Last years to-do list

Well here it is the first of January 2011.
A new day....a new year.....

Last year I made a list of 30 fun things to do and achieve.
Some things I had never tried and had fun just having a go at.
Paintball on my birthday was so much fun with all the girls.
Climbing the Harbour Bridge in the pouring rain is a great story I will retell again and again.
I bought and handled a raw lobster and cooked him up....and ate him.
I taught my son how to blow bubbles with bubble gum...ran one kilometre without stopping...and finished off the year by becoming a 1st Dan black belt in karate.

So you may ask did I achieve them all. The answer is NO. There were a few that just didn't happen either due to time, money or just plain convenience. But I am not disappointed at all...and as you know I am a 'tick the box' kind of person.
In life circumstances change all the time and you just have to roll with it.
My list was there to have fun and try new things which I did....and that was the whole point of the list.

So now a new year has begun....and I have a whole new list.
And why not? Life is all about having fun.
Here it is...and I hope it inspires you to be creative and try some new things.

2011 To-do list
1. Make homemade croissants
2. Make homemade hot cross buns
3. Cook peking duck
4. Cook something 'flaming'
5. Host a japanese dinner party
6. Learn the names of the bible in order
7. Watch 'The Shining'
8. Watch 'The Godfather' trilogy
9. Movie marathon
10. Learn basic french
11. Go jetty jumping
12. Ride a jet ski
13. Kick a door in
14. Break plates 'greek style'
15. Visit Byron Bay
16. Visit South West Rocks
17. Learn the Hoedown Throwdown
18. Ride in a hot air balloon
19. Fire a weapon (carried over from last year)
20. Black belt confirmed

Save a life!

Do you know that one in thirty people donate blood and yet sooner or later one in three will need it? Also, by donating blood you can save up to 3 peoples lives? Interesting facts that I learned this year....when I decided to put "donating blood" on my to do list.

Here I was making a fun list of things to do that I've never done or experienced, when I googled "bucket list" to get more ideas and found a site that had over 350 suggestions, in different categories and one was "charity work". When I read "donate blood" in this category I thought to myself, "I've always hated needles!" I mean does anyone really LIKE needles? Really?

I had two great pregnancies with no morning sickness but I had gestational diabetes. And surprise surprise, lets take your blood every chance we can to test it. Needless to say I'm not as scared of needles anymore.

Our church is having a blood drive through the month of April, the month of Easter when Jesus died and shed his blood for us. I thought that if Jesus could shed his blood for me, surely I could give blood to help someone else.

So I decided to be "politically correct" and put donate blood on my list for 2010. Not exactly FUN but definitely a new experience to be had for the first time.

I made my appointment and was told to drink lots that day to stay hydrated. I managed to drink 3 litres of water. I think that is a record!! I should have had THAT on my list....lol. I arrived at the blood bank, filled out all the paperwork and had a pin prick test to check my blood. After the all clear I was hooked up and watched for eleven minutes as my blood left me.

Afterwards I was given a yummy caramel milkshake and an apple muffin. You know it didn't really hurt at all. I was so impressed with myself that I will definitely be donating again. I have to wait at least 12 weeks before donating again. To hear how the blood is used is amazing; cancer patients, accident victims, women during childbirth and little babies who have just been born. It is such an amazing feeling to do something that could save the life of a newborn baby.

If ever you have thought of MAYBE donating blood I would ask you to think again.


www.donateblood.com.au

Finish the race

There is a line in a Brooke Fraser song that says, "I'll run til I finish the race".
I don't want to just cross the finish line. I want to do it with a smile on my face.

I want to get to the end of my life, look back and say 'WOW'. No regrets.
I didn't chicken out of something because I was too afraid.
I didn't stop trying because it was too hard.
I got back up when I got knocked to the ground.
I had fun trying things that were new.
I laughed at myself when I had no idea what I was doing.

A few years ago the movie "The Bucket List" came out with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. They each had a list of things they wanted to do or experience before they died.
So of course, then became the fad of writing our own bucket lists.
I never wanted to have a "bucket list" linking it with the thought that death will surely follow.
Instead I started thinking of all the fun ways I can experience life right now.

In January, the talk turned to "New Years Resolutions" which of course just reminds me of the good intentions we all have to lose weight, get fit and feel like a failure by January 15th when the novelty has already worn off....

So this year I made myself a to-do list. Not a bucket list and not a resolution.
30 fun things to do for the first time, try for the first time or experience for the first time.

A few years ago I tried snow skiing. I'm not very good. I'm actually too slow and cautious to achieve the thrill that my sons demonstrated and will probably never do it again, but I can say I've tried it and I did it.

I started karate two years ago after what seemed like a lifetime of teaching little girls to dance. I am planning to grade for my black belt this December.

This year I plan on climbing the Harbour Bridge, riding in a helicopter, boiling my own lobster, try paintball, donate blood, learn the tango and ride in a limo (to name a few) just because I can!

Is there anything you've always wanted to do? It's never too late.....