Dear Santa...

The photo to the left will be explained further into the post.  Spoiler alert: it is awesome:

Speaking of awesome, for Christmas this year, I got season 7 of HIMYM!  Marathons will be happening for WEEKS!
In addition,  How I Met Your Mother has been signed for a 9th season with all original cast members.

To top it all off, the Backstreet Boys performed this morning - nailed it.  All my dreams...

My last post discussed the Dear Santa program; we were able to adopt 3 letters!  I headed out to buy presents for the families (with Christina), and we ended up meeting a lady at WalMart who was selling things to raise money to buy presents for her kids.  Our church had received a lot of donated, unopened toys, so we were able to help out this family as well - for a total of 4.

The first family had 6 kids!  The college group and I headed out with their gifts, including a crib and two mattresses, When we arrived, the kids opened their presents with excitement.  Their mother pulled me aside and let me know that this was their very first Christmas they had every had, with presents.  They were very excited over getting presents, coloring books, crayons, jump ropes, cards, tiaras, etc. I am pretty sure the puzzles were their favorite though.  I was happy we were all able to see them open their gifts!

The next family was the one with the letter from the little boy. We bought his grams a Bible and had her name engraved it in.  She was so happy to have her new Bible and couldn't wait to open it up!  They were very grateful, and even gave us a thank you card.   In the photo to the left, the boy in the red sweater is the one who wrote the letter.  It was a very sweet moment to see them interact together.  She was so proud of her grandson for thinking of her and for his heart for God.   This was an absolutely amazing thing to be a part of.

We did not get to stay to see the other two families open their presents, but they really appreciated their gifts.

Four families lives where impacted this Christmas because of Carmen's suggestion to add Dear Santa to my list.  This has been an great experience altogether, and I plan on doing it again next year with the College Group.

On another note, school is out, which is nice.  I was lucky enough to be able to enroll in all the classes I need for the next semester and will have my AA by May 2013!  I have also applied to Sac State and am ready to transfer over.  I will be majoring in Communications, and can't wait to see where this will take me.

In the time off, so far, I have enjoyed spending time with mySteven.  Definitely long overdue, as my night classes took over my life, and he had to work late nights.  I have also began working on my new puzzle.  This one is tough.  A lot of the colors are very similar.  So far, the border is done, and two birds.  Photos will come as I get a wee bit further.  Toilet training my cats is getting better. We will be punching out our first hole this month!

I also attended one amazing Ugly Christmas Sweater White Elephant Gift Potluck Game Night with my awesome friends.  We were all dressed in our best for this wonderful occasion.  I am grateful to have all of these wonderful people in my life.

I am also looking forward to running again!  I have not ran in a month.  Disappointing.  I have found a web site that tells me all of the runs that are coming up, and have found a few that I may consider for my half marathon!  Training really needs to ramp up though, because it will be within the next month and a half.

2013 is going to be crazy, fun, amazing, and full of new and exciting experiencing!  I cannot wait for it!  Next year will be my last opportunity to go to New York for the new year, before my list is up, so that will be happening.  I am looking forward to all of the traveling and adventure that will be had!

In other news:  "The pattern of your heartbeat changes to mimic the type of music you're listening to."
(Follow UberFacts on Twitter)

-jennilea

Time to Give

Happy Monday!

In my August 24th blog post, I asked for your ideas.  One idea, suggested by Carmen, was "Adopt a family for Christmas from one of the 'Dear Santa' letters at the post office."  I decided this would be a great idea to get my college group involved in.  November marked the beginning of our raising funds for this project.  We received donations from Carmen, First Baptist Church of Elverta, Christina, Cynthia, and my supervisor, as well as adding on our own money.  Last week, I went to pick up the letters we would be working with.  I chose 3:

Letter 1:  An 11 year old boy wrote the sweetest letter, not for himself, but for his grandma.  He noted that she always tells him about Jesus and how he made sacrifices "for everyone in the world."  He said his grams makes a lot of sacrifices too, and requested that Santa bring his grandma a nice Bible, with her name on it.

Letter 2:  A mother wrote in and requested presents for her 15 year old twins.  She said she can never afford a Christmas for them, and expressed how sad it made her feel that she was unable to offer them anything.  For her daughter, she asked for sweats, boots, vanilla body spray, and socks.  For her son, she requested sweats, boots, socks, and a sleeping bag.

