Well, as someone who loves to be celebrated (because hey, I’m a youngest and maybe slightly egotistical) I always keep track of my half birthday, and that was earlier this month. Which means it’s time for a 6 month update on my goals list for the year! I have a bit further to go…
Play a disk golf game w/ 4 holes at par- When I made this goal, my friend that I played with a lot then told me I needed to up the ante and make a harder goal. I didn’t believe him, but it only took a month after my birthday that I accomplished this goal. I updated the goal to
playing a whole round of disc golf at bogie par(4 strokes instead of 3), and accomplished that in October. So I’m now working on the goal of a whole game at par. That goal is taking a while still.
- When I made this goal, my friend that I played with a lot then told me I needed to up the ante and make a harder goal. I didn’t believe him, but it only took a month after my birthday that I accomplished this goal. I updated the goal to
Buy a house- This is one of those things that you put on a list and don’t expect to necessarily complete it. But it turns out, this goal is like any other goal — I just had to break it in to parts and steps, and then do those one by one until it was done. It’s actually one of the bigger accomplishments I’ve made, but one of the easier ones accomplished. I was at the right point in life and in the right place in the world.
- Walk a marathon distance
- (I have plans to do this next week. Pray for the least amount of blisters possible.)
- Be able to do 3 pull ups
- (I joined a gym. Still embarrassingly weak. But working on it regularly.)
- Make 30 pitches for articles to be published
- (I’ve been slacking on this. I’ve done maybe 5 or 6. Need to get serious soon here on this.)
- Smoke a cigar
- Leave the country again
- Go to a new state
- Go to a professional football game
- (I missed the boat on this and won’t be able to accomplish it as even the pre-season doesn’t start until the week after my birthday. BUT I’m making it a point to go soon after.)
- Learn to play tennis
- Run through or picnic in a field of sunflowers
- Do Lumosity for 30 days
- (I’ve started this goal numerous times and always miss a day within the first week or two. Need to find a better system to keep me consistent and accountable.)
- Take a pottery class
- Ride a camel or elephant
- Watch all of Seinfeld
- Currently on season 5
- Finish watching Lost
- Watch the Matrix Trilogy
- Read another Steinbeck book
- Read Harry Potter Book 1
- Started it. Put it down during a busy season. Need to pick it up again.
- Read 3 memoirs
- I have read “Home is Burning” by Dan Marshall and it was irreverent, crass, hilarious, and honest about grief and death and hard life. I laughed hard. I cried softly. I loved it. I’m currently reading my 2nd — “The Glass Castle”
Read Catch 22- Didn’t care for it. Didn’t need to read it. But I would’ve continued to want to read it until I figured that out for myself. Now I know.
- Go on a backpacking trip
- Do “morning minutes” every day for 21 days (where you write for 10 minutes straight first thing upon waking)
Try fruitcake- I thought I’d missed the boat on this one also, but as I was at a party after christmas, they had some! It wasn’t bad. I’ve always thought I might like fruitcake. I have the palate of a 90-year-old woman.
- Complete level 1 of Rosetta Stone for Italian
- In process
Try GinLearn to play poker- Technically I learned to play. But I haven’t really played a full game. I think this still needs to happen.
Also, it’s been exciting to me that since I’ve started these lists, I’ve seen some of my friends get inspired to make their own lists which I think is incredible!! It’s so fun to see people define and work on their own goals. If you have any lists like this or just any goals that you’re working on, I’d love to hear about it!
Jo O’Hanlon is an adventurer and storyteller. She tries to be honest about the ugly and hard parts of life, and the beautiful parts too. This blog is one of the places she shares her thoughts and stories.
Other places are
instagram: @jrolicious twitter: @jrohanlon storyofjoblog@gmail.com