- Keep doing strength building exercises do at least one unassisted pull-up. Accomplished Week 2: 1/11/19.
- Hike in beautiful spots Including Crested Butte during wildflower season Accomplished Week 32
- Participate and dress up in at least one fun race like the Bolder Boulder Accomplished Week 22
- 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
- Learn a choreographed dance Accomplished Week 21: 5/25/19
- Try PickleBall Accomplished Week 34
- 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
- Take a work mentor to dinner. – Accomplished Week 37
- 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
- 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. Accomplished Week 30
- Write a gratitude letter to the police who helped me during a family emergency Accomplished Week 44
- Visit my Mom & brother in Sacramento as well as others in Northern CA who are available: Accomplished Week 50
- Visit my sister in Southern CA and go to this super-cool bookstore (among other things). Accomplished Week 3: 1/18/19
- Practice a mindset of kindness and gratitude and journal weekly about reflections Accomplished Week 46
- Contribute to any cause that a friend asks me to support Accomplished Week 27
- Participate in efforts to help those with ALS and their caregivers Accomplished Week 48
- Learn digital photography better with the help of a professional photographer (my sister, Michele) Accomplished Week 4: 1/28/19
- Learn how to Meditate Accomplished Week 19: 5/11/19
- Learn more about poetry and write a poem Accomplished Week 16: 4/21/19
- Practice the piano and be able to play some of the pieces I used to play well along with some new pieces Accomplished Week 38
- Experiment learning a new instrument – maybe the ukulele Accomplished Week 18
- Sing with a group Accomplished 8/8/19 (Blogged about Week 33)
- Explore an acting class or group and try to get a part in a play Accomplished 8/8/19 (Blogged about Week 33)
- Get better at a foreign language (Spanish, French, and/or Italian) and practice with a friend Accomplished Week 24
- Put together a playlist of at least 60 songs by gathering songs from friends Accomplished Week 58
- Plan and host my 60th virtual/real birthday party Accomplished Feb.26, 2020
- Create slideshows of the celebrations I have throughout my 60-week ‘party’ Accomplished Week 36
- Host a theme party (Flamingo, Carpe Diem, Wine-Tasting, Murder Mystery, Games, Purple,etc.) Accomplished Week 25
- Go to a foreign country and practice speaking the native language Accomplished Week 54
- Research and explore snowbird locations Accomplished Week 15
- Go to Disneyworld with the Tidds Accomplished Week 9: 2/28-3/1
- Go to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival with Stella and Matt Walk 2019 miles in 2019 Accomplished Week 49
- Go to the Meowolf exhibit in Santa Fe with Stella and Matt Accomplished July 6, 2019 (Week 28 Blog Post)
- Visit New England in the Fall with Rebecca R. Accomplished Week 41
- Do some TBD adventure with Scotty Accomplished Week 5: 1/30/19-2/1/19 Road Trip to CA
- Visit Minnesota friends in August Accomplished Week 33
- Do a roadside altar road trip with Rebecca M. Accomplished Week 39
- See all the movies that are up for Best Picture Accomplished Week 8
- Dress up and go to a musical at the theater Accomplished Week 29 and Week 31
- Read a book that’s on the best seller list Accomplished Week 45
- Binge watch a Netflix series with someone Accomplished Week 23
- Clean my basement window-wells Accomplished Week 17
- Try marble contact paper on an old table Accomplished Week 40
- Clean and organize the ‘craft area’ of my basement Create a Girl Cave
- Sell, give-away, throwaway and organize what’s left of my games, puzzles, and toys Accomplished Week 29
- Sell, give-away, throwaway and organize what’s left of my books Accomplished Week 14
- Clean out my wardrobe and get rid of old clothes that I never wear Accomplished Week 10
- Put DIY flooring or carpets in basement Accomplished (sort of) Week 47
- Put DIY walls in basement that will allow me to hang pictures, etc. Accomplished Week 52
- Refurbish window sills and baseboards that are old and chipped Accomplished Week 20
- Label and repair my breaker box Accomplished Week 29
- Get rid of or repair floor lamps Accomplished Week 29
- Hang pretty lights in basement and bedroom Accomplished Week 43
- Fix up den as a potential airBnB room for rent Accomplished Week 11
- Buy something at a Thrift store and fix it up Accomplished Week 51
- Create a course about using Agile in everyday life
- Sign up on sites to get freelance Agile coaching / training gigs: Accomplished Week 2: 1/13/19
- Update Website with my coaching / training / writing accomplishments Accomplished Week 42
- Create outline for book about Agile in everyday life Accomplished Week 26
- Continue to write freelance articles Accomplished Week 13
Blog
Happy National Healthcare Decisions Day!
As the new recipient of National Carpe Diem Day, I feel it’s my responsibility to properly “seize” and celebrate every day, and that includes today, which is, among other things: National Healthcare Decisions Day!
NHDD is about being prepared with healthcare decisions and having crucial conversations with your loved ones. You can check out the variety of resources available on the site and check out this blog post for ways to connect and celebrate National Healthcare Decisions Day.
I’m inspired to write this blog post because I stumbled upon a Fitbit Community blog today, asking readers to “Share Joy.” Responses included quotidian things like:
- Daffodils blooming
- Clean kitchen drawers
- Snuggling pups
- Birds singing
just to name a few. Many of the responses noted (often quite poetically) having more time for creativity, relaxation, bonding, and connectedness.
Inspired by this blog, I found Fitbit’s Community Blog Program with April’s theme being none other than National Healthcare Decisions Day and “hard healthcare decisions”:
You may know that National Healthcare Decisions Day is in April. We all face tough healthcare decisions in our life, whether it’s for ourselves or someone else we love. What have you faced? How did you make the decision? What data did you use? What support did you need – and how did it change your life?
My tough decision was this: About a year and a half ago, I was told I had two degenerative back problems (severe scoliosis and osteoporosis). One doctor sounded so dire that it sounded as though I needed to prepare myself for a life of pain.
After talking to my kids about it, my daughter suggested I get a second opinion and that doctor was much more optimistic.
However, given the uncertainty of my future, I decided to retire a bit early, and make my health a priority. Most doctors agreed I should stop running, but, instead I did more weightlifting, walking, and dancing, avoiding anything that would compress my spine.
I’ve never felt healthier and happier since making these changes. I miss my work and running, but giving those things up have allowed me to have more time to travel and pursue other hobbies. I enjoyed a wonderful 60-weeks-until-60 project, having a different adventure every week.
I know that many people are suffering from hardships associated with the coronavirus, but I’ve been lucky. My friends and family are healthy and most are able to work from home.
So for me, similar to giving up running and my job, the changes due to the coronavirus have brought unexpected benefits. I actually have found more connection than ever with so many opportunities to help, to learn and to connect online. It’s heartwarming to see the world unite and work to collectively and creatively find ways to help one another.
Thinking about a future of pain or even thinking about death is scary, but facing those fears and making some decisions may help us cope better and feel more prepared should our worst fears be realized.
Let’s take today to be grateful for all the joys in our life, with renewed commitment to live each day fully (and at ease with our healthcare decisions)!
Virtual Dance Party!
Special and Zany Holidays
Example Page
Kindness Ambassadors
This is my post about being a kindness ambassador