February's Look at the 40 While 40

Editor's Note: I wrote this on the 26th of February and just realized on March 1st I didn't actually upload it.

Life has been very fun and full since my last update from all the way back in November. There has been a lot happening in the past three months. We have been continuing to settle into our apartment, I kept up with my healthy goals, started streaming board games on Twitch, and probably the biggest change, I've gone back to school. 

I had started thinking about whether I should go back to school in the Fall, decided that it was a good idea, and applied for grad school in December. About a week later I was accepted into the Masters of Divinity (not Divination) and life became a whirl wind as I selected classes for the 2022 winter term. I began my first semester this January.  I am currently taking three courses.

Being in school has shaken up my routines and habits. It has also caused me to reevaluate my birthday challenges. I have decided to modify a few of the goals. The changes are going to stay true to my original intent and purpose while allowing me to focus on classes, assignments, and the vast amount of required reading.

Interested in the changes and how the rest of challenges are going? Keep reading:

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

1. Go on a Spiritual Retreat.

I just got back from a 48 hour retreat as part of my Spiritual Formation class. 

2. Practice Sabbath Keeping 40 times.

This has been going well, we have six sabbaths left to keep.

3. Finish reading through the Bible

Read through the New Testament.

The change is for few reasons, one class required me to use a spiritual formation workbook for my personal devotions while another course requires me to read through all twenty seven books of the New Testament. I've put my Bible reading program on hold again to focus on the workbook. Reading through the New Testament still keeps the spirit of the original challenge, reading Scripture I often skip over.

4. Write 40 sermons/sermon outline

Be a full time student.

My reasoning for the forty sermons was to stimulate my thinking. Being back in school and writing papers is serving the same purpose.

5. Memorize 40 new Scripture verses.

I memorized Philippians 2:1-15 as my last forty new verses.

6. Master the Charleston dance.

I haven't worked on the the dance since June. I have plans to add daily dance to the third phase of the 15 week challenge.

7. Walk to Lothlorien (virtually with the Walk to Mordor app).

We "arrived" at Lothlorien February 20, 2022. 

8. Walk a virtual walk of the Cabot Trail.

We have finished the 299.4km goal on July 28! And finished the Ring of Kerry and are now working on North Coast walk of Scotland. 

9. Complete a virtual Mount Fuji climb.
I am going to start the climbing "the mountain" using our treadmill during Lent. There is a feature that allows us to set an elevation incline, I am going to use this instead of paying for a gym membership to use a stair machine.

10. Go on a 15km+ Hike.

We did not go to a provincial park this month for the big hike. I was sick and in bed the days we had set for the trek. We're debating if we snowshoe or cross country ski the distance or just wait till April to walk in the muck.

11. Reach my XBX level. (Which is Level 22)
I made it to my target level last week!

12. Sleep in a tent or under the stars and/or take a road trip someplace Alex and I have never been.
We went to camping in Fort Frances. It was a three day road trip there with seven days of tenting and a four day road trip back. We also visited seven provincial parks along the way.

13. Read 40 Books.  

I have finished 32 books. Only 8 to read (or listen to) in two months.

14. Make a Dopa menu.

I need to re-watch the original How to ADHD video that inspired this goal and then make up menu.

15. Make Origami Animals.

We made origami foxes and turtles. I am hoping to make at least four more paper animals.

16. Colour in my giant colouring book.
I don't know if this is done or not. The book has been coloured in but none of the picture are complete. I think I originally thought we'd just finish every page for it to count and if that is the win condition there is still a long ways to go. I might get some young humans to help me with the project.

17. Work on my many scrapbook projects.

This is a noble challenge. It feels like a winter project so it is still on hold to even get started.

18. Send out Thank you cards.

I've written about half of the cards.

19. Create a Christmas Card mailing list and SEND cards.

Christmas cards were sent! The mailing list was smaller than I had planned and the cards were not sent out as early as I had hoped, in fact the last of my cards were written and send of the last day of Christmas (January 5th), but cards were sent. This is a victory.

