Adventures in Polyamory

The “Make It So” List

In a recent blog post, I said that I was hopeful that, in spite of the devastating events in my life in 2011, I believed 2012 would be an amazing year. In the past, I would have taken a passive approach, waiting excitedly to learn what was coming my way.

The new me is taking Picard’s admonition seriously.  It IS going to be an incredible year, because I will “Make it so.” What follows is my list of goals to help me accomplish that result. These goals are an eclectic mix of events, tasks, character projects and silliness, all aimed at helping me to have a net positive effect on this world and the people I interact with.

The idea for this list was inspired by a very dear friend.

Timeline: I originally had a two-year timeline for completing my list…and then I discovered that I keep continually adding things to it. So, instead of giving myself a deadline, I’m going to consider this an ongoing list, and just keep adding things to the end of it, and crossing things off as I complete them. In this way, it will be more than a to-do list, but also a record of accomplishments. :D

Italics = in progress
Crossed out = completed

1. Pay off one debt per year - Just paid off a debt for 2012!
2. Smile at a stranger for no reason at least once a day
3. Apologize sincerely as soon as I realize I’m in the wrong - done, but this is ongoing, and will never be finished, so ain’t crossing it off.
4. Pay a compliment to at least one person every day
5. Plan for, and go to bed in enough time to get, at least nine hours of uninterrupted sleep at least once a week
   
6. Grow my hair out to at least shoulder length - Feb. 2013!
7. Love unconditionally, without expectations or inhibitions…or regrets (embody THIS song)
8. Make it a point to tell my son I love him with a smile when I’m frustrated with his behavior
9. Step out the door every day with a smile
10. Jump out of a perfectly good airplane with a parachute strapped to my back
11. Dip my toe in the Atlantic Ocean - April 2012!
12. Go skinny dipping
13. Make use of my Enhanced Driver’s License to cross a border - July 2012 (went camping and climbing with Raven in Squamish, B.C.)
14. Try a food I’ve never tried before - frog legs, April 2012!
15. Do at least five things that make me uncomfortable
    * Jan. 18, 2012 - hang out with someone new one-on-one, not as part of a group activity 
    * Feb 2012 - went on a date with someone I would normally never say yes to  
    * March 2012 - Go to the CSPC for an event as a single, without a date (this one makes me VERY uncomfortable, and for that reason, it’s going on the list)
    * March 2012 - Went rock climbing. I have a major issue with heights, so it was very difficult, but I LOVED it. I want to go again and tackle the really high walls!
    * March 2012 - Sang in front of several thousand people at Emerald City Comic Con in their karaoke contest. *gulp* But it was a BLAST! Video HERE!
    
16. Accept criticism gracefully and without defensiveness - done, but this is ongoing, and will never be finished, so ain’t crossing it off.
17. Get a new tattoo and/or piercing
18. Leave the laptop closed at least one day a month - that’s right, don’t crack it, not even once (Update - I’ve been doing this on a regular basis, and it’s AMAZING. I’ve been going whole weeks at a time without opening the laptop)
19. Give up coffee for 10 consecutive days - March 2012
20. Once I’ve accomplished that, drink at least 64 ounces of fluid a day for 10 consecutive days. - March 2012
21. Accept assistance enthusiastically when offered without feeling as if I’m inadequate - done, but this is ongoing, and will never be finished, so ain’t crossing it off.
22. Get a bike and ride it at least once a week - I haz a bike! Haven’t been riding it, tho. :/
23. Read The Princess Bride - Oct. 2012
24. Leave a love note for a stranger in a public place at least once a week 
25. Finish circular quilt
26. Finish my son’s memory quilt
27. Volunteer somewhere, doing something I believe in
    * World Book Night ( http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/ ) April 23, 2012. 
28. Go horseback riding
29. Buy a scooter
30. Go on the Seattle Underground Tour
31. Go berrying, and make something delicious with the gleanings - August 2012, went blackberrying and made a cobbler!
32. Go clamming/fishing/shrimping/some sort of seafood-ing
33. Try a Geoduck - Jan. 2013
34. Get my motorcycle license
35. Dress up in costume and go out on the town
36. Design my own knitting/crochet pattern and put it up on Ravelry - Jan. 2012
37. Go roller skating - Dec. 2012
38. Have professional pics taken of my son and I together - Jan. 2012
39. Fulfill one fantasy - Feb. 2012 - wouldn’t YOU like to know! :P
40. Take my son on a ferry ride - Jan. 2012
41. Do something for a friend that is a personal sacrifice, without expectations…and without telling them it’s a hardship - Feb. 2012
42. Pay for a stranger’s coffee or meal anonymously - March 2012
43. Leave a $20 where a stranger will find it with a love note on it - Feb. 2012
44. Go on a trip out of state - New York City, April 2012!
45. Reconnect in person with a friend I haven’t seen in at least two years - June 2012. Hi, Brandon!
46. See the Northern Lights
47. Eat at a restaurant featured on Food Network - Nathan’s Famous at Coney Island, April 2012!
48. Knit a pair of socks
49. Take myself out to a movie, alone - Feb. 2012
50. Write down five things to be grateful for on a daily basis (blessings, good things that happened, something that made me smile that day, etc.) - I’m finding it very hard to do this one, simply because I don’t REMEMBER to do it every day.
    
