18. Sing karaoke and do it semi-well

I never intended to cross this dream off my list so soon - actually, Rich and I were talking about me doing karaoke for the first time at Cat's Meow in New Orleans next year. But things happen, and here we are. I actually had a really good time doing it, and it was super low-key and non-threatening, so it was probably good for me to lose my karaoke virginity that way. 

Jenn's boss had a little Christmas get-together at this Korean karaoke bar in St. Louis on Saturday, and she invited Rich and me to go since we were already going to be in town Christmas shopping. When we got to the place I was so confused. It was dive-y, and no one was singing - no music was even playing! But there was an open bar, and I hadn't seen Jenn and Corey in a while, so I was like, "What the hell," and Rich and I decided to stay. 

Eventually, people started singing, but I was too nervous to be anywhere near a mic. I hate the sound of my own voice more than just about anything in the whole world, so I was not trying to hear it booming out of the speakers in this little room. But as I had a few more drinks, I got braver and braver, and eventually I was singing all over the place. I imagine it like a movie scene - me being shy and refusing to sing into a mic then cut to an hour and a half later and I'm pretending I'm Joan Jett. 

Rich knew exactly which songs to play to make me sing, so he picked out three or four of them in the hopes that I just couldn't resist. And he was right. I even sang "my" song, the song I always said I'd sing at karaoke if I ever did it. It's "One Way or Another" by Blondie, and it's the most stalker-y song I have ever heard. So of course I love it. 

Anyway, we ended up having a really good time, I think mostly because the place and the people there were so low-key. As for the "do it semi-well" part of my dream... did I accomplish that? Well, I'd like to think I did. No one laughed (that I saw). No one threw tomatoes (and there were cherry tomatoes there to be thrown!). And when I heard my own dreaded voice, it wasn't, like, awful or anything. So I chalk that up as at least "semi-well". 

 

Karaoke isn't something I'd want to do every weekend or anything, but now that I've gotten my first time out of the way it's definitely not as daunting as it was before. Look at me - I'm becoming so well-rounded!

52. Have my fortune read in New Orleans

I crossed off one of the items on my List of 100 Dreams last weekend, and aside from being a lot of fun, it made me feel really accomplished. I wasn’t aware how crossing even the smallest item off my list would make me feel, but it turned out to make me feel like I’m moving toward an end goal, and that is always an awesome feeling. When I graduated college I felt pretty lost, and this has given me something new to work toward in my life. It’s a pretty cool feeling. 

Anyway, back to crossing off my first dream. Rich and I went on our annual trip to New Orleans last weekend, and he suggested that we have lunch in Jackson Square on Sunday and then find a fortune teller after we were done eating. I thought it sounded like a great idea!

After we had lunch at Stanley, which was delicious, by the way, we went out to the Square to find the perfect psychic for my purposes. We cruised up and down the sidewalk trying to find her. What I was really looking for was someone who actually looked like they believed in what they were telling people, not someone who was just there for easy money. After walking up and down the row of fortune tellers three or four times, I had disqualified some of them. One looked promising - she was speaking very seriously to the people that were sitting at her table; it looked like she really might believe what she was telling them. But then when we walked by her a second time, she was playing on her phone, looking bored. That wasn’t going to work for me.

I ended up choosing a woman who was sitting at her table happily awaiting her next customer rather than looking bored and distracted. She was wearing a red tank top and had a handful of teeth missing. She was perfect! She did a palm-reading on me, and then she coerced Rich into having his palm read as well. She was really funny and polite - Rich and I both ended up liking her a lot.

She said she could tell I have problems with authority and that I need to be the boss. Seems right.

The things she “divined” about us could have been guessed by anyone or just plain made up. They could have fit a large subset of the population, but she was entertaining, and it was fun. We weren't sure how much she was going to charge us for the readings, but when she was done, she just opened up this little treasure chest she had on her table and told us to leave whatever we could. We ended up giving her all the cash we had on us, which was $25, and I’m really happy we did. It looked like she only had a few dollars in her chest, so it felt good to give her more money than she probably gets from a lot of her customers. 

This was one of the easier dreams to cross off my list, but it feels good to get things started! I can’t wait to accomplish more of my goals and tell the world about them! 

The List

So this whole thing started because I have a fear of flying. Well, not a fear of flying, per se... I have a fear of turbulence. A pretty severe fear of it. Rich and I were on a flight earlier this year, and it was getting a bit bumpy, so when he looked over and saw me trembling and white-knuckling the armrests he tried to distract me by handing over his iPad. He said, "Here. Read this."

