Saturday, December 27, 2008

the "Been there, done that" list

I am currently in the process of setting life goals. When i say currently, I mean I interrupted my brainstorming to jot this down. I have noticed while reading about setting goals and living a full life intentionally that I have done a whole lot of really cool stuff so far and I haven't really celebrated that as much as I should. This isn't meant as a brag post, but i think for the sake of getting more wheels turning... I need to present a list of the many things that I have done that if they were not otherwise accomplished would be on my life goal 'to do' list... I have been trying to keep in my brain that I am 24 years old, and I should be proud of things I have done as well as looking forward to things I want to do someday. so here are some...

Learned to swim
Gone on a safari
Gone hiking in the Andes mountains
Bathed in a river in South America
Hiked the Appalachian Trail for 10 days
Gone on some of the top 10 roller coasters in the world
Seen a concert and ballet in the Sydney opera house
Become good friends with my parents
Had braces
Played a didgeridoo in the Australian outback
Visited Yellowstone
Have nieces
visited the Grand Canyon
Taught English in Africa
Taught swimming lessons
Poured bronze
Swam in an Olympic pool
Chased kangaroos
Gone deer hunting
gone canoeing
gone kayaking
been the president of something
Got married to an amazing man
Lived in a major international city (Washington DC)
Seen a Broadway show on Broadway
been across the Golden Gate bridge
Graduated from undergrad with honors
Been in a juried art show
been payed for singing
gone dancing in an old swing-era ballroom with a live band
ate bugs
drank absinthe
painted a series of cohesive paintings
taken a photography class
become part of a premiere singing group
saw the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in person
ate sushi as part of my weekly meals
Scored a soccer goal from half field during a game
volunteered with inner city kids
helped edit a college newspaper
gone to a Renaissance Fair
Eaten a whole turkey leg without silverware
built a piece of usable furniture
Held a salaried job for over 2 years
slept in a mud hut
sewed something that i wore more than once
played an instrument
sang with a live band
lived in a crappy apartment
made bread from scratch
learned to swing dance
learned to tap dance
hiked in the Blue Mountains
visited Yosemite
visited Donner pass
Visited Gettysburg
Gone to a world-renown night club
Got a US Capitol tour from a senator
Visited every monument on the National Mall in Washington
Sang Handel's Messiah
ate chicken and rice in Bolivia
was in a spelling bee
went on multiple mission trips
done street theater
had a lead in a musical
become great friends with my sisters
road tripped across the US
showed an animal in a county fair
seen the Statue of Liberty
got college scholarships for both music and academics
rode a horse
gone skiing
swam in three oceans

that is enough for tonight. It is just good to know I have actually accomplished some things an had some cool experiences. Some times setting goals makes me feel a little like a failure because I have so much yet to accomplish... but it is good to remember all of the things I have already accomplished.
B

6 comments:

Heather Z said...

Ryan and I want to verify that you visited the Einstein monument and the DC War Memorial when you say you have visited all the monuments on the National Mall. :) Just looking for a loophole to make you come back.

And by the way, your "Been There, Done That" at 24 list reads like some peoples' life goals list. Good job.

paint_pants said...

i know i have been to Einstein.. and almost positive I have been to DC war memorial... remember that two or three month gap where i had no job and no friends? I sure do ;)

Heather Z said...

Looks like we might need to build a new monument.

And if you DO come back to DC, I'm sure I can hook you up with some friends and a job. :)

Dennis Bourne said...

Bekah, was directed to this post via Heather's blog. This is a great idea! I'm looking forward to doing one for myself. God has been challenging me to be more grateful and this is a perfect way to work toward that. Will also be useful as a take a retreat today to set goals and resolutions for 2009.

Hope you're well,
Dennis

Amy said...

Again came here via Heather ... and great list, got my wheels turning too. I made a "goals" list way back several years ago when Mark first brought the subject up. I always hesitate revisiting it because I somehow wanted it to never be altered... but I think now that as life changes so do your goals. Some of the things I wrote down were great and awesome goals for someone who never had the goal of getting married ... but sometimes God throws stuff at us that we dont expect. Our goals should reflect that :-)... wait wait what was it ... expect the unexpected? Ha. Anyway, my goal list tends to make me depressed about the stuff I havent done. Your list is great way to keep that from happening.
And if you'd been to D.C. Veterans of World War I Memorial you'd remember. Only memorial on the mall that isn't shiny and clean ... it's mossy and neglected looking - like much of the city itself. How appropriate.

paint_pants said...

whoa! I was unplugged almost all holiday so I had no idea I got linked. I did however realize that I had visited the DC War memorial with my family :) So there ;) Good times! So glad this was helpful for others too. I wrote this list at around 3am and Ian had about 20ish more things to add in the morning :)