The year leading up to Double Nickels and slightly beyond

I can’t believe it, next year I turn 55. Where has the time gone? Just yesterday I moved to Colorado….Really 19 years ago, but it seems like JUST YESTERDAY. JUST yesterday I was a 10 year old kid moving to Dallas with my family. Time is flying by. Sometimes I’m bothered by it, other times I just embrace it and look forward to the new chapter.

“Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.”

David Bowie

Regardless of how old I am, my life list never stops growing. I think that’s a good thing – always seeking adventure, knowledge…enriching life experiences. Nearly every year, I make a list of 50 to 100 things I want to accomplish/experience over the coming 12 months. I’m a doer, a list maker and slightly Type A, I can’t help it!

When flying to Houston for work this past Monday, I pulled out my notebook and got to writing everything I want to do starting on 12/1, ending a few months past my 55th birthday. It feels weird to write that number down and think it is actually going to be my age VERY soon!

Usually I wait until the new year, but was motivated so why not start the process now?

Truth be told, in the past, I have never gone back to see what I ACTUALLY accomplished….this post will be my tracking mechanism for the next 12 months. I want to see how good I am about reaching my goals. Or am I just full of hot air?

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”

Zig Ziglar

Here goes…hoping someone out there will be inspired to create their own list and get after it!! Looks like the next 12 months are going to be a tad bit busy – I wouldn’t have it any other way.

One thing I have to say, we just bought a comfy sofa, so enjoying the sofa WILL be competing with my list of things to do!

These are in no particular order BTW – just a steady stream of consciousness.

1. Ditch the Colorado winter and spend a week in Mexico (Tulum, here we come) – Goal Achieved!
2. Watch 5 Documentaries on Netflix (I’d add more, but I don’t watch that much TV) – Goal Achieved!
   1. Minimalism
   2. McMillions (HBO)
   3. Love on the Spectrum
   4. The Tiger King (sadly)
   5. My Octopus Teacher
3. Read 10 new books, fiction or non fiction (my Kindle is LOADED with un-read books.)
   1. Then she was gone
   2. The Dutch House
4. Visit 4 new countries – Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Turkey (trip is booked for next August. I can hardly wait.) ALL TRIPS CANCELLED because of Covid
5. Run at least 1 half marathon (maybe two) – done – New York Big Apple Half
6. Sign up for either an organized bike ride or duathlon with Sean – Cancelled thanks to the Vid
7. Randomly pay for someone’s dinner at a restaurant – Still Waiting on the right people 🙂
8. Go fly-fishing with Sean (he loves it) – Goal Achieved!
9. Join a women’s bike club and actually ride with them! (I blew it this year) – Cancelled thanks to Covid
10. Get involved with a charity close to home (can’t stand I have not given time to something relevant) – Cancelled thanks to Covid
11. Take a cooking class with Sean (maybe I can actually learn to cook something for him) – Cancelled thanks to Covid
12. Write 30 blog posts outside of photography (I would like to become a better writer) – Goal Achieved!
13. Try 10 new restaurants in Denver/Boulder area (I say only 10, because this actually takes effort to get somewhat dressed up) – Goal Achieved!
    1. Chimera
    2. The Preservatory
    3. The Plimoth
    4. Oak on 14th
    5. Rosetta Hall
    6. The Narrative
    7. Moe’s Barbeque
    8. Zoe Ma Ma
    9. Barcelona
    10. Black Cat Farm
14. 2 backpacking trips (could be anywhere)
    1. Holy Cross Wilderness
15. Rent a houseboat on Lake Powell – Goal Achieved!
16. Try 5, new breweries in Denver/Boulder area (we’ve tried almost all of them already 😬)
    1. Cellar West
    2. Image Brewing
17. Try 10 new hikes in Colorado
    1. Old Monarch Pass
    2. Mount Carbon Loop
    3. Flagstaff
    4. Gregory Canyon
    5. Rim Trail
    6. Lower Loop
    7. Mustang Trail
    8. Methodist Mountain
18. SUP on 3 new lakes in Colorado – blew this one!
19. Spend a week in New York City (my lifelong fantasy is to live there for a little bit) (DONE)
20. Visit in-laws in their hometowns (our turn to see them in their element) – Cancelled thanks to Covid
21. Spend time with my sister – Cancelled thanks to Covid
22. Volunteer at the CRUSH art walls event in Denver – Crushwalls went on, but Covid kept me from volunteering
23. Meet a new blogger friend in person (I’ve met two already 💕) – DONE – Lori from xxx and Jules from GoJulesGo
24. Golf (and lose a bunch of balls) on 3 new courses
    1. Pinehurst County Club
    2. Haystack Mountain
25. Complete 50 Peloton bike rides or runs (I need fitness goals!) – DONE – Thanks to Covid
26. Hike 10 9 trails in Rocky Mountain National Park – Cancelled – Thanks to Covid
    1. Bierstadt Lake to Bear Lake
27. Give away some photography – just couldn’t get there this year!
28. Make thank you cards with my own images (DONE) and actually send a few out! DONE
29. Take a wildlife photography class (in prep for #4) – Cancelled – thanks to Covid
30. Travel to another city for a concert (Billy Joel, here I come!) (DONE)
    1. Billy Joel, NY, NY
31. See 3 new bands in concert – Cancelled – thanks to Covid
32. Climb a 14er I haven’t done before – just could not get there this year!
33. Winter snowshoe Yurt trip (booked already!) – Goal Achieved!
34. Cross country ski at least twice (Its been years, just got new skis)
35. See 5 artsy fartsy movies with English subtitles
    1. 63 Up
    2. Parasite
36. Read the NY Times on Sundays – at least 25% of the time – Goal Achieved!
37. Fat bike at least twice this winter – Goal Achieved!
38. Spend the night in the Grand Canyon
39. Babysit for a friend – dog or kiddo
40. Stay-cation in Denver – DONE – The Crawford Hotel
41. Join a women’s hiking group
42. Keep my teeth cleanings 2 times a year – (you have no idea how much I hate the dentist!)
43. Finalize the retirement plan (desperate for an end-date) – Goal Achieved!
44. Visit the Shambala spiritual center outside of Fort Collins (would like to learn to meditate)
45. Refresh my will
46. Visit 5 museums (of any kind)
    1. 911 Memorial Museum
    2. Denver Art Museum – Monet exhibit
    3. Denver Art Museum – Frida Kahlo
47. Visit a friend who recently moved to Minnesota – Cancelled due to Covid
48. Attend a TED talk – Cancelled due to Covid
49. Farm to table dinner – Cancelled due to Covid
50. VOTE FOR A NEW PRESIDENT!! – DONE

Does anyone else make lists like this??

….i choose this….

Pam

This post is part of the 30-day November blogging challenge known as NanoPoblano2019. Our challenge is to write for 10 days, read others’ posts for 10 days, and share our posts for 10 days – could be to other social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or simply sharing with friends with a text link.

Check out this NanoPoblano2019 link and discover some talented writers/bloggers!