Hello, August. Just a quick check-in – How is everyone’s summer going?
Things are moving along nicely with my 100 Days of Summer: Let’s Do it list but, it has not totally been smooth sailing (I have yet to go sailing, by the way).Here’s a quick 10-things update:
All of my on-going items are well on track (17, 36, 71, 78, 79, 91)
I got a not completed in 2016/2017 item done! (4)
Seeking recommendations for a silk blouse that’s nice and not too expensive (16)
Seeking someone with a sailboat (95). There’s a good chance the person with the sailboat also has excellent taste in silk blouses, so it’s likely a win-win for me.
I did start designing my 2019 calendars but my hard drive crashed so now I need to restart (7) womp, womp
The weather has been amazing. Yay!
As are my family and friends who’ve been helping me get things checked off the list
Marathon training is a pain in the butt for me because I actually pulled a butt muscle (57)
50/100 are completed!
You can follow along on my Instagram (#100daysofsummer)
Are you too one of those people who hasn’t bothered to figure things out… We’re not talking evolution or rocket science, more like how does a thermos know what to do (hot/cold)?
Let’s take a minute to think about the 10 things we really don’t get. Here are mine:
Stem cells. What the heck are these and what’s the research all about?
Amazon. I am all about online shopping but I really don’t understand Amazon. Why are my coffee filters $50? Why is shipping so much? The prices are all over the place and don’t even get me started on Prime.
Are the fiddle and violin the same thing? Growing up on the East Coast makes me think they’re totally different instruments – you play a fiddle in the kitchen and the violin is played in a concert hall. BUT ARE THEY THE SAME THING!!?!?
Algebra. Have I done this? High school was foggy. I have no clue what algerbra is but it sounds hard.
Everything to do with banking and taxes. Everything.
Action movies. Just me, or is the plot always complicated. Please don’t ask me to summarize Deadpool, The Matrix or Mad Max.
The fax machine. Of all the technology, it’s the coolest. Right? HOW DOES IT WORK! Don’t even get me started on how stressful printers are – everytime I press command+P I say a little prayer that things will work out.
Grammar (not specific to English): I blame French immersion for this one but really it’s my own fault that I’ve gone this far without a solid understanding of sentence structure. Also, when do you say learnt, ever?
The Cloud. Does anyone understand the cloud? Where the heck are all my photos?
Nutrition. For the amount of running I do, you’d think I’d figure out if I’m getting enough protein (I’m not) and what’s a carbohydrate? I am pretty sure it’s not just bread. Should I eat chicken or am I doing okay?
Share your answers! Better yet, please share the things you don’t get!
psst. If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe and share. xomeg
In the final decade of his life, my grandfather woke up every single day at 7AM, picked a fresh wildflower on his morning walk, and took it to my grandmother. One morning, I decided to go with him to see her. And as he placed the flower on her gravestone, he looked up at me and said, “I just wish I had picked her a fresh flower every morning when she was alive. She really would have loved that.” – 10 Regrets Too Many People Will Have in 10 Years
Sorry friends, that was heavy.
We all have regrets. Some are big. Some are crushing. Here are ten of mine:
10 things I regret
Not picking a “thing” to always seek out on holiday like pottery or a Christmas tree ornament. I have a nice collection of tea towels but the inconsistency kills me.
Dropping out of sports after back surgery. I wasn’t heading to the Olympics in anything but I quit swimming, ringette and paddling. Although I picked up running in my late 20s, I wish I had the credentials to be an overaged lifeguard this summer.
Not waiting tables. Although Ben & Jerry’s was the best.job.ever. I should have waited tables. It sounds cooler than retired sandwich artist.
Not listening to more stories from my grandparents before they passed away. Luckily, we’re still getting some good ones from Nanny. David is at a great age for inquiring about things like war and the Halifax Explosion so he’s always curious.
Not patening my highschool invention: the PeanutButter Machine. Basically, it was a baggie filled peanut butter for on-the-go snacking. Damn you, Justin.
Not doing more school. I got into the PR program at MSVU but didn’t go, I choose to start a career instead. It’s working out great.
Not having a wedding cake… actually, it would have been pies. I love pies.
Not asking Santa for the Sony Walkman with the radio. I bet I’d know more music lyrics from the 80s had I made a better choice.
David’s first year. I didn’t have maternity leave and tried to continue freelancing. I was a mess, David was a mess, it was rough.
Naming my computers MacDaddy and DaddyMac. When I send PDF to clients, MacDaddy is my name and I am too lazy to fix it. Guys, it’s not really a regret, who doesn’t like Kriss Kross? I just wanted an excuse to post this… For all y’all suckers that don’t know, check it out:
But, despite what you may think, I do NOT regret choosing team Milli Vanilli over team NKOTB. I stand by some life choices.
To clarify, I grew up on a street with six girls the same age… we legit had an epic fight over Mili Vanilli and NKOTB. Looking back, I’m not sure why we couldn’t like both – it had to be one or the other. Kids are weird.
psst. If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe and share. xomeg
I am not one of those who gets mistaken for someone famous but sure Mike is. And often! So, I thought it’d be fun to share the Top 10 Mike look-alikes:
James Reimer (hockey player): On more than a few occasions Mike has been mistaken for James Reimer. Not sure why Reimer would be shopping at a local sporting goods store or running in the Bluenose Marathon but, I’ll take his NHL pay cheque.
