Thinking about how short life is doesn't make it last any longer. That's the ticket! So, instead, I decided to think about all the different, fantastic ways I can pack this lifetime full.
A while back I made a list. It started as 100 Things to Accomplish. But as I listed... I was amazed to find a thousand simple things, actions that probably couldn't be termed "accomplishments", coming out of nowhere. Those simple things were also the ones that made me (and Jon) smile and laugh. Silliness. That's what I found I truly want to accomplish for the rest of my life... between all the greatness and history-making of course. No, you needn't read them all. Unless you want to. Lots of cool stuff in there! Drumroll please... in no particular order...
100 Things To Do
1. Publish a novel
2. Publish a poem
3. Be published in Reader's Digest
4. Learn to dance
5. Publish a short story
6. Sing on stage
7. Have a baby
8. Take a painting class
9. Work for a newspaper
10. Coach volleyball again
11. Teach kids to love English
12. Attend the Oscars
13. Buy a fixer upper, fix it up
14. Move to a small town
15. Milk a cow
16. Learn and practice yoga
17. Go blonde
18. Get a daisy tattoo
19. Feed the hungry
20. Create a scholarship fund
21.
Graduate from UC Davis
22. Learn ASL
23. Watch our children grow
24. Read the entire bible
25. Pray with my brother
26. Own a horse
27. Take our children to Disneyland
28. Be a Creative Memories consultant
29. Make donuts
30. Learn to juggle pins with Jon
31. Keep a veggie garden
32. Make a Thanksgiving turkey
33. Complete a bouldering competition
34.
Play volleyball again
35. Go to a fancy costume party
36. Enter a poetry contest
37. Go to the ballet
38. Begin running
39.
Write daily
40. Teach a Sunday School class
41. Remember everyone's birthday
42. Continue fitting into my wedding dress each year
43. Volunteer at a womens' shelter
44. Help with a youth group
45. Learn to golf
46. Keep close friends
47. Have Irish setters
48. Love my husband every day
49. Knit/crochet a sweater
50. Visit Grandpa's grave
51. Ride in a helicopter
52.
Every once in a while, do a cartwheel
53. Learn archery
54. Be heroic
55. Ride on a motorcycle
56. Go to the Olympics (watch volleyball)
57. Visit all 50 states
58. See a Broadway play
59. Eat at 21
60.
Own an original work of art
61. Run a race to raise money for a worthy cause
62. Give generously
63. Take nothing for granted
64.
Wear turquoise
65. Enjoy my work
66. Attend an NBA game
67.
Attend an NFL game
68. Visit all the National Parks
69. Keep roses
70. Smile at strangers
71. Try photography
72. Build a snowman
73.
Climb mountains with Jon
74. Visit ivy league campuses
75. Read the New York Times
76. Wear perfume
77. Buy leather pants (and wear them)
78. Do AND Teach
79. Take quiet time every day
80. Grow my hair out long
81. Walk barefoot in the park
82. Go to a Jessica Simpson concert
83. Support Jon in everything he does
84. Build a sandcastle
85. Fly my kite
86.
Dance in the snow
87.
Wear pretty lingerie
88. Make cider
89. Bird watch
90. Let other people live their lives
91. Learn to cook
92.
Eat a croissant while window shopping at Tiffany's
93. Be able to touch my toes (w/o bending my knees)
94. Catch fireflies
95. Grow strawberries
96. Sew a dress
97. Fly an airplane
98. Enjoy bathing suit shopping
99. Work at Disneyland
100. Paint a mural
101. Remember to breathe
102. Attend the Kentucky Derby
103. Adopt a greyhound
104. Write a play
105. Take a trip on a train
106. Make real lemonade
107. Wallpaper with my mom
108. Go to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
109. Learn a martial art
110. Work in a library
111. Canoe in Minnesota
112. See Kodiak Island (from a boat)
113. Ride in a hot air balloon
114. Eat fried green tomatoes
115. Visit colonial Williamsburg
116. Eat real gelato
117. Stay at the Hotel Del Coronado
118. Have a white Christmas
Okay, so there are 118 items, accomplishments, things to do... and that's not all. I'm sure there will be more sometime very soon. And I hope this inspires lists in the hearts of all my friends. Just remember that nothing is too silly. The other day when visiting Cindy I managed to do number 52 right in the middle of her boyfriend's empty apartment! Impressive, huh? When I add more you'll all be the first to know.