Bucket List Revival

We've been down this road before. The "make life meaningful" blog, the "don't take things for granted" posts, the "set goals for yourself" ideas. It's nearing the end of December, this year has been a *bitch*, and it's time to make some progress on things I want to do in my life. This brings me to the update of my Bucket List.

I've made some progress on my list since my Revisiting of The Bucket List  post in May of 2010. I am now able to check off a Half-Marathon and an "official" 70.3 distance Half-Ironman. But I have other dreams besides triathlon related items. This year I am editing my list, making my goals more specific and attainable, and less global. My plan now is to check off at least 2 items a year on my list. Enough talking, it's time for action.

This year's focus? Adventure. I plan to (1) sky-dive as a birthday present to myself while in Virginia this summer.  I plan to (2) get my first passport and travel outside of the country (albeit not very far away) to Canada to broaden my horizons and I plan to (3) work towards my 2013 Bucket List item of completing a full Ironman by completing two 70.3 distance races this year as part of my training.

So, now (drum roll)... the unveiling of Bucket List 2012:

Items that have already been achieved are listed in blue. Some items from the past have been rejected as Bucket List items. Items in red are planned for this year. New items are in green.

1. Write and publish a book.
2. Remain happily married to the same man (ongoing).
3. Have children (took a while and did it a different way, but same outcome... headache)
4. Skydive.
5. Obtain the rank of Black Belt in a martial art.
6. Officially complete a Half-Ironman.
7. Officially complete a Full-Ironman.
8. Go to Kona and watch the Ironman Championship.
9. Go camping alone for a weekend.
10. Get a cool tattoo I design myself to symbolize #7.
11. Own a black Jeep Wrangler that I can put my road bike on the back of!
12. Own a convertible.
13. Run a half-marathon.
14. Run a full marathon.
15. Sail a boat around an island.
16. Make a significant, life-changing difference in someone's life.
17. Ride a horse on a tropical beach at sunset.
18. Go on a mission trip in a foreign country.
19. Swim with dolphins.
20. Go to a Joan Jett concert.
21. Converse in adequate Spanish in a foreign country in order to be understood and to understand conversation.
22. Travel outside of the U.S. (in particular: Canada, Italy, Caribbean, Belize)
23. Open my own business (and build it enough to financially cover my hobby expenses)
24. Find my biological family.
25. Climb a mountain and watch the sunset with friends.
26. Rock climb and rappel a moderate size cliff.
27. Go snow-skiing on real powder snow.
28. Hike part of the Appalachian Trail.
29. Snorkel around a tropical island.
30. Scuba dive on vacation.
31. Save someone's life; respond to an emergency situation.
32. Watch a baby being born (got to watch my daughter's birth).

Life is short and as this year has taught me can be very difficult. There are so many pleasures that God has awaiting me in the world it is a shame to not work to experience as many of them as I can. I hope that by participating in these activities and by achieving my goals that I will gain self-esteem, confidence, and learn to rely on myself for affirmation of my abilities and become less emotionally dependent on others. I pray that 2012 brings me good health, peace of mind, focus, sanity, and the ability to achieve what I have set out to do.

And to my readers, again, I ask you... what's on your Bucket List?