Marc Kennedy (Canadian curler): My mom thinks they’re practically twins…
Michael Rapaport (Beautiful Girls): Not the accent, maybe the hair? Definitely the hair. PS. If you haven’t watched Beautiful Girls, what’s your problem?
John Krasinski (The Office): John-Jim has come up more than once and I can see it. I’d happily be mistaken for Emily Blunt but I don’t think that will happen.
John Petersik (Young House Love): I think it’s because they have the same hoodie (see below). Mike also used to do a lot of work around the house. Perhaps if I say it more often, our basement will miraculously get finished.
Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine): There are similar features… Right?
Kevin Connolly (Eric from Entourage): This was what came up in a celebrity look-alike generator. I think Eric is shorter and has a larger entourage. I also think that app was crap, I had to keep watching commercials to get coins.
Prince Harry: This is Mike’s pick. Let him have it.
The Coca-Cola Bear: His friend’s sister thought this way back in Junior High School days, and I know we can all totally see it. (Side note, in high school, someone said I looked like the Trix Bunny and I still haven’t recovered – still won’t go near that stuff.)
Ben Affleck: Mike was asked if he was Ben Affleck at a beer tent in Pugwash. The woman who made this assumption had likely been hanging out at the beer tent for several hours, if not days. Mike spent the rest of the afternoon declaring “Ben Affleck wants a beer!”
Let me know if you agree or disagree or have someone else to add.psst. If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe and share. xomeg
Remember last year on my 38th birthday when I decided to publish a forty before forty bucket list? Yeah, maybe I was a little too ambitious… I mean, how does one master and perform the Footloose dance annnnnd get bangs in only two short years?
Perhaps I should change it to fifty before fifty and add ten more items to the list? Regardless, I am trying, slowly plugging away at my list and since today is my 39th birthday, I thought it’d be fun for a little update on progress.
Take piano lessons (I quit after one year – my sisters are beautiful players, and I’ve come to regret dropping out).
See Hawaii – it has been my dream to take David to Hawaii for his 10th birthday since the day he was born. He will turn 10 less than two months before my 40th, so the timing will be tight, but I am sure Mike can make this happen.
Make some pottery – take a class. YES! And it was so much fun. I really want to find the time and go back and make more bowls. One can never have too many deformed bowls.
Visit all of the National Parks in Atlantic Canada. There are 10, I’ve seen 5 (can you go to Sable Island?)
Get a tattoo. Hah! Where the heck did that come from? YES! Thanks to Jodie, I actually got a real tattoo! It may be the smallest tattoo, but still, it’s legit, and I love it.
Make a move. Not sure if it will be career or school or a move to the country, but I like the idea.
Sail away – even if it’s just around the Armdale.
WALLPAPER my itty bitty bathroom.
Bangs. Try them out.
Rent a cottage with some lady-friends for +2 nights and drink way too much wine. Can I count Savannah? My lady-friends and I rented an Airbnb and tried a variety of southern drinks. Please weigh in.
Scuba dive. Ideally off the Florida Keys. With Kyle Chandler.
Win something.
Buy a silk blouse. I’m thinking a nice deep midnight blue button down.
Try Whole 30. It’s just 30 days… how terrible can it be? YES! I am not going to sugarcoat it (because sugar is not allowed), it was terrible, but I did it. See the full recap here.
Sip sweet tea in the South like a Georgia Peach. YES! Y’all, sweet tea is SWEEET (dare I say too sweet), but Savannah is amazing. I highly recommend it for a girl’s weekend getaway. We had the most wonderful time, and we also had a lot of fried green tomatoes.
Take tennis lessons.
Sign up for a Yoga session.
Get eyelash extensions.
Make a batch of wine. I promise, it won’t be low class, and I promise I will not force you to drink it.
Run a Spring marathon (I’ve run September, October and Novembers only)
Get a new personal best in a marathon (which would be sub 3:56:00) YES! 3:45:45 – bam. I ran the Wineglass Marathon in the fall and can’t say enough good things about this race. Actually, I did say a lot, you can read all about it here.
Learn and perform the full Footloose dance. Currently in training.
Try snowboarding *again.
Buy watercolours. Watercolour. YES! I bought watercolours, and they’ve been sitting in my desk drawer for months, but I was determined to get one painting done before this week. Just like art school, all the best work happens right before the deadline.
Attend an epic festival, concert or event (like Mardi Gras, The Beach Boys in California, Running of the Bulls, etc.)
Donate plasma. I should have done this before the tattoo.
Ride in a helicopter (ideally while visiting #2)
Volunteer. YES! I joined the Youth Running Series board this year, and it’s been fun. Getting kids active is something I am pretty passionate about.
Get a reading done by a psychic medium.
Go to a drive-in movie.
Explore a new country.
Read a novel in one weekend.
Take a solo vacation.
Host a holiday dinner or a murder mystery party.
Change a tire. Change the oil. Learn these skills.
Scoot around on a scooter and end up at the ocean.
Attend a retreat or workshop of some sort. YES! Amanda, my mom and me attended a macrame workshop last June. It was a great time and much to Mike’s distaste, we now have a happy fern hanging in our living room.
As you can see, that’s 8 out of 40. I’m no mathematician, but I don’t think that’s great. Like I said, I am not giving up and even have the following 8 items on this year’s 100 Day of Summer list:
Buy a silk blouse
change a tire. Change the oil. Learn these skills.
Here’s a quick 10-things update:
(Side note, in high school, someone said I looked like the Trix Bunny and I still haven’t recovered – still won’t go near that stuff.) 
Hello Sunshine 