The List: Year 1 Progress

In Tulum, Mexico at a bachelorette party in June

Here's my official one year update on my 31st birthday! So far I've completed 13 of the original 40 items plus an additional 4 bonus items - only 10% through the timeline and I've already accomplished 38%!

I've loved having this list to inspire me to get out in the world and do meaningful and fun things. Sometimes I can be so overwhelmed by the routine that I forget I have an amazing city at my doorstep and a travel fund that needs to be put to good use!

This year has also taught me to be grateful for all that I already have and for all of the exciting opportunities that I am still able to pursue. As a planner and a pre-crastinator (i.e. I want to finish things - like this list! - as far in advance as possible), I tend to give myself lots of goals to accomplish and live like the best is yet to come. I'm learning that I also need to simultaneously enjoy the present moment and give thanks for all that came before and got me to this point.

When I look over this list, I also realize how much the support and inspiration of the people around me helped me to accomplish my goals: Laurie's list inspired me to create my own, Pierre-Antoine was my partner in crime for many of these accomplishments, Rachael encouraged me to choreograph and perform my own dance solo, Larissa reached out to me about my new job opportunity, Saphira and Elena took me on a magical tour of Marrakesh, Kelsey encouraged me to get over my fears to work on my scuba certification, and many other friends read books and traveled with me to really amazing places.

Performing a Persian dance with Saffron Dance in March

Books

I got some good reading done this year - 25 books since my last birthday! My book club from 2013 is still going strong, and I now also organize a new book club at work.

1. Read 5 books in French: Oh la la, I had a few false starts on this one. Need to work on it.

2. Read Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

DC Area

3. Union Market

4. Smithsonian Postal Museum: Completed 9/8/18 - read all about it!

5. Washington National Cathedral: Completed with a Behind the Scenes tour on 6/22/19 - read all about it!

6. Drag Brunch

7. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture: Completed 6/15/19 - read all about it!

8. Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens: Completed 7/5/19 - read all about it!

9. Rock Creek Capitol Stones

10. Smokey Bear on the National Mall: Completed 8/9/19 - read all about it!

11. National Park Service Obscure Memorials Tour: Completed 9/15/18 - read all about it!

12. Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument House and Museum

13. Lincoln's Cottage

14. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello: Completed 3/9/19 - read all about it!

SCUBA certification pool class with Pierre-Antoine in March

Travel

15. Visit 50 countries: I've been to 40 countries as of August 2019. The only new country this year was Morocco. Repeat countries were Turks and Caicos, Bahamas, and Mexico.

16. Visit 40 U.S. states: I'm at 24 states plus DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands! No new states this year, but I'll soon be passing through Minnesota and Iowa for a wedding.

17. NYC with Pierre-Antoine: Completed July 13-16, 2019 as a 5th-anniversary trip - read all about it!

18. Quebec: Waiting for a cheap flight deal to do a long weekend trip.

19. Galapagos: We need to get our Advanced Scuba and Dry Suit Certifications before we go, so maybe in a few years.

20. Marrakech: Completed November 9-19, 2018 - read all about it!

21. Alaska: Hoping for a cruise someday.

22. Japan: Tickets are booked for November 2019, so excited!!!!!! :)

23. Scotland: Planning for 2020 with my friend Emily.

24. Bali/Cambodia/Thailand/Somewhere in SE Asia: I'm leaning towards a Cambodia trip at the moment and on the lookout for cheap flight deals.

Animals

25. Swim with whale sharks: Looking for a flight deal!

26. Gorilla trek: Need to research the best season and find a reputable tour company.

27. See wild lemurs: Thinking about going to the Duke Lemur Center!

28. Hug a sloth: Need to research.

Experiences

29. See the Northern Lights

30. Safari with PA: My dream is to get my whole family to join - still working on them :P

31. Stay in an overwater bungalow: Tahiti is the dream!

32. Meet Irish and/or Swiss relatives

33. Plant a tree: Completed 10/20/18 - read all about it! I also completed training with the Tree Stewards of Arlington and Alexandria in May 2019 and have planted 3 trees so far (plus a lot of additional tree care work like pruning, tubing, and removing invasive vines).

34. Tasting menu at a fancy (Michelin starred?) restaurant: Completed 1/13/19 and 2/8/19. I had my first Michelin restaurant experience for my 5th wedding anniversary at Tail Up Goat and also did a tasting menu experience at Iron Gate - read all about it!

35. See the redwoods

36. See a glacier

37. Make galettes from scratch: Completed 2/2/19 for la Chandeleur - read all about it! Pro tip: you can find buckwheat flour at Whole Foods to try making galettes at home!

38. Make bread (baguette preferred)

39. Straighten my teeth (again): Started on 12/18/18 with an estimated 16 months of treatment, so I should be out of them around April 2020!

40. Write a letter to my 40 year old self, then respond to it when I'm 40: Completed first stage 10/15/18 - read all about it!

Right after getting my braces on in December 2018!

Bonuses

41. Perform a solo at a hafla:  Completed 10/20/18 - read all about it! I wish I had put this on the original list, but I didn't know I had the courage to do it until my friend Rachael convinced me.

42. Change jobs: Completed 11/26/18 - read all about it! Writing the #40 letter to myself helped me clarify my goals for the next 10 years, and this job change came at the perfect time thanks to my friend and colleague Larissa.

43. Adopt climate-smart behaviors: On-going process, but you can read about my inspiration and progress here!

44. Do goat yoga: Completed 8/7/19 - read all about it! Amazingly, there is often a baby goat yoga class at a church only a mile from my condo!

45. Earn Project Management Professional (PMP) certification: Getting my PMP has been a career goal of mine, and this year I applied for and was selected for an Educational Award at work! I took a PMP Boot Camp through Project Management Academy, and I am currently studying to take the PMP exam on September 4.

46. Get scuba certified: I've done the online and pool classes and just need to do my open water dives to complete this! A co-worker is a marine biologist and an avid diver who convinced me to "take the plunge" this year in one of her classes at Blue Planet DC. I also realized that this is a pre-requisite for my trips to #19 Galapagos and #24 Southeast Asia as well as future site visits to my work's projects. Gotta see the corals before they're all gone because of climate change! :/

47 and more. So many more DC Ideas: Art Museum of the Americas, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Heurich House Museum, Anacostia Community Museum, and Kreeger Museum!