The Whole List

It's a new year! Happy 2015 to all. It's the year I will turn 40! I mentioned this to my Mom yesterday on the phone and she said I made her feel old. Sorry Mom!

I have never been much of a New Year's resolutions kind of person but I thought it would be a great opportunity to get back to listing the list in a more clear fashion. I also never got around to finishing out the list - I was a few items short. I've given it some thought and here is the official list of things I will accomplish leading up to 40 and the year after. Ive given myself 2 years (starting October 2014 and ending October 2016) just to be realistic and have a hope in hell of being able to get it all done.

I've also amended the list slightly - while its good to have "stretch goals", a couple of items had me doomed to fail before I even typed them out. And that's not going to help anyone. In addition, I have fixed a couple to be a bit more challenging!

Without further ado, here is the list:

1. Write everyday week (blog!)
2. Buy a new bicycle. 
3. Go back to school. 
4. Run a 5KM 10km run event
5. Do at least one random act of kindness every month
6. Mail a letter a week just because. 
7. Read a book a month. 
8. Take golf lessons. 
9. Plant a veggie garden.
10. Do a public speaking gig. 
11. Visit Napa Valley. 
12. Go to Vegas. 
13. Travel to Ireland. 
14. Take a trip to Vancouver. 
15. See Montreal. 
16. Go to Italy. 
17. Visit Boston.
18. Explore Chicago.
19. See San Francisco.
20. Take a culinary class.
21. Start a wine collection.
22. Buy a wine fridge.
23. Learn more about wine.
24. Learn to hang a picture. Properly.
25. Find a new volunteer gig.
26. Learn how to put air in my tires
27. Learn how to change a tire.
28. Hit 25 blood donations (I was at 20 in October).
29. Sing one song by myself in Karaoke.
30. Become a mentor in a mentoring program.
31. Go for at least one hike in the mountains a month (June-September - I am not crazy).
32. Learn Spanish. At least in a basic conversational way.
33. Finish my company website (the company I own, not the one I work for).
34. Take a public speaking course.
35. Make fresh pasta.
36. Learn to ride a motorcycle (even a little bit).
37. Walk the dogs more often, even Cricket.
38. Lose 10lbs.
39. Pay off all debt (not including my house and maybe not my car).
40. I'm not saying what this one is.

There it is. 

How is it going so far? I am happy to report I've completed #10 already and I have hit 21 towards #28. Many of these are in progress too. I am really looking forward to working towards all of these and seeing what is possible.

See You Later, 2014

Here we are. The end of another year. I'm not going to say it was my worst year ever (there have been worse for sure) but this one certainly is not going down as one of the best. It was kind of a year of extremes; I accomplished some things I am pretty proud of, and had some amazing moments. And then on the flip side, there were a lot of craptastic events too. I'd rather focus on the positives (no one wants to come to a pity party anyway) - and there were quite a few.

I became a homeowner. Those of you who knew 30 year old Lauren may know that this was something I wanted to do before I was 40. And look at that - I managed to pull it off. And by myself no less. While it was a stressful experience in a busy market like Calgary, and moving is never awesome, I am really proud of myself for doing it. I love my little house (yes, it suits me) and I like knowing that I have a place for "The Zoo" to live out the rest of their lives.

I had some great travel experiences this year too. I went to Louisiana in the Spring and got to meet, in person, one of my most favourite internet friends of all time and her family. Thankfully, she was not an "attack lesbian", much to the relief of an older person in my life who had been concerned about the internet angle of my trip. Instead, she was just as warm, funny and interesting in real life as she had been in our 6+ years of online friendship. I saw so many sides of Louisiana, from plantations, to New Orleans, to old cemeteries to the bottom of a moonshine jar (never again!). I ate crawfish, gumbo, lots of deep fried goodness and shared a lot of laughs. Good folks for sure - and I know regardless of distance, I have a couple of people in Louisiana who will be lifelong friends.

