43 before 44 — Four months and counting

How did it get to be August 23rd already?

I was not ready for August, and I’m certainly not ready for August to almost be over. (Though I AM ready for jeans and sweaters. I’m pretty much always ready for jeans and sweaters.)

Anywho, another month. More updates on my 43 before 44 list! I’ve completed items that are in bold. Italicized content shares some details about my progress.

• 43 BEFORE 44 •

1. Take a hand-lettering course — I researched popular hand-letterers, purchased this book by The Pigeon Letters, a few pens she recommended, a Rhodia pad, and am considering taking one of her online classes.
2. Eat outside on average two times a week — This came as a result of a story on outdoor living I wrote for Springs magazine. And so far, so good. I’ve also been lugging my computer outdoors and working in the fresh air some days.
3. Do a Georgia O’Keeffe tour around New Mexico (Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, etc.) — Done (connected to No. 19). Blog about the trip yet to come.
4. Install and use an outdoor clothesline — I’ve been researching what style we want. In the meantime, I’ve been drying some clothes outside on my drying rack.
5. Watch every episode of MASH — OMG, this is three years running and still going. Maybe this year will be the final year? I swear there are just a FEW DVDs remaining.
6. Read at least 100 books — I've read 31 books so far (five others in progress) — my favorites this month were this and this.
7. Continue to refine Project 333 to my own version of a minimalist closet project, to include purchasing a few pieces of sustainable and ethical clothing — I keep culling clothes — I’m currently working with a capsule that started at 45 items, and sits now at 35. What's been most fun about this though has been helping friends with their process — did you see my recent post on this topic? And researching ethical clothing companies.
8. Attend the Santa Fe Opera
9. Visit Meow Wolf in Santa Fe — Done, as a part of a road trip with a good friend! (Photo above from one of the Meow Wolf rooms).
10. Hike Hanging Lake
11. Stay at the Beaumont Hotel in Ouray ... and hike Blue Lakes while there — On the calendar!
12. Attend Judith Lasater’s Advanced Restorative Yoga teacher training — Not going to happen this year. In the meantime, I’m looking at taking another online program with Judith or maybe another teacher.
13. Choreograph a country line dance
14. Take a birding and/or bird banding class
15. Take a surfing lesson
16. Plan for and install "Garden 1.0" at new home — In progress.
17. Begin planning "Garden 2.0" for 2018
18. Get will and living will in order
19. Go off-the-grid, no-tech for an extended period of time — Also done. Also will blog about this in the near future. I feel like I'm still processing the experience and am letting it steep for awhile.
20. Learn to make pizza, Roman Villa-style
21. Keep up my #newrecipeaweek commitment — Favorite new recipe? These banana pancakes were fantastic.
22. Learn to play an entire song on my ukelele
23. Plan my next international trip
24. See the sandhill crane migration in March/April 2018
25. Go storm chasing
26. Go on a train trip
27. Visit Best Friends Animal Society in Utah
28. Plan and host at least four game nights with friends — One on the books.
29. Revive Soup Night
30. Learn to fix clothing (beyond sewing on buttons)
31. Plan for a fun photo shoot
32. Place freelance writing with at least five new publications (a mix of print and online) — One down — I’ve joined Lifehacker’s team of freelancers. This post has had more than 116,000 views so far, which is RIDICULOUS!
33. Blog one to two times a week — In progress.
34. Take a glass-blowing class
35. Visit a new-to-me monastery
36. Learn some fancy cake frosting skills
37. Stay overnight on a houseboat
38. Hike with Ollie and Stephen
39. Take a basic embroidery class
40. Train Finnegan to do a just-for-fun trick
41. Memorize a favorite poem — This and No. 42 are also both the result of No. 19.
42. Begin a 'favorite poetry' journal
43. Wear a watch regularly to reduce my cell phone dependency — Pulled out my casual running watch and purchased a new dressy watch. I'm super into this right now.

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO? CAN I HELP WITH YOUR BIRTHDAY/BUCKET LIST IN ANY WAY?

Leave me a note in the comments below. And I'll see you back here on September 23 for my next update.

Reporting in on "43 before 44" — Two months

Well, hello, and happy June!

Wait, June? I seem to have lost two whole months. It's OK though because I've been plugging away on my list behind-the-scenes. And I've checked off a coupla biggies since my 43rd birthday.

Read on for the scoop.

