Notes from ShellyCentral

50 Places I've Been

Another from the lists I made when I turned 50 a couple months ago. 

 

1. 
   Pompeii, Italy
   
   
2. Winchester mystery house
   
   
3. Glasonbury, England
   
   
4. Manitou Springs, CO
   at 7 (far right) and at 27
   
   
5. Placerville, CA
   
   
6. Ft Worth, TX
   
   
7. 
   Inis Mor, Ireland
   
   
8. London, England
   
   
9. New York City
   
   
10. Las Vegas
    
    
11. 
    Pittsburgh, PA
    
    
12. Unsinkable Molly Brown’s House
    
    
13. Clifs of Mohr, Ireland
    
    
14. Grand Isle, LA
    
    
    
    
15. San Francisco, CA
    
    
16. St Louis Arch
    
    
17. Rome, Italy
    
    
18. 
    Civil war battlefield
    
    
19. Boston, MA
    
    
20. Swope Memorial, Kansas City
    
    
21. 
    Bethesda Terrace, Central Park, NYC
    
    
22. Glenwood Springs Adveture Park
    
    
23. Disney World
    
    
24. 
    Google
    
    
25. Middle of the Ocean
    
    
    
    
26. Edinburgh, Scotland
    
    
27. Tiny villages in the mountains of Mexico
    
    
    
28. The French Quarter
    
    
    
29. Paris, France
    
    
30. Stonehenge
    
    
31. Lincoln Memorial, DC
    
    
32. San Diego, CA
    
    
    
33. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
    
    
34. The Roman wall in Chichester, England
    
    
35. Roman baths in Bath, England
    
    
36. 
    Universal Studios
    
    
37. Tower of London
    
    
38. San Antonio, TX
    
    
39. Avery Island, LA
    
    
40. 
    Philladelphia, PA
    
    
41. Steubenville, OH
    
    
42. Lafayette, LA
    
    
43. Wichita Falls, TX
    
    
44. 
    Tulsa, OK
    
    
45. San Jose, CA
    
    
46. Crested Butte, CO
    
    
47. 
    Hadrian’s Villa, Rome
    
    
48. 
    Statue of Liberty
    
    
49. Dublin, Ireland

 

 

PS I took all these pictures myself, except the two I'm in (at Manitou Springs). Only 2 of them were taken with anything better than a Nikon Coolpix. 

 

Other lists from 50 :

50 Favorite Songs
5 Favorite TV Shows
5 Best Movies
5 Favorite Museums
5 Best Books
5 Best Things I've Ever Done

 

 

50 Places I Still Want to Visit

 This started out as a list of 5, but who was I kidding?

 

1. Barcelona
2. The British Lake District
3. Wales
4. Greece
5. Venice
6. Casablanca, Morocco
7. Istanbul, Turkey
8. Angkor Watt, Cambodia
9. Sri Lanka
10. St Petersburg, Russia
    
    
11. Vienna, Austria
12. Giverny, France
13. Disneyland
14. Yellowstone National Park
15. The Grand Canyon
16. Hadrian's Wall, Scotland/England border
17. Florence, Italy
18. Sienna
19. Amsterdam
    
    
20. The Badlands
21. Cahokia, Illinois
22. Globe Theatre
23. Egypt
24. Big Sur
25. Sedona, AZ
26. Bora Bora
27. Hawaii
28. Machu Picchu
29. Petra
    
    
30. Cinque Terre, Italy
31. Skara Brae, Scotland
32. greenland or iceland
33. Denmark
34. Bali, India
35. Budapest
36. Tibet
37. Nepal
38. Portugal
39. Santorini, Grece
    
    
40. Crete
41. Delphi, Grece
42. Niagra Falls
43. Malta
44. Cyprus
45. Serengeti National Park
46. Prague
47. Forbidden City, China
48. Carthage, Tunisia
49. The Alhambra
50. Taj Mahal

 

 

Other lists from 50 :

50 Favorite Songs
5 Favorite TV Shows
5 Best Movies
5 Favorite Museums
5 Best Books
5 Best Things I've Ever Done

 

The Five Best Things I've Ever Done

 

 

Hung out with William Burroughs at his house.

