50 Before 50

You read that correctly, folks.  50.  What the F?  I'm not ready to be 50 yet.  2023 sounds really far away, am I right?  Right?!?

I've got things to do before that happens.  So, I thought I'd finally create some form of goal or bucket list to put some of those things on paper (so to speak).  Honestly, I didn't "dream big".  I selected things that I truly want to do that are totally achievable.  I want this list checked off completely by June 17th, 2023.  I don't want to have any reason to look back at it with disappointment.  It's all about accomplishing, seeing, doing, experiencing things I want to do.

1. Take the stepson to Texas
2. Rent a houseboat - DONE! - 26-29 January 2017 - read about it here
3. Taronga Zoo wild ropes - DONE! - 29 December 2016 - read about it here
4. View Sydney's Sculptures by the Sea - DONE! - 31 October 2016 - read about it here
5. Gain my "permanent residency" status - update: partner visa has finally been approved; I can apply for permanent residency March 2017.
6. Get my NSW driver's license - DONE! - November 2016 - see here
7. Participate in City 2 Surf (even if it's just walking because let's be honest, it's going to be just walking)
8. Take stepkid(s) to a water park
9. Spit Bridge to Manly walk
10. Adopt an animal at Taronga Zoo - DONE! - November 2016 - read about it here
11. Attend a show at Town Hall Theatre (small community theatre where I live)
12. Go to see snow in Australia
13. Wine tour in Australia - DONE! - 30 December 2016 - read about it here
14. Visit Canberra (Australia's capitol) - DONE! - June 2018 - see pictures here and here and here
15. Camp at Royal National Park
16. Go to a Sydney Blue Sox baseball game; that's right, Australia has a small professional baseball league, and I want to go to a game.
17. Host a Tex Mex dinner party for Aussie friends
18. Attend Sydney's Mardi Gras parade; this is not exactly like the one you'd find in NOLA.
19. Travel to see live music in Australia; I used to travel often in the US for shows, but I haven't done it here.
20.  Have a cocktail at BluBar (Shangri La in Sydney) with this view - DONE! - December 2016
21. Watch a sunrise over an ocean (I've done this before, it's just been awhile)
22. Watch Niece 2 graduate High School in 2017 - DONE! - 26 May 2017 
    
23. Watch Nephew graduate High School in 2019
24. See Shawna - my Texas girlfriend that lives in Italy who I haven't seen since 2008, and she's had four bambinos since then!
25. Have a girls' weekend with USA friends - DONE! - Spent a glorious 3 days in Sonoma county, California, drinking wine and laughing a lot - June 2017 
    
26. Visit Austin (again); it's been too long since I've seen my favorite Texas city.
27. Relax during a weekend getaway, just for my guy and me
28. Go to a cat café - DONE! - 12 February 2017 - see pics here  
29. See another Broadway show - DONE! - Saw Roman Holiday in San Francisco - June 2017
    
30. Since the magic # is 50, have 50 people complete my book challenge, Book Challenge by Erin
31. Read all books I currently own
32. Finish "Around the World in 80 Books" book challenge
33. Get that new tattoo I've been wanting for years - DONE! 12 August 2016 - see post here 
    
34. Organize concert t-shirts and have them made into a quilt (like the one pictured) because I have a lot of concert tees that I can't part with, but I don't wear, and I'd like to keep the memories... (in progress: in talks with Nicole about this...)

    

    Source

35. Finally, maintain an exercise routine where I'm doing something at a minimum 3 days a week
36. Meditate every day for 30 days in a row
37. "Pay It Forward" care package at least once a year - 2016 done; 2017 done;
38. 21 day detox at least once a year
39. Bring my lunch from home (don't buy take-out) for a minimum of 30 days in a row
40. Have a weekend of solitude
41. Pin-up photo shoot
42. Rent a party bus
43. Send 50 snail mail cards or letters (besides Christmas cards)
44. Increase annual charity donations (in progress)
45. Plant flowers; I've never owned a pot plant or had flowers that I maintained outside; I need this to change. - DONE! 03 October 2016 - see post here 
46. Meet a blogger in real life - DONE! - 29 June 2017 - I got together with Kristen from See You in a Porridge and Rachel from A Nesting Nomad and enjoyed every second of it!
    
47. Pick a highly talked about television series and watch it - DONE - August 2018 - watched all 3 seasons of Narcos
48. Complete Jenn's "fall film challenge"; I've participated but haven't finished it.
49. Watch 50 movies that I've never seen, and I've wanted to see (or feel like I should see)...this list has its own blog post to help me keep track.
50. Share the adventures!: blog about every one of these goals as they've been met.

What do you think of these?  Anyone want to come to Australia and help me check some of these off the list??