the totally doable year long bucket list
I really hate change. Not actively. It's the one thing that I quietly rebel against while raising holy hell about how wrong it is to put pineapple on pizza. I have daily rituals, like so many others: I put on my clothes in the same order, fix my coffee the same way, listen to one song for weeks on end until I'm sick of it and never want to hear it again. It's comforting to know that some things will always be the same. That no matter how calm or crazy things are, I will always forget to put on deodorant and have to do it after I'm fully dressed.
As it's the beginning of a New Year, we should have just reflected on last years adventures and should be actively trying to anticipate what's about to happen to us. One of my favorite things that I chose to do last year was my summer bucket list. I loved it! I roped a few friends into doing some of the things and it was just super fun, and if you read my 2014 wrap up, you'll know I had the inspired idea to do a year long bucket list so I present that to you today! And yes it is different than my New Year's "Resolutions" because those are everyday things I can do to be a better/happier/more fulfilled/nicer/etc. person. This is for fun.
Rules for the totally doable year long bucket list, because there must be rules: a) everything on the list has to be realistically doable within the year, b) nothing too big or too serious; only fun and random stuff allowed, c) primarily new things! because I am young and alive, I must experience the world and make use of my muchness, d) pics or it didn't happen (if possible). So I've got a list of 12, one thing per month-ish, some will take no time at all, some will take all year, and I'll do them in any order I want because I'm naturally spontaneous, and then a few extras if I feel like it or find out one of the 12 is unrealistic.
Without further ado, the totally doable year long bucket list!!
1. Run a 5K. A year ago I ran every day. Then I started traveling for my job and it became "impossible" (read as "I'm naturally lazy") because, as noted above, I thrive on routine. Take me out of it and I will eat all of the Funyun's. So when my Mom expressed interest in running a 5K I jumped on the idea. I'm planning on it AND actually getting ready for it physically. The whole brain-body thing.
2. Buy a ukulele and learn to play a song on it. This was on the original summer bucket list I did. It was the reason I decided to do it frankly. And then the time came to buy a ukulele and I had no idea how, so I didn't. I was really nervous about it, probably unnecessarily, but still! I don't have money to throw at some janky broken down ukulele, and while it's unlikely I'll become the next Zooey Deschanel or Jason Mraz, I don't want some piece of crap I can't figure out. But this year, I'll figure it out and start a Youtube channel of me singing Spice Girls songs on a ukulele. See? You're already looking forward to 2015.
3. Have my tarot cards read. I don't know, I just think things like this are interesting. I don't really take it seriously, so maybe that will block whatever energy is going to tell them about my life. Is that even what they do? I'm curious. May as well, right?
4. Go vegan for one month. Currently, I hold the title of laziest vegetarian in the world. I don't care if the meat and vegetables are cooked in the same pot, I pick pepperoni off a piece of pizza, I eat fish at least twice a year (sushi or lobster on my birthday and shrimp when we order Chinese). Maybe if I go all out, no dairy, no eggs, no cheese (NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I might have a spiritual awakening or by cleansing my body of animal byproducts I won't have a desire for them. Who am I kidding? It's a bucket list not a fairy godmother. But we'll give it the old college try.
5. Take a yoga class. I LOVE yoga!! LOVE IT!!! But I've never taken a class. I have DVD's and I watch the Youtube and I worry sometimes that my form is horrible and I'm afraid to try more advanced poses for fear of crippling myself. I've wanted to take a class for awhile now and this just may be the year to do so.
6. Make a legit cake. A dream of mine, is to run away and open a bakery by the beach. But first, I need for the things I bake to taste good AND look good. Now, I make a bitchin' cheesecake. I got kissed on both cheeks by an Italian chef (my 20yo friend, David, even so...) for my eggnog cheesecake so I'm thinking if it was a cheesecake shop I'd be all set. BUT my cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc. usually end up looking like turds of varying size, shape, and color. Last year, I made this cake (pictured below), for my birthday (fun fact: I've had the same cake on my birthday since I was maybe 6 or 7--a heart shaped chocolate cake with pink peppermint frosting and cinnamon hearts around the edges). I was, and remain to this day, super freaking proud of this effort.
It's got the rosebuds on the top and the swirlies on the sides, the frosting is this great crusting buttercream I made from scratch, and I sawed that sucker in half, glopped frosting in the middle, and turned it into a cake sandwich aka a layer cake! It was delicious and I want to do the same thing again this year, not necessarily for my birthday, but at some point I want to make a real cake with tiers and fondant and all the fireworks.
