Bucket List: Winchester Mystery House

I first heard about The Winchester Mystery House about ten or so years ago. As I write this blog, I'm trying to remember from where I heard it Seems like it was on one of those travel shows on cable. Maybe it was an Extreme Homes?

Anyway, one thing that struck me initially is it's claim that it's the house that was never finished being built. Sarah Winchester was a 19th century eccentric socialite that drifted toward reclusiveness. What began as a traditional Queen Victoria-style home eventually became a haunted maze.

Some quick facts:

• Doors open into empty space (no floor)
• 10,000+ windows
• 160+ rooms
• Staircases that dead-end abruptly
• Lots of secret passages
• Allegedly HAUNTED!

Maybe I'll take a trip out to San Jose to see it.....

Will I see you there?

Our Bucket Lists

I recently asked The Girls what they would have on their Bucket List. The three of us quickly jotted down a few things. Here's what we have (so far):

Boa:

Got to every country in the world

Go to every state in the U.S.

Go to the National Museum of History

Meet One Direction (including Zayn)

Go to the Super Bowl

Join the FBI




MLO:

Skydive

Get a puppy

Go to France

Go to Egypt

Meet a Biologist

Go the Four Corners

Learn to draw Anime

Get a Master's Degree (or at least a degree)



Me:

See an NFL game at Lambeau Field in the winter

See Duke basketball play at Cameron - Coach K Court

Take the Amtrak train on a trip

Tandem skydive

Zip line

Finish my undergraduate degree

Guess Who Has Two Thumbs & Basketball Tickets?

THIS GIRL! *happyjackiedance*

Thanks to TravelZoo, I now have an item to cross off my Bucket List!

Side note: I subscribe to too many subscriptions. I don't read even 1/3 of what I receive.  Most of it is subject to "deletedeletedelete". Considering that, it's amazing I even read this one! Because of that, I feel like my transaction is destiny -- it was meant to happen.

Side side note:  MLO has started playing basketball - she's a guard. The cute little first grade girls running around the court is a sight to see (my favorite is #33).

 

Cutest Guard EVER!

Side side side note:  I love Duke basketball (Coach K is ultimate)! I'm a huge fan of the Longhorns, too, and I tend to keep an eye on UNLV, Gonzaga, Villanova and Vanderbilt.  If my faves are out of the running early, I root for any Texas school first.

Side side side side note:  I live in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. It's a booming place with TONS to do.  It's a gorgeous place that has a bit of superstar quality to it (supahstahhhh), which means, DFW attracts a LOT of big-name, high-dollar, super-popular events.  This year, Arlington's own Cowboys Stadium (a.k.a. The Death Star, a.k.a. Jerry World) is hosting the Southern Region Sweet Sixteen NCAA mens basketball tournament!

All of these sides fit together nicely to make *this* bloggerwoman verysohappy because I now have two tickets to see (if the good Lord wills it) DUKE! I won't be disappointed if they aren't in the sweet sixteen because I love college hoops in general, this is a MAJOR sporting event, IN MY TOWN! The best news is: I get to take MLO! I hope this might nurture her interest and passion for playing basketball.

GO BLUE!

Basketball Zen

Labyrinth

Firstly, the word "labyrinth" is a favorite word of mine. It's an odd combination of letters, which is befitting for what it actually is. 

1. an intricate combination of paths or passages in which it is difficult to find one's way or to reach the exit. 


2. a maze of paths bordered by high hedges, as in a park or garden, for the amusement of those who search for a way out.

Secondly, I want to go to France to see the Chartres Cathedral.  My church has a labyrinth encircled by a columbarium, which is modeled after the Chartres labyrinth.  It's a serene meditative tool, one of my favorite places to exist, to be, so surrender myself, to feel love inflowing and outflowing.

Third and lastly, what exquisite, complicated, yet fluid and inviting pieces of art!

To see other elaborate, breathtaking and thought provoking labyrinths, click here.

Wouldjya?

Would you fly in a helicopter, small plane, glider in the Trou de Fer?  I would definitely fly in a plane or helicopter!

Look at the splendor of this picture! Undoubtedly, it's even more splendorifical in real-life person!

