When I hit thirty, I was almost relieved as I had mourned my twenties for the entirety of my twenty-ninth year. Hitting forty was nothing traumatic so thirty-nine slid by without aging pains.
But this is the day that I turn forty-nine and face the very last birthday in my forties. The big 5-0 looms!
My youth seems to be headed for the cliff named ‘fifty’. Yikes!
Perhaps that doesn’t seem old to you.
Maybe it does to me because my father died at 51.
I can’t stop the clock so I have decided to do my best to make this a great year, one in which I do a lot of things that make me forget how old I am.
I am currently debating whether I should choose forty-nine things – one for every year – or 365 – one for every day. Maybe I could choose 52 – one for each week.
And how ambitious should I be?
Can I become proficient in French in one year?
Is it possible to find an agent and a publisher for one of my novels before I turn fifty?
Balance hormones?
Lose thirty-five pounds?
Build a walled garden?
Make my own wine?
Find out why my wireless printer only works when the stars are aligned with the planet Mars? Or is it when the Moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars?
Learn how to use my computer effortlessly?
Make peace with my curly hair?
Tour Egypt in a flotilla along the Nile?
Learn how to make fire from a flint rock and a string?
Read every book on my shelf that I haven’t gotten to yet? (Just to be clear on this one, I have been known to purchase the same book twice because I forgot that I had already bought it but hadn’t had the time to read it.)
Contact old friends and acquaintances?
Get a telescoping lens camera and use it to capture images of the black bears, crested grouse and hawks on our Virginia property?
Take down the World War II memories of my remaining uncles who served?
Be ready for Christmas two weeks before I usually am?
See Andrea Bocelli in concert?
Can all of this and more be accomplished?
What do you think? Do you have a suggestion? How about a new name for the blog – something like ‘The 49th Year’ or ‘Flirting with Fifty’?
Is there something you would like to see me do? Tell me what you think of my crazy ideas!
Starting my birthday right! Pain au Chocolat from a local bakery! Who says you must have cake?
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Writingfeemail's Blog 
I think you sound VERY ambitious!
Many of your ideas made me smile. But I related to the one about your Dad passing away at 51. My father was 54 (and I was 8 months old) when he died. So turning 50 did give me pause. But I’m a few years past that now!
Good luck with whatever you decide to do with this year….keep us posted!
And Happy Birthday!
Dianna,
I’m sorry about your dad. It must have been hard for your mother to lose him while you were so young. I was eleven when my dad died.
I know my list is ambitious – extremely ambitious – but seeing what I want to accomplish written down, inspires me to move towards it at least. Thanks for the encouragement!
If you decide on looking old friends, would love to do dinner some time soon. As for the others, WOW, Best of Luck whatever you decide. Love Ya!!! Deb
Yes, let’s get together soon! Thanks for the good wishes.
Hey, I feel your pain! I turned 50 last year (51 is next week!) and I became a grandmother a few months before the big 50. The grandchild is wonderful, but I was not, AM not, ready to see myself as I viewed my grandmothers. Nor do I like being 50. But what to do, what to do?! As you say, can’t turn back the clock!
I like your list of ideas…some may be a little ambitious, but who knows? Maybe this is the perfect motivation for accomplishing all! I don’t like the idea of a “bucket list,” I prefer the name “life list.” You should have fun getting through yours! You’ll have to post when you cross these items off the list and let us know how the experience goes.
Happy Birthday!
Sheila
Hi Sheila,
I like your ‘life list’ term. My first list – made long before I knew people referred to such a thing as ‘bucket list’ – was titled ‘Fifty Things to do Before I Die’. Not much better than ‘bucket list’. LOL! What’s on your ‘life list’?
Renee
You can do it all! But feel free to change your mind as often as you want over the next year. What is important one day can easily be replaced.
Very good advice! Thanks for visiting.
Have you been West to California? Seen Yosesmite? I could show you Yosemite and even consider clearing all the computer stuff off the dining room table.
Whoops! Yosemite.
Lee,
You would be a great tour guide! I’d love to see Yosemite and your own lovely community which you represent so well with the beautiful pictures and posts on your blog. I bet you know a lot of secret corners and interesting tid-bits that others miss! Maybe I can make that work into my final-forties’ year!
Happy Happiest of birthdays! I can’t wait to see which of the things on your list you decide to take on … Rock on Renee 🙂 MJ
Thank MJ! There’s nothing like a few challenges to perk me up!