My Birthday Bucket List

I turned 36 today. As I get older I’ve promised myself never to run from the number just like I don’t hide from the scale.

Let me ponder it for a moment with some random thoughts.

36. Hmmm… I’m now on the other side of 35.

My "late 30s" some would say.

Closer to 40 than to 30 and further away from 20 than I’d like to spend time thinking about.

*sigh* 36.

I remember my mom at 36. I was 10, older than my son is today. I thought she was "old" then and wonder what he thinks of me now. Little Bean will never remember me at this age. For some reason that makes me sad.

36 feels like such an unimportant time. I’m old to some and young to others.

I’m only 36.
OMG I’m 36!

I also must look 36 because no one cards me anymore. They don’t think I’m too young to own the house I bought or the job I have. I used to be mistaken for a student when I worked at the college and my old neighbors thought we were the kids and our parents were just never home –no lie. That’s when I was 26. Now I’m 36.

I’ve worked hard at figuring out who I am and what I want. I have a Masters Degree, a home, a husband, a family and a business.

I think I like 36.

Actually, I kind of have to like it. Don’t I? There’s no going back now.

There’s only looking ahead and that’s just what the husband and I have been doing. We decided to write bucket lists. Honestly, I’m really proud of him because he’s the LEAST goal orientated person I know and it was totally his idea.

I’m the planner, the dreamer, the "what’s next?" person in our relationship, but I digress.

When I sat down to write my list I was actually pretty proud of myself. I’ve accomplished a lot in my 36 years. I have no plans on stopping though. I want the rest of my life to be a balance of being grateful in the moment for what I have while slowly working on things I still want to accomplish.

So, without further ado, may I present my official bucket list (if there is such a thing.)

1. Write a Bucket List.
2. Live at the beach (at least part time) AKA buy a beach house.
3. Become a World Traveler. I don’t even own a passport at the moment.
4. Hike in the Grand Canyon.
5. As cheesy as it sounds, Skydive preferably with one/all of my boys but I won’t force them to do it.
6. Visit the Redwood forest.
7. Publish a book (note: I’ve self published but I want to traditionally publish)
8. Launch a Travel Blog (note: I’ve already bought the domain. You may see a trend on this list of travel related goals. :) Launched The UnWordly Travelers!!
9. Be Financially Independent (My goal is to support my family doing only things I love and want to do, like this!)
10. Start some type of non-profit to help people in some way. Not sure what that "way" is yet but I know it will come to me.
11. Take the ultimate American road Trip with my boys coast to coast.
12. Take a cooking class just because.
13. Train for and run another marathon. This time completing it in under 5 hours. Preferably the NY Marathon but it’s not a necessity.
14. Sing Karaoke, alone and OWN IT. This scares the CRAP out of me. I can’t carry a tune to save my life.
15. Write a children’s book.
16. Take my Mom to Italy.
17. Take a rock wall climbing class and get certified to belay.
18. See the Northern Lights.
19. Throw a big reunion party for all my college friends. I miss them dearly.
20. Host a double elimination Beer Pong Tournament in my garage. Note: May be combined with item above.
21. Spend a week on a guilt free spa vacation.
22. Go scuba diving NOT snorkeling but SCUBA diving. I want to see a coral reef!
23. See an iceberg.
24. Take Martial Art lessons
25. Host FitBloggin’ on the West Coast.
26. Be on or work with the Food Network in some way .
27. Be present with my kids while they are kids and do my best to raise them to be responsible, happy adults.
28. Take a creative writing class.
29. Take a class at Penland School of Crafts.
30. See the stars and milky way in the night sky uninterrupted by city lights.
31. Do 2 pull ups in a row. Note: I did one once and it took me months of training. WHY are they so friggin’ hard?!
32. Visit Australia alone. I can’t explain why, I just want to.
33. Hike to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro
34. Audition for a Reality Show. Oh wait, I did that already!
35. Surprise my neighbors with New Year’s gifts.
36. Master my camera and take a breathtaking photograph that people want to hang on their wall.
37. Make a video that goes viral on youtube.
38. Plan a romantic transatlantic cruise with The Husband.
39. Take The Boys to LegoLand
40. Plan an official 5k event.
41. See as many of these movies as possible.
42. Go to Comic-Con International.
43. Take the Boys to see the Statue of Liberty.
44. Spend a FULL day in bed watching movies with the husband.
45. Teach/Inspire as many people to cook as I can.
46. Build something useful with my hands.
47. Have a conversation in another language.
48. Get another tattoo.
49. Collaborate on a project with the husband. We have tons of ideas.
50. Never stop living consciously and continually add to this list.