7. Get another piercing. Guys, I have a problem. I'm so addicted to piercings. SOOOO addicted. But if loving piercings is wrong, then I want more because look at this!!!
I already have the double helix (the two rings) and I really want the forward helix (the three studs on the front part of the ear). My sister came home for Christmas with her tragus done and I'm obsessed with it. All it's done is fuel my lust for another hole in my face.
8. Scream as loud as I can from the top of a tall mountain/building/trash heap. In manner of Garden State. It looks easy, but it's actually a little intimidating to just start screaming. Especially if there are people around. But, confession: I already scream in the car, for lots of reasons let's don't dwell, so this is just taking it to the next level. I just need to choose a location.
9. Road Trip!!! to anywhere!!! Driving long distances is one of my favorite things. I think a lot about everything, belt all the songs, see strange rock formations, I just love it. And I haven't really gone anywhere in a few years. I went to Indio for a concert. But I'd love to go the beach, or Disneyland! Or Flagstaff, anywhere really. My sister's graduating this year and I kind of want to drive from here to Ohio and see what's going on in the whole middle bit of the country.
10. Go somewhere for each letter of the alphabet. As I explained to my sister, this doesn't need to be a thing. Like a big expensive thing. It can be a "B is for Bookstore" thing, I just want to go places. See more. Do more. Be more tea and all that. Hopefully I can find some unique and interesting places around Phoenix or wherever this year takes me!
11. Get more comfortable with hiking. Never fails, I will fall at least twice, once going up and once coming down the mountain. I like to hike, and there's a pretty decent trail by my house that takes about 40 minutes total; it's not crazy intense, but it's steep enough to really challenge you AND it isn't maintained so loose rocks and gravel abound. It's not treacherous, but I slipped on some pebbles, cut up my knee and had some cactus spores stuck in my hand once. And I'm terrified to try a trail with more people on it. I'll just get in their way. I'm also nervous to hike alone. Inevitably, I will trip and tumble off the mountain and be eaten by wild dogs. And no one will know. I'm not sure where to go from that... hike more? Text before, during and after hiking to maintain contact and possible avoiding of being eaten by dogs?
12. Restart Spanish lessons. I lived in a primarily Hispanic city for a few years and I could understand more than I could speak, but I wanted to learn the language that was surrounding me. I like learning new languages and about cultures different from mine. Problem is, I have no ear for language. I did really well at sign language when I took those classes in college, but speaking a language is practically impossible for me. I'm so terrible. Always have been. I have 7 years of French and 2 of Spanish under my belt and that's where they'll stay because I can't remember anything from either. But this year, I'd like to bust out the Rosetta Stone and at least make it past the level with "sandwich." No joke, that's when I gave up last time because you can only say "sandwich" so many times (in the span of 2 hours) and hear the you-got-it-wrong sound, before you start to go insane.
Honorable Mentions (aka things I'll get around to if the opportunity presents itself):
~Go paintballing. I consider paintball to be in the same athletic vein as laser tag which is my favorite thing, so in spite of not being very outdoorsy or good at laser tag, I've wanted to do this forever!
~Go to First Friday frequently. I haven't been since I moved back to Phoenix and they do these every month, technically every Friday. I love First Fridays!! I love Downtown in general and it would be fun to go back!
~Go to a concert. I'm pretty partial to concerts in the summer, but it's been about a year since I saw some good live music and I'm reaching my limit.
~Do a science experiment. Like make things explode, like the elephant foam or something crazy awesome like that.
~Learn the Single Ladies choreography. It just looks so fun! And I know I'm a thousand years late, but Beyonce is timeless. Better late than never, right?!
~Reading Challenge! I didn't include this in the list because I've done this for the past two years, but I always do a reading challenge. I challenge myself to read 52 books (1 book a week, or at least 4-ish per month) during the year. This year I have a twist on this activity:
My friend, Maya, sent me this on Facebook and we're doing it! PLUS, it's perfect because it's got 52 challenges (one is a trilogy) so two birds, one bullet. Love it! I've just finished "Not That Kind of Girl" by Lena Dunham (I got it for Christmas, I want to write like her) and it fulfills a few of these challenges. I think I'll use it for the "A book written by someone under 30" one.
