This list is originally from Babble.
This list is the best so far and you can see why from the title: "40 (Realistic) Things to do Before You Turn 40" - thank you Dresden Shumaker. She chose 40 unrealistic goals and realisticized them (hopefully create your own vocabulary is on there, too).
1. Travel to all seven continents
becomes Put my feet in the ocean

Wow, generic list. Way to up the ante from "travel abroad". On the other hand, I've put my feet in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. So, pretty good so far!
2. Pay off all my debt becomes Continue to pay down my credit card every month
Well hmm. We can't really pay off the house in the next 98 days but we have paid off my student loans (HOLY SHIT) and two cars, and we thus far have been able to pay off the credit card each month. The longer I go without a job the harder this last one gets, though.
3. See a gynecologist, dermatologist, and primary care doctor
remains the same
These are good goals for me. I just went to an eye doctor last week and am going to the dentist next week, which I'm very ACK$%(*$)#*$ about because I'm pretty sure I'll need work done. I just hope I don't end up having to get my wisdom teeth out before I'm 40. :-(
4. Have teeth professionally whitened
becomes Have a cleaning at the dentist
See above and I'm definitely not having them professionally whitened - they are way too sensitive. I'll just wait until I get dentures and get them scary white and dye my hair to match.
5. Completely change my look
becomes Get a new haircut and maybe splurge for a fancy salon
Yes! Fancy hairz cut!
6. Swim with the sharks becomes Go to the aquarium
I have no interest in swimming with the sharks (!??!?) or the dolphins but I've been to the aquarium about a million times. I am always up for another trip but not sure this belongs on my list.
7. Try something new
remains the same, and she mentions wanting to try floating
One word: ZIPLINING
8. Have a heart-pumping adventure like skydiving or walking on glass
becomes Get a tattoo

Same word: ZIPLINING
9. Hold a tarantula becomes Go to the zoo
I think I would hold a tarantula. It would scare the shit out of me but in a good way! And again, I've been to the zoo a billion times but am always up for a trip.
10. Get married becomes Go on a date
Collin and I don't go on that many dates, true, but still not sure this belongs on my list.
11. Join the Peace Corps
becomes Volunteer locally
I wanted to join the Peace Corps when I was younger but turns out it's not enough to want to join. They actually want you to have useful skills. I know, weird. Luckily my business analyst skills are actually useful to nonprofits in this area so I've been doing that and loving it.
12. Make something creative with my hands
remains the same
I think I would like to design and embroider something in honor of 40 but I'll have to figure out what...
13. Replace coffee with green tea
becomes Drink tea in the afternoon
I don't know why all these lists want me to stop drinking coffee. But anyway, I don't drink it anymore except on special occasions and YOU CAN'T HAVE IT ALL OK LET ME HAVE MY OCCASIONAL LATTE FOR PETE'S SAKE
14. Run a marathon becomes Get myself a bike and gear (oh, and ride it)
No marathons. Maybe I should put "ride your bike" on my list though. That may be what it takes to get it out of the shed...
15. Go to a performance at the Met
becomes See a band
Ok, a stretch item for my list will be to find and buy tickets to see an opera. Opera season is usually not until late September so it's unlikely I'd be able to see an opera before 40. On the other hand, that does give me a little flexibility so I don't just have to see the first thing playing.
16. See a show on Broadway
becomes See The Lion King on tour when it comes to Philadelphia
I think buying tickets to see an opera would be enough. I've seen lots of musicals and other big production shows.
17. Get a Ph.D. is sidestepped, since she is currently going back to school
DONE
18. Invest in gold or the stock market
becomes Properly set up my son's savings
I would imagine retirement investments count, so this is done, too.
19. Go on a romantic picnic or road-trip
becomes Go on a solo drive — windows down, music playing
Done - although I'd like to go on another road trip with Collin before 40.
20. Drink an expensive bottle of alcohol
becomes Drink a glass of really nice wine
Done.
21. Become a CEO
remains the same
Well that sounds like more of a stretch assignment than I'm prepared for, but I would like to have started moving forward with my non-profit by 40.
22. Eat rare food
becomes Make more exotic food
"Rare food" is kind of a vague weird term and so is "exotic food" but I would like to go out for a nice dinner before 40. Or, you know, a few nice dinners. :-)
23. Be part of a flashmob or group event
becomes Eagerly sing Happy Birthday whenever I hear it begin
I'm going to let doing all that improv count as my middle ground between the two of these.
24. Go geocaching
remains the same
I never really thought about this but it sounds pretty fun actually.
25. Have a nude portrait taken
becomes Have a non-selfie, professional portrait taken
Well since I meant to have a professional portrait taken for my 30th birthday and never did, maybe I should do this for 40.
26. Create a font
remains the same
Haha - no thank you but thank you for all the nice fonts everyone!
27. Read 100 books
becomes Read 50 books
Ever since graduate school I try to be lenient with myself about reading. It really became unfun so now I try to only read when I want to and it helps.
28. Spend all day at a spa becomes Get a massage
Hmm, let's say half-day?!?
29. Have a professional makeup lesson
becomes Learn how to master smokey eyes from YouTube tutorials
No thanks! How about have a mani-pedi?
30. Go to Vegas and play the slots
becomes Buy a scratcher lottery ticket at the grocery store
Done both - won very little but had fun.
31. Buy luxury bedding becomes Buy a new duvet cover
I just recently bought a new quilt and sheets, so hooray! They're not "luxury" but it's kind of a luxury to be able to afford new sheets and a quilt so I'm counting it.
32. Hire a housekeeper
becomes Have a service come the week of my birthday to clean the house
Ooh, that's a good idea. Maybe I can hire them to come when I'm at the spa. Now THAT'S luxury.
33. Bake and eat only your own bread
becomes Learn how to make bread
... becomes one time I made bread in a sourdough class and that was fun.
34. Cook every dish from your favorite cookbook
becomes Cook my grandmother’s recipes
Every dish?! Are you kidding? Last week I organized all my recipes into a couple of 3-ring-binders and I'm counting that. Well done, Charity!
35. Hunt for truffles
becomes Buy some truffle oil and figure out what to do with it
... becomes throw away that truffle oil I bought 5 years ago because I'm clearly not going to use it.
36. Apply to be on a reality TV show
is something she actually already did!
But it's something I'll never do! By choice! But thanks for the idea!
37. Go to a drive-in movie
becomes Set up a backyard movie theater
Seems to be that going to a drive-in movie is easier than setting up a backyard movie theater. Although, do they still have drive-in movies? I just looked. Not very many. Luckily I went to a drive-in movie when I was a kid. That would be another fun thing to do sometime.
38. Attend a major gallery opening
becomes Go to an art museum
I've attended lots of special exhibits, like the Tim Burton exhibit at MoMA, where we had to buy a membership to get in since they were sold out. So I'll count that.
39. Name a star
becomes Stargaze or go to a planetarium
Oh I'd like to go to the Planetarium again! Although I've been a couple of times in the last few years at California Academy of Sciences, so not sure it needs to be included on the list.
40. Take part in an archaeological dig becomes Introduce my son to Indiana Jones movies
Luckily Raiders of the Lost Ark is in the AFI Top 100 so I plan on seeing it before 40 anyway.
****
Ok! I'm ready to make this list. Thanks for your input everyone. :-)
Showing posts with label survey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label survey. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 06, 2017
40 Before 40 (study/quiz 8)
This list is originally from YouQueen and it is probably my favorite. Why? Well obviously because of this sentence, in the introductory paragraph:
1. Go abroad.
This was interesting, mostly because of what it tells me about expectations young women have about turning 40. I remember those days...
While I have not yet surpassed the quarter-century milestone myself, growing further and further away from my carefree teenage years definitely has me thinking about my life’s “bucket list.”Oh goody. So this is a list of 40 things a 24-year-old thinks I should do in the next 98 days in order to feel like I'm on track to living a fulfilled life. Or in order to be considered a Queen, maybe? Or as she says:
The ever-increasing number of birthday candles on the annual sweet symbol of aging should be an inspiration to continue to live our lives to the fullest. Not all to-do lists have to be formidable! These 40 things to do before you’re 40 should serve as a source of inspiration as opposed to a source of stress!See? It has to be good. *I've removed most of the clarification blurbs.
1. Go abroad.
Done!2. Read a classical novel in its entirety. 
Done! (What were you reading in high school and college? Just curious. Not the classicals I guess.)3. Write a thank-you card.
Done. What kind of uncivilized people need to add this to a 40 before 40 list?! Oh right. Millennials.4. Cook a new recipe.
Done. Since I've cooked something from a cookbook at least once in my life....5. Write in a journal.