• 43 BEFORE 44 • 

1. Take a hand-lettering course — Couldn't find a local class so I researched popular hand-letterers, purchased this book by The Pigeon Letters, a few pens she recommended, a Rhodia pad, and am considering taking one of her online classes. I've started working on my alphabet, so we'll see where this goes!
2. Eat outside on average two times a week — This came as a result of a story on outdoor living I wrote for Springs magazine. And so far, so good.
3. Do a Georgia O’Keeffe tour around New Mexico (Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, etc.) — Done (connected to No. 19). Blog about the trip yet to come.
4. Install and use an outdoor clothesline
5. Watch every episode of MASH — OMG, this is three years running and still going. Maybe this year will be the final year? I swear there are just a FEW DVDs remaining.
6. Read at least 100 books — I've read 21 books so far (five others in progress) — my favorites being this, this and this.
7. Continue to refine Project 333 to my own version of a minimalist closet project, to include purchasing a few pieces of sustainable and ethical clothing — What's been most fun about this has been helping friends with their process. Just in the past two months, I've been sharing lots of advice with two different friends. 
8. Attend the Santa Fe Opera
9. Visit Meow Wolf in Santa Fe
10. Hike Hanging Lake
11. Stay at the Beaumont Hotel in Ouray ... and hike Blue Lakes while there
12. Attend Judith Lasater’s Advanced Restorative Yoga teacher training
13. Choreograph a country line dance
14. Take a birding and/or bird banding class
15. Take a surfing lesson
16. Plan for and install "Garden 1.0" at new home — In progress.
17. Begin planning "Garden 2.0" for 2018
18. Get will and living will in order
19. Go off-the-grid, no-tech for an extended period of time — Also done. Also will blog about this in the near future. I feel like I'm still processing the experience and am letting it steep for awhile.
20. Learn to make pizza, Roman Villa-style
21. Keep up my #newrecipeaweek commitment — Favorite new recipe so far? This. Yum.
22. Learn to play an entire song on my ukelele
23. Plan my next international trip
24. See the sandhill crane migration in March/April 2018
25. Go storm chasing
26. Go on a train trip
27. Visit Best Friends Animal Society in Utah
28. Plan and host at least four game nights with friends
29. Revive Soup Night
30. Learn to fix clothing (beyond sewing on buttons)
31. Plan for a fun photo shoot
32. Place freelance writing with at least five new publications (a mix of print and online)
33. Blog one to two times a week
34. Take a glass-blowing class
35. Visit a new-to-me monastery
36. Learn some fancy cake frosting skills
37. Stay overnight on a houseboat
38. Hike with Ollie and Stephen
39. Take a basic embroidery class
40. Train Finnegan to do a just-for-fun trick
41. Memorize a favorite poem — This and No. 42 are also both the result of No. 19.
42. Begin a 'favorite poetry' journal
43. Wear a watch regularly to reduce my cell phone dependency — Pulled out my casual running watch and purchased a new dressy watch. I'm super into this right now.

What have you been up to? Can I help with your birthday/bucket list in any way?

Leave me a note in the comments below. And I'll see you back here on July 23 for my next update ...

"43 before 44": The new birthday list

Three years ago, when I turned 40, I began my birthday list process. 

Since then I've accomplished such firsts as hiking Pikes Peak, seeing my first print byline in a national magazine, skinny dipping, and kayaking. I've increased my reading from a book a week to almost two a week, and launched this new website. 

I've learned that I will never check off every item on each list, but things that are important will float to the top and other unexpected opportunities will arise that I never would have thought up on my own as a result of opening to possibility (just last month I learned to chop wood!).

So, here we go again ... New list below. Order isn't important. (I've already checked off a few items — you'll get to read about those Friday.)

And for those new to all this ... You can read all about my lists, and the former ones, here. And how I did on last year's list here. (Bottom line, I love to try new things, and formalizing the process has helped me do more of them than ever.)

Take a gander at my list and let me know what would be on yours in the comments. (And, more importantly, what's keeping you from moving on them.)

