Bucket List Item - Check

I have a long bucket list....Maybe too long to feasibly accomplish everything on it.....but it's there and growing.  However, last week I checked off another item - Donate a gallon of blood.  I reached the gallon challenge with the Red Cross.  I am now proudly sporting my 1 gallon pin.

Resolutions...

Happy New Year!  2010.  Hard to believe it's been ten years since we moved to Utah.  And ten years since high school.

In my annual attempt at resolving to do new things, I have the report on how last year's resolutions went and the new ones for this year....

Last year:

• Utah National Parks - I want to go to all of the National Parks in Utah before the end of the year.  I have lived here for almost ten years and have made it to Arches.  No excuses for not going - haven't made any progress yet this year but still hoping  --  I've made it to four - Arches, Zion, Bryce, and Capitol Reef -- In the next couple weeks I'm going to Canyonlands so I didn't quite make it but almost)
  
• Read 36 books - That averages out to three books a month.  I thought it would be attainable.  So far I am working on my 6th and plan to have that finished this week as well as my 7th.  Pretty good for still being in month number 2. -- I'm nowhere close - I got through 24.  Next year I'll just have to set my goal a little more realistically
  
• Do not purchase books. Use the library - while I haven't used the library, I haven't purchased any books either.  I have been reading strictly from my book shelves which is an accomplishment in and of itself for me. -- I did use the library.  But I also succumbed to the pressure and purchased 3 books.  Which is about 50 less than I usually do so though not perfect, I was fairly successful in accomplishing my goal
  
• Track my mileage accurately - I've been doing this.  A while ago, I had a client - MileBug - for a research project and I bought his application for my iPhone.  It's remarkable how much I drive for work and now I actually know instead of guess. -- I actually did this...100% of the time.
  
• Write my book - I am devoted to this and working on it.  Progress is slow but it is still progress -- No deal on this one.  While the intention was there, the action didn't back it up.
  
• Yoga twice a week - I might average close to that but somehow work manages to get in the way.  I'm still trying - I notice a difference when I go. -- I didn't go twice a week but I'm still going when I can.
  
• Be on time - This was for personal things.  I can manage to be on time, if not early to work related events but for some reason personal things are harder to make it to.  I've been much better though not 100% yet. (I blame the Park City time zone - they live fifteen minutes later than the rest of the world) -- I'm doing much better.
  
• Limit my work to 45 hours a week and none on the weekends. - This was the one I knew would be a problem.  I have been good about not working on weekends but 45 hours has been a bit of a struggle.  I'm still trying though. -- For the most part this has worked.  I haven't had an 80 hour week in almost a year....helps losing a job - ha

Now for the new ones....
 

• Read 24 books this year.  Should be much more realistic to finish two a month
• Go on safari and see the Big 5 plus giraffes, zebras, and a cheetah
• Keep adding to my Etsy store 
• Learn ten more knitting stitches/patterns.  Learn to finish mittens
• Continue going to yoga
• Go camping at least twice
• Decide what I want to get my masters in
• Donate a gallon of blood

'tis the season....

I love December and holidays and the snow.  I was thinking about how fast this year has gone by.  Faster than the rest - it is a smaller percentage of the whole than last year was after all.

This year has been one series of roller coaster rides after another.  Some big changes.  Some seemed like they might be awful when they happened but it all ended up being ok. (Just like so many people told me)  So lucky for me, I can say that all in all, it has been a good year and I am in a good place right now.  Even the few things that have been driving me crazy lately are minor in the grand scheme of things.

So in preparation for the new year, it's time to start thinking about the New Year's Resolution list.  I did alright with last years - I made it to four of five Utah National Parks.  I only purchased three books.  I am nowhere near my reading goal of 36 complete books - But got through two thirds of that.  I don't think I'll be able to finish the rest in the 26 remaining days of the year.  I crossed a couple items off my bucket list (camping, making a quilt, and starting my own business)

One of next year's goals - definitely blog more, read more, and the big one i think will be finding a new hobby....I'm undecided on what it will be but apparently I need a hobby.....at least that's what p. fisher says....

The Bucket List

If you know me, you know that I obsessively make lists.  Everything from 'to-do' today to 'to-do' in life.  I referred to my list in an earlier post and here it is: the 'to-do' in life list.  I don't have the full 100 but it does expand occasionally.  For now the 60 or so things I have to do are keeping me plenty busy.  Some things are definitely more likely to happen than others, but I'll make the effort to get through it.  And really, what fun is a list like this if it's not a challenge??


(Here is the key: Not yet started  Complete  Started at some point but haven't gotten very far  A work in progress)

• Get a masters (A whole class in - Really enjoyed that Finite Element Analysis though)
• Get a Ph.D. (I'm thinking in religious studies - just to learn about it - I already know the topic of my dissertation)
• Climb The Great Wall
• Raise $100,000 for charity (Over a couple years I organized fundraising events)
• Run a half marathon
• Learn a second language (This all depends on what we define as learning a second language.  I know Latin pretty well but can't speak it.  If we don't count Latin, then this is barely started since I only know a handful of words in about twelve languages)
• Learn to play guitar
• Learn to play piano
• Try to surf
• See the Pyramids
• Write a book
• Join the Peace Corps
• Go on a safari
• Start a scholarship fund
• Make a quilt 
• Learn to knit
• Learn to draw/paint
• Run for public office
• Visit Denmark
• Visit Switzerland
• Visit Italy
• Visit Spain
• Visit Portugal
• See the Taj Mahal
• Go to Ireland for St. Patrick's Day
• Set foot in all 50 states (Up to 35 out of 50)
• Go deep sea fishing
• Ride in a hot air balloon
• See a baseball game in every MLB stadium (4 out of 30)
• Be a groupie (in the follow a band around for an entire tour sort of way...not the band-aid sort of way)
• Meet a U.S. President
• Learn to cook
• Start a restaurant
• Buy a house
• Read the Bible cover to cover
• Scuba Dive
• Learn to fly a plane
• Sky dive (It terrifies me)
• Learn to box
• Learn to dance
• Camp (Last week I crossed this one off the list)
• Go to the top of Mt. Timpanogos
• Stop at the view area (I don't know why I haven't done this yet - And for that matter, I'm not sure why it's on my list but it's something I always mean to do on my way home)
• Finish a triathlon
• Learn to ride a motorcycle
• Invent something
• Start my own business
• Ride a gondola in Venice
• Go to the opera
• Go to the movie theater alone
• Dine alone
• Ring the NYSE bell
• Be a delegate for a political party
• Donate a gallon of blood (I am 5/8 of the way there.  Only 3 more pints)
• Read all of Kurt Vonnegut's work (I think I am about half way there.  He wrote a lot of books)
• See the 7 wonders of the world
• Set foot on all 7 continents
• Go to all of the National Parks in Utah (2 of 5 so far - Arches and Zion down...Canyonlands, Bryce, and Capitol Reef left)