20. Host a Twelfth Night party. 

I had such great hopes and plans for our January 5th Twelfth Night party. Nothing went as planned. Our area was in a lockdown. It was disappointing. We decided to hold our "party" online with board games. It was not the same as hosting an in person party but it was all we could manage. 

21. Create a Year of Memories using 1 second video.

This task is stressing me out. I was faithfully adding videos still July. Then I missed a day or two here or there. The last few months I hardly remember to take a video in a week or month. I'm a little disappointed with myself.

22. Make the “Curse Breaker” sword from Onward.

If this happens it will be after my current semester is over.

23. Complete one new cosplay.

Saving my pennies to purchase the last few item: a blue wig, blue tights (to make arm gloves), and maybe purple shoes but I could get away with my blue runners.

24. Try contact lens.

I saw my optometrist, got my new prescription, and inquired about using contact lens. The cost just isn't in the budget right now. For that reason I am not going to pursue contact lens.  

25. Try all of Baskin Robins Flavours of the Month.
We are still up to date on all the flavours, there are only two flavours left to try.

26. Stream Zelda Windwaker on Twitch.

We finished Winderwaker. It was very fun so I have kept streaming. At the moment I'm working through Pikmin 2. 

27. Journal Everyday.

The writing has continued. Still enjoying the journal. It is delightful.

28. Make a gnome home.

I don't know how I am goin to get this challenge done. We had a location, it didn't work out. We have another location now. There have been a number of dead trees cut down this fall. Alex and I have been talking about turning them into a whole gnome home village. Only I haven't made any of the props, yet.

29. Sew a dress or a circle skirt.

I have found some free patterns. I need to print the patterns, wash the fabric, and set a time to sew. Probably after my classes are done.

30. Paint the Humblewood miniatures.

We have the minis, the paints, and the brushes. They have been primed. Similar to the sewing project it will need to wait till after classes. 

31. Make a D&D character journal/binder.

I had planned to work on the over Christmas break, but life happened. I have a journal it just isn't as pretty as I would like it.

32. GM at a convention.

Have an picnic outdoors
The event I was hoping to attend has been postponed till July. I'll be using one of the extra challenges that I had for such an situation.

33. Play 40 different board games.

We have played 49 different board since my birthday.

34. Complete all the Escape quests.

We have completed six challenges. Going to start playing this more often over the next two months.

35. Finish Season One of Pandemic Legacy 

Finish the missions of Legends of Andor.

Santa Clause gave Alex and me a new copy of Season One of Pandemic Legacy. We've been playing it on the first Sunday of every month. It is going to take us eight months past my birthday to finish. Another game I had considered including in the challenge last year was the Legends of Andor. We've been playing through the missions too so I'm switching the challenge.

36. Truly participate in NaNoWriMo 2021.

I finished this year's NaNoWriMo story.

37. Try a Capsule Wardrobe for 40 Days.
I kept a capsule wardrobe from mid November through December. I enjoyed the experience and may try it again. 

38. Finish the Sweater.

I started the first sleeve this week! I'm two sleeves away from being done.

39. Finish the Dice Bags.

I've been working on them slowly.

40. Paint the Canvas.

I am resolved the canvas will be painted this year. It won't happen till after classes. But even if it is just finger painting with friends on April 25th, this is the last year "Paint Canvas" is going to be on a birthday challenge list.

The Bonus/Back-Up Challenges:

Disneybound five times: Two outfits done: Moana and Ariel.

Have an picnic outdoors: Alex and I had a number of picnics this summer. It was delightful.

Take care of my purple wig

Marie Kondo my stuff

Make a flower crown

Final Thoughts:
1) Life is good!

2) I am enjoying all the things that are going on. I'm also enjoying completing my challenges. 

3) I am really happy with the progress I'm making on the challenges and the way the challenges have helped me become more the person I want to become. I think I would be happy with these results even if I don't complete another challenge.

4) That being said, I am going to paint the canvas this year.