Forty Firsts

First #5: Life Insurance and Retirement

2010-05-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I sat through my first financial planning session. Mark and Jay worked as a tag team, discussing issues like disability, retirement, nursing homes and death. "Teresa, if Jerry died tomorrow, what would your biggest fear?"

"Um, moving in with my parents?" I looked to Jerry to see if that was the "right" answer. Truthfully, I was thinking, how long do I have to respectfully wait before I can sell the orange car he bought, without my blessing, for $750?

"So, you need to have enough life insurance in place that if something did happen, Teresa and the girls could go on without you," Jay said.

I nodded, and we discussed this point for a few minutes. All the while, I kept thinking that this policy was going to cost A LOT.

Mark picked up the conversation. "So, Jerry, if Teresa were to die, what would be your biggest fear?"

He hesitated! Okay, I gave a lame answer, but he hesitated! And, then I began to realize why. I don't bring in a lot of income (read "any substantial income) that would need to be replaced. If something were to happen to me, we wouldn't need daycare. I mean, really, Kelly is three years away from having her drivers license, and they both ride the bus to and from school. What value did I really have?

A completely uncomfortable, unpleasant conversation! So, I was a bit relieved when the subject turned to our goals. "Do you want to buy a cabin up north or maybe travel?" Jay asked.

Yes, yes, yes!! I almost jumped out of my seat. I want to travel! I want to see the world! I kept my cool, though, and said, "Well, I don't really see us buying a second home."

Jerry picked up on that. "I think Teresa would like to--" I shot him a look. "I mean, I think we'd like to travel some."

"Great," Mark said. "So, when are you looking to retire? Ten years? Fifteen?"

Whoa! This is a conversation about retirement? I realize some 20-somethings have retirement accounts, but they talk about things like compound interest and don't use phrases like "rapidly approaching." I'm not liking any of this.

I'm actually relieved, for the moment, when it's suggested that we start filling out preliminary paperwork. That is until we actually start filling it out. Nothing is more depressing than death and retirement than realizing you have a net worth of zero. Mortgage? Yes. What do you owe? Twice what the house is worth. Savings accounts? Three. How much is in them? $100, $25, $25. Do you have an IRA? No. Mutual funds? No. Stocks? Yes! What are they worth? A third of what they once were. It's too embarrassing to give a figure here.

But this is all good, right? They're just tearing me down to build me back up, right? I can only hope.

41

2010-05-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Today is my 41st birthday, so technically I didn't do what I set out to do when I turned 40 last year: I didn't do forty new things in my 40th year. So, here's to continuing the attempt in year 41!

No computer

2010-05-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I woke up to such a beautiful day in Arizona that I decided to NOT turn on my computer. I have to admit it was an effort, but I did it! Instead, I spent the day reading, Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster.

I have to admit this blogging thing is much harder than I expected, especially every day. By the time I feel like I have my feet underneath me, this blogathon will be over. Of course, I'm going to keep at it, my goal being to have an established and decent blog running for the next blogathon. I need to start asking people what their firsts would be.

Bitly

2010-05-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

Recently, I wrote an article for the Arizona Office of Tourism, and yesterday, it was posted online. My first thought? I need to Tweet this. But, the link itself was probably longer than 140 characters. It was one of those times when, presented with a problem, I knew exactly what to do. (Admittedly, it was probably the only time I was presented with a technical problem and knew what to do.) I used www.bitly.com for the first time.

It's simple enough. You copy the link, you go to the bitly Website, you enter your link, and viola! It spits out a shortened version of your link. Not only did I remember all this but it actually worked for me! Check out the link: http://bitly.net/c8DJeK

Okay, again, it's not that exciting, but this really, truly did give me a high. I think, for me, the important lesson is to keep an open mind. You never know when you might need a piece of information or a particular skill. Let the possibility sink in and, then, resurface when needed.

Video

2010-05-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, here's a first, my first uploaded video. It's not a great video, especially when it comes to lighting. I just wanted to record something that go online (something that didn't show my family) and then go through the actual act of putting it online.

I did it!

Let Your Life Take Flight

2010-05-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

I usually don't read Oprah's magazine, but I was intrigued by the large Oprah quote on the cover this month: "Say Yes to Life." Inside, an article titled, Let Your Life Take Flight, begins, "This month we're celebrating adventure. By that, we don't mean dropping everything and lighting out for Everest but rather something simpler: letting your curiosity out for a romp. Taking your passions for a spin. Adventure is a new class, a road trip, a conversation with a stranger. it's expanding your horizons, even if only by an inch."

