50 things. {a to do list.}

I wanted to celebrate this birthday by doing something special, it’s kind of a big deal. A friend I follow took 50 portraits of 50 year olds, I thought about doing something like that, but just couldn’t work up any enthusiasm. I remembered ages ago writing a blog post on my old blog of things I wanted to do before I turned 50. I decided I’d go have a peek, all I could remember was climbing to the top of Machu Picchu and getting my master’s degree in photography.

So it turns out that I made the post up, I found one that was 4 things I wanted to do before the next leap year, (which was written in 2008 to be done before 2012), that’s where Machu Picchu came in, and I didn’t want to actually get my master’s by then, I just wanted to have 3 prints accepted in National’s. I also wanted to teach my dog to walk nicely on her leash, haha, and remodel the upstairs at the studio. Turns out two leap year cycles have come and gone, and although Lucy does walk better on a leash, if I’m honest, it is not her strongest suit. I’ve always been a bit of a pushover with her I guess. She just loves other dogs way, way too much… So none of those get put into the done pile.

The other list I was thinking of was 8 things you might not know about me. Certainly not a to do list. 🙂

50 has arrived, and I’ve decided to celebrate by doing 50 things on my to do list. Nothing big, just little things that I always mean to get to, want to get to, to make, to create, to visit, to photograph, to post about, to do… I’m going to make time for myself at least 50 times this year. I think I will start by re-reading that old blog of mine, and the other blog I used to have with my sister where we tried to create every day for a year, 365 Art-full days. Remind myself of some of those things I’ve left undone… Some of it is for the studio, some for me, some for my house, some for my family, maybe even some for that dog of mine who isn’t ever going to win best in show for her behaviour, but that’s okay with me. Mostly it will be creating and exploring…

Incorporated into it will be 50 things I love, over the course of the year, on my Instagram. Because, what is the point of making time for myself if it’s not about things I love? #50thingsIreallylove

Sadly, hiking to to the top of Machu Picchu is not on the list, I mean, it’s always on the list, but just not this one… (Unless some miracle happens, which I’m ever hopeful for…)

Here’s to 50. Maybe it’s time to get it together… Or at least start doing some of the things I want to…

The image was taken at Monte Alban, in Oaxaca, Mexico a couple of weeks back. Mountains when they are all varying shades of blue, and look a bit like ocean waves, are something that always brings me joy. I find them so beautiful, peaceful, just so insanely gorgeous. It is one of the things that always makes me stop and say, ‘oh how I love it when the mountains look like that’… Lest you were wondering why that image made my post… 🙂