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If you haven’t heard, I’m turning 40 this year. I’m kinda making a big deal about it. I mean it is a milestone, right? So I decided to compile a list of 40 Things To Do This Year. One of those things on my list was to ask my Facebook friends to recommend books to read. I picked forty, and now I’m in the process of reading them.

The first book I decided to read on that list was Betty White’s If You Ask Me: (And of Course You Won’t). I’m so glad I decided to start my journey with this book. Not only did I learn a lot about Betty White, but the book really resonated with me because as I’ve discovered, I have a lot in common with the then 89-year old author of this delightful insight into various aspects of life. In fact, I think this book would resonate with most people.

Each section of the book covers various topics, some common; others off-beat. Each section is accompanied by short and delightful stories from the many adventures of Ms. White. She writes about everything from Growing Older to Stuffed Animals. Of course there are plenty of anecdotes of the celebrity variety in addition to musings on less Hollywood-esque things (like Children, Friendships, Loss, and The Dining Room Table).

Besides uttering to myself repeatedly, “Yes! That’s it exactly!” while reading this book, I also discovered one other thing: F*ck being Batman, I wanna be Betty White.

Do yourself a favour: Go read this book.

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Stock images via www.vecteezy.com

It’s been quiet around here. What can I say? Other projects pulled me away from the coop. That’s what happens when you’re a free-range hen. 🙂 The truth is I spent some time over the last couple years starting another blog, and learning the art of blogging. So, yeah, I didn’t return home to the nest very often. That’s about to change.

This year, I’ll be spending more time blogging from my heart. Why? Well, it’s a milestone of a year for me. I’m turning forty this year. Yup, I’ll be standing at the top of that hill soon – precariously teetering between my youth and old age (at least that’s what they say). So, I’ve decided to spend the year trying new things and self-reflecting. Lucky you, I’ve also decided to share the whole thing here.

So, what’s in store this year? Lots. Probably more than I’ll be able to accomplish, but it’s good to set goals – even if they don’t always materialize when or how you envisioned. One thing I am excited about is attempting to redesign this blog on my own. I’ll be celebrating five years of blogging under the Black Chicken moniker this February, and I think it’s time to jazz up the site. My amazing husband has donated so much of his time and talents to me over the years, and I know he loves doing it, but it’s time for him to do more things for himself – and for me to do more things for myself. So, I’m going to give it a go.

I also plan on trying a whole list of new(ish) things this year – a list of forty things, in fact. No, this isn’t a bucket list. It’s just a list of stuff I’ve wanted to do (again) – or thought about doing (again), but I’ve never gotten around to doing (again). That’s it. It’s a pretty simple list. Some might even say it’s underwhelming. What can I say except that I’m a bit of a realist, and have many roles in my life that tend to derail my best intentions. I couldn’t make a grand list to accomplish this year, because I know that just wouldn’t happen with all the other stuff I have going on in my life. So, I made this list of random stuff that came to my mind over the last few days – stuff I’ve always thought, “Yeah, I’d like to do that someday” or “I really should finally do that” or “I’d like to do that, just to say I’d done it”. So, I made a list – a rather underwhelming list, but a list nonetheless.

In case you are wondering, yes, I’ll be telling you all about my experiences trying to accomplish all this stuff. The fun part is that it’s going to reconnect me to my roots and get me exploring my community more. I’m really looking forward to that. I returned to Belleville two years ago now, and I feel there is still so much I have to discover about the place I call home again. If you’re part of the Bay of Quinte community, you’ll want to stick around because I’ll be spending a lot of time exploring where I grew up and visiting old acquaintances who are doing some amazing things for Quinte and the County (that’s Prince Edward County for all you non-locals). So, that’s the plan. Wish me luck (I’m probably going to need it).

You might be surprised by some of these things, and you may be asking ‘why’? Of course, you’ll have to tune into future posts for the whole story.

Forty Things To Do This Year (Abridged Version):

1. Paint a self-portrait.
2. Visit a mosque.
3. Attend a yoga class.
4. Walk the Bay Bridge.
5. Befriend a horse.
6. Ride a horse.
7. Go ‘mudding’.
8. Fire a gun.
9. Become pen pals with a senior.
10. Become pen pals with a kid.
11. Try sushi (again).
12. Catch a big fish.
13. Ask Facebook friends and fans to recommend books I should read; pick forty and read them.
14. Attempt to get an A-list celebrity to wish me happy birthday and give me advice.
15. Get a tattoo (???)
16. Record a song with my husband.
17. Go cross-country skiing.
18. Go rock wall climbing.
19. Go splunking.
20. Play a round of golf (real golf, not mini golf).
21. Learn how to say and write: ‘hello’ ‘good-bye’ ‘thank-you’ ‘please’ and ‘friend’ in forty different languages.
22. Attend a live slam poetry night.
23. Take a photo at the top of the Bay Bridge.
24. Get my hearing tested.
25. Track down an old friend’s address and send them a letter.
26. Attend some local arts shows.
27. Attend Sunday Jam.
28. Invite a group of my former junior high school classmates out for drinks.
29. Attend a country music concert.
30. Attend a dance performance.
31. Burn my diaries.
32. Record a spoken word jam with the Kid.
33. Take the telescope outside the city for an evening of stargazing.
34. Take dance lessons.
35. Visit museums in my hometown.
36. Enroll in a creative writing course.
37. Pay respect to deceased family and friends.
38. Grow an amazing bell pepper plant.
39. Have tea with my Gramma more often.
40. Live mindfully every day.

M. xo