I think that quote sums up what I'm trying to accomplish here (even if I am taking baby steps). Doing something new, attempting a first, gives life its spice. Your first doesn't have to be bungee jumping or recreating a dish from Andrew Zimmerman's Bizarre Foods. It can be something simple like taking a yoga class. The point is to DO, and that's where I seem to have the most trouble.

When something new doesn't work

2010-05-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

I have an assignment that includes video due at the end of the month, so my plan this weekend was to upload video and post it because although I've taken video before, I've never really done anything with it. Saturday, I planned to take some footage at Schnepf Farm. I have the typical video of the dog and kids' program, but nothing I'd want to put online. Schnepf seemed perfect, but it didn't work out.

Yesterday, I had another good opportunity. I thought I'd take my small handheld camcorder (similar to a Flip), and I'd take some footage of a quad ride through Bull Dog Canyon. First, imagine trying to drive your car through an obstacle course complete with speed bumps, potholes and pylons while trying to shoot video. Okay, I didn't have traffic to contend with, but it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. That leads to my second problem. I hit the button to record only I didn't record. You can toggle back and forth between picture and video, and well, let's just say the videos I thought I took were actually photos.

So, what do you do when you try to do something new and it doesn't work out? I guess you try again. When I go out this morning, I think I'll try to shoot some more video and then upload it, maybe tomorrow. It may take me a couple of days to figure this out.

No Peaches or Apricots Today

2010-05-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

I planned to pick peaches and apricots at Schnepf Farm today. Although I've never picked peaches at Schnepf, we do usually pick them somewhere every year, so that isn't necessarily a first. My first would have been video taping something that I actually uploaded to the Internet. Unfortunately, we didn't make it in time to get into the orchards. (I think they closed at 5pm.)

On a more personal note, I've made an observation: If you think the world is against you, maybe you've set yourself against the world. I think there's a bit of wisdom in that that anyone could benefit from.

Something Learned

2010-05-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

While raising toddlers, I read that your personality is set, for the most part, by the time you reach four years old. I don't believe it.

As a child, I remember being incredibly shy, unsure of myself and socially awkward, even though I excelled in school and did reasonably well in athletics. I felt like I "grew up" in college and gained some sense of myself, but other than the confidence that I could take care of myself, I didn't actually change much. Maybe change is the wrong word. I was the same me, just a little more confident and grown up version of me.

Since I've turned 40, though, I'm not exactly who I thought I was. I'm not that person I thought I was at 10, 20 or even 30. I realized that, while I can be very serious, I can actually make people laugh. I'm funny. (I'm not claiming to be ****insert your favorite comedian here***, but I have a few moments, and that's something I never would have guessed about myself a few years ago.) I also learned that people like me, well, more often than not. I learned that I'm likable. I'm not necessarily boring or awkward or whatever. That was a revelation. And, that has led me to the realization that I'm actually not as shy as I once thought. Underneath it all, of course, I'm shy, but when you think people want to listen to what you say and will probably like you, then you tend to be bolder. A few months ago, I even spoke to a group of people about Arizona travel. That's something I never imagined myself as a shy 20-year-old doing.

My point in this is you need to be open. Trying new things and opening yourself to possibilities can change the way you see yourself and your world. You don't have to be frozen in time as that four-year-old you were. You can become a better person by seeing yourself in a different light.

Video

2010-05-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a video project that should actually be posted online, a "first." I have shot video before, but nothing that's been put online by a third party and nothing that ends up on YouTube. It makes me wish I had actually majored in broadcast journalism, although I'm not sure that would have made a difference today. The technology is so different.

It makes me wonder what journalism classes are even like today. Back in the late 80s and early 90s, newsprint seemed to still be relevant and somewhat viable. Get your news from the Internet? Yeah right! Of course, now, some people even bypass the Internet in favor of getting news from Twitter. Makes you wonder what's next...

How will our roles as freelancers change in the next 10 years? 20? And, what "firsts" will I have to undertake just to keep up?

Bubble Maps

2010-05-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

The last few days, I've created a bubble map instead of a to-do list. I've never been very good with to-do lists anyway because they seem so overwhelming and bleak. You make a list of everything that you need to get done and then cross off what you accomplish. (I have to cross it off instead of put a check next to completed items or I feel like I'm not making progress.)

