21 Before 21

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #10:

Change

This year has been rough, but at the same time, I can't complain. My level of trials has been much lower many others.' I just don't want to say that very loudly and tempt fate. 

Now that we are approaching the final quarter of the year, I've been thinking, why not go out on a good note? Of course, I'm terrified of what could happen over the next three months, and I'm even more scared of what could go down in 2021, but I can still attempt to end the year well, right? 

In order to change my tune for 2020, I decided to make a list of 21 goals to accomplish before 2021. Some of these things are easy, some are challenging, some will keep me focused, and some will be a lot of work for Scotty (see #s 5-8). When this year is done, I hope to have all 21 goals crossed off my list so I can close the year feeling like something good came out of it.  

Here are my 21 goals:

1. No soda for the rest of the year.

I haven't had any soda since Labor Day, and I want to keep going. If I can do this, I will have spent nine months of 2020 soda-free with a brief love affair between June and August.

2. Finish reading Jesus the Christ. 

As I write this, I'm on chapter 11. 

3. Try 10 new recipes. 

That ends up being about one a week for the rest of the year with room to skip a week or two. 

4. Get a haircut.

Just a trim actually. I'm very bad at keeping up on my hair, and I've lost a few inches of length over the past year from letting my ends get too damaged. 

Update: I've made my appointment.

5. Don't eat out for a month. 

This is not by choice. It's Nicky's thing. The other day he wrote up a contract about not eating out in October. He put so much effort into it that I felt I had to oblige. I signed the contract. Fortunately it has a clause that allows us to go out to eat by invitation. But Scotty and I aren't allowed to invite each other. The dang kid has thought of everything!

Nicky's contract

6. Finish the closet doors in the basement.

Hopefully putting this on the list will keep us from taking another six months (or six years) to get the job done.

7. Get the door hung on the storage room.

It's not like the storage room we built five years ago still doesn't have a door or anything... ahem...

8. Hang the closet doors in the kids' bedrooms.

Also not sitting doorless for five years... ahem...

9. Weigh less on December 31 than I weigh today.

One pound, and I can cross this crap off the list.

10. Walk 250 miles. 

That equals just over 2.5 miles per day. Nothing crazy. I am only counting intentional walking and not my daily steps (i.e. I have to actually go for a walk - going up and down my stairs 18 times a day carrying laundry doesn't count). 

11. Do 2,000 push-ups.

That's about 21 push-ups per day. I can do that. 

12. Do a DI run.

I have several bags of stuff I need to donate, but I keep procrastinating. 

13. Clean out the garden. Done!

I've been known to let plant carcasses hang out through the winter. Not this year. This year will be a no-plant-carcass year! I'm determined!

I also need to clean out our composter and take it to my friend I promised it to. I think my exact words were, "I'll bring it over... sometime..." 

14. Try something new. Done!

I tried something new! Stay tuned. 

15. Finish 9 books.

That will take me to a total of 75 books completed in 2020. Honestly, I'll probably finish more than 9 books, but 75 is a nice, well-rounded number to strive for. Can I make it to 100? Maybe... but I'm going to stick with 75 and consider everything over that extra credit. I need to overachieve at something every now and again. 

16. Clean out the box of junk that's been sitting on the window seat in my bedroom since July.

It's time.

17. Go to the doctor.

I've been procrastinating a doctor visit for a long time. The provider I usually see left the practice, and I'm really sad about that. 

Update: I made the appointment.

18. Complete a study of temple symbols.

This is already in progress. I am reading 175 Temple Symbols and their Meanings by Donald Parry. Then there are a few podcasts I'd like to listen to, and I want to re-listen to a talk called Understanding the Sacred Symbolism of Temple Clothing. For extra credit, I will re-read The Holy Invitation by Anthony Sweat (but again, that's extra credit). 

19. Buy a dishwasher.

Eek! It's on the list. Gotta make it happen!

(Scotty, look! It’s on the list!!!)

20. Finish a self-reliance class.

I've been taking an emotional resilience class with my Church's Self-Reliance Services, which my stake is piloting. It concludes in November.  

21. Hang the sign over the washer and dryer that's been sitting on the floor for two months. 

It will take five minutes. I just need to do it!

For accountability, I'll be checking in every week or two. Here's to the next 95 days! Well, 94 by the time this post is published.