101 Things in 1001 Days: # 54 Part 1

I am happy to report that I spent this past week completing #54 on my 101 Thing in 1001 Days list: Play a whole round of golf. I've been in Minnesota visiting Matt's family this past week and that trip is the one opportunity we get each year to go golfing so I made sure to take advantage.

When I had written my 101 List, I was thinking that a "whole round" meant 9 holes. When I was ready to quit after 9, Matt informed me that technically a whole round is 18 holes. I panicked for a minute and then said "My list, my rules". Crisis averted! Now you might not think that that counts as a crisis situation, but it was. You might not think that playing 18 holes of golf is that big a deal but it is if this is the very first time you have played (I've never even been to a driving range) and you are whiffing so many times that you have taken enough swings to equal 250 holes of golf. By the end of 9 holes my hands were starting to blister and my back ached but I was beyond happy with my accomplishments. I was more than content to drive the golf cart and cheer on Matt, his dad and his brother as they played a much speedier back 9.

I really enjoyed golfing, so much so I went back for another 9 a few days later. Matt and his father were beyond helpful. They both gave me the perfect amount of advice...some because it was clear I had NO idea what I was doing but not too much because it was also clear that I was getting frustrated and not acting like an idiot on purpose. Step closer to the ball, aim your feet, don't bend your wrists: All very helpful advice. Funny enough, no one needed to tell me to keep my eye on the ball. I looked at each ball like it was the last piece of food on earth or, after I had whiffed 4 times, like it had insulted my mother.

I have plenty more to say about my golfing adventures but that is enough for now.

Song of the Day
Matt made a great mix for the vacation called Yesterday Envy, a bunch of older tunes that the whole gang was guaranteed to like. One on my favorites from that mix is The Swimming Song from Loundon Wainwright III.

Are You Mad At Me?

I feel like I must have done something to hurt my computer's feelings. Why else would it just decide to freeze when my boss has asked me to email her an important file IMMEDIATELY. I imagine my computer shouting "Payback is a bitch, isn't it!?" when it refuses to open a document or for some god forsaken reason just won't print anything.

Does this happen to you? I know I'm not the only one who has quietly whispered to the copy machine "I'm sorry I called you a giant piece of crap earlier. I didn't mean it. Now will you please make just one copy without destroying the original." Tell me about your epic battles with technology.

Song of the Day
Wow! I can't believe I've never played this song before! It is one of my all time favorite pick-me-up songs. Please enjoy Toploader's Dancing in the Moonlight.

One Man's Trash Is....

Another man's swimming pool! LITERALLY!



Here is a fun article from NYTimes.com about true creativity. I'm amazed at what people can imagine when they look at ordinary objects, even dirty ones.



The only thing cooler than a pool party on a summer night in New York City is a secret pool party. And the only thing cooler than that, as a few enterprising developers recently discovered, is a secret pool party in a pool made out of a Dumpster on the banks of the Gowanus Canal in industrial Brooklyn. Read the rest of the article.



Thanks for passing this along Ponytail.



Song of the Day
Today's post is about seeing something and realizing its other possibilities so I thought a cover song would be appropriate. Here is an awesome version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Now I Just Have To Learn How To Play Golf

I'm heading out to Minnesota in a few days to visit Matt's family. There will be some golfing so I thought I would get a head start on planning an outfit. Good Lord! A girl who has never really golfed should not have this many appropriate outfits. Song of the Day

Today's song is Paulo Nutini's New Shoes, which you would think doesn't have anything to do with the post but you're wrong! Because the only thing I don't have for golfing is shoes. Dang!

Not As Good As I Thought I Was

I used to think I was good at keeping in touch. I used to pride myself in it actually. But I recently looked at my email and my Facebook I realized that that pat on the back was not deserved. I should be giving myself a slap on the wrist!

When we were younger it was easier. In high school you saw most of your friends every day and staying in touch with the few had who had moved was manageable. In college it was harder but lots of people were on IM and you had your vacations to catch up. But now we are grownups and everyone is all over the place! You have to combat peoples’ busy schedules, time changes, last name changes, email changes and a million other things! But every relationship takes work. And good friendships are certainly worth it.

So I’m using this Monday as an opportunity to get back to keeping in touch! Each day this week I’m going email, message or call an old friend. Are you up for this challenge too?

Song of the Day
Today's song is Jo Dee Messina's I'm Alright which is about catching up with an old friend.

Love, Don't Love: Subway 2

Love: Finding a an uncrowded subway car
Don't love: Finding that the subway car is uncrowded because the air conditioning is broken. DAMMIT!

Song of the Day
A friend and I were trying to decide if Ray Lamontagne's Trouble was a positive song or not. We still aren't sure but we agreed that it makes us happy so it is going on the list!

A French Hotdog

I went to France in high school and I considerate that trip a defining moment in my life, but I will talk more about that some other time. That trip was filled with more wonders than my young brain could wrap itself around, but what it wasn't filled with, unfortunately, was good food. Gasp! I know! This is not an insult to French cuisine, but rather a criticism of our tour company. Our large tour group was made to eat at all sorts of sub-par restaurants. In one place (I'm chuckling remembering this) we were seated on the third floor, which was clearly predominantly used as storage space. The ceiling sloped so steeply that I was forced to sit leaning forward at a 45 degree angle with my chest pressed against my plate. All this could have been forgiven for a delectable, traditional French dinner but we were served a wilting salad with a mystery meat and a crepe that looked and tasted like a piece of a paper shopping bag.

