Update 12/23/23 – I know the year isn’t technically over yet, but I likely won’t make any more progress on my list than I have up until now. I’m pretty disappointed in the lack of effort I made on this year’s list, but it was a bit of a trying year and I was able to focus on some other things that really needed my attention. Plus, I got to do a few things that weren’t on the list that I’m really happy about! Like being upgraded to floor seats with Mom for the Carrie Underwood concert, getting to achieve my 8/8 Universal hotel stays, catching beads in New Orleans (pre-Mardi Gras, but they have parades weeks beforehand haha), watch 4th of July fireworks from literally every single direction around the Indian River while simultaneously catching a glimpse at its renowned bioluminescence, attended my first music festival in years, and hit up all 4 Disney parks in the same day. Not. Too. Shabby.
I’ve already made my 2024 list and I feel confident that I will tackle EVERYTHING on that list AND MORE! Again, I’ve made a graphic of some of the things I was able to accomplish this year and am happy that I checked off at least one thing that has been carried over multiple times!!
Another year, another opportunity to challenge myself to dream bigger, experience more, and make less excuses!! Sticking with 41 items again, since I still fell short last year…I’ve GOT to make some of these carryovers a priority!! Hope you’ll join me on some adventures, or at least gain inspiration to try some new things yourself 🙂
Body & Health
1. Get another tattoo – I’ve carried this over since I started doing bucket lists. It MUST happen this year! I have ideas for THREE now! Hoping changing the category from Creativity to Body & Health helps me make it more of a priority 😛
—completed October 15th, hummingbird at Blue Crab Tattoo. FINALLY!!!
2. Give Guided Meditation a try for at least a week
–FAIL, for a third time…I guess meditation just isn’t my thing. I’ll tackle it some day.
3. Do a boudoir photo shoot (carryover from 2021)
–FAIL. Unfortunately I just want to feel better in my own skin again before I attempt this. I’m really hoping that I can make it happen in 2024 or shortly into 2025.
4. Get in 100 rides on my Myx bike
–FAIL. I had every intention of getting on my bike more, but it just didn’t happen. I don’t think I even ended up with 50 like last year.
5. Do the 4 Week Gut Protocol again
–completed March 26th and lost 10.6 pounds and 9 inches. I really do feel so great eliminating inflammatory things, so I’m making it a priority to do at least a hybrid of PF & 4WGP throughout 2024.
Contribution
6. Do Operation Breakfast, “Pay it Forward” while ordering, or “Tip the Bill”
–completed May 2nd when we tipped the bill at TGI Friday during Teacher Appreciation. The bartender was a friend of ours, so that made it extra fun!
7. Foster or adopt an animal
–completed April 15th when we got our boxador, Ben! After a few tries with some other rescues, one finally gave us a chance and he wasn’t even the one we first inquired about. He really reminds me of kitty, in both looks and actions, so I really think he played a part in sending him our way knowing he’d be leaving us <3
8. Visit at least 3 Farmer’s/Community Markets
–FAIL, though we were able to visit 2! One in Grand Rapids when we were there in July and our local DL Community Market in August. Not too shabby, and we’ll try to hit up more in the future, for sure.
9. Write and send at least one snail mail letter per month
–FAIL…yeah, didn’t even make it three months. Lame.
10. Help someone else achieve a Bucket List goal
–completed March 23rd when I took a day off to go see cherry blossoms in DC with Jen! We had a great day, even though it was a little chillier than we’d have liked it to be.
Creativity
11. Make a photo book and/or print a canvas from our Hawaii trip
–FAIL, for now. I did narrow down the hundreds of photos we took to like 5, but we still need to finalize what we want!
12. Update my website at least once per month (including both health/fitness and travel!)
–FAIL. Again, another one I was good for a few months, but then trickled off. I do really want to bring in more of our travel adventures, sharing tips and tricks, so hopefully I do more in 2024.
13. Tie-dye a shirt
–FAIL, but I think maybe I’ll add tie-dying to our Color Party bucket list item for 2024! Ooh!
14. Learn a new skill
–FAIL? I mean, I got really good as disguising my feelings, does that count? 😛 Actually, I learned how to be a dog-mom again, which was made even harder when I also had to learn how to NOT be a cat-mom anymore. So I think I get a pass on that one.
Do it Again
15. Play something on my clarinet
–completed March 6! Maybe in the future I can actually play a song again, and not just a few notes to torture my pet and husband 😛
16. Play Spades
–FAIL, but man, I really want this to happen SOON! I’m looking at you, Jenni Sue… (if you even read this haha)
17. Play BINGO (home & family events don’t count haha)
–FAIL, though I guess I didn’t include the above caveat in my spreadsheet because I had written “does PA 4th of July celebration count?!” Haha, oops… guess past me was thinking about how lazy future me might be 😛
18. Take another train ride (not counting Universal haha)
–completed Nov. 5. HA, this one past me WAS thinking about future me I think…we finally got on the one at DISNEY, since it had been closed the last bunch of years haha. Score!
Experiences
19. See Elton John, Pearl Jam, Pink, and/or Lady Gaga perform
–completed Sept. 22 when I saw Pink with the girls in Nashville! Man, that girl can sing AND perform!
20. Watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show with audience participation
–FAIL, but I will really make an effort to have this happen next year, especially since I missed the opportunity to see MAGENTA perform her original role 🙁
21. Go snow tubing
–FAIL, but Ricky has a season pass to Massanutten this winter, and they have snow tubing. So I’ll try to make this happen soon 🙂
22. Try Beef Wellington and/or Baked Alaska
–completed April 2nd during our “PrEaster” dinner, thanks to my father-in-law! Yum.
23. Do a White House Tour
–completed July 20th thanks to a high school friend who is a Congressman! We also got to check out the Capitol!
24. Take a new route to work
–completed Oct. 26, but mainly on accident…due to an accident that rerouted me. But hey, I’ll take it!
25. Get my kayak on the water at least 5 times
–FAIL, hardcore. I only got on the water TWICE this summer (once in July and once in August), and it wasn’t even my own kayak one of those times. I will do more solo trips if necessary in 2024!!
Household
26. Get a quote on a stamped concrete patio
–completed March 8th, but it didn’t work out due to the guy having a lack of help. We used him for our fence, instead, and that worked out great!
27. Discuss a possible kitchen/dining room remodel with someone reputable
–FAIL, but more so because we decided it would be more effort and money than we were willing to invest in it. We ended up swapping our dining room and family room and are much happier with the layout! We’ll revisit in the future.
28. Get more organized and use our existing storage solutions
–ongoing…but I’m working on it. Bought a lot more shelving, some curio cabinets, and have started organizing, but still have a lot to do!
29. Plant a full herb garden
–completed in June. We got one of those Aeropod things and we’re loving the outcome! Dill and basil did the best! I think I’ll try my hand at more flowers next year, using the boxes that sat empty most of this year.
Learning & Growing
30. Spend more time with my co-workers outside of school or on-campus events
–ongoing, but much better than ever before! I attend a monthly book club, did Galentine’s with some coworkers in February, and have done a few wineries and restaurants.
31. Read at least 3 books that were made into movies I haven’t seen yet
–FAIL, I think. I know of one for sure, which was A Man Called Ove (Otto, for movie). I’m sure there were more in the 60-something books I read this year, but I didn’t pay that much attention to those connections!
32. Read at least one book a month that was recommended by a friend or colleague
–partial FAIL? I think I made great progress on this one by reading EIGHT of the ones that were recommended at the beginning of the year, but I think I likely hit 12 just by word of mouth ones.
33. Read at least 5 books that are frequently challenged or banned
–Technically, a FAIL, but hear me out. I am still working through an ongoing process of vetting THOUSANDS of books in our library collection for sexy bits. I feel like I get a pass with this one, because I definitely skimmed at least the equivalent of 5 full books. I did read three specifically, though, and two of those were book challenges in my own county in which I was a part of the committee. So, yeah, I’m good haha.
34. “Do more things I suck at” – stole this one from someone haha
–ongoing…I’m working on multiple things haha.
35. Make macarons (carry over from 2022)
–FAIL. Yeah, definitely wasn’t a priority. But ate a bunch of them 😛
Travel
36. Visit at least 10 LOVE signs in Virginia
–FAIL. Saw a bunch of them for sure, but didn’t really want to count the ones I drive by all the time. I did manage to get one in Woodbridge, one in Markham, and one in Amissville, but I didn’t make it to ten.
37. Multi-day Spyder trip with Dad (Vermont?)
–completed July 25-28 to Lake Placid and Lake George! We were going to hit up Vermont in September, but can’t mess with tractor pull season 😛 Our trip was such a unique experience, only taking roads less traveled, and I loved being able to take pictures and video. I haven’t spent that much uninterrupted time with my Dad, ever, so it was nice to chat, take in the surroundings, and try new things. We had a few crazy stories to tell upon our return haha.
38. Ohio Trip – (Cedar Point, Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame, Pins Mechanical?)
–partially completed July 12-13. We were able to hit up RnR & Pins on our way to Grand Rapids for the music festival, but missed out on Cedar Point mainly due to weather.
39. PA Trip (Flight 93 Memorial, Idle Wild?)
–partially completed July 1st with the Flight 93 Memorial. We didn’t get a chance to go to Idle Wild or Falling Water, but did see another Frank Lloyd Wright house in November!
40. 5 more state races
–completed October 1st! I was able to hit up Arizona in January, Louisiana and Mississippi in February, and Vermont and Missouri in September! Down to 13 now!!
41. Stay in a unique location (houseboat, yurt, etc.)
–completed Sept. 7th when we stayed in a gazebo site on our way to Vermont. We had originally booked a yurt, but we weren’t comfortable arriving so late to that location or sharing a bathroom. We really loved the site we chose and it was such a unique experience! We’d love to set up something similar at our house haha.
And here we go! I really hope you’ll go out and make your own list!! If you need suggestions, check out my other posts for 2020, 2021, and 2022. Start small, but dream big! I have so many people saying “I wish I could” in regards to my experiences. And while yes, finances, work schedules, and other responsibilities factor in…it sure beats looking back and saying “what if?!”