Tag Archives: Challenges

the pre-30 list

Posted on May 8 | Leave a comment

the pre-30 list

Each birthday I write a list of goals that I want to achieve by the next birthday, this originally started with 101 in 1001 days a couple of years ago that never really happened – I wrote the list but then didn’t really have the drive to complete all the goals. I reduced this to “26 before I’m 27” or which ever birthday was coming up next.

This year I turned 27 – 27 goals would be easy to achieve but then I decided – what about writing a bigger list that would cover until I’m 30. And so that’s what this post is all about. I started the list with help from some friends including Liz from Little Red Welly. Then when I was getting stuck I gave the list to Chris and asked him to add some – thankfully he thinks out the box and aims higher than I seem to do.

So here is the list – the deadline is April 27th 2016 (interestingly about a month after my Dad turns 60!)

  1. One thing that scares me
  2. One thing that I’ve always wanted to do
  3. One thing I haven’t done since childhood
  4. One thing that does something nice for someone else
  5. One thing you would be proud to tell your grandkids about
  6. Lead 6 people to Jesus
  7. Visit a country I’ve been to
  8. Visit a new western country
  9. Visit a new eastern country
  10. Indoor Skydive
  11. Skydive
  12. Perform on stage
  13. Learn to ride (horses? unicycle? tricycle? ideas?)
  14. Do a skidpan course
  15. Learn a new language
  16. Learn to make coffee and try each one!
  17. Light a fire without matches or a lighter
  18. Dye hair a crazy colour
  19. Make jam
  20. Teach an older person to get online
  21. Make a quilt
  22. Make a scrapbook
  23. Create a short film
  24. Get a new job……or vocation
  25. Go Paintballing (Thanks to Our Sidekick!)
  26. Climb the Cheddar Gorge
  27. Visit the Millau Viaduct, South France
  28. Go go-kart racing
  29. Get BMI to “normal” bracket
  30. Save a life (Chris recommended this one – I think it needs more clarification!)
  31. Help build something (building)
  32. Read the New Testament
  33. Cycle holiday, at least 20 miles per day
  34. Trust God to provide me with something bigger than I’ve ever trusted him before (money, house, etc)
  35. Get hair wrapped in coloured dreadlocks
  36. Heal someone or cast out a demon
  37. Be interviewed on radio or TV
  38. Make ice cream

This is the list as it stands, some ideas are going to take saving up and things like that, it’s also going to take a lot of planning – some bits I can do right away others I can’t but I hope you will join me on the adventure. If you have suggestions for other goals I’d love to hear them – let me know.

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Posted in #thepre30list, Achievements, Adventures, Bible, Birthday

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nine: the happiness project

Posted on January 9 | 8 Comments

Like last year I am attempting to read 30 books before 2013 finishes like I attempted in 2012. Last year I got as far as 27 books in comparison Claire at Pipe Dreams and Professions read over 200 (how she managed that I have no idea!)

I’m currently on Book Four – technically it’s kinda book two as two of the books were flash fiction so I finished them in one night. Anyway I’m currently reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. (You can read her website here)

http://yoginiannie.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/book-report-happiness-project.html

Click for source (Looks like a good blog too!)

Hence some of crazy posts I’ve been sending to Facebook and Twitter.

I think part of The Happiness Project is to write your own targets and do what suits your life style. Well I got started with some prompts from the book – I’ve been stepping around piles of clothes for weeks. When I was ill before Christmas they were stacked up to make sure that the exit of the bedroom was clear but then it all merged again.

I got drastic. I mean I got REALLY drastic.

After work, I popped to the supermarket to grab some bin bags (we didn’t have any at home – they must have been eaten or something lol), I also grabbed some resealable sandwich bags for job number 2.

When I got home it didn’t quite go to plan to start with but I got it sorted. Job Number One – Clear out my wardrobe.

I spent most of the evening sorting out the clothes that I haven’t worn in ages or that are too small.