What he handed me was a digital copy of Laura Vanderkam's What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend. More specifically, when he handed me the iPad, it was turned to the pages of her book discussing her 100 Dreams philosophy. Loosely, the idea is that a person should have specific goals he or she wants to accomplish in life, and weekends should be spent trying to complete or work toward those goals. Some dreams on the author's list included "Pick apples or strawberries with the kids," and, "Get my husband to grill a steak for me." I thought this sounded like fun, and almost immediately I began thinking of what might be on my own list of 100 dreams and how easy some of them might be able to accomplish.

Below is the list I came up with. Let me start by saying this - creating my list was really, really hard. It took me a couple months, actually. It started out pretty easy; I flew through the first 45 or so. Once I began slowing down, I started asking Rich, my friends, and some coworkers what might be on their lists of 100 dreams. I was looking to steal their dreams, basically. That idea helped a little bit. I had made it to around 60 dreams, but I was still struggling.

My next idea for inspiration was to Google "bucket list" and "things to do before I die", and this helped me add a few more dreams to my list. I was starting to see trends, too, on others' bucket lists and lists of dreams. Most people focused heavily on travel and seeing the world, and when I looked over my list, I saw that mine was the same way. I needed to expand my horizons.

Once I'd reached the dreaded second page of Google search results for all the keywords I could think of, I turned to Twitter. I typed "#bucketlist" into the search bar and pressed Enter. I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of tweets this produced. While I was scrolling through the list, more were being added by the minute. This was obviously a good idea to see what the world at large values as life goals, but would it help?

It turned out to help immensely. Not a lot of the ideas others had for their bucket lists actually ended up on my list of 100 dreams, but it definitely got my creative juices flowing. Also, I realized just how many people dream of seeing Garth Brooks or Ed Sheeran in concert. (Spoiler alert: a lot of people.)

Long story short, I finally finished my list, and I've decided to make a blog out of it. I want to share my experiences with the masses, because, if I accomplish them all, I'll have lived a pretty awesome life. At first I was going to make the first post just the list of 100 dreams and nothing else. But I can't leave well enough alone, so instead I'm going to write a short sentence or two about each dream; why is it on the list? How close am I to accomplishing it? Fears/anxiety about it? Etc.

One more thing: I tried to make each item on the list something that is feasible for me to achieve in my lifetime. That is, I didn't put anything on there that is downright impossible. As much as I'd like to circle the sun in a flying saucer, I didn't want to set myself up for failure by adding things that I know wouldn't happen. That's not to say I didn't add difficult tasks - just not impossible ones.

All right - without further ado... my List of 100 Dreams:


1. Read all the books on this list - There are a handful of books on this list that I've already read, and there are a handful more I own and need to read. But I have a feeling reading the entire Bible is going to take me some time...

2. Have a semi-popular blog - I'm not entirely sure what "semi-popular" means yet, but I feel like I'll know when I get there.

3. Write a travel journal - One of my best friends already bought me a nice, leather-bound journal for this purpose, but I haven't started it yet. It's giving me anxiety.

4. Do an unassisted pull-up - This one is pretty close to circling the sun in a flying saucer.

5. Get a cat tattoo - Or as I lovingly refer to it, a cattoo.

6. Take more photos of Rich and me - We are starting to do this more. I'm not super comfortable with how I look at the moment, and I think that's having an impact on this one.

7. Build up a significant savings account ( >$20,000) - I'm not even remotely close to this, and a lot of things further down this list are going to make this one pretty hard.

8. Be debt free (except for a mortgage + car payment) - I wasn't going to add the car payment to this one, but Rich said that's not practical. Just know I'd really like to be debt free except for only a mortgage and nothing else.

9. Own my own home by 30 - Rich and I have been tossing this idea around a lot lately - this might happen in the next year or two.

10. Own a BMW - A white one, please.

11. Get a new piercing (and keep it) - My body is a butthole and rejected my last piercing, and I was forced to take it out before it grew out of my ear altogether. I miss it!

12. Pay for my own wedding - This one will feel like possibly the most incredible accomplishment on this whole list.

13. See all 50 states - I'm currently at 23. Last weekend my sister and I drove to Arkansas for the sole purpose of having lunch just to cross that state off.

14. Go back to Dublin - Dublin might be the most beautiful city in the world. I absolutely loved it when I was there last summer.

15. Volunteer at a no-kill animal shelter - This won't be too hard - there is one here in town.

16. Own a pair of Jimmy Choos or Louboutins - How awesome would it be to wear these at the wedding I paid for all by myself?!

17. Own a piano - Not a janky one that is constantly out of tune; I'm talking a nice one that I'm proud to own.

18. Sing karaoke and do it semi-well - I already know which song I'd sing.

19. Get Invisalign - I had braces when I was a kid, but I was irresponsible and didn't wear my retainer - it gave me a horrendous lisp. I would like to get at least my bottom teeth fixed again.