Done. I have written at least one journal entry in my life.6. Smile at a stranger. For no particular reason.
Done. Since I'm a woman raised in the South and that's what we are taught to do. It's kind of a thing.7. Go 24 hours without technology.
Since I was born in 1977 I have definitely spent at least one 24-hour period in these almost 40 years without technology. More recently I did Outward Bound and putting up my phone for a week was one of the hardest and easiest things I've ever done in my life.8. Laugh until you cry.
It's been a long time but I've definitely done this.9. Sing karaoke.
Done, bought the machine.10. Get your adrenaline pumping.
MUST TO DO ZIPLINING11. Attend a sporting event.
Done.12. Do something in front of a large group of people.
Done.13. Go camping.
Done. And I appreciate you not requiring me to go glamping. Although the idea is starting to grow on me as it keeps showing up on these lists...14. Go vegetarian. Try it for one week. Want to take it to the extreme? Go vegan.
Want to go REALLY extreme? Try it for ten years.15. Finish a race.
Just curious: are we counting races run in high school PE class? Because I learned then that races aren't really my thing.16. Do something alone.
Done. I went to a few concerts alone in graduate school and met really interesting people. I also used to go to the movies alone quite a lot. Wait, did you never eat lunch alone during a workday?17. Volunteer.
Done. Thank you for giving me the freedom to volunteer in ways other than at a soup kitchen. I was starting to think that's the only kind of volunteering that mattered to these list-makers.18. Go to the beach. 
Done. And now I'm going to cry thinking that people haven't seen the ocean. That really breaks my heart.19. Watch a sunset. One of the most astounding natural occurrences. It happens everywhere, every day.
Done. Agreed.20. Watch a sunrise. See above.
Done. See above.21. Go to a concert.
Done.22. Grow your own food.
Done but I'd really like to do more of this!23. Finish high school.
Done and once I got my PhD I stopped having nightmares about having to go back. Thank you PhD. #worthit24. Write a letter to yourself. To be read in 10 years. That will be interesting.
Good idea! That WILL be interesting!25. Think one positive thought every day before you get out of bed.
Wait so since I've not been doing this is it too late? Why didn't someone tell me when I was first born that this was going to be something I was supposed to have done?! I'm a failure. What's the point of life.26. Decide whether or not you want to have kids. Women reaching the ripe young age of 40 should have come to a conclusion by this point as to whether they want to be incorporating diaper changes, timeouts and acne as a part of their lives. And all the love and joy that comes with it.
Ahh the blissful ignorance of a woman in her early twenties thinking that you can just decide to have babies and make it happen. I sincerely hope you don't have to struggle with infertility. And that by the time you are my age you understand that it's not that simple for all of us. And thank you for calling me ripe.27. Play in the snow. Build a snowman, go skiing, jump on a snow tube.
Done because I was a kid once in a place where we got at least 3 cm of snow at one time. Pretty sure that's all that's required.28. Learn a foreign language. The more obscure, the better.
Depends - do I have to be fluent and is Spanish obscure?29. Play the lottery.
Done and one time I won $4 - OH YEAH.30. Go scuba diving or snorkeling. 
Done. I love snorkeling (in shallow water). It's awesome.31. Give yoga a try. Even if you just sit there and breathe through the whole class. You owe it to yourself.
Done. And the first time I did Bikram I basically did just sit there and breathe through the whole class. And I still sweated more than I ever sweated in my life. But I will say that in most yoga classes if you just sit there and breathe you aren't really going to get much out of it.32. Quit a bad habit. Smoking, biting your nails, gossiping, texting while driving. Identify your worst habit and get rid of it.
Done! I actually quit smoking lots of times, so bonus points!33. Vote. If you’ve never casted a ballot, get your butt to the voting booth! You don’t have to vote for the next president, but at least take part in the local elections. Come on already!
Done. And also "casted" has not been used since the 16th century. I lookeded it up.34. Teach. Teach somebody, anybody, something, anything, new. Does that make sense?
Done. Does what make sense?35. Work out.  Exercise those muscles at least once in your life. For your sake, I hope this is already a well-formed habit.
LOL. Waat.36. Create something and sell it.
This is an interesting idea. I've made lots of stuff but always given it away. Curious.37. Replace your coffee with green tea.
I did that for a while but then I switched back to coffee then I switched to pu-erh. Better for my skin than coffee but worse for my teeth than green tea. But so delicious and caffeine-y.38. Bake bread from scratch.
Bread is really fun! I'd love to take another sourdough class. Maybe then we could get another sourdough starter and I wouldn't kill it.39. Watch international news.
Like, once? Done.40. Attend a festival.
Done. I wish I could go to Merlefest some more. That was awesome.***
This was interesting, mostly because of what it tells me about expectations young women have about turning 40. I remember those days...
Friday, June 02, 2017
30 before 40 (study/quiz 6)
This list is originally from supermoney. It's a generic list but with more realistic "suggestions"/orders.
1. Learn a foreign language
I kind of did this already - Spanish and German. I think I basically got to the point where I need to live in Madrid or Berlin (or both!) for a few years to really master them. I mean seriously, how expensive can that be? Oh wait, I only have 104 days. Well maybe by 42.
2. Travel abroad
Done! I've been to Spain (NOT LONG ENOUGH) and England and France and Germany (NOT LONG ENOUGH) and Canada and Mexico. I'd like to go more places but I've got a pretty good start I think! :-)
3. Dye your hair
Done! I was actually proud of myself when I stopped dying my hair! Of course now I'm considering taking it up again - maybe just this once...
4. Take a class in something weird
Let's see, I took silk painting with mom once and that was awesome. I took improv which is weird to some people. I took a sourdough class with collin which was really fun. I took Tai Chi in college which was memorable. I also have a bunch of classes checked/circled in the Durham Arts Council catalog - maybe I should take one of those!
5. Test drive a fabulous car
Once I rented an Infiniti G35 for the weekend (accidental upgrade thank-you-very-much) which was pretty sweet. I like the idea of driving a race car better than test-driving a car I can't afford to buy.
6. Write a letter to yourself or your future children
Again, this is a good idea and I will definitely add this to my list!
7. Become a regular at a Capoeira or Zumba class
Once I was walking down Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki and found myself behind this group of folks in Capoeira abadas and every single one of them had the single greatest ass I've ever seen in my entire life. I would love to be a regular in a Capoeira class but I'm thinking Tai Chi might be more my speed. Literally.
8. Live/work/volunteer on a farm
Oooh! That sounds like something I really wish I would have done before I got too fat and tired. :-) I guess it's still not too late to volunteer every once in awhile. Maybe I'll find a nice tomato farm...
9. Sing/dance/speak/act in front of a large group of people
Done! Improv! I also did theatre in high school and community theatre when I was a kid.
10. Break one bad habit
I thought I had broken my habit of biting my nails but that seems to have reemerged as I've gotten closer to 40...
11. Send someone a handwritten card or letter
Done. So many times. I regret that this has gone out of fashion.
12. Become a mentor to someone
Not sure anyone wants or needs my advice...
13. Take a road trip
Mom and I have taken a few awesome road trips. Key West with Richard and Isaac, San Francisco to Portland, and San Francisco to Asheboro, NC. I think one could always take more road trips, especially with those they love. It's a great experience.
14. Grow a salad for dinner
Bucket List! I just worry that I've gotten too old to learn how to grow vegetables. Is there such a thing?
15. Have a green smoothie
LOL - so many times. I did live in San Francisco for 5 years, y'all.
16. Watch the movie “This is 40”
Ugh. Reluctantly added to Netflix DVD queue.
17. Forgive an old foe
Forgiven I guess, since I can't remember any old foes. Except that one, and you don't mean her, do you? Surely not.
18. Buy something expensive for yourself
Does a PhD count? I mean I had to work for it sure, but it wasn't cheap either.
19. Tell your friends and family you love them
What kind of person gets to 40 without doing this? Or am I supposed to call everyone I love the night before just in case I actually disintegrate or forget who I am?
20. Do something you’re afraid of
This is very general. Everyone has probably done something that scares them, right? Performing improv was scary every time, even the rehearsals, so I guess that counts. I also snorkeled and had a panic attack when I swam over the edge of the shelf. That was scary as shit. Oh, and I got a PhD. Scary. So I guess this one is covered. Although I still think ziplining might be appropriate.
21. Watch a documentary on an issue you don’t understand
Done. But now I understand it. Love documentaries. Wish there was one about turning 40. I did a search and found one that was in French. All the answers, right in front of me but so far away...
22. Do a house sit
Like in the Holiday! Sounds awesome! But no.
23. Learn how to create a fancy dessert at home
I did recently go through all of my recipes and I have a couple that would be very interesting to try. I mean, I am trying to lose weight before 40 but if it's required by my bucket list who am I do deny myself?
