This blog is now located at:

marelle100things.blogspot.com

#13 – Canada, coast-to-coast

Oh.My.Canada!

I've now seen my entire country from the west to the east. All 10 provinces, all 10 capital cities, and both oceans. It's been an incredible journey, and one I'll always remember. I've covered the whole trip in a separate blog, but I'll just say, if you've ever thought of being a tourist in your own country (especially if you're Canadian) DO IT! It's so totally awesome.

Road trip!!

Leaving tomorrow for Victoria, B.C., to start my cross-Canada road trip. Will be posting on my blog for this journey and will likely not be posting here for a couple of months.

(Unless I happen to go skydiving or find myself taking a scenic air balloon ride, in which case, I will, of course, update here.)

#16 – Juggle

I'm staying for a couple of weeks in northern B.C. with my good friend Lindsay. Yesterday, I brought out my juggling balls to practice and mentioned that I need to start working on my tossing skills again after a hiatus. Lindsay said, "Nobody you could look at you right now and say you're not juggling." I think she's right. So I'm just going to cross this one off the list. I made a better video of my juggling back in April, but this is shorter and more to the point:

So I can confidently say I can juggle three balls, which was the original goal to begin with. I have no illusions of ever becoming the next Selyna Bogino or challenging Jason Garfield to a duel. He's the Ball Master. I am quite content to let him keep the title and move on to bigger and better things.

On the wall

Climbed at the gym for the last time this summer. If all goes well, the next time I put on my climbing shoes will be to climb real rock in Alberta!

510.c

Climbed at the gym for what may be my last time before heading to the great outdoors to try a route on real rock. The idea scares the poop out of me, thus it must be done!

I'm climbing 10.c routes now at the gym and I even tried a gnarly 10.d last night and only had to fall about three times before making it through the crux. And, I think my belayer may have helped me a little 'cause my harness felt pretty darn snug... but still, I'm getting better consistently. But on Tuesday morning I'm heading up to Fort Saint John for two weeks to hang out with a dear friend who lives there... and there's no climbing gym in town or anywhere near town. What a bummer. 

Hopefully I'll not lose too much strength in that time. Maybe I'll buy a pull-up bar. 

Fourth amendment

Since 2009, I've had the first item on my bucket list crossed off – write a novel. While I did indeed complete a novella for the annual Three-Day Novel Contest that year, I did not win any prizes, nor did I get the manuscript published. (You'd have to be insane to publish that sentimental drivel written in a state of Oreo cookie-fueled delirium.)

So, while I'm happy I participated and spent a solid long weekend writing fiction (which is more than I've done in the four years since!), I realize I've not completed my life goal of writing and, more importantly, publishing a novel. I WILL one day write the next great Canadian novel. I will, dammit.

So, I'm putting that back on the list as unfinished, making this the fourth amendment to the bucket list since its inception in 2008.