I don’t officially have a bucket list in writing (yet). But I was reading Monica Wants It‘s 30 before 30 and thought – that would be a fun thing for me to do. Except that I’m way past 30. I feel like I’m only just starting to live my life.

Until about a year and a half ago, I’d only ever done something new if I was sure I was going to like it. I stayed in a safe zone.  If I thought I would fail at it, or be bad or make an ass of myself, I just wouldn’t try it.  About 18 months ago, I decided to break out of this safe (boring) little bubble where I’d encapsulated myself and start figuring out who I am and what exactly it is that I like and want out of life.

In just the last 18 months, I:

• Took pole dancing classes (for fun & fitness!)
• Wakeboarded for the first time
• Ran my first 5K, 10K and half marathon
• Ran across the Golden Gate bridge
• Hiked up to the top of Yosemite Falls

So here are the 40 things I want to do by my 40^th birthday! (In no particular order)

1. Graduate law school
2. Take the California Bar Exam (done!  I took it July 26-28, 2011)
3. Pass the California Bar Exam (done! I found out I passed at 6pm on 11/18/2011!  I was sworn in as an attorney on December 1st!)
4. Go to a spa and have a full day of spa treatments
5. Go snorkeling
6. Complete a marathon
7. Complete Vineman 70.3
8. Climb to the top of an indoor rock climbing wall
9. Go to my first professional hockey (San Jose Sharks) game
10. Go to my first professional basketball game
11. Do 5 one armed push ups
12. Do 5 chin ups
13. Take a tour at Alcatraz
14. Have dinner at one of those “dining in the dark” restaurants
15. Have maintained my goal weight range of 127-132
16. Swim a mile without stopping
17. Take a session of karate
18. Do an inverted open V on the pole (yes, that kind of pole)
19. Make my own bottle of red wine
20. Go zip lining (this is a big deal because I’m terrified of heights)
21. Run a half marathon at Disneyland - That was sooo much fun!  Inaugural Tinkerbell half marathon through Disneyland & California Adventures!  What an amazing experience!
22. Run a sub-60 minute 10K
23. Take H to Spring Training in Arizona again
24. Finish my lower back tattoo (there’s one flower that still needs to be colored in)
25. Add 3 flowers to my sleeve tattoo
26. Get a running tattoo (13.1, 26.2 – ooo those could even get put in my sleeve…) – Done!  I got a 13.1 on my right wrist!
27. Coach a new runner thru their first 5K, 10K and half marathons
28. Do a obstacle course run
29. Indoor skydiving (because I have no desire to actually skydive!)
30. Complete 4 half marathons in one year – Done!  Kaiser half in Feb, Reno half in May, SF half in July & SR half in August! (Race Results Page)
31. Go on a full day kayaking trip (no rapids)
32. Write 10,000 words of my novel (that is about 4 chapters)
33. Go to Fitbloggin
34. Spend a weekend in Las Vegas
35. Swim with dolphins
36. Goofy in January 2013
37. Get the Disney Coast to Coast medal
38. Try sushi –  (Done! I had sushi for the 1st time in December.  Trying “weird” foods is a really big deal for me and that night I tried at least 6 different kinds of raw fish, including eel which I did NOT like.  But I was really proud of myself for finally trying something I deemed to be so scary and weird for so long.)
39. Take a beer making class 
40. Do the Medio Fondo (65 mile bike ride) in 2012

There it is! Some of these items scare the bejesus out of me, but I’m going to do them anyway!  I don’t want to look back on my life and say, “I wish I would have done… ”

I turn 40 on March 31, 2013.  That means I have just over 2 years to complete this list! I better get started!  I promise to post updates!

What are some things you want to do before your next milestone birthday?