A Life To-Do List

I'm obsessed with lists. During the school year I generally have about three to-do lists going at once, each neatly categorized into long-term, daily, work, and life. I even record tasks on the to-do list after I've completed them for the sheer thrill of being able to cross them off. I even have a summer to-do list and I secretly take it with me on my travels. I just feel better with a list in hand.

Recently I read a book called "If I Live to be 100." The writer interviewed a series of centenarians about their lives. The book inspired me to open my journal from my Senior year of college and review my "Life To-Do List". I've revised it a bit, and added a few more things, but I was also happily able to check off a few more items.

(note: they are in no particular order)

- Go to Japan during cherry blossom season - DONE
- Travel to Southeast Asia - DONE
- Live on a kibbutz in Israel
- Teach English in India
- Backpack through Western Europe - BEGINNING PHASE 1 PREPARATIONS
- Backpack on the Appalachian Trail for at least 3 days
- Drive across America
- Go to Alaska
- Eat bugs - DONE
- Become adept at eating with chopsticks - IN PROGRESS
- Visit Auschwitz
- Buy a hat in Fez (Morocco)
- Ride an elephant - DONE
- Learn to cook exotic foreign cuisine - IN PROGRESS
- Go back to Kosovo
- Help kids in Kosovo go to college - IN PROGRESS
- Grow an exquisite rose garden
- Sing my favorite They Might Be Giants Song in Istanbul
- Ice skate in Central Park - DONE
- See the tree in Rockefeller center at Christmastime - DONE
- Throw a huge reunion party for all my college friends and their families in 20 years
- Learn to speak another language
- Ride and own horses
- Play tennis well
- Go swimming in the ocean at night - DONE
- Find the perfect beach
- Inspire someone to become a teacher
- Run a triathlon
- Go scuba diving in Turks and Caicos
- Learn to surf
- Take art classes
- Take a creative writing class
- Knit socks - DONE
- Knit a fabulous sweater
- Grow my own vegetables
- Have a house in the country with a front porch
- Explore Seattle
- Write and publish a work of fiction
- Get my Ph.D. in something
- Ride the C&O trail from Harpers Ferry to Georgetown
- Ride the entirety of the W&OD - DONE
- Meet the President of the United States
- Become good at photography
- Own a Lab of every color in addition to a Basset Hound and a Saint Bernard (but not necessarily simultaneously)
- Play a historical character at Williamsburg
- See a Broadway show

I guess I've been a bit of a slacker up until now. At this rate I may need to live to be 100 to get it all done...and I'm sure I'll be adding more to the list as we go along.

Coming up next: Things that I done that should have been on my to-do list