Why Top 45?

These are the things that float to the top of my list of activities that I want to do for the year 2012 when I am 45 years old. The list is comprised of things that I have either never tried or have wanted to try and just didn't have the courage or time to do it. Follow along and watch my progress and feel free to comment or add words of encouragement to help keep me going for the next 365 days!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Chrismas

I can hardly believe it is December 24th!  Tomorrow is Christmas and while this has not been the easiest year for me, I still have so much to be thankful for and recognize this fact. 
Only a few more days until the 'official' start of 2012 and my Top 45 at 45...looking forward to the kick off!
Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Marilyn Monroe

I haven't see My Week with Marilyn yet, but I plan to see it soon.  Even Marilyn had words of wisdom like Madea's advice (if you haven't watched it yet, see the previous post).

“This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And baby, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about.”
~Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe

Friday, December 16, 2011

Sister Wives

No, I am not a polygamist nor do I support the concept of a plural marriage, at least not for myself.  However, I can understand the camaraderie of the wives in the TLC show, Sister Wives, because I agree with the quote that comes from an old African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child.  I only watched a couple of episodes of Sister Wives because soon after it debuted, I cancelled my cable, but I am fascinated by and support the idea of sharing mothering duties with other woman, and these 'wives' have created their own village.  It is a great concept because, in addition to having a great mom, I was also "raised" by many surrogate mothers including Fi-fie, Janie M., Gayle, Betty, Susan, Linda and many others.  Also, I have many mother/friends who help me raise my daughter because, as a single mom, I know it would be very difficult on my own.  Someone once told me that my family is like a small tribe, and I extend the definition of family to include the many strong mothers with whom I surround myself and Nicole.

Without my 'sister wives', I would not feel like I could even dream of taking on the goals I have assembled for myself for next year.  I know that I can and will call on these women to help me with Nicole in a moment's notice, without need of explanation, if I have to work, squeeze in a work out, or just need take a break. 

A couple of years ago, I drew a tree to make a point to a therapist I was seeing to get through a rough patch.  The trunk of the tree was me and the roots had the names of many of the people that I consider as part of my tribe, my family.  It is an interesting coincidence that my new friend, Anita, sent me this video of Tyler Perry as Madea describing different types of people who come into our lives.  "Some people come into our life for a lifetime and some for a season. . . you gotta know which.  And you gonna always mess up when you mix the season people up with lifetime expectations," said Madea.  I love how she describes different people as either leaves, branches or roots and I recognize my 'roots' and I am so thankful that they help keep me grounded, supported and keep me standing tall.


Thanks to all my 'sister wives' and roots, I am grateful for all of you!

Friday, December 9, 2011

Two-Way Street

"Example is not the main thing in influencing others.  It is the only thing." ~Albert Schweitzer

I read this quote today and it made me also remember one of the reasons I am undertaking my adventure of the Top 45 at 45 next year.  As mother to Nicole, I have been thinking a lot lately about how I am a role model for her.  At 9 years old, she is a precious, young lady.  I get lots of compliments about how well behaved she is and a good friend to her friends. 

Last summer she attended a camp at the Paramount Theater here is Austin and I was in awe of her performance on stage, being brave enough to sing and dance in front of hundreds of adults and kids.  She has also become quite the competitor in swimming and works really hard at everything she does from homework to learning her singing and dancing routines and learning swim strokes.  Today she received her Principal's Pride award from her teacher at school and the write up stated, "Nicole is one of the hardest working students.  She is very responsible and mature but still knows how to have a good laugh. Way to go, Nicole!"  I am so very proud of her and want to continue to be one of her role models, because she sure is one of mine.  It is a two-way street!




Monday, December 5, 2011

Creativity

A big reason I wanted to have a Top 45 at 45 is to challenge myself to keep learning and growing.  A large section of the list contains Creative and/or Knowledge building items. 

See Below:



Creative/Knowledge
  1. Minimum one handwritten note/story a month to Nicole turned into a Christmas present book for 2012 - ongoing
  2. Creative writing class – DOM - January
  3. Photography class – February        
  4. Art class - February
  5. Top 45 @ 45 Blog - ongoing
  6. Courage to Change/One Day at a Time Blog - ongoing
  7. The Artist’s Way writing and Art dates - ongoing
  8. A letter/note a month to a friend or family member – ongoing
  9. IPhone/Android app/Apple class – January
  10. Practice French - ongoing
  11. A Whole Foods or Central Market Cooking class 
  12. Organize family birthday calendar and distribute @ Christmas – December

I have made some adjustments to this list since I first posted it, most notably I have made the handwritten note/story to Nicole a monthly minimum as well as the letter/note to a friend or family member so the spirit of the activity is not lost on trying to reach a number.  If I am so inspired to write more, I will.

