Wednesday, February 24, 2010

37.... the recap.

last year on my birthday, completely inspired by andrea of hula seventy,  i made my very first birthday list.  a list of 37 things to do before i turned 38.  some things little and some grandiose.  but it is good to go big sometimes, even if all it is is a dream...
here was my list
being today is my final day as a 37 year old, here is my recap. 
some things done, many not.  that is ok. 
  1. get a vintage bike , not a schwinn by any means but she is a pretty blue.
  2. went to this concert,  ok maybe not what i had in mind originally,  but sharing a first concert with my 2 fave little people?  priceless!
  3. hmmm this one i will need to carry over for sure.  i have improved on manual focus and my night shooting this year.  i am proud of that.  still SO much to learn and try.
  4. throw a par~tay.  done.
  5. probably my most accomplished thing on my list. goal was-meet 3 flickr friends in real life...  i think my tally wound up being  around 13 this year!!!  and each and every one was like meeting an old friend.  we shared photo walks and stories and food and it has been the best ever.  to think at first i was afraid to make that leap and bridge that gap from internet friend to live in person friend.  how much i would have missed out on this year if i had stayed that way...
  6. take a rain ride with my mom.  terrible that i did not make this happen still.  i owe her a trip to boston.
  7. make a solid date night with hubby and keep it.  to rekindle a romantic spark in my marriage. we had a bumpy start to this, but then i think we did pretty good thanks to all the babysitting my mom has volunteered this past year.  thanks mom!
  8. 365 DONE!  (and crazy enough to start all over again...)
  9. photo strip done2
  10. gave back by participating in to Haiti with Love, and Red Cross Fund by auctioning photos, raising  $175.00 total from just 3 of my prints. 
  11. learn a song on the guitar, nope.  though hubby has been learning one....
  12. roller skating.  nope.  :(  really was hoping to do this for my birthday but now post surgery that is a no no....  
  13. take a dance class.  no
  14. still no
  15. knit something from an actual pattern. i was gifted a pattern and 2 balls of yummy yard .  maybe i can sneak this in today...  at least try.
  16. portrait of me.  started my own 52 pieces of me set to help me appreciate myself in photos.
  17. win at whack a mole.  no, but i did win a stuffed pig once at the water balloon game this summer.  
  18. girls only weekend.  YES! weekend in  Providence RI with my very best girlfriend.  yay for us.  after 14 years of friendship we finally did it. this is going on my list every year now... never. coming. off.
  19. get my photos hung somewhere... oh.  my.  yes!   i also got published in 2 books this year,  picture hope and mugs and china cups .  sales from both books and the gallery show all going to wonderful charities.
  20. nope
  21. nope
  22. nope
  23. no again
  24. plant a garden with k and c.  we tried....
  25. that was just a big fun dream....  dreams are good.
  26. through 37.  this is where it al falls apart on me....  many of those things i even had planned: trip to philly where i would see roller derby with jen and coney island meet up on the way to philly to ride that coaster,  but kids got sick and we had to stay home.  the polaroid house is no longer (never mind the fact that it was on the other side of the country!  lol)  the big kid is still learning to drive.  winter has stalled that progress.  the camping and swimming i have no excuses for.  it was a bit of a rough year at times so i am really giving myself a break.  plus it only drives me to do better with those little things this year.  come one spring!  come on healing body!   and now onto my "one to grow on"  that jessica suggested,  write 37 love letters to ones i love, and write 1 to myself.  that will be my project today as i bid farewell to 37 and welcome in 38.   a new calendar year of life.  a new page.  i am not sad to see 37 go, instead i am excited to see what 38 holds.  37, though difficult at times,  was filled with many sweet surprises some beyond my wildest dreams and that only makes me believe that 38 will hold such surprising goodness as well.   
goodbye 37 year old self, i did my best to take good care of you.
xo, 
me

12 comments:

Linh + Tina said...

wow, that's a good list! Happy early Birthday to you! You should be proud that you accomplished all of those things off of your list, that's so awesome! Hope 38 is even better! :)

Tina

xanthe said...

such a gorgeous list and you've crossed off SO many of some of them... and.... what amazing achievements! you should be really proud! can't wait to see your list for 38, excited for you. x.

Vanessa/NessieNoodle said...

What fun it is to see what we hope for in the new year and what actually happens. Sometimes the amazing in the littlest and sometimes in the biggest.

Here is to 38! Happy (almost) New Year you sweet, sweet woman you!

xo

Debbie E said...

Happy happy day to you!!!!You have such a great heart and spirit. I so have enjoyed being your friend this year and look forward to another year of friendship with you :D*hugs*

GailO said...

Happy Birthday ...it looks like you accomplished a great deal this year...your list was a fun guideline...I don't think I can think up 6o things to do before I turn 60:)

word verification=lifelyto:)

jodi said...

well, we did *attempt* a DHB with cynthia, at least. too bad the lighting at parc was so low. we'll just have to try again!

it was SO lovely to meet you IRL this year. i can hardly wait to see you again. happy, happy, happy birthday!

xoxo

littlehouse said...

wow. What a year :) Hope 38 is colourful and wonder-full.

georgia b. said...

happy birthday.
may it be blessed.

Char said...

i think that's a fantastic list and look how much you got done. wonderful

hope you have a beautiful and wonder-filled birthday

Amy @ Lucky Number 13 said...

That's a great list, you made a good dent in it...be proud! :) We always need things to work toward. Happy Birthday to you!

gonzomama said...

(um, i am really behind on blog reading & bloglines is screwing with me).

so . . .

this was such an amazing list and to have accomplished so much of it!!! i can't wait to see what you can achieve this year : )

Michel said...

I am totally doing this this year!! you have a wonderful list. thanks for inspiring!