TURNING 40 DOING 40

So I’m turning 40 in less than 2 months…..geez whiz time flies! Where did my thirties go? 

I hope my forties will be just as thrilling but not as heartbreaking (no separation, no deaths, no loosing a job, no illnesses…one can wish).

As some of you might remember (probably not) I had said I would read up on Eleanor Roosevelt and I did.  She was an amazing woman.  She didn’t always have the right views in the beginning but turned around and did good (great) deeds.  I also read a book by Noelle Hancock.  When I read the summary I was like, geez that’s what happened to me, that is how I met Eleanor.  I absolutely loved the book My Year with Eleanor. It is definitely a must-read if you are at a standstill in your life and are in need of inspiration/motivation.

You must do the things you think you cannot do. (Eleanor Roosevelt)

So here I am now.  I decided not long ago that I wanted to put a list together of 40 things  I wanted to do/have/see during my 40th year on this planet we call life. Its not exactly like Noelle as I don’t necessarily fear everything but I’d like for once in my life to have a sense of accomplishment and see things through to the end. Some of them are silly and some are not. There is no special order in the list and I hope some of you will take part in it with me.

#1 Trapeze

Juste like Noelle I want to take a trapeze lesson. DONE  We did it at Trapezium in Montreal.

#2 Skydiving

It as long be a long dream of mine to fly on my own. Although I have yet to try it, I did go Paragliding in Medellin while on my honeymoon. Does that count?

#3 Poll Dancing

Take a poll dancing class…some of you remember our late nights in a bar and a column…thought at my age it was time to take up some training.

#4 Travel to Vietnam

Make it to Vietnam which keeps eluding me for some reason. DONE.

I was lucky enough in 2020, thanks to Jacky , to make this dream of mine come true. For some reason, since I was a teenager, I had always been fascinated by Vietnam. It did not disappoint.

#5 Travel to San Francisco

Make it to San Francisco where my soul is. DONE

Although I did not find my soul there, I really LOVED OUR trip to San Francisco.

#6 Visit Tango

My father (Tango) passed away in 2013. It was during that time that I was traveling to Peru with my kids and my brother. I have yet to go on his grave. DONE

My now-husband, made us all go to Normandy in France so that I could get that done.

#7 Quit smoking

Still not done but on my way. No need to judge me. Unlike you guys, I didn’t quit partying until recently. However, I have severely reduced….

#8 Run a half marathon

As much as I see it as a great challenge, I am nowhere near accomplishing it.

#9 Exercise

Does dancing count as exercising? I need to integrate exercising as part of my daily weekly routine. DONE

Taking Taekwondo classes with Blondie Bear.

#10 Prison Break or Tough Mudder

I’m always up for a challenge. Anyone interested in joining me?

#11 Loose weight

Ideally, I’d love to loose like 15 pounds not just for aesthetics but for health reasons as well (no seriously).

#12 Find my dream place

Find our dream place where Junior can finally have his own room. DONE July 14th, 2017.

We’ve been working on it ever since.

#13 Get engaged

Sign a deal with Big Boss. DONE

We got engaged on January 2nd, 2017 while in Normandy. We got married July 2019.

#14 Coldplay

When Junior was 12, I took him to his first concert. We saw Coldplay. It was awesome and I hope I can do the same with Blondie Bear. DONE

We saw them on August 8th, 2017 in Montreal and it was wonderful.

#15 Health problems

Get my health problems resolved. DONE

Everything is A OK (for now). I’ve had some back problems since 2015. Now in 2018, everything seems to be under control.

#16 Peace

Make peace with Hulk and have a sit down meal with all parties…(tough one). DONE

Surprisingly, we were able to pull that one off in the Fall of 2019! Better late than never.

#17 Vegas baby

Go to Vegas/NYC or Miami with Banana to celebrate our 40th…you all are welcomed to join, the more the merrier.  THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN

#18 Dexterity

Help Blondie Bear overcome his dexterity problems. Currently working on exercises.