I have always wanted to take a creative writing class, a cooking class, an art class and a photography class.  The desire to take an Apple class is pretty new and comes from using the computer technology that I have at my disposal to its fullest.  The Artist's Way is a book that I started using last year then it fell by the way side when life happened.  I am hoping to finish the 11 week 'course' that the book outlines and then follow the morning pages and Art dates with myself throughout the year.  These activities will overlap with some of the other activities on the list, so it should be doable.

Finally, a few (read as MANY) years ago, my sister Fran and I created a family birthday book that had cute cover pages for each month and then the names and birth dates of family members written in each month where it occurred.  There have been so many babies born since we made it (and unfortunately a few deaths) that it is time for an update.  It seems that all of my siblings are probably done having babies, so hopefully this is the last revision needed for this book until grand-babies start coming along.

It has been a rainy weekend here in Austin and it turned quite cold last night.  Between listening to the heavy rain and the thunder, that we haven't heard in Austin for quite a while, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night.  Two things I don't mind, swimming which involves getting wet, and being cold are okay separate, but the thought of swimming today while it is pretty cold out was not appealing because I do not like being wet _and_ cold at the same time.  The fact that I started this blog about my list of Top 45 was enough motivation to get myself out the door and to the pool for Master's swimming today.  As I was walking out of the Y, I saw the following quote that made going to practice even more meaningful today then it usually is, "Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots." ~Frank A. Clark  I was able to overcome my personal lack of motivation to do my workout and am thankful for the physical as well as the mental exercise that I experienced today.

The countdown begins to the new year and the official start of the Top 45!

Ciao!


Thursday, December 1, 2011

Amazing Race

Well, my brother Chris and I decided to do something a little crazy today...






As I believe I have mentioned before, I didn't put things on the list that I don't have control over completing.  But, I am open to amending the list if something like getting chosen to be on Amazing Race happens....

For example, filming happens May and June 2012 which means I would have to forgo the Danskin Triathlon since there would be some overlap.

I saw on Facebook that they were accepting applications last night around 8:45 and called Chris to see if he would be interested in applying with me.  Being the awesome brother that he is, he was here around 9am to complete the application and make a video with me.  When I can figure out how to upload the video, I will, but here are the photos we sent along with the application:













Even though we would be on a team together, his photo is titled 'AmazingRaceLoser' and mine is titled 'AmazingRaceWinner' because he is such a loser.  As a matter of fact, I told him that if we didn't get picked, he should apply to be on "The Biggest Loser" because he is a loser.  This is all in jest of course because I wouldn't pick a loser to be on my team!!!

Will let you know if we are picked!


***Update:

Our silly videos.  Keep in mind we did this in like 30 minutes and had to enter ASAP so no time to test it out...
Amazing Race Team on You Tube



Saturday, November 26, 2011

Bookends

It has been a great Thanksgiving week!

To start the weekend off right, I attended the Texas vs. Kansas State game on Saturday courtesy of my awesome neighbor Chris.






Chris has season tickets to UT Football games and she had an extra ticket so I got to tag along.  We started the evening tailgating with her regular group where I probably had one too many hard ciders and at least two too many chicken wings.  Even with the excess of food and drink and the Texas defeat, I had a fun time with Chris, Forest, Kay, Mike and Joan.  The picture above shows our view of the pregame festivities.  I felt quite nostalgic at this scene because I was a member of Alpha Phi Omega, the co-ed service fraternity, whose job it is to run the flag at the start of the game.  For some reason, I have not been really into UT sports and gradually the urge to participate in watching the games has come back and I am really enjoying being included in the festivities.  Even though we lost to KSU, the win against Texas A & M on Thanksgiving as the last game on our regular schedule against the Aggies, took the sting out of the home game loss in my mind.

To end this week of thanks, I attended the UT vs. Sam Houston State basketball at the Erwin Center courtesy of my neighbor Chris, again.


