing this year. every month they will be traveling somewhere together. a mini vacation. doesn't matter where, could be san diego, could be hawaii, could be europe ... just somewhere. so that they start to build memories together. it's so romantic and cute i can hardly stand it!

unfortunately, this will be impossible for *d* and i to do. for one, i have children so spending that sort of $$ on something every month (no matter how small of a trip it is) is not possible. two, *d* and i have hectic schedules ... he is in 4, count em, 4 bands ... 2 of which play regularly, 1 that is on a hiatus and the other could start up again at any time. he also helps friends out with their music projects, has a full time job and teaches guitar 2 days (sometimes 3) a week. ok, so HE has a hectic schedule. and three, i just don't have that sort of energy for planning. i start planning something like that, i start to get nervous and freak myself out. i am more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants sort of girl.

so, without giving myself a panic attack, below i have outlined a few of the things i would like to do at some point (this year, next year, 5 years from now, who knows ... i won't pressure myself damn it and you can't make me!):

1. Take a trip to Europe. i would like to have at least a week to explore (without any sort of tourist trip planned by a helpful travel agent where they take you on a bus with a ton of other people) all of the places that live in my dreams. Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain, Belgium, Russia, Holland ... i don't need long in each of those places at first, just a taste to see if i would enjoy spending a week at one of them.
2. Take a photography class. i would love to be able to take pictures in that artful way that some of you have. i want to see if i have an "eye" for it. actually i'd be happy not cutting peoples' heads off in a shot.
3. Dress up in a wedding dress. ok, that sounds like such a girly thing to say, doesn't it? when i got married before we eloped so i didn't get to even try one on. so i don't really need to have a huge wedding at any point or a huge dress ... i'd just like to try one on though. the idea of the dress is so captivating to me ... until i think of the wedding, then i just want to sit in a corner with my thumb in my mouth rocking back and forth.
4. Learn a different language - correctly. i recently bought a cd set on how to learn italian. it rushed through the process so fast i thought maybe i had misread the back of the cover. maybe it is supposed to be used if you already KNOW the basics and you need a refresher course. what was it you said lady ... did you say where is the bathroom? or how do i catch the train? how am i supposed to know which word means what? is it learning through osmosis or memorization? how can i go to italy with the half-assed language skills i have acquired through this language program. bottom line, i can't. if i do, i'll end up getting accosted, or thrown in jail or something. it's like getting a tattoo in a different language & not being sure of what the language is ... somehow you deserve to have "ASS" written on you indelibly because you didn't properly research. so yeah, i need to pay more that $40 to learn italian.
5. Take my kids on a train trip up & down the coast. the thought of watching their little faces as they see things they have never seen, fills me with such incredibly happy feelings. i love seeing them learn things and have fun and to me this sort of fits the bill. we could stop at all sorts of places, go to tourist sites, eat bad diner food ... whatever. the world is at our feet ... ok, the coast will be.
6. Learn the tango. cuz i can't dance ... at all.
7. Try on colored contact lenses. i would love to see what i would look like with green eyes.
8. Snow Ski. i've never done it. sounds like fun. til i break a leg.
9. See the Mayan Ruins. not sure if that is the best idea i have. considering that i am allergic to everything ... flowers, bugs ... and i hear there is a lot of both of those there.
10. Go back to running every weekday and taking a pilates class 2x a week again. the flab is OUTTA control. UGH.

at the moment that is all i can think of. i know there is more that i would like to do but seeing as i've only had one cup of coffee so far today, all i can think of is that i want another. on that note:

11. drink more caffeine than a body should every have. to hell with traveling ... give me stimulants.