update on number 9.

so i have officially failed on number 9.  my basil is pretty much dead.


however, i knew this wouldn't be easy, particularly because i'm not gifted with plants.  so, while at IKEA this morning, i picked up something a little hardier. 

here is my brand new norfolk island pine. 

although i'm actually kind of allergic to pine, i'm thinking this will be okay since it's small.  i don't have to decorate it or anything... but maybe if i can keep it alive until next christmas, i can use it as my christmas tree!

wish me luck!

#12. Give more than I can afford to charity

Hello all!  You thought I was giving up on this blog, didn't you?  DIDN'T YOU?!  Lol.  well, I didn't.  Things have just been a bit busy with school.  Not to fear, I am back to my do-goodie ways and I am tackling number 12 on the list, that being "give more than I can afford to charity." 

As a grad student, "more than I can afford" is a sticky term.  This is mostly because, as a grad student, anything is basically more than I can afford.  But I'm doing what I can and making my donations.

Why now?    Since Thanksgiving is fast-approaching, I would like to get all of my holiday responsibilities out of the way. :) You all know I'm finished with the Xmas shopping. :) And anyway, I figured the holidays are a good time for giving and remembering how lucky we all are to live in the western world in an economically advanced country. This is especially true as I am more concerned with how chubby I am getting, as opposed to where my next meal will be coming from.  This leads me to my charities I will be supporting:  Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres as well as Amnesty International. 

and yes, those are Simpsons stamps. :)

Doctors Without Borders is an international organization that brings healthcare and emergency services to third world countries.  They have been especially active in Haiti since the earthquake in Port-au-Prince this past year.  
Amnesty International is an organization that is involved with international human rights.  They are often influential in helping political prisoners gain release from prison.  These are often individuals who have spoken out against oppressive governments. 

For information on both of these charities, you can click here for Doctors Without Borders and here for Amnesty International.

#27: Do a 5K Run/Walk.

All geared up and ready to go!

What did you do this morning?  My friend Jamie and I got out of bed at an ungodly hour to took part in the ZooZilla 5K Gorilla Run Walk at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.  Despite a few cloud and drizzling early on, it ended up being a wonderful day for the 5K.  Even better is that this took care of #27 on my list!!! 

Jamie and I just before the walk started.

 

Many thanks go out to Jamie for walking with my slow ass, even though she originally wanted to run.  The hills were a bit much for my poor calves, but we got through it together. :)

The run started out in the parking lot, around the street, up a big hill, back down part of the hill, into the zoo, around the aquarium, past the bears, past the snack bar, back outside,  down the rest of the hill, and back around the parking lot.  

I started getting a little melodramatic. :/

We finished in just under 1 hour.

We finished in just under one hour.  We even decided to jog the last 30 yards or so just so we would make it in under an hour.  Though, it was really shorter than that, because we were pretty far back from the start.  We didn't want to get in the way of the runners.  Though, next year I'd kind of like to run, just so I can get one of those cool gizmos for my shoe to clock my time. 

We even got bananas at the finish line!

 

I finished!  Yay!

Working on number 9:  keep a plant alive for more than 1 year.

Here is my basil plant...

My basil plant at 4 months.

I got her in early May, so she's about 4 months in.  Only 8 months to go!

The problem here is going to be what I do with her when the weather starts to get cold.  I don't think she'll survive out on my balcony for the winter and the only window I have that faces outside is in my bedroom.  Any suggestions?

I also have another basil plant and a tomato plant (both of which you can see in the upper-right hand side of the picture I posted).  My tomato plant is alive, but I've only gotten one VERY tiny tomato from it all year.  Take a look!

My cousin Eric holding my only tomato.

I'm making progress!  I'll keep you updated if I work on or complete any of the rest of the things on my list!

Cara

#21. Paint my face for a professoinal sporting event.

Hey all! I will be turning 28 in just a couple hours, so I figured I'd get this out to all of you while I still have a full 2 years left to finish the list!

I think I'm getting out to a good start with my list as I've already completed number 21: paint my face for a professional sporting event.  I did this on Friday, August 20th as the Pittsburgh Pirates took on the New York Mets at PNC Park.  Check out the photographic evidence below.  And a big THANK YOU goes out to Shay for being seen with me and for bringing me to the game for my 28th Birthday!

That is obviously me on the right.  My right cheek, which you can't see very well has a P for "Pirates."  Most of you probably understand why I did that just fine.  "But why the 18 on your other cheek?" you might ask.  No, it is not for number 18, Neil Walker.  No no no.  It is because this glorious game also happened to be a part of Pittsburgh sports history.  This game solidified the Pirates's 18th straight losing season.  This game strengthened their hold on being the most losing-est professional sports team of all time.  CONGRATS PIRATES!

And now here are a few more pictures from the game.

I don't know if you can tell from this photo, but it felt like there were more Mets fans in the stands than Pirates fans.

The field sometime during the game.

and a lovely view of the city.

The List

while at tera's wedding with sam drew on 8/07/2010, one of us (i think it was sam) came up with the idea to make a list of things to do before we turn 30.  it is coming up pretty quickly, as i will be turning 28 one week from today.  some of these items are things i want to do, while a lot of them are things i don't really want to do (see numbers 2 and 29), but think are important rites of passage.   so if you'd be so kind, i would love some help accomplishing these things. 

1. see the godfather trilogy. (i'm probably the only italian-american who has never seen these)

2. go camping. (like, in a tent... really... stop laughing!)

3. step foot in 30 states/ provinces in the u.s./canada. (i have 15 down)

4. go to a protest.

5. go to a (regular season or playoff) steelers game.

6. see the pacific ocean.

7. go to a drive-in movie.

8. get my own dog.

9. keep a plant alive for more than one year.

10. feed dinner to the homeless. (i've done this before, but feel like i should do it again soon).

11. go one month without eating sugar. (this will be the crankiest month of my life)

12. give more than i can afford to charity.

13. sing karaoke.

14. make a really complicated jack o lantern.

15. learn to drive a stick shift.

16. make gram's pizza from scratch on my own.

17. break something on purpose.

18. go on a pub crawl.

19. read a friend's favorite book.

20. put money in stranger's parking meter.

21. paint my face for a sporting event.

22. have my tarot read.

23. adopt a foreign accent for a day.

24. learn all the words to "end of the world as we know it." by REM

25. go to a (nerdy) convention.

26. have "high tea."

27. do a 5k run/walk.

28. ask a stranger to dance. (this is likely to require alcohol and lots of it).

29. milk a cow. (this will require your help, hollie).

30.  go to a movie by myself on a Friday or Saturday night.