Since Chris was off enjoying a long holiday weekend with her extended family, she offered me the tickets so of course I had to oblige.  Alison and I started the evening at Haddington's http://www.haddingtonsrestaurant.com/eat/ for drinks and appetizers before heading to the game.  I ate some yummy grilled quail & risotto while Alison tried the truffled egg custard.  I don't know if that dish was good because she didn't share ; ), but since she ate the whole thing, I think it was.  After one or three drinks (I was driving so I was the 'one' and she was the 'three') we headed on over to the game.  We walked in just at the start and proceeded to watch SHSU take an early lead and it took both of us a few minutes to realize which team to cheer for because SHSU's color is orange.  Eventually we took the lead and kept it for the rest of the game winning by a score of 56-40.  I enjoy going to live games from time to time, but both Alison and I agree that if the hassle out weighs the pleasure, then sometime watching things on TV in the comfort of our homes is not such a bad thing.

This week's Longhorns' activities are just practice for 'the List' as I have a UT football game as one of the things I hope to do next year. 

I figure I am not cheating, just practicing for my year in 2012.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving

It is a rainy day here in Austin, this Saturday after Thanksgiving.  I am thankful for so many things and the sound of rain here is definitely one of them.  I have been contemplative lately about some things in my life so I have not been posting much recently and will soon bring my attention back to my list because this year is rapidly coming to an end and then begins the adventure of next year.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Motivation

Sorry for the brief delay in posting.   I find this time of year to be difficult for me because I need to look for motivation instead of hibernation.  On top of difficulty with the lack of sunlight, I have actually been busy with clients, which is great in this economy as a realtor, but it is keeping me from my training which in turn keeps me motivated.  Can you see the vicious cycle I am battling right now?

Seriously though, I did have to make a trip to the Texas Orthopedics to have my left foot looked at because it has been bothering me quite a bit for about two weeks.  Nothing showed up on the x-rays, but my lovely doctor suggested that I get some orthotics for my feet to help with arch support and metatarsal cushion.  I promptly bought several pairs for various shoes and along with the ibuprofen regimen, my feet are back to happy feet.  Now to do something about my schedule and getting to work out...

Thanksgiving is this coming week so my goal is to get back into the swing of swimming and getting to the gym the week after next....

I will finish the discussion of my list this week then be back online after the holiday weekend.

Feel free to leave a comment or a story about what keeps you motivated, I could use them this time of year!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Just Because


 Just do it
  1. Blanton Opening – January (Go West! Exhibit opens Jan 14)
  2. AMOA Opening - ?
  3. Wine & Food Festival – La Dolce Vita October
  4. Opera – Turandot - April
  5. Broadway Across America – Wicked - January
  6. UT football game - November
  7. Symphony – December (Handel’s Messiah or Christmas Sing-Along)
  8. Ballet – Romeo & Juliet - May
  9. Paramount Theater show or movie - Summer
  10. Volunteer for Thanksgiving or Christmas
  11. Texas Advocacy Project Volunteer (Handbags for Hope?)
  12. SXSW - March
  13. Austin Film Festival - October


The biggest section of my list is titled, "Just Do It."  These items really are just showing up for an event or activity.  I have had a love of art for many, many years, so it isn't surprising that the list below is heavy on art or creative expression in many ways.  I plan on going to an opening at the University of Texas Blanton museum in January, and Austin Museum of Art opening to be determined and plan on at least one broadway, ballet, opera and symphony performance next year.  We are lucky in Austin because it is one of only a few cities in the United States that has a ballet, opera and symphony all in the city.  I have already bought my Wicked tickets and will be taking Nicole to see it.  As I mentioned previously, this will be my 4th time to see it and Nicole's second.  I splurged on really good seats saying that it will be the last time I see it, but I am not guaranteeing that.

I have been to La Dolce Vita before to help support the AMOA.  It is an awesome event held at Laguna Gloria Art Museum each year and I still remember the first time I attended, even though I don't recall how I fell asleep on my couch afterwards and didn't move until the next morning, sleeping through the night in my clothes...must have been the wine!  

Two Austin events that draw many people to Austin are SXSW and Austin Film Festival.  I have been to the music portion of SXSW several times and got away from attending due to the crowds.  This coming year, I really want to do all three parts including the interactive, movies and music.  As for the Austin Film Festival, they play some really unusual films and I think I would like to go to some of the events that are held around the city.  In a similar theme, the Paramount Theater has a summer movie series annually and they play all kinds of movies including Hitchcock and older Hollywood movies that you normally can't see on the big screen.

