Week #34 & #35 Update

Success. A suburb in Perth but also a fair summary of my last fortnight. The bucket list grew two items shorter. I should go to Sydney more often....

Picture it. Sicily 1926. It was a warm Summer's afternoon. Sorry. Golden Girls flashback. The best work Betty White has done (except the Snickers ad). Picture it, Parramatta, 25 August. Despite the lure of the Pink grapefuit Tiros at City Extra, I stroll past and board the train bound for the big bright lights of Sydney CBD. As the train gets closer, my palms get a little clammier and my heart beats a little faster. Is it because I'm bound for the Sydney Tower Skywalk, or because I'm wearing my favourite bright pink Tommy Hilfiger polo shirt on a train in Parramatta? Probably the latter. Fortunately the size is XL rather than XXXXL in the bicep area and XS in the waist. It also has no subwoofers installed. So not worth stealing by anyone in my train carriage.

So I pony up the cash and take the elevotor up to the top of the tower. Get out. Walk around. Check out the view. Not so bad. Then I get ushered over to the holding pen, throw on the sexy blue overalls, a harness and clip myself to the railing. Then my fellow Sydney Skywalk guinea pigs and I hit the outside of the tower. We move across onto the first see-through glass platform, where we are encouraged to jump up and down vigorously. It shakes. Everybody laughs. Scott tries not to urinate. Then around to the other side and onto the second glass panel, that upon push of a button, extends further out over the edge, enabling a clear view to street level through the glass floor. By this stage though, my nerves have completely subsided and I was really drinking in what is a truly amazing view. A full 360 degree look at Sydney and I would highly recommend this to anyone. Beats watching the Shire. Don't feel obliged however to indulge in the horribly overpriced personalised souveneirs. A well oiled machine that, with the addition of an opal shop and a live koala to cuddle, could be the entire Cavill Mall encapsulated in one very high tower. Another sucker coming right up...

Unfortunately I can't figure out how to rotate this photo, which probably means you have a sore neck at the moment from trying to take in the full spectacle. Alternatively you have turned your computer/ipad/mobile device 90 degrees to look at it. Hats off to you if you are using a desktop. Here's an upside down tomato to thank you for your persistence.

With adrenalin still coursing through my body, and before nightfall, I re-take the train back out to Parramatta knowing that the oversized novelty Sydney Skywalk photo won't hi-light me as an obvious tourist. I probably should have put it in my bumbag. Bucket List Item #10 officially ticked off. Check.

Picture it. Parramatta, 26 August. A fine Summer's day where I would take on arguably the biggest physical challenge of my life to date. The Ribs and Rumps Meat Your Match Challenge. For those playing at home, check out the MYM Challenge web link and drive traffic to Ribs and Rumps website. Check it a few times in fact. And share the link with your friends, relatives, acquaintances and those people you're kinda over but want to spam. To prepare for this monumental meal, I only had Main and Dessert (and not entree) the previous night for dinner, skipped both midnight mini-bar snack and breakfast, and "enjoyed" a "brisk" walk alongside the "picturesque" Parramatta River. Two hours of driving later and I find myself at Ribs and Rumps Shellharbour to facilitate the Meat Your Match Challenge for Youth Homelessness charity day, where a bunch of like minded little piggies descended upon Ribs and Rumps to devour copious quantities of animal flesh in the name of charity.

1:30pm rolls around. My designated time at the trough has arrived. Strategies filled my head. Eat it quickly before your stomach realises what's going on. Eat it slowly to allow your stomach to expand. Stuff some in your underwear while people aren't looking and don't forget to remove before the security check at the airport. The meal arrives. It doesn't look that bad. Until I realise, that sitting underneath the gigantic steak is a full rack of ribs and about 500g of chips. Then, methodically, meticulously and another m word, I start chipping away (excuse the pun).

After about an hour of slow and steady eating, I reduce the meal down to approximately a normal size meal. About 400g of steak, a small pile of chips and a couple of ribs. Trouble is I've eaten that already at least once, maybe twice. But like any high performance athlete, I just let the years of intensive training take over and get me to the finish line.

For all those Facebook friends out there that read my blog (both of you). You know how you get cut when people just post pictures of their food. How pissed must you be right now that you've pretty much watched a time lapse of my meal. Anyway, from the above point the strategy was simple. Power to the finish line like the Ugandan marathon guy. Not the two Kenyans. Those guys are soft.

After approximately 90mins of eating "victory" was mine.

And by victory I mean that I lapsed into a food coma for approximately two hours, then had to drive two hours to Sydney, check into the aiport, fly back to Brisbane and drive home approaching midnight in extreme discomfort and fully expecting at any point that my jeans would simply say "Enough is enough. We're demin, but even we are not that strong." Bucket List Item #12 officially ticked off. Check.

So parental units. Aside from my skills in driving too fast and drinking too much, another reason to be proud. Would I recommend the Meat Your Match Challenge? Abolsutely. I work at Ribs and Rumps after all. It costs $84.95 and all those sales make a big difference in me keeping my job. Would I recommend finishing it? Probably not. I've eaten some fairly big meals in my life, but this was easily the largest I've ever attempted. It tastes great until about 3/4 through, then it is just struggle. Of the 51 that took on the challenge with me at Shellharbour, only 25 finished. Check out the full library of photos here (don't be confused - this is the Ribs and Rumps website, not Starshots Glamour Photography). For all those Facebook food commentary haters out there... nom nom nom.

As another blog update draws to a close, it occurs to my that Chris J Guy wanted a shout out. By my recollection, you owe me approximately 980ml of Diet Coke champ. I'm coming to collect.

Until next time...

Week #30, #31, #32 & #33 Update

It's definitely time for action. Settle down Rosy, not that kind of action. The kind of action that will see my Bucket List start to evaporate. I haven't had a lot of luck though. Settle down Rosy, not that kind of luck. I'm talking Bucket List luck.

Take Bucket List Item #11 - Meet Carl Barron. Short and sweet. No not Carl, the Bucket List item. Well Carl is short and sweetish I guess. Settle down Rosy. Not that kind of sweetish. You think of comedians of Carl's vintage that I could of have singled out for a bit of Scotty love. Shaun Mcaliff, Glenn Robbins, Dave Hughes... all would have been valid choices. Maybe not Hughesy as I've met him already. He's awesome. Love your work Hughesy. And then there's Jimeoin. So imagine my surprise when I rock up at a corporate event and he's the MC. Funny dude. Bit of a twat though. Sorry champ. Obligatory photo with a photo bomb from some random.

