Life lists

Why would you make a life list?

I called my 39 list 40 things before 40 but didn't post it on the blog.

Scroll down for my lists of 36 and 37 things

My list of 38 (35 of 38 done - 92%)

1. Pay attention to what comes out of my mouth. This is a topic for a post but I learnt at She Speaks that I process and express externally so in times of stress, I shout. And I need to learn to stop doing that. My scripture is Ps 19:14 may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight.
2. Assume positive intent with D. Am I the only one who assumes he leaves things undone just to annoy me? I read a lovely post (again, another blog post) where she spoke about the secret of a good marriage is to assume positive intent. They are not out to get us.
3. Have another beach holiday. I would happily go back to Ballito.
4. Plan a celebration for my mother's 60th next year. This is going to be interesting because she 1) hates parties 2) hates a fuss...
5. Take the kids to the Pretoria Zoo.
6. Spend Mandy's voucher. MandyR's family gave the babies a very nice experiential gift and I'll take them to do two fun things. Any ideas? Are they too young for Sci-Bono?
7. Sponsor another World Vision child. I want some of you along with this ride - R150 a month or thereabouts. Less than $20.
8. Do Santa's Shoebox for another 3 kids.
9. Have a mini photo shoot - how will we ever top the Newtown one though?
10. Have 25 dates with D.
11. Get to Cape Town.
12. Get kids registered for pre-school. There is just one thing to check and then I can pay.
13. Get into another position at work. More later... but I am SO inspired by Heather.
14. Bring my awesomeness to current job too. Take charge and act with courage. 
15. Get my handwriting made into a font 
16. Read a Jeffrey Deaver novel. 
17. Read a John Grisham novel. 
18. Read a Patricia Cornwell novel. 
19. Read a James Patterson novel. 
20. Read a Michael Connolly novel.
21. Read 60 books in total, 12 of them non-fiction. 
22. Declutter books so that I have ALL of them on the one small 3-shelf bookshelf. Currently all 3 shelves are full plus 2 others - the one is only about 70% full. 
23. Read entire New Testament 
24. Write a book for the Kindle. Am I mad? I think so. 
25. Ask God to show Himself regularly, in the little and big things. 
26. Start speaking a message of hope to Christian women. This is here as a ginormous act of faith. Because I have No Clue how this will work. But I'm available and willing. 
27. Take 25 awesome pics of people's faces (by awesome I mean pics even they love). On the one photowalk I still haven't blogged, I took pics of an ex-staff member and she loved them so much. That's what I want. To show people they can have good pics even without smiling :) 
28. Make a craft with scrapbook paper. 
29. Make a craft with canvas. 
30. Make a craft with cards. 
31. Make a craft with bakers' twine. 
32. Make a craft with stamps. 
33. Make a craft with all my punches. 
34. Make a craft with photos. I have a plan for the NYC pics but let's see. I'm starting on Friday - hopefully it's not a huge flop. 
35. Save R_________ - it's a huge chunk of money, a stretch even for me so that it forces me to think differently about my finances and not just put away what's comfortable. Did you know I started saving R50 (about $6) a month in 1998? Those days are long gone. But that's also the same year we started sponsoring World Vision kids. 
36. Simplify business even more. Another thing God spoke to me about at SheSpeaks (and MandyR also said) - I'm too busy. I do like having a lot to do but this is ridiculous. I want my one free night a week back where I do nothing but read. 
37. Buy a frivolous YELLOW handbag for summer 
38. Start collecting the Seinfeld DVDs. I have none at the moment so I need to "hit up" (as you US gals say) Musica or Look & Listen.

My list of 37 (78% completed)

  

God/ ministry

1. Finish blogging the Crazy Love book chapters
2. Have a “retreat” all by myself, one night a month
3. Spend time on a consistent basis reading the Bible.
4. Continue to be faithful in my ministry at the church even when attendance is low. I am doing this unto the Lord and not unto men.

Family (D and babies)

1. Have fun summer family photoshoot
2. Have family holiday on KZN north coast
3. Make a decent-looking “family rules” printable
4. Get back to Cape Town
5. Do a fun day for the babies’ half birthdays.
6. Take the kids to Gillooly’s Farm –
7. Find a preschool for the kids that we’re happy with emotionally and financially, and register them 50%
8. Do something different (for us) and fun as a family once a month
9. Two dates with D a month plus movie night on the couch ;)
10. Get wedding, Australia and Singapore photos scanned and in jpg format the place went bankrupt 50%  11. Get that darn photo wall up! 12. Have a weekend away with D. If that goes well, book overseas trip if there’s a willing family member around.
13. Take the kids to the zoo

