The Birthday List

From December 26th, 2010:

"Mom first introduced the idea of a birthday list to me in October 2010 after she turned 5X (50 something). She said she'd decided to make a list of 5X things she wanted to do for herself and to improve her life over the next year. After she shared with me some of the items on her list, I was taken with the idea. I usually actively work towards some self-improvement goal each year, but I liked the idea of having a great "To Do" list full of things that would potentially improve my quality of life. Over the past 2 months I have been making my list of things to do in my head - accepting that some had already been completed since my birthday in August - and getting a few new ideas from Mom here and there. With the gift of this journal for Christmas, I've decided to officially begin my list. In part due to my tendency to like writing stuff down and in part from my desire to be more self-reflective, I have decided that within these pages I will not only document my list by record my progress towards completing my tasks and my thoughts and feelings about them as they're marked off. Since its been 4 months since my birthday and the official start of my "year",  some of my tasks and reflections will be retrospect, but I will accept that and I hope you do too. Under the guidance of the madre, I've also established that the list does not need to be complete but rather be added to as I go. I can also do more than 30 things should I choose to do so. Its great when your own mother is the creator and rule maker. I wish myself luck in this endeavor and predict it will be epic."

Oh 2010 me, you are so deep! Here it is, almost 3 years later and I can tell you that I did not finish that list. I think I started a new one the next year and that one didn't get finished either (although I am not sure where the actual book went so we shall never know). However, why not try something again and expect different results? No, it is not insanity, it is tenacity! And, in order to keep myself honest and epic, I will share what was on that 2010 list and what was accomplished and what was not right here:

Completed

• Run a marathon in Greece (I set a new PR too)
• Date a nice boy (This wasn't originally recorded as Chris and obvi it didn't last, but he was nice enough. So I guess you could say I completed this one 2xs)
• Community improvement project (beach clean up and Habitat for Humanity - I should get back to those...)
• Make a significant charitable contribution (Rotary's Polio eradication project - love it)
• Attend professional development opportunities (I cannot stop, it is a sickness)
• Buy a surfboard and a refresher lesson (board was given not purchased but I still did it - just don't think surfing is my thing)
• Go on a hot air balloon ride (Chris mad this happen on bday 2011 so I will count it - AMAZING!!)
• Join a book club (I win on a technicality - I met with up some GOTR friends for a bit but it died out fast)
• Take more walks (again I think I win on ambiguity)
• Put jewelry up on Etsy (while I technically didn't use Etsy thanks to some helpful advice, I did sell a bunch of stuff at Mom's craft fair at work)
• Donate blood (thought I was going to die)
• Fall in love with Dresden and be an awesome aunt (this one was almost too easy - at least the loving part!)
• Clean out clutter (always a work-in-progress, but I am going to count this one as a win)
• Write a grant (Done! While I didn't get the big one ($10,000) I did get one ($1,000)!!)
• Complete the Triple Crown Challenge (and Chris ran the last one with me ON my birthday = epic)
• Take a new sport/class/etc (well yes, I took up softball and look where that got me!)
• Fall whole-heartedly in love (don't let Chris see that I wrote this and published it! Eww..feelings!)

Not Completed

• 30 random acts of kindness (this one can be argued, but only 13 were documented)
• Establish a running routine (ha)
• Make a "Chucks" photobook (some picks printed and matted but not finished)
• Complete travel books (did 3 I think and have 3 more to do)
• Get finances in order (perhaps defining "in order" would help this one be successful)
• Do yoga weekly (I always peak in the summer then flatline during the school year)
• Send 2 cards a month - 1 to a friend and 1 to grandma (I have plenty of cards but plenty more excuses)
• Re-establish connection with Aussie family (no excuses here...)
• Read for 30 minutes a day (I did learn I suck at these "daily" goals)
• Drink more liquids (while I could say this was done, let's be honest folks)
• Finish 2 cross-stitches from China (hahahaha - If only I had as much free time as I did then)
• Make a Bucket-List Book (started but not completed - do we see a theme?)
• Leave more space between me and others while driving (another work in progress??)

More completed items than non-completed items so that can also be a win. Why do I bring this all up now? Well, I think my 33rd year is going to be the best one yet, and why wouldn't it be? I have some pretty awesome things on the horizon. And, I am reviving the Birthday List. But first, I have to finish doing my 33 things of #birthdayawesomeness - and this is just one!