 This picture was taken in his front yard, in 1996. On a digital camera so this resolution is the best that exists. That's Justin Hall to my right, Bill claiming me as his girlfriend on my left, and Eben, being shoved the wrong way by Justin in the back.

 

 

Tossed a love note onto the altar of Julius Caesar.

 In the Roman Forum, you can visit the altar where they burned Caesar's body and have worshiped him as a god for a couple thousand years. People still visit every day. I believe it is continually covered by flowers. I couldn't find flowers to offer, so I tore a sheet of paper out of my journal, wrote a love note, and tossed it onto the pile.

 

Climbed Glastonbury Tor. Twice.

Glastonbury Tor is a giant hill in the southwest of England. It was a magical spot to ancient British people, and it definitely feels magic. It's also 518 feet tall, and that's a lot of steps. Beyond worth it though. 

 

Surrounded by whales.

 In 2015 when I was visiting family in California, my cousin Mark offered to take me out on his boat to look for whales. We found them, although it felt more like they found us. They came up all around us and it was truly amazing.

 

 

Disney College Program

Is this one thing, or a bunch of things? I'm voting it's just one. People ask me if it was everything I wanted it to be, and it was. It was difficult sometimes and I definitely hated it a few times, but overall it was, well, Magical.

 

 

Other lists from 50 :

50 Favorite Songs
5 Favorite TV Shows
5 Best Movies
5 Favorite Museums
5 Best Books

 

Five Best Museums I've Ever Been To

 

The Orsay - Paris, France

 

British Museum - London, England

 

The Met - New York, NY

 

The Louvre - Paris, France

 

The Nelson - Kansas City, MO

Almost on the list:

National Gallery - London, England

Museum of Modern Art

Andy Warhol Museum - (this is a link to a post i made about it)

Museum of London

Natural History Museum, NYC

  

PS. I took all these pictures myself a long time ago with either a Nikon Coolpix or a cell phone.

 

 

Other Lists from 50

50 Favorite Songs
5 Favorite TV Shows
5 Best Movies
5 Favorite Museums

 

My 5 Most Loved Movies

 

Reds

The first time I saw this movie when it came out in 1981, I knew it would be my favorite forever. It's the story of a real life writer named Jack Reed, an idealistic journalist who covered the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. There's so much more to it but every time I try to tell the story it turns into an essay. So let's just go with that.

One thing that makes this movie especially charming to me are the interviews with real life "witnesses" throughout the movie. One of them is Henry Miller. He's my super hero now, but I had no idea who he was when the movie came out, or for years after. 

Oh- there’s also an annoying romance in this movie which really just distracts from the good parts, and Jack Nicholson plays a super creepy Eugene O’Neil. Maureen Stapleton plays an incredible Emma Goldman. It's not for everyone, for sure, but it's a really great movie if you like stories about freedom and the role of the press and history and adventure. It has a great cast, and won some Academy Awards.

"After the Revolution, I will buy you a new hat."

 

Princess Bride

This is probably the best love story ever told. Definitely Wesley is the perfect boyfriend. The way he keeps Buttercup from worrying in the Fireswamp could not be better. And “As you wish"? Perfect.

There are characters to love and hate. There are battles and schemes. There is true love. There is so much funny. I'll never be tired of this movie.

Life is pain, highness. Anyone who tells you differently is trying to sell you something.

 

 

My Dinner with Andre

This movie is literally just two guys talking over dinner for nearly 2 hours.

One of my favorite things about this movie is that when I was young and first loved it, I clearly sided with one guy. Now that I’m grown, I’m completely with the other. Also interesting - two of my top five movies have Wallace Shawn.

Yeah, but I mean, I would never give up my electric blanket

 

 

The Breakfast Club

Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole saturday in detention for whatever it is we did wrong, but we think you're crazy for making us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us, in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out, is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basketcase, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club.