Letter 3:  This letter was written by a mother who has 6 kids!  Her husband had been injured and unable to work, so they did not think they would have much of a Christmas.  Her kids range from the age of 3 months-8 years old.  She mentioned a few big items which include 2 mattress and a crib, as her 3 month old did not have one.  For the other kids, she mentioned what they like.

This weekend, I was overwhelmed with the response from others.  In discussing the letters, especially the third one, people jumped at the opportunity to help.  Cynthia went out and purchased a brand new crib, mattress, sheets, and blankets.  We were also able to find an inexpensive place to purchase mattresses, which we were able to fund thanks to church donations as well as the donation from Carmen.  Our church was also donated a large amount of new toys.  This family will be having a great Christmas.

The rest of our donations will be able to fund letters 1 and 2.

The most exciting part about this, aside from the fact that we are helping out families in need, is that we will be able to deliver the gifts to the families!  I love the feeling of giving, so to be able to see the happiness on their faces will be a memory I will cherish forever.

Thank you, Carmen, for the amazing idea!

Just a few weeks until we can deliver the presents!

Day Zero Project progress: I am currently looking for a 10 mile run to participate in.  Let me know if you have any ideas.

Finally, what is a Monday without a Lifetime movie?!

Lifetime Movie:  "Mother, May I Sleep With Danger"

My guess:  A teenager is getting involved with someone older, who she meets online. He ends up getting her involved with drugs and drinking.  She is spiraling out of control.  She hits rock bottom, mom is there for her.  They get her the help she needs.  She ends up in rehab.  It is a sad story about a teen trying to grow up to fast and being taken advantage by an older man.  Lifetime.

Based off of the title, what do you thing this movie is about?

Answer: Laurel has the boyfriend of her dreams, Kevin. He can and will do anything for her. He is totally devoted to her but the downside is that he never leave her alone. When she tries to get some distance he responds with aggressiveness. It finally dawns on Laurel that he is not good for her. Laurel's mother Jessica has already started to suspect that something is wrong with his background.

I was way off on this one!

In other news, "If you search 'Who's the cutest' using Google's 'I'm Feeling Lucky,' it will say 'YOU ARE.'"
(Follow UberFacts on Twitter)

-jennilea

Birthday Weekend!

Hello!

This has been an exciting week!  To begin, I was lucky enough to be able to participate in the Run to Feed the Hungry on Thanksgiving morning (11.22.12).  This is a 10k (6.2 miles) run, and the furthest I have gone, so far.  I ran with my awesome running buddy, Adam, who has been training with me for all of my runs, so far.  Our ultimate goal is to run a marathon.  It seems so far out and impossible, but I know we can get there.  We are almost at the half way point!  The run was able to raise more than $800,000 for the hungry.  It is amazing to be part of such a huge thing.

After the run,  I went over to my mom's house to spend the afternoon with her.  Then,  I had the pleasure of joining Yessica at her house for Thanksgiving dinner.  The food her mom prepared was delicious, as always.  I am extremely grateful that I was able to join in.

Later that evening, we prepared for Black Friday.  Boots were my goal! I headed out with Yessica and my mom to the Galleria.  It was packed, fights broke out, madness ensued.  We made it to Macy's, and I found two pair or gorgeous boots which my mother was nice enough to purchase for me, as a birthday present.  Yessica and I continued to walk around and found some bright red pants!  I had been searching for them for quite some time, and Wet Seal had them on discount!  Yessica bought me these amazing pants, as well as a really nice black shirt with lace on the sleeves.  Pretty sure I look adorable.  

Friday, 11.23.12, I decided to begin one of my Day Zero Project challenges:  Base all of my decisions off of a magic 8 ball.  The magic 8 ball decided everything from what to wear, eat, where to go (if anywhere), when to leave, how to do my makeup.  It was pretty fun to not have to make any decisions on my own.  Probably the point that had me laughing the most was when I was at my friend, Christina's house, for her birthday hang out times.  It was getting late, and I started getting tired.  I had to ask the magic 8 ball five separate times (in an hour) before it would let me leave!  It kept saying no, or ask again later.  Sarah mentioned that perhaps it was not letting me leave because I was not asking it out loud.  Sure enough, after asking out loud, it let me leave.  It was a fun evening, and an awesome day.

Also on Friday, I went to a friend's house to have a jam session.  I am pretty new at guitar, so this was the first time either I had done such a thing and I was pretty stoked to be part of it.  My friend, Rawge, from Reborn Guitars, showed up too!  He wanted to show us a new guitar he had been working on.  He removed it from the bag, and said, "oh man, it's left handed!" and handed me my new guitar!  It is beautiful! There is a built in tuner, and it has the ability to plug in to an amp!  I was able to plug in during the jam session, and learned how to play "Free Falling."  This was definitely an amazing night!