Okay, I know this is going to sound a little weird, but I've come up with some long term goals that I circle, like "Write." Then, I put my tasks coming off of these, so it looks a bit like a flower. As I complete a task, I color the bubble using colored pencils. It's much more fun (and pretty) than the traditional to-do list.

So far (and okay it's only been a couple of days), it seems to be working for me. Lesson learned? Keep trying new approaches until you find one that seems to work. Once that one no longer works, find something new.

"Soon, a visitor shall delight you..."

2010-05-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

I pitched Delta Sky magazine today, a first although certainly not the first time I've pitched a national magazine. However, it does mark the first time, at least in my mind, that I've made a concerted effort to pitch national magazines and higher paying outlets exclusively. So, not too exciting of a day, at least, from a "firsts" perspective.

Tonight, I specifically tried a new dish, Thai Delight, at Pei Wei because I hoped it might somehow be worthy of a "first" mention here. It really wasn't, but I did get an interesting fortune: "Soon, a visitor shall delight you."

I have to admit I liked Jerry's better: "Soon you'll have a chance for a profitable transaction." And his second one (yes, he had two): "You will inherit an unexpected sum of money within the year."

School Board Meeting

2010-05-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

A friend pointed out that most days we technically do something new, and she suggested that I blog on a daily basis about whatever new thing I do that day. Today's new thing or "first": attend a school board meeting.

Okay, actually, I'm not 100 percent sure it was a school board meeting because they technically didn't conduct any business, but the school board was there. Alright, well, I guess I have to qualify that, too. Some of the school board members were there. BUT, so was I. Purpose of the meeting? To persuade me to vote for Prop 100, which would provide additional funding for the schools. So, in retrospect, I did just spend the last hour and a half of my life at an in-person, doom and gloom public service announcement.

It appears that if Prop 100 doesn't pass, education in the Queen Creek Unified School District as we know it will cease to exist. I'm only partially facetious here. In all serious, the cuts are real and significant. I feel for the teachers, and I'm even sympathetic when it comes to the administrators, who are facing tough decisions. Let's not forget the school board either. On second thought, I'm not feeling much of anything for them. They sat at the table in front of the 40 or so parents and teacher that showed up (out of the entire district!) and didn't even pretend to pay attention. Really, Mr. school board member? You couldn't put your cell phone on vibrate?

I wish I could say that I stood up in the midst of all this, and like the scenes from Footloose and Field of Dreams, I left the school board members gaping open-mouthed at my "wisdom." However, I didn't. I didn't convince them that the gifted program shouldn't be cut. I didn't inspire them to go hug a band teacher. I didn't even take the blank index cards that they were passing around to write questions and comments on. No, I sat there and said nothing.

Sometimes, the issues are just too complicated, and I don't have a clue what the solution should be. At least, though, I made the effort to be there.

Mother's Day First

2010-05-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

I had a Mother's Day first today. It's not something I would officially call a "first," but it's never happened before. By default, I ended up hosting a Mother's Day brunch at my house. Although I've hosted several family birthday parties, I've never hosted a holiday at my home. Usually my mom does. But, that wasn't my "first."

No, today, two members of my extended family had an ugly argument that ended up with both families packing up and leaving immediately. Awkward and uncomfortable! What to do say to either family as they leave? How do you handle something like that?

Brainstorm

2010-05-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

I came up with two ideas for the Forty Firsts concept today. Earlier in the week, I indicated that I didn't want to write a book about 40 things I do for the first time, but I am thinking it could work as a fiction book. I could focus on three or four women, who are turning 40 and make a pact to do 40 things they've never done before they turn 41. I could still write about the issues I want: turning 40, trying to balance your kids with the life you want to lead, realizing that you don't have your life ahead of you anymore, etc. I'd just have more time to build a platform, and I could make the "firsts" a lot more interesting than what I'd actually be willing to do myself. No pole dancing for me!

This got me thinking. My "firsts" would be very different from other women's "firsts." I'm fairly conservative, so mine are very simple and almost comically domestic at times, like make ice cream. So, I'm curious what other people would put down on a 40 firsts list. I'm going to start solliciting responses next week, posting them, and asking for comments. It will be my first real push to get people involved with this blog, and it will give me some insight into what sorts of things people might consider doing that they've never done before. I want to see what links there might be between people's personalities, what they haven't done, and what they would consider doing.

