TURKEY TIME!

The holiday season is upon us and I haven't had any time to let you know how things are going with my list! Well, my first turkey was a HUGE success! Everyone thought it was super moist and delicious....and it was so easy to make!!!! I basted it with butter and italian seasonings, and put a small onion inside it. I injected its juices into it every couple hours (thanks, Grandpa, for the great turkey tool!) and it was ready about 5 hours after I put it in the oven. DELICIOUS! I don't have a photo of it because, for some odd reason, my camera doesn't work at my parents' house....SPOOKY!!

So, what's next? Singing at the Amerks game on the 26th AND 'tis the season for mistletoe.... ;)

I haven't forgotten!

I haven't blogged in a while, but, trust me, my list is on my mind everyday! The Amerks had to cancel my performance for the 6th, but I am still on to sing next month. It should be extra fun seeing as my best friend and I plan to make a night of it in Rochester. :)

I'm all set to cook the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner in a couple weeks! Hopefully, it goes well since it's the only turkey we have and it is feeding the entire family!

Mistletoe season is coming...THIS could be a challenging thing to cross off my list. It may have to involve alcohol and one of those hats where the mistletoe hangs over my face. ;)

Making a change...

Well, I've decided to sell my house, so it looks like I won't have to paint the guest room and office, which is on my list. Since I don't want it to be "31 in 32", I'm going to replace it with "sell the house". :) I will be painting some trim this weekend to get the house ready for showings, so at least paint is still involved in some way!
I haven't submitted an idea to an education magazine yet, but I did submit something to "Real Simple" magazine. If it gets published, it TOTALLY counts and I will cross that off my list! :)

An Apple a Day...

I had a GREAT time apple picking in Mexico, NY with my family yesterday! We decided to meet at Behling's Orchard around 11:00am. The drive up was beautiful-- the sun was shining through the trees and the bright oranges, yellows and reds of the leaves stuck out against a clear blue sky. It was about 45-50 degrees, perfect sweater weather and perfect for apple picking!

I arrived at Behling's before my family, so I decided to walk around for a bit. Walking into the main store brought back so many memories. The smell of Fall was in the air-- maple syrup, apples, cinnamon, pumpkins-- it reminded me of visiting the Behling's in Adams, NY as a child. Every year, my Aunt Linda and Uncle Den would take my cousins and me there, and my cousin Christopher would drag me into the haunted house. And, without fail, he would hide somewhere in their house later that night and scare the @!&%!#@ out of me (thanks, Chris)! I also thought of my Grandpa. I knew that I would. This is the same orchard that the ENTIRE Fortunato family went to for apple picking when I was younger. We still have pictures of several family members on ladders reaching into the tree for apples. Those are the memories I savor from my childhood-- the ones that look like a Hallmark commercial in my head. :)

My brother and sister arrived with their kids and we walked around Behling's together. My first thought??? EXPENSIVE! They were charging for everything from a walk through the corn maze to a ride on the hay wagon. I can't imagine raising a family in an economy that is so money starved it has to charge kids to walk through a corn maze. :( Anyways, we headed across the street to the orchard where we got our bags and then the apple picking began! There was a lot of laughter and silliness (another one of those Hallmark commercial memories) and even some booty shaking from Aunt Kristy and Uncle Tim. :) It was even fun when my niece, Jayna, threw an apple, not noticing me on the other side of the tree. Yeah, that's gonna leave a mark! ;) I filled my bag with a mere 7 pounds of apples but my sister and her boys were the winners with 45 POUNDS of apples!

I couldn't leave without eating funnel cake with powdered sugar (which, it turns out, did not have nearly as many calories as I thought it did). By the way-- have you noticed how many things on my list involve FOOD?? ;)

We ended our day with Jayna and Hunter taking pony/horse rides, and then Aunt Tina bought Hunter a HUGE box of popcorn. He was happy! We definitely want to go apple picking again next year. Actually, Tina mentioned strawberry picking. I'm in!

The Anchor Bar

Before heading to Fredonia for my 10 year college reunion, I stopped for lunch at The Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY. I've always heard great things about it and how it is famous for its award winning wings, which is why I added it to my list for this year.

