The Achievable Bucket List for almost everybody!

I've just created a list of almost 400 things that just about anyone can do (exceptions may be people in very rural areas, limited mobility, very limited finances, social phobias, etc). I guarantee you that any person who completes all or most of this list would change their lives for the better! I've added things to help break you out of your comfort zones, face your fears, become happier, help others, be more secure, become a little more cultured, understand others better and just have tons of fun. In 2013 and beyond, I will start making blog posts about the things on this list to better describe them and try to entice you to complete them. I hope you will join along on the adventure!

Free Hugs!

Just contacted SugarLand Town Square about holding a Free Hugs event there sometime soon. I know it's not on my 101 Things list, but life cannot be lived by list alone. Hoping I hear something back soon giving me a green light to go ahead and make official plans!

Meet the Mayor

I am so excited! I just got a call from Mayor Annise Parker's office that I will be able to meet her on Friday, March 1st! I admire this woman so incredibly much, and it will be an honor to meet her. I'm so nervous, I hope I don't say anything dumb. You can assure me that I won't, but when I left a message on her machine I said that I was the girl who wanted to park meeting Mayor Cross off her bucket list, AND I gave them the wrong number. When I get nervous my brain cells run for cover. You guys, I cannot stress enough how important it is to let everyone know what your goals are! Don't keep them locked away inside your head or on paper that only you ever see. Share! Tell everyone! Post your goals on FB, Twitter, your blog, make sure all your friends know, keep your list with you everywhere and seize every opportunity to show it off. I get so much stuff crossed off that way. It works!

Flash Mobbing, rain and freezing temps

Ever since I saw a video of a flash mob, I knew I wanted to be a part of one. The happy surprised looks on the faces of the unsuspecting audience, the feeling of being a part of something awesome, the hint of joy at being sneaky like you're pulling off a big prank, all a big appeal to me. I searched on google until I found a local group who organizes them, and planned to join one as soon as I could. They didn't have too many last year, and as it happens, I wasn't able to go to the few they did. But I got a message a couple of weeks ago that they were planning a new one, so I jumped right on it. Last weekend we were supposed to meet somewhere (I don't want to give too many details and ruin the surprise for anyone from Houston who may read this) and do a mob to support an animal shelter. I bought my donations for the shelter and eagerly awaited Sunday morning. I knew there was a chance of rain, but the group said they would be there rain or shine. When I got up Sunday morning, an hour late, I jumped out of bed, got dressed and grabbed my bag of donations, only to get an email a few minutes later that the rain was so bad it was called off. Bummer. Not to worry though, because they were rescheduling it. So I have to wait a week, so what? It'll still be an amazingly cool thing to mark off and hopefully get a good video of for the blog. Last night my neighbor told me it is going to be 32 degrees on Saturday. 32! It's Houston! How is that possible?! I would just wait for the next flash mob opportunity, but given how things went last year, I know I may not get another chance for a long time. Sometimes when you really want to mark stuff off your list, you just need to seize opportunities as they come and suck it up if the conditions aren't perfect. Rain, cold, too early, too far away...it's not always ideal. But the satisfaction you feel after you do it anyway makes it that much sweeter. Not only will I participate in a flash mob, I'll participate in one in the freezing cold. It may not be as much fun for me as I'm doing it, but it'll make an even better story to tell, right?

Blog changes

I've recently started a blogging course with the amazing Celestine Chua of Personal Excellence and in the first week learned a ton about proper blog layout. If you've seen this blog before, you can see it is drastically different. I've changed the name, title, tag line, layout, theme, everything. I will be changing things more as I learn more. I hope to gain viewers and expand to teaching others how to be more adventurous and create their own bucket lists as well. I hope you'll stick with me as I learn and grow with blogging!

I'm a winner!!

I entered a contest with Visit Houston Texas earlier this year where I submitted things on my Houston Bucket list. Apparently they liked it because I won! I'd forgotten I even entered when I got an email last week from them saying I'd won a night at the Hotel Galvez and 4 tickets to see the Sugar Land Skeeters (both were on my list). Today I got my prize pack and it is even better than they said it was!! I got a two night stay plus brunch at the Hotel Galvez, 4 tickets to a 2013 Skeeters game, 6 passes to the St. Arnold Brewery, and 2 passes each to the Museum of Natural Science, Cockrell Butterfly Center and the Burke Baker Planetarium. St. Arnold's and the Planetarium were on my list, too! And even though I've already been there, I adore the museum and butterfly exhibit and am thrilled with passes to go again. This is going to help me knock so many things off my list in 2013!