I added two volunteer projects to the list, HEB's Thanksgiving of Sharing and the Texas Advocacy Project's Handbags for Hope.  I have never done either of these events and they are causes that I want to support including feeding the homeless and helping women from abusive situations.

Last but not least, I will be going to at least one UT home game.  I am a Longhorn fan and try to get to one home game each year.  As I mentioned before, I am not into crowds all that much and like watching games from the comfort of my home, but it is good to do things outside our comfort level from time to time.


Sunday, November 6, 2011

Still Crazy - Paul Simon Inspires


Still Crazy After All These Years


Last night I had the awesome opportunity to see Paul Simon in concert at Cedar Park Center where there is not a bad seat in the house.



Several months ago I was watching my favorite show, CBS Sunday Morning, and drinking my coffee when a story about Paul Simon was featured.  I really enjoyed the story and the next morning I commented to my neighbor, John, about how much I enjoyed it and could not believe that Paul was 70 and still doing what he is doing.  John is a musician, so not surprisingly, he was sorry that he missed the story and I filled him in on as many details as I could remember thinking this thread would end there.  Serendipitously, a few mornings later, I was letting my radio/alarm set to KGSR wake me up and I heard Paul Simon singing Graceland.  As soon as the song ended, the D.J. announced the upcoming concert to Austin/Cedar Park.  When I mentioned this to John, he said that maybe we could all go to see him and I was quite excited because I had never seen Paul Simon in concert before.

Unfortunately, John couldn't make the concert, so I went with Suzy and Alison last night and we were not disappointed one bit!  Paul is an amazing performer, still has an amazing voice and really seems to enjoy playing his music as do all of the other musicians surrounding him onstage.  I kept remarking how great it was to see so many instruments being used along with so many talented individuals.  He sang lots of old songs along with some from his new album, So Beautiful or So What.  I especially liked the song Rewrite because I think, like many of us, we would love to rewrite parts of our lives that maybe didn't go as we had planned and in the end, we make peace with the past in order to move forward.  As Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "I find that great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving."

Paul is quite an inspiration to me and really helps me see that my list of the Top 45 is not a task that is impossible to finish and is an adventure to get excited about and that age shouldn't stop us from setting goals and living our dreams.  It seems that Paul does not stand still and 'his direction' is forward.












Special thanks to Edie, John, Suzy and Alison for a great night!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Fun Fest!


Below is my list of 'fun' things. 
Fun
  1. Passport Vacation
  2. Trip with Kim, Stacy and other peeps - August
  3. Paragliding - August
  4. Surfing lessons - August
  5. Snowboarding/snow ski - December
  6. Drink Chateau d’Yquem (Alternate?)
  7. Chicken Shit Bingo – January
  8. Zip lining in the Hill Country -March

These items are purely fun, pretty much no stress and just things that I have been wanting to try and just have never gotten around to it.

I have not been on a 'passport' vacation in a couple of years and I just renewed my passport so it is time to get some new stamps in it.  One of the determining factors on this one will be cost, but I might be able to get to Mexico for fairly cheap or even take a cruise which would require my passport for ports-of-call.  Regardless of the trip, my passport will be used next year.

I am planning a trip to San Diego to visit some friends and check off a few things on the list.  When I worked at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, I used to watch people paraglide in La Jolla.  I have been parasailing and LOVED it and the main thing that sticks in my mind from that experience is that when you are up high above the ocean, it is pure silence and so peaceful.  I won't be going solo, but they do offer tandem rides near where I used to work, so that is a no brainer.  Also, I never tried surfing when I lived in SoCal for three years so I am kind of going back in time to check it off.  To be honest, while living there, I didn't get in the water that much even though I spent a good bit of time on the beach.  The Pacific is pretty chilly and even for a water lover, I HATE cold water.  The trip is planned in August so hopefully the water will be at its warmest.  I have invited some of my peeps on this trip so it should be a lot of fun.

Last year, Nicole and I visited one of my former students who lives in the Denver area.  We had an incredible time playing in the snow and seeing wildlife.  Nicole is dying to go back and I plan on making a trip of it next December.  I have only snow skied once many years ago in Maine.  It was not the best experience because a) I had never skied before and the mountains were probably more ice than snow and b) it was so cold and windy that my eyes would tear up and then the moisture would freeze on my eyelashes making it difficult to see.   Nicole and I did some sledding last year and on the next trip, I want to try to snow ski or snow board at least one afternoon.