24. Clean out the attic and basement
Since both are crawl spaces and inaccessible to normal-sized humans this is unnecessary. thank god.
25. Volunteer at a hospital or retirement home
Does a Senior Center count? Then done.
26. Go skinny dipping (in the moonlight if possible)
Again with the skinny-dipping! Technically done and definitely in the moonlight. Who goes skinny-dipping in the middle of the day? Although it would be a great way to avoid those pesky tan lines.
27. Go camping by yourself
I would like to do this. This is a good activity. This scares me and also is something I've wanted to do for a long time. This might make the list. Although I might actually do it in the back yard.
28. Attend service at a house of worship of a religion you’re not familiar with
Done - I converted to Episcopalianism which required me to start going to an Episcopal church which was really weird and awesome at first. I would also like to try a Quaker meeting. I know that said religion and all of these are Christian but I would feel weird going to a place of worship for "THE EXPERIENCE MAN" - that doesn't seem respectful to me.
29. Watch a silent film
Done! I'll watch a lot more by the time I turn 40, too, since I think I'm going to try to watch the AFI Top 100 by then!
30. Swim in the ocean
Done! I can't imagine life without having floated around in the ocean, being pushed and pulled by the tide and feeling little fish swim in and out and I can't imagine never having seen the little crabs and things finding their hiding places and without having stood and watched the waves come in and go out and feeling my feet sink deeper and deeper into the sand until they are covered and then stepping back out and I'm like 6 inches taller.
I need to go to the beach soon. I miss it.
I especially like the way this article closes:
"This is just a basic list to get you warmed up. Think about your life, your dreams, your goals—what keeps getting pushed back, what do you still really want to do? What’s important? Make time for the things that matter."
Good advice.
Thursday, June 01, 2017
40 before 40 (study/quiz 4)
This list is originally from Land Lopers, a travel blog. It's a little advanced and unrealistic but I'm hoping there are a few ideas. I do like the brevity of the items on the list!
1. Learn yoga.
Done. I would like to set up a daily practice though.
2. Go on an epic solo journey.
Although admirable, I'm not sure that's feasible at this point.
3. Speak at more conferences.
I would love to go to more conferences, but I don't really have a place right now.
4. Learn basic automotive repair – change a tire, etc.
That sounds like a great idea but again, not sure I'll have time before 40.
5. Pick up on my genealogical research to pursue my British roots.
Mom did more of this than I'd be able to do anyway! It's nice to know.
6. Go bungee jumping. (I’ve done bungee swinging.)
Interesting. I think I'll pass on this, but ziplining still sounds wonderful.
7. Learn basic sewing, so I can quickly attach a button.
Done! I'd like to do more embroidery, though. Maybe some applique.
8. Fly in First Class. Not Business or Business/First, but a full-fledged First Class experience.
My first flight was to Hawaii in first class thanks to my best friend's dad's traveling salesman frequent flyer points. I'm telling you, the trip home was rough.
9. Go to the North Pole.
Ok, adorable travel blogger. :-)
10. Learn to play guitar.
I'd rather just get more practice playing the piano!
11. Paddle in a Dragon Boat.
My SF hair stylist's daughter was on a dragon boat team - it's not really my thing but she really liked it and apparently they have fun festivals.
12. Learn how to fold shirts.
I think I fold them well enough - I mean, this isn't something I need to put on any sort of bucket list or anything.
13. Epic road trip across America.
Done! Glad to see that one of the common items is something I've already done.
14. Attend Highland Games in the Scottish Highlands
Well, I went to the Scottish Games in Western NC many years ago, which wasn't Scotland but was pretty darn impressive.
15. Go camping. Not glamping or gamping but old fashioned camping.
Hmm, I had to look up gamping. I did not realize that was a thing. I would like to go camping but since I've been lots of times I'm not sure I need this on my list either.
16. Learn how to better use my camera.
Not sure I need this on my list, especially since camera phones are so good now! You hardly even need to know where to aim anymore.
17. Go paragliding off of Table Mountain. (or hang gliding anywhere)
I'm good. But I would actually like to go parasailing!!!
18. Start teaching blogging classes and/or giving tours.
I would like to spend more time developing my business/nonprofit idea.
19. Volunteer with a local charity.
Currently doing.
20. Take swimming lessons. I can swim, but not really effectively; I just splash around.
Swimming is fun - I'm happy with my current skill level.
21. Attend a major sporting event.
I went to a UNC football game in high school and a Braves game in graduate school and a Giants game in SF so I feel pretty good on my sporting event experiences.
22. Go to Machu Picchu.
This is on my life bucket list but I'm not going to get to this by 40.
23. Drive a racecar.
My mom and brother recently did the Nascar Experience and it sounds pretty awesome. Again, I think this is better suited to my life bucket list. I need to be more realistic about my 40 before 40.
24. Attend an epic festival or event (Mardi Gras, Holi, Running of the Bulls, etc.).
Bucket list or maybe on second thought I'm not a huge crowd person and I went to Pride in SF a few years so I might just let that count. It was pretty epic.
25. Learn a new language.
Well I already kind of know Spanish and a little bit German and a few words in French and since there's no way I'm going to master any of those by 40 I might just let that be enough, too.
26. Dress more fashionably, more put together.
The problem is that right now I don't fit into any of my clothes and I'm not interested in investing or financially able to invest in a new wardrobe. So I do the best with what I have and when I get a real job I'll buy more fashionable clothes to tide me over.
27. Hug a panda.
Ok, WHAT. IS THIS A THING? Oh my gosh it is because I just did a web search and it took me back to the Land Lopers blog and he actually did it he hugged a panda at Dujiangyan near Chengdu in China and I've always wanted to go to China so this will definitely be on my bucket list but I definitely won't make it before 40 but oh my gosh yes this is the thing for me to do.
28. Go skydiving.
Maybe a bucket list thing? Not sure. I have pretty weird feelings about this, if I'm honest, because this guy I was kind of dating many years ago broke up with me because I was too religious and didn't want to go skydiving with me which blew me away because we hadn't talked about skydiving once and I hadn't been to church in years at the time we dated. The whole thing put a sour taste in my mouth for skydiving and now literally every time I see skydiving in movies or on TV or the internet or someone just says the word I remember that, one of the more bizarre break-ups I've had. Not the most bizarre, mind you. But bizarre.
29. Learn how to make macarons in France.
I do not want to go to France again nor do I need to know how to make something else I'm not allowed to eat. Cool idea though!
30. See the Great Migration in Tanzania/Kenya
This is definitely a bucket list item. Someday. Not before 40.
31. Fly in a private plane.
I guess you don't mean a little plane. I mean, I kind of want to do this but it's not really that important to me.
32. Try SCUBA diving.
I tried it in the 5-feet deep pool during our honeymoon and I'm good. I get it. I still start to feel a panic attack coming on when I think about the time I was snorkeling and the shelf dropped off. I'm not interested in ever feeling that again ever.
33. Read 5 books I don’t want to read. (Moby Dick, War and Peace, etc)
Oh my god multiply that by a million and you'll get to the number of books I've read that I didn't want to over the course of my life. (Thank you dearest graduate school!) At this point I'm trying to find time to read the almost incalculable number of books that I DO want to read!
34. Sit on a beach in the South Pacific/French Polynesia.
YESYESYES BUCKET LIST BY 50 PERIOD DOT
35. Swim in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Oh I hope he got to do this because it's dying.
36. Meet Dolly Parton.
This would be fun! I've heard she's super nice.
37. Write a book.
Question: do photo books count?
38. Play Baccarat in Monte Carlo while wearing a tux.
Not unless I can wire my winnings to my Swiss bank account. And I have determined that it's not possible for me to do this. So no thank you.
39. Visit remaining 9 U.S. states I haven’t been to.
Let's see - calculate the number of U.S. states I haven't been to? Go to one? I'm going to Colorado in June and I've never been there! Score!
40. See the Northern Lights.
Sigh - I would so like to do this. This is on my lifetime bucket list. I want to stay in the ice hotel but I'm definitely not doing that before 40 because the ice rooms don't open until November or so.
Ok I feel like I'm getting somewhere. I was a little worried that I would only have "Lose 40 pounds" and "Get a job" on my list and then feel like a total and abject failure if I don't accomplish both. I'm almost ready to make my list! Just a few more studies...
1. Learn yoga.
Done. I would like to set up a daily practice though.
2. Go on an epic solo journey.
Although admirable, I'm not sure that's feasible at this point.
3. Speak at more conferences.
I would love to go to more conferences, but I don't really have a place right now.
4. Learn basic automotive repair – change a tire, etc.
That sounds like a great idea but again, not sure I'll have time before 40.
