101 Wednesday #1 (17, 54, and 81)

101 Wednesday. The day where I update you on my list and tell you what new and awesomely exciting things I've managed to cross off. This won't happen every Wednesday, because I'm not deluded enough to believe I'll actually accomplish one thing every single week. (Who knows, though?) (Also, I think it's safe to say I'm obviously not ambitious.)

Since I created my 101 in 1001, I've crossed off three things. It was shockingly easy to do. :)

#17 - Reconnect with two old friends

A few days ago, I received a text message from one of my oooolld high school friends. Rather than recounting it, I'll let it speak for itself.

Without even realizing it, I made a date with two very old friends, and we had a GREAT time chatting and reconnecting. I got my sushi fix, we got to catch up, and I can assure you that they have not packed on the pounds. (We actually all look almost the same as we did in high school, which we finished almost eight years ago.)

Probably the funniest moment was trying to figure out who in our original high school (in 11th grade, we swapped to an advanced boarding school) hadn't married (like us). We came up with two. Then Friend 1 asked "Who do we know that we went to (original school) with that got their advanced degrees?" Friend 2: "One of the girls we just named who isn't married." Me: "Naturally."

Ahhhh, the South. Where people seem to strive to be married, divorced, and laden down with children by the time they're 25.

#54 - Make Christmas cookies with my little brother

I have absolutely NO SHAME in informing you that I DO NOT make gingerbread. I tried a couple of Christmases ago using my mother's recipe, which calls for SIX cups of flour. After chilling, I was met with something roughly the size, texture, and hardness of a basketball.

(NEVER AGAIN.)

So a few days before Christmas, I picked up a box of gingerbread cookie mix (no judging), got out my cookie cutters, and ripped my little brother away from his electronics. Hilarity ensued.

Then we feasted.

Don't pretend like you're not drooling. 

#81 - Buy myself a piece of jewelry

The day after Christmas, I happened upon an ebay search I saved a while back. You see, after I graduated from law school, I wanted to use the money I received as gifts to buy the most perfect awesomest gift to remember it by EVAR (which I elected to be a ring with a red stone). And since I wanted it to be perfect, I still hadn't found anything by the end of the year. 

When I'm telling you I searched far and wide, I did. Rubies are hard to find, and I wanted a deep red stone. I considered garnet as well, but nothing I found was right. I wanted yellow gold. I wanted it close to my size so it wouldn't be difficult to resize. I wanted big, but delicate. I wanted something I could wear for-ev-ver. (Squints' voice from The Sandlot.)

I searched in jewelry stores. On ebay. In pawn shops. Nothing was perfect. 

Until this particular ebay search. A beautiful garnet ring popped up. In my size. In yellow gold. Flanked with white sapphires and diamonds. 

And now it's mine. 

My....precioussssss.