#47 Paint fingernails each a different colour

I feel like I shouldn’t even bother writing this post. I mean this is one of the simpler, less exciting list items and there is only so much I can say about my experience painting my fingernails different colours. I suppose it was actually kind of heinous, finding ten different colours and then painting my nails, so as not to make them look like a two-year old did them. But besides that there’s not much to say. It was something to fill idle time and I’d say it did its job well – eating out a good half hour of my day. So now my nails are a disco ball of color, ranging from pale baby blue, to gold, to purple sparkles. Entertaining to look at while typing, that’s for sure. Welp there you have it – #47 completed, ready to be crossed off and done with for good.

But wait – there’s more! As you know #24 on my list is to pick an offical summer song. An anthem for the dog days, something that makes me want to get up and dance and just let the world keep turning. I need to pick a song that is perfect for this sunny, bright season. But with all the music out there, its hard not to feel like this is a moot journey and I will never be able to find a song that fits the essence of summer in such perfect harmony. So that’s where you come in. Comment below or contact me somehow with YOUR summer theme song. Hopefully your ideas will give me the encouragement I need to find the absolute best summer song. So go out and find them for me! I’ll just be waiting here for that out-of-this-world sound I know is coming my way.

May the summer be ever in you favor,

Meagan

#101 Paint pottery

Hmmm do I sense a theme here? It seems I’m in an arts and crafts mood this week! First a collage, now pottery…you would think I’m artistic. Which, unfortunately, is not the case. In fact I would even go as far to say I’m horrific at art. Terrible, awful, horrid, lousy, dreadful…so mind boggling repulsive is my art it brings small children and old ladies to tears. Just kidding. 🙂

Anyway there is a small back story to this list item, so bare with me while I explain. About five months ago, some dreary winter day, my father decided that then was the time for some long over-due father-daughter bonding. So what is there to do in the dead of winter, when the roads are slushy and the sky grey? Well, paint pottery of course. So that’s what we did in order to form a closer bond. (How I love my family and their quirky ideas.) But alas when we came back a week later to pick up our shiny new pottery, what did I see? A giant crack running down the side of my mug! After some profuse apologizing, we walked out with a broken mug, crushed spirits, and a gift card for $20 dollars, that has been gathering dust all these long months. So that is why I had to paint pottery this summer, otherwise when else would I?

Now let me describe to you, in great detail, the magnificent plate I painted. Lets see – its square, painted a bright yellow with a golden orange sun in the middle, and the words SUMMER 2012 painted in a light blue across the top. Its pretty snazzy if I do say so myself. Hopefully I will get it back, in one piece, when I go and pick it up next week.

Oh and randomly enough, next to the pottery shop there was a farm. With cows! Which lead to an impromptu photo shoot and ended with me receiving my first ever cow kiss. Score. 🙂

May the summer be ever in your favor,

Meagan (Moo!)

#88 Make a collage

The origin of this particular bucket list item is unknown. I’m not really sure why I decided I wanted to make a collage, especially when I consider the fact that I have absolutely no patience for crafting or anything that requires time and art. I suppose I figured it would be fun and thus stuck it on as #88 which then required me to complete it. I’m really actually regretting it and that’s pretty disheartening being that this is basically the first list item for me to complete. It was still worth it though, I suppose, and maybe one day I’ll even think back to the past three days and think “Hey, that was actually pretty fun.” But for now I’m forlorn of the outcome of my first bucket list attempt.

I figured making a collage would be simple. You look through some magazines, find some nice pictures, a little cutting and gluing and there you have it – a collage. It’s a bit more intense then that I’m afraid to say. It took me two days just to scourge up enough photos and clippings to cover the majority of the posterboard I had. I think maybe the problem was the magazines I had on hand. Every issue of Seventeen magazine contains pretty similar material, so it was pretty much impossible for me to find a variety of diverse images. Which is why I found myself, in the end, with a collage composed of shoes, penguins, and eyes. And then came the difficult job of placing the pictures into the perfect equation of looking artfully messy yet proper and neat, a combination I have yet to master. It’s quite possibly the most annoying thing for a neat freak like me to be forced to somehow make “messy” look “good.”  Sufficient to say, it was quite the task.

But despite all these dilemmas the final outcome is pretty decent, if I do say so myself. Who knew penguins, shoes, and eyes complimented each other so well when forced together on a collage? Lets just say this – I won’t be making any more collages any time soon. But hey, it’s all in the experience right?