5. Pick up on my genealogical research to pursue my British roots.
Mom did more of this than I'd be able to do anyway! It's nice to know.
6. Go bungee jumping. (I’ve done bungee swinging.)
Interesting. I think I'll pass on this, but ziplining still sounds wonderful.
7. Learn basic sewing, so I can quickly attach a button.
Done! I'd like to do more embroidery, though. Maybe some applique.
8. Fly in First Class. Not Business or Business/First, but a full-fledged First Class experience.
My first flight was to Hawaii in first class thanks to my best friend's dad's traveling salesman frequent flyer points. I'm telling you, the trip home was rough.
9. Go to the North Pole.
Ok, adorable travel blogger. :-)
10. Learn to play guitar.
I'd rather just get more practice playing the piano!
11. Paddle in a Dragon Boat.
My SF hair stylist's daughter was on a dragon boat team - it's not really my thing but she really liked it and apparently they have fun festivals.
12. Learn how to fold shirts.
I think I fold them well enough - I mean, this isn't something I need to put on any sort of bucket list or anything.
13. Epic road trip across America.
Done! Glad to see that one of the common items is something I've already done.
14. Attend Highland Games in the Scottish Highlands
Well, I went to the Scottish Games in Western NC many years ago, which wasn't Scotland but was pretty darn impressive.
15. Go camping. Not glamping or gamping but old fashioned camping.
Hmm, I had to look up gamping. I did not realize that was a thing. I would like to go camping but since I've been lots of times I'm not sure I need this on my list either.
16. Learn how to better use my camera.
Not sure I need this on my list, especially since camera phones are so good now! You hardly even need to know where to aim anymore.
17. Go paragliding off of Table Mountain. (or hang gliding anywhere)
I'm good. But I would actually like to go parasailing!!!
18. Start teaching blogging classes and/or giving tours.
I would like to spend more time developing my business/nonprofit idea.
19. Volunteer with a local charity.
Currently doing.
20. Take swimming lessons. I can swim, but not really effectively; I just splash around.
Swimming is fun - I'm happy with my current skill level.
21. Attend a major sporting event.
I went to a UNC football game in high school and a Braves game in graduate school and a Giants game in SF so I feel pretty good on my sporting event experiences.
22. Go to Machu Picchu.
This is on my life bucket list but I'm not going to get to this by 40.
23. Drive a racecar.
My mom and brother recently did the Nascar Experience and it sounds pretty awesome. Again, I think this is better suited to my life bucket list. I need to be more realistic about my 40 before 40.
24. Attend an epic festival or event (Mardi Gras, Holi, Running of the Bulls, etc.).
Bucket list or maybe on second thought I'm not a huge crowd person and I went to Pride in SF a few years so I might just let that count. It was pretty epic.
25. Learn a new language.
Well I already kind of know Spanish and a little bit German and a few words in French and since there's no way I'm going to master any of those by 40 I might just let that be enough, too.
26. Dress more fashionably, more put together.
The problem is that right now I don't fit into any of my clothes and I'm not interested in investing or financially able to invest in a new wardrobe. So I do the best with what I have and when I get a real job I'll buy more fashionable clothes to tide me over.
27. Hug a panda.
Ok, WHAT. IS THIS A THING? Oh my gosh it is because I just did a web search and it took me back to the Land Lopers blog and he actually did it he hugged a panda at Dujiangyan near Chengdu in China and I've always wanted to go to China so this will definitely be on my bucket list but I definitely won't make it before 40 but oh my gosh yes this is the thing for me to do.
28. Go skydiving.
Maybe a bucket list thing? Not sure. I have pretty weird feelings about this, if I'm honest, because this guy I was kind of dating many years ago broke up with me because I was too religious and didn't want to go skydiving with me which blew me away because we hadn't talked about skydiving once and I hadn't been to church in years at the time we dated. The whole thing put a sour taste in my mouth for skydiving and now literally every time I see skydiving in movies or on TV or the internet or someone just says the word I remember that, one of the more bizarre break-ups I've had. Not the most bizarre, mind you. But bizarre.
29. Learn how to make macarons in France.
I do not want to go to France again nor do I need to know how to make something else I'm not allowed to eat. Cool idea though!
30. See the Great Migration in Tanzania/Kenya
This is definitely a bucket list item. Someday. Not before 40.
31. Fly in a private plane.
I guess you don't mean a little plane. I mean, I kind of want to do this but it's not really that important to me.
32. Try SCUBA diving.
I tried it in the 5-feet deep pool during our honeymoon and I'm good. I get it. I still start to feel a panic attack coming on when I think about the time I was snorkeling and the shelf dropped off. I'm not interested in ever feeling that again ever.
33. Read 5 books I don’t want to read. (Moby Dick, War and Peace, etc)
Oh my god multiply that by a million and you'll get to the number of books I've read that I didn't want to over the course of my life. (Thank you dearest graduate school!) At this point I'm trying to find time to read the almost incalculable number of books that I DO want to read!
34. Sit on a beach in the South Pacific/French Polynesia.
YESYESYES BUCKET LIST BY 50 PERIOD DOT
35. Swim in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Oh I hope he got to do this because it's dying.
36. Meet Dolly Parton.
This would be fun! I've heard she's super nice.
37. Write a book.
Question: do photo books count?
38. Play Baccarat in Monte Carlo while wearing a tux.
Not unless I can wire my winnings to my Swiss bank account. And I have determined that it's not possible for me to do this. So no thank you.
39. Visit remaining 9 U.S. states I haven’t been to.
Let's see - calculate the number of U.S. states I haven't been to? Go to one? I'm going to Colorado in June and I've never been there! Score!
40. See the Northern Lights.
Sigh - I would so like to do this. This is on my lifetime bucket list. I want to stay in the ice hotel but I'm definitely not doing that before 40 because the ice rooms don't open until November or so.
Ok I feel like I'm getting somewhere. I was a little worried that I would only have "Lose 40 pounds" and "Get a job" on my list and then feel like a total and abject failure if I don't accomplish both. I'm almost ready to make my list! Just a few more studies...
40 before 40 (study/quiz 3)
This list is originally from We Are Out of Ink. It is a personal list, not a suggestion list, so it's a little better but also a little more random. Not including his blurbs but you can see them on his blog post.
1. Rent a fancy sports car and drive along the coast for the day/weekend.
I drove up the Pacific Coast Highway with Mom from San Francisco to Newport Oregon, and it was incredible. I have also driven most of the way from LA up to San Simeon and from San Francisco down to Carmel-by-the-Sea. So that covers most of it. Actually, I would like to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. That's pretty different from the starting point of this guy's item though.
2. Swim with dolphins.
I've read that this is actually really bad for dolphins plus you know dolphins are so smart what if they start thinking "wasn't she going to lose weight or something? wth?" no, too much pressure. I'll just leave them alone to deal with their intelligent thoughts privately.
Seriously though, if you're considering it please read this article or any one of thousands more about it please. Because does this look like a nice job for dolphins to have?
3. Go visit a psychic.
So this is an interesting one but I'm also a little scared. Sort of the same reason I avoid therapy. :-D
4. Watch a movie in the Hollywood cemetery.
OMG I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A THING BUT IT IS CAN I PLEASE GO MOM CAN I I'LL BE REALLY GOOD PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
No but seriously if I lived in LA I would literally go every week. Sorry Saturday night, you're taken from here to eternity. Did you know they have a photo booth, too? So yeah.
5. Sleep under the stars.
I've done this lots of times. I forgot to tell you I went to college in Asheville.
6. Do a 5K Mud run.
I just realized that the people who make lists like this are the same kinds of people who push themselves to accomplish meaningless feats of endurance/strength/insanity - I've noticed that it's a common theme among lists.
7. Serve the homeless at a soup kitchen.
I've made the soup several times but never actually served it. That's interesting to realize.
8. Donate blood.
i forgot to tell you how one time i tried to donate blood in high school and the guy must have been a trainee or a homicidal maniac off the street and he kept stabbing into my arm over and over and over again and finally they just gave me a cookie and told me i could go - i guess i could add it to my list but i'm not sure my veins could take it - when they take blood at the doctor's office it always takes a long time to find a vein and i've heard the needles are even bigger for donating not that i've given it much thought i'm just throwing this out there
9. Camp in the Grand Canyon and/or go white water rafting down the Grand Canyon.
Ooh now this sounds AWESOME!!!
10. Eat the worm in a tequila bottle.
WAIT WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY
11. Pick a hockey team and learn every player on the team.
Is this quiz still in English? What's happening?
12. Paint something.
I have been meaning to paint my office. That's an idea.
