377 days - Blog #41 My List, or some of it anyway

Right.  So at the beginning of this venture, I alluded to a list.  I suppose that is succumbing to a cliché of this time of the Internet.  Or the transitioning away from being young to the awareness of getting older.  I confess I’ve neglected this list for the most part in the last few weeks.  Except one very significant part.  Writing this blog every single day, awake or not, inspiration or not.

The list is 40 things I want to do before 40.  I haven’t actually finished writing it.  I have #40, which I had already mentioned anyway.  A trip to Ireland.  And that actually creates #20 on the list – save money for Ireland.  I made it to #21 when I realized there are probably things that will make themselves more evident and important in the months to come.  But there are some pretty large ones towards which I have to direct my focus now.

I won’t list all the ones I’ve got now.  Just a few, so this blog isn’t too long.  But Sundays are going to be my check-in or revelation of further items on the list.  Some of these will actually find some discipline through this blog by creating some matter upon which to write.  And some just have the, oh, I’m turning 40 in less than a year, so I want to have these accomplishments to celebrate in Ireland.

Here are a few of the items:

1.  Complete a readable draft of my novel.  (Done and sent to readers.  Waiting for feedback so I can go to the next step)
2. Write a blog every day until my next birthday. (In progress, as I would hope your current reading can validate)
3. Go for a walk every day. (Yeah, this one needs some work.  It got some help when I was dogsitting last week.  Then I stopped)
5. Get a dog (a logical leap from that last one, don’t you think)
6. Learn Spanish (I actually bought the Rosetta Stone over a year ago.  I didn’t get very far with it)
8. Audition for a play
9. Submit a play to direct
10. Eat less sugar
11. Cook a recipe from the massive collection I have in cookbooks, magazine clippings, or recipe cards each week.  (That’s actually harder than I think it will be.)
12. Update the downstairs bathroom.  (This one is in here mostly for discipline.  I’ve removed most of the wallpaper.  I have to scrape the flaking paint beneath it… and buy the sink and toilet and floor.  It’s a fall project.)
18 and 19.  These are school related… and ones upon which I might not attach specific language.  I am deeply torn about going back to school.  It costs a lot of money.  It also creates a perspective vacuum into which I have little interest to re-enter.  Never mind the fact I can’t decide what graduate course is best for the path I want to pursue.  Something between community development to urban planning to creative economy to diversity building to… well, why not just go do those things and learn (more) from actual experience?  Because, sadly, one needs the validation of expensive initials at the end of her name.  And I would like to have the ability to demand a better salary in the future… but when it costs so much… it’s a stupid game.  But the goal this year is to determine if I want to play.

There are more.  But that’s enough for today… and enough work I’ve already cut out for myself.  At least I can say I’ve accomplished today’s contribution of #2.