I always get a little nostalgic at the end of the year. Sitting back with a cup of tea recently, I quietly reflected on the enormity of the last year and smiled as I realised I’m almost 25, and I still have no clue what I’m doing in life.
I thought it might be fun to have a look at my “Bucket” list that I created well over a year ago, and see what’s happened, what’s changed, and what new dreams need to be added…
So after some contemplation and way too many double coat tim-tams, here’s a rough version of my new “101 in 1001″.
This time, I’ve kept things simple and only listed what I think I want to achieve in the next 1001 days (roughly three years). Some things might stretch out to 5 years, like having kids, but I’ve included them anyway. It’s funny how much things can change over a year as well – the things that I thought were my top three goals aren’t finished and don’t even make it onto this list! I guess this is just part of being human – we evolve, we change and as we grow our priorities shift.
Here’s what I managed to cross off the list this year as done!
- Swim with Dolphins – This was amazing! I went with a tour not far from where I live and we spent the day chasing dolphins around the bay, diving in to the water whenever we found a pod. It was an incredibly peaceful experience and one I would gladly repeat.
- Replant my vegie garden (since my dogs trampled everything in it): Jed built a whole new vegie patch with raised beds and a stepping-stone path. It is amazing! And right now its overflowing with corn, chillies, tomatoes, snowpeas and lettuce.
- Get my wisdom teeth removed – Done!
- Finish my novel – Done! Although I’ve had a few rejections from publishers which has inspired me to polish and edit the manuscript to a better level.
Here are my top goals for 2010:
- get married in Hawaii – OK, this is just freaky. I wrote this down in September of 2008, with no idea of the events that would unfold this year. I never actually thought this one would happen! But I’m getting married in three months in Maui!
- Fnish my second novel – a much longer piece of work. Yes, its about vampires. Don’t judge me.
- Get a publishing deal
- Start a third novel
- Write every single day, even if its only a paragraph
- Exercise three times a week
And what’s still to come…
- live in another country for 6 months or more – I actually have almost done this – I lived abroad for five months in 2006 (in the U.S.). I’d still love to do this properly though, staying in one place and settling in instead of backpacking.
- take a film-making course
- Have a baby (maybe 5 years for this one!)
- learn how to scuba-dive – I’m going to make the extra effort to do this in 2010, even if it’s just an introductory dive and not a PADI certification.
- Holiday in Vanuatu
- Own a restored classic car – a ’67 Chevy Impala or a classic mustang, perhaps.
- Intern / work on a film set
- do nothing but watch classic movies for a weekend – Ah, I’ll definitely do this one come winter!
- design my backyard the way i want it and build it – Underway! The paving is mostly done, the vegie patch is thriving and the building plans for the shed are complete. Now, we just need to grass our unpaved area, pave and landscape our pool area, get some more plants happening, and build our shed.
- keep my pool clean…it’s a biggie… It’s clean right now, I’m proud to say
- learn a martial art
- get lasik surgery and throw my contact lenses away – 2011 is probably the year for this, when I have some more cash and less financial commitments.
- learn to ride a motorbike
- Donate blood at least once: I’m scared!
- Write and sell a film script
- Buy a digital SLR and learn photography
- Take a photo every day for a year (a 365 project)
- Learn to speak another language – I’m thinking italian or spanish
- Read all of the Anne Rice vampire books – I started this! I’m on book 1 but other things keep drawing me away.
- See another Red Hot Chili Peppers Concert – They seriously need to annouce a new world tour please!
- finish painting my house (only a bit left to go!)
- Set up a Christmas savings account
- Rent a studio in Maui for a few months and do nothing but write, eat and swim
- Make my own vision board
- Finish my e-book
- Write a guest post for one of my favourite blogs
- Write an article for CountryLiving magazine
- Keep my house clean and tidy for 1 whole week.
- Make my own wine.
- Own a little winery in Margaret River with a rambling cottage and a goat. Must have a goat.
- Finish my beach cottage off. This could take a few years.
- Makeover my kitchen – all white!
