But I have...

Last week, in a post called Never have I ever... I posted a list of 50 random things I have never done. Someone suggested to me that I share the opposite- 50 random things that I have done at some time in my life.  In the first post, I tried not to edit at all, and just post the first 50 things that popped into my head, whether they be things I wish I had done, or things I am happy to not include in my life's history. For this post, I had to have a different approach since my mind kept going straight to the most serious or intimate moments of my life! But I finally came up with this list. Some of it's embarrassing, some of it's flattering and it's all stuff that I would be comfortable disclosing on a first date (except maybe the last one:). I have...

Bottle fed a newborn kitten

Enjoyed a progressive dinner

Knitted a scarf

Experienced deja vu

Killed nearly every plant I've ever had

Had a really bad perm

Prepared a whole Thanksgiving feast

Sang karaoke

Read the Lord of the Rings

Blown on a pair of dice at a craps table

Gone parasailing

Eaten an entire roll of HIT cookies

Lived in another country

Made a thriving terrarium

Been mistaken for a celebrity

Caught a snowflake on my tongue

Helped plan a surprise party

Set a class curve

Graduated from law school

Fell flat on my face on a crowded Hollywood Boulevard

Swam in the caribbean along side sea turtles

Worked with kids

Ran through an airport to catch a flight

Rubbed a pig's belly

Drank aquavit in Norway, mezcal in Mexico, port in Portugal & ouzo in Greece

Lived with a male roommate

Watched TV for a whole day

Blown a tire in a taxi and gotten in an accident in a taxi

Ordered the free Hoveround DVD

Rowed a boat in Central Park

Won a pageant

Seen a convocation of bald eagles

Worn a wig

Been published

Felt afraid of the dark

Had a pen pal

Studied Latin

Walked the Bay to Breakers

Shot a bow and arrow

Failed my first driving test

Danced at a céilidh

Missed a great opportunity

Sat in the bucket of a front loader

Recited from memory the Canterbury Tales Prologue in Old English

Been thrown off a horse

Sun bathed on a nude beach

Hosted a Burns Supper

Prayed at midnight mass

Gotten totally lost within 5 blocks of my home

Sat between my girl friend and David Hasselhoff at a Madonna concert

Visited the Charles Schulz Museum

Married my best friend

Best Harry Potter Resources on the Web

There are more websites dedicated to Harry Potter than there is gold in Gringotts. Any simple search with bring up literally thousands. That said, I will share with you some of my favorites-

JK Rowling's official site is probably the best place to start. It takes some patience, as she is clever and a little withholding. It takes time to discover all of the fun of this site, but click around and you are rewarded with all kinds of magical secrets!

Pottermore seems like it will be the online home to all things Potter in a couple of months. If you haven't already, check out what is on the site and get prepared for all that's on its way!

Mugglenet and the similarly laid-out Leaky Cauldron are awesome sites for fans. They both post any Harry-related news and have loads of links that share essays, art, music, quizzes, games, recipes, crafts, interviews, photos, products and just about everything else.

The Harry Potter Lexicon is the best place to go if you have a simple questions about a specific character, place or creature. ie: How are dementors 'born'? (*extra points if you know, or go to the site and find out, and then post in the comments section!  :)

Harry Potter for Writers, is a great blog by a professional writer and huge Harry Potter fan. I love this site because it does not just catalogue what is already done like other fan sites, but looks critically at the telling of this story as a craft, complete with real analysis of Rowling's work. She just shared a great post about the the last chapter of Deathly Hallows called "The Flaw in the Plan" with all kinds of great insight.

There are also wonderful sites by the book's publishers- full of fun facts and activities for kids (or those of us who are kids at heart). Visit Scholastic, where you can brew potions and try transfiguration, and take the "how-well-do-you-know-Harry-Potter" quiz!   The Bloomsbury site has places to vote for your favorite characters and an exclusive interview with Jo.

And there are tons more out there. LOADS! Blimey, the list goes on and on! Here are a few more worth checking out, and this is just the tip of the elder wand!

Warner Brother's Harry Potter site
Harry Potter at EA
Harry Potter's Page
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando
Wizard Rock
Harry Potter Alliance
A Very Potter Musical
Potter Art
Potter Crafts
Wizard Recipes
Harry Potter the Exhibition
HP Fan Trips

Did I miss any of your favorites? Share!

Virtual Shire

Ran across this online-- still shot from a virtual Lord of the Rings game. The virtual Shire... 

Things to Look Forward to in April

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow, Part 1 is released on DVD
Mama's birthday
Finishing The Fellowship of the Rings and starting Two Towers
"Spring Break" (which is kind of a farce this year)
My man Charlie turns 1!
Emmylou Harris in concert!
Baby shower for rescued owl chicks at a birds of prey sanctuary
Reconnecting with a friend I haven't seen in ages!
Complete my origin story
Las Vegas with two adorable fellas
Martin Sexton in concert
Maybe (maybe) Maybe going up North to visit all of my girls!
Guest blogging for two blogs of awesomeness
Learning new chords, especially minor chords
Finishing the road scarf- c'mon!
Hat shopping with Matty
Starting Dragon Age

Dominos

Spent the weekend with friends on a mini vacation and relearned how to play dominos --now I am hooked. My pops is going to give me a set of his (since he has more than one) and, with practice, I shall master addition basics so that I never have to count the pips again!