Oh yer. For the males playing at home, the "corporate event" was the crowing of Chicko Chick 2013. A photo just because it should increase the number of hits to my blog (and to my scrotum from my wife)

Bucket List Item #5 - Try 20 new foods. I've lost count. But I've added Chicken Hearts to the list. So I'm one closer to the total. Guess I'll have to go back and read every single blog update since January. I hope my ribcage can stand the hilarity. Shame my chicken-heart-dishing-outering waiter didn't appreciate my sense of humour. When I ate the heavily garlic-laden chicken, I asked if it had garlic because I was highly allergic to garlic. Then when I had the steak I asked if it contained beef as I was highly allergic to beef. He managed to crack a smile though. Perhaps he was practising for the Department of Immigration.

The weekend just passed was potentially a Bucket List smashing opportunity gone begging. Two relatively free days following what has been a fairly hectic period. BTW the word hectic sounds way better when you're Lebanese. Hec-tic. I managed to mow the lawn, wash and detail the cars, tidy up the garden and tidy the house. Overrated. None of those things are on the Bucket List. Because they are the boring, mundane trappings of suburban life. It's simply solidified my resolve to tackle the Bucket List with gusto.

So tomorrow I set off on another Sydney trek. Who knows what Bucket List items I may be able to tick off. Well I know. But you don't. You can probably guess. You'll probably be wrong. Maybe not. Who knows. Well I know. But you don't. OK, that could get pretty repetitive.

Until next time...

Week #24, #25, #26, #27, #28 & #29

I've been busy. Said no public servant ever. The weekly blog updates became fortnightly and then three weekly and now getting out to once every six weeks. The only person that claimed he would achieve more in six weeks and achieved less is Campbell Newman. Maybe I should rename this my Can-Do Bucket List. Probably not.

But unlike Campbell, Julia and elected representatives et al, I have actually got some runs on the board in the last couple of weeks. And I haven't hooked up with a hairdresser. Or knifed anyone called Kevin.

When I started the year with a 674-0 squash record, I was hopeful that the streak would continue to a glorious 800 games. And two weeks ago that became 804-0 and tonight 812-0. A streak that has stretched nearly eight years, multiple opponents, multiple venues, some close calls and a little luck along the way. Ramon was the lucky one that witnessed the 800th game. This is him sharing the happy moment

This is how he really felt

Bucket List Item #3 officially crossed off. Sweet.

Now onto Bucket List Item #6 - Making the kids' birthdays memorable. After the fanfare of Alex's Mad Scientist party, Bella's was a more low-key but equally memorable affair. It started with Rosy and I decorating her room. Just as we finished around 1am, she woke up, said "I don't want that" and demanded we remove all balloons, streamers and other birthday guff. Killjoy. See below for the obligatory "open presents in PJs" photo, "smiling happily at birthday cake eight times larger than her head" photo and bonus cute video of Bella and the almost-as-adorable robot bunny.

So was Bella's birthday memorable? Well I asked Bella the next day what she liked about her birthday. She told me stuff that matched up. I'm claiming memorable status. Bucket List Item #6 officially crossed off. Sweet.

So as I progressively tick off bucket list items at a rate far slower than I need to - am I learning any earth-shattering life lessons. You know - those life changing, light-bulb moments where your whole reality turns upside down - like the ones you discover during episodes of The Shire or Being Lara Bingle. If I look at the things that have slowed my progress - caring for sick wife and kids, travelling, seeing friends, eating ribs, drinking wine and generally living life, it's not all bad really. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop hunting down Carl Barron. You will be mine Carl. Oh yes. You will be mine.

Until next... you know...

Week #22 & Week #23 Update

If you have ever wondered what the abence of any stable political rule would be like - complete anarchy - then strap yourself into a five year old's birthday party. Seventeen hyped, Pop-Topped, candied, chocolated and trampolined midgets shaking the very foundations of your house until breaking point. And that was just the first five minutes. Robbie Williams was doing it for the kids. Let's be honest though. If Kylie Minogue walked up to you in gold hotpants and asked you to do something, you'd pretty much do it.

My bucket list progressed in a few areas over the last fortnight - a couple of books covered off (Bucket List Item #1). A few more squash wins (Bucket List Item #3). But ultimately, this week was all about Alex. My little boy turned five and all efforts were focused on making sure he had a truly memorable birthday. And I think we nailed it. Unlike Grant Hackett, I didn't need to turn a grand piano upside down to leave a lasting memory. C'mon Uncle Toby's - I could totally step in to his endorsement deal. Aside from the gulf in physical fitness between the two of us, I would generally cap my lunch wine consumption at four bottles.

Anways, back to Alex's birthday celebration. It was a three part affair. Part one was Tuesday. Alex's actual birthday. Not only was I in the same State this year, but also in the same house. Eating both breakfast and dinner together was a rare treat. Cake, presents, decorations and plenty of smiles. The perfect birthday combination.

Part 2 was the the main event, from a logistics perspective anyway. A two hour and thirty minute tornado that whipped through The Gap, leaving a trail of popped balloons, empty jelly shots, discarded bottles and enough junk food to burst The Biggest Loser set. Not unlike Schoolies from what I remember, but with less Baileys. Alex's Mad Scientist 5th birthday spectacular was on. All his friends from school, several parents in tow and an afternoon of fun that won't soon be forgotten. Just when the kids had settled into the groove of trampolining, bike riding, ball kicking (not mine for once) and general partying, the entertainers arrived. Kids donned lab coats and saftey glasses for the making of slime (apologies to those parents that dressed their kids in the good clothes!), lava lamps and not surprisingly - the one that got the kids excited - the exploding bottle of random coloured stuff. Then a slice of cake, takeaway bags jammed with more sugary goodness and the party was offically over. Photos and videos galore taken of course, but here's a selection.

Then, the low key Part 3 - family afternoon tea for some more birthday presents, party food and fun. Nobody told Alex to be low key though. So much excitement for one human being to handle, but suffice to say, Bucket List Item #6 is now 50% complete. And I think I had more fun than he did!

Until next fortnight...

Week #19 & Week #20 & Week #21 Update

Time flies. Sat down to tap out my fortnightly update, only to figure out that three weeks have in fact passed since my last blog update. This is a problem. See... it's Week #21. My last count suggests that there are only 52 weeks in a year. I've completed one bucket list item. I have 14 to go. I'm no Wayne Swann, but I seriously doubt my ability to deliver a budget surplus.

There's been progress mind you and, unlike the NSW Rugby League Team, I get a feeling the next few weeks will deliver some wins. Bucket List Item #3 is becoming tantalisingly close - 768 wins on the board and more court time tomorrow. Insert flexing of pectorals here. Alex's birthday bonanza will unfold over the next fortnight and all being well, Bucket List Item #6 will be 50% complete. A couple more books, a few more movies and there's another couple off the list. Easy wins. QLD Rugby League Team knows what I am talking about.

