First of all, thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. It was a fun day and how many people can say they got "Happy Birthday" sung to them by broadway actors? (Granted they were young actors...the girls playing Cindy-Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas touring production came to OCM today, but it was super fun nonetheless!) I've been working on this post for about a week, and it's finally finished and feeling like a good way to begin a new year of my life.
As an inherent list-maker, I'm making a list of 25 things I want to do by this time next year. I'm a quarter-century old today and, feeling very grown up, am taking charge of my own life. Ahem.
1. Read a large classic novel.
I'm thinking War and Peace, Les Miserables...you know. The chunky ones. Now to choose...
2. Take a cooking class.
Someday, maybe in retirement, I want to actually study cuisine, but for now, my life doesn't allow time for something like that. I would like, however, to take a class on cooking in some capacity. Williams-Sonoma offers fun technique classes on weekends, and Metro Community College also has a culinary program.
3. (De)bone a duck.
I really want to prepare Julia Child's Pate de canard en croute (duck in pastry). Mostly to say that I've done it, but also to learn how to prepare duck since it seems that not too many people know how to do it.
4. Splurge on a great pair of jeans.
I hate shopping for pants, especially jeans. So for once, I'm going to buy an expensive pair, in hopes this will change my attitude toward denim. Sigh.
5. Host a dinner party at my house apartment.
I truly dislike our apartment. It's old, small and I never feel like I can bring people over. So I'm facing a fear and going to host dinner at our humble abode. If nothing else it gives me an excuse to clean really well and cook a fabulous meal!
6. Rent a car.
Because I can now! Dan and I won't get to have much of a vacation while he's in school full time (and year-round!), so maybe we take a cheap flight somewhere and drive around. I'm thinking wine country. I don't know. It's a work in progress.
7. Attend or host a wine tasting.
Because I love wine. And who knows enough about wine?
8. Start my novel.
Always been a dream. So I actually want to try to start writing.
9. Watch the last three Star Wars movies.
Because I think Dan will disown me if I "waste" one more year of life not knowing the whole story :)
10. Read Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With The Wind."
I love the movie, and I always remember my mom telling me how she read it twice in one summer. Which makes me think it will be a decent enough book to read.
11. Visit Rachel in Indianapolis!
I miss my friend, and the world's largest children's museum is there, so I absolutely want to visit. And I must meet the new man in her life :)
12. Start planning vacation for summer 2013.
Why so far ahead, you ask? Because I need something to look forward to and remind myself that Daniel's year-round school will be done by then and he will be a physical therapist and we will deserve a BREAK by then!! I'm thinking cruise...
13. Stay in touch.
I'm not so good at writing emails and letters to keep in touch with friends and family. My goal is to write an email or letter to important people in my life at least twice this year. I also want to be better about Christmas cards this year. Better start making my list now...
14. Start a savings account for my 30th birthday present.
I know, I know. I should be saving for "important" things. But how many times in your life will you turn 30?! I'll tell you. Once. And for my 30th birthday, I want Chanel.
15. Make my own pasta.
I always like learning to make things from scratch. I find that it keeps me much more in touch with my cooking. And then I feel justified when I sometimes buy ready-made ingredients.
16. Participate in a grape harvest.
There are plenty of small wineries around here that will gladly take volunteer help to bring in the grape harvest. I don't think there will be any Lucille Ball grape-squashing scenes, but it would be fun nonetheless!
17. Start a diary.
I found a super fun diary at a boutique the other day. It's a five-year one. But you only write one line per day. I think it would be fascinating to look back and know the one thing I wanted to write in that space at the time.
18. Watch Casablanca.
Just to see what all the hubub is about.
19. Attend mass more regularly.
It's hard right now since I seem to be working ALL the time, but I sincerely would like to make a committment to going to church on Sundays as often as possible. God has given me much, surely I can forgo an hour of sleep for Him.
20. Read 26 books this year.
I love to read, and it occurred to me the other day that even if someone read one book a week, that's only 52 books in a year. And I know I don't have time to read one book in a week. So I'm going to have a goal to read a book every 2 weeks. I don't have a list ready to post yet, but I have plenty of books I want to read, and 2 book items are already on this list, so it's obviously something I really want to do!
21. Start doing something with my photos.
I have a lot of hard-copy photos that I would like to turn digital. I know my parents have a ton of these too, and I don't want all those memories to get lost. I don't have a well-formed thought on what I want to do yet, but I do know that something needs to happen!
22. Start singing again.
I miss Drake Choir a lot! And I truly miss singing. I know I could join a church choir, but sometimes I would like to sing larger-scale pieces and classical music. I would consider accomplishing this goal by finding a voice teacher for my own enjoyment, or even giving lessons too.
23. See a really good concert or live theatre production.
I've already got my tickets for Lady Gaga (!!!), but I want to see another concert or live theater performance. Mary Poppins, Young Frankenstein and Les Miserables are all coming to Omaha this coming year, so I have some decent options. And I would definitely be up for seeing Wicked again :) Other options:
- Jil Aigrot: The Voice of Edit Piaf
- Don Giovanni by Opera Omaha
- Madama Butterfly by Opera Omaha
24. (Courtesy of one Christina Kahler) Create a signature drink.
Every lady has a drink of choice, so why not have one of my own creation. My old faithful is a Malibu and Diet Coke, but perhaps it's time for something a bit more refined and more...Shermanator.
25. Live in the moment.
This may be the only item that I try NOT to cross off this list. I want to try to not get too caught up in what I'm doing at work, or at home, or what planning I have to do and really enjoy my time, doing whatever it is. Making the best of each possible moment, trying to create a life of memories is the goal.
I'm pretty excited about the next year of my life. There are a lot of wonderful people I care about and that care about me to share it with.
Cheers!
