30 by 30
I know there are some skeptics out there who do not rate to-do-lists highly but I really like to have a challenge and actually find I work better if I have lots to do. On my wanderings round the internet I have come across a number of other bloggers who have set themselves challenges - Liz from margotandbarbara , Alistair Gills 52 New Years Resolutions and limmsters F*ckit List – and I have been inspired to create my own.
I will be 30 in March 2014 and I feel like that gives me plenty of time to complete my list of 30 things that I would like to have done by then. Some of these challenges are big, some will cost some money and some will hopefully make me some money. Some of you may read my list and think that it is very narrow minded, not much travel and no grand experiences but as you may know I have two young children and don’t earn any money so travel and experiences are just something that is not on my radar at the moment.
- Read 30 classic books – recommendations welcome
- Watch 30 classic films – recommendations welcome – have so far watched The Shawshank Redemption which was fab
- Listen to 30 classic albums – recommendations welcome again
- Make quilt for William – completed 16th June 2012 Williams Patchwork Quilt
- Make a t-shirt picnic blanket
- Make proper patchwork quilt with scraps
- Use up all socks for sock creatures and sell them - I have written about why I have so many socks here Entrepreneur Me
- Learn to Crochet
- Make at least one item of clothing for each of us
- Cut our household waste
- Cut our energy bills
- Make super insulated curtains for our front room – and rest of house if it goes well
- Have a weekend trip to Cambridge
- Learn French
- Go on a family holiday to France
- Write more real letters – one per week
- Spend more time with my husband – We don’t get to go out much now we have the kids so have decided on a Pub night in
- Grow at least some of the veg we need for the year in our garden Our first harvest from the garden summer 2012
- Get my tummy into some sort of shape
- Eat healthier
- De-clutter the whole house and sheds
- Go to the theatre
- Work through the ’1000 ways to amuse children’ with the kids
- Make, buy local, buy handmade or charity shop all birthday and Christmas presents and cards
- Start keeping proper accounts of monies etc
- Drive on motorway again
- Forage for more and make food out of our foraged finds
- Walk in the Malvern hills with the kids
- Get a book published
- Go to a spa
I know a few of the things on the list are also rather vague but it is a list in progress and will be elaborated on and expanded as time goes on.
What do you think of my list? Are there any things on there that you have done or want to do?
Your help and encouragement would be much appreciated especially in terms of numbers 1, 2 and 3.
Ooh what a great challenge! In terms of help on number’s 1, then Dracula is a great book to read esp as this year is the 100th anniversary of Bram Stokers death. Can’t wait for numbers 7,8 & 9 as my passion is crafty’ness, and numbers 19 & 20 as I’ve just embarked on a fitness & nutrition regime ‘The Wag Doll Protocol’
Good luck and have fun! xx
Hi Bridgit, thanks for your comment. Dracula sounds like a good one I’ll add it to the list (still working out how to do a list within my list, if that makes sense). The socks are new ones which I bought last year…story to be explained later, one of my many ‘good ideas’! Crochet – makes me so cross I can’t do it! I’ve already made a gorgeous curtain skirt – again more on that later
I like the idea of your Wag Doll Protocol, I had a peek, do you have a facebook page or can I sign up via email to get your blog posts? I’d love to see how you get on, I have a serious mummy tummy issue and need motivation for 19 & 20 
Catherine xxx
Thanks for your reply
Sock monkeys are a favourite of mine got plans for a few of those this year, and me too crochet is a dark art to me! Thanks for your lovely comments about The Wag Doll Protocol, I don’t have a FB page or email set up, just the blogger ‘follow me’ shenanigans. Must look into email for followers (that’s my challenge!) I do tweet about my posts so hopefully you will see them there 
. xx
Book recommendations from Mark! Xx
To kill a mockingbird
Grapes of wrath
Animal farm
For whom the bell tolls
Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy
The lion the witch and the wardrobe
East of Eden
Crime and punishment
Dracula
Out of Africa
Huckleberry Finn
Lord of the flies
Lord of the rings
Do androids dream of electric sheep
Great expectations
The tigers wife
Tinker tailor soldier spy
Heart of darkness
The road
The kite runner
What is the what
The republic
1984
Curious incident of a dog in the night time
A brief history of time
The great gatsby
Thank you my dear
that’s most of the 30 right there, although I have read nine of them. Maybe I will read them again anyway xxx
I think you should start a saving account for a big trip to come and see your little sister in Australia
I know
I am planning on trying to make a little money some how, hopefully I can come to see you soon xxx
I think its a great list and wish i’d done one! As I agree with all of them as we have similar tastes, but sadly I will still not have achieved many of them by 50!
Good luck with them and enjoy xx
Hi Gill, thank you for your comment, why don’t you try writing a list, I chose a lot of things that are hopefully quite simple and a few that are a bit harder. You could do a 50by50 list, but that could be made up of specific books you’d like to read and smaller craft projects. Let me know if you do one
Catherine xxx
Great idea! I’m great at writing lists of jobs I need to do, but I like the more ambitious and exciting (but achievable) goals here.
Lots of ideas for 1) and 2) but I’ll just list a couple here:
* Beowulf (maybe Seamus Heaney’s translation)
* John Irving’s ‘A Prayer for Owen Meaney’
Are you thinking “classic classic” i.e. old books or just great reads of all time?
For films:
* Twelve Monkeys
* It’s a Wonderful Life (although you’ve probably seen that already?)
And can I volunteer to join you for any or all of 19), 22), 23) and 30)?
Hi Nicki, thanks for your book and film suggestions, I was thinking great reads really but classic classics always considered. I haven’t even thought of what I will do for 19, 22 and 30. I have the book ’1000 ways to amuse children’ so that one is easy at the moment, how about we try some at our next NCT get together? Could be risky but I’ll find something appropriate
Would be great to do with NCT!
Hi Catherine, if you want a great read that isn’t a classic novel then I recommend “The Art of Racing in the rain” by Garth Stein, I couldn’t put it down and neither could all my friends and family who read it.
Thank you for the recommendation, I’m just after any good book to read, its a challenge to slow my life down a little
Catherine, I LOVE your 30 by 30 idea, it’s really interesting to see the things that are important written down so you can start to work on them. I think with small kids you have to be realistic & you’ve got some great goals in there – good luck! Simmi xx
Aaah, thanks Simmi, some of the list are very vague, this is just a guide for the next year and a bit and I am quite happy with it being rather basic for now, appart from the book one which to be honest I never really thought I’d do but have just fallen into it and am so excited by the whole process!