43 things to do before I turn 44

I've been thinking a lot about lists lately. Looking back in my neglected journal, I noticed I had written about Crazy Aunt Purl's blog post about 101 Things in 1001 Days (here and here).  Basically, you make a list of things you want to do in 1001 days. It seemed like a good idea when I read about it; I mean it motivated me enough to think and write about it.  Yet I am finding that I am a creature of limited attention span; therefore I am going to follow Hula Seventy's lead and try to set forty-three goals to reach before my next birthday (309 days to go).

For better or worse, here it is:

1. Get a new passport.
   
2. Go home to Hawaii for a visit.
   
3. Go on a trip outside of the U.S.
4. Start to ski again.
5. Continue on the road to fitness by going to the gym 3-5 times a week.
6. Improve my yoga practice (get into a headstand without flopping over after 2 seconds).
7. Look into yoga teacher training programs.
8. Participate in a 5k.
9. Be more charitable. It's not just about donating money; I want to be more charitable with my time, just by giving more of myself.
10. Read more during my free time, instead of zoning out in front of the t.v.
11. Start by reading So Many Books, So Little Time (the story of my life!)
12. There are about 49 weeks left in the year. Make a list of 49 books that I want to read this year, and try to read them all.
13. Start using the multitude of cookbooks in my possession and cook/bake something new each week (using the cookbooks, of course).
14. Write every day, even if it's just a lousy paragraph (Hmm, blogging about the stuff on this list would be a start).
15. Reduce clutter in my life.
16. Knit from the yarn stash / reduce the stash!
17. Finish knitting that @#$* Clapotis!
18. Knit something that is not a rectangle.
19. Buy a walking foot for the sewing machine.
20. Finish the sampler quilt.
21. Get the house painted.
22. Go out to listen to music more.
23. Explore the Bay Area on mini-road trips.
24. Have a meal at Chez Panisse (it's so close, for goodness sakes!)
25. Go see the butterflies hibernating in Pacific Grove.
26. Go to Tahoe or Yosemite.
27. Learn how to scale a rock wall.
28. Spend a night by the sea.
29. Get over my fear of bathing suits (trying them on, not using them!), so I can go swimming again.
30. Get over another fear and go on a date (bleah!)
31. Study Italian more and speak more often.
32. Improve my spoken Portuguese.
33. Remember that it's good to be pampered once in a while--use those gift certificates and get a pedicure.
34. Find more films on Netflix to help with #31 & #32. Watch La Dolce Vita and Bread and Tulips.
35. Watch two movies (DVD) a week.
36. Go to the movie theater more often and see something other than a "kid" movie.
37. Get the PC fixed.
38. Go see a musical or a ballet.
39. Start using the grill again.
40. Have people over more often. Begin by doing #15, and you won't freak so much.
41. Be more flexible in body, mind, and spirit.
42. Do something about the garden.
43. Sing like nobody's listening, dance like nobody's  watching, LIVE more, and love more.

Well, it's out there -- guess I'll have to start trying to accomplish some of it!