May the summer be ever in your favor,

Meagan

The Freshness of Summer

“Summer afternoon – summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” ~Henry James

Happy summer y’all!

Barium and Bucket Listing

As you all know, today is what I consider the first day of summer, thus the day I officially start crossing items off my summer bucket list. Despite my dream of spending the day lounging around outside, soaking up some UV rays, that is not what happened. Instead I found myself at the hospital getting prepared for a barium drinking and MRI of my digestive track. For you curious souls out there who are wondering why I was doing such a thing, it is because I was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the digestive track and is highly treatable, if not bothersome. So that is how I spent my first morning of summer, gagging down what is possibly the most disgusting thing in the world and then being injected with dye and inserted into a giant, grumbling, metal doughnut.

On the bright side I did manage to complete some list items! Quite a few actually…

#6 Wake up before 7:30 everyday

Due to the fact my MRI was scheduled at the ridiculous time of 8:00; I was forced to wake before the birds at an astounding 6:30 in the morning. I would appreciate it if you’d groan at my troubles right now…did you groan? Anyway that is how I completed this item…well at least for today.

#19 Do 100 sit-ups everyday

This is my feeble attempt at trying to get some abs for the summer time. So, using my mother’s “crunch bar,” which hasn’t seen the light of day in years, I was successful at this list item also.

#71 Walk el perro everyday.

Meet Audrey, two years old, rumbustious as a puppy, and the sweetest darn thing the good Lord ever made. Her nicknames include, but are not limited to – Aud, Auddie, Auds, Auddie Boo, Auddie Boo-Boo, Boo-boo, Boo, and el perro. If you couldn’t tell she’s spoiled rotten. Anyway being that she always helps me through ruff (did you get the pun?) times I figured this summer I would pay her back by walking her every day. No easy task when you stand 5’1 and you only outweigh your dog by 20 pounds. I survived however and was rewarded for my good behaviour by a sloppy kiss on the cheek at the end of our walk. 🙂

#75 Get over my fear of needles

I am deathly afraid of needles. I mean I go into full on panic attack mode just at the though of them. Obviously this fear is a major problem when you require monthly blood tests. So what did I do when I walked in that room to find I would be getting an IV and an injection? I stood tall and said “I will do this.” OK just kidding. Really I hugged my mom in fear and turned away, but that’s besides the point because I did it, which means I can do it again, which means I am no longer living in fear of the dreaded needles of the world. Woot!

#78 Take a picture everyday of summer

Frankly I’m too tired to even attempt an artistic photo, so I just dragged my slow butt outside and snapped this real quick. Enjoy.

#99 Actually do my chores

After years of escaping the childhood jobs of vacuuming, dusting, and doing the dishes, I decided finally to  take some responsibility and help out around the house. So that’s how I spent the rest of the afternoon, dusting, mopping, and spraying. I hope my mother notices. 🙂

Overall I’d say it was a pretty productive day – and don’t worry, as summer progresses the updates will be a lot more exciting!

May the summer be ever in you favor.

Meagan

The Miracle of Life

What is this? A post and it’s not even summer yet? What is this blasphemy? Due to my child like impatience I find myself succumbing to my blog early and writing this post. I’m actually surprised I was able to refrain myself until now. Hopefully this is a sign that I’m maturing….uh yeah not likely. Nonetheless here I am now and with some exceedingly thrilling news.

I have ducks. Yes you correctly read that sentence. It does indeed say ducks. And yes I live in a crowded suburb where one does not find many farms and/or ducks. But alas in my basement, freshly hatched and new to the world, are my six endearing baby ducklings – Uno, Dos, Tres, Cuatro, Cinco, and Seis. Who knew I would use my limited Spanish in such a way! Anyhow after a month of watching eggs (which is just as exciting as it sounds) my cherubs were due this weekend and arrived as expected. Out of the eleven eggs only six hatched but from past experience and numerous internet sites I know this is or was a successful hatch.

I suppose I need to tear myself away from my quirky internet blogging and go back to some more important matters – such as my history essay. But summer is fast approaching and I am beyond prepared to begin my adventure! Look for more posts soon!

May the summer be ever in your favor.

Meagan

P.S. The Summer Games now has a twitter! Follow me @the_summergames for sneak peeks and bonus material!