anyway, a lot of what i've been doing this holiday is internet surfing, and i've spent a fair amount of time over at A Beautiful Mess. something i discovered while perusing this mighty fine blog is that both Elsie and Emma have adopted the tradition of birthday lists. each year, when their birthdays roll around, they make a list of things they'd like to accomplish over the course of that year, with as many goals as their newly-turned age. so, for instance, when Elsie turned 28, she had a list of 28 goals, and called it "28 before 29" - 28 things to try to achieve before turning 29. awesome, right? :)
of course, when i was thinking up goals to put on my list, i came up with a solid 21 things that i really want to do. instead of, you know, TWENTY things. because tomorrow i turn TWENTY. well done, Hannah! so i decided to change the rules, and make the number of my goals equal to the age that i'll be approaching all year. problem solved ;)
without further ado, then, here's my twenty-one before twenty-one:
1. learn to make macarons
...because i love the suckers, and have had them so seldom, and apparently need to challenge myself. i've been doing a ton of research (online, of course... ha!) and i'm ready to make my first attempt later this week. i am determined to make them awesome... and blog about them ;)
2. sew a dress
...because i've been planning to do this forever, and i have the fabric already (cute cherry print, guys!) - so it's about time i made a start :)
3. design something that captivates me
i'm so excited about focussing on Communication Design this year, and getting hands-on, practical knowledge and know-how from people who are so good at what they do - so i'm challenging myself to design something this year that i can sit back and be 150% proud of upon its completion.
4. write a love song
yay, soppiness! :) really though, i'd like to write a funny, cutesy, cheesy love song. i don't really care how stupid or inane it is... ha!
5. learn basic guitar chords (by heart!)
...because guitar is awesome, and i can think of very little better than sitting around strummin' on a guitar and singing my own versions of songs - and the best way to start is to learn the basics.
6. take a trip to St Matthews
this little missionary settlement near to Grahamstown has been a part of my heart since i read Marguerite Poland's Shades all of 3 and a half years ago, and i've wanted to visit it since moving to Grahamstown... so i reckon it's about time i get my act together.
7. get rid of things i don't need
...which i've already started to do! i'm a serial pack rat, but have reached the point where i need to give away or throw away stuff that is no longer of any use to me - so it's an aim of mine this year to live with less.
8. write (at least) 10 poems
i wrote so little last year from a creative standpoint, and it pains me! even if they come out contrived or silly, i want to try to express myself in poetry again, and rekindle my little inner bard :)
9. donate blood regularly
...because it's something that i think is so important, and it also fell a little by the wayside last year.
10. plan an event from the ground up
what a terrifying thought, right? ;) but whether it be an Inkwenkwezi event or a party or a... something-else-that-isn't-one-of-those-two-things, i think it'd be cool to be involved in the planning of an event from its bare bones to its fruition. if it's a flop? ...well then, it's a flop ;)
11. start - and finish - a journal
*ahem* i am notoriously bad at this. i have numerous blank journals piling up in my room. no good, right? well, i plan to put a stop to it at once. i.e. starting tomorrow :)
12. learn a new dance
...because i miss ballroom dancing (which i was forced to do in high school) and i think it'd be a fun way to get up and get moving! even if it means i learn from a YouTube video, i don't mind. heck, maybe i'll invent a new dance. that'd be even better!
13. try a food i can't pronounce
...which will inevitably entail me stabbing at the menu for the waiter to see what dish i want while i massacre its pronunciation in an attempt to get my point across. 10 more points to me if i order it without knowing what's in it ;)
14. take better care of myself
...and by this, i mean get more sleep, get more exercise, and eat better. and any other positive life changes that can fit under this vague goal ;)
15. dance in the rain (at least once)
...because why not? "i don't know why, but with you i'd dance in a storm in my best dress..." - yeah, quoting Taylor Swift. let's move on!
16. learn to drive - and get my license
...which is possibly the most important goal, yo. because i'm twenty and i can sort-of drive an automatic car... in an empty parking lot... on a good day. sad.
17. write (at least) 10 heartfelt, handwritten letters
it's an art that needs reviving, which is all i'll say.
18. go to a Sharks game
...because IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG, and there're finally some opportunities for me to watch my beloved team live again :)
19. have a picnic
if i need to explain this, we have a problem. picnics are great :)
20. fly a kite
...because it's randomly awesome.
21. take more photographs
...because i want to document more of my daily life, and make a concerted effort to make this blog more of a personal account of that daily life - and what better way to do it than with photographs?
i'm gonna try my hardest to achieve these 21 things this year - but if i don't, i won't be heartbroken. i'd just like to work towards them for the fun of it!
otherwise, nearly happy 20th birthday to me... i'll leave you with an image of my dream cake ;)
and NOW it's time for me to bid you adieu as i prepare to follow and scream for the 49ers, who're taking on the Atlanta Falcons in the National League Championship - less than an hour to go!
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