Half-Time

This is the twenty-sixth week of my fiftieth year.  It doesn't seem like it -- it feels like I just turned fifty a about a month ago but no, poof! shazam!  I'm half-way through my milestone.

What's working well?

I'm trying enjoying my fifty projects -- especially my Fifty Frolics.  I'm making a point of going out more -- fun day trips (like the visit to the Museum of Latin American Art or lunch with a girlfriend at a kickass Vietnamese Vegan Cafe) plus wonderful evenings (like a number of girls' nights, game nights plus my recent night seeing the musical Billy Elliot). Best of all, I've enjoyed many wonderful visits with friends -- dinners, parties and even some sleepovers.

Connecting -- or reconnecting -- with friends has been particularly gratifying. I'm making a point of visiting more with people who are nearby -- as well as phoning or Skyping those farther away.   Certainly, I'm truly appreciating the significant people in my life.

I've read some great books, as part of my desire to read (at least) Fifty Books this year.  My other creative inputs are equally enjoyable -- I'm more than half way to my goal of watching (at least) Fifty Films as well as listening (really listening) to (at least) Fifty CDs.

So far, it's been a delicious year, to boot.  I'm cooking up a storm, in my desire to try (at least) Fifty New Recipes.  I'm delving into favourite cookbooks, scouring the internet for cool new recipes and experimenting with new ingredients like Tofurky.

I'm also taking better care of my body -- hauling my middle-aged carcass into (at least) Fifty Fitness Classes, including bikram yoga and zumba.

And I'm making a point of treating myself well...to the tune of (at least) Fifty Treats this year.

I might be a bit behind in my quota, but I've certainly been enjoying the Creative Projects on which I've been working.  I've made some beautiful jewelry, for example. I've been blogging here and at www.DaVinciDilemma.com.   I've drafted several books and published one so far (GOAL SETTING & PLANNING FOR MULTI-TALENTED PEOPLE:  How to figure out what you really want -- and how to actually get it).


I'm getting to the water much more, thanks to my desire for (at least) 50 Water Visits.  I might be behind in my quota for this year...but I've indulged in this favourite, soothing pasttime much more than I have in previous years.

I'm learning more about myself -- and others. 

I'm looking at life differently...in a good way.

What hasn't been working well?

* This year seems to have brought more than the usual number of challenges...but I'm doing my best to handle them.

* There's no denying it:  I look like hell.

* Also, there is one 50 Project that I haven't tackled at all.  I have yet to get to any 'Fun Class', let alone the (at least) fifty I hoped to attend.  The irony here is that, in any given year over the past decade, I've taken fun classes pretty much every week -- art or acting or even canine related courses.  It's surprising that this, of all projects, is that one yet to get off the ground.  There *was* a fire-eating class that caught my eye...but it ran when I was out of the country.  I'm planning to register for a metal fabrication class...but it doesn't start until September.  I will make a point of getting to SOME fun classes this year...and will make it a priority to get to (at least) 51 next year.

What adjustments do I need to make, going forward?

Overall, I'm very satisfied with my efforts to 'make the most of turning fifty'.

My plan is to keep on, keeping on...to keep track of my various fifty projects and do my best to meet my quotas, to the best of my ability...while remembering that the whole point is to really enjoy this year.



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What about you?  How's your 50th year going?  Message me or leave a comment.

Finding Hidden Treasures in Your Home

As part of my commitment to read (at least) 50 Books this year, I've made a nice discovery:  there are hidden gems in my home.  

It's amazing how many wonderful books I've found on our bookshelves.  It's like browsing in my own personal bookstore -- and it's pre-tailored to my literary tastes. Some tomes were probably gifts.  Some were purchased but were shelved and somehow forgotten.  Whatever their origin, another perk of my 50th projects  has become mining the treasures I didn't know I had.

It's kinda like a book version of 'shopping in your own closet'. Which is another fun discovery.  Turns out there are some lovely items hanging in my closet that I can't remember buying. This is a bit odd, given that I'm not much of a clotheshorse. I don't enjoy clothes shopping, so I don't do it very often -- and still somehow I've managed to acquire hidden treasures among my wardrobe.


At this point in life, I don't feel compelled to acquire new stuff -- so it feels good to identify and repurpose what I already have.

I have plenty of art and craft supplies, for example.  Enough for more than the 50 Creative Projects I've committed to this year.  It feels great to make use of what I already have.

