# 79 Playing the Lotto 21 May 2010

         During my vacation to see my sister and nephews I took a quick stop to play the lotto and some scratch-its. Matthew thought it was very funny that I hadn't done either of these before. He actually had to help me fill out my Mega-Millions Power Ball slip.

        Just before stopping at the gas station to pick up my scratch-its and lotto ticket the whole family went out for Chinese food, which was very very good. So, naturally I had to use the numbers on the back of my fortune for my lotto numbers. I also played two more times on the slip with my own made up numbers. But wouldn't you know? The fortune numbers are the ones that actually won something! Well it was only 10$ but still better than nothing. I had fun playing the scratch-its. Those were more like playing a game then gambling.    

        All together, it was a fun experience and my whole family got a laugh out of the fact that of all the things I could chose to do in life I chose to play the lotto because I hadn't ever done this before. Just another thing I wanted to experience.

         The man behind the counter was kind enough to take a picture with me. I think he thought I was crazy and was just being a good sport to get me out of his store.

#14 The Monopoly Pub Crawl 19 June 2010

The Mission: To visit 26 pubs in London in the course of one day successfully drinking one alcoholic beverage at each pub.

Timeline: 1030am-1130pm

The Crew: Tim and Donna McLeod, John Goddard, Mike Hill, Lisa Anderson, Will Arden and ME!!!!

Last ones Standing: Tim and Donna McLeod, John Goddard and ME!!!!!

With a combination of tube rides, train rides, cabs, rickshaw and a WHOLE lot of walking 26 pubs were visited with the 26th pub coming with great relief. Many blisters appeared on the feet of the group. Everyone attributed my fairing so well to being in the Army, I say it is because I prepared and wore the proper shoes.

We began our journey with 7 members in our Dash Tour group but by mid-way dwindled down to the remaining 4 that completed the game. I have to admit the first half of the day wasn’t the most fun as it seemed like we were just rushing from bar to bar. But as the day turned more into a competition and we had to get creative in order to find the next pub the day became full of laughs. Tim, Will and John decided that I was the Community Chest.

By the time we got to the last pub Tim couldn’t walk anymore but we didn’t care. We had made it. Finally we could sit back and enjoy a drink. I personally took over 100 pictures. We have a picture of all of us outside every pub as a group as well as a few others along the way. For now the pictures can be seen on my Kodak Gallery Page.

This tour I definitely saw a different side of London. As a tourist you see Tower Bridge, Big Ben, The Tower of London etc. But by walking from pub to pub I saw the slums of London all the way to Park Ave. When walking past the Ritz Hotel, Donna and I overheard the doorman ask a couple who was trying to enter the hotel say, “Are you guests of the hotel?” When they replied no and that they just wanted to go in for a drink at the bar, the doorman replied, “I’m sorry we have a very strict dress code, you cannot come in.” This couple wasn’t even badly dressed. Donna and I had to snicker a bit.

The last picture is of our British Monopoly Board that is signed by a bartender from every pub that we went to. Dash is sitting on the board to represent that this was a Dash Tours event. The day was a lot of fun. A lot of work but all good things come at a price. If it was easy everyone would do it.

#8 Improving my geography knowledge with 500k on Traveler IQ

This has taken FOREVER but I finally made the cut today. If you ever want to make yourself feel stupid this is the game to play. You really think you know your geography and then you just can't seem to get it. At one time I had everyone in my office playing this. Some of us where like, "we are college graduates! How can we not get this!" I will still play from time to time and see if I can better my score, but I doubt it.

Give it a whirl and see how you do: http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq

#38 Donating Blood

Finally after searching and trying everywhere I could I have successfully given blood. 21 May 2010. I thought it was going to be a no go when I got to Washington and found that there aren't any Red Cross blood donation sites in all of western Washington. But then I got to Idaho and found a Red Cross in Boise and then a blood drive happening at the Church of Laterday Saints in Nampa while I was on vacation. My nephew was bummed that he couldn't come donate with me, but he just donated 3 weeks prior and wasn't eligible.