Only burners like you get high.

It’s inevitable; when you grow up your heart dies.

 

Withnail & I

Two British boys go on holiday by mistake in 1969 and have to think about life. Brilliant, subtle, unique and hilarious. It’s also kinda sad, so be warned. The closing monologue might break your heart.

I want something's flesh!

 

 

Other Lists from 50

50 Favorite Songs
5 Favorite TV Shows
5 Best Movies
5 Favorite Museums
 

 

 

 

My Five Most Favorite TV Shows

 

I don't watch that much TV. I find it mostly full of shows I don't want to watch. But when I find a show I love, I love it hard, and forever. I am always in the mood to watch an episode of these shows.

 

Rome

HBO made 2 seasons of this show, from 2005 to 2007. Then they ran out of money for it. Of course I loved it but I'm not the only one. If you like period shows, you might love this show. The sets were beyond my imagination. The wardrobe, the hair, the everything. And then a not too fictionalized story about Julius Caesar- it's like it was made for me. The second season goes downhill a bit, but it's excellent tv.

 

Game of Thrones

Almost as good with it's strength as a period show, this story is so rich and layered and fascinating. I mean there are millions of words in several books to snuggle yourself in. Not to mention hours of podcasts every week. I'm very in love with it - not just the show but the whole story. I hope it will all end in a satisfying way.

 

General Hospital

Yes I know this is not a good show but I can't help but love it. How many things have been a part of my life since I was in single digits? I have often said I was done watching it but I've always gone back. If I didn't stop when Luke left, I'll never stop. I'll watch this show until they stop making it, and maybe after that I'll keep it going with my own fan fiction.

 

Millennium

This show was a little too dark and creepy, but I will always be a fan of ancient secret societies whose job it is to keep humanity safe. Roosters Vs Crows was my favorite episode. Terry O'Quinn in two other shows I loved a lot (but ended too horribly for me to remain a fan of); Alias and Lost. 

 

Doctor Who

The Doctor, especially in the past, is the greatest hero of all time. Not only does he save people and planets and universes, he makes everybody want to be a better person. What's better than that. 

 

 

Other Lists from 50

50 Favorite Songs
5 Favorite TV Shows
5 Best Movies
5 Favorite Museums
 

 

 

My 50 Best Songs

As a way to help me reminisce, I made a bunch of lists.
I started with my favorite songs of life, so that's what I'm sharing first.

 

Notes before you read the list:

+ There's no Broadway on this list on purpose. 
+ I had to leave off a bunch of Todd songs or a quarter of these would be Todd.
+ I tried not repeat any artist, but sometimes it was necessary. On the other hand, just because an artist's song is on this list doesn't mean I even know another song they've ever recorded.
+ I had written some bits about some of the songs, but truly I have stuff to say about each of them. This post is long enough with just a list. It would be something good to come back to and expand upon.
+ There is absolutely no order to this.
+ As soon as I finished, I wanted to go back and make changes. I didn't. So don't take it too seriously.

 

 