Saturday, I decided I would work to complete my puzzle, as this 1000 piece beast is on my Day Zero Project.  My cats have been tackling this puzzle on and off, but I was pretty certain that I had found and picked up all pieces.  Unfortunately, at the very end, it turns out that there are 2 pieces still missing.  I practically tore the house apart, flipping over couches, pulling out the refrigerator and stove, all to find these missing pieces, but never found them. :[  So, I will have to start over.  I feel like I would be cheating my Day Zero Project if I did not really complete the puzzle.  Luckily, for my birthday, I received two 1000 piece puzzles!  I will be getting started this week!  I have also decided that, this time, I am going to put the puzzle on a box so that I can move it in and out of the closet, avoiding any destruction from the cats.  

Speaking of cats, Belle is using the toilet now!  Both of my cats have successfully began using the toilet.  I am thinking that, by mid December, we will try to punch out the first hole and see how they do!

November 25th, was my 23rd birthday.  I was a little sad, because 22 was so awesome!  What is it that made 22 so great?  Experiences.  This Day Zero Project has inspired me to conquer fears, have goals, better myself, and to have fun!  In year twenty-three, I plan to continue these same things. This year definitely started with a bang!  My entire day was full or surprises.  Katie and Nic took me for a surprise trip to go snowboarding!  We went to Sugar Bowl, where I had a 2 hour lesson.  This lesson included a lot of falling down and getting back up.  Each time I was  able to make it, even part of the way, I felt super accomplished!  This was such a fun experience, and I plan on doing it again.  Hopefully I can become a master at this.  

After snowboarding, I got dressed to go for dinner.  When we arrived at Olive Garden, all of my amazing friends we there, which made me super happy.  Being able to hang out with all of them was definitely the icing on top of the cake of awesome, that is my life.  Celebrating with all of them meant the world to me. :]

I don't know what this next year will bring, but I am excited and hopeful for new adventures, and a lot of fun!

In other news:  "If all the stars in the universe were divided amongst everyone on earth, we would each own about 44.2 trillion stars."

(Follow Uber Facts on Twitter)

-jennilea

So, my cat is using the toilet now...

I haven't posted in over 2 weeks, so there is much to say!  I have completed 4 goals from my Day Zero Project:

I have been practicing juggling, mostly fruit, for several months now.  As of October 26th, I have decided that I can officially juggle!  I find that bean bags work best.  I feel awesome.  :]

Next, I began toilet training my cats.  It is tough stuff!  We are using the CitiKitty.  We moved the litter to the CitiKitty and placed it on top of the toilet.  Megatron seems to have taken to it very quickly.  Belle, however, is not liking it.  It is difficult, because we are constantly watching her to make sure that she goes on the toilet instead of the floor.  We are giving treats when they use the toilet, although Belle is getting treats for just jumping onto the toilet.  Slowly, but surely, they will get there.  The only think keeping me pushing forward is thinking about not having a litter box anymore!
Worst experience with this, so far, is when I realized the litter we bought is not able to be flushed...The toilet overflowed at 1am...major mess to clean up.  But, again, this is just one struggle leading to the end of the litter box!  Worth.it.

Another completed goal was to buy bright pants. I know it is silly, but I wanted to buy bright pants because it is just not me!  I was searching for a red pair, but when I came across a pair of green ones, I was sold.  They were super cute, so I bought them, and fulfilled this goal!  Pulling.them.off.

I was able to complete my goal to participate in Adopt-A-Block at the LA Dream Center on 11.3.12.  Jessica and I went to adopt-a-block and assisted with several families in the projects.  We gave them food, diapers, stuffed animals, and played with the kids.  I was fascinated by these kids and how much they knew about the world, and how much they craved a relationship with God.  They were all loving and so welcoming.  They were shocked that I am still in college.  I guess seeing an adult in college is not common in the area, so I encouraged them in school and told them about what college can do for you.  Please pray for these kids.  I pray that, as they continue to grow up, they will never lose their trust in God, passion for life, or their hopes and dreams.  This was definitely an eye opening experience.

50 goals completed!  51 more to go!  696 days left!  I also have one more item to add to the list.  Please feel free to make suggestions.

Subject shift, today, I met with Christina to tour Sac State.  I am really excited to transfer next fall.  Scared, but very excited to see what this change will bring.