It's odd.  I'm pretty good at pruning my belongings. I make a point of going through all the household cupboards and drawers every year to donate or dispose of what's not needed.  Nevertheless, I'm finding forgotten treasures throughout our home.  And this year I'm making good use of them.

What about you?  What kinds of hidden treasures have you found in your home?  Do you enjoy 'shopping your closet' or browsing your own bookshelf?  Message me or leave a comment below.

Tracking Progress

Unbelievably, I'm two months into my fiftieth year...meaning that 16.67% of the time I have to complete my 50th projects has elapsed already.  (Not that I'm feeling any pressure to honour my commitments or anything.  Okay, I am.  That's the beauty of blogging about this experience).

Actually, for the most part, I'm doing well, according to the excel spreadsheet I'm using to track my progress. Since 50 Frolics or 50 Books or 50 of anything else averages out to be about one a week, it's easy to tell, at a glance, what's on track and what's not.

I'm farthest ahead in my effort to try (at least) 50 New Recipes this year.  Perhaps this is not surprising, given that I have three opportunities a day to try novel dishes.  (Who am I kidding?  Given my food intake, I have twelve chances a day to experiment with new recipes).

I'm also ahead of the game in my desire to enjoy (at least) 50 Frolics, (at least) 50 Creative Projects and many of the categories for which I'm not recording my experiences online (50 Films, 50 Visits, 50 Treats, 50 CDs).

I'm one short in the number of books I had expected to read by this point...and I'm alright with that.  At this point, I'm well on my way to reading (at least) 50 Books this year.

In contrast, I am much farther behind in my plan to enjoy (at least) 50 Water Visits this year.  I live 40 blocks away from the ocean.  It takes twenty whole minutes to drive to the shore.  As ridiculous as that sounds, it's proving challenging to find the time in my week to get to the shore. I know I'll be visiting waterfront places this summer, so hopefully I'll be able to catch up a bit.  In the meantime, I'm seeking creative ways to meet this goal.

I'm even farther behind in my desire to take (at least) 50 Fitness Classes and (at least) 50 Fun Classes this year.  In a normal year, this wouldn't be an issue -- I adore taking all kinds of classes and am usually enrolled in same.  However, this year, my schedule and my personal responsibilities in tending my mother's estate have interfered.  I've missed registration deadlines and start dates and so forth. I'm not sure how to make up for the weeks I've missed.  Interestingly, I find this turn of events ironic more than troubling.  I certainly don't want these projects to be a source of stress or dismay.

The point of all these '50' projects is to make the most of turning fifty.  The real measure of my progress is to what extent I'm enjoying this year.  By that metric, I'm doing very well indeed.

About Time

One fulfilling consequence of this blog has been receiving reactions from other people turning fifty.

Take Mari's approach to her fiftieth birthday, for example: 

"My milestone is approaching fast. I have invited my relatives (there are lots of them) to a nearby museum centre where is also a museum of horology. (http://www.kellomuseo.fi/englanniksi.pdf) I just visited the horology museum and can now guide my relatives though it. Time and its passing is suitable theme for my milestone."

Suitable indeed.  It's difficult not to think about the concept of time when one contemplates the years we've already lived, and those yet to unfold.

I can recall slow summer afternoons during my childhood -- spent wondering how on earth to fill the days until school started in September.  The eons that seemed to lumber between breakfast and bedtime.

Or the impatient angst of my teen self, cramming as many extracurricular activities and two part-time jobs into the week to combat the boredom of living in a small, rural town.  It seemed like it would be forever before I would graduate and leave for university.

Then, at university, time suddenly sped up.  Poof! It was December and my first set of exams.  Poof! It was third year!  Poof!  I was finished and thrust into my next life chapter.

And time has seemed to speed up every year since then.  The months and (how is it possible?!) years have spun by faster and faster.  

These days, the weeks slip by so quickly, they blur together. I'm barely begun on Monday morning when suddenly, it's the weekend.  Or the next Monday. 

It's difficult to enjoy the passage of time when I'm feeling this temporal whiplash.

But I'm trying. Every day, several times a day, I take a few moments to just 'be'. 

Plus I'm giving special attention to this particular year -- my fiftieth.  I'm endeavouring to spend these particular fifty-two weeks well.  The rationale for aiming for (at least) 50 Frolics this year is to make a point of enjoying this time.  I'm committed to (at least) 50 Creative Projects to imbue these 365 days with purpose. My other fiftieth projects -- trying (at least) 50 New Recipes and reading (at least) 50 Books -- are a way of enriching my life during this particular period.