As I pulled up to the bar, I was quite surprised! I had expected to see a "fancier" kind of place, similar to a restaurant chain of some sort like Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday's. The Anchor Bar was very simple, as you can see from the picture. Not at all what I had pictured in my mind! I walked in and was again, surprised. The atmosphere and decorations were similar to Dinosaur BBQ, with rusty license plates hanging on the walls. The only thing missing were some Harley Davidson's and some biker babes!!! Anyways, I sat down between 2 guys and asked for a menu. I asked the guy next to me how "hot" the "hot" wings were. I decided to get a single order of medium wings ($11.00) and a salad. While waiting, I chatted with the people next to me, 2 couples in town for the Bills game. SO FRIENDLY! In general, EVERYONE in the place was friendly! I did not feel at all uncomfortable sitting at the bar by myself.

My wings came and I took a bite into my first official Anchor Bar wing and it was....ok? Don't get me wrong, it was good, but I wasn't highly impressed. The wings are crispy with not a lot of sauce at all. I am definitely a sauce girl so it might just be your own personal preference as to how you like your wings. I ate 6 wings and most of my salad before I paid for my $20 meal then looked at the souvenirs. I bought an Anchor Bar pint glass since I actually do need new drinking glasses. It was $10, but I figured it was worth it. Every time I drink from it I will think of yet another goal accomplished!

What am I waiting for?

I've been thinking about what kind of fabulous piece of jewelry I want to purchase for myself, which I plan to do on or near Valentine's Day. A tennis bracelet? Earrings? A pearl necklace? I've always wanted one of those. I saw a ring at Zales that I liked and I have been browsing jewelry counters and stores hoping something catches my eye.
I was lying in bed the other night and my eyes glanced at my jewelry armoire. I had a random thought about my Great-Grandma Jaquith's diamond ring, which was given to me as a teenager after she passed away many years ago. I never wear the ring, mainly because it is too big for my tiny fingers. At sometime during the past few years, I somehow came to the decision that I wanted that diamond removed from its current setting and placed in my engagement ring or wedding band. My boyfriend/fiance' to be would have to get the ring from my parents before he proposed, a way of him asking for my hand in marriage. But, in the words of Carrie Bradshaw, "I can't help but wonder..." what if that doesn't happen? What if I do not end up getting engaged/married? I am saving that diamond for a day that I don't know will ever come. I don't know where life will take me or who it will lead me to, but I do know that if I never get engaged/married, the ring will never have been worn. It will remain in a gray box in my armoire, worn only on special occasions, taken to the jeweler on occasion to make sure the prongs are tight.
So, the question is...what am I waiting for? Why am I waiting for someone else to give me a ring I already own? I can't think of one good reason NOT to take the ring to a jeweler and have the diamond placed in a new setting. OK, money is a factor, of course, but this is what payment plans are for, right? :) The point is that I can't live in a future that I am so unsure of. What I AM sure of is TODAY and that I have a beautiful diamond ring that has been in a box way too long. I'll be on this Earth once and once only. I have one life and I don't get a do-over. So, again, I ask...what am I waiting for????

When life gives you apples...

...make apple cider! Yesterday I went to Hollenbeck's Cider Mill in Virgil, NY. Note to self-- DON'T go to a cider mill on opening day! It was packed with community members (I even saw one of my students) waiting in long lines for donuts fresh out of the fryer and cider fresh from the vat. I went with my favorite neighbors, The Mead's. Aidan is their 6 year old grandson and a Kindergarten student at my school. Together we watched the workers show how the apples are pressed for the cider. I can't believe I have never seen this done before! I am 32 years old, for heaven's sake! I left the cider mill with a 1/2 peck of apples and a 1/2 gallon of cider. On the way home, I cheated on my diet and ate a plain donut...DELICIOUS! I figured since I am only one pound from my goal weight, I deserved a little treat. :) The Mead's also sent me home with 2 pieces of Dutch Apple Pie, made at the mill. I ate a piece for snack last night and can't wait to eat another!

