Friday, December 26, 2008

Year End Charity

So I made my annual charity contributions and thought I would share them

Wikipedia is trying to raise money for it's foundation - good idea to help keep access commercial free
Wikipedia Affiliate Button

then I helped out of my favorite misanthropic bookseller/bloggers with her cat rescue costs (I know, I know... I hate cats...weird huh?) and if you are a sucker for helping out those who help animals you can read about the kitties and make a donation to the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society.


You can also make a donation to them or to any animal shelter through Petco

And we won't even talk about the book donation to the Friends of the Cardinal Stafford Library

that about wraps it up for this year - how did you do good?

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

99 Things

I've seen this on a lot of book/library blogs (David Lee King, Stephen Abram, Walt Crawford, Ruminations, etc. etc. etc.

THE 99 THINGS MEME

Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to - leave in plain font

1. Started your own blog. gee - I think 1 or 2
2. Slept under the stars. done it more times than I can count but not in a long while
3. Played in a band. Harvey Farrar's Terrific Truckin' Thirteen - played a mean kazoo - got the Golden Kazoo Award in 1972
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower. one of my favorite activities
6. Given more than you can afford to charity. misleading - can one ever not give enough
7. Been to Disneyland/world. Both
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis. funny - I just had to locate a plastic one for a stage prop but I have indeed held a real one
10. Sang a solo. Unfortunately (I am tone deaf) I was cast in the show where I had to sing a couple of hymns
11. Bungee jumped. (not for me)
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea. even better I have watched lightning up in the mountains - I love lightning
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch. Papermaking
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning. Ugghh
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables. wish I could grow stuff in this arid locale
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train. When we moved from St, Louis to Portland - took the train and got a sleeper
21. Had a pillow fight. but not in a long time
22. Hitch hiked. Once - bback in the 70's when it was relatively safe
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill. But not in a long time
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb. and sheared a sheep
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset. more than I can count
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise. If crusing the Norfolk Broads counts
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community. used to live in Pennsylvania
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied. 'nuff said
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person.
41. Sung Karaoke. Once - in St, Louis - not to be repeated (see #10)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt. couple of times
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight. not often enough
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted. had it sketched - does that count?
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling. Went snorkeling in Mexico once - sorta interesting
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater. many times
55. Been in a movie. crowd scene extra in "Blow Out"
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class if Tai chi counts
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching. I've seen whales in the ocean if that counts
63. Gotten flowers for no reason. there is always a reason.....
64. Donated blood.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check. guilty
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. and my son's
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square. but never on New Year's Eve
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London.
77. Broken a bone. my little finger from the deploying airbag
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. well it was going fast and I was on the back.....
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car. twice - never again
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper. more times than I can count
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous. Frank Zappa, Brewster Kahle, Parker Palmer...fame is relative
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one. My brother Paul
94. Had a baby. today is his birthday
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit.sorta - helped get the ball rolling when we sued the school board in high school over the dress code
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.