Regrettably crossing off another item on my 26 before 26 list, #15: Watch The Godfather. I’ve never been a fan of old movies or mob stories, but I thought I couldn’t truly claim that until I saw THE old mob movie. The Godfather is at or near the top of every “see before you die” list, so I figured I’d better.

Unfortunately, I didn’t really enjoy the film. I found it pretty boring and the characters difficult to understand, both audibly and personally. I’m not sure what all the fuss is about, and now I’m pretty confident in saying mob stories just aren’t for me. I did enjoy James Caan’s horribly fake fight scene, though.

Crossing off another item on my 26 before 26 list, #25: Learn to properly cook a steak. I was very fortunate growing up that I had two parents who knew how to cook well. I do regret not learning more from them, so I’ve decided to start. The first and easiest cooking technique, I thought, would be learning how to make steak like they do: always juicy and delicious. My dad walked me through the marinade, the grill, and monitoring temperatures. It was easier than I’d thought and they turned out amazing. I can’t wait to start cooking more at home!

Seriously considering getting this: a dog bowl tray from A La Mode Dog. It features two seamlessly, built-in dog bowls with removable interior dishes. The bottom of the tray is skid-free and will keep your dog’s bowls in place. It also has an outer lip to catch any spilled water. Boomer is the messiest drinker in the world and also pushes her bowl around while she eats. She and I could definitely benefit from this product. And it looks great too!