After reading 'The Help' in book club, we were going to go and try Chicken Shit Bingo after seeing the movie, but it was planned for the middle of summer and none of us really wanted to go sit outside in the 100+ heat to watch a chicken poop on a bingo board hoping they would do so on our chosen number.   We will now make it to CSB in the better weather that Austin has to offer and you can read a review of it on Yelp here http://www.yelp.com/biz/ginnys-little-longhorn-saloon-austin.

Another Austin area event will be zip lining in the Hill Country.  I have zip lined before in Jamaica and really enjoyed it, so it would be great to do it again.  You can see pictures here, http://www.wimberleyzipline.com/zipline-info/index.htm.  I had to change the date to March, because apparently they are closed until the end of February, but spring in Austin is amazing.

Finally, I have drink a Chateau d'Yquem with some friends on the list.  I listed it as "Alternate" because I am not sure if I can find a bottle that is in a price range I can afford so I will have to see.  If this doesn't work out, I will find a really good bottle of something and still toast with it when I make it to the end of the list.

If you want to take part in any of these things, let me know and I will give specific dates for the adventures.




Sunday, October 30, 2011

Home Highlights

House
  1. Make my bed each weekday morning - ongoing
  2. Garden enough to produce some vegetables/herbs - ongoing
  3. Get an egg from a hen in our coop - ongoing
  4. Empty kitchen sink each weekday night - ongoing 
  5. Redecorate Nicole’s room for 10th birthday - June

As you can see from the list above, I am focusing on some things around my house for the next year.  To be honest with you, I have started trying to do #1 and #4 already since I figure I need to have the habits in place to keep doing them all next year.  I am not a slob, and I am not OCD either about my house.  I figure if I can pick it up quickly enough to have it be presentable if someone where stopping by in 30 minutes, then I am happy.  I believe that there are so many more things in life (like spending time snuggling and spending time with my daughter before she doesn't want me to any more) that are more important then having everything in its place after all, most of us have all heard the saying, "A place for everything and everything in it's place."  I am really starting to see a shift in my attitude about #1 and #4 and don't like waking up to dishes in the sink any more, or walking into my bedroom when the bed is not made.  There is also a shift in my thoughts because before, I would hem and haw about doing those two things and now, I notice that they really don't take that long to finish.

I wasn't always so laid back about this.  I know one of my sisters, poor dear, could vouch for the fact that I used to be so anal retentive about making the bed that we shared that if there was even one crease in the sheets when we made it, we would have to start over.  Today, I find myself purposely leaving things out of place so that I don't feel so controlled by my environment and the need for it to be perfect.  Heck, anyone who has been to my house can see the unfinished edges of the counter tops that have been this way for 4 years!  Slowly I am making changes to my house that I wasn't able to complete largely for financial reasons when I first moved into the house.

Last spring, I started a community garden project of sorts in my backyard because I have a lot of space to do so.  We did get some sugar snap peas, a few carrots, some lettuce and a few tomatoes out of it, but I hope to replant some things this spring to really harvest a good bit before it gets too hot here.  I will use the experience of the past to hopefully have a more productive garden.  I will talk more about #3 when the time comes, but I must say, I am NOT doing it for the reason hypothesized by my friend when she said (and I am paraphrasing here), "The reason you are so determined to get an egg from a chicken at your house, is because you are trying to offset the effects of your impending menopause and the demise of your eggs!"  As Nicole would say, "Harsh!" 

Finally, Nicole turns ten in June.  Her room has been virtually the same since we moved in and it is time to give her a new room.  She is growing up and maturing out of the colors and decor that are in there now and I figure we can decorate it in such a way that it will take her through high school.  Over the summer, we went to the Austin Museum of Art for a family day and the exhibit focused on design.  We saw one chair that both of us really loved and it was the inspiration for her new room.

If you do a search for marshmellow chair you might come up with this:






But the one we actual saw at the museum looked something like this:





I am not sure we will be able to find one of these sofa/chairs for her room, but I am excited about moving from one stage to the other and celebrating her 10th year this way. 

Next up: Fun!



Friday, October 28, 2011

Team Lisbeth

First there was "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" from the Twilight series.  Then there was "Team Coco" for people who wanted to show their support to Conan O'Brien http://teamcoco.com/ after the whole Tonight Show debacle.  Now, I think there should be a "Team Lisbeth".