Although I'm starting to think maybe I should have started this list a little earlier. Maybe it will turn into a 4 before 40 list...
13. Go skinny dipping in the ocean.
Ok that sounds well and good but then I think about fish and how basically everything poops into the ocean and then I'm like no way. Yeah that's definitely not my cup of pee. Er, tea.
14. Learn how to edit video on Final Cut Pro.
Maybe there are some programs I could learn better than would help. I've been wanting to learn Raiser's Edge, for instance, but having a difficult time. Because no one I know has it so I can't access it.
15. Headstand in the middle of the room and stay for a minute.
This is a really good goal for people to set for themselves. Like, people who don't lose their balance in footstands.
16. Adopt something.
Question: do cats count?
17. See your mom’s house in Nevada.
Ok this one sounded a lot funnier that it was. It was literally his mom's house in Nevada and he literally hadn't seen it, so I'll have to find something else. Although I have also never seen his mom's house in Nevada.
18. Hot air balloon ride or zipline or bungee jump.
I have ridden in a hot air balloon but I haven't ziplined and always wanted to. This is an exciting idea!
19. Sit in “The Show” (the San Diego State student section) for an Aztecs men's basketball game.
What Lucille said. YES EVEN THOUGH YOU EXPLAINED IT.
20. Ride a helicopter somewhere special.
When I was in high school we rode a helicopter around Maui and I saw a circular double rainbow below us in a little valley filled with waterfalls. That was pretty special.
21. Hike to the top of Mt. Baldy.
Maybe I could just say "go on a backpacking trip"?
22. Go to a jazz concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
Probably this won't happen for me. Let's be honest. Although it looks like Herbie Hancock will be playing there on August 23rd which makes this a perfect time to Rockit a little bit.
23. Build my Twitter following to 1,000.
1. Rent a fancy sports car and drive along the coast for the day/weekend.
I drove up the Pacific Coast Highway with Mom from San Francisco to Newport Oregon, and it was incredible. I have also driven most of the way from LA up to San Simeon and from San Francisco down to Carmel-by-the-Sea. So that covers most of it. Actually, I would like to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. That's pretty different from the starting point of this guy's item though.
2. Swim with dolphins.
I've read that this is actually really bad for dolphins plus you know dolphins are so smart what if they start thinking "wasn't she going to lose weight or something? wth?" no, too much pressure. I'll just leave them alone to deal with their intelligent thoughts privately.
Seriously though, if you're considering it please read this article or any one of thousands more about it please. Because does this look like a nice job for dolphins to have?
From The Hill.
3. Go visit a psychic.
So this is an interesting one but I'm also a little scared. Sort of the same reason I avoid therapy. :-D
4. Watch a movie in the Hollywood cemetery.
OMG I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A THING BUT IT IS CAN I PLEASE GO MOM CAN I I'LL BE REALLY GOOD PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
No but seriously if I lived in LA I would literally go every week. Sorry Saturday night, you're taken from here to eternity. Did you know they have a photo booth, too? So yeah.
5. Sleep under the stars.
I've done this lots of times. I forgot to tell you I went to college in Asheville.
6. Do a 5K Mud run.
I just realized that the people who make lists like this are the same kinds of people who push themselves to accomplish meaningless feats of endurance/strength/insanity - I've noticed that it's a common theme among lists.
7. Serve the homeless at a soup kitchen.
I've made the soup several times but never actually served it. That's interesting to realize.
8. Donate blood.
i forgot to tell you how one time i tried to donate blood in high school and the guy must have been a trainee or a homicidal maniac off the street and he kept stabbing into my arm over and over and over again and finally they just gave me a cookie and told me i could go - i guess i could add it to my list but i'm not sure my veins could take it - when they take blood at the doctor's office it always takes a long time to find a vein and i've heard the needles are even bigger for donating not that i've given it much thought i'm just throwing this out there
9. Camp in the Grand Canyon and/or go white water rafting down the Grand Canyon.
Ooh now this sounds AWESOME!!!
10. Eat the worm in a tequila bottle.
WAIT WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY
11. Pick a hockey team and learn every player on the team.
Is this quiz still in English? What's happening?
12. Paint something.
I have been meaning to paint my office. That's an idea.
Although I'm starting to think maybe I should have started this list a little earlier. Maybe it will turn into a 4 before 40 list...
13. Go skinny dipping in the ocean.
Ok that sounds well and good but then I think about fish and how basically everything poops into the ocean and then I'm like no way. Yeah that's definitely not my cup of pee. Er, tea.
14. Learn how to edit video on Final Cut Pro.
Maybe there are some programs I could learn better than would help. I've been wanting to learn Raiser's Edge, for instance, but having a difficult time. Because no one I know has it so I can't access it.
15. Headstand in the middle of the room and stay for a minute.
This is a really good goal for people to set for themselves. Like, people who don't lose their balance in footstands.
16. Adopt something.
Question: do cats count?
17. See your mom’s house in Nevada.
Ok this one sounded a lot funnier that it was. It was literally his mom's house in Nevada and he literally hadn't seen it, so I'll have to find something else. Although I have also never seen his mom's house in Nevada.
18. Hot air balloon ride or zipline or bungee jump.
I have ridden in a hot air balloon but I haven't ziplined and always wanted to. This is an exciting idea!
19. Sit in “The Show” (the San Diego State student section) for an Aztecs men's basketball game.
What Lucille said. YES EVEN THOUGH YOU EXPLAINED IT.
20. Ride a helicopter somewhere special.
When I was in high school we rode a helicopter around Maui and I saw a circular double rainbow below us in a little valley filled with waterfalls. That was pretty special.
21. Hike to the top of Mt. Baldy.
Maybe I could just say "go on a backpacking trip"?
22. Go to a jazz concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
Probably this won't happen for me. Let's be honest. Although it looks like Herbie Hancock will be playing there on August 23rd which makes this a perfect time to Rockit a little bit.
23. Build my Twitter following to 1,000.
I think maybe an increase of 858 followers might be a little too ambitious.
24. Go zorbing.
Hmm. Thinking about it but not really. What the hell is the matter with people?
25. Milk a cow.
No.
26. Write my will.
Hmm. Now this is something I should be doing. And a surprisingly responsible item to be following zorbing and milking a cow...
27. Visit Hearst castle.
28. Solve a Rubik’s cube.
I'd actually like to reach 40 without having a pointless nervous breakdown so I'll stick to easy sudoku.
29. Open a Swiss bank account.
The young gentleman did his research and found out you actually need lots of money to do this and frankly unless I can win millions of dollars at craps or poker or blackjack in Monte Carlo and then say "Just wire the winnings to my Swiss bank account, Jeeves," I'm not really sure it's worth it anyway.
29.1 Be an extra on a TV show or movie for a day.
This was our young gentleman's replacement item which I think might actually be more pie-in-the-sky for me than a Swiss bank account and yes I haven't forgotten that I'm unemployed.
30. Write a blog post that gets 5,000 hits.
I believe my current max is 60 hits. So again, this is not going to happen for me.
31. Walk the red carpet and attend a movie premiere.
I'm starting to think I'm missing out by not living in LA.
32. Attend a Cirque de Soleil show.
Done! Multiple times. Awesome. The best time was when I went with my husband for our anniversary the year he bought me tickets to see Kurios and I bought him tickets to see Capital Cities in Oakland. I got a Christmas tree ornament that we hang up every year and every time I hang it up I drag him down to fawn over it with me because I love him so much.
The worst time was when I went to see it with a guy who was mostly separated from his wife and he called his high school aged daughter in the middle of it to tell her that they picked the same guy from the audience as the night before so it was definitely scripted.
33. Hand out a $100 bill to a homeless person in need.
I can't even remember the last time I had a $100 bill. Probably some graduation or holiday. I could make a donation to an organization for homeless people though.
34. Ride a Segway.
Haha. I hope this isn't something I need to do before I turn 40. Or 100. If I EVER ride a segway it will be through Golden Gate Park and we will ride up to the front of all the things and listen in our headsets as some tour guide tells us what's in each of them but we won't actually go inside any of them because we can't bring Segways.
Actually, I'll probably just take a GoCar.
35. Attend a murder mystery dinner.
I did this in college and it was lots of fun, mostly because we got to dress up. I'd really like to do one of those Escape Rooms though! I only recently heard about them and I mean, it looks INCREDIBLE!!
36. Say the phrase “quick, follow that car” for a justifiable reason.
Too bad I didn't use it last weekend when my mother-in-law was in town with my brother-in-law and Mad and I followed Brandon and Collin to brunch. I'm optimistic that I'll be able to find another time to use it though!
37. Floss every day for 365 days straight.
I can't sleep if I haven't flossed. True story. Although I do suffer from insomnia so those might not be related.
