It has been six years since I last posted here, and to say my life (and the world...) has changed since then would be an understatement. I have been thinking that I need to update both this blog and my list of goals lately, because I know they will be so drastically different from 2015 when I created my initial list.
Here is my original list with 2024's thoughts:
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... 2024 UPDATE: I'm actually almost done with this list. Also, my grandma has gotten strange joy out of trying to locate books on this list for me at thrift stores and whatnot, which I think is cute.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Who knew blogging wouldn't be a thing in 2024? Two years ago this would have been updated to "Have a semi-popular twitter feed," but Elon wrecked that... I'll have to think of something else to go here...
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. 2024 UPDATE: Wow this is so much harder than I thought it would be. My original intention was to journal while traveling and that has happened zero times.
4. Do an unassisted pull-up - This one is pretty close to circling the sun in a flying saucer. 2024 UPDATE: I got way closer to this in 2018 that I thought I would, but I stopped going to the gym in 2019 and now I am gelatinous once more. However, I am now way thinner than I was then, so the amount of weight I'd have to lift is a lot less now haha.
5. Get a cat tattoo - Or as I lovingly refer to it, a cattoo. 2024 UPDATE: I did this one! A man I barely knew and I got matching cat tattoos in Vegas in 2019. (More on that later.)
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. 2024 UPDATE: Ha. Ha ha ha. HAHAHAHAHA. Rich and I broke up in spring 2019 so this is clearly not going to happen. It was absolutely the right move and I'm not sad in the least.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Ha. Ha ha ha. HAHAHAHAHA.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Wow I had high hopes. I had only been in the mortgage industry three years when I first made this list, and I clearly did not understand the ramifications in a downturn in the economy... 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. 2024 UPDATE: My old boss's boss from VU drove one of these and now it's been soured for me... annoying. I wouldn't turn a free one down, but it's probably not the car I'd choose to put on this list now. Probably a Mercedes? I have no idea.
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! 2024 UPDATE: I have gotten and kept two new piercings since then! I got my rook pierced in 2019 (I think?) and Allyssa and I got matching nose piercings last May. She got a star and I got a moon. <3
12. Pay for my own wedding - This one will feel like possibly the most incredible accomplishment on this whole list. 2024 UPDATE: Still a goal, but see #7-8 above...
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. 2024 UPDATE: Wow I'm actually pretty proud of this one. I am now at 36 states! Driving to and from Washington added a lot of new states.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Still top 3 favorite places I've ever been (maybe top 1), and I definitely still want to go back! Also, if the US fails to exist anymore this is my planned escape city.
15. Volunteer at a no-kill animal shelter - This won't be too hard - there is one here in town. 2024 UPDATE: Erm a few coworkers and I went and volunteered at the Humane Society once... does that count? It was nearly 100 degrees that day and I tried to faint and the dog I was walking lost its shit...
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?! 2024 UPDATE: Ugh I'm sad Michael Kors bought Jimmy Choo... but I still stand by this goal.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Maybe down the road?18. Sing karaoke and do it semi-well - I already know which song I'd sing.
20. Pay off my student loans early - I'm not too far off from being able to do this! 2024 UPDATE: I did this one too! That was pretty great. PS. I still support student loan forgiveness even though I don't have any left because I'm a decent human being.
21. Have a credit score over 800 - I have no idea how close I am to doing this! 2024 UPDATE: It hit 800 a few years ago, but it's definitely not there now...
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. 2024 UPDATE: F*ck cardio, but I secretly still want to be able to do this.
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. 2024 UPDATE: So... I did sew something for a friend that turned out amazing, and I started to make a costume for Allyssa in 2022 but got horribly sick and couldn't finish it before Halloween. I still think about this goal a lot. It doesn't help that Juan Lopez has all my sewing things. (More on that later too, I'm sure...)
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. 2024 UPDATE: This one is hilarious because Justin and I still regularly talk about taking classes and why we aren't just doing it. Like within the last month hahaha.
25. Stay at a hostel - Preferably in Europe, but not somewhere scary. 2024 UPDATE: This one's probably not going to happen, but that's because I've actually been to one now. I don't mean it was a scary place... I mean I'm entirely too old to stay at one. Dancing my ass off in one? That I'm interested in.
26. Eat a pot brownie - Legally, of course! 2024 UPDATE: This one is H I L A R I O U S to me. My first pot brownie experience was a panic-ridden mess, and it took a while to get better from there. But... that is no longer an issue haha. I live in Seattle for christ's sake.
27. Go to Tomorrowland/world - My cousin got me totally hooked on Kygo, so it would be imperative to see him there. 2024 UPDATE: I don't even know if this is a thing anymore, but I do know that Kygo is still super important to Tyler... his wife walked down the aisle to a Kygo song played by Connor's girlfriend.
28. Swim in a body of water so clear I can see the bottom - Preferably in Fiji. On my honeymoon. 2024 UPDATE: I definitely still want to do this. But Fiji is really far away...
29. Eat something I grow myself - Probably gonna be basil. 2024 UPDATE: Allyssa gave me a basil plant and I killed it immediately. I'm uh... gonna have to work at this one.