Work

1. Have lunch/ tea at least once a week in our work coffee shop to increase my visibility.
2. Bring in between R10 and R20 mil GWP in new business for my company (this is a new position so I’m still getting a feel for what’s realistic but will still be a stretch) Oh dear. A tad ambitious

Business

1. Have book published both in print and on the Kindle 
2. Write second book and maybe the third one too
3. Attend She Speaks conference
4. Market myself 10 times to church groups to share my story of hope and inspiration with women. Just not feeling it at the moment

Personal

1. Have photoshoot in Newtown with cool, crazy coloured doors in the background
2. Give away 37 notebooks as gifts
3. Work out 8 – 12 times a month, either by myself or with a personal trainer Not yet - averaging about half that 50%  4. Meet 5 bloggers Met Cat, Louisa, Hayley, Marleen, Julia and another 6 in the USA 5. Read 60 books, one of them The Happiness Project  Read 69 books over the year
6. Set a deadline for all my “thin” clothes and get rid of them if goal not achieved
7. Declutter and sell bags I no longer use (there are at least 10)
8. Continue to do at least 5 random acts of kindness every month
9. Leave 4 anonymous notes/ send out cards every month with inspiring messages

Fun/ exploring my creativity

1. Do a photobook. Did three

2. Cook 12 new “main course” recipes - pan pizza, chicken with peaches, honey chicken with pineapple, enchilada casserole, aromatic chicken, mince, noodles and sweetcorn, chickpea and pita bread salad, quesadilla burgers, spicy sausage pasta, skinny chicken divan, macaroni cheese, black bean quesadillas

3. Cook 12 new recipes in the baking category - fudge, apple cake, apple bars, pumpkin bread, sweet chex mix, savoury chex mix, peppermint bark, healthy pumpkin muffins, apple raisin oatmeal cookies, peanut butter chocolate oats drop cookies (tried two recipes), lemon bars, 30-minute rolls, cinnamon muffins
4. Do 24 crafty/ creative projects (travel journals, mini scrapbooks, stuff for the kids, etc.), Pinterest-type stuff. Maybe organise a virtual craft night once a month? Did over 30 different projects

5. Do a 2011 month in review mini book and then start 2012 with a new tradition of a mini review every month

NEW STUFF

1. Do two Pinterest projects every month
2. Read camera manual and practise one different thing every month - I was doing this until Superhero Photo and Elevate the Ordinary. These two courses, even just the first, more than made up for all the camera practice I wanted to get in.

In this pic I was about 55 - 56 kg. This was taken in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland. Actually probably closer to 56 kg as I'd been having tea and scones a couple of times a day :)

My list of 36 (86% completed)

1. Do LOTS more talks
2. Develop and keep up a system for my photos Finished the year about a month behind. 80% complete
3. Do a weekly review post  
4. Have a family photo shoot when the babies can walk My kids started walking a week after our beach photo shoot! 75% complete
5. Take a beach holiday
6. Decide on a policy for attending kiddies birthday parties
7. Go to gym 8 times a month Yes, when I'm working with personal trainer but I skipped 7 weeks in April and May
8. Do at least 3 talks on my infertility story to church or other groups Did one on 26 March 33% complete
9. Learn how to make a halfway decent blog header with photos in under 30 minutes
10. Reconnect with a friend I truly love (she's moved to Pretoria so we never see each other any more)
11. Learn to let go 
12. Read 5 books a month
13. Weigh 57 kg   Am still 60.something
14. Hire a personal trainer to help me get to my goal weight
15. When I reach said goal weight, reward myself with a professional photo shoot
16. Use those photos to have a website redesign
17. Live a simpler life
18. Simplify my business even more and do only really high-value work
19. Travel internationally with D for at least 5 days!
20. Do regular random acts of kindness
21. Pay for a stranger's meal/ groceries
22. Do my version of 29 gifts - 4 unexpected gifts a month
23. Get better with my skincare routine
24. Have lunch with a friend once a month. Definitely on this list - a friend I've recently connected with after we lost touch for years (we met at university and I haven't seen her for about 8 years)!
25. Get outside of house painted 
26. Figure out how to generate income from my organising blog
27. Redesign organising blog (contrary to what you may think, I find it very hard to let people design things for me as I'm so clear on what I hate!)
28. Lower my expectations of myself and of others
29. Take a very basic photography class
30. Learn to cook a roast
31. Hire a life coach
32. Get at least one massage a month
33. Get hair done once a month
34. Have only clothes in my wardrobe that I love and that look good on me
35. Meet up with 3 blog friends (Cat, are you game?)
Done 1 so far
36. Get involved in some form of ministry again (I've stopped for the last 2 years and am feeling the itch to make a difference again) - could be those infertility talks otherwise even just mentoring people, etc.