March: The Last 40 Before 40 Update

This is the last check in before my 40th birthday. After December I kind of forgot about this list. It is going to be interesting to see how much (if any) progress I've made.

Challenge Legend:
Black =have not started
Green =just started or have a plan
Blue =in progress and success is possible
Purple =VICTORY!

01) Get Married
Success as of July 10th.

02) Read the whole Bible...again.
I'm over half way. I won't be done before my birthday but I'm still reading which was the big reason behind the goal..

03) Earn 300 Crowns in Spanish Duolingo
I have earned 190 crows. I spend more time on the stories, which don't give crowns but I am finding much more enjoyable. My new goal is to break 200 crowns.

04) Make a life time bucket list.
This is one of the original challenges from the first version of the 40 Before 40. About four years ago I made the list knowing that some of my bigger goals would take more than a year. It also meant that some of these were completed awhile ago. You can find the lifetime bucket list here. I'm thinking I might want to revise it before the end of this year.

05) Have a get out of debt plan...and use it
There is a plan and I'm using it. This is a huge win.

06) Write about Grace.
I haven't really been writing much this year.

07) Break a bad habit.
I was doing so well for a while. I hope the last 30 day will be a turn around.

08) Complete the 10 x 10 Game Challenge
The 10 x 10 is the goal to play ten different games ten times each. Our ten games are: Splendor (5), Villainous (6), Sagrada (10), Roam (7), Targi (8), Forbidden Island (4), and the DC Deck Building Game (2), Legends of Andor (2), Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion (5), and Tokiado (1) for a total of 50 plays. 

09) Hug Micky Mouse.
We made our Disney plans in January, before covid-19 was a thing. The trip had to be cancelled. This challenge will just have to wait.

10) Meet a Geek Hero.
This happened last year at Comic Con (the same day I met Alex in line waiting for a panel). The actress was the elegant and delightful Gina Torres. It was an unexpected encounter. I don't think I ever blogged about it. If you want to hear the story leave a comment.

11) See more of Canada.
In the past three years I have had the opportunity to visit BC, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia and visited my first territory, Yukon. I would still like to see more but for this challenge I count this a win!

12) Explore Ottawa.
When I set this goal in 2017 there were are few things I wanted to do:
1) Skate on the Rideau Canal -CHECK -Alex and I did this January, well we walked it because the ice was too slushy but it counts.
 2) Tour the Parliament buildings -CHECK -Friends and I went just before they shut down the buildings for renovations. Good thing we went when we did. The center building will be closed to the public for ten years.
3) Visit the National Gallery -CHECK -Alex and I went last year around this time

The only "Ottawa" event that hasn't happened was watch the Canada Day fireworks on the Hill but that couldn't happen this year.

13) Attend a Festival.
Triple success, Alex and I went to a Japanese cultural festival last year, the Winterlude festival this February, and the Tulip Festival in the spring.

14) Achieve four cosplay dreams.
I have gathered a few props and some great supplies but I have been putting my limited creative energy into other projects.

15) Try a capsule wardrobe for a season.
I completely forgot about this goal. I think it will need to wait till the 40 While 40. I think an autumn capsule will be fun.

16) Try something new.
The something new that earned the victory was Pho. There were many, many other new things tried in the past four years I don't think I could list them all, but pho was the first.

17) Take a class/course.
Last fall I did a shield maiden course that taught sword fighting. In the effort to be a continual learn I have also signed up for Skill Share and done a few courses.

18) (Attempt to) Publish a story.
Not this year.

19) Bake something new.
Alex and I have made bread bread, herb bread, cheese bread, and cinnamon loaf.

20) Do something extreme.
It is just not possible this year. Unless you count getting married.

21) Cook the family a Thanksgiving feast from scratch.
Success! Alex and I made this year's Thanksgiving feast.

22) Memorize 40 new verses.
Since 2017 I've memorized 45 new verses. I've been using the Bible Verse app to keep practicing. I am needing to do more review. But I did learn the verses. 

23) Read 40 Books.
I've misplaced my list but I know I am getting close.

24) Read a book on Theology.
Still haven't started one. I am in a mentorship course that has a lot of reading and it is all good but not specifically theology. 

25) Reread the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings.
Working on this one

26) Reread Narnia and more C.S. Lewis.
I finished the Chronicles of Narnia in August. I'm trying to decide on other C.S. Lewis books I want to read. My thinking is the Screwtape Letters, Till We Have Faces, and maybe Mere Christianity. Another option is the Four Loves. What do you think?

 
27) Give the blog a make over.
I gave the blog a makeover around January. It was both an aesthetic and template change. I am not sure I like the new template. The navigation I find a bit frustrating; I don't like that you can't easily go from a single post to another post. Maybe it is time for another change?

28) Finish a project.
Last update I picked the project, its dice bags I made for my D&D group about three years ago. I wanted to add a cloth lining and draw string. I bought the materials, set it aside to do after Christmas...and never picked the project again. Last review update said I was "going to finish them before Christmas this year." It's a perfect project for this challenge, sadly, I haven't actually done anything with them yet.

29) Knit a sweater.
I bought the yarn last month, picked the pattern with the help of Best Friend, and am almost done the yoke (it's a top down pattern.) I'm counting this as a win. I am knitting a sweater. Next bucklist might have a finish sweater challenge.

30) Establish a Morning Routine.
This is tricky. I had a great morning routine, then I moved and things changed and I re-established again. Then I got married. There are times in all these transitions that I couldn't say I had a routine as I had intended but I did at times have a kept routines I enjoyed. I think that I will count the times of victory as enough of success.

31) Establish a Night Routine.
The statements above are true for my night routine. And while there are struggles there have been long times of great success. I am learning to celebrate victories and not just keep moving the finish line.

32) Practice Contemplative Spirituality.
I feel like this is the type of goal that is always on going. 

33) Keep a Food Journal for 30 Days.
I've been using Avatar Nutrition since January to track my food and monitor my health progress.

34) 30 Days of Journaling.
I did this earlier this year but feel I need to try it again.

35) 30 Days of No Sugar.
Alex and I did this last year.

36) 30 Days of Art.
Not yet

37) 30 Days of Hair.
This was completed in June.

38) 30 Days of Makeup.
This was successfully completed in April.

39) 100 Days of Dance.
I don't always remember to record all the days we day. I think it's getting pretty close.

40) Do Something with the Canvas!
Still no plans

New BONUS GOAL: Virtually Hike the Cameo

  

Progress Thoughts:

It's been a rough year; I'm almost surprised how many victories there actually were. Even if I don't finish another single challenge. I am happy with the results. I've done more than I would have without my silly bucket list. In a lot of ways these challenges help me remember the effort put into activities is a reward in and of itself, it is possible to keep learning and trying new things, to count successes, and to show myself some grace.