How did the bucket list pan out, you ask?

by | Mar 30, 2015 | Books, Bucket List / Goals, Writing

HELLO WORLD!

Who knew that once I actually finished year of 30 I would start blogging more than I did when I was attempting this crazy bucket list?

Maybe I’ve found a new voice, or suddenly I just have so much more to say, or I’m bored. Maybe none of the above.

Either way, I figured I really should post the final list and my commentary on the Year of 30 Bucket List – because things changed. And that’s okay. Part of what I fell in love with the past year was being okay with change and accepting that the world would not end if I didn’t sky dive because it was on my list. PS – I didn’t sky dive. Or do the Tough Mudder.

Oh well.

Instead I did this whole entire list of awesomeness and I wouldn’t trade any of these moments for others. Because they made me who I am today. RIGHT NOW.

So … do you want to know how I did this year?

30 Before 31

  1. Ride along with a cop – White Bread is pretty amazing! My two adventures with him definitely taught me a lot, and I still want to go back for more.
  2. Boudoir photo shoot – It’s fun to be a girl and so something just because, for no reason at all. Here’s a shameless plug for Snapshots by Jolene.
  3. Celebrate 30 with all my friends (March 22, 2014) – yes, that was FUN
  4. Stay at Ernest Hemingway’s 206 suite (May 9-11, 2014) – read about it HERE
  5. Be spontaneous (June 9, 2014) – I signed up for a Tribe Writer‘s online writing course. I’m still working my through it, slowly but “shirley” but it has already been a great inspiration and motivator. Jeff Goins is pretty awesome, imho.
  6. Bikini Wax – yes, I put this on the list. Get over it.
  7. Become a blonde (again) (July 5, 2014) – Sometimes I miss the brown. Sometimes I love my blonde. Sometimes I want to just chop it all off. No matter what, hair is always a fun adventure.
  8. Tough Mudder – as I mentioned before, this didn’t happen. But I did a bunch of other crazy fun things to make up for it … except maybe the electroshock.
    1. Fly Boarding in Belize – July 27, 2014
    2. Ropes Course at Bodies in Motion – August 8, 2014
    3. YMCA 6 mile Trail Run – June 28, 2014
    4. Snorkling / Swimming with sharks- July 25, 2014
    5. Slide the City – August 30, 2014
    6. Run a mile in my underwear – February 13, 2014
    7. Triathlon (x2) – on or around my actual 30th birthday
    8. Skinny Dipping in another country – July 27, 2014
  9. Leave the country (aka Belize) (July 21, 2014) – YES! This girl has a stamp in her passport. And I caught the “travel outside the country” bug. Click HERE for part 1 (part 2 will come eventually)
  10. Visit ancient ruins (July 25, 2014) – AWESOME and AMAZING! I made friends with a monkey, saw some bats, felt like I was in Indiana Jones, and I’m still alive.
  11. Jungle Boat Tour (vs. Cave tubing) (July 25, 2014) – We replaced the cave tubing adventure with a jungle boat tour aka cruise into the hear of Belize.
  12. Stay up to watch the sunrise (August 23, 2014) – I’m so grateful I have awesome friends who keep me company for hours and hours and hours and lose sleep just so I can cross this off the list – Thanks J&J! And puppies and kitties.
  13. Learn a new language – Before I actually knew I would be traveling to Italy in 2015, I wanted to learn a new language. Italian became that language. It started with 2 group lessons, then 4 Community Ed classes, and now 1-1 lessons with Jill. I am absolutely LOVING it! Mi piace parlare italiano.
  14. Host a tea party (October 26, 2014) – I like tea … and parties
  15. Read the Bible (November 14, 2014) – Reading The Bible will be something that never ends. It might have been my first time through but it was definitely not the last and I still have lots to learn.
  16. Set a record for the number of concerts/bands seen in a year – I’m going to keep you in suspense on this one … wait for it ….
  17. Read 109 books – YES! I officially read 109 books this year. Phew! Want to know my favorites? Click HERE. In case you were wondering, I’m only shooting for 100 this year. I’m at 32. Haha. I was at 31 on my 31st birthday. Coincidence?
  18. Write a novel on a typewriter (February 15, 2015) – This might go down as the best experience of the past year. I learned so much through this process and it has started me on an amazing path to my future.
  19. Flash Mob (January 21, 2015) – not an original member of the list, but I’ve always wanted to be a part of a flash mob. Check Check. Watch the video here.
  20. NaNoWriMo (November 30, 2014) – If you like to write, even if just for fun, you need to check this out. Because it is amazing and such an adventure and so worth the pressure when you finally hit 50,000 words.
  21. Rocky Horror Picture Show Interactive (October 17, 2014) – Always always wanted to attend an interactive viewing of Rocky Horror Picture Show where you throw toast, squirt people with water guns, yell out at the cast, and have the best time ever. Yes, we did that.
  22. Blog once a week – this was one of those things where I wrote about 13 blog posts on my personal blog, but did you know that I blog for work? I pretty much averaged about 3 blogs a week for CBH Homes. I think that counts.
  23. Produce my first wedding video (Teschia/Sanel) – this one wasn’t on my original list but I was so thankful my friends allowed me the chance to create their wedding video for them. It was so much fun, and being able to help capture this memorable day for them was beyond words.
  24. Write 365 Thank You’s (March 15, 2015) – I highly recommend this. Thanking someone for simply being your friend even if you haven’t seen them for over a year, or thanking someone for a cup of coffee, or that hug that came at the moment you thought the world was out to get you – priceless.
  25. Learn website coding (March 15, 2015) – I was going to code this whole blog all fancy like … but then I realized I’m still a beginner and it might take me a decade. But I might create you a nice chart or black square on a blank screen. That could be fun.
  26. Photo a day for a year (March 20, 2015) – I want to do this for the rest of my life. Like taking a photo of your kid every single day as they grow up to create an amazing growth through the ages. This was still fun.
  27. Daily gratitude journal (March 20, 2015) – I was so grateful in the year of 30 and it has made me even more grateful going into the year of 31. I might come up with something fun to showcase this, but in the meantime, be advised you all probably made the list.
  28. Submit a book for publishing (March 19, 2015) – YES! This finally happened. Can’t wait for the moment I get to announce when it will be released.
  29. Fall in love (March 20, 2015) – I fell in love a lot in the year of 30, and in very unexpected ways. But I would trade any of them for just one experience. Read how I fell in love here.
  30. Be BOLD – see all of the above.

I love you all.

Ciao.