Fifty Before 50

50 Things to Do Before I Turn 50 A random list of 50 things I want to do before I turn 50 on December 21, 2020. I  have 8 years and 7 months to accomplish everything. This works out to 3136 days--strangely enough, it is also a Monday--and gives me approximately 62 days per item. Read about why I am doing this. My list is not complete. In fact, it stops at 30. The reason for this is simple...what if something amazing happens between now and 2020, like commercial Space (or even better, Time) Travel? I want to be able to augment the list to include new interests and opportunities. Suggestions are always welcome.  Read  To Kill A Mockingbird  by Harper Lee  DONE September 10, 2012 Ride a camel in the dessert  POSTPONED DUE TO COVID Skydive   POSTPONED DUE TO COVID Make great  Hollandaise sauce   First attempt DONE Sunday, June 17, 2012 , second attempt DONE Thursday, November 22, 2012, third attempt DONE Monday, December 24, 2012, f...

Done for 2012. Holiday Half .  It sucked and was cold and I got super sick afterwards. Needless to say, this is the last time I do a winter race in this part of the country. Before the race. I was still optimistic. I was only smiling on the outside.

Sorry Betty Crocker , but Julia Child could totally kick your butt in a celebrity cage match if your only weapon was your H ollandaise sauce recipe. Thanksgiving morning I decided to make Eggs Benny for me and the kids because, hey, who doesn't want to make an elaborate breakfast on a day full of elaborate cooking? So started Hollandaise attempt #2. ( read about my first ever attempt ) I pulled out my trusty bright orange, 1986 edition of the Betty Crocker cookbook and thumbed to the proper page.   Strangely, it was nestled up against the asparagus section. Please note, there is a microwave option. I made it per Betty's somewhat vague instructions. Topped my eggs, ham and English muffin. Dug in. Asked the kids their opinion. The foodie kids that they are, they had many: too lemony, good consistency, too salty Apparently, this one is to be struck from the book.

Add caption I found To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee a novel that appears very forward thinking and modern considering when it was written and where it takes place. I loved Atticus, Calpurnia and Miss Maudie but felt others (like Dill and Uncle Jack) were left hanging. I know Scout is young, but I was irritated by her several times throughout the story. Was it what I was expecting? Well, in a way yes. I had a faint idea it was about race relations. However, I did not know it took place during the Depression , nor that it was from the POV of a young girl. Although some of the racism is difficult to read about, because it was written in 1960 and when takes place in the mid-1930s, it needs to be in the story. Atticus' view on life, fairness and equality make the book a must read. I can't believe it took me this long. Nearly everyone who knew it was on my list was 1) shocked I hadn't read it and 2) more than happy to let me know it was one of their favourite book...

This one was a bit scary to complete. $100 is no small amount and the possibility of losing it is, well, 50/50. I headed to Las Vegas this past weekend for my friend's bachelourette weekend and decided it was as good a time as any to check this item off the List. I went to the ATM and withdrew a crisp Ben Franklin, stuck it in my purse and waited for inspiration to hit. Inspiration came at around 4:30 a.m. at Bill's Gambling Hall . Fueled by a couple dirty martini's I scanned the floor looking for a "lucky" table. Now, I know random is random and really the odds on the wheel are even, but this did not stop me from choosing the table where the last six spins were red, red, black, black, black, red. After three black in a row followed by a red, I figured the odds were good. Even if, in truth, the odds were the same. I walked up as people were placing bets, drew out my C-spot, put in on the table and told the croupier, "$100 on red." Did I mention I...