Thank you for all the positive feedback on my series and your excitement for it to continue on a smaller scale! I think it will fit in nicely with the posting I usually do around here. I’m also happy so many of us seem to be in the same place right now, which, depending on the day you ask me, can seem like the edge of a tall precipice. Simple, intentional living and thoughtful spending? Piece of cake! I’m currently drafting blueprints for a yurt in New Mexico. I’ll show it to you as soon as I finish my lunch; that McDonald’s happy meal won’t stay hot forever.
I decided to organize my new focus with a list. I know, another one. It’s true, I’m a list person, but not because I’m scheduled and organized. The opposite, actually. Without a list, without structure, without deadlines or goals, I flounder. I’m like a BeyBlade skittering across a hardwood floor, allowing tongues and grooves steer me into the unknown. Lists are my Bey stadiums, four walls that provide enough structure for me to 1…2…3…let it rip!
(I often wonder how my life would be different if I had daughters.)
Knowing this about myself, I should already have a list of 100 bucket items typed up and ready for the satisfying strikes of a fine point Sharpie marker. I don’t. It took registering for Camp Mighty for me to consider analyzing my wants so closely and even now, a week before I’m scheduled to leave, I’m still without a completed list.
I’m nervous about meeting new people, and whether they will like me. I’m nervous about spending several nights away from home, away from the moments of solitude I need to refresh and recharge. I’m nervous about what to wear.
But most of all, today I’m nervous about finishing this list. I know I’m missing something. Technically, I’m missing 30 somethings. I know I want more than 1-70, but numbers 71-100 elude me.
Here is my list so far. I’m open to suggestions and trolling the Oprah website for inspiration.
Family
- Visit all 58 U.S. National Parks: Acadia, American Samoa, Arches, Badlands, Big Bend, Biscayne, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Carlsbad Caverns, Channel Islands, Congaree, Crater Lake, Cuyahoga Valley, Death Valley, Denali, Dry Tortugas, Everglades, Gates of the Arctic, Glacier, Glacier Bay, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Great Basin, Great Sand Dunes, Great Smoky Mountains, Guadalupe Mountains, Haleakala, Hawaii Volcanoes, Hot Springs, Isle Royale, Joshua Tree, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Kings Canyon, Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark, Lassen Volcanic, Mammoth Cave, Mesa Verde, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic, Petrified Forest, Redwood, Rocky Mountain, Saguaro, Sequoia, Shenandoah, Theodore Roosevelt, Virgin Islands, Voyageurs, Wind Cave, Wrangell Saint Elias, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion. (Inspired by Leslie.)
- Go camping and “rough it.”
- Vacation on a house boat on Lake Powell.
- Visit all 50 states.
- Vacation in an R.V.
- Tour the Smithsonian.
- Visit the World Trade Center Memorial and Museum.
- Visit Iguazu Falls. (I did this with my family as a child.)
- Celebrate Mikey’s 8th grade graduation.
- Celebrate Nicholas’s 8th grade graduation.
- Celebrate Mikey’s high school graduation.
- Celebrate Nicholas’s high school graduation.
- Celebrate Mikey’s college graduation.
- Celebrate Nicholas’s college graduation. (The preceding six items inspired by Laura Mayes.)
- Make more than enough money to put my husband through school or allow him a career change.
- Live in Argentina for one year.
- Establish a “set in stone” family night.
- Establish a “set in stone” date night.
- Introduce my grandmother to my husband and our sons.
- Visit Argentina.
- France.
- Italy.
- Austria.
- Germany.
- Sweden.
- Denmark.
- Holland.
- Visit Anne Frank Museum. (I did this as a child. Unforgettable.)
- Read Chronicles of Narnia with the boys.
- Read the Harry Potter series with the boys.
Home
- Have nothing in my home that is not useful or that I do not believe to be beautiful.
- Create Essential Papers File. (Inspired by 52 Bites.)
- Fold a fitted sheet Gap perfect without a Youtube tutorial.
- Grow vegetables from seed.
- Plant and harvest backyard vegetable garden.
- Eat a salad made from garden vegetables.