Speaking of changes, I will be working with a few music artists in the near future.  More details to follow.

In other news: "You can't inhale through your nose an talk at the same time."
(Follow Uber Facts on Twitter)

Go ahead and try...I did it too...

-jennilea

I Stopped Breathing...

This week has been busy, exciting!  I have been training for this Zombie 5k and Obstacle course for 9 weeks, and this was the weekend of participation.  I was totally jazzed for it,

Up early to run from zombies!

After the run

I was up, bright and early, to participate in the Zombie Run in Temecula!  I had been preparing by running on a trail in Rio Linda, however, this run was more uphill than anything.  I learned very quickly that I would be unable to run the entire thing - but I did sprint at all areas containing zombies, and successfully made it through all obstacles.  There were 12 obstacles set up, including hills, mud, electric wires, crawling, jumping, climbing, and zombies.  When my first flag was pulled,  I had just gotten out of a huge group of zombies, and ran right into another one.  I was lucky enough to dodge all other zombies, especially before entering a maze, where there were 5 zombies chasing me! At the last quarter mile, when one zombie, who grabbed onto my shorts, took my second flag.  The final obstacle was to crawl under and electric fence.  I got a wee shock on my shoulder blade, and came out strong!  I ran through the gate marked "alive."  And let out a huge sigh of relief!  Clothes covered in mud, we ran into the lake to rinse off, then donated out shoes, found out our time (1 hr 22 mins), and headed back to San Diego.  This was such a great experience, and worth every single moment!

Now, it is time to train for the "Run to Feed the Hungry" 10k!  No rest!  I am really starting to love running.  These events make all the training worth it.  iLoves <3

The next goal I completed was to go to Venice Beach.  It was the nicest beach I have even been to. I would love to live that close to the ocean...It was amazing.  The water felt perfect and the sand was soft and clean!    The waves were not too intense.  It made me think on my surfing goal.  I can't wait to get there!

While in Southern California, we stayed with my sister, Tara.  She is definitely someone who I look up to, and it was great being able to spend some time with her. This time, it was wedgie free!  We went to La Jolla, which is one of my favorite places to go!  We saw lots of seals, including one little guy who kept making a sexy pose.  Haha.

I really enjoyed all of the time with my family, and can't wait for our next wee trip. 

So far, I have completed 47 out of 99 goals on my list.  I have 2 more to add until it is complete!

By request, I have also added to hike Half Dome at Yosemite (Nick), and take a belly dancing class (Ashley).  Thank you for your suggestions.  I am happy to add them!  I also decided to add on going swing dancing, just because it looks fun!

Finally, because it is Monday:  LIFETIME MOVIE MONDAY!

Title:  Making Mr. Right

My guess:  This movie has to be the classic girls betting against one another to make the nerd kid popular.  Of course the girl falls in love with him, the friend spoils the relationship by telling of the bet.  Drama happens.  They both love each other and end up together.  OR Lifetime can get super crazy, and once the boy finds out he was just a bet, he goes on a psycho rampage.  

Real story:   "Uptight female magazine editor, Hallie Galloway, is the very definition of a successful woman. Ambitious, sharp, and focused, Hallie is close to the promotion that she s worked so hard to achieve. Everything is coming together for her professionally, but she s about to get a curve ball she didn't expect.

In a modern-day reversal of My Fair Lady, Hallie makes a bet with her best friend that she can transform a scruffy con man into her magazine's 'Bachelor of the Year.' A shave and a haircut later, he's revealed as a handsomely charming rogue. Hallie teaches him manners and etiquette, while he teaches her to live in the moment. As sparks fly, love sets out to conquers the class divide."

I was pretty close.

In other news:  "MC Hammer once challenged Michael Jackson to a dance-off."
(Follow Uber Facts on Twitter)

-jennilea

Fearless Skydiving

Updates:

Last Monday, I announced that I would be avoiding Facebook for 1 week.  I successfully avoided it, and this has been one of the best weeks of my life.  I realized how dependent I am on my phone and social networking, so being away from it was very freeing.  I also noticed the dependency that others have on social media.  It takes away from face to face conversation, and regular contact with friends.  I made more of an effort to communicate with people I care about.  It was pretty great.  The plan is to keep this going.  Only Facebook in small increments.

Next on the list it to play a card game at a casino.  I played Black Jack on 10.10/11.12 at Thunder Valley Casino and ended up leaving with $20 more than what I started with.  So awesome.  I also learned a few little tricks, so hopefully I can get even better.  The dealers are really nice.

