50 Things to do This Year

This year marks 5 years since I was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer AND I have the opportunity to stay home with my kids for a bit. I am grateful to be alive and I have enjoyed making memories with my family and friends these past few years.

I've decided that maybe I should get around to doing some of the things that I've been thinking about doing, and if you know me, you know it starts with a list. This year is about:

1. Being purposeful
2. Experimenting.

Why 50?

Well 100 seemed to be setting myself up for failure (I mean, there must be a reason I haven't gotten around to the list before, and now I want to put 100 of them together? In one year?), and 40 seemed to be a little wimpy. Hence, my list of 50.

These are not really bucket list items. My bucket list items are bigger and longer term, but some on my 50-list represent a step towards a bucket list item. For example, writing a draft of a story this year is on my list of 50, and the bucket list item is to publish something. Some of my 50 are serious and some entirely frivolous and most of them have a story behind why they are on the list, but you'll hear more about that.

Here is an excerpt of my 50 list - I've added only about 41 right now, giving myself some flexibility to add other things that may occur to me during the year, and for sure I'll blog about a few of these as I complete them. There are a lot of celebrations!

My list of 50 things to do this year (Partial)

Completed In progress Not Started

1. Visit Enchanted Rock.
2. Climb Mt. Bonnell steps.
3. Sunset while dining at Oasis. I hear the view is great.
4. Watch Sound of Music with the family.
5. High Tea.
6. Celebrate with friends I've made through work.
7. Celebrate with sister survivors.
8. Celebrate with my mommy and neighbourhood friends.
9. Celebrate with my Zanshin (karate) family.
10. Celebrate with friends I've made through my husband's work.
11. Get some fitness photos-  an exercise photo shoot!
12. Go to a music festival/event for SXSW  or ACL or something (with or without kids). I live in Austin after all!
13. Up my social profile. (I need to figure out how to tweet and maybe add my twitter feed to my blog.)
14. Blog more!! (2/month targetted). (As of right now, I've actually been publishing 1/week!)
15. Write a draft of a story, any story, any length, just write!
16. Take a picture at the famous mural "Greetings from Austin". (You mean you haven't done that yet? I know, I know!)
17. Go river tubing with the boys. (I haven't done that since we lived in St. Louis many years ago.)
18. Take a swim in Hamilton Pool (with the boys) or maybe Wimberly's Blue Hole.
19. Record kata with my boys.
20. Explore downtown Austin and visit some of the shops, large and small.
21. Volunteer / adopt a family.
22. Create a prototype - of some sort.
23. Take a bubble bath. (I haven't had one since I quit my job back in August. I keep meaning to.)
24. Cuss more (Yes, you read that right. I wanted to "try on" cussing, much like a jacket. See if it takes.)
25. Procrastinate less. (I'll start that a bit later in the year.)
26. Take a day or two off and just read in the bed in lieu of mental health weekend.
27. Open kimono - let my friends get to know a bit more about me. See #24.
28. Introduce my friends to recycled reads.
29. Tea with friends. I really like entertaining!
    
30. First aid training (maybe a weekend).
31. Learn /  review one language. (I am working on Spanish at the moment.)
    
32. Binge watch Homeland. (Why? Well, I am done watching and re-watching StrikeBack, so I'm moving on to something else.)
33. Do one piece of original artwork.
34. More dates with my husband. (This requires no explanation I hope!)
    
35. Try out the sauna in the gym. I've been a member at least 8 years, and never done it. (Whaat?? And you've been paying membership fees? EXACTLY! )
36. 4-hr work week discussion with Papa
37. Take the boys to the gun range.
38.  Go to the Texas book festival - Nov.
39. Run/Walk a 10-minute mile.
40.