• 43 BEFORE 44 • 

1. Take a hand-lettering course
2. Eat outside on average two times a week
3. Do a Georgia O’Keeffe tour around New Mexico (Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, etc.)
4. Install and use an outdoor clothesline
5. Watch every episode of MASH
6. Read at least 100 books
7. Continue to refine Project 333 to my own version of a minimalist closet project, to include purchasing a few pieces of sustainable and ethical clothing
8. Attend the Santa Fe Opera
9. Visit Meow Wolf in Santa Fe
10. Hike Hanging Lake
11. Stay at the Beaumont Hotel in Ouray ... and hike Blue Lakes while there
12. Attend Judith Lasater’s Advanced Restorative Yoga teacher training
13. Choreograph a country line dance
14. Take a birding and/or bird banding class
15. Take a surfing lesson
16. Plan for and install "Garden 1.0" at new home
17. Begin planning "Garden 2.0" for 2018
18. Get will and living will in order
19. Go off-the-grid, no-tech for an extended period of time
20. Learn to make pizza, Roman Villa-style
21. Keep up my #newrecipeaweek commitment
22. Learn to play an entire song on my ukelele
23. Plan my next international trip
24. See the sandhill crane migration in March/April 2018
25. Go storm chasing
26. Go on a train trip
27. Visit Best Friends Animal Society in Utah
28. Plan and host at least four game nights with friends
29. Revive Soup Night
30. Learn to fix clothing (beyond sewing on buttons)
31. Plan for a fun photo shoot
32. Place freelance writing with at least five new publications (a mix of print and online)
33. Blog one to two times a week
34. Take a glass-blowing class
35. Visit a new-to-me monastery
36. Learn some fancy cake frosting skills
37. Stay overnight on a houseboat
38. Hike with Ollie and Stephen
39. Take a basic embroidery class
40. Train Finnegan to do a just-for-fun trick
41. Memorize a favorite poem
42. Begin a 'favorite poetry' journal
43. Wear a watch regularly to reduce my cell phone dependency

Another year on the books: "42 BEFORE 43" Recap

Hey, it's my #42before43 birthday list recap!

Yes, I know it's a bit behind (my birthday was in April), but my excuse is that I was finishing up Item No. 38 and literally could not post anything new to my blog. I'd say it's a pretty good excuse. Of all the items on this list, No. 38 was the one I wanted to make absolutely sure happened this year. And I did!

One thing I did learn this year is that I really enjoy items that involve (or can involve) friends — see Nos. 6, 12, 20, 21, 32, 33 and 34. And I love talking to people about the things they dream of. So, I'm putting this out there: Can I help you in any way? Whether assisting you with developing a list that works for you, or doing an activity with you — I'm up for most anything but jumping out of a plane — I'd love to be a part of your life goals and challenges. Comment below, or pop me a note.

Anywho, per usual, I've bolded completed items, and added italicized explanations on many that I either completed or started ... or changed my mind about. And, if you're new to all of this, find the what, why and how my birthday lists began here.

What have you been up to lately when it comes to your bucket list? Let me know what you've accomplished and what you're dreaming of in the comments.

• 42 BEFORE 43 • 

1. Visit Greece — This is where I was for a couple weeks during May 2016, teaching yoga on a Star Clippers sailing ship and falling in love with all the cats. That was a big and longtime travel bucket list item checked off!

2. Watch every episode of MASH — A rollover from last year. And will continue into next year. My hubby and I are watching together, and, dang, there are a lot of episodes.

3. Read at least 90 books — I wrapped this cycle with ... 91 books! 

4. Refine Project 333 to my own version of a minimalist closet project — I'm shifting my process, based on what I've learned doing Project 333 for a couple years now. I also participated in the Un-Fancy 10x10 Challenge, constructing 10 different outfits out of just 10 items, and wearing them over a period of 10 days. It was pretty eye-opening. Learn more about that challenge here.

5. Get will and living will in order (OMG I still haven't done this. Next year. Seriously. For sure.)

6. Attend a Switchbacks soccer match — Done. Super fun. 

7. Attend the Santa Fe Opera

8. Do a Georgia O’Keeffe tour around New Mexico (Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, etc.) — Also didn't happen this year, but I'm on tap to do this in June 2017.

9. Hike to Hanging Lake, as part of a larger summer/fall hiking goal (see No. 10)

10. Stay at the Beaumont Hotel in Ouray ... and hike Blue Lakes while there

11. Attend Judith Lasater’s Advanced Restorative Yoga teacher training — Hoping to get into the August 2017 session so this will go on the next list again. I did take her 21-Day Savasana Intensive. 

12. Be involved with a stage show (maybe a play, maybe a fashion show) in some way — Done! Modeled for GOCA's annual art fundraiser Brilliant. It was super fun, aside from the fake eyelash removal, which was kinda painful. #firstfalsiesat42

13. Choreograph a country line dance (and see if Barb will teach it at Cowboys) — Talked with Barb, my instructor, about this. She's all in for reviewing my choreography when it's ready. I've picked a song and am working on the choreography. Leaving on next year's list.

14. Attend a Soul Mechanics session at Ormao

15. Take a birding and/or bird banding class

16. Take French language lessons

17. Try surfing

18. Nurture a green thumb into existence (re: learn how to properly care for my indoor plants) — My plants are doing really well! And I keep adding more to the house because I love the greenery. I forced daffodils (see picture at top!) and have an indoor basil plant in addition to a new bonsai and aloe plant.