30. Throw a kickass party - An amazing wedding reception would count. 2024 UPDATE: This sounds exhausting. And also like I'm going to be super disappointed. I swear to god I'm going to end up eloping.
31. Ride in a gondola in Venice - Fabio is preferred but not required. 2024 UPDATE: This is still on my list, and I better hurry before Venice is under water entirely.
32. Go parasailing - My terrible fear of heights will make this one extremely nerve-wracking. 2024 UPDATE: I'm gonna be honest, the concept of this now makes me want to die. I am scared of everything these days.
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. 2024 UPDATE: I absolutely still want to do this and it's absolutely still for the shallowest of reasons.
35. Go to a World Series game - Fingers crossed I can do this this season!! 2024 UPDATE: Hmph. This is still a goal but I don't have high hopes right now. Maybe the Mariners will make it happen.
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! 2024 UPDATE: I let it happen again. Allyssa and I were Georgie and Pennywise at Buck Hunter in 2018, and we came in second place to some girls dressed like the Buck Hunter gnomes. SO ANNOYING. I made a little girl cry with my face makeup it was so good.
37. Go white water rafting - I absolutely love water. I can't wait to do this one! 2024 UPDATE: I may be scared of everything, but I definitely still want to try this.
38. Complete a full cycle of P90X - The number of times I have started this and not finished is appalling... 2024 UPDATE: This is not remotely a priority in my life right now, but if I were presented with the opportunity to actually do it I might try again.
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. 2024 UPDATE: I have way more opportunity to do this now that I live in Seattle but I still haven't. There are intro sailing classes we see from the beach all the time... maybe I'll take one of those?
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. 2024 UPDATE: I did this one! Fun fact - I can do it without a mirror as well.
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. 2024 UPDATE: My mom took me to see this at the Fox for my birthday one year and it was great! If I get the opportunity to see it on Broadway I definitely will though.
42. Foster a kitten/cat (and don't keep it) - I once let a stray kittnen 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. 2024 UPDATE: Oh Jodie Foster... after Rich and I broke up in 2019 I fostered some kittens out of loneliness maybe? and Jodie Foster put me in early foster retirement.
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. 2024 UPDATE: I think Donald Trump ruined this.
45. Visit the Canadian side of Niagara Falls - I've heard it's way better than the American side. 2024 UPDATE: This one is definitely still a goal; I talk about it all the time. But my passport is now expired so my first order of business is dealing with that... although Canada did allow Allyssa in with no passport last year...
46. Hike the Appalachian Trail for a day - Ever since I read A Walk in the Woods, I've wanted to do this. 2024 UPDATE: I would probably still enjoy this!
47. Fly first class - Not that this will prevent turbulence, unfortunately... 2024 UPDATE: I have done this! It was on an Alaska flight from MO to WA in 2021 or 2022. I have a new goal now - fly first class on a plane where the seat lays completely flat.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Holy god these are hard to keep up with. I have like five. This (and a few others on this list) are clearly ADHD hyper-fixations I ended up losing interest in immediately...
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... 2024 UPDATE: Okay I still want to do this one.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Since 2015 there was an entire industry built and destroyed in the AirBNB business, and now we've circled back to hotels being the best. I definitely still want to do this one, but NOT with Rich.
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? 2024 UPDATE: I did this one! In 2019, Allyssa and my family and I went to Florida for this. We had a great time!
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... 2024 UPDATE: Another ADHD hyper-fixation, but I kind of still want to try this one.
56. Go to the Baseball Hall of Fame - I have a baseball problem. 2024 UPDATE: Ugh my mom and I were in Cleveland for medical testing and we could have gone here but the tests wrecked me and I wanted to die.
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! 2024 UPDATE: COVID kind of put this one on hold. Rich and I were visiting theme parks every year for my birthday, but we broke up in 2019 and by my birthday in 2020 we were all in quarantine... Allyssa and I have big plans for some regional roller coaster road trips, but you know... capitalism.
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. 2024 UPDATE: I don't know what I was thinking here. I'm way too scared to ask a celebrity for a selfie.
59. Take dancing lessons - Preferably before my wedding. 2024 UPDATE: I forgot this one was on here. But I still think I'd like to do it.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Amy tried to help me learn when her car was stuck in the snow and it went poorly to say the least. I also live in a city made of hills, so this one is on hold for the time being.
61. Bowl over 200 - I'm pretty sure my highest score ever was slightly over 100. This will take some practice. 2024 UPDATE: I think the closest I've ever gotten was a 150 or so? But I did watch Rich bowl a 279 in a work beer league which was pretty cool.
62. Be in the audience of a late night comedy talk show - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is my preference. 2024 UPDATE: Every word of this is still accurate. Who knew Stephen Colbert would be the hero we all needed?
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. 2024 UPDATE: I think about this one annoyingly often. Jeremy and I talk about it pretty much constantly.
64. Be an executive for a company - I have been reading a lot of business books lately, and I have been inspired. 2024 UPDATE: I'm adding an asterisk here for "must be a company that isn't a toxic cesspool of a workplace".
