40 before 40 Report

Over two years ago I posted my 40 before 40 list. It quickly became apparent to me that I wouldn't check everything off...some would not be feasible, and some I just didn't have the desire to do anymore. I also did some things I never imagined I'd even have the opportunity to do when I made this list - like travel to South Africa, or buy a shore house, or meet Bruce Springsteen - which were awesome before 40 bonuses. Some of my 40 wishes did come true though. I think I liked making this list more than anything - and I won't be making a 50 list because 50 things is a lot. 

1. See a play on Broadway done March 4
2. Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge done March 4
3. Skydive so I still sort of want to do this, but I'm not sure if that's because I think I want to or because I actually want to
4. Go tubing on a river done August 13
5. Volunteer at a soup kitchen - not technically, although we did volunteer on Thanksgiving day to serve and clean up food in 2015
6. Eat a lobster roll in Maine  done July 18, 2015
7. Stay in a Falls View room at Niagara Falls - done March 14-16, 2015
8. Write a novella done December 2015. This will not see the light of day.
9. Tip 100% of the bill at a restaurant - at the Tuckahoe Inn on September 24, 2016
10. Go whale watching - in Cape May, September 24, 2016
11. See Mt. Rushmore - done September 2015
12. Take a spontaneous weekend trip – deciding to go and leaving that same day done July 24, 2015
13.  Watch Old Faithful blow - done September 2015
14.  Stroll along the Seine went to Scotland instead
15.  Go to high tea. In Scotland. 
16.  Learn conversational French Abandoned when Paris was abandoned
17.  Adopt a family in need at Christmas Christmas 2015
18. Witness the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace Never made it to England
19. Go to a college football game I gave away tickets in a bigger stadium to go to the shore
20. Eat at a farm to table restaurant (stole this one from Jana, thanks friend!) Talula's Garden on June 19, 2015, and many more after that. 
21. Read two Agatha Christie novels – a Marple and a Poirot I hated the Marple (attempted in May 2015) but liked the Poirot (read in June 2015)
22. Participate in a walk to raise money for pancreatic cancer November 2015
23. Get the tattoo on my back touched up March 2017 (see pic on the bottom)
24. Stand on the Cliffs of Moher November 2, 2016
25. Buy a pair of Frye boots I've hated every pair I've tried on so far. I bought Pikolinos instead and I fucking love them. 
26. Go to the opera Opera on the Mall was cancelled due to weather and rescheduled to when I couldn't go
27.  See the Mississippi River - February 2016
28.  Beignets at Café du Monde - February 2016
29.  Conquer my fear of the grill Summer 2015 - I made myself grill once a week. 
30.  See the Chincoteague Ponies - newp. But I will see the ponies on Ocracoke this summer. 
31.  Have dinner at Vetri - September 3, 2015
32. Cheesesteak tour in Philly - I did the cheesesteak festival and I'm calling it done
33.  Visit the Morris Arboretum - this was my backup plan for my birthday since we couldn't be at the shore. We also couldn't de-ice my car in a timely manner, so, no.
34.  Go to the Mutter Museum 
35.  Attend an author event at the Philadelphia Free Library - Toni Morrison book signing April 29, 2015. I also saw Jodi Picoult there with Jana in October 2016. 
36.  Get something published on HuffPost I never even tried
37. Take a cooking or baking class Stopped looking
38.  Learn how to use a drill Shore house work spring 2016
39.  Pick strawberries and make a strawberry pie from them abandoned, not interested
40.  Bake French bread - I am literally never allowed to put this on a to do list ever again in my life. 

Local friends, if you're in search of a tattoo place, check out Outta Sight Studios in Fairless Hills.