Finally,  the biggest event of the week:  Skydiving!  I went skydiving at the Parachute Center with my amazing friends, Katie, Nick, Nic, and Nand,  My instructor was Dan, from New Zealand.  He dove for his first time in 1999 and has been doing it ever sense.  He has only been in California for a short period of time, and moved here because the Skydiving opportunities were better.  He was awesome.  I highly recommend him!
In the days leading up to skydiving, I found that I was not nervous.  I figured that the nerves would start to settle in the day of, but it never happened.  Throughout the entire thing, I found myself excited rather than freaked out.  The airplane ride up was relaxing, and falling from 14,000 feet was amazing!  My first thought as we exited the plane was "woah, I am seriously falling from the sky right now!"  It was exciting and unlike anything I had ever experienced.  After 1 minute, the parachute opened, and it was instant silence.  Peaceful.  I realized something in this moment:  Fearless.  Not once did I think in fear or doubt that I would be okay.  This is the goal of the my entire Day Zero Project.  Have I overcome my fear of heights?  Needless to say, I cannot wait until my next trip down! Dan let me steer a little bit, with was fun, and we did some twists and turns.

Now, the moment you have all been waiting for:  The video of my skydiving adventure!

45 Goals on the list have been completed!  719 days left!

This week, I will be running my first 3 mile run in prep for the Run For Your Lives Zombie 5k and Obstacle Course, which is this Saturday.  I can't wait!

In other news, "Karoke means 'empty orchestra' in Japanese."  In the words of Ted Mosby, the architect  "It's that hauntingly beautiful?"
(Follow Uber Facts on Twitter)

-jennilea

Lifetime Guitar. Puzzling Zip-Line 5K...

On 10.7.12, I completed my goal to go zip lining.  It was a mini one, but I still did it.  I was definitely scared at first - even at only 25 feet.  However, when it came to the point of jumping, there was no hesitation.  I just went for it!  I had a blast and definitely want to do some other zip line courses that are higher up.  My research shows that it should not be too expensive.  I would like to get a group together for these fun times.

Random thought in writing this:  I saw an airplane on the way to work this morning and couldn't wait to fly again. <3  This is the first time I have longed to fly away since I was a kid. My willingness to complete these goals and conquer my fear of heights has really grown! Fearless.
Words cannot describe my excitement!

A few other goals currently in progress:

Learn to play guitar:  
I have been learning to play guitar at my church, First Baptist Church of Elverta, through Rawge Jones.  Rawge gave me a guitar that he both fixed and converted to left-handed so that I could play easier.  Please check out Reborn Guitars to see the amazing things this ministry is doing!  You can also check it out on Facebook!
In the photo to the right, Yessica and I are having a little guitar practice after-party.  Currently, we are learning to play "As the Deer."  I am proud to say that I can now sing this song while playing!  Progress. :]]

Complete a 1000 piece puzzle:
I am working on this lovely Sleeping Beauty Puzzle.  This thing has really been through it.  My cats have decided that they enjoy sliding across my dining room table, then they play with the pieces that fall off.  The worst damage they have done left only 75% of the princess and the rest completely demolished.  Steven and I actually had to hunt for pieces in order to put it all back together.  This included flipping couches and pulling out the refrigerator and stove.  Hardcore, I know.  Hopefully we have found all of the pieces.  This is how far I am at the moment.  Little by little, it is coming together.

Run a 5k:
I have been talking about the Run For Your Lives Zombie 5k Obstacle Course for the last few posts.  We are finally less than 2 weeks until this 5k and I am stoked!  Yesterday, I did my first 2.75 mile run, and it felt great!  35 minutes was the total time, which is not quite where I want to be, but pshhhh,  I ran 2.75 miles!  I never thought I would be doing something like this.

The San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on June 2, 2013, is my ultimate goal in running.  In order to keep myself motivated, I need to keep finding runs that I can participate in.  This brought me to the 19th annual Run to Feed the Hungry, this year, on Thanksgiving.  This is a 10k run, which means that I will have 5 weeks to increase my distance from 3 to 6 miles.  No big deal.  I got this.

After the 10k, I will be looking for a half marathon run, so if you know of any, let me know!

Day Zero Project goal update:  49 goals to do, 4 goals in progress, and 42 goals achieved. 727 days left!

Avoid Facebook For 1 Week:
Starting today, I will be avoiding all forms of social media.  See you next Monday.

Let's move into...

Lifetime Move Monday!!!

