Today I turn 36.
I drafted my “Want To Do” list what feels like a million years ago, but was really only a month and a half. Before Coronavirus came and changed everything, before we went into isolation living, and before the terrible shooting here in Nova Scotia. Before “normal” shifted so drastically.
But I think it’s still important to have fun goals, to have “Want To Do” lists. Control what we can, right? Find joy where we can, too.
This is inspired by Elise Blaha Cripe (of course - I love her) and her list is here. In the email newsletter where she talked about this, she said something along the lines of: the point is NOT to get all this stuff done. The point is get SOME of it done. It’s a list of fun, a list of dreams. Some of it will get done in an afternoon. Some will require months of planning. Some may never happen or may take a few more years. She wrote, “I loved dreaming up 35 things, but honestly? It will be so great if I do FIVE of these things.”
Ditto. It was FUN and a bit of a streeeetch to come up with 36 things! Some are BIG stretches (ahem, house? Novel? Probably won’t happen this year but it’s fun to dream). Some I already did (ahem, shave head? Was going to do that this summer but then COVID-19 happened). Some require keeping track over the year and some will be done in a day.
Without further ado, here’s my list:
Do a boudoir shoot with Kandise Brown.
Hike two coves: Fishing Cove and Gull Cove.
Shave my head.
Climate activism - more of it!
Build a garden bed.
Read 36 books.
Find the perfect brownie recipe.
Make ice cream from scratch.
Take 100 walks.
Camp in the CB Highlands National Park.
Host a Buy Nothing Project gathering.
Make my Christmas presents.
Learn to use my sewing machine and sew something.
Take a dance class.
Cook healthy meals with my boyfriend.
Send 36 pieces of mail.
Try 36 local foods.
Make a piece of jewellery I want to wear.
Swim in a river.
Use my sketchbook regularly.
Find a signature scent.
Make a pie from scratch.
Write a novel.
Buy a house.
Print my favourite photos of my favourite people and frame them.
Convert Aidan’s crib into a bed.
Update my website and CV.
Get or convert a coffee table with room for art supplies.
Make my kitchen more functional for me and inspiring to cook in.
Get fake plants.
Get a new tattoo.
See 10 concerts.
Write 10 poems.
Take a trip.
LGBTQ activism.
Do a 100 Day Project.
Template for the list is from Elise Blaha Cripe - they were free to newsletter subscribers. If you want one message me too and I can send you the email they were from.