Sunday, November 2, 2014

The #33list Is On!

I couldn’t wait until next week.

After going over last year’s birthday bucket list, I was too excited to stop writing and lo, the #33list is complete!

I wish someone would invent a term for lists like this. It’s not a bucket list, because I’m not trying to do these things before I die. It’s a joie de vivre list, if you like: a list for being alive—quite the opposite of a bucket list. That French phrase is particularly apt. It means, literally, “joy of living.” In English, we use it to refer to a “keen or buoyant enjoyment of life” (Merriam-Webster), “a cheerful enjoyment of life; an exultation of spirit” (Wikipedia), and “a delight in being alive…[a] love of life” (urbandictionary.com). I myself like Google’s definition best: “an exuberant enjoyment of life.” A list not just for living life, but enjoying it; and not just for enjoying life, but doing so exuberantly!

I’m sure things like “French” and “exuberant enjoyment” coming from me are no surprise for those of you who know me well. :) What might surprise you, however, is that I don’t always enjoy life so exuberantly.

Now, I’m not saying that trying new restaurants or reading good books or seeing a play in a park will restore all joy and meaning in life. No, no, I’m not that shallow. But I’ve realized over the last few years (especially since entering into the microcosm of marriage and motherhood) that I have a serious problem with negativity. I focus on the worst, blow it out of proportion until it’s all I can see, and then it crushes me. And when one is sleep deprived, relatively isolated, and facing the eternal monotony of dishes and “what should I make for dinner,” it’s easy to slowly shut down and wish for everything to go away.

Ultimately, I know that real joy is divine. And ultimately, real joy is my goal (see #’s 27 and 1 on my list, in that order). So why make a point of enjoying so many quotidian, non-eternal things? Because in the midst of pursuing a deeper, more meaningful spiritual life, I still have a very unspiritual, totally mundane component to my life—as do we all. There is nothing spiritual, universal or (thank God!) eternal about laundering cloth diapers or keeping an overpriced apartment clean. There is nothing, NOTHING wonderful or meaningful about simultaneously fighting a cold and waking up 4-5 times a night with a ravenous baby on a growth spurt. (Motherhood is deeply meaningful, but let’s be honest: sometimes it’s just plain rough.) All these things are, I think, what most people refer to as “the daily grind,” and frankly all the grinding is wearing me thin.

I want to be a thankful, joyful person (spiritually as well as emotionally—and the latter has a big effect on the former). So this joie de vivre list is my way of forcing myself not only to enjoy my daily grind, but to remind myself of just how much I have to be joyful about and thankful for; it’s to help me find my way to the things that matter, along with the things that don’t matter so much (whether fun or no).

So, here we go! Joy List round two is officially begun!

I promise my next post will have lots more pictures and a lot less verbiage.

1. Establish a morning routine – Must include #27.
2. Read the New Testament once a month for 6 months – Starting in January, a very good place to start.
3. Read 1 new Life-Study – Suggestions? One of the short ones, please.
4. Visit as many parks as possible in the San Jose area
5. Go to an art exhibit (preferably free)
6. Go to a concert – And by concert I mean orchestral, symphonic, or operatic. Ballet also counts. Yes, I’m a nerd.
7. Celebrate Doughvember by perfecting recipes for sourdough, whole wheat sandwich bread, traditional French baguette, English muffins, whole wheat hamburger buns, pizza dough, brioche, croissants, biscuits, and doughnuts – Whew! If you visit/live near me (or if I visit you), expect to be the recipient (willing or no) of homemade, yeast-related goods. They will probably be the mistakes, but it’s not a comment on our relationship so don’t take it personally.
8. Try at least 3 new eateries in our area – 3 is just the minimum!
9. Buy new running shoes (finally)
10. No Facebook or Instagram for a month (Pinterest is ok) – Let’s go ahead and make that month January. Does anything exciting happen in January?
11. No TV until 8pm for a month (includes YouTube and random internet videos) – Making it official and public: I’m doing this for the month of November! Mostly because we’ll be really busy and I probably won’t have time for TV anyway. #stillcounts
12. Finish my embroidery project – I’ll post a really cute picture when I do. :)
13. Organize Ax’s room
14. Pick fruit in an orchard (or wherever it is fruit comes from)
15. Travel outside the US – Still dreaming of the UK, but I’ll settle for Italy if I must. ;)
16. Visit Athens & Atlanta, GA – Always on my mind. Always.
17.  Figure out what I want to be when I grow up, and start doing it – I’m allowed to change my mind, but for heaven’s sake I need to start doing something.
18. Memorize the book of Philippians
19. Lose the baby weight – Using the Bikini Body Workout by Kayla Itsines. No, I will NOT be posting bikini selfies to document the process. I might decide to take a tasteful “before/after” pic in the same (modest, fully clothed) outfit. It’s a 12 week regimen, so start date: November 3; end date: January 24.
20. Try StitchFix! (when I lose the baby weight) – Target date: February 2015.
21. Blog at least twice a month
22. Finish making every recipe in Barefoot in Paris
23. Finish baby shower thank you notes before Thanksgiving – If you gave us something, we are SO grateful and you WILL get a card that proves it!
24. Write every day M-F for a month (1 hour? 500 words? 1000 words?) – Another good Janaury project,  I think, since I’ll need something else to do in place of checking Facebook and Instagram.
25. Finish my current translation project before New Year’s Eve
26. Make my chore schedule a habit – They say it takes a month. January’s getting a little crowded, but what better time to begin something new?
27. Make my soul happy in God first thing every morning - “The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord.” – George Müller. Your prayers for this one item are coveted. Frankly, I feel that this is a fight for my life. (I know, drama queen; but seriously. Something’s gotta give, and I don’t want it to be my faith.)
28. Stop moping over my Pinterest fashion board and give myself a complete, brand new, head-to-toe fall/winter look – New purchases encouraged! Include accessories! Try on things I don’t think I can pull off! (Look, I am a responsible SAHM. All purchases will be pre-approved by the BHE and justified by achieved goals like finishing translation projects by deadline, keeping up with chores, and cleaning all the piles off my desk.)
29. Read 6 new books
30. Make my blog pretty
31. See Shakespeare in the Park! – The 2015 show will be Romeo and Juliet!! Who’s coming with me?!? I’ll bring the adorable picnic basket full of goodies!
32. Start a running club – If I’ve recently talked to you about signing up for a race together, you’re already a member of my new club. Yes, I’m talking to YOU! ;)
33. Buy fun things from Etsy, including a piece of jewelry, a handmade mug, and something decorative for the house


1 comment:

  1. I love this, and since I'm turning 31 tomorrow..I am honoring my promise and making my 31 list for the next year! :) P.S. Levi's birthday is in January, but it's the 24th so you can always look for cute pictures in February. ;)

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