Experience 100 new things by the end of December 2012.

99. Irish boxty. Grilled veggies stuffed between two delectable potato pancakes, drizzled with basil aioli. One of the more flavorful Irish dishes I’ve ever had.

100. Theology on Tap. I’ve always wanted to go, so glad I had a good excuse to go tonight. So inspiring and motivating. It gave me hope that there are many Catholics who really embody who Jesus was/is, who focus on love above all else. Faith affirming, really. And there’s something about combining beer and theology that just makes a person feel all warm and fuzzy inside ;)

Eeek, I completed my first half marathon! Not only that, but it was my first time racing on foreign land (if you can call Canada “foreign” ;) ANDcompleting a multinational race. It’s the first time I crossed an international bridge on foot AND walked an “underwater mile” – the first provided breathtaking views (at sunrise, no less – the first time I’ve viewed the sunrise over two countries at once) and the second didn’t induce too much anxiety :) Oh, it’s also the first time I’ve ever done a race completely by myself. (I always prefer to walk alone during races, as to not be controlled by someone else’s pace, but I’ve always gone to races with family.) The day before the race I attended my first race expo and it’s really a miracle I didn’t walk out of there with maxed out credit cards… oh, the allure of new athletic gear, shiny headbands that “won’t slip!”, and race belts that promise to fit your passport AND your iPod, ha.

I thought that, at the end of the day, I’d have one “new experience” under my belt… but I’m so grateful that this half marathon provided so many new experiences… and memories to last a lifetime.

90. Attended a work event without feeling nervous, anxious, or (too) awkward. Maybe I’m feeling a bit more confident in my job, or maybe I just let the excitement take over, or maybe both. Regardless, it was a great feeling.

85. Disaronno. I had it mixed with some Diet Coke last weekend. Tasted like Dr. Pepper or Cherry Coke. I don’t drink much these days, but it was yummy.

86. Toasted Caramel Black Velvet. Mixed with hot cider, it was pretty tasty. But I think I’ll stick to the coffee shop variety – alcohol not necessary.

87. Tim Tams. Australian chocolate biscuits. Yum.

88. An interfaith wedding. Catholic bride and Jewish groom. Made for a really unique ceremony, and definitely a unique, fun experience for this Catholic girl.

89. A fall color tour. Took the scenic route to check out the beauty that is Michigan in the autumn.

82. Golden beets. Meh.

83. Purple carrots. Unique. Pretty tasty.

84. Chipati. How am I just now discovering this tasty food?!

80. Church small group. I was matched with a group of about 10 graduate students and young adults to meet for the next several weeks, to get to know each other and discuss weekly readings on a deeper level. The first week definitely challenged some of my beliefs and inspired me to brush up on my biblical knowledge. (Though, not at the expense of disregarding my own solid moral beliefs, regardless of church teachings.) I’m hopeful that this will be a good experience.

81. My baby cousin’s wedding. I can’t believe my youngest cousin is a married woman. I’m very happy for her, and it was great to celebrate with the whole family.

73. Two years at my job. (As of September 1st.) I’ve never been at a job this long, so it’s a pretty big deal to me.

74. Evernote. Made an account at work, downloaded the app on my phone and the program on my home computer. Hoping it helps keep me more organized by keeping all of my lists in one place. I’m not sold on it, though – I can easily see myself using Google Docs Drive for the same thing.

75. Used an entire tube of chap stick. I usually lose a tube of chap stick before I finish it, but I’ve managed to keep this Burt’s Bees with me to its end.

76. Breakfast/morning picnic. I’ve done plenty of morning tailgating, but this is the first time I can recall having a real picnic in the morning. It was a surprise for R – I took him to the park and we walked until we found a secluded picnic table near the river, where enjoyed some cider and donuts, and …

77. Celebrated the autumnal equinox. For as much as I love fall, I can’t believe it’s the first time I’ve really celebrated the start of the season.

78. Salted caramel brownie. YUM. My cousin’s friend brought them to our tailgate. They were homemade and they were absolutely delicious!

79. Double rainbow! I may have seen one before, but if I have it obviously wasn’t very memorable. We saw a gorgeous, vibrant double rainbow on our drive home yesterday, along with storms to the left of us, clouds in front of us, and a beautiful sunset behind us. A very unique day :)

71. A new 12-step meeting. I hope I have the courage to go back next week.

72. Mafe. A West African stew. I’m so grateful to the local food co-op and their daily lunch specials for giving me the opportunity to try all sorts of new foods.

70. Recovery mass. And I think it may have been the first time I’ve attended a weekday mass that wasn’t a Holy Day of Obligation. There’s something very calming and inspiring about attending a mass with only 15 other parishioners in attendance, all in attendance for the same dual purpose. Hopefully next time I’ll get over my shyness and actually socialize with others after mass.

68. Twisted Bangs. So easy… it’s a great quick fix for my short hair.

69. Dahl. An Indian thick lentil soup, apparently. I poured it over some brown basmati rice. YUM.