Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Let the Journey Begin

It's only been 1 week from the time this idea was conceived to now, the time it's hatched. 1 week has not been enough time for the impact of what I'm planning to do to sink in... which means I haven't been struck by the fear yet.
Here's the deal. I've compiled a list, ideas I've collected from family and friends, and my own imagination. Some are completely random and maybe meaningless today, some are much more profound, some are quick things to check off the list, and others might take the next year to complete. My goal is to complete all the items on this list before I turn 30... so that gives me 347 days. The purpose of the blog is to document the adventure and bring you guys along.
Don't get me wrong, I am not scared to turn 30. I by no means think that life ends once the 20's are over. Nor do I think my ovaries are going to shrivel up and fall out or my skin's going to fall off and that I'd never be able to do any of these things later in life. I just think that there are so many things we need to experience in life and so many moments we need to cram into our short time on this earth that I need to make sure I wade through it bit by bit. I do not want to ever look back on my life and say "I wish I would've..." I don't want to live unintentionally or to just let life happen and then see it pass me by. My goal over the next 347 days (but who's counting) is to grow, and to learn more about myself in the process, I want to have a blast and make memories, but above all else, I want to have no regrets.

So... Here's the list in no particular order:
#1 - Plant a tree (starting easy)
#2 - Go sailing (still not too nuts)
#3 - Give a lottery ticket to a complete stranger (and never check the numbers)
#4 - Scuba Dive (ahhh, I have fish-in-the-wild phobia)
#5 - Finish my photography course and get my diploma (when will I have the time to blog?)
#6 - Grow a plant from seed to full bloom (this could take a while, me and plant-life don't normally get along)  
#7 - Cook an ethnic meal from scratch (and feed it to someone - ha! conch penis anyone?)
#8 - Name a star
#9 - Be fully marathon trained
#10 - Knit a scarf (I guess "learn to knit" should preceed this)
#11 - Milk a cow
#12 - Reduce my carbon footprint - Park my car for 1 week (Boss, I'm going to be late for work)
#13 - Go back to Paris and at least 1 other European city I've never been to
#14 - Double my income
#15 - Learn a new language
#16 - Volunteer at a soup kitchen
#17 - Reconnect with (name withheld)
#18 - Brew my own beer (and then get smashed!)
#19 - Drive a convertible with the top down and music blaring (sounds like fun to me!)
#20 - Go fishing and eat my catch
#21 - Take a vow of silence for 2 days (as if the voices in my head aren't loud enough as it is)
#22 - Take a dance lesson ("a" because I'll be too mortified to go back after the first one)
#23 - Sleep under the stars
#24 - Read at least a book a month
#25 - Sell one of my pictures
#26 - Do a Stanley Kubrick marathon (60's +)
#27 - Test myself: parasail, bungee jump, i don't know, something along those lines (have already done the sky-dive)
#28 - Hula Hoop for 30 minutes consecutively (thank God I have the Wii to practise on)
#29 - Learn to tie the diamond knot and monkey's fist (and find some occasion to use that knowledge)
#30 - Go on an orienteering run (and really just use a map and compass)
#31 - Start a charity
#32 - Sing in public... sober
#33 - Stay up all night and watch the sun rise
#34 - Build a snowman
#35 - Make special brownies and forget to tell the person eating them that they're special
#36 - Try out vegetarianism for 40 days
#37 - Go out to dinner alone (and turn off the blackberry)
#38 - No shopping for 2 months (no clothes, shoes, make-up, bags, scarves, jewelery or anything else that my wardrobe pines for)
#39 - Throw a huge bash for my 30th

P.S. I mentioned earlier that the fear hadn't sunk in yet, but the reality is that I've re-read this 100 times and am now just staring at the screen wondering if I should publish this post. Wondering if anyone will ever read this and hold me accountable to everything I've committed to do. Well, here goes... who cares I guess, it's just the world wide web, there's a lot stupider things floating around out there than my blog.

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