Goal # 34

GOAL #34 SPEND THE DAY WITH GIRAFFES

I didn't get to spend a whole day with Giraffes, but I had to opportunity to spend a little time with them. I truly wish that I could have had a longer time, but the health and well-being of these magnificent animals is more important that my Ridiculist.

I don't know if it's those big brown eyes, or the nerdy big ears, that make them so adorable to me, but I just love them. 

Here are a few facts about my favorite wild animal

1. It's the tallest mammal on the planet.

2. Giraffes only need a max of 30 minutes sleep a day.

3. A giraffe's neck is too short to reach the ground, hence the awkward stance at the watering hole.

4. Giraffes give birth standing up - Ouch.

5. The fuzzy horns on a giraffes head are called Ossicones.

6. A giraffes spots are as unique as our fingerprints.

7. A giraffes tongue can reach up to 21 inches.

8. Giraffes have 32 teeth. 

9. Giraffes are classified as high risk of extinction in the wild.

10. You can adopt a giraffe be visiting www.bornfree.org.uk

https://www.bornfree.org.uk/news/giraffe-critically-endangered

GOAL 9 - COMPLETE

GOAL 9 - 50 HUGS WITH 50 STRANGERS IN 50 MINUTES

While at Comicon, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and attempt goal #9. 

I felt a little intimidated to start with, but I quickly noticed how happy people were to give someone a hug. There were some that were a little shy, but still willing, and then there was those who threw their arms around me like a long lost friend. 

This goal was a great reminder of the goodness that's out there. It's important not to loose sight of that.

Photo a day - June - Take 4

GOAL 22 - A PHOTO A DAY DURING MY 50TH YEAR

1. Helping a couple that had run out of gas

2. Scenic view

3. Route 66 

4. Cadillac Ranch - Amarillo Texas

Photo a Day - May -Take 7

GOAL 22 - A PHOTO A DAY DURING MY 50TH YEAR

1.   One of my favorite people in the whole wide world - Sadie Skinner

2.   My sons car

3.   The most amazing (and thoughtful) quilt I've ever seen, Made with love by Justine Ballard

4.   My daughter, Gabby, at dental school

Keep the dream alive

Hey, Ellen, I think you forgot to send my tickets

Oh Ellen, why?

Why, after spending season 16 trying to get tickets to the show, did I never get to go?

When I checked last, you were out of tickets. The season is booked. 

After a gallon of bubble gum ice cream, I pulled myself together. It was then that I realized, "Ellen can do ANYTHING." If you wanted to put two extra chairs in the audience, whose gonna argue with Ellen? Maybe the fire department because of the whole, "you can only have so many people in a building at one time" thing, but I have no doubt you could make them see things your way.

When applying for tickets, instead of only asking for a photo, I think you should have a section  called, "Why I deserve to be on the Ellen show."

Here's 10 reasons you should have me on your show.

1. I have a Ridiculist to complete. I can't let down the two or three people that check my blog.

2. I wanna see my BFF, Amanda, dance off with Twitch. The girl's got moves.

3. I wouldn't ask for an autograph or selfie together. Although, if you insisted, a selfie together would be brilliant. Just think, you could make it your profile pic;)

4. My cat died and I think tickets to the Ellen Show would be therapeutic and healing  ;)

5. I think Portia would want this for me ;)

6. I'm fat and being on your show would make me fat AND happy.

7. I became an American Citizen in March .

8. I'm turning 50 this year, and who knows how long I have left.

9. You'd really like me if you met me. You'd actually wish you had met me sooner.

10. We have so much in common - We both like Gorilla's. We both wear shoes. We're both women. And we're both normal.

Life lesson from Mr. Harket

Take On Me.

Many years ago when I was just a teen, I was with some friends in the local record shop when several huge guys walked in, dressed in black tops, pants and leather dusters. They looked like they had just fallen out of the Matrix. The men proceeded to tell everyone to leave the store at once because Morten Harket (lead singer of AHA) wanted to make a purchase there.

Being teenagers, we were all reluctant at first, but we soon grasped how serious they were as they grabbed us one by one and physically removed us from the store. 

That's where I saw him. Morten Harket, in the flesh. His beautiful wavy hair moved in the wind like a Pantene commercial, but his face didn't have the beautiful smile I was used to, he just sneered at us before entering the now empty store. He was dressed the same as his bodyguards, and as they went inside, it was only then I noticed that all the black dusters had the band name in huge white letters on the back. Clearly anonymity wasn't a priority.

Two body guards stayed outside, making it clear that they had no problem putting an end to any attempt we made to go back inside, even though not one of us had made a move.

I'm not sure how long we were there, but when Morten came back outside, I asked if I could have his autograph. We weren't screaming or yelling, behaving like wild fans. We were just a bunch of scared kids, with our backs against the wall, hoping that our idol would at least acknowledge us. 

He stepped over to me and pulled out a pen. He waited for me to find something for him to sign, and all I could find in my pockets was my City of Nottingham bus ticket. I asked him to sign the back, which he did. I could have melted, but didn't, seeing as he still looked at me as though I was the most disgusting thing he'd laid eyes on.

I looked at my ticket, expecting to see his autograph, only to see that he had written F#@K OFF. No name, just an expletive. 

I thought I was going to cry as I looked back at him, hoping this was some weird joke. He was smiling now, but not a friendly one, and then he spoke. "Next time ask for a signature stupid, not an F-ing autograph." And as he turned his back on me he spat the words, "If you had a brain, you'd know an autograph is just a sample of writing. So you got what you asked for."

I felt humiliated, not only in front of my peers, but by someone I idolized. I tried to hold back the tears, but I had no desire to hang out with my friends any longer. I just wanted to go home. 

My friends tried to convince me to stay, telling me what a jerk Morten Harket was and how they wanted to make a pact to never buy another AHA record. LOL As if our contribution would make an impact on him.

As I went to leave, my friends encouraged me to rip up the "sample of writing." Instead, I put it inside my wallet. And it stayed there right into my adult life, as a reminder of what I never wanted to become.

For all I know, Morten Harket may have been having a bad day. That's the excuse we give people when they are jerks, right? But to me, there is no excuse to make another human feel small. 

We live in a world of inspirational quotes on Pinterest, staged photos on Instagram with the #no filter,  and celebrities reminding us to be kind. And as much as we splash slogans across our shirts and promote the words, are we honestly backing up those beliefs with our behavior and the way we treat others?

I've finally accepted that I am above and beneath NO ONE. 

I've learned that kindness, sincerity, integrity and love, are the only qualities I truly want to possess, and my favorite qualities in others.