AND I've been racking my brain trying to think of a hashtag that will beat #bossassbitch and guess what? There isn't one. There just isn't. My hashtag game peaked with this one, but it's just so perfect for me. I'm open to suggestions if you can think of something that represents me as well as #bossassbitch. Good luck!
Maybe one day I'll be able to do the kind of grand scale bucket list, a bucket list is supposed to be, things like go zorbing, attach a lock to the Lover's Lock Bridge in France, see the tulip fields in the Netherlands. But for now I'm a broke teacher/writer/stage manager/big faker but none of that should keep me from moving forward, trying new things, and flailing through this new year. I'm hella excited!
As it's the beginning of a New Year, we should have just reflected on last years adventures and should be actively trying to anticipate what's about to happen to us. One of my favorite things that I chose to do last year was my summer bucket list. I loved it! I roped a few friends into doing some of the things and it was just super fun, and if you read my 2014 wrap up, you'll know I had the inspired idea to do a year long bucket list so I present that to you today! And yes it is different than my New Year's "Resolutions" because those are everyday things I can do to be a better/happier/more fulfilled/nicer/etc. person. This is for fun.
Rules for the totally doable year long bucket list, because there must be rules: a) everything on the list has to be realistically doable within the year, b) nothing too big or too serious; only fun and random stuff allowed, c) primarily new things! because I am young and alive, I must experience the world and make use of my muchness, d) pics or it didn't happen (if possible). So I've got a list of 12, one thing per month-ish, some will take no time at all, some will take all year, and I'll do them in any order I want because I'm naturally spontaneous, and then a few extras if I feel like it or find out one of the 12 is unrealistic.
Without further ado, the totally doable year long bucket list!!
1. Run a 5K. A year ago I ran every day. Then I started traveling for my job and it became "impossible" (read as "I'm naturally lazy") because, as noted above, I thrive on routine. Take me out of it and I will eat all of the Funyun's. So when my Mom expressed interest in running a 5K I jumped on the idea. I'm planning on it AND actually getting ready for it physically. The whole brain-body thing.
2. Buy a ukulele and learn to play a song on it. This was on the original summer bucket list I did. It was the reason I decided to do it frankly. And then the time came to buy a ukulele and I had no idea how, so I didn't. I was really nervous about it, probably unnecessarily, but still! I don't have money to throw at some janky broken down ukulele, and while it's unlikely I'll become the next Zooey Deschanel or Jason Mraz, I don't want some piece of crap I can't figure out. But this year, I'll figure it out and start a Youtube channel of me singing Spice Girls songs on a ukulele. See? You're already looking forward to 2015.
3. Have my tarot cards read. I don't know, I just think things like this are interesting. I don't really take it seriously, so maybe that will block whatever energy is going to tell them about my life. Is that even what they do? I'm curious. May as well, right?
4. Go vegan for one month. Currently, I hold the title of laziest vegetarian in the world. I don't care if the meat and vegetables are cooked in the same pot, I pick pepperoni off a piece of pizza, I eat fish at least twice a year (sushi or lobster on my birthday and shrimp when we order Chinese). Maybe if I go all out, no dairy, no eggs, no cheese (NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I might have a spiritual awakening or by cleansing my body of animal byproducts I won't have a desire for them. Who am I kidding? It's a bucket list not a fairy godmother. But we'll give it the old college try.
5. Take a yoga class. I LOVE yoga!! LOVE IT!!! But I've never taken a class. I have DVD's and I watch the Youtube and I worry sometimes that my form is horrible and I'm afraid to try more advanced poses for fear of crippling myself. I've wanted to take a class for awhile now and this just may be the year to do so.
6. Make a legit cake. A dream of mine, is to run away and open a bakery by the beach. But first, I need for the things I bake to taste good AND look good. Now, I make a bitchin' cheesecake. I got kissed on both cheeks by an Italian chef (my 20yo friend, David, even so...) for my eggnog cheesecake so I'm thinking if it was a cheesecake shop I'd be all set. BUT my cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc. usually end up looking like turds of varying size, shape, and color. Last year, I made this cake (pictured below), for my birthday (fun fact: I've had the same cake on my birthday since I was maybe 6 or 7--a heart shaped chocolate cake with pink peppermint frosting and cinnamon hearts around the edges). I was, and remain to this day, super freaking proud of this effort.