Some others are going to take some effort. Sydney Skywalk for example. I had an unexpected four hour window on my last Sydney trip. Four hours should be plenty of time to drive into Sydney CBD. Park. Go to the Skywalk. Go up the Skywalk. Go down the Skywalk. Drive through traffic from CBD to the Airport. Right? If you answered yes, then I hope you enjoy your first time visiting whenever that may be. Will another suitable window open? Time will tell.

And then there's my mate Carl, aka Bucket List Item #11. Last night my posse and I hit the Gold Coast Convention Centre to see Carl's show. Funny dude. Great show. Highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good laugh. See here for more of what I'm talking about. Probably shouldn't have jammed a bunch of ribs into my belly beforehand as I laughed so hard that the guy in front of me nearly wore them a couple of times. He had his best t-shirt on too. So Carl's playing hard to get. Game on champ. Game on.

Until next week/fortnight/word that means group of three weeks together

Week #17 & Week #18 Update

I'm on fire. Although no fancy lines have been struck through any more bucket list items, it's been a big fortnight of chipping away.

Bucket List Item #5 (Try 20 new foods). On fire. Again during a period of so-called "restrictive diet," I have added ox tongue, lotus root chips and black sesame ice-cream to the newly tried foods list. All three I must report were sensational and all tried last Saturday night at Angela's birthday dinner at Wagayu. For those playing at home, Wagayu is loosely translated as "Restaurant in Chinatown with cool touch-screen ordering system and inadequate supply of creme brulee" which is freakishly accurate. The ox tail tasted of caramelised steak and was slightly chewy, but pleasant. Next time I see an ox I will no doubt start salivating at the likely tastiness of his tongue. The lotus root chips were crispy and tasty and the black sesame ice-cream was a sensation - two serves were required. Photos of food eating exploits as follows (with a special video presentation of ox tongue consumption, with a Survivor-style empty mouth show at the end):

Bucket List Item #3 (800+ squash wins). On fire. I moved one step closer, or seven steps closer in fact with the score now sitting at 748-0 and all things being well, next week will see the magic 750 clocked up and the charge to 800 will be well and truly on. To take the pressure off, I'm taking a leaf out of Peter Slipper's book and travelling by limo from home to work, work to lunch, lunch to work, work to squash, squash to Gold Coast, Gold Coast to airport, airport to home. I'll concurrently travel by cab somewhere too. Why not right?

Bucket List Item #6 has started to take shape. With Alex's birthday in June and Bella's birthday in July, options are coming out the razoo. Mind you, while taking a drive yesterday afternoon, we stopped at a random park for 10mins and let the kids run around and that was a memorable hi-light, so nailing Bucket List Item #6 is probably won't be hard. I wonder if they'd cop it on the chin if I inform them that yesterday's park visit was in fact their birthday party? Unlikely.

Attempted progress on Bucket List Item #11. I've emailed Carl Barron to give him the heads-up on the bucket list program and our imminent potential opportunity to meet. He's either busy writing me an excited reply or organising increased security for the Gold Coast gig. He's got nothing to worry about on several fronts. I'm not a psycho for starters. I'm pretty soft so not only would he not need security to take me down, some 48kg random wearing one of those black "Security" t-shirts could probably take me down. Or lure me in a different direction with a choccy donut. Also, unlike Basic Instinct, I'm not writing a story about stalking as an alibi for actual stalking. Although in re-creating the Sharon Stone leg cross scene, 8/10 people believe I pull it off better. Anyway... hit me back Carl. Love your work champ.

Until next fortnight....

Week #15 & #16 Update

Why would you live in Sydney? Seriously. 

Another couple of days in ole Sydney town this week and it was full of hi-lights. Torrential rain... again. Went the closest I've ever gone to missing a flight because of traffic. At 8pm. I wonder what the comments section of Hertz's computer system says against my name now? A screeching halt in their carpark, keys in the ignition and the door still open with an "Over to you" yelled over my shoulder as I sprinted for the Qantas check-in. I am also feeling a little left out that I haven't either shot at someone's house or had my house shot at. I must be the only one. 

The company is always sensational though. A huge thank you to Paola and Nick for putting on a great dinner spread. Ironic in the first fortnight of my most restrictive diet yet that I add two new foods to my never tried this, thus chipping away at Bucket List Item #5. Entrees of Gazpacho (a tomato based chilled vegetable soup) which was refreshing and tasty and Jamon Iberico (a cured ham) which I wanted to wrap around myself like a delicious cocoon now take up positions on the "newly tried" list.

Another great squash week this week takes the game total to 741-0 (Bucket List Item #3). I suspect I was assisted by the 3kg weight loss in the first week of my detox, and interested to see how I go tomorrow night having lost another 1.5kg this week. Also interested to see my weight loss at the end of the 12 weeks period - if I keep up at the current weight loss rate, at the end of the 12 weeks I'll weigh less than I did in Grade 9. Which would be remarkable as I wasn't drinking as much beer back then. 

And it's official - I'm halfway through Bucket List Item #7 - with Beverly Hills Cop ticked off the "Top 20 Comedy Movies of all time" list last night. Seems fair that Eddie Murphy featured in at least one of the Top 20. The hairstyles were funny. The fashion was funny. The plot was funny. Eddie Murphy's laugh was annoying, but overall the movie was entertaining. However, humerousnessesness ranked behind sound track and truck chase in the hi-lights.

A few busy work weeks ahead are likely to inhibit the progress of my list. But slow and steady wins the race. Except if you drive Forumla One cars. 

Until next fortnight...

Week #13 & #14 Update

Ah Easter. A time to take a breath from the hustle bustle of the treadmill of life and re-focus on what is important. Religiously and spiritually if that floats your boat, or just generally if that's how you roll. I'm not fussed. The funny thing about the Bucket List Project is that it was originally designed to supplement the standard New Years resolutions that are oh so boring... be more financially sensible, achieve greater work-life balance, get healthy yawn stretch yawn. Trouble is that the Bucket List has taken the sole focus in the New Years resolutions stakes thusfar.

Mind you, it's not all bad news. Despite the best efforts of the Australian Tax Office (from this point forward referred to as the dirty filthy hoebags - DFHs), there has certainly been much more attention around financial responsibility. Work-life balance has also been brilliant. Nights at home. Weekends at home. Public Holidays at home. The ability to maintain a conversation without having one hand on a Blackberry. Seeing my kids both before and after work rather than neither. Can't complain. The "get healthier" goal is going splendidly if you believe (a) the old adage of "a fat baby is a healthy one" and (b) that I am a baby. Otherwise, it needs some work. As such, tomorrow begins a detox diet that will pit my enormous appetite against my tiny willpower in a David and Goliath battle. If you can no longer mistake my credit card statement for a list of drive-thrus and bottle shops in my area, David's got a chance. This is unfortaunately at odds with Bucket List Item #12 - Complete the Ribs and Rumps Meat Your Match Challenge, but I can only assume that the challenge will be all the more rewarding when completed by someone having just completed a diet of small portions of tasteless food.

