Retiring the "List"

Sixty Years

Heather's making my "official" cake for tonight, but my dear children thought I should have something on my actual birthday.    Pumpkin bars - oh, so yummy.   Pumpkin bars and candles that would NOT blow out.

Although I've been anticipating this milestone year, I really have been dreading it, too.  Somehow, in my mind the number 60 just is no longer middle age.  It's old.  Pure and simple.
It quantifies the things happening to my body and my brain.  It justifies my slow downs and lack of energy.  It says, "Yes, Julie, you are no longer young.  And if you haven't accomplished it yet, chances are you probably never will."

I rebel against that thought with every fiber in my being.  Yes, my body is at that point in life where cells start to break down and its a struggle to repair them.  Yes, I get stiff and my voice box has allowed a frog to establish permanent residence.  Yes, I forget things I should remember.  And I remember things I really need to forget.

But there are still things I can and should do to fortify myself and fight against the aging battle.  I will talk about them later, but for today, let's talk about the 60 goals I set two years ago, and my success or non-success in accomplishing them:

My "Bucket List" - 60 goals before I turn 60
It's been two years, and I have honestly been working on some of these the entire two years, others have been hit and miss, and, yeah,  many totally ignored.  I learned a lot, though, even on the ones I'm still struggling with.  

What I've learned:
1.  A goal to do something you would do anyway is not really a goal.
2.  A goal to do something you know in advance you will probably not get around to is a wish, not a goal.
3.  Nobody has more than 24 hours in a day.  Goals need to be realistic about the amount of time available to complete them.
4.  Multiple goals within goals can result in burn out.
5.  The best goals are those worked on individually and with focus, tracking, and clear objectives to be achieved in the accomplishment of the goal.
 

Of the sixty goals I set, I accomplished the following 22:
 1. DONE - Arts: Attend 6 productions I haven't seen before
6. DONE -  Family: 60 dates with my husband 
7. DONE - Family: 60 scrapbook layouts  (I cheated - went to digital scrapbooking)
9. DONE - Family: (Pinnacle) Sponsor Family Reunion - Hansen family 
12. DONE - Family History: Type high school diary
13. DONE - Family History: 60 new pieces of genealogy info
19. DONE - Financial: Prepare a budget - a real one, not a make believe one
22. DONE - Financial: $1500 in savings  (that averaged $60/month)
23. DONE - Financial: Help Brent with car payments to pay it off early 
26. DONE - Health: Blood sugars under control
27. DONE - Health: BP to normal range
28. DONE - Health: Cholesterol to healthy range 
32. DONE - Home Improvement: Complete the kitchen remodel 
46. DONE - Homemaker: Finish transferring recipes 
48. DONE - Knowledge: Learn 60 new words from reading
49. DONE - Knowledge: Read Six books from six genre
50. DONE - Knowledge: Take one community education class
52. DONE - Service: 60 acts of service
54. DONE - Service: Donate at least $60 to charity (besides Church contributions)
55. DONE - Spiritual: Study Scriptures 2 pg/day = 1, 440 pages 
59. DONE - Travel: Visit Sean and Linzy (Nov. 2011 and Sept. 2012)
60. DONE - Travel: Go one place I've never been before (Halifax;  Grand Canyon;  Catalina Island;  Palmyra) 

And the following 10 are in successful stages of completion:
3. Arts: Memorize 6 hymns on the piano  (memorized 2, 1 in progress)
5. Arts: (Pinnacle goal) Write 6 new songs (2 completed, 2 in progress)
11. Family History: Scan photos (In process - mostly done)
14. Family History: Prepare biography for my mom (good progress)15. Family History: Prepare biography for my dad (good progress) 
25. Health: Walk/run 600 miles (428 miles) 
33. Home Improvement: Complete the living room remodel  (in process) 
41. Home Improvement: Plant 60 new permanent plants (48 planted)
47. Homemaker: Try 60 new recipes, keep the ones we like (58) 
53. Service: Two Major Service Projects (working on both - one was to donate blood six times, I donated 4 times, and tried 2 more times but was rejected on one and too late getting home from work on the other.  Will continue to do this if I can get my blood built back up - maybe it was just too soon for me.)

Unfortunately, that still leaves half the goals undone or barely done: 

And these are ones that are still either at the starting gate or just barely off the blocks - or half-way there only to turn around and return to start and keep going the opposite direction (weight loss):



2. Arts: (Pinnacle goal) Make 6 pieces of art using 6 different media (1)
4. Arts: 6 classes or books on Music Theory
8. Family: Special one-on-one time with my grandchildren
10.Family: (Pinnacle) Sponsor Family Reunion - Our children
16. Family History: Prepare biography for my husband's mom
17. Family History: Prepare biography for my husband's dad
18. Family History: (Pinnacle) Temple work for 6 people
20. Financial: Keep checkbook current (working on it)
21. Financial: Consolidate, manage my pension
24. Health: Achieve ideal weight (lose 60 lb) (Lost over 20 lb, but gained it all back and then some) 
29. Health: Maintain weight loss
30. Health: Run six miles without stopping (3/4 mile)
31. Health: (Pinnacle) Climb Mt. Timpanogos
34. Home Improvement: Clean out craft room
35. Home Improvement: Clean out storage room
36. Home Improvement: Clean our bedroom/paint
37. Home Improvement: Decorate living room
38. Home Improvement: Window sills/coverings
39. Home Improvement: Clean office/organize
40. Home Improvement: Closet doors in our bedroom
42. Home Improvement: Replace all hall doors
43. Home Improvement: Clean NE corner room basement
44. Home Improvement: Tear out basement walls as needed
45. Homemaker: Prepare menus and shopping lists in advance
51. Knowledge: Write at least 60 pages of novel (3)
56. Spiritual: Attend temple 24 times (monthly) (2)
57. Spiritual: Share Testimony - write it down - in Process
58. Travel: Visit Dan

I think I'll retire some of those goals permanently.  But I'm not giving up on most of them.  Not one bit.  Just have to refocus and reset and keep working at them. 

And for me that is an exciting part of life.  I love that I do not have to live the rest of my life the way I have in the past.  I still have the power and the ability to change.  But I'm learning more and more that I cannot do it alone.  I really need help to make a better me.  I need help and support from friends and family, but most of all, I need to get it from my Father in Heaven.  I can succeed at anything I try with His help.  It's time to stop trying to do it on my own.