As you can see from the photo, Aidan was exhausted after our trip to the mill. I'm sure he had a donut when he woke up.

GO AMERKS!

Well, I've been scheduled to sing at two upcoming Rochester American games:

Friday, November 6th vs. Syracuse (7:05 game)
Sunday, December 27th vs. Binghamton (5:00pm game)

They are giving me 4 tickets to each game that I will pick up on game day. Not sure who plans to attend at this point (i.e. my parents?) but hoping my cousin, Megan, will meet me at the game and be my hostess in Rochester for the night! I'll keep you all posted if I have any extra tickets!
I wish Baxter could come. I mean, he's about the size of a zamboni anyway, and could probably clean the ice a lot faster. :)

Can you believe this is actually going to happen? I keep asking why I ever waited so long to do the things on my list, and I have no excuse other than that I never WROTE THEM DOWN. I always say things in my head like, "I want to go to Chicago" or "I want to sing at a semi-pro hockey game" but I have never acted on them. Seeing these things in print and crossing them off my list is changing my life more than I ever thought it would. It's an amazing feeling to believe in yourself, in who you are, and accept that you are the only one that controls your life and your attitude. Life feels great and I still have about 26 items left to cross off--- can only imagine how I'll feel when I cross the final item off. :)

Oh, by the way-- I talked to the organizer about what I should I wear when I sing at the game...but I think I'll buy a new outfit anyway. ;)

SUSHI!

So last night I ate sushi for the first time! I went to Syracuse's "Sakana-Ya" in Armory Square with my colleagues/friends Wendi and Irene. "Sakana-Ya" is a sushi bar. There was no menu other than the beer/wine menu. I ordered a glass of red wine and watched as a variety of sushi plates passed in front of me on something similar to a conveyor belt. I had NO IDEA what I was looking at! Thank heavens Irene loves sushi! She told me what was in the different sushi-- eel, tuna, shrimp, avocado, crab, etc. I kept watching what was passing in front of me, and nothing really looked good to me until I saw a sushi covered in what looked like a chicken-wing sauce. I grabbed it in and set it in front of me. On top and on the inside was fried crab meat. Now I had to eat it...with chopsticks! Forks were not even an option and were nowhere to be seen! Somehow I managed to break apart a small piece of the sushi without having to stuff the whole thing in my mouth. I noticed something dark green colored inside.

"What's that green stuff?" I asked Wendi.

"Seaweed." she replied.

"And I'm supposed to eat it?" I ask.

"Yep."

So, I placed the sushi in my mouth and "oh, my God, I am eating seaweed" was the only thing going through my mind until the spiciness of the sauce kicked in. That sauce was one of the spiciest things I have EVER eaten! After a few minutes, I stopped and said, "I can't believe I am eating sushi..." and thought of my list. I ate 2 out of 4 pieces of my sushi and that was enough for me. All I kept thinking was "I want some ice cream. I wonder if 'Super Cream' is still open...". :) Overall, I thought the sushi good, but I wasn't overwhelmed with love for it the way I am for chocolate cake or bagels. :) I would definitely eat it again but would get something more simple, although the thought of eating raw fish still creeps me out a little bit!

I got home at around 10 o'clock and grabbed a cup of rice pudding out of the fridge. It wasn't ice cream, but it would do.

Update...

Sushi with some gals from work this weekend!

Plan to make a turkey dinner for my sister and her boys when they are in town for Pumpkinfest the first weekend in October.

Anchor Bar visit October 11th! Stopping by on my return from my 10 year college reunion at Fredonia. Buffalo friends-- drop me a note if you want to meet me there!

Apple picking with my brother and his fam in Mexico, NY on October 17th!

Mom wrote last night and said she'd teach me to make sauce before Thanksgiving.

E-mailed the Syracuse Crunch and the B-Sens last night. Got an e-mail from the Binghamton Senators office today:

Thank you for your interest in the Binghamton Senators.
I have forwarded your information onto our Director of GameDay Operations - Christa Reese .
Regards, Terry Buczkowski

Feeling GREAT about my list. I've never felt more driven or motivated in my life. Seeing my goals on paper and remaining committed to them is making more difference in my life than I ever thought it would. So, again, I ask you, what's keeping you from making your list?