BUT there was one shining light in my culinary experience in France. Something so simple that I know sounds silly that I still pine for it. In Paris they have street vendors all over that sell ham and cheese sandwiches. They are served on long, crispy baguettes. And that is it! No dressings or spreads. So simple but SO good. They are about a foot long and are wrapped in a bit of butchers paper. And you just walk around Paris munching these sandwiches enjoying the city.

The idea of these sandwiches with the simplicity and the street vendors is similar to the way hot dogs are sold in the US. Now I don't mean to seem unpatriotic because I love a good hot dog just as much as the next American gal but I would trade a Fenway Frank for one of those French ham and cheese sandwiches any day. I try to recreate them but I can never get the taste and the feeling quite right. But maybe I'm giving the sandwich alone too much credit. Maybe part of the magic lied in being young and experiencing Paris for the first time. Hmm guess I should go back and find out ;)

An attempt at the French hotdog (I find wine helps most attempts)

Song of the Day

Today's song is Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat's Lucky which I think is a very sweet song.

52 Opportunities

I may write a blog about being positive but I hate Mondays just as much as the rest of ya. It is the furthest day from the weekend and you have to do all the stuff that you didn't feel like doing on Friday. But Monday is also the first day of the week, an opportunity to get back on track or to start something new. You can use Monday to start your week of working out or eating healthy or being more assertive or being more optimistic, ANYTHING YOU WANT! We can think of Mondays as 52 opportunities to be positively better people.

Song of the Day
Today's song is Marc Broussard's Rocksteady. Something a little fun for ya!

Do You See What I See

I can't count the number of times that I've seen something truly beautiful, like a sunset or the way the light shines off a building, and have taken a picture but have not come close capturing the feeling of the moment. There are people that can do that and I greatly admire them. Here is a very cool photo competition by National Geographic, where they KNOW how to capture a moment.

Song of the Day
Today's song is the funky version of If You Could Read My Mind which was playing in my bagel place this morning and I have been singing ever since.

A Great First Impression

Some say that Disney World is the greatest place on earth, but they are wrong. It is actually my home town, New Boston, NH!

I took Matt home with me for the first time this past weekend. I was a little nervous as it is in the middle of nowhere with about 5,000 people but my town rose to the occasion. The weather was beautiful which is amazing because it had been raining everyday in New Hampshire for the past month, LITERALLY. The grass was green, the flowers were in bloom and the whole state was in a great mood.

I planned our trip around the best day for my town, the 4th of July! The 4th of July is like prom for New Boston. The town pulls out all the stops and couldn’t look more beautiful! IN FACT, New Hampshire Magazine just named the New Boston 4th of July festivities the Best Patriotic Small Town Event of 2009, calling it a day “when festooned floats wend their way through a flag-bedecked town to the tunes of marching bands.” They forgot to mention the adorable children whose bikes are covered in so many red, white and blue streamers that they are near impossible to peddle. Or the jovial grandmother who plays the spoons with her band with as much energy as she did 20 years ago. Or the champion little league team that manages to wave and hold up their trophy for the entire duration of the parade. Everyone is exploding with town and national pride and always has a great time.

Thanks New Boston! I LOVE YA!

Song of the Day

Clearly the only choice for today's song is John Mellencamp's Small Town.

To Infinity and Beyond!

New Hampshire produces more astronauts per capita than any other state.

Just thought you should know

Song of the Day
Today's song is Elton John's Rocket Man. It isn't super upbeat but it is kind of about astronauts and I like to sing it.

101 Things in 1001 Days: Status 5

Did you see my new logo? Did you see it!? Did ya!?

I am beyond excited to have completed number 33 on my list, "Create a logo for PositivelyAnna". In my effort to bring my blog to the next level, I feel like a legit logo is a major milestone.

I would like to give major props to my friend Caryn, who used her design genius to create my logo (Check out her blog). I've never seen someone so excited about chosing a font. Her enthusiasm was so contagious that creating a logo was a labor of love.

Song of the Day
Any time I say/write the word "legit", MC Hammer's Too Legit To Quit immediately starts playing in my head. And then, if I by myself, I have to start doing the Hammer Dance. Oh you know you do it too!

Hello Gorgeous!

Now that I have lovingly laid my old cell phone to rest, it is time to introduce you to the new electronic in my life. And she is one sexy bitch!That is right! I'm a proud owner of the new IPhone 3GS. And I only had to go to the Apple store 3 times and wait in line for 2 hours. But she was worth all of that. I feel out of my element being so cutting edge but I am enjoying it. After spending half a decade with my old phone, getting the IPhone makes me feel like a caveman who somehow got a gas stove. It is blowing my mind!

I feel like I've barely dipped my toes in the sea of apps, so please let me know if there is an app I MUST HAVE.

Song of the Day
Today's song is James Brown's Papa's Got A Brand New Bag which I mentally changed to Anna's Got A Brand New Phone as I dance out of the Apple store....I know I know. I'm a giant dork.