The List...

How many of you out there are list makers?  I’m not just talking about honey-do lists or grocery lists; I’m talking about Life lists.  People make lists for all sorts of reasons.  The Bucket list, for example, is a list of things you want to do before you die.  A Love list is a list of traits you want in the ideal mate; tall, handsome, not a moron etc.

The thing about lists is that they are easy to make but hard to get through.  How many times in your life have you been able to cross every single item off of your list?

Last year I wanted to have an amazing summer, so I made a list of things I thought would be fun to do.  I called it my “Summer List,” because I am incredibly original.  I started off the summer with much anticipation and motivation.  This was going to happen and it was going to be awesome!!  However, life threw me some curve balls and I found myself in mid-July without one single item crossed off my list.  Rather demoralized, I halfheartedly completed a few tasks and deemed it a moderately successful summer.    

This past weekend, my friend Lauren and I celebrated our birthdays by going dancing and going to Kings Dominion to ride roller coasters.  About half way there I realized that going to Kings Dominion was something on my “Summer List” that never crossed off.  “Pretty cool,” I thought, “I’m going to cross something off my list.”  Sure the list was for intended for the previous summer but hey, I still did it!

That got me thinking.  In essence my “Summer List” was a few fun things that I always wanted to try or do.  The only reason that I stopped trying was because of some ridiculous time constraint I gave myself.

When we have a list of things to do and restraints on when or how to do them, the integrity of the list gets lost.  People let themselves be held back by age, time, or expectations.  Too many lists just sit around and collect dust because people have forgotten or given up on them.  If you hit 30 and haven’t traveled out of the country or landed our dream job or dream mate, you tend to crumple up and throw away your list.  But in reality who cares if you cross off things before 30 or after 30 or after 50?  The point is that you CROSSED THEM OFF!

If there is something you’ve always wanted to do, or multiple things you’ve always wanted to do, then get up and do them.  Time isn’t waiting for you and it will most certainly pass you by.  Lists are simply a compilation of things you want to have, see or do!  Cross a few things off your list and you’ll be amazed at how spectacular it feels!!

~E

The Summer List: In Review!

(Black-Not Accomplished, Blue-Accomplished, Green-Work in Progress)

1.       Get a Tan-Last summer, this was most certainly not accomplished.  So far this year I have purchased a few tanning sessions in order to stave off the inevitable burn.  We will wait and see.  I’ll let you know come September.

2.       Go Paintballing-What kind of mood was I in when I wrote this list? Now only moderately appealing.

3.       Make it to Kings Dominion-It took me a year but I did it!  We walked onto every ride with no lines and did some twice.  Twenty four hours later I am still a little dizzy and motion sick but it was worth it!!

4.       Learn to Play the Guitar-I learned one really easy song but then I got lazy and quit.  Perhaps I should pony up for some professional lessons. 

5.       Run a 10k-On the Agenda

6.       Race in a Sprint Triathlon-Have a training plan and I am definitely, almost positively, for sure, maybe going to do it.

7.       Go Boating-I have a standing invitation for a day of boating fun.   My only hesitation is the Redneck Factor.  I am the flame and they are the Moths and it would be like bringing a flame to a Moth convention.  Also, with this crew, I don’t know if my liver could handle it.

8.       Have a Bonfire and Make S'mores-That was pretty tasty.  I think #8 needs to be redone a.s.a.p.

9.       Take Surfing Lessons- No idea how that one is supposed to happen but I’ll keep brainstorming.

10.   Go Sky Diving- If I can save enough money and can find people willing to go then it’s on like Donkey Kong.

11.   Go Bungee Jumping and/or Slingshot-That was ridiculously fun.  I swear I saw to Chicago!

12.   Go to a Nats Game-So close yet so far!  I’m going to a Brewers game.  Does that count?

13.   Go Horseback Riding- I know some people with horses so this could be a possibility…

14.   Learn How to Shoot a Gun-  The motivation is a little low on that one.  Guns are scary yet I feel I should learn about them…

15.   Ride on a Motorcycle- There is one reason why this wasn’t accomplished.  Thought of Me+ Speed+ Pavement+ Pain= Not happening yetJ

16.   Stay up all Night and Watch the Sunrise on the Beach-Whitney, if you are reading this, I think Spain is the perfect place for this one because I will be 5 hours behind and the chances of me staying up that late are about 1000x better!!!