- Have a paperless kitchen. (Inspired by 52 Bites.)
- Have a go-to pie crust recipe.
- Can something.
- Make yogurt.
- Have a go-to recipe for empanadas from scratch that won’t make me want to poke my eyes out.
- Sew a quilt or bedspread for Mikey and Nicholas.
- Have a go-to bread recipe.
- Create a compost system…pile…whatever they are called.
- Make “I must be in Mexico” refried pinto beans from scratch.
Serenity
- Read the Bible cover to cover.
- Attend mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica.
- Tour the Holy See.
- Visit all four Papal Basilicas: Saint Peter’s Basilica, Saint John Lateran, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Saint Mary Major.
- See the Pope.
- Shake hands with the Pope.
- Read Catechism of the Catholic Church.
- Pray the rosary for everyday 30 days.
- Sleep 8 hours every night for at least 30 days.
- Become a person who exercises regularly.
- Compete in a tennis tournament.
- Eat completely unprocessed for 30 days.
- Abstain from sugar and flour for 365 days straight.
- Run a 5k.
- Pay off all debt: credit card, student loan #1, student loan #2, mortgage, line of credit.
Life
- Speak Spanish fluently once again.
- Write and publish a book.
- Write monthly or weekly column for a magazine or newspaper.
- Have a signature scent.
- Have a perfume named after me.
- Read the Western Canon. (Any suggestion on which source to follow?)
- Use my camera’s manual setting. Correctly.
- Read a book series in a genre I normally avoid. (e.g., The Hobbit and the complete Lord of the Rings or A Game of Thrones.)
- Read my Unread Library.
- Build family tree at least three generations up.
UPDATE: Would you look at that? I finished my list! You can check out the Official Life List here.
:::very inspiring::: i’ve been wanting to create a “bucket list”/before baby list/general life list – and this post was very helpful. and now i want to go visit the iguazu falls too! :)
I think the best way to work on your life list is to read someone else’s life list. I’ve read a couple and thought, “Oh yeah! I want to do that!”
I’ve always wanted to visit Ellis Island and Angel Island. To hear and read more about those who gave up everything to come here. Great lists! Oh, and go to pie-crust?! Try Martha Stewart’s Pate-Brisee recipe. It uses nearly a pound of butter, but oh my heck is it good!
http://www.marthastewart.com/254603/pate-brisee-pie-dough
Oh, those are good ones. Wait! You reminded me of one I might have forgotten to add. Let me check…nope! Not on there. Thank you! (Family tree)
Also, is that Martha one the one where she freezes it and shreds it with a box cutter? I always wanted to try that one.
I hate to do this to you (as you are struggling to add to the list), but you have family tree twice. Once as number 13 under Home and again as number 10 under Life.
I recently went through a similiar experiment where I had to write out my ideal life and then write out lists of smaller goals and steps that would get me there. It was a very enlightening and useful process.
I am fortunate enough to travel overseas often and I am working my way through the UNESCO world heritage list (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list). I noticed some neat sights in Argentina on the list!
Ah, curses! That’s what happens when a sick person double checks a list. Thank you for bringing it to my attention! :)
I’m also going to check out that UNESCO world heritage list. Sounds right up my alley.
Glad to see “write and publish a book” made it on your list :)
Thank you! Now tell me what to write, please.
I love your list, Jules.
And I really like you too.
I hope CM is a wonderful and stretching experience.
Wow that’s an awesome list so far! And yes, like Donna said, the write and publish a book one made me happy too! :-) I don’t have any ideas for items to add, but I have to say it was cool that you separated the items out by category – I’ve never seen anyone else do that! I predict it will be “the thing” everyone else does with their Life List! :-)
I like lists, but a big block of 100+ items made me nervous. Small bites, just like my William Morris projects. I’ve seen one other person do it, but we didn’t inspire each other. I think we’re both just anal retentive. ;) We should get along famously next week.
Are you talking about me? I’m not anal retentive! Just a little bit organized, and only sometimes! Ha! You should see the state of my guest room right now, it’s ready for an episode of hoarders. Anyway! The categories I used came from Karen Walrond’s Pathfinder class. During week four in her class we create a life list. Each day, for five days, we add 20 items in five different categories. I liked the categories so much I kept them organized that way.