Will the days ever slow down?  Later in life, will time seem to decelerate?  I wonder.

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Activity:  Think about the concept of 'time'.  What does it mean to you?  What do you notice about its passage?  What has been your perspective on time during different chapters of your life?  For example, how did you regard time as a child?  As a young adult?  Now?

Activity:  What can you do to make the most of this particular year? What would be a meaningful use of your time?

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Making the Most of Turning Fifty

One consequence of turning fifty is the inevitable life review.  You can't help but contemplate what’s been important in life -- and what matters now.

These are the touchstones for ensuring a fantastic fiftieth year.   Here’s my list, so far:

1.  Experiences.

This is the essence of the 50 Frolics.  Throughout my life, I have enjoyed diverse experiences.  Opportunities to do different things, go difference places and/or interact with different people are intrinsically meaningful to me. Take my birthday, two days ago, for example.  It wasn’t about receiving presents, it was about doing fun things with my family.

2.  Creativity

Creative input and creative expression are the cornerstones in my life, personally and professionally. 

To ensure creative input is part of my fiftieth year, I’m promising to read (at least) 50 Books, to watch (at least) 50 Films and to listen (really listen) to (at least) 50 CDs.   Listening to 50 CDs may seem lame but remember how we used to listen to CDs in high school?  That’s my intention -- to give each CD my undivided attention.  To put on my favorite music and focus on the lyrics, the melodies, the cover art, the liner notes.

As for creative expression, I’m committing to do (at least) 50 Creative Projects this year.  One is this blog.  Another is working through Julia Cameron’s Vein of Gold.  At the moment, I have my tools and supplies assembled to make a necklace this afternoon.  At some point, I need to make a string mural on the entry wall at our farm.  46 to go.  (Feel free to send me ideas).

3.  Friends

Like most humans on the planet, I love my friends.  As someone without siblings, my friends were exceptionally important during my childhood, youth and teen years.  As an adult, besides being a source of fun and merriment, they’ve been a tribe of support, wit and wisdom as we’ve lived our lives.

This past year has reaffirmed just how important they are:  when my mother passed away dear friends jumped in their cars and drove five or eight hours to attend memorial concert.  They showed up at my mother’s house, rolled up their sleeves and helped me through all that needed to be done.  People I haven’t seen for 31 years dropped by my mother’s house, donned gloves and dust masks and set to work. Those who couldn’t be there in person phoned or Skyped or otherwise participated long distance. My friends got me through this trying time.

Of course I'd much rather spend happy times with friends -- thus the 50 Frolics.

And when I think of my closest friendships, I think of good old fashioned chin-wags.  Hours spent talking about every conceivable thing.  It doesn’t matter if we’re in the same room or blabbing on the phone or Skyping overseas...chatting with friends is an activity I adore.  So I’m promising myself (at least) 50 Chinwags during my fiftieth year.

4.  Kindnesses

I’ve been blessed with many kindnesses -- especially this past year.  It’s important to me to pay them forward. 

In the past, my volunteer efforts have focused on adult literacy and in fostering/training future Service Dog puppies.  Less formally, I’ve made and written special cards for those going through difficult times.  I’ve done some pro bono coaching/counseling.  I’ve helped friends and strangers in need -- random (and not so random) acts of kindness.

This year I’ll be looking for formal and informal opportunities for giving (at least) 50 Kindnesses.

5. Learning

I loved school all the way through from Kindergarten to grad school.  When I was in high school, I used to take extra classes at night, for fun -- things like ceramics and yoga.More recently, I’ve thrived on taking classes through the local colleges and Parks & Rec.

However, for the past few months, I’ve been dealing with mother’s estate 3000 miles away. I’ve been away a lot and haven’t been able to attend classes.  It’s the first time in a decade that I haven’t been on campus. It feels wrong.  

I’d love to promise to attend at least 50 Classes this year, but given the necessary travel, the challenges and the uncertainties of the work left to do on behalf of my mother, I hesitate to do so. It's a stretch to commit to something I don't know if I can carry off. 

6.  Water

Being near water is soothing and pleasing to me.  I grew up in an area with many freshwater lakes.  My summers were full of swimming, canoeing, waterskiing and generally frolicking in and around water.  My winters usually include trips to somewhere warmer where I could walk on a beach for miles a day. 

My unhappiest years were spent in grad school in a landlocked location.  My happiest years were spent in gorgeous, waterfront Vancouver.

