Week 13: Article Published and Quarterly Reflections

It's the last day of March and that means we're 3 months into my 60 until 60 project!  This week, my latest article for TechBeacon about Self-Organizing Teams was published, so I'm marking that goal  complete!

Since the "work" part of that goal (actually writing and submitting the article) was done earlier in the month, this was a good week for me to spend on reflections of my project as a whole or in Agile speak do my "quarterly retrospective" and planning for the next quarter.

Summary:

* I'm right on track with completing and blogging about one goal every week! (Marked green below)
* I've started or have a plan for goals that I'll plan to complete next quarter. (Marked yellow below)
* My on-going "individual celebrations" (Marked blue below) have been fun and I've made a Slideshow and Playlist with the first 13 celebrations:

* There's only one goal that I don't think I'll be able to complete (Marked red below) because Matt and Stella won't be able to attend the Albuquerque Balloon Festival after all. I'm going to change that to the most challenging goal I've been working on: Walk 2019 miles in 2019!
* Some items are ongoing or more about mindset (Marked purple below). These will be hard to ever fully "complete" so instead, I may just blog about a particular example and then mark them as done on my list.

What's working well:

* The list of goals and project gives me purpose. Without it, it's easy to say, 'some day I'll do...' but let other things get in the way.  This is helping me make sure I accomplish at least one thing on this list each week.
* Because I'm not working much, I have time to do a lot of other things beyond this list! As long as I get at least one thing from the list done a week, I can explore other things I want to do without feeling like I'm losing focus.
* Overall, I'm changing my mindset in the way I live my life, which is my overarching goal.  I'm constantly working on improving and doing things that are important to me.
* My weekly blog post helps me keep myself accountable.
* I really appreciate my sister, Michele, especially, for all the support she's given me with this project (including housing me for much of the winter!)  I also appreciate anyone who's helping me accomplish any of the goals or joining me in my celebrations! And thanks to MB for the comments on almost every post! (TY, TYVM).

What could be better:

* Some things on my list are very big and others are easy and small. Technically, the big items (features) should be broken down into small things (stories) that can be done in a week.  But I like keeping with my original list of 60 things (to keep to my 60 theme!)
* I know my blog posts are not very entertaining. If you've made it this far in this blog post, give yourself a big 'Yay' from me!
* It would be better if I were doing this project with someone else so we were holding each other accountable.  However, some of the goals, I'm doing with other people, and those are the most fun for me.

1. Keep doing strength building exercises do at least one unassisted pull-up. Accomplished Week 2: 1/11/19. 
2. Hike in beautiful spots Including Crested Butte during wildflower season) Record with Map My Hike App.
3. Participate and dress up in at least one fun race like the Bolder Boulder
4. Research bone-healthy recipes and make dinner to share with other friends who are working on their bone strength Accomplished Week 6: 2/7/19
5. Learn a choreographed dance
6. Try PickleBall
7. Call 10 friends and relatives who I haven’t seen in a long time to invite them to my 60-week virtual BD party and get a song for my playlist. - Accomplished Week 1: 1/7/19
8. Take a work mentor to dinner.
9. Every week share a “Cool Thing of the Week” via social media and encourage others to do the same. Accomplished Week 12: 3/24/19
10. Foster strong and deep communication with everyone I meet. Aim to have at least one positive social connection every day and at least one event every week. 
11. Write a gratitude letter to the police who helped me during a family emergency
12. Visit my Mom & brother in Sacramento as well as others in Northern CA who are available (My former in-laws, high school, and college friends.)
13. Visit my sister in Southern CA and go to this super-cool bookstore (among other things). Accomplished Week 3: 1/18/19
14. Practice a mindset of kindness and gratitude and journal weekly about reflections
15. Contribute to any cause that a friend asks me to support
16. Participate in efforts to help those with ALS and their caregivers
17. Learn digital photography better with the help of a professional photographer (my sister, Michele) Accomplished Week 4: 1/28/19
18. Learn how to Meditate
19. Learn more about poetry and write a poem
20. Practice the piano and be able to play some of the pieces I used to play well along with some new pieces.
21. Experiment learning a new instrument - maybe the ukulele
22. Sing with a group
23. Explore an acting class or group and try to get a part in a play
24. Get better at a foreign language (Spanish, French, and/or Italian) and practice with a friend
25. Put together a playlist of at least 60 songs by gathering songs from friends
26. Plan and host my 60th virtual/real birthday party
27. Create slideshows of the celebrations I have throughout my 60-week ‘party’
28. Host a theme party (Flamingo, Carpe Diem, Wine-Tasting, Murder Mystery, Games, Purple,etc.)
29. Go to a foreign country and practice speaking the native language
30. Research and explore snowbird locations
31. Go to Disneyworld with the Tidds Accomplished Week 9: 2/28-3/1
32. Go to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival with Stella and Matt
33. Go to the Meowolf exhibit in Santa Fe with Stella and Matt
34. Visit New England in the Fall with Rebecca R.
35. Do some TBD adventure with Scotty Accomplished Week 5: 1/30/19-2/1/19 Road Trip to CA
36. Visit Minnesota friends in August
37. Do a roadside altar road trip with Rebecca M.
38. See all the movies that are up for Best Picture Accomplished Week 8
39. Dress up and go to a musical at the theater
40. Read a book that’s on the best seller list
41. Binge watch a Netflix series with someone
42. Clean my basement window-wells
43. Try marble contact paper on an old table
44. Clean and organize the ‘craft area’ of my basement
45. Sell, give-away, throwaway and organize what’s left of my games, puzzles, and toys
46. Sell, give-away, throwaway and organize what’s left of my books
47. Clean out my wardrobe and get rid of old clothes that I never wear Accomplished Week 10
48. Put DIY flooring or carpets in basement
49. Put DIY walls in basement that will allow me to hang pictures, etc.
50. Refurbish window sills and baseboards that are old and chipped
51. Label and repair my breaker box
52. Get rid of or repair floor lamps
53. Hang pretty lights in basement and bedroom
54. Fix up den as a potential airBnB room for rent Accomplished Week 11
55. Buy something at a Thrift store and fix it up
56. Create a course about using Agile in everyday life
57. Sign up on sites to get freelance Agile coaching / training gigs: Accomplished Week 2: 1/13/19
58. Update Website with my coaching / training / writing accomplishments
59. Create outline for book about Agile in everyday life
60. Continue to write freelance articles Accomplished Week 13