Another great squash week. 727-0 is coincidentally both my squash tally at the end of this week and the number of litres of alcohol consumed vs water. David's got his work cut out for him. Some temptations are unavoidable (as Whitney Houston's autopsy this week proved), but in this case I'm referring to the sampling program that I had to undertake for work as part of finalising our imminent beverage list change. This photo probably tells the story, but with more to follow in coming weeks, who knows what will happen.

It's hard to believe on the same Sydney trip that this sampling was undertaken, I finished a book. The really hard, lots of words, no pictures marketing book. I think I'm about half way through the books on my bedside table now (Bucket List Item #1), but to be sure I'll have to remove the dust from the region of my bedside tables where books are currently stored.

In a move that Timmy Kenward would describe as "devestating for my cause," IMDB decided to break the link to Bucket List Item #7. This has forced me to sit down and actively try and remember a group of movies that so far I have been actively trying to forget! But in summary, the so-called "20 Funniest Comedy Movies Of All Time" that I am working my way through are (in no particular order):
(1) Watched so far - Shaun of the Dead, Tommy Boy, Blazing Saddles, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, Animal House, National Lampoon's Vacation, Napolean Dynamite, The Ref, Caddyshack
(2) Still to watch - The Breakfast Club, Fast Times at Ridgemount High, The Hangover, Flying High, Superbad, Bad News Bears, The Benchwarmers, The Blues Brothers, Beverley Hills Cop, Young Frankenstein and Ace Ventura, Pet Detective

I can't believe that I have managed to remember them all which is so fortunate cos' otherwise I might have accidentally had to watch something starring Steve Martin (using the term "starring" more loosely than Matthew Newton uses the term "on the wagon"). To use Timmy's other favourite expression "High five for Jesus." I guess it's seasonally appropriate.

Until next week...

Week #11 & #12 Update

Procastination. It can wait till tomorrow quite frankly. After weeks of threatening, I've booked tickets to Carl Barron tonight. Bucket List Item #11 becomes arguably one step closer. Or does it? The Gold Coast Convention Centre is a big joint. I don't think jumping on someone's shoulders, taking my top off and swaying a cigarette lighter is the best way to get Carl's attention. Maybe I'll be lucky and find on the night that there's only six seats filled. Not unlike the Queensland Labor Party.

Sometimes procrastination comes about because of extenuating circumstances. For example, our trip to Eulo has been put on ice to ensure that the full effects of the recent floods have passed. My progress through my latest book has stalled due to the large number of words and small number of pictures. My date with the Ribs and Rumps Meat Your Match Challenge has been pushed back so that my jeans will not explode and take out half the restaurant.

The train must roll on though. The squash tally now sits at 720. Another contender enters the ring: Theo "The Rook" Papamanolis. It occurred to me that when this streak ends, it will never be repeated. More than seven years in the making, when (not if) it ends, I just can't see it being repeated. So the pressure is on. 800 is tanalisingly close. But so was popularity for Anna Bligh. Yikes.

Until next week...

Week #10 Update

Urgent vs. Important. It's a battle that I deal with at work everyday. Well most days. Well some days. Well the days that the choice is between actual work-related tasks rather than steak vs. ribs. Trouble is that the Urgent vs Important debate more and more is a feature of life outside of work. Everyday I'm shufflin indeed.

Urgent urgent urgent... mow the grass, do the dishes, feed, bathe and clothe children. Preferably mine. Cook dinner, pay bills, check Facebook, check Linkedin, vaccuum, eat, sleep, iron, Words with Friends. All urgent, but is it important? Thank God I don't get the whole hashtag thing. My life would grind to a halt #firstworldproblem. Long term financial planning, unpacking the insurance rubics cube, home renos, superannuation consolidation blah blah blah. All important, but are they a focus. Unlikely.

And in a week where Joseph Kony starred in his own little 30 minute doco, does any of my urgent or important stuff matter in the scheme of the world? I'm not selling poster packs for $225 to help solve my problems, so probably not. Maybe because, as I found out through the wonders of the internet and my darling wife (happy anniversary bub), that people in Australia earning the minimum wage have an income in the Top 5% of the worldwide population.

So then what about the Bucket List - is this urgent or important? Well, I think it's neither and it's both. In the grand scheme of things, 15 wishes on a page of a very fortunate person are irrelevant. But to me it's urgent and important. It adds fun and purpose outside of the daily grind. Everyday I'm not just shuffling, I'm boogeying and busting a move as well.

And it was a slow groove this week. Another couple of pages down of my marketing book. The executive summary from last week still rings true.

Another few games onto the squash tally. Now 708 and counting.

Another movie under the belt. Blazing Saddles! Nothing quite as refreshing as a movie jammed end-to-end with unbelievable political incorrectness. Not unlike Kalibar at 3am Saturday morning which generated the hangover that spawned the decision to sit on my backside all day on Saturday and ultimately then watch Blazing Saddles. One hell of a circle of love. Blazing Saddles was classic Mel Brooks and possibly one of his movies would have to make it into an actual Top 20 funniest list. Certainly if I was 13 then one probably would. But I'm all grown up now. Insert deafening laughter here. That's nine movies down and eleven to go. Almost half way for those that a mathematically challenged.

I've got Carl Barron and a huge hunk of meat on my mind. That is definitely two different and distinct bucket list items. So while there's bigger fish to fry in the tacky fish n chip shop of planet Earth, I'll keep "chipping" away.

Until next week....

Week #9 Update

This week's update is two hours later than expected and slightly angrier. This is less to do with my tardiness and more to do with the Australian Cricket Team's penchant for losing unlosable matches. They tried their darndest. So close boys, but maybe you will choke more epicly in the second final.

This week I jumped back into reading (Bucket List Item #1). When you fly Qantas it pays to be prepared for delayed flights. Two flights. Two delays. I tried to remember the last time I took a Qantas flight that took off on time and landed on time, but my memory turned black and white, so it must have been a while ago. This week's reading project is homework from my boss - a marketing strategy book titled "Blue Ocean Strategy." I don't want to drag down the tone of my blog with boring marketing guff, but basically blah blah blah don't fight with competitors on their terms blah blah blah find your own unique space blah blah blah re-define the market. It's a great read if you're in marketing. If you're not, keep hanging onto the idea that we spend our days drawing pictures, having long lunches, snorting cocaine and playing with our ponytails. Mind you, I'm only about 10% through the book. I might learn other stuff that I'm supposed to be doing yet.