I had some how ended up with six pairs of jeans, some aren’t wearable as they have worn out in places so I couldn’t put them in a charity bag but at the same time I didn’t want to throw them out as it would be a waste of the useable fabric. I posted on Facebook to see if anyone could suggest a use for them – most of the suggestions involved making the jeans into something else which I would normally do but I think three of the pairs of jeans have been in my cupboard for that purpose and I’ve never got round to doing anything with them. So rather than keep them I needed something else to do with them.

In my case, it turns out a friend of a friend makes amazing goodies from old pieces of fabric. Caroline is a friend of a friend and she creates goodies that she sells to raise money for schools in Utange which is near Mombasa in Kenya. You can find out further information here on Caroline’s Blog.

I'm reading the #happinessproject by @gretchenrubin. I came home from work sandwich bags in hand and started on the #mandrawer. #during
Job Number 2 was back down in the kitchen – technically I did it first before going upstairs and starting on the wardrobe but I was more excited about the wardrobe that I had to tell you. We have a drawer in our kitchen that we call “The Man Drawer” it’s where the odd birthday candles, the old electricity meter card and the allen key set are. But it all gets in a muddle so I used the resealable sandwich bags to group everything together – I imagine that the system will probably not work in the long run but it’s a way to start.

I'm reading the #happinessproject by @gretchenrubin. I came home from work sandwich bags in hand and started on the #mandrawer. #after

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Posted in Achievements, Challenges, one whole year

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197: 15 Day Challenge – July 15th

Posted on July 15 | Comments Off

Joining with Sar from Life of Love

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

It’s not exactly a compliment more a reaction to something I did. I’m known for virtually living in trousers – occasionally I’ll wear a skirt and dress up but I’d say 98% of the times it’s jeans, smart trousers or shorts.

On the day of my wedding I wore a dress – of course I couldn’t get married in jeans and my DMs! I stood in my bedroom and was all sorted out, my best friend Kewey came in to take a look at me in my dress and she was gob smacked and just said how lovely I looked. Then my Dad came in. I’ve never seen him cry but he welled up.

When we got to the church we stood in the small hall at the back getting ready to walk down to the front to meet Chris. My Dad was on my left and my cousins and Chris’s sister were hovering around getting ready to walk down before me. I looked over to my cousins D and M and they were both scraping their chins off the floor. Apparently I looked good lol.

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Posted in #15DayChallenge, July

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031: 100 Words Challenge (Week 29)

Posted on January 31 | 7 Comments

100 Words
You can find the prompt here.

100 Word Challenge: Week 29

I call her from the other side of the world and her phone goes straight to voicemail.

“Mum, I’m pretty sure when your only daughter is the other side of the world, you don’t ignore international calls in case it’s an emergency.” I paused, I was joking but she might take it as a telling off.

“Mum, I’m going to be landing at Heathrow on Wednesday. The project finished early – it made more sense to come home then hang around and fork out for a hotel.”

I hung up the phone.

Twenty four hours to kill, what should I do?

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Posted in 100 Words, Challenges

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021: 25 Before I’m 26 (An Update – 3/4)

Posted on January 21 | Comments Off

Back in April when I turned 25 I wrote my 25 Before I’m 26 list. It’s now about 9 months through the year – I managed to complete another goal today so wanted to update you all.

  1. Read Love Wins by Rob Bell
  2. Take part in the “Messiah From Scratch” (Christmas 2o11) (Done – November 2011)
  3. Watch Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (July 2011) (Done – July 2011)
  4. Re-read Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (Done – July 2011)
  5. Go on an adventure within the UK on my own (Done – April 2011)
  6. Read The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (In Progress)
  7. Make 10 items to open an Etsy Store
  8. Fix my Bike
  9. Go on a road trip (Done – 28th April 2011)
  10. Watch 100 films (100/100)
  11. Read 5 biographies
  12. Learn and Memorise 10 scales on the Bass Guitar
  13. Read 3 of the 6 Jane Austen novels (In Progress)
  14. Watch the 3 Lord of The Ring Films (again) (1/3)
  15. Read the 3 Lord of The Ring Books.
  16. Meet @Ellefie in person (If you don’t read it go read her blog – she’s my birthday buddy).
  17. Watch all 17 Studio Ghibli feature films (no 18 is being released in July 2011 – 7/17 as of 1st May).
  18. Watch Breakfast At Tiffany’s. (Done – 1st May 2011)
  19. Finish His Image My Image by Josh McDowell. (Done)
  20. Finish One Day by David Nicholls (Done – 1st May 2011)
  21. Go to a concert.(Done – 8th May 2011)
  22. Cook a Roast Dinner
  23. Home make at least one Christmas Present (Done)
  24. Read My Life in France by Julia Childs and Alex Prud’Homme. (Done)
  25. Cycle to Sandy and back

