I have this little tradition I have been doing for my birthday for the last 10 years or so. Each year, I make a bucketlist of goals/activities to try for the following year. Their is one list item for each year old I turn. Some are silly, some are serious, but it’s always fun to look back on the previous years list and see what got accomplished. Yesterday was my 32nd birthday, so here is my Big 32 List:

(By the way, these are in no particular order)

1.Cook a live lobster 

2. Build a woodworking project from instructions (We have all the lumber to make this garden arch, just haven’t gotten around to building it!)

3.Visit Idaho (I’ve never been, so why not! And it looks lovely)

4.Keep running

5. Say “yes” to all those “Would you like to donate a $1 to……” questions.

6. Use my water bottle more. And try not to lose it on a monthly basis.

7. Apply for another mural – any suggestions anyone? Hutchinson, FOCO? And, could someone please help fund the Greeley Atlas/John Galt mural? I have a really cool design…

8. Watch movies for fun and ignore Rotten Tomatoes ratings. Sometimes I am too judgy of movies and I forget to just enjoy them.

9. Make a plan for a giant Art Prize piece. I love the challenge of coming up with an art piece that is of a monumental scale. Just what will it be…

10. Look at my phone less. Why is this so hard?

11. Read more books. Real books. With Paper. Not those versions on phones.  I have been working my way through this list.

12. Finish “Call of the Wild” – currently I have been reading one page in a setting and its like taking a sleeping pill. ZZZZZZ….

13. Read Animal Farm – I always try to add a classic to my list that I haven’t read before.

14. Spend more money to purchase the well crafted object rather than always going for the sale rack/cheap option. But be discerning.

15. Simplify. Get rid of clutter by asking is it beautiful? Is it useful? Does it add meaning? And if not, toss it.

16.Go on one hike every month – even in the winter. We have a book of Northern Colorado hikes, I’d love to use that as a starting place and discover some new favorites.

17. Be engaged with Lucy’s school and give it a chance. Be a present volunteer and part of the community.

18. Give panhandlers the benefit of the doubt and trust that what their signs say is true. Giving a few dollars here and there won’t hurt me at all.

19. Pay attention to what my kids desires and passions are and get excited alongside them.

20. Charge more. In a recent conversation with a business owner friend, I complained to feeling overwhelmed and feeling really behind on projects. His response was “Charge More.”

21. Fix all the curtains in our house. Emily Henderson’s post here was very illuminating.

22. Eat less meat and more vegetables. Maybe start with just making sure to have a veggie at every meal. Or Meatless Mondays. Sounds funny to have this on the list coming from me, an ex-vegetarian.

23. Try to eliminate cooking from anything that comes in a box or prepackaged. Mostly because I feel like it will save us a lot of money.

24. Sell all my wall calendars – I love how these projects turn out, but it is always hard to upfront the cost for printing and hope people like them.

25. Finish my children’s book illustration project I am currently in the middle of.

26. Take more personal spiritual journeys – hiking, runs, searching out quiet, eliminating technology, etc. Moments to reflect and refuel.

27. Have purposeful “yes” days with the kids. 

28. Drive less. 

29. Be open to boredom.

30. Search out and explore more wild spaces. 

31. Learn how to wire a light.

32. Drive the Poudre Canyon road during the peak of fall colors.