41. Read all of Jane Austen's novels.
After reading Pride and Prejudice in high school, I purchased the complete works of Jane Austen. I didn't pick it up until this summer.
Jane Austen wrote seven novels. I will discuss each one briefly in order from least favorite to favorite.
7. Lady Susan
Instead of following a traditional format, Lady Susan is told in a series of letters. It focuses on a woman named Susan whose only goal is to make a younger man fall in love with her. Susan is a rare Austen character because she is not a likable character. Her story was interesting but definitely not my favorite.
6. Mansfield Park
Fanny, the main character of the novel, is a very endearing character. Born to a poor family, she is raised by her wealthy aunt and uncle. She falls in love with one of the only characters who treats her well, her cousin Edmund. Again, this was an interesting book, but it was not my favorite Austen novel.
5. Sense and Sensibility
After her husband dies, Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters are forced to live in a small cottage in the country. Her oldest daughters, Elinor and Marianne, face several obstacles on their way to finding love. While I liked reading about Elinor in particular, I thought the ending of the book was a bit rushed.
4. Persuasion
Anne falls in love with Wentworth but is forced to turn down his proposal because her family does not approve of his lowly status. Years later, a chance encounter gives them a second chance at love. I think Captain Wentworth is one of my favorite Austen male characters. His letter at the end of the book was powerful and memorable.
3. Emma
The title character believes that she is a good matchmaker and does her best to find her friend a good husband. Naturally, things do not go according to plan. I wanted to hit Emma over the head with my book at a few points in the novel, but I found her more relatable than other Austen characters because she is confident that she knows what she wants in life. Naturally, she is not right about this.
2. Northanger Abbey
I was a bit surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Catherine, a lover of Gothic novels, gets invited to stay at Northanger Abbey. Because of her love of novels, she expects to find mystery and adventure at every turn, especially after hearing about a mysterious death. I actually laughed out loud in places when reading this one.
1. Pride and Prejudice
I purposely read this book last because I knew it would still be my favorite. I love seeing how Elizabeth Bennet's perception of Mr. Darcy changes over the course of the story. Lizzie Bennet is certainly one of Austen's most outspoken female characters. I love that.
Items completed: 56
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Terrain Race Adventures and the Street Fair
20. Run an obstacle race.
Two years ago, I participated in a color run. I think that's the last time that I ran a 5k. When my boyfriend told me about the Terrain Race, I hesitated before I signed up. I knew that it would fulfill the obstacle race on my list, but I wasn't sure if I was fit enough to complete the course. Unfortunately, none of the obstacles involved swimming.
When we arrived at the race site, I was expecting to see a starting line that I was able to stand in front of prior to beginning the race. Instead, I saw an above ground pool. We began the race wet from the waist down. It was an interesting experience.
Our team faced 20 obstacles spread out across 3 miles. Surprisingly, the most difficult part for me was the actual running. I was able to scale retaining walls, climb over cargo nets, use a rope and small built-in stepping blocks to climb a wall, and crawl through a few mud pits. I only had to skip the monkey bar obstacle. Thanks to all of the swimming I do, my shoulders do not like to support my weight.
The teamwork that my friends and other contestants displayed made the race worthwhile and fun. Everyone was willing to lend a hand with an obstacle and several people offered encouraging words when needed. The one part that seemed to make several people uneasy (myself included) was the fire pole. The pole was a bit too far away from the structure, which caused many of us to hesitate before making our way down the pole.
We were rewarded with a free beer when we finished the race. I think it took us about 60-70 minutes to complete the entire course.
81. Visit the street fair downtown.
I grew up in the northwest part of Tucson, so I did not get to explore the downtown part of Tucson until recently. The street fair, which takes place twice a year, has been an item on my to-do list for quite some time. Luckily, my boyfriend and I were able to go this past spring.
We enjoyed seeing the wide variety of items for sale as we walked along the rows of shops. Although we did not buy anything except lunch and ice cream, I am glad that we went. I am hoping to go again this winter.
Items completed: 55
Two years ago, I participated in a color run. I think that's the last time that I ran a 5k. When my boyfriend told me about the Terrain Race, I hesitated before I signed up. I knew that it would fulfill the obstacle race on my list, but I wasn't sure if I was fit enough to complete the course. Unfortunately, none of the obstacles involved swimming.
When we arrived at the race site, I was expecting to see a starting line that I was able to stand in front of prior to beginning the race. Instead, I saw an above ground pool. We began the race wet from the waist down. It was an interesting experience.
Our team faced 20 obstacles spread out across 3 miles. Surprisingly, the most difficult part for me was the actual running. I was able to scale retaining walls, climb over cargo nets, use a rope and small built-in stepping blocks to climb a wall, and crawl through a few mud pits. I only had to skip the monkey bar obstacle. Thanks to all of the swimming I do, my shoulders do not like to support my weight.
The teamwork that my friends and other contestants displayed made the race worthwhile and fun. Everyone was willing to lend a hand with an obstacle and several people offered encouraging words when needed. The one part that seemed to make several people uneasy (myself included) was the fire pole. The pole was a bit too far away from the structure, which caused many of us to hesitate before making our way down the pole.
The final obstacle.
Our team had a Scottish theme, hence the kilt.
We were rewarded with a free beer when we finished the race. I think it took us about 60-70 minutes to complete the entire course.
81. Visit the street fair downtown.
I grew up in the northwest part of Tucson, so I did not get to explore the downtown part of Tucson until recently. The street fair, which takes place twice a year, has been an item on my to-do list for quite some time. Luckily, my boyfriend and I were able to go this past spring.
We enjoyed seeing the wide variety of items for sale as we walked along the rows of shops. Although we did not buy anything except lunch and ice cream, I am glad that we went. I am hoping to go again this winter.
Items completed: 55
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