Great job on your list! Lord of the Rings is so good. It’s so much more than just the genre it’s in.
See ya next week!
I love your list! Especially the travel items. My boyfriend and I also want to hit up all of the national parks some day. I’m in the process of blogging about the six we hit on our roadtrip this summer!
Im also a total list person. I’m doing the 101 in 1001 right now and I’ve found it to be the perfect mix of big life goals and random to-do list type items. Just what I need to keep motivated. Nothing is as satisfying as crossing stuff off lists, right?!
I love crossing things off lists! :)
I can help you with that pie crust recipe, girlzie. Got several. ;)
Send some over! I’m excited to try some out. Every pie crust I have ever tried has been dry and tasteless.
I am admittedly biased when it comes to the Western canon, as my alma mater prides itself on its Core Curriculum�the literature list is here. If I had held onto all the books, I’d send them over!
Thank you so much! :D
I like the Bloom version of the Canon myself. His book on the Western Canon is fantastic as well (justifying choices, etc.). If you just want the list though, you can find it here: http://home.comcast.net/~dwtaylor1/theocraticcanon.html (that’s page 1)
I have that book! It’s what I’ve been using (since 1994) to work my way through the Canon. I’m curious to see how it compares to other sources.
I wanted to add a belated comment on the William Morris series. It was AWESOME, and I would love for you to continue it on some scale. I was inspired enough to print out my own copy of the beautiful/useful saying. I also cleaned my vanity! I have the coolest desk and tall stool and it feels so wonderfully indulgent to sit down with mirrors and lights and everything at my fingertips to put on my makeup. Except when it’s covered and filled with random things like my son’s photo button from Little League…2 seasons ago, Del Taco receipts (indicative of another problem entirely) and a deck of Dale Earnhardt playing cards. Now it’s both beautiful and useful again. Thank you!
That is so great to hear! :)
Great list. Just one word of advice. When you go to Lake Powell make sure you bring someone who has actually been on/driven a house boat. We went when I was 12 and it was a complete disaster because we were all novices. My dad and sister got stranded for a few hours on a sea-doo, I was almost sucked under the house boat, and our last two days were spent dealing with a major flash flood. My parents swear they both contemplated divorce by the end of it.
I laughed out loud when I read this last night. Thanks for cheering up a sick person. :)
That is a very good list! Though I personally would scratch making yogurt from scratch:). Re the rosary . . . I started praying the rosary daily while driving to work many years ago. I was praying to get pregnant. The Lord had other plans for me and eventually we became parents through adoption. But I still continue the rosary in the car, though not quite as religiously (no pun intended). It is a great way to multi-task. On my list would be doing a better job of praying in general. Is it a conversation with God? I think I am not keeping up my end of the conversation. . . .love your blog. I treasure all the postings.
Great idea! My family always starts road trips with a rosary in the car!
Oooh, that’s a neat tradition, Amanda!
We always started trips with the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be! We would roll our eyes at this initiated by our Dad, but now I look back on it very fondly.
Haha! Jeanne, why would you scratch off yogurt? I suck at praying in any way, shape, or form. Praying the rosary will be a huge stretch for me, which is why it’s on the list.
I think yogurt would be a boat load of work and not enough reward–unlike a good apple pie! I love that you suck at praying! Basically, I think so do!!!. I think a mother’s life is continual prayer
Dedicated reader, very infrequent commenter. However, your item about empandas HAD to make me chime in. My husband is crazy about empanadas and we used to get the frozen discs of dough from the grocery store. He’d always make filling from scratch, but we relied on the prepared dough…up until the day the store stopped carrying them. We are not cool with not having the empanadas in our lives, so while browsing on All Recipes (this was before I was reading a lot of food blogs and “knew” things like how Epicurious is *fancy* so it MUST automatically be better, etc. Some of my favorite recipes are from All Recipes, take that schmancy food blogging community. Even though I love the community and greatly enjoy the blogs I follow. Holy tangent, back to my point.) and found this recipe for empanadas that didn’t involve some sort of pre-made dough. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pork-empanadas/detail.aspx As vegetarians, we obviously ignore the porky parts of the recipe, but the dough component is excellent, comes together well, stores in the fridge for a few days (key when we’re prepping dough to take with us to prepare for a family gathering), and is fairly easy to work with.