Lifetime Movie: "Stranger with My Face"

My guess:  A girl was originally born a twin.  The other twin was kidnapped shortly after birth, by someone who had it out for the entire family.  The parents never told their daughter that she was a twin or of the issues with the other party in order to keep her life as normal as possible. The other twin was raised to be a replacement.  The plan is to kill her twin and take over her life, as she then plots to kill her parents.

Comment with your guesses.

The answer:

Afer the shocking and untimely death of her husband, Shelley Stratton (Catherine Hicks) moves her daughter Alexis (Emily Hurst) and her adopted daughter, Laurie (Alexz Johnson), to their remote summer house in hopes of giving her family a fresh start. As Laurie begins to settle in and put her life back together, she gets the eerie feeling that she is constantly being watched. Laurie's uneasiness grows when people start claiming to see her in places that she has never been. The family's delicate state begins to unravel when Laurie unearths the dark past, discovering a twin sister that she never knew she had. Laurie is forced to delve deeper into her twin's secrets, for as it turns out her twin has been locked up for years! Laurie must now understand their strange connection in order to prevent her sister from taking over her life and harming her loved ones.

Lifetime, you have done it again!

"In other news, a duck's quack doesn't echo."
(Follow Uber Facts on Twitter)

-jennilea

A Lot to Say and Lifetime Movie Monday

It is amazing what all has happened in the last week!  Here we go.

Last week, I fell behind on my running.  This week, I picked up on running and hit 2.5 miles.  I have been extremely discouraged though, as I am about 5 minutes behind on the time I would like to have.  It has been a real struggle to keep on going with how far behind I feel.  Then I realize how far I have come.  7 weeks ago, it would have been impossible to run this much at this speed.  My ultimate goal is 3 miles in 30 minutes. I am currently at 2.5 miles in 31 minutes, and have 2 weeks to speed that up!  I am confident I can get there.

Zombie run is just 3 weeks away!

Also, I have come to realize that the things I eat really dictate how I feel during my run.  For dinner tonight, I had pizza.  I have never felt more disgusted after a run.  I can feel the pizza in my stomach.  My runs seem more successful when I fill myself with fruit, veggies, and chicken. I also need to drink more water throughout the day. 

Next, school.  I have been contemplating a lot lately.  Is Sac State still my next move?  Should I attend a Christian College?  An online school?  Change my major?  What is it I really want?
I am almost done at American River College, and will be graduating with degrees in Liberal Arts and Commercial Music.  My next step was to go to Sac State and work towards a Bachelor degree in Music Business.  A career in music business is no easy to reach - if even possible while living in Sacramento.

The most excited I have been about a possible job is when I heard there was an opening at Air1 as a promotions manager (it is no longer available).  I spoke with Chelsea, the lead promotions manager, and asked what her major was:  Communications.  It hit me about two days ago, maybe a Communications degree would be best for me.  There is definitely a lot more that I can do, in this area, with a degree in Communications.  So, there we have it,  At Sac State, I will be a Communications major with an emphasis on Public Relations.  I am very excited, and hopefully, one day, I will be able to get on board with Air1.

Finally, social media.  I notice I am spending way too much time on Facebook.  As a result, this week, I will be accomplishing one of the goals on my list:  "Avoid Facebook for 1 week."  Not just Facebook though, I will be avoiding all forms of social media.  So, if you need to get in touch - text me or give me a call. :]

Now, it's time for...
Lifetime Movie Challenge Monday!

A friend and I began a game we like to call the Lifetime Movie Challenge.  Most people know that all Lifetime movies have outrageous plots that involve drugs, sex, murder, adultery, a douche bag guy, pregnant teen, etc.  While discussing this, we decided to look up some movie names.  After hearing the names, we decided to guess what the movies might be about.  I will now demonstrate this genius!

Lifetime Movie:  "Baby Monitor: Sound of Fear"

My guess:  A couple finally has a baby.  A jealous friend, who is unable to have children, decides she wants the child for herself.  As a result, she breaks in, locks up the couple, and takes the baby.  The entire thing - heard over the baby monitor...the couple tracks the woman down.  She somehow ends up dead.  Baby is returned.  Happy ending.

What do you think the story is about?  

Answer:  "A neglectful mother overhears her husband on the telephone at their workplace talking with their babysitter. She discovers they are having an affair and are going to have a baby. She concocts an evil plan to win back her husband and remove the girl and baby. Two men are hired to kill the girl and hold the son hostage in order for her to play the hero and reclaim her husband. The plan hits a snag when the criminals enter the wrong apartment."