I took my second trip to NYC. While it didn't start as planned because of a passport blunder on the part of my travelling companion, it was still a wonderful trip. I spent a few days alone in Brooklyn, just exploring (and eating). I did nerdy Lauren things like gleefully visiting the NYC Transit Museum or buying New Yorker stationary/note cards in little bookstores. When my travel friend eventually showed up, we spent days walking around, eating at amazing places, shopping and checking out lots of different neighbourhoods and parks. In an unexpected twist, I barely talk to my travel mate anymore, but the trip still stands as being one of the most fantastic I've had in my life (so far!).

One of the best things that has happened to me is something I've heard happens around this age. No, I didn't become a cougar. Not that thing. I learned to get rid of the negative people in my life or at least minimize their impact on me (because unless you are an assassin, you can't always completely get rid of people). I have a thicker skin, a much better ability to say "yeah...NO" and a greatly reduced capacity for bullshit and drama. I focus my energy on the people who deserve it, not people who demand it. Angry, bitter people who complain all the time? Ain't nobody got time for that.

2014 also saw some old friends I had been less in touch with come back more into the everyday picture for me. The best part about renewing my friendships with them is that they accept me for who I am and think I am great as is. It's liberating to spend time with people who like you "just as you are", that you can be your whole, regular self around. People who don't feel the need to tell you what you should do, how you should act or what you need to change about yourself. It sounds so simple, but this kind of acceptance hasn't been the norm for a lot of my relationship in my life. So it's nice to have a little more of it. And I really appreciate them more now too, as we get older.

If I think back to New Years Eve 2013, spent in Winnipeg in -40 degree weather (I know how to kick off a new year in style!), I never would have anticipated all the ups and downs this year has brought. The changes, the accomplishments, the heartaches, the adventures - most of them weren't even remotely on the radar. It really makes you appreciate how much can happen in a year. I have no idea what 2015 has in store for me but I'm ready to take it for a spin. And to conquer the list, which was really supposed to be the point of this blog, and still is (I will refocus on that, starting tomorrow).

Ready?

The List - Travel

A big part of my "40 Things in My 40th Year" list is travel. Given the price tag of some of these trips, it may take me a little longer than a year to get to them all but I will try my hardest. I haven't done nearly as much travelling in my last 10 years as I would have liked - that's the way things go sometimes. I think its time to change that. All of these places have been on my wish list for awhile for a variety of reasons.

I used to have a friend that mocked people who liked to travel. He felt they weren't grounded and were perhaps a bit irresponsible wanting to see the world. While everyone is entitled to do what is right for them, I don't necessarily agree with his outlook. Travel gives you perspective. It can stimulate and relax. It can make you appreciate where you are from while at the same time show you the magic of other cultures, places and people. Sometimes it is simply about fun. Other times its about food (yay!). Maybe it might give you a window into your own past. I think travel helps us learn and can help us be more tolerant, open people.

On the list for 2014/2015, early 2016 are (lottery win may be required):

1. Napa Valley - If all goes to plan, this is where I will actually celebrate my 40th birthday. I want to eat good food and drink good wine. Rinse and repeat.
2. Vegas - its been 9 or so years and I'd like to try some different things there that I didn't get to do the first time around.
3. Ireland - I've wanted to go to Ireland for more than 20 years. A certain someone I know is getting married there next year. What better reason to head over there?
4. Vancouver - Ive been on a few business trips here but I want to go back and do a long weekend adventure in and around Vancouver.
5. Montreal - I've never been here. Which makes me a bad Canadian, a bad foodie and it also makes me sad. Its been on the list about 15 years. It's time Montreal, it's time. Perhaps while I'm there I could do a visit to Quebec City too. I love that place.
6. Italy - I've been to Italy for a day - not quite enough. There are so many places I want to see in Italy, many trips in my life will be needed. 
7. Boston - This has been on my list since I was about 14 and wanted to go to Harvard law. My reasons for travelling there may have shifted but I still want to check out the city.
8. Chicago - Another place I've always wanted to go to and just explore for a long weekend.
9. San Francisco

Its' a lofty list but with some planning maybe it can all happen, right?