Tagging #1

I have recently been tagged for two different series of questions, and with being gone half of last week, am behind! Here is the tagging I received from Dani last week...

A list of my 10 favorite things, in no particular order:
1. Being around great people, whether it be family, friends, or just Scott and I. I love people who inspire me, make me laugh, make me live.
2. Spending time outdoors. I love camping, hiking, skiing, cycling, running, swimming.. almost anything outdoors and I am there. Most of all, I love being in an incredibly beautiful place with no one else around such as on a mountain top, on a tiny island in the Carribean in the middle of nowhere, or on an empty beach watching the sunset.
3. Sunrises and sunsets. There is no other time where you feel more at peace with the world and yourself.
4. The smell of something baking in the oven. If you know me, you also know that I am a fanatic baker.
5. Dreams. I love remembering things I dreamt at night, but also daydreams. I am always contemplating my future and what I want to do with it. I am having serious thoughs of moving someplace completely exotic.
6. Cuddling. Whether it be with Scott, my kitties, a good book or my knitting, cuddling is a wonderful thing to do.
7. Writing. I love writing down my thoughts, a poem or a story. I don't know where I would be without my writing and hope that I write a book someday. I have been contemplating writing a knitting book actually! I almost had a book published when I was in 6th grade (it was an alphabet book about the environment... and my parents were surprised when I became an environmental scientist?!)
8. Music. What more is there to say? I have played the violin since I was 5 and I love the sweet sound of all string instruments. I still listen to alot of classical, but am very addicted to rock/classic rock music as well.
9. I love my pets. My family dog always consoled me growing up and now my kittens do the same. They have made me so much happier these last 7 months and they love me so unconditionally. I only hope I give them the same in return.
10. Compassion. I think its so important to have compassion for those close to you. But, I also think you need compassion in all aspects of your life. I try hard to be there for people when they need me, and believe, it makes a better person in the end. I am lucky enough to have many compassionate and caring people in my life and wish there were more people like them in the world.

And for the bonus 5...
Please list 5 things that you may or may not have done before that you would like to learn or try again:
1. Horseback riding. I used to ride a lot when I was young, but haven't in a long time. I don't want to go riding on a trail with butt sniffers, but be able to run a horse through fields and forests.
2. Kayaking. I have tried kayaking, but not on a river. I would love to learn how to river kayak.
3. Violin. I really need to get back into playing more regularly. I miss it so much and have used excuses over the last few years as to why I don't have time to play.
4. Mountain climbling/hiking. I love doing long-distance hikes, but I think it would be amazing to tackle some of the great mountains in the world.
5. More traveling. Some of the places I want to see are: Seychelles, Africa, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Bonaire and Chile.

And now, I will pass this tagging along to whispering pine, passioknit, and bron's blog. Enjoy!