Upcoming "Firsts"

2010-05-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

I'm short on time today, so I'm simply listing the possible "firsts" for next week:

Make ice cream
Line dance at a country bar
Plant roses
Get a pedicure
Knit
Bird watch
Trim a bonsai tree
Yoga
Take a historic home tour
Have a family portrait taken

As I learn a little more about blogging, I should have asked for suggestions before creating this list and had people vote on the "firsts" I'd do. I'm not sure I'm all that brave, though! LOL

First #5: Letterboxing

2010-05-06T17:40:00.001-07:00

I stumbled on the concept of letterboxing while researching Tohono Chul Park, a botanical garden in Tucson. Think geocaching without the GPS. According to the garden's Website and a 1998 article published in Smithsonian magazine, letterboxing began in 1854 when a Victorian gentleman put his calling card in a bottle and left it near a pool in Dartmoor. When others found the bottle, they also left their cards. Cards gave way to postcards that would be found and mailed back to its owner. (Mailboxes are also known as letterboxes in England.)

Today, the past time has replaced postage stamps with rubber stamps. Instead of leaving a postcard to be mailed back you bring a stamp and a log book with you. After following a series of online clues to a particular letterbox (clues can be found at http://www.letterboxing.org/), you will find a watertight container that usually contains a log book and a stamp. You stamp the log book with the stamp you brought, and then stamp your log book with the stamp contained inside the letter box. Simple enough, right?

I didn't have a log book or stamp today, and I was fine with that. I just wanted to find the letter box. So, I went online, selected a nearby site (one that was also supposedly easy), and headed out to the Gilbert Riparian Institute. The clues were simple enough. "Park in the east end of the riparian parking lot." It took some time to figure out which end was the "east end," but once I had, I continued easily enough. "Follow the cement path onto the gravel path." Check. "Look for a sign on your left." Check. Whenever I second guessed myself, I could confirm my decision by simply getting to the next point, and if that didn't work, I could backtrack and rework through the clues.

About a half hour later, I found the bench and, as instructed, sat. I then stood, walked 18 paces, and looked around the base of a mesquite tree. There, I found the pile of rocks in the photograph, just as the clues indicated I would. Unfortunately, I didn't find the actual letterbox that I though would be underneath the rocks. I'm not sure whether someone had taken it or whether there wasn't one. The clues end with "look down to your left for a pile of rocks." So, I'll have to write to the keeper or the letterbox or whatever they call themselves.

I'm going to have to try it again sometime. This was really a fun little challenge and certainly something kids would enjoy.

Blog Lessons Learned

2010-05-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

I've learned a few lessons during the past few days of the blogathon:

1. Know what you'll write about. Sounds elementary, right? Well, maybe not. I started with a concept and didn't give too much thought about what I'd actually write from day to day. I assumed, wrongly so, that because I had an idea, the ideas would come. Wrong! I should have made up a calendar and developed theme days.

2. Don't focus so much on yourself. Blogs shouldn't be journals. Okay, I knew that, but maybe I have been focusing too much on me and not providing some sort of usable information. I have to give that some thought, though, because in a sense I've locked myself into this me-centric format for the blogathon. It's a good lesson to keep in mind from now on when I'm working on blogs.

3. Projects need plans. If you're blogging about some project, like I am, or a trip, you need to have a plan. When will you blog? Do you need to make a purchase? (Getting a pedicure, for example, costs money, money I'm not sure I have.) Do you need a chunk of time to complete a task? Where will you find it? There are logistics involved. Think them through.

4. Blogs can be too narrow...or too broad. I knew that I couldn't blog about something that was too narrow, like (oh, I don't know) ballpoint pens, before I ran out of things to say or got bored with it. But, I didn't realize you could also be too broad in your focus because you can literally write about anything. That's part of the problem I'm having. I need something to write about when I'm not completing a "first," so I've let myself write just about anything.

5. I don't want to write a Forty Firsts book. Originally, I had an idea to write a book called Forty Firsts about how I tried to do 40 things for the first time during the year I was 40. The project didn't work out how I planned, but I pitched the idea to an editor, who suggested a blog. Great idea! However, I'm almost 41, so it's a little too late, and more importantly, I'm just don't think I'm that interested in the project anymore.

Homegrown Terrorism? I Don't Think So!

