This is a lovely blog and an awesome goal list

A Lovely Life List

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A Lovely Life List Posted: 07 Nov 2011 07:16 AM PST This isn't a bucket list. These aren't things I need to cross off before I die. Will I ever accomplish everything here? Probably not, but that's not the goal. This list exists simply as a collection of things I would like to do in my lifetime. If writing them down helps me focus, and in turn helps me achieve some of them, the list has served its purpose. A life list should never make you feel guilty for not accomplishing something! It should serve as a compass, opening you up to experiences that you may have discounted otherwise. A few items have been crossed off (and a few new ones have been added) because I started this list last year, inspired by Maggie. I hadn't shared it until now, but my hope is that by sharing this publicly, I may hold myself more accountable and achieve more. I tend to do well with public lists. Experiences Live in another city for a year Spend a week without electricity Take an extended vacation Host a traditional Thanksgiving dinner Shake the President's hand Have a completely natural labor and childbirth Go sightseeing on a Vespa Teach a craft project to a group of kids Karaoke in front of a crowd Attend a costume party in a costume I've made myself Raise chickens Host a baby shower Organize an event Surprise someone in a big way See a tree that I've planted grow to maturity Keep a houseplant alive for at least a year Grow tomatoes from seed Try fencing, complete with the proper gear Be completely debt-free (mortgage included) Help build a home for charity Take belly dancing lessons Hit a home run Sights Look out over Paris from the Eiffel Tower Cross the Brooklyn Bridge Cross the Golden Gate Bridge Visit The Farnsworth House (Mies van der Rohe) Visit the Robie House, Fallingwater, and revisit Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio here in Oak Park Take the Chicago Architecture Foundation's River Cruise Step out on the ledge of the Willis Tower Skydeck Cross the Canadian border, eh Visit Brunelleschi's dome Visit Japan when it's pink with cherry blossoms Have a cheesy photo taken of me holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa Tour the country in an R.V. Just Plain Fun Make a dollhouse for Eleanor Picnic in the park Finish a paint-by-numbers painting Ride a roller-coaster with my hands up Wear a ridiculous hat to an event Dress up with friends for a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show Experience weightlessness Drive a school bus Write a song Beat the classic Super Mario Bros. game Learn how to solve a Rubik's cube Wear a sequined dress to a party Serve homemade cheesecake to guests Coin a phrase Turn a perfect cartwheel Have the Thriller dance in my repertoire Family Have another baby And another Make a video montage of Eleanor's first year Make a video montage of August's first year Hear Eleanor say "I love you" Hear August say "I love you" Take Eleanor to American Girl Place to pick a doll and have tea Take Eleanor to high tea at the Drake Take August to some equally "boy" events (rodeo? demolition derby? monster truck rally? I've gone to all three.) Take the kids sledding Visit a state fair as a family Give the kids a tour of my favorite paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago Cart the kids around town in a cargo bike Take the family to Disney World Go roller skating with Eleanor and August Have an adorable family photo taken Have a new adorable family photo taken (the family has expanded since the last one) Celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary Read Charlotte's Web with Eleanor and August Home Paint every room in my house Paint all of the trim in our house Live in a house with a lovely entryway Make every room in our house exactly as I'd like Gut an old fixer-upper house and completely remodel it Make the outside of our house as cute as the inside Make a fairy garden for the kids Have a library with a rolling ladder Hang a real painting above the sofa (not a print) Style Only wear lovely undergarments Ruthlessly edit my closet down to only my favorite things Determine a wardrobe's essentials, then buy them in the best quality I can Find my perfect shade of lipstick Sew a dress for myself that I would actually wear Wear perfume regularly again Skills Learn how to yodel Identify twenty constellations Learn how to use my camera in manual mode Earn a belt in a martial art Perfect my turn stop on skates Play the guitar Drums Ukulele Learn to swim Read 100 classics Have a conversation in French Professional / Career Publish a book Be a keynote speaker Have a monthly column in a magazine Collaborate with someone on a kick-ass creative project Start some sort of creative movement (like a chain letter but more fulfilling) Meet Martha Stewart Meet Jonathan Adler Redesign Making it Lovely Launch a magazine Sell my designs through a nationwide store Art direct a photo shoot Name paint colors Design wallpaper Judge a design competition Create a proper portfolio for myself Mentor somebody Launch my decorating service Decorate someone else's home from top to bottom Make enough money to support my family Make an appearance in five forms of media (book, magazine, television, radio, internet) Have my home featured in a Domino-like magazine Projects Take a photo every day for a year Start a tradition Choose a good cookbook and cook every recipe in it Give only handmade gifts for a year I fully expect this list to change as time goes on. • You may also like these related posts from Making it Lovely: Revisiting the 30 Before Thirty List 30 Before Thirty The Wish List © 2011, published by Making it Lovely as A Lovely Life List | 18 comments