Complete at last! This will be the last time that I am able to give blood since by the time I get back to the states next time I will have lived in Germany for 5 years. Darn Mad Cow! Always ruining everything. lol.

#43 Go Bowling

Marked this goal off by spending the work day at the new bowling alley with my Soldiers for a team building day. I completely forgot my camera so I wasn't able to take pictures. Way bummed on that one, but I will have to go bowling again to make up for it. This was a great way to mark off one of my goals though. We had a great time, I found out that I still suck at bowling, and the shop got out of the office for a few hours.
   We bowled three games. I totally sucked the first game, did pretty good for me on the second I bowled a 99 and then split the difference of my first and second game for the third game. But at least I didn't come in last, I came in second to last.
    What totally sucked was everytime I did really well, I would spin around and my foot would hit the foul line and my score wouldn't count. How unfair is that? I even got a strike once, but ofcourse I fouled it. Overall, it was a great day. We ate greasy bowling alley food, wore funny shoes and had some great S6 competition time. We are going to try to go again in a couple of months. Hopefully then I remember my camera. For this goal I have to thank, WO1 Brown, SSG Woods, SGT Varns, SPC Gerardo, SPC Finch and SPC Hall. Thanks for the great day at the bowling alley.

This is an add on to the previous acomplishment. Before we deployed out WO1 Brown andd SPC Finch we went bowling on last time as a shot. This time taking a group picture.

IMDB # 41 Saving Private Ryan

I know, I am so behind the times. I just watched this for the first time today. What an amazing film. Why I haven't seen this before I do not know but I haven't ever seen this or had the oppertunity to see this. Lets see it came out in 1998 which was when I graduated from high school and I really wasn't into military then so that probably has a lot to do with why I haven't ever seen it before. But I will admitt I did let maybe, 3 or 4 tears fall down my cheeks as he saluted the grave site at the end.

I must say though, in my current mind set; Military Intelligence (MI) never ceases to disappoint me. In this film it is the linguist who lets his fellow Soldier die and stands aside scared while he holds all the ammo. Freakin cowards. This is one of many reasons I can not wait to get out of my current unit. I am so glad that I am not deploying with these people. O'well, just one persons opinion. But this was truly a great film.

I don't like military men just because I have dated so many and never has a relationship turned out fruitful, but watching films like this and seeing brave men out there with their weapons fighting for what they believe in, it kind of turns me on. I am probably screwed into falling for Military men for the rest of my life. I just like that Alpha personality. Okay, I need to be more specific. I need a real Military man, not a poge. A real man, a fighter, someone who knows how to use the weapons that are given to him. Someone who isn't afriad to die for what they are fighting for. I don't want one of those pansies that cry for mamma once they are shot. I want one of those men that are so head strong that they wont get shot because they are that arrogant. 

When I was a waitress I was told by a customer that I was born in the wrong era. That I should have been born in the late 40's early 50's. I would have been the perfect pin up girl back then. Maybe I would have looked the part back then but I think I would have fit the part as well, back when men were men and the women would do anything for the REAL men that they were married to.

#37 Club Pulse with Will and Nina

I can always count on Will to help me check off goals on my list. Last weekend 3 April 2010 Will, Nina and I went to two gay bars. The first was very low key. It was called Friends. We warmed ourselves up here with a couple glasses of wine. Then moved onto Pulse. This bar had great music and wonderful atmosphere. We met all kinds of wonderful new people there. Had a blast. I knew the evening was going to be a good night even before I left the house when I fit into a pair of pants that I haven't been able to fit in over 5 years. That is always a good start.

The evening slipped away into an early morning. Nina and burned up the dance floor and all of us drank way too much. We ended the night by hitting the local 24 hour store and getting some booze and took them back to the apartment and sat around drinking a bit more. Only in Europe can you stay out at the bar until the sun starts to come up and then go buy more so the party can keep going at home. It is too easy to see why people come to Europe and never leave. It is like Never Never land here. You never have to grow up!!!