More movie action this week too (Bucket List Item #7). And finally, an actual contender. Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle. Humerous for it's duration, as much for the ridiculous cameos as for the jokes. Neil Patrick Harris playing himself was legend - wait for it - DARY! Interestingly they reckon that NPH won the role of Barney on HIMYM based on his performance in this movie. Enough acronyms for you? Again, funnier movies spring to mind in the "road trip movie" genre. "Road Trip" in fact being one of them and "Euro Trip" also up for consideration. Either of these movies could make the actual funniest Top 20 movies of all time list. "Thelma and Louise" probably won't.

Carl Barron's gigs are selling out fast. He must be funny. Or playing 50 seat venues. I'll buy tickets this week. Let me know by Wednesday if you are keen to join me. The link once more for those playing at home... Carl's Gold Coast gig.

Until next week...

Week #8 Update

I love my job. But I've decided... when it comes time to quit, there's only one way to do it. I'll go on a work-funded trip. Halfway through the trip and in the middle of the night, I'll call a press conference to resign. This will be the first my boss hears about it. When I get back from my trip, I'll call another press conference, tell everyone my boss sucks at his job, tell everyone that I'm better at his job, that I'm better than the guy that does his job at Hogs Breath and the fate of Ribs and Rumps rests with me. Then I'll ask my colleagues to conduct a secret ballot to remove my boss and slot me into his job. That will totally work. I don't wear glasses, but I do have a round face, I'm arrogant, I talk about myself in the third person lots and I like the odd strip club visit, so if one K. Rudd can do it, so can I. However, before any of that happens, I will complete Bucket List Item #12

For the first time, I'm feeling the pressure of not progressing through the list at a fast enough pace. 8 weeks down means that I am 15% through the available time, and with only one item completed so far, I'm only 7% through the list. The maths aint good. But then, like a ray of sunshine from heaven, my skinny bald headed friend Carl Barron (not Joe Tallarida as many of you were thinking) schedules a new round of gigs. Don't get me wrong, if Joe scheduled gigs I would totally go as well. His "Try the veal" bit never gets old. Anyway, I digress. I've searched Google but I can't find the bucket list that Carl Barron has obviously compiled which at Number 11 has "Meet Scott Hamilton." I know that when the moment arrives for us to meet, the connection will be special. Note: Specialness of connection will be inversely proportionate to the size of Carl's security guards.

I know what you're thinking. About me. No not that. That would be fun though. Keep it clean please... this is a G-rated blog. I know what else you're thinking, "One of the best moments of my year slash life will be personally seeing Scott achieve Bucket List Item #11 - Meet Carl Barron - by joining him at the Gold Coast Convention Centre gig at 8pm on Saturday 26 May." It's an awfully precise thought, but both wise and accurate. So if ya wanna convert your thoughts into action (the second thought, not the first one), look at this link - Carl Barron's "Meet Scott Hamilton" Bucket List item achievement opportunity  - and then shoot me a comment here or on Facebook in the next few days and I will co-ordinate a ticket buy. I'm sure some kind of dinner/drink thing will precede the main event. BYO confetti.

More actual progress on the list this week. Part #2 of "The Ref" turned out to be as riveting as Part #1, although Rosy and I elected to stay awake. Otherwise there would have been a Part #3. Then last night we knocked over Caddyshack. Rosy made the observation that Chevy Chase was cute when he was younger. Shame he wasn't funny. When I start to break down these movies by highly precise genre, I can automatically identify funnier movies that the ones on this so-called "Funniest movies of all time" list. Happy Gilmore. Way funnier golfing-related comedy than Caddyshack. American Pie. Way funnier frat house comedy than Animal House. Home Alone. Way funnier B-grade con taking people hostage in their own home movie than The Ref. "Keep the change.... ya filthy animal." Comedy gold (and also potentially a line to be re-used when taking care of Bucket List Item #14).

Until next week...

Week #7 update

As is often the case, work gets in the way of life... Whether you "live to work" or "work to live" the reality is that most of us have to work at some point. Or join the public service.

This week, we had our work conference with two days and three nights of fun-filled frivolity. I really should have thought this through and adjusted my bucket list accordingly. For example "Beat your liver into submission one glass of red at a time" would have been ticked off. "Dance to Titanium with a 50 year old bikie at the Treasury Casino" also achieved (sadly not for the first time in my life). As far as conferences go, it was a ripper. I even learnt stuff. I was looking forward to outrageously tipping the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre staff for the outstanding food and service at the conference gala dinner. Sadly our table seriously debated ducking across the road to Subway for food... Bucket List Item #14 which at face value seems easy again goes unfulfilled. How do you get a slow roasted rib off the bone both crunchy and chewy at the same time. A rare talent. Gordon Ramsay would have broken the beeping machine.

Come Friday night and the opportunity arose to chip away at Bucket List Item #5 and Bucket List Item #7 concurrently. For Bucket List Item #5, I had methi leaves, as an ingredient in the Methi Malai from Curry Garden. An opportunity to deviate from the usual Indian take-out choices and it was devine. I'll be back for more. 1.2 billion people can't be wrong I guess? For Bucket List Item #7, we tackled "The Ref." I was operating under the assumption that Jerry Bruckheimer's name was not attached to anything bad. But sure, enough, there he is on the dust jacket of this little gem. Was it horrible? To be confirmed - we only lasted about 45mins before falling asleep. It's been a little while since I finished law-school, but I'm pretty sure "A furiously funny film you don't want to miss" could constitute misleading and deceptive conduct. Time will tell if we manage to stay awake for the next instalment. 

Some early birthday gifts received on Sunday night from my in-laws (parent, sisters, brother - all in-law varieties) both helped and hindered my list. A very thoughtful cash donation to put towards Bucket List Item #10 - conquering the Sydney Skywalk was counter-balanced with another book added to my bedside table (Bucket List Item #1). Although the book lists 1000 cool things to do with kids in Australia, so could assist with Bucket List Items #6, so I'm calling this gift "Bucket list neutral." I haven't read the book yet (surprisingly), but I suspect that "strap the kids in for a 22 hour round trip to Eulo" is probably not included in the book. Guess next year's re-print will have 1001 cool things.

Until next week...

Week #6 Update

Slow week in Bucket List land this week.

A special thanks to Paola Tanner for the book "5" which I finally read after only a few years of sitting on the bedside table (the book, not me), thus continuing to chip away at Bucket List Item #1. I've concluded two main things. First, that living your best life is not really that hard - you just need to figure out what you want, document how to get there and then stick to the plan. Second, that self help book authors are not real writers... just masters of the Captain Obvious game.

