Possible ways to fall in love with my staying-in life

I was explaining to Bestie Amanda last night my "In Limbo" post, and she had a great amendment - "It's like a limbo between feeling like you want to go out and that it's sooo much fun, but then once you're out, not really enjoying yourself as much as you remember you once did." Precisely. I should just have her write my blog for me.

Anywho, a number of you have related to me, either in conversation or within the comments, about feeling the same way now or at one time. It's nice to know I'm not the only one, and this too, shall pass. Since writing it, I've thought about some ways in which I can possibly fall in love with my staying-in life:

1. Yoga - I want to make it a goal to continue to go to the class I've been attending on Mondays. I like having something to look forward to on the usually dreaded start to the work week.
   
2. Hobby Crafts – I’ve been intrigued by the blog ladies I know who are making greeting cards. I think it's a great idea since those little devils are like $5 a piece these days. Also, one of my good girl friends swears by scrapbooking and does it every Sunday. Seems a bit more for the older crowd, but I've got 3,000 plus pics that could really use some printing and organizing. I’ve also always wanted to learn how to sew (on my life list). I think it could do me some good to channel my creativity into an art form.
   
3. Cooking Classes – I’m thinking sushi making (also on my life list) or a wine pairing class with my boyfriend and some friends.
4. Lap Swimming – It doesn't hurt to try, right? I could start with swallowing my pride with a purchase of one of those damn ugly hats and a pair of damn ugly goggles (Perhaps if they’re pink or LEOPARD print I’ll like them a little bit more).

Possible updates coming soon on any or all of these activities...

Currently Feeling: Not too shabby after my St. Patty's Day yesterday. Probably because I got out of bed 10 minutes before I had to be at work. ALL the extra sleep I can squeeze out counts!
Currently Anticipating: Catching up on some sleep and room cleaning tonight. Oh, and a possible pizza and champagne party later to celebrate Vanessa's last test of the quarter.
Currently Needing: To focus a bit more time on reading. I'm going too slow Joe.

My Bucket List - 100 Things (and growing) I Want to Do Before I Die

I discovered the idea of posting a Life List on a blog I read. This of course inspired me to put together my own little Life List since there are approximately 1 million things I want to do before I die. The list is open to interpretation or addition, since I know one'll probably crop up in the middle of me brushing my teeth one night... (All completed activities will be highlighted in bold).

My Bucket List

1. Go to a Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey
2. Volunteer in Africa for three weeks with Cross-Cultural Solutions
3. Run a 5K race (9/20/09)
4. Live in another city for at least one year
5. Write a memoir
6. Keep a savings account – with a balance – for more than one year
7. Find my dream job – and work there (9/29/09)
   
8. Visit Auschwitz
9. Electrolyze every surface I currently have to shave
10. Meditate in a Buddhist temple
11. Marry my greatest love
12. Cook Thanksgiving dinner
13. Become an entrepreneur – in a small or large way
14. Take my parents to Ireland
15. Swim with dolphins
16. Stay in a little hut on a white sand beach with blue waters
17. Teach myself to video edit
18. Own a house with a library with floor to ceiling bookshelves and a ladder
19. Perfect one recipe and make it my “special”
20. Make amends
21. Order weekly organic produce for at least one month
22. Take a Tantric Sex class
23. Live in one of the old, cute little houses in upper Queen Anne
24. Take an extended road trip to all the places in America I’ve wanted to see
25. Party my ass off (or my top, I should say) at Mardi Gras
26. Take a sushi-making class - (5/21/09)
    
27. Buy a condo
28. Go to Teatro Zinzanni
29. Spend a weekend in Vegas in one of the nicest, most expensive hotels in their nicest, most expensive room (minus a suite or penthouse)
30. Visit Bali and wear flowers around my neck
31. Squash grapes with my feet
32. Donate a major lump sum to World Vision
33. Give birth to a little girl with curly hair, and name her Savannah
34. Further my education – either a certificate, art degree or Masters
35. Go on a vacation by boat and do it under the stars
36. Print and assemble some of my 4,000 photos off my computer into a photo album of my 20s (or 30s, etc.)
37. Collect my friend’s addresses and send out holiday cards
38. Own either a restaurant, breakfast place or winery
39. Read one book from all the “great” authors – Hemmingway, Kerouac, etc.
40. Figure out who all would be included on a list of “great” authors
41. Have only one credit card that I pay off every month
42. Close my eyes and feel that there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right where I am at that moment
43. Own a beach house
44. Take a Web site design class
45. Plant a vegetable/herb garden
46. Make fresh salads and food with my homegrown veggies and herbs
47. Feel amazing in a bathing suit
48. Visit a rural village and bring gifts for the children
49. Be a member of the Bacon of the Month club for one year
50. Take classes and give an effing sweet striptease to whichever boy is lucky enough to be with me at that time
51. Buy a Seattle Zagat guide and go to at least 50% of the restaurants
52. Get a Brazilian wax (to be done before number nine)
53. Be a KEXP Plutonium Club member just once
54. Live in a houseboat
55. Have a closet that dreams are made of – walk in, with shelves for shoes, and floor length mirrors everywhere, in lots of gold and cream with leopard print
    
56. Feel amazing with myself at my 10-year high school reunion
57. Have sex in a Burger King bathroom
58. Go in a hot air balloon ride
59. Own a license plate with my name on it
60. Live somewhere with a patio overlooking the water with wind chimes and flower pots
61. Become an expert in something – and offer my advice to others
62. Run with bulls in Pamplona, Spain
63. Treat myself to a manicure, pedicure, facial, massage, hair cut and color – all in one day
64. Buy satin sheets for my bed
65. Celebrate Oktoberfest in Munich
66. Learn to sew
67. Buy something really amazing for my grandparents and my dad
68. Release a butterfly
69. Take a shower by candlelight
70. Ride my bike to work
71. Go on a game show
72. Participate in Lent
73. Wash my face and moisturize every night for one month
74. “Make love” on a bear-skin rug in front of a fire
75. Finish the last quarter of my Life List
76. Learn to make jewelry - preferably earrings so I can make some fantastic big dangley ones and sell them on Etsy.
77. Learn to speak Spanish
78. Stop biting my nails
79. Wine taste in Napa Valley
80. Meet a blogger whose blog I read regularly in real life
81. Learn a little bit more about sake and explore the world of sake
82. Give up fast food for a year
83. Make a cookbook of my grandmother’s recipes before she passes
84. Plant an herb and or vegetable garden
85. Go to dim sum for breakfast
86. Take a digital photography class so I can become more than an "automatic" setting photographer.
    
    

What I want to accomplish in 2009

I'm all about goals - a tidy little list that I can review and check off. Plans and goals are the way of my life. So, I've decided to make a short little list, in addition to my long term Bucket List, of the things I want to specifically accomplish in 2009:

• Take a Spanish class
• Start my social media blog/resume site
• Buy a bike and ride to work at least a couple times this summer
• Get a "Live, Laugh, Love" tattoo on my foot
• Run in the 5K Fremont Oktoberfest BrewHaHa race
• Take a jewelry making class so I can learn to make some sweet, big dangley earrings and possibly open an Etsy shop
• Purchase my Seattle Zagat quide and start checking off a few of those restaurants!
• Figure out the school I want to go to for grad school for a Masters in Digital Media/Social Media, and apply by the end of the year

I think that's a pretty great list! Onward and upward toward living life to my FULLEST!

xoxo
Je