40 Things to do Before I Turn 40

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?

1. 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)
   
2. Have $20,000 in an emergency fund
3. See a movie in a drive-in theater April 2017
   
4. Have my byline in a national magazine (not a trade magazine), Writers Weekly 2017
5. Have a spa day with a manicure and pedicure
6. Visit a foreign country (done 10/27/13. Work trip to Montreal)
   
7. Sing in a radio or TV commercial, 2013, song played on NEO Community Radio in regular rotation
8. Only keep clothes that I look good in
9. Have a will, life insurance, and written funeral plans
10. Ride in a horse drawn carriage (done 7/2015 in Chagrin Falls)
    
11. Go fishing April 2017
    
12. Buy a real piece of art (done 12/1/13. Bought art from ASM art show)
13. Have a signature, go-to cocktail (to drink, not to make) (French Martini or rum and coke)
14. Participate in a church group that is not music related (done 3/19/15. Church book club)
15. Have a catered party at my house
16. Grow a lemon tree indoors, three failed attempts
17. Bake bread April 2017
18. Spend a week with no TV (done February 18 – April 5, 2015. Gave up TV for Lent)
19. Ride in a convertible with the top down (done 6/26/16. Got to drive my dad’s Spitfire)
    
20. Plan and save for a 10-year anniversary trip (2017), Beer trail, Finger Lakes, NY
21. Shoot a gun
22. Go on a retreat January 2017
23. See the orchestra at Blossom and have a picnic (done Aug 7, 2016 with extended family)
24. Spend a Sunday at the Chautauqua Institute August 2017
25. Have a cocktail in the back room at the Velvet Tango Room May 2017
26. Buy a comfy bed April 2017
27. Take a first-aid class  April 2017
28. See an opera
29. Eat Victoria spongecake (done July 4, 2016)
30. Send flowers to someone once a month for a year!
31. Buy the most expensive lottery ticket Ohio sells, 2017, won my money back
32. Eat a paw paw Sept 2017
33. Spend a day doing random acts of kindness, 2017
34. Get up to date with making photo books and the kids baby books
35. Do something that isn’t on the list but should have been (done Oct 2014. Weekend away with Mike)
36. Practice a difficult organ piece (with pedals) to perfection
37. Get a new professional headshot (done May 2015 but I don’t like the bkgd the designer at work photoshopped)
38. See one of my favorite bands/artists in concert (done June 2014 Beck, Aug 2014 Wilco, Aug 2016 Paul McCartney)
39. Invest in something custom made, Word of the year: Stretch
40. Pie in the sky wish: Pay off mortgage