Some of you may recognize the name Lisbeth for the title of this post from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series by Steig Larsson.  We read the three books in book club and I have watched the three Swedish versions of the movies with Noomi Rapace playing Lisbeth (Rooney Mara, you have some big shoes to fill in the English language versions!  I loved you in The Social Network and can see why they chose you to play this part.).  I know that some people may have a hard time understanding why I think this fictional character would be inspiring, but it makes perfect sense to me.  Lisbeth did not have an easy life, not one bit, and yet with every obstacle she encountered, she did not make excuses nor did she play the victim card.  I do not recommend the books, nor the movies, to everyone because the subject matter is controversial and can be hard to watch.  The thing I want to point out is that Lisbeth is a survivor and can take care of herself.  She knows how to kick a** but does not do so to random people and only believes that those who hurt others deserve to be punished. 

There are LOTS of everyday people who, like Lisbeth, are abused or neglected and I hope they can find the inner strength to pull themselves up from their bootstraps and kick some a** is their own way.  We all have it in us to flourish, be successful and follow our dreams.

Here's to Team Lisbeth!






Random note:  Lisbeth is the Swedish version of the name Elizabeth, my mom's and one of my sister's name...interesting coincidence.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Physical List

The first part of the list outlines some physical things I will work to accomplish next year including the following:

  1. Get physical exercise 5-6 times a week for 45 weeks
  2. Capitol of Texas 10k or an Austin 5k like Turkey Trot
  3. Livestrong Challenge – October
  4. Danskin Tri – June
  5. Austin Tri – September
  6. 135/8 - ongoing
  7. Attend a Masters swimming meet
  8. Change hair either color, style or?
  9. http://warriordash.com/
The biggest thing I aim to get out of this part of the whole list is to feel stronger than I have in recent years.  I am already swimming in a masters swimming program at my local YMCA up to three times a week and often go to the gym a couple more times each week especially when my daughter is in her swimming lesson.  I have found that in preparation of the coming year, instead of making excuses for why I don't want to workout, I try to find reasons TO workout.

In order to be properly prepared for the Cap 10k, Danskin and Austin triathlons, I am going to have to ramp up my training to do a little more each week including getting on my bike more and start running.  I have done the Danskin Tri and Capitol 10k before so I am familiar with them, it is adding in the Austin Tri, which is co-ed, and the Livestrong Challenge that are a little daunting since I have never done a bike road race or co-ed event.  

As for my hair, I have basically worn it the same way for years...it is getting boring to me and just would like to change it up a bit.  My daughter didn't seem to like when I mentioned this, but I assured her it could go back to the way it was before and I keep telling myself this to not be so nervous about it myself ; ).

The 135/8 refers to the weight and size I would like to be by the end of the year.  I don't put too much emphasis on this because I think it will just come naturally with the overlap of physical activity I will be engaged in, and if it doesn't happen, I will have a lot of work to do at the end of the year to get there.

The Warrior Dash looks like something fun to do and will probably be considered and alternate to the entire list because I have to relax sometime.

Next Up:
Home related tasks...

Monday, October 24, 2011

SMART

I have heard in the past that one should set SMART goals.  SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

Specific goals have a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general one.
Measurable goals establish a concrete criteria for measuring progress.
Attainable goals make you develop attitudes, abilities, skills and financial capacity to reach them.
Realistic goals must represent an objective toward which you are willing and able to work.
Timely goals should be grounded in a time frame, without it, there is no sense of urgency.

"The List" is broken down into 5 areas.  I didn't mean for it to be that way, but as I was revising it, it seemed to fall into place.  I have until December 31 to set the list in stone, and I will probably have a couple of alternates, but here this is how it stands today:


Physical
  1. Get physical exercise 5-6 times a week for 45 weeks
  2. Capitol of Texas 10k or an Austin 5k like Turkey Trot
  3. Livestrong Challenge – October
  4. Danskin Tri – June
  5. Austin Tri – September
  6. 135/8 - ongoing
  7. Attend a Masters swimming meet
  8. Change hair either color, style or?
  9. http://warriordash.com/

Fun
  1. Passport Vacation
  2. Trip with Kim, Stacy and other peeps - August
  3. Paragliding - August
  4. Surfing lessons - August
  5. Snowboarding/snow ski - December
  6. Drink Chateau d’Yquem
  7. Chicken Shit Bingo – January
  8. Zip lining in the Hill Country - January

House
  1. Make my bed each weekday morning - ongoing
  2. Garden enough to produce some vegetables/herbs - ongoing
  3. Get an egg from a hen in our coop - ongoing
  4. Empty kitchen sink each weekday night - ongoing
  5. Redecorate Nicole’s room for 10th birthday - June

