Even if you are new here, it probably hasn't taken you long to learn something about me: I am a planner. I like agendas, schedules, and goals. What you might not have discovered yet is that I harnessed that almost two years ago to create a comprehensive list of things I wanted to do. Since its creation, I moved across the country, started a new job, experienced starts and stops in my motivation for, oh, almost everything, and now find myself living through a pandemic and trying to help dismantle centuries of systemic racism.
So let's see how I'm doing on that list, shall we?
As a reminder, the goals all had to be at least reasonably SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound). This meant that as great as I think it would be to win an Oscar, that is highly unlikely in my future. I also wanted to make sure that they are mainly things I can do myself one way or the other. While the idea of having someone name their child after me is charming, I really can't control that so it's not right for me to make that a goal. See where I'm going with all this? Clearly these goals are all time-bound (gotta get them done before I'm 50!)
I am striking through those that I have managed to accomplish. I will be following up in future posts on those that require more explanation. Also, it is important to note that while I have made progress on many of these, they aren't finished yet. In many cases or by planning, quite a few will take the whole 10 years. This does not feel like failure or overwhelm. It is simply a fact. Now on to the list!
- Ride a bike (I've never learned)
- Get a professional massage
- Work on a will (morbid, but necessary)
- Get physically fit
- Tackle a list of books (recommendations from my friends! Future post coming!)
- Tackle a list of movies (Recommendations from my friends! Future post coming!)
- Make 50 recipes I've always wanted to try but never get around to
- Make 50 craft projects I've always wanted to, but haven't gotten around to yet
- Donate $500 to a charity (either at $50/year or all in one go)
- Sell a photograph or a piece of art I’ve made
- Go to Australia and New Zealand
- Open an Etsy shop (and hopefully sell some things there)
- Have a gallery showing of some kind (coffee shop, personal space rental, I'm not overly picky here)
- Publish a book of poetry
- Get false eyelashes
- Send 4 cards/letters a year (not including Christmas cards)
- Take a flying lesson
- Meet some very specific financial goals
- Try a Bloody Mary, Long Island Iced Tea, a Hurricane, and a top brand of Champagne (but not all in one night)
- Ride a Vespa in Italy
- See the Northern Lights
- Go to 221 B Baker Street
- Have a Guinness in Ireland
- See the real Eiffel Tower
- Build a snowman
- Finish going to all 50 States
- Drive a convertible
- See the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC
- Attend a Japanese tea ceremony in Japan
- Invest in stocks
- Go to Cuba
- Go to the top of the St. Louis Arch
- Go on another cruise (I've been on two at two very different points in my life)
- Have a tropical drink out of a coconut
- Catch snowflakes on my tongue
- See the lavender fields of Provence
- See Starry Night in person
- Learn how to can/preserve
- See Inveraray Castle in person
- Go ice cave hiking
- Go on a camel trek through Marrakech
- Try some of the very best caviar
- Go whale watching
- Go to a renaissance festival
- Pet a cow (and maybe even milk it!)
- Release a floating lantern
- Take a pin-up style photo
- See the Taj Mahal
- Take a fitness class that would be unusual for me (acroyoga, barre, spin, pole, burlesque, boxing, something like that)
- Stomp grapes to make wine
- (Bonus) Update this site at least semi-regularly