38. No red meat for 365 days.
Not really necessary. I'm mostly vegetarian and was full-on vegetarian for more than a decade so I'm ready to let the red meat thing go. I have it like three times a year.
39. Obtain a copy of “The Sleepy Floyd Game” and it has to be the one with Greg Papa doing the play-by-play.
What Lucille said.
40. Pick something else to add to this list in the next 364 days.
I think I'm going to have to add more than one to bring it up to 40. This gives me a good head start, though!
24. Go zorbing.
Hmm. Thinking about it but not really. What the hell is the matter with people?
25. Milk a cow.
No.
26. Write my will.
Hmm. Now this is something I should be doing. And a surprisingly responsible item to be following zorbing and milking a cow...
27. Visit Hearst castle.
It was so worth the trip! Although they screened Citizen Kane there once and I really wanted to go (it was a few months before we visited in 2015). The only problem was that we went to the Castle for my birthday which is in September and the screening was in March. Oh and the tickets were $1000 each. Yes, three zeroes. Each.
28. Solve a Rubik’s cube.
I'd actually like to reach 40 without having a pointless nervous breakdown so I'll stick to easy sudoku.
29. Open a Swiss bank account.
The young gentleman did his research and found out you actually need lots of money to do this and frankly unless I can win millions of dollars at craps or poker or blackjack in Monte Carlo and then say "Just wire the winnings to my Swiss bank account, Jeeves," I'm not really sure it's worth it anyway.
29.1 Be an extra on a TV show or movie for a day.
This was our young gentleman's replacement item which I think might actually be more pie-in-the-sky for me than a Swiss bank account and yes I haven't forgotten that I'm unemployed.
30. Write a blog post that gets 5,000 hits.
I believe my current max is 60 hits. So again, this is not going to happen for me.
31. Walk the red carpet and attend a movie premiere.
I'm starting to think I'm missing out by not living in LA.
32. Attend a Cirque de Soleil show.
Done! Multiple times. Awesome. The best time was when I went with my husband for our anniversary the year he bought me tickets to see Kurios and I bought him tickets to see Capital Cities in Oakland. I got a Christmas tree ornament that we hang up every year and every time I hang it up I drag him down to fawn over it with me because I love him so much.
The worst time was when I went to see it with a guy who was mostly separated from his wife and he called his high school aged daughter in the middle of it to tell her that they picked the same guy from the audience as the night before so it was definitely scripted.
33. Hand out a $100 bill to a homeless person in need.
I can't even remember the last time I had a $100 bill. Probably some graduation or holiday. I could make a donation to an organization for homeless people though.
34. Ride a Segway.
Haha. I hope this isn't something I need to do before I turn 40. Or 100. If I EVER ride a segway it will be through Golden Gate Park and we will ride up to the front of all the things and listen in our headsets as some tour guide tells us what's in each of them but we won't actually go inside any of them because we can't bring Segways.
Actually, I'll probably just take a GoCar.
35. Attend a murder mystery dinner.
I did this in college and it was lots of fun, mostly because we got to dress up. I'd really like to do one of those Escape Rooms though! I only recently heard about them and I mean, it looks INCREDIBLE!!
36. Say the phrase “quick, follow that car” for a justifiable reason.
Too bad I didn't use it last weekend when my mother-in-law was in town with my brother-in-law and Mad and I followed Brandon and Collin to brunch. I'm optimistic that I'll be able to find another time to use it though!
37. Floss every day for 365 days straight.
I can't sleep if I haven't flossed. True story. Although I do suffer from insomnia so those might not be related.
38. No red meat for 365 days.
Not really necessary. I'm mostly vegetarian and was full-on vegetarian for more than a decade so I'm ready to let the red meat thing go. I have it like three times a year.
39. Obtain a copy of “The Sleepy Floyd Game” and it has to be the one with Greg Papa doing the play-by-play.
What Lucille said.
40. Pick something else to add to this list in the next 364 days.
I think I'm going to have to add more than one to bring it up to 40. This gives me a good head start, though!
20 before 40 (study/quiz 2)
This list is originally from Relevant. I wasn't going to include the blurbs they posted but on second thought they seem relevant. LOL I'M SO CLEVER MUST BE COZ I'M ALMOST 40
1. Read the Entire Bible Cover-to-Cover
"Reading the Bible from front to back may sound like a daunting task, but with read the Bible in year resources like the YouVersion app, it’s a manageable goal. Even though you may have already read most of scripture throughout the course of your life, reading it as a linear narrative, one book at a time, gives you a new perspective on the story of the Gospel."
No way in hell. LOL.
2. See Your Favorite Band Live at Least Once
"One day, you’ll want to tell your kids, friends or family about that time you drove all night to see U2 play a stadium in Chicago, found tickets to a sold-out Sufjan Stevens show at a small venue in your hometown or saw Sigur Ros under the stars at an amphitheater. Concert tickets can be expensive, but it's worth it to see a great band live."
The only band I wish I could see that I haven't yet (except for the Dead who are no longer touring RIP Jerry) is Calexico. So I could do that. Although I feel like maybe I already have too many stories about seeing my favorite bands live and nobody really wants to hear any more of them anyway.
Oh by the way did I tell you how I've seen Sufjan Stevens three times and once in a club so small I was like 10 feet away from him and he just had a poster and a guitar and he was so amazing that I fell in love with him and when I left it was like we broke up?
Oh or the time I saw Ani Difranco in a tiny club on Valentine's Day and she passed out the Valentine's Day streusel her partner sent her in the mail?
Or how when I saw Neko Case and she sang a cover of a Magnetic Fields song I literally wanted to die I was so happy?
Should I tell you more stories?
Also I don't have kids so thanks for also rubbing that in.
3. Run a Marathon (or Some Kind of Endurance Race)
"No matter what your current fitness level is, there are lots of options for you to take part in an endurance race. Whether it’s a 5K, Tough Mudder or a full-length marathon, choose a distance you’ll actually have to train for a few months to complete. Part of the joy of the accomplishment is looking back at all of the hard work you put in."
DO YOU KNOW ME AT ALL QUIZ
4. Watch Every Film on the AFI Top 100
"Back in 1998, the American Film Institute polled 1,500 leaders in the film community and asked them to help assemble the top 100 American movies ever made. The list (which was updated in 2007) contains some movies that you’ve probably already seen (like Rocky, Forest Gump, Star Wars and Jaws) but its the deeper cuts (like Rear Window, Stagecoach, Duck Soupand All Quiet on the Western Front) showcasing the evolution of filmmaking and American pop culture, that make the task of watching each film such a rich experience."
This has been a dream of mine but I'm not sure I'll be able to see all of them. I will post a follow-up discussing the feasibility of such a mini-adventure.
Also, REAR WINDOW IS NOT A DEEP CUT WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU ANYWAY
5. Pick a Country and Go Visit
"Before you turn 40, pick at least one country that you’ve always wanted to visit, and make it happen. Create a plan to save a little money and store up some vacation time to go to the one place you’ve always wanted to see."
I want to go to Fiji but the problem is that I don't so much have a job right now so taking a whirlwind trip across the world and staying in a little hut over the water may be slightly out of our price range right now. But thanks for the bizarrely general and price-insensitive suggestion quiz.
Just kidding. No sour grapes here. In fact, why don't I just buy Fiji? How much could it cost, anyway? 10 million jillion dollars? It's way out in the middle of nowhere, right? I'm sure I'll get enough money before I turn 40. It's all about making it happen in the end. I'm envisioning success and 1 million billion dollars in my pocket. Let's make a deal, Fiji. [eye roll]
6. Speak a Second Language
"If you are picking a country to go visit, why not try to also learn the language spoken there?"
Obvs.
7. Write Letters to the Five People Who Have Most Impacted Your Life
"Don’t make the mistake of not telling the important people in your life how much they’ve impacted you. Even if the letters are short, sometime before you turn 40, think of the five people who have helped shape you as an adult, and let them know what they’ve meant to you."
This is pretty good but since I have four parents and one spouse and five siblings how would I choose? This is dumb. I'm unhappy.
8. Watch Every Season of a Few Great TV Shows
"We are living in a golden age of television, in which critically acclaimed shows are the new Great American Novels. Pick out a few of the shows that will be remembered for making serialized TV important again, and watch them in their entirety. Marathon through a series like Arrested Development, The Walking Dead, The Wire or Breaking Bad, and see how the medium of television was reinvented in your generation."
Ok, well since I've seen all of the seasons of all of the shows you've listed I'm counting this one as done. Also, since you didn't mention Battlestar Galactica or Firefly (IN ONE SHORT SEASON THAT SHOW WAS BETTER THAN ALL THE REST OF TV COMBINED), you're dead to me.
