A Day in the Life of a Downtown Employee: Secret Service Edition

As I was on my way to the restroom this afternoon, a confused man got off of the elevator to ask me for directions:

Confused Man: "Can you tell me where the Secret Service office is?"

Me: "I wasn't aware that the Secret Service has an office on my floor. Are you looking for the ATF? Their office is right here..."

Confused Man: "No, I am looking for the Secret Service. They told me to come to this floor in this building and I can't find their office anywhere."

Me :: (whispers):: "Isn't that a secret?"

Then the confused man gave me the dirtiest look I have received in a very long time. Maybe next time I should keep my sarcasm to myself....

101 Things to Do in 1001 Days

Update 9/14/2011: I'm still plugging away and have taken advice from James to add new cool things I've done after the fact.


Update 6/22/2010 - I'm making progress on my bucket list!!

I bought tickets to see Peet sing on 7/11/2010 in Canada (now I just need a travel buddy), got Simon apparel during grad week, toured some wineries with my Dad on Father's Day, and made the Rita M. Locke Victory garden for my balcony!


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When Bunny and I were roommates (2004-2005) we planned on making a list of 101 Things do in 1001 days. It's been more than 1001 days since I first started this list but at long last it is complete and I have actually completed a few of the items that I had wanted to!

Without further ado, my bucket list:

1. Make a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days.


2. Go to Montreal


3. Volunteer Overseas


4. Complete my address book


5. Learn calligraphy


6. See Peet sing the national anthem I tried, didn’t make it so this still counts. I finally saw Peet sing in July 2010 and again in 2011!


7. Learn how to Kayak : Bunny taught me in Vermont


8. Eat Ethiopian food: Went with Jessica and Jonathan duing an ENT cram session


9. Travel outside U.S./Canada. This is going to come true over Thanksgiving when Aunt Ellie and I go to Anand's wedding!!!


10. Take a BW photography class


11. Go the Ben & Jerry’s factory in VT: already went with Bunny


12. Visit Chicago


13. Run a 5K, By this I mean actually run, not sign up and walk for ½ of it


14. Treat Sarah to dinner someplace we have never been the day I take my last final at Simon. I tried really hard but she didn't let me pay...


15. Marco Island after graduation


16. Philadelphia with Jessica


17. Ice Cream in Cedar Point with Clark


18. Ocean City with Amelia


19. Watch the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve


20. Go to the Adirondacks


21. Adventure Park in Ottawa Canada (I can't remember the name but my cousin Erika went there)


22. Hot Air balloon ride


23. Make homemade pasta


24. See the grand canyon


25. Get a plant: Jules and Josh love me and gave me lots!


26. Get Simon apparel: Jessica bought me a Simon hoodie for my birthday and I got all kinds of free stuff at graduation!


27. Snow Tubing


28. Participate in the Polar Plunge


29. Picnic in Highland Park: Went over the summer (2009)


30. Find the secret subway in Rochester, NY


31. Face my fear of the glass floor in the CN Tower


32. Get my motorcycle license and ride a Vespa


33. Read at least one book for fun during my class breaks at Simon


34. Write more poetry


35. Start making jewelry


36. Go to Mardi Gra


37. Find and sign up for a Dale Carnegie course


38. Go strawberry picking: Went over the summer (2009)


39. Donate hair to locks for love - I tried and didn't make it so I'll change this to dance on the Fisher alum team at the Teddi Dance for Love


40. Plant a tree on Earth Day


41. Learn to regular ski


42. Waterski


43. Jet Ski


44. Ride bicycle built for two


45. Learn how to play golf


46. Make homemade cards: Bunny and I did this for Christmas 2010. It took me hours to make one card...it was a lot of fun but took FOREVER!


47. Take a cooking class in Canandaigua: Anita and I went. They tried to teach me how to properly chop vegetables but I ended up splicing my finger. In hindsight, stitches would have been a good idea...


48. Watch a movie at the Highland Bowl


49. Get a ferret


50. Go back to San Francisco


51. Spend a weekend at a bed and breakfast at Niagara on the Lake


52. Join a CSA: Ali and I have been doing a CSA for the past few years now and I love it!


53. Go to Aunt Ellie and Uncle Scott’s boat


54. Give flowers to friends


55. Make an herb garden for my balcony


56. See the Transiberan orchestra in concert


57. Go to a Counting Crows concert


58. Keep a diary


59. Do a clam bake at The Legacy for Grandma and Grandpa. Sadly, Grandma passed away before I could do this one. I did bring Grandpa homemade Manhattan Clam chowder and he loved it.


