This list was originally meant to be a “25 Before 25” list, but I found myself out of ideas at 10. Plus, 25 is only 2 years away! Most people who participate in the “30 Before 30” trend get started much earlier than that. So I decided to call it my birthday resolutions instead (my birthday is tomorrow!). I’m not going to give myself a time frame, per se, though I’ll try to remember to check in on my list each year around my birthday. And I’ll use this as inspiration for copious blogposts throughout the year. Check the static page entitled, aptly enough, “Birthday Resolutions” to see links to all the posts I write and to check on my progress!
Now, without further ado, the list:
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Sew a t-shirt quilt (…the size of a throw, not a queen bed). I took a sewing class earlier this summer and this was one of the goals I had in mind. My teacher told me sewing jersey is an entirely different ballgame, but some friends of mine enlightened me about fusible interfacing, which makes the fabric not stretchy and therefore sew-able just like normal. I have a full-sized t-shirt quilt, but I’m not crazy about the backing fabric. Plus, I’ve accumulated more t-shirts since then and think this would be bother a fun project and a great memento!
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Have a guest post published on a blog I respect OR have a freelance article published somewhere.
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Discover a wine, a beer, and a cocktail that I really, consistently like, and be able to articulate why (i.e. “the nose,” flavor notes, combinations). I have a few things that I know I like, but I’m not really sure what they do or do not have in common. I usually depend on cocktail menus to coach me, but I’d love to be able to sit down at a restaurant and confidently order something that I know is standard and that I know I’ll enjoy.
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Participate in a conversation (even a basic one) in Spanish. I took French for ages, and while I am far from fluent, I have a good basis of using a foreign language. Especially in my line of work (social services) knowing Spanish is becoming more and more important for being able to communicate with clients. I bought a Spanish workbook last year and plugged along for awhile but didn’t make it very far. Whether I use the workbook or take a class, I’d like to keep this on the forefront of my mind as something that’ll be worth the effort.
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Learn how to make 5 recipes from memory. I’m well on my way with a few. I think the delicious meatloaf from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook will be a contender, as well as one of the casseroles I make pretty frequently. I’m not counting meals that I can throw together any time at this point, like fried rice or marinated steak, as recipes.
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Conquer the Southern Biscuit and experiment with making bread.
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Complete a sprint triathlon (no matter how slow). This will require having a working bike and finding somewhere to swim (although that’s the area in which I would need the least training), as well as the motivation to make myself run for more than 5 minutes at a time, so it might be more of a long-term goal than some of these others.
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Join the choir/praise band at church. In high school, I always said that I would do this when I “grew up.” Well, I’d say I’m there now, so I suppose it’s time! I’ve never sung much in public, but it is one of my favorite things to do, and I think singing in church could be an incredibly rewarding experience.
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Make it all the way through a Bible reading plan.
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Get enough calcium; figure out how much that is, how much I’m currently getting, and how to get more if need be. I read an article recently that more and more women even in their 20s and 30s are being diagnosed with osteopenia, which is a precursor to osteoperosis. Now, some doctors argue over the validity of even diagnosing a precursor, but I still think it can’t hurt to give it some thought. I do a lot of load-bearing exercise (read: walking), which is good for promoting bone density, but I’ve never been much of a milk drinker, so I have no clue if I take in enough calcium. I’d like to make sure I do.
There you have it! I think this list represents a good range of intellectual, physical, and domestic activities, and I’m looking forward to giving it a shot.
It’s so easy to make excuses for putting things off…what’s something you’ve always wanted to do but never have? What do you think will make you take the plunge and get it done?