20. Pay off my student loans early - I'm not too far off from being able to do this!

21. Have a credit score over 800 - I have no idea how close I am to doing this!

22. Run a 5k in under 30 minutes - I am not a runner unless I'm being chased. Even then I want to give up. This one will be huge for me.

23. Sew something I wear regularly - I have a tank top that my friend Jenn and I made when we were in college, but the zipper isn't perfect so I never wear it... I want to make something I am proud to wear.

24. Audit a class and do well - My friend Justin and I have been tossing this idea around for a few years now. We just need to commit.

25. Stay at a hostel - Preferably in Europe, but not somewhere scary.

26. Eat a pot brownie - Legally, of course!

27. Go to Tomorrowland/world - My cousin got me totally hooked on Kygo, so it would be imperative to see him there.

28. Swim in a body of water so clear I can see the bottom - Preferably in Fiji. On my honeymoon.

29. Eat something I grow myself - Probably gonna be basil.

30. Throw a kickass party - An amazing wedding reception would count.

31. Ride in a gondola in Venice - Fabio is preferred but not required.

32. Go parasailing - My terrible fear of heights will make this one extremely nerve-wracking.

33. Go to a high school homecoming football game - I have not been back for a high school football game since right after I graduated. It's been over 10 years now. I think it's time. 

34. Go to an NCAA Final Four game - I'd love if Mizzou were playing, but it's not a requirement.

35. Go to a World Series game - Fingers crossed I can do this this season!!

36. Win a costume contest (best if it's a couple's contest) - In seventh grade I came in second place as a hula dancer. The winner was a mad doctor. I won't let that happen again!

37. Go white water rafting - I absolutely love water. I can't wait to do this one!

38. Complete a full cycle of P90X - The number of times I have started this and not finished is appalling...

39. Go sailing - My friend Don just got his sailing license. (Is that what it's even called?) I don't particularly want to sail around the Lake of the Ozarks, but it would do, I suppose.

40. Learn to French braid my own hair - I can do this on other people perfectly. But on myself it looks like I did it with mittens on.

41. See Phantom of the Opera on Broadway - This is my absolute favorite musical. I saw it at The Fox Theater when I was a freshman in high school, and I loved it. It would be amazing on Broadway.

42. Foster a kitten/cat (and don't keep it) - I once let a stray kitten in my house just because it was cold outside; I named her Abby. She was with us for less than 48 hours and she was already my best friend. This goal will be really, really hard.

43. Visit Cuba - Justin's sister got to visit Cuba a few years back because she is Canadian, and now that Americans are allowed to go there I want to go so badly. Mostly because I wasn't allowed, I think.

44. Go to a Presidential Library - Bill Clinton's would be best.

45. Visit the Canadian side of Niagara Falls - I've heard it's way better than the American side.

46. Hike the Appalachian Trail for a day - Ever since I read A Walk in the Woods, I've wanted to do this.

47. Fly first class - Not that this will prevent turbulence, unfortunately...

48. Buy a writing prompt book and actually use it - I see these at Barnes & Noble all the time, and I always think they're a great idea, but I've never actually bought one.

49. Go to Meramec Caverns - I could literally do this one tomorrow if I wanted to; I had to put some easy ones on here...

50. Stay at a 5-star hotel - Rich and I stay in tons of hotels, so to stay in a five-star one would be a marked improvement over what we normally stay in.

51. Hustle a random at a bar game (Buck Hunter is preferred) - I'm working on this this weekend!

52. Have my fortune read in New Orleans - This one is specific for a reason. Rich and I met in New Orleans, and the weekend we met I saw so many palm readers. It would be something I feel like he and I share, even if he isn't there when I have this done.

53. Drive the Pacific Coast Highway - Because how gorgeous would that be!?

54. Go to Spring Training - Tickets are supposed to be stupid cheap, and who doesn't love watching baseball where American Horror Story: Freak Show was set?

55. Sew a quilt I'm not ashamed to show people - I can sew fine enough, but quilting is a whole different animal. I am a huge perfectionist, so if one square gets askew and sets the whole thing off, I'll probably have to throw it away and start over...

56. Go to the Baseball Hall of Fame - I have a baseball problem.

57. Visit 20 different amusement parks and ride at least one roller coaster at each - So far I think I've been to 6 different parks and ridden roller coasters at them. I have been on the world's tallest, fastest one just last month!

58. Take a (good) selfie with a celebrity - In 2009 I met Tucker Max, but the picture I have with him was neither good nor a selfie. I need to do better.