Semi-Pro Hockey, Anyone?

So, I'm walking through TOPS after work today and my phone rings as I contemplate which size Ziploc bags I should purchase. I toss my 24 pack of toilet paper on the ground and grab my phone out of my fake Prada. A (585) number? Who on earth is calling me, I think to myself. Is (585) the psycho toothless guy who won't take no for an answer? I slide my phone open and cautiously say, "Hello???". On the other end is the sweet voice of a woman named Shannon, the person in charge of the anthem singers for the....ROCHESTER AMERKS! Yes, it's going to happen. I am singing at a semi-pro hockey game! Shannon is e-mailing me a game schedule so I can see what dates work for me. "You'd really drive 2 hours to do this?" she asks. "OH, YES! I have plenty of friends in Rochester!" I reply, thinking of my list, wanting to tell her about it, but don't. "Do you know the Canadian national anthem?" she asks. "Ummm, no...but I can easily learn it..." and I note that I am a Fredonia School of Music graduate, to which she says, "Well, knowing you come from that background you probably won't need to audition then..." :)
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited! Not only will I sing at a game (or possibly gameS), but I will get 4 tickets as well-- so who will join me??? I'll probably need a place to stay, so Rochester friends and fam, don't fail me now!
Now I am more motivated than ever to contact the Binghamton Senators and the Syracuse Crunch. Clearly, I've got nothing to lose!
But now, the IMPORTANT question: WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR? ;)

"Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories..."

I never would've thought a movie made in 1957 would capture me the way "An Affair to Remember" did today. What a beautiful movie... there's just something about older movies that makes love stories so much more dreamy than the love stories of today. I can't for the life of me figure out what took me so long to watch such a great movie. It is definitely going on my Christmas wish list-- it's the perfect movie for a snow day!

As I watched the movie, I found myself thinking about my grandfather, who passed away 8 years ago (see photo above, Fortunato Family Christmas, 1999). I would have loved to watch this movie with him. I can almost see him rolling his eyes at the lovey-dovey parts, then looking at my Grandma and saying, "I luv ya....". :) It was not uncommon to visit Grandpa in the afternoon and find him in his recliner watching an old movie (actually, we could hear it when we pulled in the driveway because the volume was up as high as it would go). :) He would always tell me the names of the actors, and I would ask him if they were still alive. Reflecting on that now, there are so many other questions I wish I would have asked him, not about the movie, but about his life. And even though I didn't like old movies then, I would watch them with him. His smile was so sweet when he would laugh at the movie--I can see his dimples as I write. Of course, at the commercial break, he would take me to the kitchen and make me a sandwich or heat up some soup, or take 18 (at least) containers of frozen goodies out of the freezer for me to take home, pausing only to ask me why I "wear that crap" on my fingernails. :) If any of my family members are reading this, I know they are laughing because that was him, our Grandpa, and I am positive they all had similar experiences with him. I think for us he's "A Grandpa to Remember"... ;)

So, what's next on my list??? Apple picking and a visit to the cider mill...and yes, Grandpa, I'll be thinking of you with every apple I pick...

"The Empire State Building is the closest thing to heaven in this city." ~Terry McKay, "An Affair to Remember"

Breakfast at Tiffany's

I arrived at home today to find "Breakfast at Tiffany's" waiting for me (thank you, Netflix)!

I loved that at one point in the movie Holly and Paul spend a day doing things they have never done before--- how very appropriate, don't you think? :)

You can watch a video of one of my favorite scenes here: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2714174233/

Ahhh, Tiffany's...what girl doesn't love the thought of a small, Tiffany blue box with something sparkly inside, or at least something from a Cracker Jack box that's been engraved just for her?

Oh, Say Can You See?

So this morning I have been attempting to contact local semi-pro hockey organizations to see if I can perform the national anthem at a game this season. I e-mailed the Syracuse Crunch (http://www.syracusecrunch.com/) and the Rochester Americans (http://www.amerks.com/), and received my first response!