#19 High School Diploma

Help Junior improve his French and have a successful school year which will be decisive for the next two years to come. Getting a math tutor. DONE He passed!

#20 Mayo for me

Quit eating mayo (laugh you will but it is a problem). Haven’t bought any and hasn’t been in my fridge for over 2 weeks now. Old habits however die hard.

#21 Mayo for Junior

Help Junior quit eating mayo. It’s an ongoing process.

#22 Shop Local

Shop more at local markets (I used to love this). DONE

#23 Cooking Classes

Take up a cooking class with Big Boss. DONE

Although we haven’t taken real cooking classes, we have trying out a whole lot of new receipes!

#24 Scuba Diving

I would love to take a scuba diving class with Junior. DONE

Ok, it’s partially done since Junior took the class on his own through the Air Cadets program.

Ok now i’m wondering how i’m supposed to do all this in one year……

Probably the happiest period in life most frequently is in middle age, when the eager passions of youth are cooled, and the infirmities of age not yet begun; as we see that the shadows, which are at morning and evening so large, almost entirely disappear at midday. Eleanor Roosevelt

#25 Read books

Start reading my books again….So many are just waiting in my living room to be read and then following up on a small research based on a theme in the book.  I had started doing it and then got lazy or life happened. DONE

I bought a bunch of books and reading the book I bought in SF: Nothing ever dies (Vietnam and the Memory of War), Viet Thanh Nguyen.

#26 Go on an adventure

Noelle went to the Kilimanjaro… I had never really thought about it before than…but if you want to overcome your fears and yourself that would be a good place to do so. However, I don’t think I have neither enough vacation time nor money to take on such an adventure in my 40th year.

#27 Spooning

More spooning with Big Boss. Apparently, we don’t spoon enough according to him and its a problem….DONE

#28 Family from Afar

I would like to figure out a plan on how to see Zazou and Doudou more regularly so our kids can see each other more often as well and be a more united family despite the ocean separating us. DONE

Met in Paris 2016, Reykjavik 2017 , Casablanca 2018, and for my wedding in 2019!

#29 Paintball

I have alway wanted to try this. How painful can it be? DONE

Let me tell you, it’s really painful when you get hit in the head. But I survived with just one minor bruise to show for it.

#30 Canoe Camping

My adventurous soul wants to try canoe-camping. DONE  

That was an adventure. I am not sure if I wanna try it again.

#31 Green thumb

After #12 is done, I would like to start growing things.  I need to try myself at gardening again. DONE

Growing tomatoes and herbs.

#32 Dancing

Get Big Boss to start dancing something (HELP!!!!!) in case we do sign a deal (#13)…that is still an ongoing work in progress.

#33 Skiing

Take my kids’ skiing . Slopes aren’t far but I’m just too lazy to go there (plus it is expensive so got to figure out how to make it happen). Booked in February for a weekend. DONE

#34 Bicycle

Buy a bike and ride a bike (need #12 again for that to happen…..starting to see a pattern here).

#35 Pray

Learn how to pray so that Donal Trump doesn’t get elected or else you will all be moving to Canada. Ok this one doesn’t count for real. EPIC FAIL!

#36 Happy

Be happy (aka satisfied). DONE

#37 Happy and thankful

Be happy, thankful for what I already have and be loved. It’s an eternal ungoing process isn’t it?

#38 Batting Cages

Always wanted to try this.

#39 Shooting range

Let my dark side come out and blow of steam!

#40 Who knows?

I’m going to leave that one open.

This list isn’t to solve things but to bridge the gap between the past and future and prepare myself for the next half of my life.  Some items on the list will be a one time thing but others are meant to establish grounds for a new behaviour in myself.

Life isn’t meant to be lived with regrets.  It needs to be lived to its fullest and if I want to continue succeeding in doing so, this is what I have to do.  Doing things with and for my kids is part of the plan and also my responsibility. I want to better myself in all shapes and forms. Therefore, I need to be healthier and happier in order to accomplish what I have yet to accomplish in the second half of my life. Who’s with me?

What does turning 40 mean to you? Let me know in the comments below.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt