In a year's time.

Here is a little curve ball for you all. I know that you think that I still have 3 more things to do (that I have never done before). Well....  I don't.

I have saved a number of things throughout the year. Thats right, they are stashed in my figurative back pocket. For this very moment. Yes, the time of year where I am too busy to fit in anything else and, frankly, too tired to care. Pretty tricky, huh?

I guess I just kinda thought that I would come up with something better, more exciting or dramatic. Well, time is basically up. So, for #18 and #19 I present seven, yes SEVEN, things that I had never done until this year.

In no particular order:

- I bought a Mac. A MacBook Pro or just MBP around here. I can no longer say, "I'm a PC." And yes, I am hooked. I now want an iPad. Bad.

- I rode a bike through a BMX park. I know that you are all disappointed that there is no photographic evidence, but it is hard to take a picture of yourself on a bike when you are, well, on a bike. Back in May when I tested my mad mom skills, I also got in on the fun. What I failed to tell you in that post was that Maxx let me borrow his bike and I tore up that track. Seriously. so. much. fun.

- I made it to Silver Medallion. All of the time spent breathing recycled air has finally paid off. That's right, Delta is giving me the recognition that I deserve. Granted I am still a peon when compared to the gold, platinum and diamond peeps. But I walked on that red carpet with pride. Well, not really.... but I do check bags for free.

- I met my blog stalker. I couldn't believe it. A stalker of my very own!  Anyone who has the guts to walk up to someone (me) and say, "Hey, this may sound crazy.... but do you have a blog? I totally read your blog. It is so nice to actually meet you. You are even prettier in person. And funny, gosh, you are just brilliantly funny." has my vote! (I may have embellished a bit. A lot was happening then, I can't remember exactly. Either way, Hi Blog Stalker!)

- I worked in the nursery. Babies, not plants. You may not know this about me, but I am completely awkward around babies. So far from a natural, they make me so nervous. So how exactly did I end up in the nursery at church one Sunday? Well, quite simply, they were desperate. They needed a moderately responsible, willing adult and guess who was sitting in the back row of the service and who could easily be grabbed to help and who happened to be "safe church" trained. Oh, that's right... this girl. So I spent 90 minutes one Sunday rocking babies, keeping them away from electrical outlets and wiping snot. Really, not much different that teaching in the college ministry. (joke. It was a joke.)

- I joined the Junior League. After resisting for years, my friend Rebekah finally twisted my arm. She is a very convincing gal. So now my life is full of meetings (as if it wasn't already.)

- I saw Ludacris in concert. Dressed as Ke$ha. I was dressed as Ke$ha. Not Luda. He was dressed as... Luda. It was halloween. No further explanation is needed.

Seven things. That is much better than two. And hopefully that will make up for me not riding the mechanical bull. I just couldn't do it. There were waaaay too many people watching.

No, I didn't meet him on Craigslist.

Well friends, I just got back home from a lovely weekend in Arkansas.  (No, your eyes do not deceive you. I really just said wrote Arkansas.) And while that technically could be #17 of 20, I will do you one better.

I went to see my sweet friend from college and her family, one of my favorite annual events. Nicole's husband, Justin, took a position this summer as the student pastor at a church in Jonesboro, so they made the move from North Carolina. They have two of the cutest kids I have ever seen. No, really... the cutest. Well, not long after they moved, Nicole told me about this guy that worked at their church. How he was sooo fun and sooo nice and she wanted us to meet. Well, she once said the same thing about her realtor in North Carolina (who I never met), so I didn't really think much of it. That is until Justin got in on it. Somehow between the two of them... they got us to meet.  This past Thursday. In Arkansas. So...

#17 of 20: Go on a blind date.

That's right. I went out with a guy that I had never seen before. Never talked to. No phone call, text, email, tweet. Nothing. We weren't even facebook friends.

He thinks I'm crazy. He has to.

So the first second time we met was at the church staff Christmas party. Where I was, you guessed it, his date. And we sat by, you guessed it, his boss. The first time we met was earlier that day during a very Gone with the Wind staircase moment in the church foyer. I can't make this stuff up. Anyone familiar with the dynamics of a church staff know what a stir we caused. Mild awkwardness aside, we had a good time and four of us (Nicole and Justin included) have some quality inside jokes.

Well, I guess I should be expecting a phone call from my mom any minute now....

Reason #271 why the French are crazy

So you have heard of this little book. If you hadn't before last fall, Julie and Julia surely clued you in. Ah yes, the scene were Julie falls asleep while making Julia Child's boeuf bourguignon comes to mind, doesn't it?

Well, there is a reason that she fell asleep. It is the world's most time consuming recipe ever. I mean EVER. That's right. If you want to make le boeuf, just plan on committing 5 hours and all of the pots, skillets, knives and slotted spoons in your kitchen to making it. You will also want to plan on having a nice chat with the butcher at Publix when you ask him for a 6 oz chunk of bacon. (gag). Then look forward to patting meat dry. Browning it. Simmering it and let it chill like this in your oven for 3.5- 4 hours while you fix mushrooms and onions. 20 onions to be exact.

And then plan on taking it out of the oven where you will have to remove the liquid from the solid and clean your casserole, only to put it all back in and let it simmer some more. Like so....

And then you serve it over potatoes or some nice egg noodles or something. And you pray that the onion smell will leave your house and your pores by Christmas.

And how do I know? Oh, that's right....

#16 of 20: Make Julia Child's $*%# Boeuf Bourguignon

Boom. Roasted.

I have leftovers. Come on over, help yourself. Ignore the lingering onion.

December, is that you?

It is freezing in Tallahassee. Absolutely freezing. Lights are strung around town. The parking lot at the mall is full to the brim. The mass of college students that days ago made it impossible to find a table at Panera have vanished. The always anticipated Marshall Christmas card has hit the mailbox. Football season is all but over and I am looking at a candy cane. Yet, I cannot seem to wrap my mind around the fact that it is Christmas time. All signs point to yes. But, it just doesn't seem real and I can't quite figure out why. If I were Lea Marshall, I would have some profound understanding of why. I would then tell you all about it on my blog, using lower case letters and alliteration. But, if I were Lea Marshall, I would rearrange my furniture just to host a dinner party. And well, I am way too busy organizing my Netflix queue to rearrange furniture, or to cook dinner, or to... blog.  (Yes, Eva, I know. It has been a while.)

With December sneaking up on me the way it did, I now have 21 days to do FIVE things that I have never done before.  Yikes.

Don't panic. (I have that part covered.) But with panic comes a plan. I have a plan. At least I think I do. And one of those FIVE things that I have never done before is in the oven. The oven in my kitchen. That was not a euphemism. I mean my non-stainless steel appliance. (Not that I love it any less. Ok... a little less. But hey.)

To be continued...