The recipe says it makes 16, but using our dough presses (http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-4-piece-Dough-Press/dp/B00004RDFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320236825&sr=8-1 and I know you just got rid of a bunch of unnecessary things in your kitchen, but if empanadas are your thing, these are wonderful), we usually get more than that, so maybe that estimate is for the giant-sized empanadas. I generally roll the dough balls out and cut them with a larger press (the back sides of them work as cutters when they’re all the way open, again: essential to our empanada-making lives) and then hand the disc off to my husband to fill and form with the next-smallest press, so the dough doesn’t tear and forms the pocket nicely. Tim usually pulls off the extra dough that hangs over the edge and plops it in a steadily-growing pile in front of me to incorporate back into the cut scraps, because I am all about using up all of the dough. I usually have to sprinkle a few drops of milk when I’m working with the scraps (Tim brushes a bit of milk around the edges before he seals the empanadas to make the dough stick better) to get everything to come back together well.
Anyway, longest comment ever, but you can TOTALLY make empanadas from scratch, I know it. As far as fillings, if that’s the part that is making you want to poke your eyes out, I can’t help as much, but shoot me an e-mail if you want me to ask my husband about how he does his. Our standard fillings are egg, black bean and sweet potato, Trader Joe’s veggie chorizo (sometimes mixed into the egg to cut the spice a little), and a tomato-sauce/paste based TVP filling with random veggies mixed in. Oh! And we’ve recently tried this recipe as a filling (http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11529?section=) and it’s good, but you have to really focus on cutting the veggies small or they’ll rip the dough.
Good luck, you can do it!
I used to have those empanada presses! I only had the super big one and super small one, so I ended up purging them years ago. Right now I have a tortilla press, and that works well. Fluting the edges of the empanada is easy enough for me and I like the way it looks (no fork marks for me). It’s the dough that kills me. I SUCK at making pastry dough! And it seems like I have to make a kabillion pounds of it to get a dozen empanadas out of the deal. I made empanadas once for Christmas when I first got married, and I vowed never again…but I can’t let it go! Thanks for the dough recipe. That’s exactly what I need to research.
Jules, on a completed unrelated topic–do you know how to get marker off of a light wood table?
I have some on my desk right now as of yesterday. There are some tips I have heard that work (regular toothpaste, alcohol, erasing it with a pencil eraser, etc.). I’m going to try them out and see how they work.
My sister swears by wd40 for removing marker.
thanks–I will try too!
Love it! And a good reminder of ones I may have missed . . . really, I must write them down. Again. I did it once, but kept it in my computer and then my computer crashed . . . I thought I had saved everything, but alas . . .
Let’s see, something to add . . . for serenity, what about spend a weekend in a monestary. I have friends who do that about twice a year. They say it’s very inspiring. I keep thinking I’ll give it a try, but I like to talk too much. :S
And what about adventure? Things that get you out of your comfort zone, for instance (you’ll need to be prepared for all those public appearances and book signings, once your book makes it big, you know) . . . and fun things like, parasailing or ziplining, perhaps (or maybe you’ve already been there, done that).
Also, an aside: I have family in Sweden and friends in Denmark . . . I can totally get you an insiders scoop when you decide to mark them off your list.
You know, Laura Mayes had something like that on her list, but I think it was “spend a week in a convent.” I hear trips like that are, indeed, very inspiring. I would be scared! I’m so shy and reserved in real life.
I know, I know. Adventure. I need to beef up my list in that regard. I’ve done parasailing, but ziplining I have never done, and that sounds fun.
Wow. My head is swimming. Every time I come here I leave with more to think about. I know it’s not always like that because I’ve done some archive reading, but lately, it’s been a buffet of food for thought. Thanks. No, really.