Just do it
  1. Blanton Opening – January (Go West! Exhibit opens Jan 14)
  2. AMOA Opening - ?
  3. Wine & Food Festival – La Dolce Vita October
  4. Opera – Turandot - April
  5. Broadway Across America – Wicked - January
  6. UT football game - November
  7. Symphony – December (Handel’s Messiah or Christmas Sing-Along)
  8. Ballet – Romeo & Juliet - May
  9. Paramount Theater show or movie - Summer
  10. Volunteer for Thanksgiving or Christmas
  11. Texas Advocacy Project Volunteer (Handbags for Hope?)
  12. SXSW - March
  13. Austin Film Festival - October
  14. Organize family birthday calendar and distribute @ Christmas – December

Creative/Knowledge
  1. One handwritten note a week to Nicole to Christmas present book - ongoing
  2. Creative writing class – DOM - January
  3. Photography class – February        
  4. Art class - February
  5. Top 45 @ 45 Blog - ongoing
  6. Al-Anon Blog - ongoing
  7. The Artist’s Way writing and Art dates - ongoing
  8. A letter/note a week to a friend or family member - weekly
  9. IPhone/Android app/Apple class – January
  10. Practice French - ongoing
  11. A Whole Foods or Central Market Cooking class

As I said before, most of these things will stay on the list as long as they pass the SMART test....

Anyone is welcome to take part in some of the list, the more the merrier (especially training for the physical items ; ) )!


Friday, October 21, 2011

Urgent

I saw this today on Facebook and had to post it here because I believe it is relevant.

"The future has several names.
For the weak, it is impossible.
For the fainthearted, it is unknown.
For the thoughtful and valiant, it is ideal.
The challenge is urgent, the task is large, the time is now."
~Victor Hugo


The time is now....

Coming soon:
"The List"

Those of you reading this blog, feel free to comment!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Defying Gravity

I love, love, love, love the musical Wicked.  The first time I saw it in Chicago with my friend Stacy, I was mesmerized from the first note.  I like how clever the script and songs are that intertwine the story lines of the Wizard of Oz into Wicked and how you realize how there are often two sides to a story.  I like art that makes you think, at least some, and entertain at the same time.  I remember sitting on the edge of my seat when Elphaba was singing Defying Gravity and being drawn to the entire song and especially the following part of the lyrics:

Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes: and leap!





I can really relate to those lyrics today.  It is hard to completely explain it, and I think the feeling comes part from just getting older and having enough life experiences to draw on and some of it comes from just finally feeling comfortable in my own skin.

Idina Menzel is incredible as Elphaba and I like her performance at the Tony awards, you can see it here:




Even though she is a fictional character, her attitude standing up for what she believes in no matter the cost, is an awesome trait.






I will see Wicked for the 4th time in February (as part of my list) and I will be taking my daughter, Nicole, for the second time.  My hope is that she learns from Elphaba, and this song, that "Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly!" and that she will have the confidence to defy gravity in her own way.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Motivators

In the past few years there have been some top-tier women athletes who have definitely motivated me to increase my physical activity and caused me to think, "If they can do THAT, there is no reason or excuse for me to not think I can do THIS!"

Three of those women are Dana Torres, Janet Evans and Diana Nyad and they just happen to be swimmers, my favorite sport.  Why are they inspiring?  See below:














Dana Torres is my age, technically 4 months younger.  She is a twelve-time Olympic medalist and most recently competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics and won three silver medals as the oldest swimmer ever to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team.














Janet Evans is 40 and recently announced her comeback with intentions to swim in the 2012 Olympic Trials.  She held world records in the 400-, 800-, and 1,500-meter freestyle events.  Her 800-meter freestyle record was one of the longest standing ever in the sport of swimming, lasting through four Olympic Games.  You can read more about her here http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/08/25/Catching-up-with-Janet-Evans/












D.L. Steward wrote about Diana Nyad, "But for each of us, isn't life about determining your own finish line? This journey has always been about reaching your own other shore, no matter what it is, and that dream continues."-The toughest athlete in the world is a 62-year-old woman.  Diana recently attempted to swim from Cuba to Florida for the third time.  The swim is 103 miles and through rough, shark and jellyfish infested waters.