1st May 2011 – Completed 3
8th May 2011 – Completed: 4
23rd May 2011 – Completed: 4
8th July 2011 – Completed: 9
22nd October 2011 – Completed: 10
12th December 2011 – Completed: 12 In Progress: 2
15th January 2012 – Completed 14 In Progress: 2

So I have 14 goals completed and 11 to go – some are easier than others, some might have to wait until April (It’s far too cold to cycle to Sandy and back at the moment!) I want to write a new list for next year but I’m not sure what to do – I want the challenges to be actual challenges rather than “do this” or “do that” goals as some of mine were too easy this year.

Have you written a list of goals for this year? Or between birthdays?

I read quite a few blogs and a few lists have appeared this week as people celebrate their birthdays. Becca D wrote one this week after being inspired by Elise Blaha Cripe back in December when she celebrated her birthday, Becca S and Mandy‘s have both appeared this week as they celebrate their birthdays (either last week or this week). So Happy Birthday ladies!!

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Posted in 25 Before I'm 26, Catch Up, Challenges

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016: 100 Word Challenge

Posted on January 16 | 2 Comments

You can find the prompt here.

100 Word Challenge: Week 27

This week is a bit different – rather than writing a story like normal, we are creating 100 word critiques of last weeks stories. Well first up I have to pick a story.

I chose this one from HerMelNess Speaks:

I looked down, aghast at the numbers blinking up at me.

That can’t be right.

Since that would mean I weighed the equivalent of a light aeroplane or a baby elephant. Or maybe a not so light aircraft and a full-sized adult elephant. I’ll look up those statistics after replacing the batteries in these damned scales.

That would be it, of course.

Deficient batteries leaking spurious, poisonous LED digits.

Albeit a nagging voice, lodged somewhere in the pit of my large stomach, opines I might regret the way I acted with that Sales Assistant, since 175 lbs would not, indeed, fit into that Aquamarine dress.

 And here’s my critique:

I know this feeling, standing on the scales and being convinced that the scales are lying. I’ve found standing on one leg or leaning funny doesn’t really work. I love the idea that the batteries some how leak extra digits onto the display.

I like how the prompt words we were given by Julia blend into the story and have become part of it rather than just squished in here and there to make sure you complete the goal.. I did have to look up what “opines” meant as after the first reading I thought it was a typing error,

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011b: 100 Word Challenge: Week 26

Posted on January 11 | 13 Comments

100WCGU

You can find the prompt here.

100 Word Challenge: Week 26

It’s been one of those weeks where I can’t wait for the weekend to get here – then again I messed up my Blogging Plan this week. Hopefully I’ll get it fixed next week – instead today there are two posts.

Anyway I will quit my whining and get on with my story because that is why you are here.

I sat up in bed and my head started to swim. The aquamarine and magenta spots flashed in front of my eyes again. The lights are like a camera flash dancing across my retinas over and over again. I then clutched at my head as the aeroplane noise repeated in my ears like excruciating tinnitus. When were the doctors going to find out what was wrong with me. They acted as if they knew what it was and how to treat it but really they all looked at me aghast, was I some form of medical mystery after the accident.

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100 Word Challenge: Week 23

Posted on December 13 | 13 Comments

I nearly avoided this one but I think I have something now. You can find the prompt here.

It’s to the tune of O Holy Night which is one of my favourites. The idea is to take a traditional Christmas carol as make the words about dinner. Well my mine is Christmas food rather than dinner. Does that still count?

Just have one more
A choccy for your belly
Don’t worry about the scales
Until New Year

Instead of

O holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the dawn of our dear saviours birth.

What do you think?

