Here Goes! 400 B4 40

Ok so after much consideration and preparation (like, too much I know), I've made a decision about what I will do in preparation for or in honor of my upcoming milestone birthday. This is in addition to any road trips or tropical vacations I may or may not be able to make happen.

I think lists are good but I found that there were several categories of things I wanted to do, so I decided to use "40 by 40" as an inspiration or guideline rather than a format. If I end up doing all of the things listed below, it will actually be 400 things. So... NO PRESSURE.

Basically the first thing on my list is to decide for myself what is appropriate and then live that truth.

So technically 401 then. I need to leave before I add more things to this list!!!

Forty Playlists:

I'm going to do a playlist for each year of my life. I'll make these Apple Music Playlists so I can share the link in my blog. I've already started the first playlist (YEAR 1: 1977) and I'll post the link ASAP! This is going to be really fun. I'm using songs that either came out or were hits in each year. Not sure how you are with math but you might notice that 2017 will actually be Year 41 so 1) I'm off the hook for that one but also 2) I'm technically on my firty-first year already.  #gtfo

Forty-ish Films:

One thing that I've always wanted to do is watch all the films on the American Film Institute Top 100. I was in college when they first put the list together and I remember one of my professors lamenting the fact that they had included Birth of a Nation. But where was the outrage about Dances with Wolves!? Just kidding. They revised the list in 2007 and I note they removed both but they also made lots of changes to the list and I wanted to take some time and allow myself to explore that. So this seems like lots of fun. When I originally counted, there were around 40 that I thought I had not seen. I recounted and actually I've seen lots more than 60 but don't remember lots of them well. I'm saying 40 because I am going to try to watch all of them, and if I get through the first 40 by September then I will be pleased. Although I'm actually going for all 100. From the 2007 list. Then I'll revisit the 1998 one.

Forty Defining Experiences:

I'd like to make a list of 40 defining experiences that I've already had that have made me who I am today. This can be achievements or events or failures or milestones or moments of awakening - it's a pretty broad list because I don't want to stress about it too much. Otherwise I'll have to put creating this list on the list and that's just too meta.

Forty Chores:

I'm sure I can get a list of forty chores I need to do around the house. Well I'm not sure, but I think it's pretty likely.

Forty Unbroken Chains:

I didn't get to finish my May Minimalism Challenge because of the rude interference of life (how dare you!) so I'll finish by getting rid of forty things I don't need! I really enjoyed the Minimalism Challenge. This might be something I want to do every birthday. 

Forty Letters:

Although my arthritic hand aches just thinking about it, I would like to write 40 letters to people. I think that's a doable and enjoyable task. I'll write a letter to myself, too, which is something that is always included in those 40 before 40 lists.

Forty Acts of Self-Love:

This is another very broad category, including things like painting my nails into a rainbow, getting a nice haircut, meditating, doing yoga at home, etc. I'd like to do 40 days in a row of meditation and 40 days in a row of yoga at home, which might be pushing it. But I do have 97 days, which is way more than 40...

Forty Job Applications:

Apply for forty jobs! Can I do it?!? Yes! Will all of them be dream jobs? No, probably not.

Forty Photos:

I'd like to select forty photos from over the years - not necessarily one from each year because I lost my senior scrapbook in the move out west which was the worst part of my life so far. So I don't have photos from each year. But I'm pretty sure I can come up with forty photos which might make up for the loss a little. (Not really, but I'm trying here.)

Forty Haiku:

I really like writing haiku so it would be fun if I could manage to write 40 in honor of my birthday. I'll think about that, though. Haiku is not fun (or good) if forced.

Here's my first:

approaching forty

so much has been accomplished

so much left to do

charity :-)