Been There, Done That, Got the T-shirt

I couldn’t fall asleep last night.  I made the mistake of drinking a cup of coffee and taking a vitamin with caffeine in it like two hours before bed.  Needless to say, I was wired until approximately 2:30AM. Brad was sound asleep, and that made me very jealous. 

While I listened to Brad's very soft and kind of delicate snoring symphony, I made a mental list of non-bucket list things I’ve done and realized that if I die tomorrow, I've experienced a lot during this life, which may or may not be all there is for me.

Either way, here goes nothing...the 10 most pivotal non-bucket list moments in my life.  These things shaped who I am today:

1. Rescued a dog;
2. Delivered a eulogy;
3. Been acknowledged in the acknowledgements section of a published book;
4. Witnessed a blizzard in the desert while traveling cross-country on a train;
5. Been someone’s pen pal;
6. Saw a bear in its natural habitat, including a momma bear and her cubs;
7. Gave money to a homeless person (have done this more times than I can count);
8. Graduated from college;
9. Been a caretaker for my mom, who had breast cancer;
10. And watched a sunset on a mountaintop.

And some honorable mentions.  These things didn't really shape me, but I think they're pretty cool:

• Ordered room service at a Hilton with Brad at age 17;
• Supposedly saved someone's life when I was in the 5th grade;
• Witnessed a police chase;
• Snorkeled a shipwreck in the Bermuda Triangle;
• Caught a wave;
• And experienced a severe thunderstorm in a tent in the middle of nowhere.

For those of you who don't know, The Poops was found tied to a balcony at a Best Western hotel in Charlotte, NC. He had rope around his neck, belly, and paws and was less than six weeks old.

But never have I ever...broken a bone, hitch-hiked, or caught a fly ball at a baseball game.