Hi Kristy,
Thank you for your interest. I have forwarded your message to John Catalano, VP of Production, who will contact you to work out the details.

Sincerely,
Jolain Foster
Senior Vice President of Operations
Rochester Americans Hockey Club

The Binghamton Senators page did not have a "contact us" option anywhere on the page, and I did not find e-mail addresses of anyone to contact. This may mean I actually have to pick up the phone and speak to someone, my least favorite thing to do! I am considering contacting the Sabres organization as well, although I think that would be a long shot. I keep reminding myself, though, that the worst they can say is no!

I also looked at a whitewater rafting site this morning (http://www.whitewaterchallengers.com/). The closest river for rafting, the Salmon River, only offers it two weekends in the summer. Both of those weekends have passed. This leaves the Black River, which makes the most sense seeing as I was born and raised in Black River, NY. This weekend would be ideal since I am planning a trip home, however, thunderstorms are in the weekend forecast and I am not about to be on the river in a storm!

A dear college friend, Amy, e-mailed this morning with a fabulous invitation:
I'd love to help you out with two things on your list. Every year My mom,her next door neighbors, Mike, and I celebrate the Kentucky derby with betting the horses, Watching the race, A great home cooked dinner, and best of all mint Juleps. Also, we could go to the Anchor Bar if you came in that weekend. I thought I'd let you know, you're always welcome.

This is only one of many invites I have received from my Buffalo area friends. Thanks so much to everyone who has been so willing to help me reach my goals!

I have also been invited to NYC by my college friends Emily and Victor to cross many things off my list, including the St. Patrick's Day parade (http://nyc-st-patrick-day-parade.org/default.aspx)! Vic tells me it is like Christmas for Emily's Irish family, and that her father actually marches in it! The only problem? St. Patty's Day falls on a Wednesday in 2010, and I doubt I can justify taking the day off. Although, I am Catholic..... do you think if I checked "religious observance" on the personal day form, it would be approved? :)

HAPPY 32nd BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Well, on August 5th of this year, I turned 32 years old. I know-- I don't look a day over 24, right? :) It's true though-- I have been alive for over three decades. I am amazed by how quickly time has gone by...and by how many things I have yet to do in my life! I decided to make this year a memorable one by creating a list of things I will do before my 33rd birthday in 2010. The purpose? To step outside my comfort zone, do and see new things, and grow as a person. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have some sort of direction for the upcoming year. Getting older has never felt like so much fun! I hope you will follow me as I cross each thing off my list within the next 12 months. OK-- here's the list:

1. eat sushi
2. cook a turkey
3. visit Hollenbeck Cider Mill and/or Burrville Cider Mill
4. watch the movies “An Affair to Remember”, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Gone With the Wind”
5. paint the guest room and office
6. build a snowman
7. learn how to make Mom’s homemade spaghetti sauce
8. eat at a Thai and/or Indian restaurant
9. drive a motorcycle
10. go whitewater rafting
11. go on a wine tour in the Finger Lakes
12. go apple picking
13. stay overnight at a bed and breakfast
14. buy a fabulous piece of jewelry for myself
15. milk a cow
16. go to a St. Patrick’s Day parade
17. go to Washington, D.C. OR Chicago, Illinois OR another major U.S. city
18. kiss someone under the mistletoe
19. learn how to do an oil change and/or how to change a flat tire
20. ride on a carousel
21. get a bikini wax
22. buy flowers for myself
23. pay off my CitiAssist college loan
24. submit a teaching idea to an education magazine and have it published
25. send a letter/postcard to all of my graduating students
26. learn how to tie a man’s necktie
27. sing the national anthem at a major sporting event
28. pay for the person behind me in line at a drive-thru restaurant or coffee shop
29. drink a mint julep while watching the Kentucky Derby (on TV)
30. spend a day in Cooperstown, NY
31. eat chicken wings at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo
32. keep a blog about doing these 32 things

One of my friends asked how it would be possible to do all of these things. I don't have an answer for that other than ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. :) If you want something bad enough, you can make it happen. So-- what things on my list HAVEN'T you done? What's stopping you from making your own list?