Oh, but there is one season of Bob's Burgers I haven't seen yet. And since Fox is a jerk who pulled it off Netflix I'm going to have to buy it on iTunes I guess unless I just don't add this to my list I mean it's good but it's the principle of the thing, you know, and no before you ask I'm not subscribing to hulu just to get one season of Bob's Burgers PLEASE.
9. Give Away Something Really Expensive
"Before you turn 40, you should know the feeling of giving something away that costs a lot of money. Maybe you pool money with a couple of friends to buy a car for a single mom in need. Maybe it’s plane tickets for friend to go on a mission trip. Maybe it’s a bunch of really nice Christmas presents for kids who wouldn’t get any otherwise. At some point in your twenties or thirties, make it your personal goal to save enough money to give someone else something amazing."
You know we ended up giving our landlord in San Francisco almost $100K over the course of 2.5 years so I'm counting that. Also, we lived in San Francisco 5 years and if you notice, that was just the amount we gave to ONE of them. If you don't like it, eat a dick. I'm getting annoyed with this quiz.
10. Make Amends With Any 'Enemies'
"Once you hit your late twenties, you are officially too old to still harbor bitterness toward anyone else. Before you hit 40, make an effort to make amends with anyone in your life that you have any ill feeling toward. As Christians, there’s no excuse to carry unforgiveness—especially through adulthood."
Oh, ok. I see now. This is a Christian List. Technically I'm Christian but I'm starting to think this quiz does not accurately reflect my faith.
Also, what's this about late twenties? I'm 39, assshit.
Maybe I need to make peace with the author of this quiz because he's definitely my new "enemy."
11. Apply for Your Dream Job
"Don’t look back later in life with regret, wondering what could have been. Even if you don’t think you’re qualified for the job you’ve always dreamed of, at some point in your twenties or thirties, apply for the job you've always wanted. It may not lead to any dramatic career choice, but unless you give it a shot, you will never know."
Done. I didn't get it. Next.
12. Take the Stage. Alone
"Preach a sermon. Try stand-up comedy. Deliver a TED-like lecture. Find an opportunity to be alone on a stage in front of a crowd with nothing to move them but a microphone and your own thoughts. Public speaking can be terrifying—but it can also be exhilarating ."
I have wanted to take stand-up comedy classes but I settled on improv, which I did for 2.5 years. IS THAT NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU, QUIZ?!?!? Besides, I've given tons of presentations and taught 8 college classes on my own WHEN WILL YOUR DEMANDS ON MY SOUL END
13. Go on a Road Trip of at Least a Thousand Miles
"There’s something philosophical that happens when you’re on the road for more than 15 hours, exploring America through highways and interstates. Just consult the work of Jack Kerouac and you’ll see that the journey isn’t about the destination—it’s about the road trip."
I just drove across the country with my mom when we moved from SF to NC. Thank you for your insight into what happens when I'm on the road for more than 15 hours. Who is this Jack Kerouac. He must be one of the deeper cuts of the beat generation.
Trying. So. Hard. To. Remain. Calm.
Although that reminds me of Carlos Castaneda. Maybe I should add eating peyote to this list.
Actually, I should probably have eaten peyote before reading this list.
14. Write a Short Story
"Everyone has a good story in them. Take the time to craft at least one good short story at some point in your twenties or thirties. You don’t ever have to publish it or even share it with anyone else, but it’s an exercise of self-analysis that everyone should go through at least once."
I have written lots of short stories but most of them got lost when my motherboard became an hero. Thanks for the mammories. Although maybe I should write another one. It can be about this fucking quiz and how it made me go all the way to San Francisco to cannonball off the Golden Gate Bridge.
15. Go On a Mission/Humanitarian Aid Trip
"Sure, sometimes “short-term mission trips” have been criticized for offering short-term solutions to long-term needs, but if you find the right destination and the right cause, it can be a life-changing experience. But remember, the point of a trip isn’t to teach others about what you know—it’s also about allowing them to teach you from what they have been through."
I'll bet I could learn a lot from the Others who live in Fiji. And also, I get it with the scare-quotes around short-term mission trip. I'll plan on staying at least a year and a half. Is that not-short-term enough?
16. Learn to Play an Instrument
"Grab that old guitar sitting in the attic, pick up a harmonic or go ahead and purchase that drum set you’ve always wanted. Who knows? Maybe you even a have a hidden talent that’s just waiting to be discovered."
Great. Done. Although there are no old guitars sitting in our attic fwiw and also I'm pretty sure drum sets don't make great impulse buys. I'll be sure and ask my husband, after I "go ahead and purchase" one of course. I wouldn't want to miss out on discovering I have a hidden talent.
And WHAT THE FUCK IS A HARMONIC. Seriously. I'm losing it.
17. Find a Mentor and a Mentee
"You’re never too old to learn from someone older than you—and to teach someone younger."
One question: do cats count?
18. Memorize the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostle’s Creed, the Great Commission and the Beatitudes
"By memorizing these relatively short items, you’ll be able to recite four key principles of Christian faith—how to pray (the Lord’s Prayer), your calling (the Great Commission), the teachings of the Gospel (the Apostle’s Creed) and how to live (the Beatitudes)."
I need to meditate.
19. Face Your Fear
"Whether it’s public speaking, an aversion to water, the fear of rejection or a dislike of flying, you don’t have to totally conquer your fears in your twenties or thirties, but you should face them. Sign up for swimming lessons, go to Toast Masters or even seek counseling. Taking steps to control your fear as an adult will make sure it doesn’t have to control you."
[deeeeeeeeeeep breath]
my fear... SIR... is that someone will expect me to have done all these gd things before i turn 40 in 105 days.
20. Sponsor a Child
"There are a ton of organizations (World Vision, Compassion International, ChildFund International), that will let you sponsor a child in need for less than your cell phone bill. Sometime between before your 40th birthday, commit to a year—the letters you’ll receive alone make the whole experience worth it. "
Sometime between before my 40th birthday I will definitely consider this.
Thank you for dramatically saving this one until the end.
This list blows.
40 before 40 (study/quiz 1)
So I guess I'll do one of these 40 before 40 things because why not. I always like to do an adventure on my birthday, and I haven't done quizzes in a while, so creating the list will allow me to take a lot of these as quizzes plus then I'll have a good list of mini-adventures to do before 40.
Not that anyone's counting, but I have 105 days, so I should have time to get a list and then complete all the tasks. WHAT AM I, BUSY OR SOMETHING? Why not add more stress?
I mean - fun!
This list is originally from PureWow.
1. Fall in love.
Done and done and done and done and done...
2. Get her heart broken.
Done and done and done and done and done...
3. Find a gyno that doesn’t make her feel like a seventh-grader in sex ed.
Done - but I haven't found one yet in Durham, so I do need to do that. Not that it's an adventure I think worthy of adding to this list. Although it would be a very responsible addition.
4. Take a solo vacation.
I stayed at our timeshare for an extra week by myself once and that was really nice. Lots of reading and listening to the waves. It's really nice to set your own schedule when on vacation.
5. Skinny-dip.
Done, but not since college.
6. Try a short haircut (it’s OK if “short” means shoulder-length).
Done. And thanks for clarifying that "it's OK" if I don't go all the way. [eye roll] In fact, I don't think I could get it much shorter than it was at my wedding. I mean technically she called it a "long pixie" so I guess there's always the option of a "short pixie." Either way, it was awesome and I often consider getting it cut really short again. Then I remember how long it took to grow out and I reconsider.
7. Cook Thanksgiving dinner.
Done. Except, hmm. I would have appreciated an "it's OK if you're mostly vegetarian and the thought of massaging oil and spices into a dead featherless bird that looks eerily like a human baby totally grosses you out. Feel free to let someone else do that part or skip cooking a turkey - that still counts as Thanksgiving dinner."
8. Perform karaoke.
Done and bought the machine. Well, received it as a gift from my parents who are the best.
9. Read Jane Austen.
Done several times over. Actually lost my virginity after watching Sense and Sensibility (1995 film). Don't think about that too hard.
10. Own a dress she feels stunning in.
The problem with this is that lots of people who struggle with self-esteem never actually feel "stunning" so can we change that to a different word? Maybe "sexy"? Or "like she's not embarrassing herself too terribly"? I really like my red dress and before I gained a bunch of weight I felt that it looked really good on me. I bought it for myself for my 36th birthday at the Bettie Page store in San Francisco, too, so additional points for that.
11. Own a handbag she’s proud to bring to a job interview.
Sure I like bringing my wooden purse around. It gets lots of complements (takes attention off terrible-fitting dresses). Mom bought it for me in the Dominican Republic.
