The OP List
The evening of Monday, May 9th. I was at the tapas bar Socarrat sharing a table with my friends and fellow Authentic Authors Tina Welsome & Rachel Chamley. I just happened to be in front of the mirror in the bathroom and decided to take the selfie.
As I was listening to the podcast, “You’re Not Getting Any Younger” yesterday morning, I felt inspired by host Jen Glantz and her guest to create a bucket list of sorts. The list lacks a bit of adventure, though. It falls somewhere between short term and long term goals, for the next five to ten years.
Without further ado…
The OP List
Complete the four Poetic Season poetry books. Explore the options of writing a book on gratitude and a poetic anthology with proceeds going to charity.
Transition from my current job to one less customer service intensive. For all the good that the last eight years have been, there has to be more for me out there aside from coordinating donations.
Catch up with as many Made To Do This classmates as possible. And hopefully, have the in person reunion at some point in the future.
Expand the travels beyond Europe. With stops in North, South & Central America mixed in with continued travels on the continent.
Upgrade my phone and phone plan, preferably to one that will have data access outside the continental United States.
Open the bottles of The Irishman Founder’s Reserve whiskey bought in Ireland and the Bacardi 8 rum from Puerto Rico. They’re souvenirs from both trips and aren’t meant to be taking up space in the living room bar.
Begin to learn how to cook. It’s the skill that will make adulting less terrifying than it already is.
Get better at doing laundry and folding shirts
Clear out the excess of T-shirts in my bureau. The bureau is full of black band t-shirts that I don’t wear as much and I need the space for the doors to close.
Get new eyeglasses made. As the ones you have were made in the Medicaid days, before you were employed full time. Start to take care of yourself more, physically.
Come up with a long term plan for my writing.
Add more live events into the calendar. If I could attend the album release show for La Degustation and Company on Broadway without adverse effects, I shouldn’t be so afraid to add more concerts into my schedule.
Trust my wise, strong self more often, instead of relying on catastrophic circumstances to get you to make changes.
Learn how to use reels for spoken word pieces and find other creative ways to exhibit your poems without having to be on camera all the time.
Learn how to do something entirely new. Maybe try a writing class, re-learn how to play an instrument or take up dancing the tango again.
Attend next year’s John Jay College alumni reunion, 15 years after graduation. With all that I’ve done writing wise, I should have more to talk about other than my job.
Free up space in the CD cabinet & clear up the clutter in my closet. There isn’t much room for new music and to give your carry on suitcase more space.
Limit scrolling on devices all evening as it messes up the sleep patterns.
Think about the return to Spain, sometime between December 2025-April 2026. In the hopes that you get to see Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia without the construction cranes hovering over it.
Replace my backpack. It’s torn & frayed and some of the zippers don’t work anymore.
Plan for next year’s trip and have the deposit put down before January 30th, 2023, in the hopes that I’ll be traveling that fall.
Ring in the New Year in a way other than nursing a mini bottle of bubbly in the dark while the neighbors party.
Increase the contribution to the 403 (B) plan. You can always have more money on hand to sustain you in retirement.
Plan for life where you have a place to call your own.
Embrace every inch of yourself.
I’m not great at following through on plans, I just write about them. I tend to find excuses not to do something. Then, I kick myself for why I haven’t accomplished anything. I don’t know if I’ll get all of the items done, but it’ll be worth the effort to try and break the cycle.
You’re not getting any younger…it’s time to get off the sidelines and do more with your life as the king that you are!