60. Go ice skating outdoors - I finally made it to Manhattan Square Park (Winter 2011)


61. See Jenna in one of her college plays or musicals


62. Go on a wine tour


63. Paint my apartment


64. Have Sophie and Alex over for a sleepover


65. Play the nintendo wii


66. Host a girl's night at my apartment with my aunts and cousins


67. Make and give away Christmas cookies


68. Take a sign language class


69. Swim with dolphins


70. Pick up the tab for a complete stranger at a restaraunt


71. Weekly pilates routine


72. Plan a Christmas party reunion - Jules and I brought the Christmas parties back in 2009!


73. Go on vacation with Jules


74. See the cirque du soleil


75. Buy Othello, Backgammon, and Apples to Apples


76. Make homemade spring rolls with Mai


77. Climb the tower at Mt Albion


78. Make a scrapbook


79. Go to an RPO concert


80. Take my Dad to see The Nutcracker


81. Make Aunt Nancy dinner


82. Go to a candle lit christmas eve service in Albion


83. Fall asleep on my balcony


84. Decorate my room at Jules and Josh's house


85. Make miso soup


86. Make lasagna or stuffed shells


87. Make white chicken chilli


88. Hang glide


89. Make a needlepoint


90. Go for a walk in dog park


91. Watch the sunset from Cobb's hill


92. Make homemade sushi: Sushi nights with Li Xiang, Wendy, Andrew, and Natalia are unforgettable!


93. Take Bunny to Albion: Bunny and I biked through Albion on the our Erie Canal trip! We biked by Jules' house and the home I grew up in. :)


94. Go to Dansville with Bunny


95. Reconnect with old friends


96. Organize a team for Clean Sweep


97. Go to Belhurst Castle in Geneva


98. Go to one of the laser shows at the planetarium


99. Write a letter to the editor


100. Plan a girl's weekend in Toronto or another city


101. Have more dance parties


102. Bike the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany (and as far back as I can pedel)!

A Thanksgiving Gift

I went to Carlton United Methodist church in Waterport (just north of Albion) last week to see Mark Randall as Charles Dickens in a one man performance of A Christmas Carol with my Dad, Ruth, and her Mom. After the show, a woman approached me and the following conversation took place:

Woman: "Hi, by any chance is your father's name Paul?"

Me: "Yes, he is."

Woman: "I thought so. You probably don't remember me but I knew you when you were a little girl and this tall. [lowers her hand above her knee]. I just wanted to tell you that you've grown into a beautiful woman."

While we were catching up about the last 20 + years, I was trying to figure out why I didn't recognize this woman at all. I've had this conversation many times when I come home to Albion but I'm usually able to recall at least one memory with the person who remembers me. I felt bad that this woman was so kind and I felt like I had never seen her before.

On Thanksgiving, my Dad told me that he was also surprised that this woman picked me out of the crowd. She remembered me from Albion United Methodist church - the church where I was baptized, the church I attended with my Mom and Dad, and the church my Dad and I left shortly after my Mom passed...

My Dad was so surprised that he approached her later that evening and had the following conversation:

My Dad: "I'm very curious. You haven't seen Melisa since she was 3 years old. How did you know that was her?"

Woman: "I recognized Barb."

Bones

I never thought that I would be so excited to wake up at 4 am that I wouldn't be able to fall asleep which is exactly what happened to me last night. I was waking up to see one of my wish families off at the Rochester airport before their flight to L.A. to spend time with the cast of Bones. This was something that my wish child wanted more than anything and it was amazing to share the excitement with her and her family.

Publish Post

Loaf & Ladle

I had so much fun yesterday with my Aunt Annette. Last month, I started volunteering with her at the Loaf and Ladle soup kitchen. This is is the second time I've gone and I'm starting to recognize the regulars. It is amazing how appreciative people are when I don't feel like I'm doing enough.

One of the perks is that she is giving me cooking lessons. She taught me how to make butternut squash soup (one of my favorites), a pasta bake with homemade sauce, and apple crisp. YUM!