If you want to hear it you can see Josh Groban sing it here.

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Day 45: Valentines

Posted on February 14 | 3 Comments

I keep looking at the Daily Drop Cap and wanting to some how use it and somehow I fail completely – I get distracted by something else to blog about but here I am. So Happy Valentines Day and here is the post. I’m one of those people that really struggled with Valentines Day. By the time I was in my teens I’d kinda pretend that it didn’t matter but I was kinda gutted each time that I didn’t get a card (right I’m sure that I’m not the only one right?!).

Well Valentine’s is one of those “holidays” that kinda gets celebrated and kinda doesn’t – but this year was the best. Last year me and Chris had a disagreement on Valentine’s Day and spent most of the day mad at each other (Yup I know not so good) but today was good. Last night before going to sleep I put Chris’s card on his pillow. He has Mondays off and I don’t so I wanted to leave it for him so that he could open it when he got to that point rather than me waking him and him being grumpy while I charge round getting ready for work. Well I went to work and didn’t really think any more of it. Chris isn’t the kind to send flowers to work or anything like that so I didn’t really think about it. I got in the car and drove home. I’ve been having a bit of a pants time at work recently either because I’m just not feeling it or because there is genuinely something wrong. Today was a genuinely wrong day but could have been a not feeling it day, and you wonder why I can’t tell if I’m coming or going lol.

So I get home and there is a full production line in the kitchen – Chris is on a mission and is cooking dinner. On the menu: ham, eggs and chips (or other potato product in the end) with veggies and baked beans. He was on a mission so I said hi and then went to check my phone so that I didn’t get in the way. And there it was. Chris had posted a video on Facebook called The Photographic Adventures of Han and Chris – it was so adorable. The Kiwi got in from work and before she’d even got her coat off I passed her my phone and told her to watch it lol.

Chris asked The Kiwi if she wanted dinner with us as well so we all sat together and watched Top Gear while eating our dinner, The Kiwi was then going out with some friends and me and Chris sat on the living room floor and played Monopoly. I’m not a big fan but it’s like Chris’s favourite board game ever and he always wants to play to the death – well I died when he ended up with Hotels on the browns and 4 apartments/house on each of the. We have a new version of Monopoly but had it been the old version he had the hotels on Old Kent Road and Whitechapel and the the 4 apartment/houses on the Leicester Square, Coventry Street and Piccadilly.

By the time we finished at about 10pm I was so glad for it! I don’t mind playing but the card version means that you can’t physically see how much money you have left and things like that so that makes it a little more challenging. I do prefer the original in that I know what the streets are and where roughly they are on the board.

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Sore Throats and Tinnitus

Posted on October 20 | 1 Comment

That’s another goal to tick off.

Yesterday evening I went to see KT Tunstall in concert at The Junction in Cambridge.

Having not been to The Junction before I was a little concerned that we were going to be stood miles from the front and wouldn’t be able to see – how wrong was I! We were maybe around 50th in the queue to get in the building, we nipped off to the loo and to grab a drink before taking up our “seats” we were 3 rows from the front and other than the two big guys in front of us who pretty much video-ed the whole concert it was amazing.

The majority of the songs were new from the Tiger Suit album but there were a couple of flashbacks. KT and the band played False Alarm, Suddenly I See, Black Horse and The Cherry Tree – there was another but I can’t remember now. Doh!

I kept my ticket and meant to scan it in so that I could attach it to this post but I can’t find it grrr.

I took some photos on my phone but they are a bit fuzzy – thankfully one of the fab guys from The Junction was armed with a good camera and posted these images on Flickr.

KT Tunstall
KT Tunstall
(In the bottom picture of the two you can see Charlotte the guitarist on the left hand  side I was 3 rows in a straight line from her. AWESOME!)

I came out with a killer sore throat and when I got home it dawned on me that I had minor tinnitus. I sat in bed and could hear my ears ringing lol. Luckily when I got up this morning apart from being shattered the tinnitus had calmed down and I was about ready to take on the world.

The warm up act was called Slow Club and they are from Sheffield. I bought a copy of their CD and Giving Up On Love has been on repeat quite a few times.

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