2010-05-04T06:17:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's the coffe, but I feel like ranting this morning. I've been following the Times Square bombing attempt with rapt interest because, like I mentioned before, I was there only a few days earlier. Is it just me or is anyone else picking up on how the media seems to be going out of its way to downplay the terrorist angle? First, the articles and reports emphasized how there was no solid connection between terrorism and the bombing attempt. I agree, but rather than just point that out, the media swung the other direction, leaning towards the idea that this had to be another Timothy McVeigh. They immediately dismissed the Pakastani Taliban's assertion of responsiblity and played up the Connecticut angle. After all, the SUV had come from Connecticut.

Last night, officials arrested Faisal Shahzad, a Pakastani-born, naturalized US citizen, whose Dubai-bound plane was taxing from the runway at JFK, and, still the media is playing up the fact that he is a US citizen, a "Connecticut man," according to the New York Times! Okay, if you want to get techinical, yes, he did go through the process and become a citizen. But, let's look at the facts. He's was born in Pakastan. He has a wife there. He just returned from a 5-month visit there. He may be a US citizen but only on paper. Does anyone really believe that he came to the US intending to become a loyal citizen? Or, like me, do you think he came to cause death and destruction?

I'm tired of this poltical correctness that puts our nation and our citizens at risk. Let's call this what it is: war. They want to kill us, and they want to inflict the most damage. Stop burying our heads in the sand, Members of the Media. A Connecticut man? No! He's a terrorist!

Michael Jackson's Glove and Mamma Mia

2010-05-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

It seems obvious: life gets in the way. As much as I try to force a "first" into my life every day, it's not that easy. You need to plan (I learned that yesterday), and sometimes, you need money. I've also realized that sometimes, as much as you try, you need to freedom to act. It's more than just the time to achieve your goals; it's the ability to achieve them. Life sometimes gets in the way.

Case in point: yesterday. Church didn't let out until 12:15, so half the day was gone already by the time we got home. Then, I had to immediately put breakfast on the table because Jerry complained that he'd pass out, his blood sugar was so low, if I didn't. Now, it was after 1pm. As soon as we ate, Kim insisted we shop for a sequined glove for her band performance tonight (she's playing a solo of Michael Jackson's Thriller). Believe it or not, Party City had an "official" MJ glove, an accessory for the complete Michael Jackson costume.

On the way home, we had to stop at the store. By now, it was closing in on 2:30, and I still had to start dinner, a roast that I learned a little too late needed five hours in the oven. (It would be another late dinner.) I rushed home, cut slits into the pork, inserted garlic cloves, and shoved the heap of garlicky meat into the oven. Immediately, Kim wanted me to cut the fingertips off her gloves (how in the world could she play an instrument in sequined gloves, geez?), so I eyeballed it, cut and then re-cut to the right length.

So, there was my Sunday, half over, with the first half revolving around Michael Jackson's glove and pork roast. We had cancelled plans to ride quads because, first of all, our trailer isn't big enough for all four quads and, second, because it was so windy that the dust made visibility virtually zero. At this point, what do you do? I didn't have the time, energy or focus to tackle a "first." This sounds so lame that I'm embarrassed to type it: I turned on the TV, and I watched Mamma Mia.

In retrospect, I should have done something, anything. I didn't realize that until just now, as I typed it. I could have done half a dozen things or had half a dozen adventures, but no, I watched TV. Mental note made.

Adjustment

2010-05-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

I need to change the way I approach this project. Rather than completing a task and then writing about it the same day, I need to give myself a day between the "first" and blogging. That way, I don't run into the problem I did yesterday, where I couldn't entirely finish my entry. I know that makes for a very short (and boring) entry today, but it will work better in the long run.

By the way, the headline story this morning is the car bomb in Time Square. Thank God, it failed to detonate, but it gives me the chills. I was in Times Square a week ago.

First #4: Vision Board

2010-05-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

I purchased The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vision Boards while in New York last week and set out to make one as soon I got a chance. It wasn't until I was halfway through the project that I realized I had actually stumbled across a "first" (a relief since I hadn't come up with any doable ideas yet). After I organized my supplies, I called my daughters in to make their own and got started.

For anyone unfamiliar with vision boards, the process of creating one is fairly simple. You find a piece of poster board, collect images (you can even draw your own--not an option for me, though) that reflect your goals, glue those images to the poster board, and write encouraging slogans, like "Get off your lazy ass and exercise." The point? Theoretically, seeing your goals in images helps you to achieve them. I'll let you know if it works. (Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on vision boards, so if I've got it wrong, cut me some slack.)

