This is my take on a more specific version of the ever-popular “bucket/life/to-do” lists, the following items representing what I have on my heart and mind for 2010: places I want to be, people I want to see, challenges I want to hog-tie, ultimately: personal growth I want to foster, momentum I want to keep creating throughout the entire year ahead. (Nerd aside: This post will soon live as its own page, wherein I will edit and post updates, and as such, will also be accessible from the top navigation of my site. )
My mantra this year: Be brave, Kerri.
Ready? Me, too.
————-A Year Complete———–
Jump into the Pacific Ocean at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Take my first solo international flight.
Hike and photograph The Great Wall of China.
Wander around Beijing by myself and see how many times I get lost.
Finish both stories I’m currently writing.
Take the streetcar to work while I still live near it.
Spend ten amazing days in South Korea with babycarrot sister and Will.
Kayak along the Columbia River.
Kayak along the Columbia River during a full moon.
Be an encouragement to as many people as possible.
Move into an apartment or house where I’m paying less rent.
Spend a day surfing with my favorite surfing friend.
Run, run, and run some more (specifically)–
In the rain on the beach.
In Forest Park.
Shamrock Run (5k), March 14 with Rhi! and Kali! and Chris! and Hans! (Registered!)
Race for the Roses (5k), April 11
Lake Oswego Run (5k), May 8
Coeur d’Alene (5 or 12k), May 30
Columbia River Crossing (10k), October 3
Successfully turn Iggy into a running pug.
Journal daily (which is going to be great fun thanks to this little guy).
Write letters on real paper to friends and family for no particular reason.
Tell people “I’m a writer” and mean it.
Take the train to Seattle to visit my rad Seattle friends.
Volunteer in my community, maybe helping with an after-school reading program.
Kayak with Jen! on Lake Washington.
Get back in the pool. (Specifically: swim 2-3x/week.)
Visit the Portland Chinese Gardens (pictures here) and the Portland Japanese Gardens.
Read at least two books a month.
Spend a few days in New York in August, with a plethora of lovely, hilarious ladies.
Re-read Moby-Dick.
Bungee jump, here.
Spend more time near the ocean.
Enter at least one writing contest every two months.
Spend two days in Vancouver, B.C. in April.
Try out for the Rose City Rollers.
Plan and finish at least three scenic Pacific NW hikes; I’m thinking:
Pacific Coast of Washington
Cape Lookout (to go whale-watching)
Harts Cove
Watch one documentary a month.
Show Jen a Pacific Northwest Good Time when she visits PDX in May.
Bake a pumpkin pie with a homemade crust.
See Percy Jackson in February, Eclipse in June and Harry Potter in November, with a friend as excited to see all three of those movies as I am.
Get my buttercup tattoo.
Make a plan to be college-loan-debt-free by the end of 2011, and continue growing my savings every month.
Road trip it to Summerland to visit Angella, Amanda and their respective crews again, for a weekend this fall.
Attempt to paint an ocean-scape from a photo I’ve taken.
Attend an event at Omsi.
Research graduate programs for English Literature/decide if I want to teach at the collegiate level when I grow up.
Take a page from Sizz’s book and create a soundtrack for the year.
Tell my friends how amazing they are and how much I love them on a regular basis.
Laugh, a lot.