7. Get another piercing. Guys, I have a problem. I'm so addicted to piercings. SOOOO addicted. But if loving piercings is wrong, then I want more because look at this!!!
 |
| Piercing porn |
8. Scream as loud as I can from the top of a tall mountain/building/trash heap. In manner of Garden State. It looks easy, but it's actually a little intimidating to just start screaming. Especially if there are people around. But, confession: I already scream in the car, for lots of reasons let's don't dwell, so this is just taking it to the next level. I just need to choose a location.
9. Road Trip!!! to anywhere!!! Driving long distances is one of my favorite things. I think a lot about everything, belt all the songs, see strange rock formations, I just love it. And I haven't really gone anywhere in a few years. I went to Indio for a concert. But I'd love to go the beach, or Disneyland! Or Flagstaff, anywhere really. My sister's graduating this year and I kind of want to drive from here to Ohio and see what's going on in the whole middle bit of the country.
10. Go somewhere for each letter of the alphabet. As I explained to my sister, this doesn't need to be a thing. Like a big expensive thing. It can be a "B is for Bookstore" thing, I just want to go places. See more. Do more. Be more tea and all that. Hopefully I can find some unique and interesting places around Phoenix or wherever this year takes me!
11. Get more comfortable with hiking. Never fails, I will fall at least twice, once going up and once coming down the mountain. I like to hike, and there's a pretty decent trail by my house that takes about 40 minutes total; it's not crazy intense, but it's steep enough to really challenge you AND it isn't maintained so loose rocks and gravel abound. It's not treacherous, but I slipped on some pebbles, cut up my knee and had some cactus spores stuck in my hand once. And I'm terrified to try a trail with more people on it. I'll just get in their way. I'm also nervous to hike alone. Inevitably, I will trip and tumble off the mountain and be eaten by wild dogs. And no one will know. I'm not sure where to go from that... hike more? Text before, during and after hiking to maintain contact and possible avoiding of being eaten by dogs?
12. Restart Spanish lessons. I lived in a primarily Hispanic city for a few years and I could understand more than I could speak, but I wanted to learn the language that was surrounding me. I like learning new languages and about cultures different from mine. Problem is, I have no ear for language. I did really well at sign language when I took those classes in college, but speaking a language is practically impossible for me. I'm so terrible. Always have been. I have 7 years of French and 2 of Spanish under my belt and that's where they'll stay because I can't remember anything from either. But this year, I'd like to bust out the Rosetta Stone and at least make it past the level with "sandwich." No joke, that's when I gave up last time because you can only say "sandwich" so many times (in the span of 2 hours) and hear the you-got-it-wrong sound, before you start to go insane.
Honorable Mentions (aka things I'll get around to if the opportunity presents itself):
~Go paintballing. I consider paintball to be in the same athletic vein as laser tag which is my favorite thing, so in spite of not being very outdoorsy or good at laser tag, I've wanted to do this forever!
~Go to First Friday frequently. I haven't been since I moved back to Phoenix and they do these every month, technically every Friday. I love First Fridays!! I love Downtown in general and it would be fun to go back!
~Go to a concert. I'm pretty partial to concerts in the summer, but it's been about a year since I saw some good live music and I'm reaching my limit.
~Do a science experiment. Like make things explode, like the elephant foam or something crazy awesome like that.
~Learn the Single Ladies choreography. It just looks so fun! And I know I'm a thousand years late, but Beyonce is timeless. Better late than never, right?!
~Reading Challenge! I didn't include this in the list because I've done this for the past two years, but I always do a reading challenge. I challenge myself to read 52 books (1 book a week, or at least 4-ish per month) during the year. This year I have a twist on this activity:
 |
| 2015 Reading Challenge INFO!! |
AND I've been racking my brain trying to think of a hashtag that will beat #bossassbitch and guess what? There isn't one. There just isn't. My hashtag game peaked with this one, but it's just so perfect for me. I'm open to suggestions if you can think of something that represents me as well as #bossassbitch. Good luck!
Maybe one day I'll be able to do the kind of grand scale bucket list, a bucket list is supposed to be, things like go zorbing, attach a lock to the Lover's Lock Bridge in France, see the tulip fields in the Netherlands. But for now I'm a broke teacher/writer/stage manager/big faker but none of that should keep me from moving forward, trying new things, and flailing through this new year. I'm hella excited!
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