1 Me and my arrow - Harry Nilson

2 Hey jude - The Beatles

3 This is how we do it - Montel Jordan

4 Your eyes - Peter Gabriel

5 Solsbury hill - Peter Gabriel

6 Compassion - Todd Rundgren

7 Hawking - Todd Rundgren

8 Get into the groove - Madonna

9 Head over feet - Alanis Morisette

10 Jane says - Jane’s Addiction

11 Smells like teen spirit - Nirvana

12 Carolina in my mind - James Taylor

13 You don't own me - Leslie Gore

14 Tennessee - Arrested Development

15 Papa was a rolling stone - The Temptations

16 Send me on my way - Rusted Root

17 Don't cry - Seal

18 Billy Don’t be a hero - Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods

19 Wherever whenever whatever - Maxwell

20 Crimson and clover - Tommy James and the Shondells

21 If you want to sing out sing out - Cat Stevens

22 Que Sera, Sera - Doris Day

23 David watts - The Kinks

24 Honky Tonk Blues - Hank Williams

25 Cold beverages - G Love and the special sauce

26 Good Life - One Republic

27 Me and Mrs Jones - Billy Paul

28 One on one - Hall and Oates

29 Skating away - Jethro Tull

30 Seven - Prince

31 Roll Out - Ludacris

32 James - Huffamoose

33 Major Tom - David Bowie

34 Box of Rain - Grateful Dead

35 Man with the Child in His Eyes - Kate Bush

36 Fantasia's Confidential Ghetto: 1999/Once in a Lifetime/Coconut - PM Dawn

37 Fly like an Eagle - Steve Miller Band

38 A Rose for Emily - Little Saints

39 Vienna - Billy Joel

40 Blame it on Cain - Elvis Costello

41 St Louise is Listening - Soul Coughing

42 Love is the answer - Todd Rundgren

43 Shoop - Salt N Pepa

44 Uncle Alvarez - Liz Phair

45 Balla - Chingy

46 I will not take these things for granted - Toad the Wet Sprocket

47 Two Sisters - The Kinks

48 Even Now - Barry Manilow

49 If - Janet Jackson

50 I am woman - Helen Reddy 

 

 

 

Other Lists from 50

50 Favorite Songs
5 Favorite TV Shows
5 Best Movies
5 Favorite Museums
 

 

20 Things that Could be Fun

I am bored. And so I made a list of things I could do that might be fun. I thought I'd share it.

1. Making art in the garage

2. Reading in the library

3. Doing the Gazelle

4. Taking a walk

5. Making a vlog

6. Making a mind map

7. Practicing Italian

8. Sorting trip finances

9. Doing fun trip planning

10. Searching for car registration stuff

11. Printing/doing Project Life for last week

12. Photographing/posting past Project Life stuff

13. Taking dogs for a walk

14. Writing

15. Making grocery plans/list

16. Taking '07 trip photos off the MacBook

17. Researching tablets

18. Finding summer clothes

19. Washing dog toys

20. Ordering 1/2 price Snapfish book

Will I do any of those? I can't really say. But if I do anything worth showing you I promise I will.

14 Random Facts for Tonight

% I am still in love with listening to Adele. My favorite song sometimes changes several times a day.

% It is bad enough that the Jayhawks lost but the snow on the ground is a bit much.

% If you have the exact same tastes as me, I have the greatest tumblrs of all time.

% I love hanging out in my garage. It's like having a whole new room. Who could have guessed that a year ago?

% I am not ready for the morning.

% Tomorrow starts the last 8 weeks of a long career of public school.

% Tomorrow also starts a couple weeks busy with appointments, mostly medical. Yuck.

% It's crazy how quickly time flies by in the evening.

% They are talking about Rosedale BBQ on Check, Please. They are not giving it nearly enough praise.

% I downloaded the Instagram app today. Everyone seems to like it better than Hipstamatic these days. I want to see for myself.

% I am about to get a new phone and I don't think it's going to be an iPhone. I know! Gasp! Shock! It's going to be an Android phone and I think it's going to be the HTC Inspire, if I remember the name correctly. Android because I think it's the future of good phone things and that phone because it has an 8 mp camera with a flash. Sadly there's not a Android version of Hipstamatic, but there is one of Instagram.

% Danny made brunch AND dinner today. That was fantastic.

% My brother's dog passed away today. My mom's dog passed in February. My beloved Luna passed in December. They all went unnaturally and too early. It is not a good time to be a dog in my family.

% That's so sad it needs two numbers.

100 Facts About Me

Is this going around the internet? I think it is.
I needed something half mindess to distract me while I watched The Third Man for the 4 millionth time. And you know I don't like to miss out. So I did it to. You should too! It's only a little hard.

