You Can Do It

Recently I bought a book I found on Amazon.com.  I knew nothing about it.  It was simply with many other books listed under "if you like this you may like this ....."  The book is You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook For Grown-up Girls.  Naturally, I bought two, one for my "kindred spirit" Kathy, who loves adventures as much as I do.  I probably should have bought a few more so that I could con my sisters and some other girlfriends into joining me in some of my crazy and adventurous high jinks. 

The woman who envisioned this book, Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas was an avid Girl Scout in her youth and tragically died September 11, 2001 on United Airlines Flight 93.  Her family members completed the book idea for her.  The merit badges are broken into categories similar to that of the Girl Scout badges.  The seven categories are:  dare, create, learn, play, deal, connect and dream. 

There are 63 badges I have the opportunity to earn.  Happily, I have already competed some of the merit badges.  I have learned to belly dance (belly dancing 101 did not go well but was fun, I just don't move that way), gone scuba diving (pretty incredible since I cannot swim), went skydiving with my sister Mary and rock climbing with my brother Bruce.  I have taken yoga classes and worked out with a personal trainer for a couple of years.  Go Me!  I have also decorated my whole house in my very own eccentric style earning the decorating badge and I have earned the painting badge by using the wall of my home as my canvas.  I have earned the badge for quilting, reading and for teaching.  I taught craft classes while vacationing in Florida to a group of broads who were as dingy as me.  I went to college to become a teacher.  Not a good plan.  My ADD disorder does not allow me to focus long enough to teach.

Some of the merit badges do not interest me at all.  I have no desire to be a stand-up comedian or starting a rock band and I certainly will never get on stage to sing.  I can't hold a key.  Even the church choir didn't want me.  However I would love to travel around the world, build a web site, get organized and learn to meditate.  One merit badge is called Look Sharp with your own personal style.  Last month I had my girlfriend, Paula give me a makeup overhaul at the mall.  It was a blast.  She was assisted by Nick Caridi, a famous makeup artist out of New York, I think.  He kind of looked like Sly Stallone.  Gobs of fun flirting with a handsome man and not having to worry about anyone getting the wrong idea.  Just enjoying being a woman and feeling pretty.  I'll have to read that chapter of the book.  Maybe that will give me another badge.  Then I'll only have 51 more to work for.  The picture below was taken when I had my makeover.  What a hoot!

the last badge is called Dream On, Make your own badge.  Presently I am overwhelmed with all the other badges I have to earn.  But not to worry; as our hero says in the movie The Shawshank Redemption, "Get busy living, or get busy dying" and this woman never says "die".