51. Visit the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim
52. Attend a non-dating, non-sexual poly community event at least once a month
53. Go whale watching to see the Orcas in the Sound
54. Have a picnic on a beach
55. Attend a pole-dancing class - April 2012
56. Go to a live professional sports event
57. Visit the Sound at least once a month (waterfront, ride a ferry, walk on the beach)
58. Take a class to learn a new skill - April 2012
59. Watch the Star Wars series in “Machete Order” - March 4, 2012 - omg, it’s amazing! I can’t stress enough…watch Star Wars in this order! It reminded me why I fell in love with the story in the first place.
60. Forgive my ex-husband
61. Read “The Tao of Pooh” - Nov. 2012
62. Begin attending blues classes and dances on a much more regular basis
63. Get a regular group together for karaoke
64. Go mini golfing
65. Go on a helicopter ride
66. Take a flying lesson
67. Sing a song at karaoke that I consider very difficult (might be a hard song, or just one that is not my typical genre…get out of my comfort zone) - performed this version of ‘Creep’ at Polycamp, Aug. 2012
68. Make up a recipe for a Brat Cocktail - 4 oz Simply Apple juice, 2 shots ginger vodka, dark chocolate covered ginger chopped fine and applied to the rim. YUM.
69. Learn/plan/execute a pagan ritual - planned, written out
70. See a live show - Flogging Molly, March 2012
71. Cosplay at a con - Emerald City Comic Con, March 2012
72. Visit New York City - April 2012!
73. Navigate a subway/public transit system in a new city by myself - April 2012!
74. Say ‘no’ directly to something I don’t want to do, rather than trying to squirrel my way out of it to avoid conflict (in particular, to an aggressive person who wants to touch/kiss/get intimate with me when I don’t want to)
75. Learn how to do #74 on a regular basis
76. Go kayaking
77. Take a SCUBA class
78. Use my graphic design skills as a freelancer
79. Find a beer/ale/draft I enjoy - July 2012, Discovered I really like Hefeweizen!
80. Celebrate the first of May (link is NSFW) - July 2012
81. Go camping - May 2012
82. Lay in an open area on a sunny day and just…be - April 2, 2012
83. Do #82 at least once a month.
84. Snuggle with someone under the stars - April 14, 2012
85. Go on a romantic weekend getaway - July 2012
86. Come up with a yummy recipe for a certain someone who has more food allergies than anyone I’ve ever met - and cook it for her - April 15, 2012
87. Host one of the main parties at the Center - More!Con April 15, 2012
88. Begin to push my comfort zone on a regular basis
    * Will be hosting the Meet Market portion of PolyStrip at the Center
    * Will be performing at the Polycamp variety show 
89. Go a little higher/farther every time I climb
90. Find a particular route at the climbing gym that freaks me out, and conquer it. - April 2012
91. Then find another one, and conquer it. Rinse, repeat. - this has become one of my favorite parts of climbing, the constant challenge.
92. Learn to belay - April 7, 2012
93. Get COMFORTABLE with belay, and belay my main climbing partner (who outweighs me) - May 2012
94. Go climbing at least once a week
95. Get a membership at the climbing gym - April 2012
96. Get hiking boots and break them in
97. Do the SaddleRock hike/climb - May 2012 (did the Peshastin Pinnacles instead)
98. See Aerosmith in concert - Aug 2012
99. Play with henna
100. Plan and moderate a panel for Polycamp - Aug. 2012 (planned and moderated THREE!)
101. Finish the red hooded cape I’ve been working on for three months - Feb. 2012
102. Try a new food at least once a month
     * Pani Puri May 2012 
     * Samosas June 2012
     * Butter chicken July 2012 
103. Go camping with my son - June 2012
104. Participate in a marathon/run of some sort
105. Visit friends in Vancouver, B.C. - July 2012
106. Go hot air ballooning
107. Visit some hot springs
108. Road trip to the Pizza Research Institute in Oregon
109. Visit the Sock Dreams store in Portland
110. Overnight in an aquarium