Week 12: Share a Cool Thing of the Week

We are nearing the end of Week 12 of my 60-week project and I've made so much progress on so many of my goals! However, a few are these kind of poorly-defined, do-every-week-kind of goals.  For example, Goal #9 on my 60 until 60 list is:

Every week share a “Cool Thing of the Week” via social media and encourage others to do the same

The main reason I wanted to do this was that I love the unusual and interesting things I read about on social media and I naturally want to share stuff that I find 'cool'!  In the same way that having a gratitude journal reminds me to be on the lookout for things I'm grateful for, this goal reminds me to look for fun things to share.  And, of course, I love when my friends share things with me that they think I'd like.  My sister has been sharing these gorgeous purple-flowered photos with me, almost daily, and it always makes me happy!

This is not much of a stretch goal because I subscribe to plenty of newsletters full of things that I think are cool. Typically, I don't like how mainstream news seems to be so full of negative stories. But guess what? Just last week, I signed up for this CNN newsletter called The Good Stuff which has a weekly dose of cool stuff in the news! Yay!

Since I started this goal, I regularly share on Facebook at least one thing a week ranging from sharing pictures from my week, to this easy way to support ALS research,  to the latest crazy National Holiday, to an event I think would be fun, to something fun I found on YouTube or Pinterest.

What worked well about this goal:

* By sharing things that I like, people get to know me and my tastes and then share back things that they think I'll like, which always makes me happy.

* It's always amazing to me what fun, amazing, incredible, cool things that are out in the world and that we can so easily share with one another.  I've always loved social media!

* In general, this goal has helped me continue a habit of finding awesome and beautiful things in the world.

* Even though I know it's not as good as bonding face-to-face,  this helps me feel closer to friends on social media, who I normally don't get to see.

What could have been better about this goal:

* This goal is easy for me, so hardly qualifies as a 'goal.' If anything, I have to be careful not to spend too much time on social media.

* I decided I don't really need to "encourage others to do the same." That seems a little pushy and annoying..  Consider this blog post my "encouragement."

* Rather than having a goal to do this 'every week,' I'm just going to remain mindful of looking for and sharing 'cool' things on Social Media. 

So with this blog post, I'm considering this goal complete! I will continue to share things I find cool and look forward to reading about all the cool things everyone else is sharing!

Week 11: Become an AirBnB Host

Top o' the evenin' to ya, lads and lassies. 'Tis St. Patrick's Day, so please read this post with a pleasant Irish brogue, why don't ya?

This week's goal (#54 on my list) was to become an AirBnB Host and that I did. I tidied up my beautiful green master bedroom and bathroom 'til it was sparklin' more than any pot o' gold. My first booking was to a handsome young lad named Alex. Alex was full of fun and blarney and humored me with a silly selfie to commemorate my accomplished goal.

After the successful experiment with my master bedroom, I decided I wanted to keep my beautiful sanctuary all to myself. Instead of the master bedroom, I repurposed my first-floor office to be the room that I'd rent, so I went on another de-cluttering frenzy and listed that room tonight. 

Love to relax at the end of the day in my tub!

Beautiful shades of purple and green in my room!