I encouraged my daughters to make their own vision board because I thought it might could be a good "parenting moment," a time when I bestow my middle-aged wisdom on goals, dreams and what's important in life. (I know, I know...wisdom? Yeah, right!) So, anyway, we talked about how the board worked and how even after you've designed your board you still needed to work towards those goals. Kim, my youngest, immediately jumped up. "I know what I need," she exclaimed and went off to her room.

Kelly flipped through a few magazines and quickly pulled out a photo of the red Arizona desert and blue sky. "What's that goal?" I asked, assuming it would be to visit some destination (I'm a travel writer, after all).

She pointed to the slogan printed at the top of the page: "You can accomplish big things," it read, or something like that. "It's to remind me that I need to get involved with, like, Character Counts or student council," she said.

I glanced from her board to mine where I had pasted monetary images and exotic vacations. Okay, she put me to shame, a little, and continued to do so. While my board reflected ideals like "earn more money," "travel to all 7 continents," and "be more successful as a writer," her board expressed ideas like "eat healthier" and "volunteer at an animal shelter."

Then, Kim came back, exultant, with one picture in her hand. (She had apparently been on the computer searching for images.) Making a show of it, she kept the board where I couldn't see what she was gluing down, and then, with a "ta-da," she flipped it around. Smack in the center, she had pasted a rabbit.

Stay with the spirit of the board, I warned myself, realizing that this paper rabbit reflected the real rabbit she longed for. Don't tell her there's no way she's going to achieve that goal. "Why don't you put some other goals on your board, too," I suggested.

Kim resisted at first, insisting she only had the one goal before she relented that maybe she would need some things for her rabbit like food or a cage. I told her that, while those were also good goals, she could maybe find some others, too, and she eventually did, adding a saxophone to signify some songs that she wanted to learn how to play and the exotic fish she wants to see at an aquarium some day.

Looking back on the exercise, I wouldn't have been all that surprised by the goals we ended up with. Kim, mainly, wanted a thing, i.e. a rabbit. I remember myself at that age, paging through the Sears catalog for the latest must-have toy. It's all about things. Kelly, on the other hand, seemed more concerned with bettering herself and the world, and I remember that phase, too, when I switched gears and wanted to save the world. Adults were stupid; they had screwed everything up, and it was left to us, the upcoming generation, to fix it by volunteering at animal shelters and joining student council.

Me? my board reflects the goals of a typical 40 year old. I want to earn what I think I'm worth so I can pay off my debt and travel. I want to lose weight, get back in shape and look younger. I want success both in my career and in the battle I wage against the clutter in my home. Really, this "first" shouldn't have held any surprises at all.

Assessment

2010-04-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

I printed out the list I typed out a year ago, and the 90 ideas I came up with for my "firsts" fall into one of three categories: "Possible," "Ain't Going to Happen," and "What the Hell Was I Thinking?" Let's start with that last group. I can't "save the environment," not single-handedly in 26 days. If you've seen me lately, you know I'm not going to "run a 5K" and you'll beg me not to "belly dance." And, let's face it, there isn't much hope for "join a sorority" either. That's not to mention my favorite: "charm a snake." I hate snakes, and short of India, where do you go to charm one?

The slightly saner ideas don't fair much better. It's not so much that I can't accomplish them; it's the logistics that don't work. Take for example "snowmobile." Not happening in Arizona, in May. Or, "ride a camel through the desert." Romantic idea, but where do you get a camel on a last minute's notice? Then, there's "meet the president," which given some of the other ideas I've come up with seems rather reasonable. I'm not sure I can pull that off, though, in such a short time frame.

That leaves me with options like "go geocaching," "make ice cream," and "trim a bonsai tree." I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to pull these off, but let's go with it.

I've completed three "firsts" already, though, and I'll put those on the record. I rode in a helicopter over Sedona a few months ago, I rode an ATV (in fact, I actually have my own now), and I played laser tag. Three down, 37 to go.

Forty Firsts

2010-04-29T17:09:00.000-07:00

This blog stems from an idea I had last year, before I turned 40. I planned to try 40 new experiences over the next year and write about them. Now, less than a month before my 41st birthday, I realize I've done hardly anything new except play laser tag (and I think I might have broken my toe doing in the process!).

In the remaining time I have left, I've decided to resurrect this project and see what I can accomplish. (I don't want to be working on 50 Firsts ten years--I mean, nine years--from now.) Tomorrow, I will assess my progress to date.

My birthday: May 25.
Days remaining: 26