One area that I think I’ll add, which might go under ‘serenity’, would be to be myself in all situations with all people. At 40, I’m realizing how different I am around different people and in different situations (work, home, church, social, etc.). I want to do what needs to be done to combine all my fronts (which will inevitably include some purging) into one that represents me all the time. That, for me, involves speaking my mind more and being more truthful. Ugh.
Great suggestion, Pamelotta. I’ll have to chew on that one for a bit. I think there is something there. Today was your turn to give me something to think about.
What a beautiful list! So inspiring. In regards to serenity, #12…I’ve done this before and it’s not as hard as you think. My husband and I do it for lent almost every year! Some tips: make pasta ahead of time and store it in the freezer and plan to roast a larger turkey or ham every weekend. We always used leftovers for lunches during the week. I personally think this is a fantastic goal…though they are all wonderful!
Oh, doing things ahead of time is smart! And doing it for Lent just might be the ticket this year. Thank you!
Your list has inspired me. I would use some of your items on my list as well. I have a go-to recipe for pie crust! My father-in-law gave it to me and I love it because it is easy and you can partially make it ahead. Feel free to email me if you would like it.
Your blog is awesome! I thoroughly enjoyed the 31 day series and am glad it will continue to be a small part of your blog. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Deb! I went ahead and emailed you for that recipe. :)
Your list is giving me a lot to think about. One suggestion for travel: take the Scavi Tour when you see Rome. It’s amazing!
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/institutions_connected/uffscavi/documents/rc_ic_uffscavi_doc_gen-information_20040112_en.html
Oh, wow. That looks amazing!
You could read LOTR with the boys. Or Game of Thrones for yourself. Both are so good!
Thanks for the list of the National Parks. My fella and I travelled across country before we were married and bought a year pass. We made it to 19 but dream of going back and doing it again.
We are super fly at “rough it” camping and I love camp cooking!
p.s. sunrise at the grand canyon is sublime.
Was sad to see your series end, really enjoyed reading through the month. I’d enjoy seeing you document projects that you get around to.
Your life list is overwhelming. About the most i can handle is a 3 months out list. It usually includes such jaw dropping aspirations as “take vitamins daily” i do the breaking it down by area too though because otherwise i will lose all balance. I tend to be able to focus on only one area at a time unfortunately. All these life lists and bucket lists. i like the ones like yours with a mixture of uhm.. difficulty ratings? Thanks for sharing, it nudges me to try my own that’s more than 3-6 months out. In general thanks for sharing with warmth, honesty, and lovely writing. Hoping to buy a book with your name on the cover.
I found you thru your series & will continue to follow your musings.
Want to borrow one from my list?
Be part of a flash mob! It looks like so much fun!
Shocked to hear you haven’t read the Hobbit. Should be on your list to read series with the boys. I’m going to as soon as Sara’s old enough.
so, #6 is going to be a big one. “The Smithsonian” is actually a bunch of museums, galleries and a zoo! To be exact there are 19 museums/galleries and the National Zoo that make up the Smithsonian Institution. Some of the highlights that the boys would love are the
– American History Museum (This is what most people think of as “the Smithsonian” Old Glory, the original flag that waved when Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled banner is here, Lincoln’s top hat, the first ladies’ dresses, as well as the Ruby Slippers)
-Natural History Museum (This has the hall of mammals. The taxidermy animals that look like they are attacking each other. It was recently re-done and is quite impressive. Also, dinosaurs, and the gem room, which is more impressive than the hope diamond which is also here. Look for Empress Josephine’s tiara that Napoleon crowned her with. very pretty)
– Air and Space Museum- the Wright brother’s plane. the Spirit of St. Louis, you can TOUCH a moon rock! Apollo 11, they’ll love it…
too much more for me to write in the time I have right now. Basically when you come to DC, send me a note and I’ll show you around ;o)
What about climb a pyramid (we did one in Cancun and it was an experience)
Attend (with sons) insert here (Super Bowl, World Series, World Cup etc)
See (insert your joy…Broadway, Concert, Symphony)
Loved your 31 days….lots of inspiration there!
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I would like to link to this article, for use on my blog. Is that ok?