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. 2024 UPDATE: I'm much closer now, but still not there.
66. Connect with old friends - I had several friends in mind when I set this goal. 2024 UPDATE: God this one is depressing. I have a lot more old friends now than I did then, and I'm less connected than ever. I did meet up with a friend from Chili's in 2022 and that was so great!
67. Have my writing published - Even if I'm on page 15 of the Columbia Tribune, I would call it a success. 2024 UPDATE: This is still definitely on the list!
68. Marry my best friend - Rich?? 2024 UPDATE: Seeing as I'm engaged to another man (see the cat tattoo), it's probably not going to be Rich haha. But Jeremy is definitely my best friend.
69. Do 15 push-ups correctly and without stopping - "Correctly" is the key word here. 2024 UPDATE: I would give anything to be able to do this (except time spent exercising apparently).
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. 2024 UPDATE: Add this to the list of things that terrify me. Riding a bike in Seattle is asking to get flattened in the street.
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... 2024 UPDATE: I still want to do this. And I'd still be totally fine if it was Pete Loeffler.
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??" 2024 UPDATE: Oh god Rich and I took a couple of these and both were some of the lowest points in our relationship.
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. 2024 UPDATE: The closest I've gotten to South America is Costa Rica. I'll get there one day!
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. 2024 UPDATE: Now I want to do this not for fun, but because everyone is crazy and I'd like to be prepared.
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! 2024 UPDATE: I think I'm at 6? Cardinals, Mets, Cubs, Royals, Mariners, Brewers... I think that's everyone. COVID kinda killed this too.
76. Be a St. Louis Cardinals’ season ticket holder - You know, when I'm rich. 2024 UPDATE: Still waiting to get rich, but I will do this when I am.
77. Eat at one of the restaurants on this list - Also when I'm rich. 2024 UPDATE: I'm struggling to even pull up this list now so yikes for that. But I will say, Allyssa, her coworker, and I ate at a Michelin star-rated restaurant in Prague and the experience was AMAZING.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Definitely still on my list of goals!
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. 2024 UPDATE: All right you bitches, I'm getting old here.
80. Proofread something that eventually gets published - How does one even go about doing this?? 2024 UPDATE: I used to ghostwrite for my boss at work... does that count?
81. Pay a stranger’s restaurant bill - This is a selfish one. I want to see the person's reaction. Is that bad? 2024 UPDATE: Yes. That's 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. 2024 UPDATE: There is a tutor place I'm signed up with here in Seattle that has called me before. I should probably call them back and actually participate in the thing I want to do.
84. Bake a pie from scratch - Why is this so hard? 2024 UPDATE: I've done this on multiple occasions and they've turned out AMAZING.
85. Hold a koala - They look so soft. I want a koala hug. 2024 UPDATE: I'm pretty much always on the lookout for a scenario where I can hug a koala. But now I have Australian friends who could probably make it happen.
86. See the Leaning Tower of Pisa - And yes, I'll probably take that picture where I'm pretending to hold it up. 2024 UPDATE: Gah I want to travel so badly right now.
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. 2024 UPDATE: I want to do this still too!
88. Complete a corn maze - This should really be, "Complete a corn maze without having a massive claustrophobic breakdown". 2024 UPDATE: The desire to do this has waned but if the opportunity presented itself to do one of these I wouldn't say no, especially if I could have a hot coffee in my hands while doing it.
89. See a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater - Any concert will do. 2024 UPDATE: Okay I'm tired of seeing all my friends post Instagram pics of themselves at Red Rocks and me not having been there. This needs to move up my list of priorities.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Still haven't been on the kiss cam lol.
91. Attend a Mizzou game at Neyland Stadium - It's Rich's last name, and it's an SEC team. Need I say more? 2024 UPDATE: I mean, I always want to go to away games.
92. Ride a roller coaster in a different country - Italy? Japan? They're supposed to be amazing over there. 2024 UPDATE: I definitely still want to do this one.
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. 2024 UPDATE: There is a very remote possibility these can be seen in Seattle, but also... flights to Alaska are like two hours long. I could(/should) make this happen soon. See also: Finnish globes.
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. 2024 UPDATE: Amy is living my best life with this one here. Allyssa invited me to be in a league of some sort here, but it ended up being canceled due to COVID or something.
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. 2024 UPDATE: My fear of sharks may make this one unobtainable. Or maybe I'll try in one of those simulation things that is safely on shore.
96. Reach my goal weight - 135-140lbs. We'll see if this number changes. 2024 UPDATE: Okay first of all, I would be absolutely skeletal at 135 pounds. Second, I lost about 40 pounds last year (that is its own long story), and I'm sitting around 147. I look COMPLETELY different. Photos astound me. I am definitely at my goal weight.
97. Drink in a bar that is located in two different states at once - Per the travel channel, these really exist. 2024 UPDATE: I still want to do this but having to go to Floribama to find the only one I know of makes me ill.
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! 2024 UPDATE: I didn't count to see how many I've done, but I'm pretty sure it's not half haha. This one can just be crossed off entirely, because imposing my own deadline for no reason causes undue anxiety... which I do NOT need.