1. i grew up in the dotte.
2. i went to sumner academy.
3. i have been in 5 countries.
4. i really want that to be a lot more.
5. i love to take pictures
6. i write a lot.
7.  i have kept a journal online since 1994.
8. outside is my favorite place
9. i lived in missouri for a very short time in the 80s.
10. the rest of my life i've lived in kansas.
11. i have a love/hate relationship with my state.
12. i love it's physical beauty, and it's civil war history.
13. i hate it's political view points and the entrenched closed minds.
14. i graduated from high school in 1984.
15. i graduated from college in 1991.
16. i have a ba in english.
17. for a couple years i tried majoring in film
18. i miss a lot of people from the "olden days".
19. i would love to have a grade school reunion.
20. i have skipped most of my high school reunions.
21. i think i had an idyllic childhood.
22. I have never seen the movie animal house.
23. i have (co)owned two houses.
24. with all it's faults, i love the house i live in now
25. i wish i had a wild overgrown yard (with giant hydrangeas).
26. i love my tivo
27. i played flute in school
28. there are 11 years between me and my closest sibling
29. i have two dogs
30. i used to have 3 dogs
31. they have all been lhasa apsos, dogs of buddhist monks in tibet.
32. i fostered a pregnant lhasa and her 3 lhasa puppies.
32. franklin planner are my favorite planners.
33. i am a giant fan of benjamin franklin.
34. i am a history geek.
35. i am a government dork.
36. i like to count my gratitudes.
37. i love reading other people's journals.
38. henry miller is my hero.
39. i am also a huge fan of julius caesar.
40. i like listening to stand up comedy.
41. i haven't had a "job" for 9 years
42. i want to be cremated when i die.
43. i like to sing along in the car real loud.
44. i love to drive with the windows down.
45. my favorite show right now is match game
46. i am super double truly in love with vincent d'onofrio.
47. i love it when people tell the truth. especially about difficult things.
48. i think more people have been abused than you could ever imagine.
49. i like squishy pillows.
50. i was born in 1966
51. my favorite nostalgia years are 73-77.
52. i modeled when i was a child
53. my best friends and i used to hang out at a local strip club.
54. when i was a girl, my favorite book was jennifer, hecate, mcbeth and me, elizabeth
55. i love my alone time
56. i love to drive to clinton lake, for many reason.
57. some people i've loved are dead. i miss them.
58. i have a baby niece. she's brand new.
59. i could eat mexican food every day
60. i have a handful of coins from ancient roman britain.
61. i hate everything about winter.
62. i have a lot of siblings.
63. i love painted toenails.
64. i don't do horror moves (exceptions: the shining, the omen)
65. my favorite disney movie is bambi. i love thumper.
66. my zodiac sign is cancer. i am the year of the horse.
67. one whole room of my house is filled with books.
68. i think orson welles is a brilliant genius.
69. my favorite book is pilgrim at tinker creek by annie dillard.
70. my favorite movie is either my dinner with andre or the princess bride
71. i am in love with new york city.
72. i am about to take a trip to ireland and great britain with my daughter.
73. i am unexpressably excited about that.
74. my favorite cities are rome and london.
75. when i was a kid, i wanted to take over as batman's sidekick.
76. my dad owned and ran a bbq restaurant in kansas city.
77. my grandpa broke wild horses when he was young.
78. i have watched general hospital since i was in 3rd grade (a long time ago).
79. having dinner with a bunch of friends is one of my most favorite things.
80. i think bill hicks was a visionary genius.
81. i really wish everyone (including myself) could feel their own power.
82. i talked really loudly. "hey shelly, we're all in the same room." i've heard that a lot.
83. i love to plan.
84. i think too much.
85. todd rundgren is my musical hero.
86. i know tiny bits of french and spanish.
87. i don't care about any kind of sports.
88. i want to be a tour guide when i grow up.
89. i think kindness is under rated.
90. i never want any tattoos
91. i can never have enough pens and markers.
92. i wish i could redo hannah's entire childhood.
93. i am a big fan of bing crosby.
94. i like to feed the birds
95. i love the internet.
96. i love to look at foreign places on google maps.
97. my favorite musical is pippin. i love pippin.
98. i enjoy taking classes at my local community arts center.
99. i like to keep my nails very short.
100. i love to talk about myself.