So breathtaking.....

Beatification of John Paul II

A big day for the world, May 1st. Big day for the Body of Christ. Big day for Humanity.  Whether you believe in ("my", "a", "your", "absence of") God or not, trust me, this day affects us all.

In Rome, the Vigil Mass is going on, and there's a worldwide pilgrimage to view the Beatification of John Paul II.  I wish I could go. Someday, I will make my pilgrimage to some site dedicated to JPII. 

I wish I was more well-versed in papal history so I could speak (blog) with eloquent authority about his accomplishments to the human race -- NOT just the Catholic Church.  I wish you knew how he changed the face of the modern-day church. I wish you knew how much he appreciated, valued, loved all of us, (yes, even you!) purely & wholly. He prayed for you. And he prayed for me. And we are we, in part, because of him.

This man was Pope most of my life.  I was not always Catholic.  In fact, I used to not only be agnostic, but I was anti-Catholic.  However, as far back as my teenage years, I distinctly recall being drawn to watch him on television whenever images of him happened to appear on my parent's television during the nightly news.  I was always compelled to him. I never understood why. 

He has a warm, playful twinkle in his smiling eyes. The depth is endless. His hands convey compassion and strength. His demeanor was calm, confident, peaceful. He defines the word 'perseverance'. 

His expression conveys his spirit.

There is opposition to his "fast-track" to sainthood. Beatification is the step before canonization (a.k.a. sainthood. Catholics have fancy words for every thing!).  Personally, I don't mind one bit that he's on the fast-track.  If I were Queen of the World, Pope John Paul II would've been sainted on his death bed! 

I will call to him for intercession. I will always hold him near and dear to my heart.  I will be paying attention through the night, waiting, hoping, praying.  The peace I saw him embody, I pray I do as well.  Surviving struggle the way he did, I pray I do.  To be loving to you, I pray I am. To having smiling, playful  eyes, even in my sadness, I pray to have. 

I discovered that in his youth, Karol Wojtyla wrote poetry.  Here is a poem you might enjoy:

Song of the Brightness of Water

From the depth—I came only to draw water
in a jug—so long ago, this brightness
still clings to my eyes—the perception I found,
and so much empty space, my own,
reflected in the well.

Yet it is good. I can never take all of you
into me. Stay then as mirror in the well.
Leaves and flowers remain, and each astonished gaze
brings them down
to my eyes transfixed more by light
than by sorrow.

Good night.

Bucket List: Duran Duran - Vienna

It might be time for me to document stuff I wanna do (in case you wanna do it too, or we can do it together...).  So, I've had a mini Bucket List going in my mind -- never really organized it. The Blog is a good place, non?  OUI!

I want to eat at this place in Vienna some day!

Who is with me?!

The Next Best Thing....Maybe?

I went to a Mardi Gras party last night, hosted as a corporate event.  It was held in downtown Las Colinas, which holds a special spot in my heart.  Las Colinas is where I lived when I first moved to the Meteroplex (term coined by Gordon Keith).  Whenever I go there, I wish I lived there again.  

But I digress....

I've had The Real Mardi Gras on my (what's now more commercially known as) Bucket List.  I've always thought it'd be wayway fun to go to NOLA and party it up hedonistically (do I even know HOW to do that?!).  I haven't made it there yet, and I'm probably not going to get there any time soon...so, last night might be the next best thing to it.  

I was dressed in shimmery red, a long flowing dress with spaghetti straps and a shoulder wrap.  I sprinkled red and silver glitter on my arms, neck, chest and shoulders.  I added dramatic makeup and pinned part of my hair back so that I could stylishly wear my mask -- Un Masque de Papillon.  I wore a gold and silver colored butterfly mask, feeling very fluttery and dainty.

My mind bunny-trailed to that movie "Eyes Wide Shut".  It might've been cool to actually walk into a party like that.

Later that evening, I took a puff of a cigar.  I have no idea what kind of cigar it was.  All I know is that it cost $7 and it leaves a killer taste in my mouth!  WOW! 

Overall, the music was great, the creme brûlée was sinful and I had a great time!

Bring on the real Mardi Gras!