Today is the big day! I have completed the blog challenge that I set out for myself a year ago! 365 days of blogging is done and I cannot believe it is over. Phew.
There were days that I thought I couldn't go on any further. I had people suggest that I stop but you see I am not that kind of girl. I don't give up easily and when I see my eye on a prize I work really hard to achieve it.
Coming from blogging on Bunny's Victory to recreating my blog via A Vintage Nerd was not an easy task as I hit many roadblocks. But that is where the idea of setting up a challenge for myself came to mind. I really want to see if I could follow through blogging a post everyday and pushing myself to see if I could complete the task. Why? Because I really wanted to prove my dedication as a blogger to myself and others.
I blogged through colds, sick kiddies, a hospitalized kiddie, oodles of late nights, sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and creative blocks. But here I am to say that if you can, challenge yourself to do something you have never done before!
For this new year I am setting out to do another challenge for myself called 39 New Experiences Before 40. I will be trying out some new things that I never have done before as a way to celebrate my entry into my 40's.
My 39 New Experiences Before 40 List:
1. Take a horse and buggy ride through Central Park with my family
2. Have afternoon tea at the Russian Tea Room
3. Try Caviar
4. Visit my mother's grave with all three of my children
5. Learn a song pre-1969, sing it, and record it for all to hear
6. Master 1960's hairstyles
7. Hell's Kitchen Flea Market
8. Do a food tour
9. Brooklyn Brewery Tour
10. Visit Federal Reserve Bank
11. See a NYC Ballet Performance
12. Have my tea read
13. Take a writing class
14. Do an Audrey Hepburn inspired shoot
15. Horse Back riding lesson
16. Spend a day in a wig (not for Halloween)
17. Find a small cemetery and put fresh flowers on each grave
18. Recreate some 1960's meals
19. Read all of the Harry Potter books
20. Learn how to recreate an afternoon tea
21. Be an extra in a tv show or film
22. Fly a kite with my children
23. Plan out and begin to execute my dream trip
24. Meet someone I dreamed of meeting
25. Visit a castle
26. Wear a gown and go to the opera or ballet
27. Attend a stock holder meeting
28. Attend a screening of a silent film with The Silent Clowns Film Series
29. Take a proper uninterrupted bubble bath with Lush bath products
30. Make my first Youtube video
31. Create a new painting
32. Spoil myself in every way for my 39th Birthday
33. Learn how to put on false eyelashes
34. Make Paselitos (Spanish meat patty) for my family
35. Learn how to do winged eyeliner for my eyes
36. Write posts using 1930s-1960s (four posts) slang within the content
37. Take a cooking class with my family
38. Go to Dylan's Candy Store
39. Create an authentic 1960's Christmas for myself and my family
There they are! My list of 39 things I have never done before. It was actually hard to think of things that I wanted to do (within reason and budget) that I have not done before. But in facing the questions, "what have I done and what do I want to do?" it made me realize that I have in fact done a great many amazing things in my life already.
I have lived on my own, had a professional career, been published, sang on stage, recieved a standing ovation, been told I should be on Broadway, seen Broadway shows, traveled on my own, made friends worldwide, had piercings (yes I know, I really did though), cut my hair super short, been to Hindu Temple, attending a Muslim Pakistani Wedding, learned how to wear an Indian Sari, memorized my favorite poem, met some of my favorite classic tv/film actors, learned how to play pool, got married, had three babies in four years (whoa!), and learned how to scrapbook.
That's just a few things and I am so thankful for taking the time to look back and realize that I have had a pretty spectacular life so far. Turning 40 is going to be very exciting and amazing and I really look forward to trying new things and learning new things I never have before.
I hope that you will join me on my next adventure and keep your eyes peeled for many new things coming to AVN in the new year. Thank you again for all of your support and friendship! And last but not least, Happy New Year!