There’s I reason I now live in coastal California. However, these past few years, I haven’t been taking advantage of it.  The beach is 40 whole blocks away, so I tend not to go there.

This year, is different, however.  Thanks to my recent life review, I am reminded about how important water has been to me...and how good it makes me feel to be near it.  So I’m resolving to make more of an effort to be near water.  Specifically, I’m committing to (at least) 50 Water 

Visits -- to spend some quality time, waterfront. My family’s romp on the Dog Beach on my birthday reaffirmed how wonderful it feels to be on the ocean.  I look forward to the next 49 Water Visits of my 50th year.

7.  Food

Food is my drug of choice.  I love to cook and I live to eat.  When I’m not eating, I’m thinking about my next meal or my favourite ingredients.

That being said, I do tend to make the same things repeatedly and to stick to a limited array of favourite ingredients.  So this year, I’m committing to make (at least) 50 New Recipes. This is a commitment to experiment with new dishes, to sample new ingredients and to diversify my nutritional intake.

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Now I’m sure my list is different yours -- which is why I encourage you to go through a parallel process to mine:  thing about what’s been important to you, what matters now, and decide how to apply it to make the most of your fiftieth year.  Please message me or use the comment box to tell me your ideas for making what’s important to you part of your fiftieth year.

Fifty New Recipes

Two days before my birthday, I’m undeniably excited -- like a little kid.  This is unprecedented in the past few decades so already the 50 Frolics are having a positive effect.  Unlike most years, I’m not sunk in depression.  I’m not suicidal.  I’m actually looking forward to turning fifty...because of the promise of (at least) Fifty Frolics this year.

I’ve also promised myself other treats.  I’ve examined what’s important to me.  What I truly love. Especially those things I tend to let slip by, undone.  I’m committed to incorporating these elements into this next twelve months.  For example:  I’m going to read (at least) Fifty Books.

Another goal:  to try (at least) Fifty New Recipes.  I love to cook...and I tend to fall back on my favorites.  My intention this year is to expand my repertoire.  For one thing, it’s an opportunity to flex my creativity in the kitchen.  For another, it’s healthier to eat a more diverse range of foods. 

Since we’ll be at our farm on my birthday -- half an hour from town -- going out for a birthday breakfast is far less likely or desirable than making something at home. I’ve combed through my cookbooks to find something special as my first meal of my fiftieth year -- and the first ‘new recipe’ to chronicle on my list.

I adore savoury egg dishes so my first idea is ‘cheese souffle’.  I’ve never made one and would like to have the experience. 

I look up several recipes and am appalled by the number of eggs required.  My husband Jean-Guy is allergic to eggs, I don’t want to make a souffle that serves many people, as I’ll be the one eating it all.  Alas, i have no recipes for individual souffles.  Even Jean-Guy’s dog-eared copy of the classic Joy of Cooking fails me.  They seem to only cook for families of four or more.  And I have no internet connection here at the farm so I can find single serving recipe options.  I move on. 

In an Italian cookbook, I find a bizarre recipe for a souffle that calls for only three eggs.  Alas, it is a Lettuce and Pea Souffle.  Yup.  Lettuce and Pea.  Way to start of my new year with something possibly digusting (Lettuce and Pea?!) AND disastrous (souffle).  However, in the spirit of ‘trying new recipes’, I’m seriously contemplating making it.  It is Different.  It is certainly a New Recipe.  Everything I’ve made out of this particular Italian cookbook has been divine.  Besides, whether or not it’s a success, it’ll be a novel experience, which is really the whole point, now, isn’t it?

Full of mad resolve, I add ‘peas’ and ‘milk’ to our shopping list for when we go to town.

It’s not until we return from town, with peas and milk, that I think to see if we have a souffle dish. 

I look.  We do not.  I now have the ingredients for Lettuce and Pea Souffle, but no vessel in which to cook it.  My spouse suggests I cook them in a muffin tin.  I’m no baker.  I have no idea if that will work.

I thumb through more recipe books.  I find one for a Giant Mushroom Popover -- another New Recipe that sounds interesting. It also uses ‘only’ three eggs...and makes only 2 or 3 servings...rather than the six servings promised by the Lettuce and Pea confection, so the popover would make more sense, from a leftover perspective.

This is feeling like more work and angst than I would like it to be.  I decide to delay the decision until I awaken on 11/25.  See what I feel like.

What about you?  What would make your 50th year special?  I've love to hear about it -- leave a comment or message me.