In other news, "Ancient Egyptians would mourn the death of cats by shaving off their eyebrows."
(Follow Uber Facts on Twitter)


-jennilea

Accomplishments and Upcoming Events

Recently checked off the list:
Learn to drive stick shift.  Katie has taught me to drive a manual.  While I couldn't survive if I had to drive in San Francisco, I can still get by here in Sacramento.  I learned to drive in Charlie, Katie's cute little bug.

Next, I have been training the last 7 weeks for the Run For Your Lives Zombie 5K and obstacle course in Southern California.  I have until October 20th!  I've been going out to jog 3 days a week and see improvements with each day.  So far, the most I have jogged, without stopping, is 2 miles in 22 minutes.  My goal is to be able to run 10 minute miles, so I am close!  This week, I will be challenging myself with a 2.5 mile run in 25 minutes (hopefully).  I am excited for the challenge, although I know it will be tough.
My ultimate hope is to get through the entire 5k without stopping - and to survive being eaten by zombies.

Finally, last month, I added wanted to hear from readers on what they feel I should add to my list, as I do have a few more spots open.  I ended up with 2 suggestions - both of which were added to my list:

1.  Skydiving
2.  Adopt a family for Christmas from one of the "Dear Santa" letters at the post office

I absolutely loved both of these ideas!

First, skydiving is one of those things I have always wanted to do but been too scared to accomplish.  I even considered adding it to my list, but then decided I wouldn't be able to do it, so it never made the cut.  This list is all about conquering my fears, and heights is the biggest one.  I am doing it.

Second, Adopt a family for Christmas from one of the "Dear Santa" letters at the post office.Fund the project with solicited donations.  I was unaware that this was even a thing.  I love to help people, so this is perfect!  I have also decided to pair this challenge with my college group - this way, we can make an even greater impact.

In other news:
"The 57 on Heinz ketchup bottles represents the number of varieties of pickles the company once had."
(Follow Uber Facts on Twitter)

-jennilea

What Are Your Ideas?

Another goal to check off my list:  Although it is not exciting, it is a goal nonetheless!  I made butter!  It was pretty easy.  I  used heavy whipping cream and a wee bit of salt.  Shake it up until the butter separates from the milk.  BAM! You have butter and buttermilk!    Spread the butter on some wheat bread, and it is perfection!

I am pretty sure I will be using the buttermilk to make soda bread for my next fry.
<3


If you are following my Day Zero Project, you know that, today, I have officially completed my 40th goal, with 49 to go, and 4 in progress.  The numbers don't exactly add up, right?  This is 101 things to do in 1001 days;  I have 8 things more to add.  This is where you all come in:  I need suggestions!
Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think I should add to my list! Keep in mind that I don't have all the money in the world.  Haha.  Also, this is about having adventures, experiencing new things, and conquering my fears - so think outside the box!

You will have one week to share your ideas (8.31.12).  After I get all of your answers, I will be making a poll and adding it to my next post.  The goal with most votes will be added to my list!  Make it exciting!

I can't wait to read your suggestions!

772 Days Left!  I am confident that I will finish this off!


In other news, "at birth, a baby panda is smaller than a full grown mouse."
(Follow UberFacts on Twitter)

-jennilea

A Few Favorites

So far, I have completed 38 goals on my list, and 775 days to complete the other 64.  I figure it is time to talk about a few of my favorites.

1.  Go to Europe.
I have a fear of heights.  It's pretty bad.  Hyperventilation is a common occurrence when flying, driving in the mountains, etc.  I was pretty certain I would never travel outside of the US unless by boat.  15 hours on an airplane - especially over water - is not something I ever thought I could take.  On 7.1.12 - I began my trip to Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England.  Total flight time, with one layover, was 15.5 hours.  The turbulence on the way to South Carolina (our layover) was absolutely terrifying.  I was pretty certain, at many points, that we were going down.  Yet, I was somehow able to lean back, relax, and find peace.  How did I cope with my fear?  God.  I prayed for comfort, and it came in quickly!   2 Timothy 1:7 says that God did not give us the Spirit of Fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.  In times of fear, this verse always sticks with me.