12. Own a toiletries bag that’s more than a Ziploc sack streaked with sunscreen.
LOL THIS LIST IS FOR WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE NOT TEENAGE BOYS RIGHT?!
Done since high school. Please.
13. Understand her color palette.
In the late eighties I got my color palette done and they said I should wear 1) gold jewelry and 2) turquoise and pink makeup and clothes. I decided color palettes were not for me at that time, which I feel was a very grown-up decision. Now I know 1) I wear mostly silver jewelry, 2) I look good in green, 3) I wear lots of navy and indigo because they are my favorites, and 4) I wear lots of black because it matches so many things and is forgiving of a few extra pounds. So I guess yes, I understand my color palette.
14. Have a stance on organized religion.
Done.
15. Have an orgasm.
Done.
16. Operate a power drill.
Done.
17. Ride a roller-coaster.
Done but THERE ARE NEVER ENOUGH ROLLER COASTERS.
18. Ride a motorcycle (yes, on the back, going six miles an hour counts).
No, thank you.
19. Sleep outside, in a tent.
Done. You should actually clarify "under a tarp" because that's a totally different experience. Or "under the stars" because wow.
20. Make a presentation in front of 20 people or more.
Done.
21. Tell off a stranger.
Working in the service industry for so many years, I've been told off by enough strangers to know that this is an extremely shitty thing to do and makes you look like a raging asshole and an idiot and people remember it and it can make them feel bad even years later. Also, you never know when someone's cat just died. I don't do this and you shouldn't either. Shame on you, quiz. [Wait does that count as telling off a stranger?]
22. Apologize to a stranger.
I'm sorry, quiz.
23. Accidentally send an email to the wrong person and then realize that life goes on.
Done. Like I did the SHIT out of this one.
24. Learn how to knit.
Uh, done? Kind-of?
25. Forget how to knit.
Ok, then yes.
26. Decide she’s comfortable with her crafting skills, whatever they may be.
Definitely.
27. Host a dinner party.
Done! I love it! I want to do it again and I think about it all the time but Collin doesn't really like my cooking so it's a little awkward...
28. Know how to order a bottle of wine.
Indeed. It's all about pseudo-confidence baby.
29. Do something big and selfless for the planet or the people living on it.
Hmm, I guess working for nonprofits doesn't really count? I'll have to think about this one.
30. Vote for a winning president.
OBAMA COME BACK PLEASE!!
31. Play the lottery.
Done! I've even won the lottery, although not much. :-)
32. Negotiate a raise.
Done. So tough. I'm still really proud.
33. Start a 401(k).
Well, 403(b).
34. Tell her mother/grandmother/favorite lady mentor just how influential she’s been.
Done lots of times.
35. Help a friend through a difficult time.
Done.
36. Accept a friend’s help during a difficult time.
Done. It's easy to accept but hard to ask for.
37. Figure out how to make a house a home.
Done - plants and books and cats and framed diplomas.
38. Grow something green.
Done!
39. Salvage something broken.
Well - lots of my furniture used to come from weird places and much of it was broken or worked in special ways so yes. I also glue stuff together a lot so yes. This one is a definite.
40. Dance like no one’s watching (bonus points if it’s the moonwalk).
At least once a week, but not the moonwalk.
Not that anyone's counting, but I have 105 days, so I should have time to get a list and then complete all the tasks. WHAT AM I, BUSY OR SOMETHING? Why not add more stress?
I mean - fun!
This list is originally from PureWow.
1. Fall in love.
Done and done and done and done and done...
2. Get her heart broken.
Done and done and done and done and done...
3. Find a gyno that doesn’t make her feel like a seventh-grader in sex ed.
Done - but I haven't found one yet in Durham, so I do need to do that. Not that it's an adventure I think worthy of adding to this list. Although it would be a very responsible addition.
4. Take a solo vacation.
I stayed at our timeshare for an extra week by myself once and that was really nice. Lots of reading and listening to the waves. It's really nice to set your own schedule when on vacation.
5. Skinny-dip.
Done, but not since college.
6. Try a short haircut (it’s OK if “short” means shoulder-length).
Done. And thanks for clarifying that "it's OK" if I don't go all the way. [eye roll] In fact, I don't think I could get it much shorter than it was at my wedding. I mean technically she called it a "long pixie" so I guess there's always the option of a "short pixie." Either way, it was awesome and I often consider getting it cut really short again. Then I remember how long it took to grow out and I reconsider.
7. Cook Thanksgiving dinner.
Done. Except, hmm. I would have appreciated an "it's OK if you're mostly vegetarian and the thought of massaging oil and spices into a dead featherless bird that looks eerily like a human baby totally grosses you out. Feel free to let someone else do that part or skip cooking a turkey - that still counts as Thanksgiving dinner."
8. Perform karaoke.
Done and bought the machine. Well, received it as a gift from my parents who are the best.
9. Read Jane Austen.
Done several times over. Actually lost my virginity after watching Sense and Sensibility (1995 film). Don't think about that too hard.
10. Own a dress she feels stunning in.
The problem with this is that lots of people who struggle with self-esteem never actually feel "stunning" so can we change that to a different word? Maybe "sexy"? Or "like she's not embarrassing herself too terribly"? I really like my red dress and before I gained a bunch of weight I felt that it looked really good on me. I bought it for myself for my 36th birthday at the Bettie Page store in San Francisco, too, so additional points for that.
11. Own a handbag she’s proud to bring to a job interview.
Sure I like bringing my wooden purse around. It gets lots of complements (takes attention off terrible-fitting dresses). Mom bought it for me in the Dominican Republic.
12. Own a toiletries bag that’s more than a Ziploc sack streaked with sunscreen.
LOL THIS LIST IS FOR WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE NOT TEENAGE BOYS RIGHT?!
Done since high school. Please.
13. Understand her color palette.
In the late eighties I got my color palette done and they said I should wear 1) gold jewelry and 2) turquoise and pink makeup and clothes. I decided color palettes were not for me at that time, which I feel was a very grown-up decision. Now I know 1) I wear mostly silver jewelry, 2) I look good in green, 3) I wear lots of navy and indigo because they are my favorites, and 4) I wear lots of black because it matches so many things and is forgiving of a few extra pounds. So I guess yes, I understand my color palette.
14. Have a stance on organized religion.
Done.
15. Have an orgasm.
Done.
16. Operate a power drill.
Done.
17. Ride a roller-coaster.
Done but THERE ARE NEVER ENOUGH ROLLER COASTERS.
18. Ride a motorcycle (yes, on the back, going six miles an hour counts).
No, thank you.
19. Sleep outside, in a tent.
Done. You should actually clarify "under a tarp" because that's a totally different experience. Or "under the stars" because wow.
20. Make a presentation in front of 20 people or more.
Done.
21. Tell off a stranger.
Working in the service industry for so many years, I've been told off by enough strangers to know that this is an extremely shitty thing to do and makes you look like a raging asshole and an idiot and people remember it and it can make them feel bad even years later. Also, you never know when someone's cat just died. I don't do this and you shouldn't either. Shame on you, quiz. [Wait does that count as telling off a stranger?]
22. Apologize to a stranger.
I'm sorry, quiz.
23. Accidentally send an email to the wrong person and then realize that life goes on.
Done. Like I did the SHIT out of this one.
24. Learn how to knit.
Uh, done? Kind-of?
25. Forget how to knit.
Ok, then yes.
26. Decide she’s comfortable with her crafting skills, whatever they may be.
Definitely.
27. Host a dinner party.
Done! I love it! I want to do it again and I think about it all the time but Collin doesn't really like my cooking so it's a little awkward...
28. Know how to order a bottle of wine.
Indeed. It's all about pseudo-confidence baby.
29. Do something big and selfless for the planet or the people living on it.
Hmm, I guess working for nonprofits doesn't really count? I'll have to think about this one.
30. Vote for a winning president.
OBAMA COME BACK PLEASE!!
31. Play the lottery.
Done! I've even won the lottery, although not much. :-)
32. Negotiate a raise.
Done. So tough. I'm still really proud.
33. Start a 401(k).
Well, 403(b).
34. Tell her mother/grandmother/favorite lady mentor just how influential she’s been.
Done lots of times.
35. Help a friend through a difficult time.
Done.
36. Accept a friend’s help during a difficult time.
Done. It's easy to accept but hard to ask for.
37. Figure out how to make a house a home.
Done - plants and books and cats and framed diplomas.
38. Grow something green.
Done!
39. Salvage something broken.
Well - lots of my furniture used to come from weird places and much of it was broken or worked in special ways so yes. I also glue stuff together a lot so yes. This one is a definite.
40. Dance like no one’s watching (bonus points if it’s the moonwalk).
At least once a week, but not the moonwalk.
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