19. Learn to make pizza, Roman Villa-style

20. Learn to bake (not-just-quick) bread — So much fun! Made a variety of breads, rolls, sourdough in a pot. AND, bonus, butter! Thanks to my friend "Chef Steffi."

21. Learn to make my own maraschino cherries (and a fancy cocktail to go with them) — I did this in December. And they were BRILLIANT in fancy Old Fashioneds. And the, ahem, cherry on top of it all? My chocolatier friend Stephanie (see "Chef Steffi" above) and I took some of the berries and made chocolate-covered cherries for Valentine's Day. Heaven.

22. Renew my #newrecipeaweek commitment —  I really enjoy this process, even if I don't hit every single week.

23. Perform at a poetry slam/open mic

24. Learn to play an entire song on my ukelele

25. Remember to use reusable bags when grocery shopping — Did really well with this!

26. Plan my next trip to France (perhaps running a retreat at Little French Retreat) — Been chatting with a couple different people about this. I think it's going to be further out for me but someday!

27. See the sandhill crane migration in March/April 2017

28. Go storm chasing

29. Go on a train trip

30. Visit a new-to-me national park

31. Visit Best Friends Animal Society's sanctuary in Utah — I did attend the Best Friends Annual Conference on behalf of A Voice for Lil Olive last year, and that was pretty cool. And I've found a friend to make the trek to Utah with me. It may not happen before April, but next summer for sure.

32. Snail mail cards to six friends for no reason. — Done.

33. Share a bottle of bubbly with a friend once a month — Didn't do so well with this, but I did share a gifted bottle of Dom Perignon with some friends, which counts for, like, 12 bottles, right?

34. Play Catan with friends — Done! Oh my gosh, way fun. And the couple who joined us is up for a monthly Catan evening.

35. Try out a new hair color (or highlights, or a streak) — Added red highlights. (Honestly, not a super fan. But that's part of doing new stuff!)

36. Have a new pair of jeans tailored to fit

37. Find a new go-to layerable dress that accentuates my fabulousness — Also done! 

38. Wear "grown-up" clothes to bed — Haven't done this every night, but I've done a major clean-out of what I've often worn as pajamas, and am spending more time thinking about wearing something comfortable and cozy, not just pulling whatever I happen to find in the drawer.

39. Plan for a fun photo shoot

40. Launch a new website — My biggest accomplishment this year. And you're lookin' at it!

41. Interview at least one of my bucket-list celebrities — Admittedly, I haven't interviewed from my bucket list. However, I've interviewed some amazing people this year. You can read my interview with Mary Roach here, and my interview with Shaka Senghor here.

42. Place freelance writing with at least five new publications (a mix of print and online) — I pitched a ton of new places, and added Rodale's Organic Life to my portfolio. Will keep this goal next year. 

(You can read all about my lists, and the former ones, here. And how I did on last year's list here. Bottom line, I love to try new things, and formalizing the process has helped me do more of them than ever.)

P.S. I'm out of town and completely off the grid next week, so I'll be sharing my #43before44 list the first full week of June. 

Halfway through "42 before 43"

Wow. It has been one crazy ride over the past six months. My husband and I decided to purchase a new home and turn our old home into a rental.

Finding our new home was a huge process.

Cleaning up, cleaning out and boxing everything not cleaned up or cleaned out was a huge process.

Moving itself was a huge process, as was painting and prepping the new space (thank goodness for friends who helped with all of these tasks!).

And then there's been the process of readying the old home for rental — which we are SO close to. I don't want to jinx it but if all goes as planned, we'll be on the market in a few days.

And because all of that wasn't enough, we adopted a new pup from the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. Finnegan is a one-year-old Boston terrier, and he's as much trouble as he is adorable. (See above. Lucy's in the front; Finn, with the floppy ears and long tail, is in the back.) We're now in dog training classes with him — which if you've ever trained a dog, you know is more about training us than him. It's fun, and exhausting.

All this to say ... my list fell by the wayside. Far, far by the wayside. I didn't travel as much as I'd hoped. I didn't hike as much as I'd hoped. Heck, I didn't even think about this list as much as I'd hoped — except wistfully.

But that's life. And that's OK. I may not have made it to yoga training (No. 11), or to Best Friends (No. 31), or anywhere near Ouray (Nos. 9 & 10), but I have a pretty awesome new hot tub for soaking beneath the stars in (and drinking bubbly with friends in, see No. 33) and a second warm puppy to snuggle with (when he's not barking at our new neighbors). I've still got six months to go on this list ... and there's always next year.