Interestingly, I'm so pleased with the process and progress, I've already started thinking about next year's bucket list. What didn't make the list this year that should have? Any ideas guys and gals? For starters, I'll be creating my own "Top 20 comedy movies" list and then watching them - Saturday night I took in the hilarious Naked Gun 2 which was funnier than anything I'd seen so far on the so-called Top 20 Comedy Movies list. Yet its not on the list. Hmmmm.

Carl Barron is makin' it hard for me (Bucket List Item #11). C'mon mate. He's just updated his tour schedule and has finally scheduled some dates outside of Sydney. Wollongong and Canberra. Not even the lure of Carl Barron could get me voluntarily to either of those places. Aim further North my friend.

Until next week...

Week #5 Update

It's time to get all serious. Well... As serious as this little blog's gunna get. A few things happened this week that made me realise I'm not alone in my Bucket List journey... and that my journey means different things for different people.

First, a stranger from across the interweb reached out - Melanie Bowen contributes to a support blog for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance and believes that people maintain a much more positive outlook when committing their plans to paper and documenting the journey. Melanie asked that I post a link to her blog within my blog and at first, I declined the invitation - see my blog is about commitment to maintaining work/life balance, pushing myself out of my comfort zone and ensuring I keep doing something new. My blog (while important) is far more trivial than the issues Melanie is confronting. But you know what... my process is at it's heart about becoming a better person. So with that in mind, I've reconsidered. I urge you to click here to learn more about the great work that Melanie and countless other contributors do: Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance 

Next I had a chance to drink beers with the chicky who gave me this idea in the first place. At the risk of exceeding my weekly shout-out quota, here is a link to the Kelly Stokes "30 things before I'm 30" blog. Check out her progress here: Kelly's ripper blog. Our conversation on the matter was actually pretty simple. "Are you lovin it?" "I'm lovin it!" "Are you lovin it" "I'm lovin it" Probably just as well as at this stage I was seven beers down and was sizing up the bartender as a slimmer, more personable and slightly hotter version of Zac Gallifinakis. Don't try googling that because I know damn well I spelled his name wrong. Just think Fat Jesus from the Hangover. Or in this case, Slim Jesus.

Then last night I had a ripper night with some of the ole' Red Rooster crowd and was informed that many are stalking my progress from afar and really enjoying the read. Siobhan told me she wasn't - she couldn't give a stuff and several other slanderous comments which I tuned out - much like most conversations previously had with Siobhan that descended into slanderous comments. Avoiding my blog is the online equivalent of not turning up to my conference presentations. I'm pretty sure she won't be able to resist having sneaky look though. She's only human.

Okily dokily. How have we gone on the progressometer this week?

The taste of 800 squash wins is tantalisingly close, like John Daly's sobriety, with the 700 mark crossed this week. 703 to be precise (Bucket List Item #3). Eulo is also tantalisingly close. (Bucket List Item #8) We just need to determine whether we will go by car or boat with Eulo currently underwater like much of the rest of Western Queensland. We tackled a 5+ hour drive through the Gold Coast hinterland with a short stop-off at "Natural Bridge" All the paths, ashphalt, ropes and such left me wondering how natural the bridge actually was though... Then on to Southport for a swim and home. Kids loved the drive and we are now foolishly lulling ourselves into a false sense of security that this roadtrip will be a walk in the park.

Interestingly, after a flood of initial commentary, only one person so far is brave enough to take on the Ribs and Rumps Meat Your Match Challenge with me (Craig) and one spectator (Angela). I'm also unconvinced that these people are all about the challenge - I reckon anything involving cows would get Craig to put his hand up and anything involving me looking stupid will attract Angela's interest. If you are also a fan of cows or me looking stupid... it's not too late... let me know!

Until next week...

Week #4 update

Failing to plan is planning to fail. One of the things that a motivational speaker says immediately before the audience collectively sighs at what a tosser the guy is... but there is an element of truth in the sentiment and with 15 bucket list items (and 15 more for Rosy) to tick off, I felt the need to start a bit of planning.

I began to ponder how to make the kid's birthdays memorable (Bucket List Item #6). Rosy suggested I be home for Bella's third birthday... something I didn't achieve for her first and second birthday and in fact found myself on a plane to Perth to interview with Red Rooster less than 48 hours after she was born. I guess being there will probably be a good start. Bella's brithday is on a Saturday this year - Will I be home for it? Magic 8 ball says "My sources say YES"

We did some research on the trip to Eulo. A lazy 11 hour, 918km drive going through the tourist Mecca's of Goondiwindi, St George and Cunnamulla. The most remote winery in Australia, mud baths and museums will probably be on the itinerary. Camping by the billabong teeming with wild birds... probably not. Like any endurance event, training is a must. Yesterday we took the kids on a 3 hour drive to Mount Mee (a place, not a request). The prevailing weather conditions allowed us to drive in the clouds. Although we didn't see Edward and Bella scrambling through the tree-tops, the experience was still awesome as these photos demonstrate:

Some cow spotting (Craig would have been sticking his head out the window like an excited puppy), ample lashings of Iphone games and pre-loaded Wiggles and Peppa Pig episodes and truly spectacular Woodford bakery sausage rolls munched on the fly - all in all the kids loved the drive. What are the odds that the 22 hour return trip to Eulo can break down into 7 and a bit really enjoyable 3 hour segments. Slim me thinks. Easter weekend looms as the likely date. Unless sanity prevails in the interim.

I also thought it was time to try and knock off another list item in totality - Bucket List Item #12 - Complete the Ribs and Rumps Meat Your Match Challenge. A reminder for those playing at home - 1KG of steak, a full rack of ribs and approximately 600g of chips, to be consumed in one sitting. This list item has attracted some interest and commentary - many want to spectate when I take it on, and some are keen to throw their hat (or belly) into the ring and join me in the mass animal slaughter. So... for those playing at home that genuinely do want to play - I want to do this in early March. If you would like to join me, post a comment here or on Facebook. Let's get a group together and make it a date. If we get enough people together, they may be able to walk the whole cow to the table and cut it to order. I bags the bell.

Enough of the planning. Let's cover the progress. Saturday's miserable weather and the still newishness novelty of Apple TV combined to deliver a comedy double-header (Bucket List Item #7). First was Napolean Dynamite, a movie that I had not seen before as I assumed it would be a steaming pile of dog turd. How wrong could I be. It turned out to be a steaming pile of elephant turd in fact. There were a couple of actual funny bits - just enough to remind you of the genre, but it was mostly uncomfortable, cringe-worthy stuff, like watching George W. Bush trying to be president. Or smart. Next up was Tommy Boy. I initially shed a tear for Chris Farley when he died at the ripe old age of 33. People said that the world lost a comedic genius. People were wrong. Comedy movies made without Farley are definitely funnier, and have a far less expensive catering bill. With 25% of Bucket List Item #7 completed, the only common thread to date is the absence of genuine funniness. But much like Richmond Football Club, I will continue to turn up every week even though there is no real chance of improvement.