59. Take dancing lessons - Preferably before my wedding.

60. Learn to drive a stick shift - I feel like this is something women aren't supposed to know how to do, so I want to prove people wrong.

61. Bowl over 200 - I'm pretty sure my highest score ever was slightly over 100. This will take some practice.

62. Be in the audience of a late night comedy talk show - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is my preference.

63. Get a post-grad degree - Law school? MBA? Until I commit to quitting my job or taking night classes, this one is on the back burner.

64. Be an executive for a company - I have been reading a lot of business books lately, and I have been inspired.

65. Have 500+ connections on LinkedIn that I have personally worked with or met - This number is arbitrary, and I'm no where near it right now, but I can get there.

66. Connect with old friends - I had several friends in mind when I set this goal.

67. Have my writing published - Even if I'm on page 15 of the Columbia Tribune, I would call it a success.

68. Marry my best friend - Rich??

69. Do 15 push-ups correctly and without stopping - "Correctly" is the key word here.

70. Buy (and use) a bicycle - One of the last times I rode a bicycle a bee flew in my sleeve and stung me on the armpit. That's how I feel about bikes.

71. Go backstage and meet the band after a concert - Last week I could have met/talked to Pete Loeffler, lead singer of Chevelle, but I had had a few too many drinks and didn't even see him as he was getting on his tour bus... next time I guess...

72. Take a cooking class - This is mostly so I don't embarrass Rich anymore with, "I'll make dinner! Do you want regular mac n cheese or spirals??"

73. Visit a South American country - Any will do, but a Spanish-speaking one would be best, as I have a little knowledge of the language.

74. Go to a shooting range - You know how gun-crazy Robin is on How I Met Your Mother and how excited she is at the shooting range? That will be me.

75. See a game in all the MLB ballparks - I have only been to three, and my third was last weekend. I have some work to do, but I'm very excited to do it!

76. Be a St. Louis Cardinals’ season ticket holder - You know, when I'm rich.

77. Eat at one of the restaurants on this list - Also when I'm rich.

78. Travel 5 countries in Europe in one trip (preferably ones I haven’t been to yet) - I've only been to four, so this should be pretty easy. 

79. Be someone’s maid of honor - I have two pretty good chances of this in my life - my sister, Amy and my best friend from high school, Allyssa.

80. Proofread something that eventually gets published - How does one even go about doing this??

81. Pay a stranger’s restaurant bill - This is a selfish one. I want to see the person's reaction. Is that bad?

82. Tutor a child or children in English or grammar - I've wanted to do this since I was in high school. I am the grammar police.

83. Have a personal trainer - Not the kind that stands there eating sushi while I'm on the elliptical, which I've seen happen.

84. Bake a pie from scratch - Why is this so hard?

85. Hold a koala - They look so soft. I want a koala hug.

86. See the Leaning Tower of Pisa - And yes, I'll probably take that picture where I'm pretending to hold it up.

87. See the Great Wall of China - Apparently you can't really see it from space, but I'm sure that doesn't make it any less daunting in person.

88. Complete a corn maze - This should really be, "Complete a corn maze without having a massive claustrophobic breakdown".

89. See a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater - Any concert will do.

90. Be on a kiss cam - Three times now Rich has been getting a beer when the kiss cam is going on at a baseball game and missed it. I am beginning to think he does this on purpose.

91. Attend a Mizzou game at Neyland Stadium - It's Rich's last name, and it's an SEC team. Need I say more?

92. Ride a roller coaster in a different country - Italy? Japan? They're supposed to be amazing over there.

93. See the Northern Lights - I kept debating on putting this one on here. Is this really possible? But three years ago I never would have expected to have been to Iceland, so I say yes, this is possible.

94. Play on a competitive sports team - Rich told me I'm not allowed to call this "intramural" because I'm not in college anymore.

95. Try surfing - A lot of people on twitter have "Learn to surf" on their bucket lists. I do not want to learn. I want to try, to fail, and to go back to the beach and drink mai tais.

96. Reach my goal weight - 135-140lbs. We'll see if this number changes.

97. Drink in a bar that is located in two different states at once - Per the travel channel, these really exist.

98. Drink Starbucks in Seattle - Allyssa is moving there later this month. I have this one in the bag. 

99. Attend a Pearl Jam concert wearing flannel - "Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay"

100. Complete at least half of this list by the age of 40 - This one is lofty. But I have 12 and a half years left to do it. I think I can, I think I can!


So there is it. My list of 100 dreams. Look out for updates to this blog. I'm going to post every time I get closer to crossing one of these off or actually accomplish one. Hopefully you enjoy this ride as much as I do!