In Northern Ireland, we experienced nearly everything.  It is the most beautiful place I have ever been.  We experienced food, castles (Belfast, Dunluce, and Carrickfergus), Carrick a Rede rope bridge, Giants Causeway, waterfalls, the Knockagh Monument, ocean, pubs, friends, games, shopping, driving, bonfires...I would go back in a heartbeat.  Moving there would absolutely make my life.  The weather is cool.  It rains a lot, but it is beautiful.  The kind of weather where you could wear a jacket, but you are not freezing if you don't wear one.  The Views from places, such as the Knockagh Monument, are beautiful.  You can see everything!  Our last night was spent celebrating the Eleventh.  There were massive bonfires everywhere!  This celebration has a to do with the Glorious Revolution.  The bonfires commemorate the lighting of bonfires in order to help ships navigate through Belfast Lough at night.  King William III landed at Carrickfergus to fight King James II, who had been trying to regain his British kingdoms through support from Catholics of Ireland and France.  It was insane, but beautiful.

We went on a day trip to Glasgow, Scotland.  The city was huge, wealthy, and busy!  We went on a hop on-hop off tour because that was the best way to see the city in the short period of time that we had.

London was huge as well.  Very busy, and we got lost every day.  It was hard to figure out how traveling around the city worked, but by the time that we got it, we felt very accomplished - even though it was not until our last day.

Good times, and awesome friends.  This trip is definitely one for the books.

15.  Go tide pooling.

My tide pooling adventure happened in Northern Ireland.  I have always loved the ocean, but my Marine Environment class taught me to see it in a way I had never even realized was possible.  Everything is alive.  It is pretty awesome.

39.  Change the oil in my car.
I know nothing about cars, so changing my own oil made me feel pretty awesome.

44.  Give my oldest sister the worst wedgie of her life.
This one explains itself.

64.  High five a cop.
This night was pretty awesome.  I was hanging out with my friend, Christina, who always encourages me, no matter what crazy goal I have planned.  A cop walked into DiveBar, she said go for it, and I did.  He was very nice, and the high five rocked.

66.  Get a penpal.
I have two PenPals.  One from England, and the other from Kentucky.  They are both awesome, and I love revisiting the lost art of writing letters.

70.  Get another piercing.
Tragus.  I am hardcore.


83.  Ride a motorcycle.
I rode on my coworkers motorcycle.  Hello feeling of freedom!

85.  Hold a tarantula.
Another night of encouragement from Christina.  Spiders terrify me.  I nearly killed the little guy when I dropped him after her first crawled onto my hand.  After I calmed down, I managed to hold my breath, and go for it!  He just sat perfectly still on my hand...

88.  Get fake arrested.
Memorable night!  This night was full of dance dares, taking photographs with strangers, and, of course, getting fake arrested.  It was not how I had imagined - no handcuffs were involved - but I got to sit in the back of a cop car!  This challenge is one I had been trying to complete for months.  When it finally happened, it was magic.  Thanks to Yessica, for helping me make my dreams come true.  When I was nervous, she was the one to say "Just do it!"  And do it I did...and do it. I. Did.

89.  Ellen's dance dare challenge.
If you have seen Ellen, you know what the dance dare challenge is.  The goal is to go up behind unsuspecting people, and dance your heart out until they turn around.  At which point, you must walk away, or pretend as if you are completely innocent.  I was able to do this at the Nationl Theater in London.  Worth.It.  This was an amazing moment!

You can watch a video of my antics here:  Dance Dare Gone Horribly Right!

Thanks for reading this post! I hope to have many more stories to tell in the near future!

-jennilea

Post Number One

“To me, Fearless is not the absence of fear. It's not being completely unafraid. To me, Fearless is having fears. Fearless is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, Fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you to death.” 
― Taylor Swift

Within the last year, I have realized that my fears are holding me back way too much.  It's time to change that.

It all began with the Day Zero Project (http://dayzeroproject.com/).  The Day Zero Project challenges you to get 101 items completed in 1001 days.  You can view my list here:  http://dayzeroproject.com/user/jennileam

I have 789 days left, and am amazed at the things I have done.  For example - heights - top fear!  Flying over water is one of the things that was destined to hold me back from goals of travel. Last month, I overcame those fears and went to Europe!  Major step for me!  I had always told myself that the only way I would leave the states would be by boat, which was not likely.

I am learning that having fears and doubts is completely normal, but living and overcoming those fears - doing  the things that scare you the most - that is fearless.

Over the next few years, I am going to be documenting my Day Zero Project, as well as a few general life experiences.  I hope to come out of this with amazing stories, and a life that has completely changed.

I am going to swim with sharks, scuba dive, run marathons, surf, shoot a gun, take trips, go zip lining, hike, snowboard, surf, try new food, meet new people, leave mysterious messages.  I am going to live. 

I am excited and can't wait for my next challenge...

-jennilea