In 2012, I turned 35, and had baby number two. On maternity leave, I decided to make a list of things to accomplish over the next five years, before I turn 40.
I tried to keep them achievable, because with two little kids at home, I’m not going to climb the Great Wall of China, and I have no desire to run any kind of marathon or race. I have done some of these things before, such as the drive-in movie and orchestra at Blossom, but not with kids. Can you believe I had never rode in a convertible before?
- Take a family road trip/vacation (done 5/18/13. Trip to Kentucky for a wedding. 6/13/14 Trip to Maryland for a wedding)
- Have $20,000 in an emergency fund
See a movie in a drive-in theaterApril 2017
Have my byline in a national magazine (not a trade magazine),Writers Weekly 2017Have a spa day with a manicure and pedicure- Visit a foreign country (done 10/27/13. Work trip to Montreal)
Sing in a radio or TV commercial,2013, song played on NEO Community Radio in regular rotationOnly keep clothes that I look good in- Have a will,
life insurance, and written funeral plans - Ride in a horse drawn carriage (done 7/2015 in Chagrin Falls)
Go fishingApril 2017
- Buy a real piece of art (done 12/1/13. Bought art from ASM art show)
- Have a signature, go-to cocktail (to drink, not to make) (French Martini or rum and coke)
- Participate in a church group that is not music related (done 3/19/15. Church book club)
- Have a catered party at my house
- Grow a lemon tree indoors, three failed attempts
Bake breadApril 2017- Spend a week with no TV (done February 18 – April 5, 2015. Gave up TV for Lent)
- Ride in a convertible with the top down (done 6/26/16. Got to drive my dad’s Spitfire)
Plan and save for a 10-year anniversary trip (2017),Beer trail, Finger Lakes, NY- Shoot a gun
Go on a retreatJanuary 2017- See the orchestra at Blossom and have a picnic (done Aug 7, 2016 with extended family)
Spend a Sunday at the Chautauqua InstituteAugust 2017Have a cocktail in the back room at the Velvet Tango RoomMay 2017Buy a comfy bedApril 2017Take a first-aid classApril 2017- See an opera
- Eat Victoria spongecake (done July 4, 2016)
Send flowers to someone once a month for a year!Buy the most expensive lottery ticket Ohio sells, 2017, won my money backEat a paw pawSept 2017Spend a day doing random acts of kindness, 2017- Get up to date with making photo books and the kids baby books
- Do something that isn’t on the list but should have been (done Oct 2014. Weekend away with Mike)
Practice a difficult organ piece (with pedals) to perfection- Get a new professional headshot (done May 2015 but I don’t like the bkgd the designer at work photoshopped)
- See one of my favorite bands/artists in concert (done June 2014 Beck, Aug 2014 Wilco, Aug 2016 Paul McCartney)
Invest in something custom made, Word of the year: Stretch- Pie in the sky wish: Pay off mortgage