40x40

Here it is - the 40 Before 40 list! New Year's Resolution is to get 5 done this year, but if all goes well I should get 11 in 2011!

DONE
1. Read up on Religion 101 or Religion for Dummies
2. Perform one random act of kindness every month, anonymously and without recognition
3. Swim with sharks
4. Learn to scuba dive - vetoed due to potential explosion of the heart
5. Sample more cuisines of the world – try something new each month
6. Surf
7. Go one week without watching TV
8. Spend an afternoon at the driving range, and try not to be a spaz
9. Start and continue an exercise regime for three months, even if it kills me
10. Read 3 classic novels I should have already read
11. Get rid of all the things in my house that are just clutter and would benefit someone else
12. Buy a plant and keep it alive, instead of treating plants as if they are meant to be disposable
13. Organize a box for each child to hold their special childhood memorabilia
14. Stay connected with my girlfriends
15. Try archery
16. Do an all-day movie marathon in a movie theatre
17. Watch all the movies (that I have not yet seen) on the IMDb Top 100 List
18. Check into a very nice hotel by myself for a weekend and order room service as often as I want and order pay per view movies (but not dirty ones) like they're going out of style
19. Go to the Olympics
20. Volunteer time with the children or without
21. Become debt-free (other than mortgage)
22. Learn how to make pasta from scratch - NEWLY ACCOMPLISHED Feb 18, 2011***

IN PROGRESS
23. Learn sign language - started but would like to learn more. Don't remember anything of what I learned 2 years ago.
24. Learn to play poker - April 2011 in San Diego with the girls - they're going to hone my "skills".***
25. Learn to accept my body and all its imperfections - Working on it.***
26. Visit a country for every letter of the alphabet (except O, Q, XYZ) – done 13/21; have 8 letters left to visit (D,G,H,J,K,L,R&T).
27. Take a trapeze lesson - Feb 26, 2011.***
28. Go through all our photographs and select some to mat and frame like they’re real art - began sorting and will print them this year.***
29. Photograph 40 of my friends’ faces - 5/40 photographed.***
30. Begin genealogy research and update family tree - must find documents and continue with online research.***
31. Shower under a waterfall in an amazing tropical setting - Maui trip booked. Waterfalls scoped and ready.***
32. Buy something from a TV infomercial - have tried this several times but didn't want what they were selling. Will try again.***

STILL NEED TO START
33. Walk in one of the 3 day walks for breast cancer
34. “Compete” in an Olympic distance triathlon
35. See the northern lights and/or experience the 24 hr sunshine or 24 hr darkness of the far north
36. Track down and help some of the AIDS orphans that I met in South Africa in 2001
37. Strut on a Catwalk unselfconsciously
38. Sew myself a garment that I would wear out in public
39. Learn to start a fire without matches or a lighter***
40. Learn how to make tortillas from scratch***

***No problem, right? I should get these 11 this year... that will only leave 8 to do in the 18 months from Jan 2012 to Jul 2013.

I've also documented everything so far in photographs so I will have one kick-ass scrapbook when all is said and done. Yee-haw!
I have made a few amendments to the list since its inception. Not many, but those involving travel will need to be prioritized over a little longer time period. I will still get to Asia, South America, and Russia one day - just likely not in the next 2 years! See the original 40 Before 40 list here.