I am not trying out for the Olympics or planning on swimming from Cuba to Florida, but in my own way, I will be working to expand my mind and instead of telling myself, "I can't possibly accomplish all of this," I have been telling myself that if these woman, who are my age and older, are able to do the above, it isn't my body that is not capable of doing it and rather my thinking that is preventing me.  I will definitely have to increase the amount of physical activity in the coming year to reach my physical goals on the list, but it is the mental part that I am working on to reverse that is probably the bigger challenge.

Eventually I am sure I will turn my thinking from, "Can I?" to "I think I can -- I think I can."









Monday, October 17, 2011

Primary Inspiration

So, I know this may sound corny, but I am going to have to say that one of my primary inspirations for my Top 45 would have to be my mom.  She has not had the easiest life, except for maybe a few fun years as a kid growing up in a hotel in Haiti, and rarely do I hear her complain.  She may mention on occasion some odd thing that happened to her throughout her life, but it is often in a matter of fact way and not a 'poor me' way.  She grew up in Haiti and a few years after her parents divorced, her mother moved her back to NYC where she started working at a young age.  Her father disappeared when she was 23 in Haiti and was never seen again, likely killed by someone because of his former ranking as Colonel in the Haitian military.

When she was in her early 20s she met my father in New York and proceeded to be pregnant or have a newborn for the next 16 years of her life giving birth to 8 children.  She has provided and been there for us as much as she can and still gets up and works on a regular basis as a realtor at the age of 72.   She is mother to so many 'adopted' children and adults the number is staggering.  She is like The Giving Tree only better because while she may give a lot of herself, there is still plenty there to keep on giving because she gets her strength from within and people recognize her for how giving she is to them.  She has given to me so many times and sometimes at really critical moments telling me that I can do it and that I can make it through to the other side.

My mom is the Energizer bunny and like a Timex watch all rolled into one...she keeps going and going and going and she can take a licking and keep on ticking.


Sunday, October 16, 2011

Inspirational Song

This song is inspirational to me right now and I am playing it daily to motivate myself ...




I'll let Natasha sing it for you...turn up the volume and listen to the words.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Why Top 45?

The title of this blog is referring to the Top 45 activities/goals that I will accomplish next year when I turn 45 years old.  I don't turn 45 until January 3, however I figure that my first year of life was counted in months so technically, I am not starting early, just overlapping the years.


“Why am I doing this?”

This question makes me think of the BC comic shown below, one of my favorites that I read many years ago and describe to others from time to time.
 
 








The simplest response to the opening question would be, “Why not?”  But, as in life, nothing really is that simple.  More to the point would be, “Why now?”  For me, I have reached a point in my life that I feel like I have the confidence and the resources to set goals and see them through.  There is a famous quote from Hillel that goes like this:

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me?  And if I am only for myself, what am I?  And if not now – When?”

I think this quote can pretty much sum up many of the reasons I am doing this Top 45.  For as long as I can remember, I have been waiting.  Waiting for other people to step up and do for me or act, other people to express their likes, wants and desires, other people to stop spending money or just plain make up their mind while I put my hopes and dreams on the back burner.  It hit me this year that it is time for me to stop waiting and figure out what I want out of life because I am not getting any younger.

The graph below also explains a small piece of answering the question, “Why now?”  The pyramid shows the hierarchy described by Bloom’s Taxonomy.  It has been researched and found that in order to reach higher level thinking skills, individuals need to get beyond pure survival instincts.  Since the last few years have been a bit of a roller coaster psychologically as well as financially, I am happy to say that I feel like I am in a good place in both areas which lead me to be able to tap into my creativity and even imagine a list of things that would be fulfilling for me to attempt.





Of course, this diagram below is an excellent depiction of my “creative process.”



Last, but absolutely not least, is the fact that my daughter is now 9 years old.  She has reached an age and level of independence that allows me the luxury to spend time doing for myself and less and less of my day stressing over what her needs are for each day.  Don’t get me wrong, I still make her lunch each day, walk her to and from school most days, but evening and weekend time is not ALWAYS about entertaining her because she spends a good bit of time playing with friends, reading, doing homework and participating in her activities including musical theater, drama club and swimming.

The bottom line is now is the perfect time for me to dream, imagine, set goals and realize them.  Some may call me crazy to think that I can do this all in one year….to them I give Exhibit A and then Exhibit B below.


Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:



So, unless you have something positive to say about all this, don't say anything at all.
; )

Up next:

Inspiration
Cups & Ice
The List