Until next week...

Passionfruit crème brûlée!

I ticked item 4 off my bucket list on Australia Day...I made passionfruit crème brûlée! I wanted to do a crème brûlée with a little flavour and the passion fruits are lovely at the moment! Scott picked me up a blow torch thingy (I'm sure that's the technical term right?) from Mel when he went to cooking school and otherwise all I needed was eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla pods and passion fruit. Simple!

Making the brûlée was actually pretty easy:

1. Heat the cream with the vanilla seeds and split pods to just below boiling
2. Mix the egg yolks and sugar till they are lighter in colour and thicker.
3. Strain the cream mixture and add very slowly to the egg mixture.
4. Add the strained passion fruit pulp and mix well.
5. Pour into ramekins and bake (in a water bath) until just set.
6. Refrigerate until chilled.
7. Sprinkle a teaspoon of caster sugar over the top and brûlée!

On Thursday I didn't chill them before doing the blow torching and the custard was too runny (but still delicious) but I brûléed a couple more tonight from cold and they were awesome! The caramel on top made that awesome crack as the spoon went through and the custard was a wonderful consistency!

Alex really enjoyed breaking the shell and of course he was fascinated by the blow torch which of course is under lock and key, can't be too careful with such a curious little boy like Alex!

I enjoyed trying a new cooking technique, I think I might try a soufflé next!

I've been very busy!

I've been knitting and purling my fingers off! I've finished (with the exception of a button) my first bucket list item, a cardigan for Bella! It was a real learning process and it's definitely not perfect but I'm really proud that I've done it.

I started on the 4th of January and finished this morning, the 23rd of January... I knitted almost every day for a few hours (some days more than others) so it's taken me a very long time! I'd estimate maybe 80+ hours has gone into Bella's cardigan, I said to Scott yesterday that I need to install a tracking device into it because I'd be devastated if it got lost!

Don't look too closely because there are definitely some mistakes in there... I couldn't figure out how to do the 'one row button hole' properly (and YouTube didn't help!) so it's a bit wonky and my increasing stitches aren't as invisible as I'd like them to be but I'm still proud! I will do another one, probably a smaller size so that Bella can wear it this winter! I've also got a patter for a doll version which would knit up a lot quicker and might be fun :-)

So the knitting techniques I used were:

* Casting on
* Knitting
* Purling
* Increasing stitches (knitting on the front and back of one stitch... AKA k1fb)
* Garter stitch
* Stocking stitch
* Casting off

I've known how to cast on, knit and cast off since I was a little girl but never done anything other than very dodgy scarves so this was a real stretch for me!

I made a '4 year' size and it's definitely too big for her. I'm glad that I made it a lot bigger rather than maybe too small though, it was a huge investment of time and effort and I would have been really annoyed if it didn't fit! So once I get a button stitched on it's all done!

So this is what I was aiming for...

This is what I made...

Week #3 Update

You know some weeks feel super productive (like a 3-pack-a-day smoker's cough) and some weeks don't. At the end of Week #3 I feel like my lungs are perfectly in tact. But some progress was made and all progress is good.

Jono didn't turn up to squash, so Ramon kindly got me 13 games closer to my target (Bucket List Item #3). 700 should come up some time in February and then it's all down hill from there. In theory.

Apple TV delivered another of the so-called top 20 Comedy Movies of all time (Bucket List Item #7) direct to my lounge room. Video Ezy have this funny "We'd prefer you wear shoes sir, and pants for that matter" policy and neither sit comfortably with me on Saturday night. This week's movie, Shaun of the Dead, is one of few British comedies on the list and re-affirmed for me that British people aren't even remotely funny. Except Hugh Grant who played the aloof, slightly awkward prat in Four Weddings and A Funeral. And Notting Hill. And Music and Lyrics. And Did You Hear About the Morgans, And About a Boy. And Nine Months. Yep, as versatile as Sly Stallone and Steven Seagal in the acting department. I wonder if Liz Hurley enjoyed the monotony? Evidently not as much as Playboy undies. Or texting.

I've hit the 10% mark in Bucket List Item #5 - Try 20 new foods. Chermoula and Chicken Jasmin. I had a hot dog at Dreamworld today. I'm quietly confident that it contained animals I've never eaten before, but I'm not claiming it. It you don't know it's name, it doesn't count. Well that's what Tiger Woods told his ex-wife anyway.

Until next week....

Week #2 Update

The 2012 bucket list didn't know what hit it this week. I've been more productive than Campbell Newman at a press conference. Except with slightly more hair and slightly less ego. And I also have a first name and last name, not two last names. And nobody pronounces my name "Hello Hamilton" in Seinfeld style like they do with "Hello Newman." Anyhoo....

Re: Bucket List item #1, I have commenced reading another book on my bedside table - "Political and Business One-Liners" which by book standards is right up my alley - humorous but more importantly, able to be broken down one line at a time. I'm also confident they will never make a movie out of this book so therefore, reading this is not duplicated effort. Angela inscribed the front very thoughtfully, possibly to make me read the damn thing rather than re-gift it!

Unfortunately I did not add to Bucket List item #3 this week due to Ramon's over-active social life and Jono's under-active masculinity. Although game on tomorrow at UQ. I did however unexpectedly chip away further at Bucket List item #7 thanks to GO's decision to break it's usual Saturday night pattern and air something that may be of interest to human beings. National Lampoon's Vacation in fact. Funnier than Animal House? YES. Funny enough to be on the Top 20 funniest of all time list? NO. You can't deny the all star cast though - Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, John Candy, Randy Quaid, Jane Krakowski and Eugene Levy are all funny SOB's in isolation. More funny is that this movie will probably always be remembered for "Girl in the Ferrari" Christie Brinkley and the question that will probably never be answered - Billy Joel... how did you manage that? SBS also aired a movie with Scarlett Johansen and Penelope Cruz kissing. So National Lampoon's Vacation can't even claim "best moment of the night" status. Tom Cruise FYI - That's a real reason to jump on Oprah's couch. 

Most progress this week was certainly made in the culinary field, with Bucket List item #9 (Take a cooking class) officially crossed off the list and therefore becomes the very first fully achieved 2012 Bucket List project. Melanie Townsend is a marvel and a magician: through her cooking school Vanilla Zulu she managed to gather a bunch of guys with less skills in the kitchen than Mel Gibson has in anger management and create a truly gourmet feast. The "Men Behaving Badly" menu (not named after Mel Gibson) commenced with Double Decker rosemary, rock salt and bocconcini focaccia, then moved through Haloumi, asparagus and proscuitto parcels to a main of Fragrant Moroccan baked fish with caramelised lime and to finish Brulee flavoured semi-fredo with nutted caramel shards. Nom nom nom.

