My bucket/2012 list... dun dun dunnnnnn!

I've been doing some research about 2012... It all started with a book I flipped through at Barnes & Noble, now it's being made into a movie.

One Web site, www.december212012.com, says this:

"The world is abuzz with talk of the year 2012; however, not everyone is looking forward to the year with the same outlook or expectations. For some, the year hints at apocalyptic end times; a period in which the world will be thrown into utter chaos and violent upheaval. A turbulent and tumultuous epoch in which both natural and man-made disasters will decimate and possibly lead to the extinction of life as we know it. Other, more optimistic people perceive this date as a moment of awakening, a massive global transformation of consciousness…one which is to be anticipated with joy and celebration.

"Perhaps, the real outcome lies somewhere in between the two extremes.

"The mythology behind the 2012 enigma focuses on the ancient Mayan Long Count Calendar which was a Mesoamerican calendrical system that mysteriously ends on December 21, 2012. Interestingly enough, that date also coincides with the winter solstice. This date further corresponds with a predicted "galactic alignment" which is believed to occur when our solar system passes directly through the Galactic Equator."

It's kind of scary, yes. But I'm trying to be positive and optimistic, so I made a list of things I would like to do/accomplish before the end of the world, whether it be in 2012 or not.

My thought is to make the most of my life before 2012 because there are two outcomes and both are good... (a) I do all of these things, have an amazing time and the world ends in 2012 OR (b) I do all of these things, have an amazing time, the world DOESN'T end and I'm able to live the rest of my life saying I had these wonderful experiences!

1. Skydive
2. Scuba dive
   
3. Go to Leiden again
4. See a great white shark
5. Raft down the Grand Canyon
6. Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
7. Ride a camel (not at a zoo)
   
8. See the Northern Lights
9. Ski in Colorado/the Swiss Alps
   
10. Go to Italy, Czech Republic, Austria and Germany
11. Swim with dolphins
12. Go to an all-inclusive resort
13. Learn to do a back handspring
14. Learn to ballroom dance
15. Have one of my pictures published in National Geographic

There are probably many more... but this is my list for now! Maybe there will be a sequel post!

Be happier this instant...

This cute little car makes ME happy!

While reading Glamour recently, I came across something truly valuable and actually worthwhile... "10 Ways To Feel Happier This Instant."

I think these ideas are good advice for anyone! My personal favorites are numbers 3, 6 and 10...

1. Have a cookie before noon or a drink before 5 p.m. You rebel, you.
2. Close your eyes. Relive your most magical kiss ever.
3. Do an unpleasant thing you could put off forever but finish in a minute. Keyboard cleaning, yes! (This is sooo true! After reading this, I hung my diploma on the wall... Something I've been meaning to do, but just haven't.)
   
4. Make your next pedicure something funny, like OPI's Party in My Cabana pink.
5. Overtip. (Strangely, this DOES make a person feel better... huh?)
   
6. Try the tree pose. Tough to worry about anything buy keeling over, right? (Haha... I'm definitely going to have to try this one when I'm feeling particularly stressed!)
   
7. Facebook-stalk the "unattainable" guys you had crushes on at 15. Half are fat and balding, guaranteed.
8. Smile. Fake happiness always ends up feeling at least a little like the real thing.
9. Resist: the $250 shoes, the third doughnut, picking the (same old) fight. Sometimes happiness is about what you don't do.
10. Think back one more time to heroic Sully, landing that plane gently and flawlessly on the Hudson River. (Sully was quite the hero, wasn't he?)