recap of 24

24 -
Some things were harder than expected. Some things didn't turn out at all how I expected. Many unexpected things happened. I won a contest. I got a puppy. I got a spontaneous haircut. I went to South America. I went to a funeral. I created a lot of patterns. I got a henna tattoo. I got a real tattoo. I climbed a tree.

Not all of the things on the list got done. 100 push ups is too many. I tried really hard to run 5km in 30 minutes, but the best I could do was about 4.25km. The pallets are still sitting on my deck.

1. Shoot a gun
2. Run 5km in 30 minutes
3. Sell something in a store
4. Donate blood
5. Run through a sprinkler
6. Go to Asia
7. Dance
8. Take a Polaroid photo
9. Hike the Chilkoot
10. Camp under the stars
11. Go to Seattle
12. Build a snow fort
13. Go on a road trip
14. Volunteer
15. Jump
16. Sew something to wear
17. Build something with pallets
18. Take a kickboxing class
19. Do 100 push ups
20. Have a photo shoot
21. Swim
22. Be a better travel agent
23. Prepare a four course meal
24. Learn 50 words in Portuguese

 And some of my favorite pictures from the year

Tomorrow I'm posting my list of 25 - and celebrating my birthday on the island of Koh Tao in Thailand!

#6 - Go to Asia

 

I'm off to Thailand to cross #6 - Go to Asia - off my list.

 

I'll be posting on my travel blog while I'm away, and I have a few posts scheduled here while I'm away, including my list of 25!

 



#4 - Donate Blood

So when I put this on my list I didn't know that you can't even donate blood in the whole territory where I live. The nearest place to donate blood is either a 850 mile drive, or a 2 hour flight to Vancouver.

I had a long layover in Vancouver, so I booked my appointment. I hopped on the skytrain and went downtown. I got my "1st Time Donor" sticker. They tested my iron. They took my blood pressure. And then they took my pulse. And they took it again and again. Finally it was decided for me that I would not be donating blood because my pulse was above the "normal" range. And I was really disappointed.

I'll try again the next time I'm in a large city, but for now I've registered for the stem cell and marrow database. I've sent off my swabs, and I'm crossing this one off my list.

#8 & #9

Just over one month until my 25th birthday, I am quickly running out of time to complete my 24-to-do-list.

This weekend I crossed off #8: Take a polaroid photo
I bought a little Instax Mini, which prints little card-size photos. I am already planning to take it along on all my travel adventures so I can quickly snap a photo and stick it into my travel journal. I think it will be a fun addition to my camera gear.

I also crossed off #9: Hike the Chilkoot.
For those that don't know, the Chilkoot Trail is a 33 mile hike originating in Alaska and finishing in the Yukon, and was one of the two main routes to the Klondike in the Gold Rush.

To hike the whole thing, you need to train, buy really good gear, and be prepared to pack your supplies for 3 - 5 days. I didn't have time to do that, so we headed out on a day hike. We hiked five miles in, to Finnegan's Point (the first little mark on the map), had lunch and five miles out.

By the end, I was exhausted, had blisters, and was ready for a 12 hour nap.
Someday I will probably get really ambitious, buy really good hiking shoes, and attempt to do the whole trail, but for now, I'm crossing it off the list.

#23: Prepare a four course meal

I put this on my list because I don't cook real meals. I don't even really grocery shop. I practically sprint through the grocery store, grabbing the same items every week. I don't know where anything is in the grocery store, and I'm sure I had to go up and down every aisle three times to get the ingredients for this meal. I wanted to get better at actually making things that it's acceptable to serve other grown ups when they come to visit, rather than chicken wraps and pizza. I also wanted to get better at multitasking in the kitchen without having a meltdown. And all in all, it went pretty well.

Four courses is perhaps a bit much, but I think I will try and make grown-up meals a bit more often.

Checkmark!

# 11 - Go to Seattle

We spent the long easter weekend in Seattle. We had gorgeous weather. We ate delicious food. We sat in the sunshine. We did some shopping. We admired the neverending flowers at the Pike Place Market. We laughed at the river otters at the aquarium. We marveled at Chihuly Glass & Gardens. We went to the top of the Space Needle. We rode a giant ferris wheel.

 

It was an amazing mini vacation. One of my favorite cities.

#18 Take a kickboxing class

I'd had a disasterous attempt at Zumba this past year, so I was really hestitant to go to another fitness class where I didn't really know what to expect.
I learned many things.
It was challenging. My body is sore. I like punching. I'm uncoordinated. It was the last class until the fall, I'll definetly be back for more in the fall.

(I restrained myself from being the-girl-that-takes-photos-in-kickboxing-class, so this is a posed shot I made my boyfriend take when I got home)

#12 Build a snow fort

The time left in my 24th year is quickly winding down. I have just over three months, and many things left on my list. It seems like spring is coming as well, so I figured I better get to it and build a snow fort.

It was actually harder than I expected finding an adequate pile of snow, large enough for an adult sized snow fort.

#12 Build a Snow fort - Check!

 

 

 Now on to the next item!

#1 - Shoot a gun

So far this weekend I haven't had much time for creating, but I did cross #1 off my 24 list. And it was so much fun. 

Tomorrow - a day of patterns, sketches, maybe a bit of sewing, photos. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

#5

#5 Run through a sprinkler

We get like 7 days a year nice enough to run through the sprinkler, and this past weekend happened to be one of them.
So there, first item crossed off my list of 24.

And in other, extremely exciting news. I've just signed up for The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design online class with Rachael Taylor.

Looks like an amazing class, just a bit nervous for such a big time and $$ commitment!

24

23 was a good year. Today was a pretty fantastic last day at 23. The year brought more travel than I expected. Huge changes I didn't see coming. Guacamole sandwiches. Near death experiences. Climbing waterfalls. Good stuff. 

In 24 I am looking forward to just as much travel. And to do more. Just get up and go. Paint. Make mistakes. Spend less time figuring out how I want to do it. And just do it.

Its starting off tomorrow with mimosas and crepes. We'll see where the day goes from there.