Per usual, I've added italicized notes where I've begun or completed an item. And for ease, turned an item green if I have already completed it.

What have you been up to lately when it comes to your bucket list? Let me know in the comments. (And, more importantly, what's keeping you from moving on them!)

• 42 Before 43 • 

1. Visit Greece— This is where I was for a couple weeks in May, teaching yoga on a Star Clippers sailing ship and falling in love with all the cats. That was a big and longtime travel bucket-list item checked off!

2. Watch every episode of MASH — A rollover from last year. My hubby and I are watching together. We got side-tracked with the move, but will be getting back on track once we let go of our HGTV obsession.

3. Read at least 90 books — Last year I hit 81 so I've upped it again. To date, I've read 35 books, with three in progress.

4. Refine Project 333 to my own version of a minimalist closet project — I came home from Greece and spent a heavily jet-lagged day cleaning out my closet again. I'll blog more about this later, but I'm shifting my process, based on what I've learned doing Project 333 for a couple years now. (I did start a new revised cycle on October 1.)

5. Get will and living will in order — Found a lawyer. Taking the next steps.

6. Attend a Switchbacks soccer match— Done. Super fun. 

7. Attend the Santa Fe Opera — Not gonna happen this year.

8. Do a Georgia O’Keeffe tour around New Mexico (Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, etc.)

9. Hike to Hanging Lake, as part of a larger summer/fall hiking goal (see No. 10) — Not gonna happen.

10. Stay at the Beaumont Hotel in Ouray ... and hike Blue Lakes while there — We could still make it to the Beaumont, but Blue Lakes is going to have to wait for another year.

11. Attend Judith Lasater’s Advanced Restorative Yoga teacher training — Not gonna happen as she only teaches this level two course once a year. Hoping to get into the August 2017 session.

12. Be involved with a stage show (maybe a play, maybe a fashion show) in some way — Done! Modeled for GOCA's annual art fundraiser Brilliant. It was super fun, aside from the fake eyelash removal, which was kinda painful. #firstfalsiesat42

13. Choreograph a country line dance (and see if Barb will teach it at Cowboys) — Talked with Barb, my instructor, about this. She's all in for reviewing my choreography when it's ready. I've picked a song and am working on the choreography.

14. Attend a Soul Mechanics session at Ormao

15. Take a birding and/or bird banding class

16. Take French language lessons

17. Try surfing

18. Nurture a green thumb into existence (re: learn how to properly care for my indoor plants)

19. Learn to make pizza, Roman Villa-style

20. Learn to bake (not-just-quick) bread

21. Learn to make my own maraschino cherries (and a fancy cocktail to go with them)

22. Renew my #newrecipeaweek commitment — Plugging along on this.

23. Perform at a poetry slam/open mic

24. Learn to play an entire song on my ukelele

25. Remember to use reusable bags when grocery shopping — Doing really well with this!

26. Plan my next trip to France (perhaps running a retreat at Little French Retreat) — Been chatting (again) with my French friend Tamsin about this. Yay!

27. See the sandhill crane migration in March/April 2017

28. Go storm chasing

29. Go on a train trip

30. Visit a new-to-me national park

31. Visit Best Friends Animal Society's sanctuary in Utah — I did attend the Best Friends Annual Conference on behalf of A Voice for Lil Olive earlier this year, and that was pretty cool. And I've found a friend to make the trek to Utah with me. It may not happen before April, but next summer for sure.

32. Snail mail cards to six friends for no reason — Two sent. 

33. Share a bottle of bubbly with a friend once a month — Geez. You'd think this would be easy, but with the move, it hasn't been. I had better get on it for the next six months at least!

34. Play Settlers of Catan with friends

35. Try out a new hair color (or highlights, or a streak)— Added red highlights. (Honestly, not a super fan. But that's part of doing new stuff!)

36. Have a new pair of jeans tailored to fit

37. Find a new go-to layerable dress that accentuates my fabulousness — I've been shopping. And trying on oodles of dresses. Haven't found the perfect piece yet.

38. Wear "grown-up" clothes to bed— Haven't done this every night, but I've done a major clean-out of what I've often worn as pajamas, and am spending more time thinking about wearing something comfortable and cozy, not just pulling whatever I happen to find in the drawer.

39. Plan for a fun photo shoot

40. Launch a new website

41. Interview at least one of my bucket-list celebrities

42. Place freelance writing with at least five new publications (a mix of print and online) — I've pitched a few new places. Nothing confirmed yet.

(You can read all about my lists, and the former ones, here. And how I did on last year's list here. Bottom line, I love to try new things, and formalizing the process has helped me do more of them than ever.)