12/2013: I completed my Bachelor of Arts degree at Muskingum University.
✔ Compete in a food-eating competition.
10/2012: I competed with a team in a banana split eating contest at Muskingum. We didn't win, but it was fun!
05/2014: I competed in a pretzel eating contest and WON against five other people. It was basically eating a pretzel without my hands. This was at Hofbrauhaus Chicago during a Memorial Day weekend disco bar crawl.
12/2015: My friend Marty and I attempted the Big Kahuna, a 29-inch pizza, at the local pizza place in our campus town, but we failed. He got too many greasy toppings. Better luck next time!
[ ] Get married in Brown Chapel in New Concord, Ohio.
✔ Sing karaoke at a legit. karaoke restaurant or bar.
08/2015: My sister and I sang Big Girl (You are Beautiful) by Mika, and my sister, her boyfriend and I sang Uptown Girl by Billy Joel.
✔ Read a poem or sing at an open mic night.
07/2017: What a blast! I sang The Way by Fastball with someone on guitar and drums plus a backup vocalist for moral support. This was at a work Independence Day celebration.
✔ Run (the whole time!) in a 5K Race.
06/2014: I did it! Mount Prospect's Strive for 5k. 26:31!
04/2015: Egg Shell Shuffle 5k.
06/2015: Mt. Prospect's Strive for 5k.
[ ] Participate in a half-marathon and finish it.
[ ] Be able to hold a conversation in American Sign Language.
✔ Donate hair.
11/29/2014: I donated 10 inches. I was going to donate eight, but I decided to go for more.
06/09/2016: I donated nine inches, and this is probably the last time. I can't handle long hair!
[ ] Meet Alan Rickman.
updated 01/2016: I know he's no longer with us, but maybe in Heaven (or where ever we end up) we'll cross paths. Plus, I never want to take this down; it'd hurt too much.
[ ] Meet Rob Paulsen.
[ ] Meet Kevin Smith.
[ ] Learn how to play bass guitar.
✔ Attend 20 concerts in a single year.
1. 2017: Rather than listing each date and band, I'll share the counts of the multiple musicians I saw multiple times: Colin Hay (5), Fastball (5), Vertical Horizon (3), and Gin Blossoms (3).
✔ Meet Vertical Horizon.1. 09/2016: Columbus, Ohio. I got - literally - last minute VIP tickets for a meet-and-greet after the band's set. It. was. amazing. Matt and the gang are so kind, generous, dedicated, and lovable!
[ ] See VH perform in 10 different states (including the band's home state).
1. 04/2015: Frontier Days, Arlington Heights, Illinois.
2. 09/2016: 90s Fest, Columbus, Ohio.
3. 06/2017: Celebrate Fairfax, Fairfax, Virginia.
02/2015: This was my first show, but I didn't get a chance to meet him. My dad and I saw him at City Winery in Chicago, Illinois. I got his autograph even though he wasn't coming out since he was under the weather. Amazing show.
03/2017: I got to meet him and take photos at each meet-and-greet this time. TWO shows. It was glorious, as expected.
[ ] See Colin perform in 10 different states.
1. 02/2015: City Winery Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
2. 03/2017: City Winery Nashville, Nashville, Tennessee. (Attended two shows)
3. 08/2017: Musikfest, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
4. 10/2017: Lincoln Theatre, Washinton D.C.
[ ] See Fastball perform in 10 different states (including the band's home state).
1. 06/2017: HOME Bar, Arlington Heights, Illinois.
2. 06/2017: Celebrate Fairfax, Fairfax, Virginia.
3. 07/2017: The Adelphia, Marietta, Ohio.
4. 10/2017: Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
[ ] See Gin Blossoms perform in 10 different states (including the band's home state).
1. 07/2014: Frontier Days, Arlington Heights, Illinois.
2. 08/2017: South Park Amphitheater Concert Series, South Park, Pennsylvania.
3. 09/2017: Popcorn Festival, Marion, Ohio.
4. 03/2018: Innings Festival, Tempe, Arizona, Gin Blossom's hometown!
[ ] Attend a show, of any kind, at the Hollywood Improv in Los Angeles, CA.
[ ] Go on the show "Let's Make a Deal."
[ ] Have a famous person/celebrity as a pen pal for six months, minimum.
[ ] Travel on a bus to a random city for a red-eye trip.
[ ] Travel to my dad's home country, Croatia.
[ ] Be a bridesmaid.
✔ Have my photography displayed in an art gallery.
11/2013: I guess Muskingum's new Palmer Art Gallery counts... I have one photograph called "Goodnight Caldwell Hall" framed there. It's the second version I've ever shown people or posted online, so different than what others may have seen already!
[ ] Have someone purchase one of my photographs.
[ ] Read 100 autobiographies or biographies. (View my Goodreads profile for a list of all the books I've read.)
1. 07/2008: It's Always Something by Gilda Radner
2. 12/2013: Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox
3. 12/2013: Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox
4. 12/2013: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
5. 07/2014: Bossypants by Tina Fey
6. 07/2014: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
7. 07/2014: MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche
8. 04/2015: Go with the Fear!: My Life as a Mom and Stand-Up Comedian by Sally Edwards
9. 10/2015: 700 Sundays by Billy Crystal
10. 11/2015: I Hate My Selfie by Shane Dawson
11. 12/2015: Yoga Bitch: One Woman's Quest to Conquer Skepticism, Cynicism, and Cigarettes on the Path to Enlightenment by Suzanne Morrison
12. 12/2015: Yes Please by Amy Poehler
13. 12/2015: I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short
14. 12/2015: Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
15. 01/2016: Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
16. 05/2016: Almost Interesting by David Spade
17. 05/2016: Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
18. 06/2016: Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
19. 07/2016: Tough Shit by Kevin Smith
20. 01/2017: Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan
21. 01/2017: A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston
22. 03/2017: Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
23. 09/2017: Keep Moving by Dick Van Dyke
24. 12/2017: Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night by Jason Zinoman
25. 09/2017: My Glory Was I Had Such Friends: A Memoir by Amy Silverstein
✔ Witness the Chicago Cubs win a World Series.
1. 11/2016: Exactly one month before my 25th birthday, the Cubs took the World Series title against the Cleveland Indians! Dad and I, less than a month later, got our Cubs' tattoos.
[ ] Throw the opening pitch at a Chicago Cubs home game.
✔ Attend a Chicago Blackhawks game.
1. 10/2016: Blackhawks at Columbus Bluejackets. I didn't see the Blackhawks at home, but I still got to see the team compete!
✔ Go to an NFL game.
1. 11/2014: Broncos vs. Rams
2. 10/2015: Broncos vs. Browns
[ ] Write a book.
[ ] Have above book published.
[ ] Be an extra in a TV show, movie, or music video.
[ ] Attend an independent film festival.