My office transformed into AirBnB room for rent

What worked well

• Creating a listing on AirBnB motivated me to declutter and clean up!
• Alex was so friendly and personable. He's originally from Honduras and he helped me with my Spanish study!
• I enjoy being able to share my home with others and having a full house.
• I was able to learn how the AirBnB software worked.

What could be better

• I already have two awesome tenants so having more might get crowded and cause some contention, especially in the kitchen.
• The AirBnB software was a little cumbersome.
• This isn't really much of a money-maker and may not be worth the efforts. It would be convenient for the times I travel, but then I'd have to pay someone to do the property management and might inconvenience my house-mates.

I don't think I'll host AirBnB that often, but now I hope more out-of-town friends come to visit!

Week 10: Wardrobe Cleanup

We're in Week 10 of my 60 until 60 count-down and the goal I accomplished (#47 on my list) was not very fun:

Clean out my wardrobe and get rid of old clothes that I never wear

You have to realize, this goal is following DisneyWorld, so.. obviously, not all goals are created equal. This was much more of a chore than a 'bucket list' kind of activity, but it has been something I've needed to do for a long time. 

I accomplished "Part 1" of this goal a couple of weeks ago when I cleaned out the spare closet in my bedroom. "Part 2" was cleaning out my main closet, my dresser, my shoes, and my downstairs coat closet! 

I didn't take a "before" picture, but, trust me, this is much more organized!

Second large load of clothes and shoes to donate

What worked well:

• This wardrobe cleanup was way overdue. Many of my clothes were over 20 years old! I even found the very first suit I wore on my first day of work at IBM in 1982! 
• It's hard to believe how even after clearing out so many clothes, my closet is still full! I obviously had way more than I needed.
• I found a beautiful coat that I'd completely forgotten about!
• I'm able to donate a lot of clothes that will hopefully find their way to someone who needs them.
• This was the same week that Gretchen Rubin's new book about decluttering came out: Outer Order, Inner Calm.  And cleaner closets do create more inner calm!
• I watched some Marie Condo videos that also helped 'prep' me for parting with my old clothes.

What could have been better:

• I still kept a lot of clothes that I don't love or that look old because I need stuff to wear.
• I still kept that business suit from 1982 for sentimental reasons. Also kept the dress I wore to my daughter's wedding and other fancy clothes that I'll probably never wear again, but I'm not ready to part with yet.
• It kind of made me sad that I have a lot of nice work clothes that I may not get a chance to wear any more (which made me kind of bummed that that contract fell through.)
• I need to buy myself some new clothes! 

Week 9: DisneyWorld!

The goal I accomplished in Week 9 from my 60 until 60 list was #31:

Go to DisneyWorld with the Tidds

It's no coincidence that I planned this goal for my birthday week. I am always looking for a way to escape Colorado's winter cold with a trip to somewhere warm at this time of year and there's no better way to celebrate than introducing my grandchildren to one of my favorite places: DisneyWorld!

I love the music, the princesses, the magic of Disney. I'm a sucker for those "Happily Ever After" fairy tales. My eyes still well up when I see Belle dancing with the Beast or Ariel longing to be 'Part of That World.'  

Though I know it's not the "real world," I joked that DisneyWorld was my perfect snowbird spot.  OK, maybe it would have to be Orlando with an annual Disney pass. And maybe I could get a princess dress and pretend like I was 7 years old again..  Yeah. Though they probably don't allow crazy old ladies in DisneyWorld, so.. maybe not. 

Well, I don't know about future plans, but for vacation with my daughter's family, DisneyWorld was awesome! 

What worked well:

* Perfect warm and sunny weather throughout the week (and escaping the extra cold weather at home!)

* Lines were not too long for the most part - only one that was over an hour wait

* Loved seeing the excitement from the kids

* Really noticed the beauty of everything more this time..  enjoying not as a kid, or as a parent, but as a mindful grandparent 

* Exploring the different "countries" in Epcot's World Showcase (other times at Epcot, I didn't really spend the time here, so I saw a lot for the first time.)

* Soarin' was an amazing ride at Epcot

* The fireworks at the Magic Kingdom were incredible

* Everything, from the gardens to the architecture was so beautiful, perfect, and clean

* Love the creativity and innovation

* Able to also combine with a visit to Kennedy Space Center and Cocoa Beach

Not-so-good:

* Back aches...  Even though I put this in the "not-so-good" category, my back aches were not nearly as bad as I thought they might be. Who's back doesn't hurt after a full day of Disney?

* Expensive (but, of course, that's expected.)

In other news...

It turns out the contract I'd gotten at Anthem in Norfolk, VA, got put "on hold." Though this was a bit disappointing and surprising, I was able to quickly get back into "excited to NOT be working" mode. I really have been LOVING not going into an office every day and Spring and Summer in Colorado is beautiful. And I still have a bunch of goals left to accomplish before turning 60!