Did I love it? I kinda did. Through some basic cooking tasks at the beginning Mel managed to break down the barriers and nervousness in the group and everyone bonded quickly. We learnt some skills, shared our meals and a few beers (except Theo who's back on the "Don't Eat or Drink Anything I May Vaguely Enjoy" diet) and had plenty of laughs. More importantly, I put my new skills into practice this afternoon by throwing together some double decker bread and haloumi, asparagus and proscuitto parcels for great friends and willing guinea pigs, Trent and Carly. I even used the bonus lesson - garlic and rosemary stuffed brie as a dip served with the bread. Calorie count: unspecified. Use it or lose right? That's also my theory on Qantas Club, red wine and penises incidentally.

My culinary adventure also included a chow-down on a food I had not ever consumed before - chermoula - so Bucket List item #5 also got a look-in. Anyway, I highly recommend Vanilla Zulu to and cooking chumps that want to be chefing champs. Modesty was always my strong suit. Well one of hundreds of strong suits...

Until next week...

Week #1 Update

Well, one week down and 51 weeks to go. How am I going?

It may surprise people to learn that I am yet to achieve #3 - Take my squash wins beyond 800 - but I did increase the tally to 674-0. I failed to meet Carl Barron (#11), visit Eulo (#8) or pen the IF41 memoirs (#13). But hey, the idea is to challenge myself and it should take me a year to crack all these nuts. I did stare down someone as they completed the Ribs and Rumps Meat Your Match Challenge (#12) and came to realise that this will actually be a feat. 

I am 187 out of 212 pages through a book. A real book - not a Ralph or FHM. A proper book. Adam Gilhrist Walking to Victory in fact. The most eerie part being the foreword written by Andrew Denton - literally the first two sentences of the book... "It is a little known fact that cricket has a higher incidence of suicide amongst its players than any other sport. I once asked the celebrated cricket columnist, Peter Roebuck (himself a former English county captain) why this was so." Eerie because Peter Roebuck in fact committed suicide himself in November. I wonder if he had a bucket list? If so, I wonder if "sexually assault another dude" was on his list - at least he could have ticked that one off...

Moving right along. 5% of #7 was achieved - I watched one of the "Top 20 Comedy Movies of All Time." Animal House. One of the three funniest movies to emerge from the entire 1970s decade. Apparently. What did you think Margaret? I really didn't like it David... I'd give it one star. If I had a picture of poo, I would post it here to describe. Although I did learn that Donald Sutherland was old and really ugly even in 1979. Ironically we also hired The Hangover #2 - not on the list but possibly could join The Hangover Part #1 as an actual contender for funniest 20 movies of all time. 

This week, courtesy of the hugely talented Melanie Townsend of Vanilla Zulu Cooking School I'll be diving into a "Men Behaving Badly" cooking class and in doing so, ticking #9 off my list. Nom nom nom. I reckon I can knock over Adam Gilchrist's book and await Brad Haddin's book "I'm crap at everything but Tim Paine is always injured" which is sure to be a bestseller. Like Animal House.

Until next week...

R's #10: Knit an item of clothing

I've decided to knit an item of clothing for Bella, I thought a little cardigan would be just the thing! I'm sure it'll be ready in time for next winter... that is winter 2013!


I visited my local yarn store this morning and I am now the proud owner of a pair of 4mm bamboo knitting needles ($6.50) and two balls of hot pink cotton 5 ply yarn ($3 each). The pattern is called Kina, it's from a French company called Kids Tricots and it cost me €3 (or $3.89) and that was for a PDF download (got to love instant gratification!).


The pattern is in English so that's a good start right? It's a one piece knit (from the top down) and is a mix of stocking stitch (the main part) and garter stitch (the edges). See, don't I sound like I know what I'm talking about!

So I guess now would be a great time to talk about my knitting experience (or rather lack thereof!). I love creating things, sewing would have to be my favourite crafting activity but knitter I am not! Not for lack of trying though, I have many, many, many half knitted (wonky) scarves and only just started blankets to prove my determination to learn how to knit. Though I've never attempted to knit anything that wasn't square or rectangular before so this could well end up being a lesson in humility!

As soon as I remember how to cast on I'll knit up 26 stitches by 36 rows, this in theory should measure 10cm x 10cm and if it does then it means that I'll (also in theory) knit the right size cardigan for Bella. All I can say is wish me luck and I'll keep you updated!!!!

The 2012 Bucket List!

Each year Scott and I write a list of resolutions on New Year's Eve, usually around five and mostly pretty standard (earn/save more money, get healthier, spend more time with family/friends etc.) but this year we decided to do something different.

We decided to write a Bucket List for the year, 15 things that we want to achieve during the year. We've set ourselves a target of getting 10 done. I think that's pretty achievable!

It's not necessarily supposed to be earth shattering, more just about making the year count! So follow us on our journey during the year!

Rosa xxx

Scott's Bucket List...

2011 for me was the "Year of Contemplation." 2012 I've decided is the "Year of Action." Inspired by Kelly Stokes who created a "Top 30 things to do before turning 30" I've decided - why not treat each year like that? So here's 15 things I am setting out to achieve this year (above and beyond the usual NYE resolutions - be healthier, nicer etc) of which I must achieve at least 10 to achieve my goal. And to keep myself honest, I'll track my progress through my old friend Facebook. In no particular order...

(1) Read all the books on my bedside table (those that know I'm not a big reader, this is an actual challenge - there's about 6 there)

(2) Design the menu for a restaurant I'd like to open

(3) Take my squash wins against Eagle Boys opponents beyond 800 (with hopefully zero losses)

(4) Meaningfully help a friend in need

(5) Try at least 20 new foods (ie foods I've never tried before. Excludes drinks)

(6) Make the kid's birthdays memorable

(7) Watch (or re-watch) the Top 20 Comedy Movies of all time - there's plenty of lists going around. I like this one - http://www.imdb.com/list/ez8zUl5PSQQ/

(8) Visit the monument to cockroach "Destructo" in Eulo

(9) Take a cooking class

(10) Do the Sydney Skywalk (hopefully to chip away at my growing fear of heights)

(11) Meet Carl Barron

(12) Complete Ribs and Rumps "Meat Your Match" challenge (1kg steak, full rack of ribs and 2kg of chips in one sitting)

(13) Write the first chapter of IF41 memoirs (the university quasi-fictional novel)

(14) Tip outrageously after a meal at least once when the service is good

(15) Grow a moustache

So, there you have it. Who knows - if I achieve the goal in 2012, then exciting to think what I can plan for 2013, 2014, 2015....