It’s the birthday post. So this is it; the final year of the Kettle list. I can’t believe it has been 9 years since I started on this quest to ‘get things done’. Also can’t believe that this time next year I will be 50! So I have a confession to make: the list will not be completed by next March.
I will blame Covid for not doing all the travel related tasks, and being ‘poor’ will cover a lot of the other tasks, but some are all on me. Ironically I have achieved so many things that did not appear on the list, but we are not here for that. We are here for the proverbial ‘tea’. ( Kettle, tea, Polly put the… forget it!)
So let’s look at what I can – feasibly- get done in the next 12 months as the Kettle List rolls to an end. Also stay turned for what happens next at Polly’s Pad.
‘Not’ Left on the list
It would be quicker to let you know what I HAVE completed really. It will also be a stark reminder to myself about the tasks I have not yet written up for the blog. If you haven’t seen the full list, check it out.
If you are not familiar with the list, or indeed the site I have a cool opener page here which explains all. There is even a page for the list right here. (Go check it out, it’s fine, we’ll wait for you). Back? Cool. Let’s get listing.
#3 – Pass my driving test. This has been a game changer! I’m kind of annoyed that I did not do this years ago, but there was never the money or opportunity to have lessons. Being able to drive has certainly opened up doors to us as a family: I was able to drive Toby to the Lake District for the LICAF festival, Hannah and I drove to Nottingham for the Splendour Festival, Ethan and I took and impromptu road trip to Cornwall (no festival that time, just pasties!). It took a bit longer to get used to motorways. I literally drove on one for the first time last October, so that I could drive to my partners place, and now new paths have been literally and figuratively opened to me. Of all the things I am proud to have accomplished in my forties, passing my driving test is in the top 3.
#4 – Learn Japanese. I consider this ‘passed’ as my Japanese teacher has confirmed that I am at an upper intermediate level. I’ve not yet been able to enter the JPLT exams as the backlog since Covid has made it almost impossible to get a place, but the reassurance from Noriko-San is enough for me to tick this task off. My study continues, obviously, and now with additional Japanese speakers in my life I hope to only get better.
#6 – Dance lessons. Once they let us all out again after Covid, My Mum and I decided to have a go at Salsa. We actually did rather well, but as we progressed to the higher up classes there was a lot of spinning on the spot involved. As I’ve got older I’ve found my tolerance for dizziness is very low; a session on the Waltzers at the fairground took me out for the rest of the day! I did enjoy myself though, and I am open to some additional lessons if I find the right kind of dance for me.
#9 – Learn a Martial Art I started karate in January 2024, mainly to tick off this task, but also for fitness. Two years on, I am now a green belt and in training for my purple belt. I won’t lie, it is getting tougher as I get older, but that is why it is important to stay fit and flexible as you age. What shape would I be in now if I had not been doing karate weekly!
#10 Complete a Tough Mudder In retrospect I have no idea how I completed this – without skipping any tasks, might I add. Just thinking about attempting this now tires me out! It is certainly one of my proud achievements, and I am glad I did it when I did as I would certainly struggle to complete this task now.
#14 Go to Japan This was a cheat task as I had already booked this trip before I turned 40. However, I am now packing for my 3rd visit, so what started as a simple birthday trip has become an incredibly important part of my life. What with studying the language, learning the culture and now looking to start a business based on writing haiku, among other things, Japan has become an integral feature of my life.
#16 An event with Ethan – an evolving task! Originally, we had wanted to go to Costa Rica to see Sloths, then he decided he wanted to spend his 18th in America at a Wasteland festival. In the end he decided he would take the cash instead. Which meant I had a spare task. So we decided to go on a UK based adventure. Last year we attended the Whitby Pirate festival – and he enjoyed wandering around the place dressed as a pirate a little too much! Plus I was really happy with this photo of him in the harbour.
#21 Visit California and see the Holly wood sign This was Hannah’s 18th Birthday trip. We in fact did get to see the Hollywood sign, as well as the Walk of Fame and Santa Monica Pier. Definitely time that I wrote the trip up though, though I am not sure where most of the photos went.
#25 Decorate a Birthday Cake – Another cheat task as I decorated rather that baked the cake- but then the task was to decorate, so I didn’t technically cheat. Not sure how impressive the results were, and I certainly haven’t been asked to decorate any cakes since, but the whole cake was eaten, none the less.
#27 Complete a Cross-stitch I was really pleased to get this one done, as this task had been plaguing me for a while. In the end, I actually enjoyed completing this cross-stitch and was happy with the results. It came in a pack of 2 and I am hoping to get the other one completed as a gift by the end of the year. What I have also now realised, is that I have not updated the cross stitch page, or indeed got a picture up of it yet, so here is one now.
#32 Publish a poetry book I may have only sold a few copies, but I did finally complete a poetry book, get it published and sell a few copies. It has also launched a love for haiku, which I will be utilising in my newest venture.
#34 Plant a tree – Not only did I plant a tree, but she is still going strong. Still waiting on some blossom for this year, and I may need to repot, but my cherry blossom tree is still the best thing in my back garden.
#37 50 acts of random kindness – Another task that was a little self-serving, as many of the acts were just helping out friends with babysitting, or a few chores around their homes. But then, that is what a RAK is; doing some good for someone when you don’t have to. Totally recommend everyone helping others out when you can.
#38 Volunteer for 50 hours – I really thought I had written a post for this task, as I had a top grade for a piece I wrote on the subject at university. Much of this task was easily completed as I was a Guide Leader, as well as running a youth club when I started my Kettle List. I’m fairly certain their is advice somewhere on the Blog about not adding something to your Bucket List for the sake of being able to tick it off easily, and this was a prime example of that.
#40 Fold 1,000 cranes – This year I will actually be visiting Hiroshima, and I am hoping to take a few of the 1000 cranes I have folded. With the important history of the place, it will be good to finally see, in real life, the statues and buildings in the post I wrote, about the story of the connection between the origami cranes and the Peace Park.
#44 Drink 50 coffees in 50 cities – This was harder than it sounds. not because I don’t drink enough coffee, but 50 different places proved quite tough. It has made me think now that I could come up with 60 drinks I could try in 60 cities for the next list. I also realised that some places do some pretty terrible coffee!
#50 – this was a secret ‘saving this space for something special’ task that I have now completed. You’ll have to watch this space to see if I can share more on this one at some point. Suffice it to say, I was very pleased about this one.
Plans for the last year
There are about 8 tasks that I can realistically complete, along with a number of the cumulative tasks that I can certainly ‘move along’ a little.
I will be picking up the pace on the blog posts (Task #1). More time has been spent doing than on reflecting, which is good, but I need to start keeping better accounts of my activities. If going through the list of completed tasks has taught me anything, it is that I need to make sure I record my journey. Going back over some of them required actually returning to previous posts and looking back at photos, as I had almost forgotten some of them – 10 years is a long time! This site is, essentially, a time capsule of all the things I have been doing since turning 40, so I need to make sure it is an accurate reflection of the time I have spent.
#5 – Learn an instrument has been mocking me for a while. I did have a Kalimba for a while, that went missing into the abyss that is my youngest sons room. Making music is relaxing, so I think this is a task I really need to look into. I won’t be an expert in a year, but that was never the point, just to be able to play a tune would be enough.
I wrote an article all about flexibility in middle age, and while my karate is certainly helping, my back is starting to feel the stress of day to day aging. My original intention with this task was to be able to do the splits, but I would now be content with touching my toes and gaining some general freedom of movement in my joints. Will certainly be working on this task this year and the next 10 years as well.
One of the tasks was ‘Swim’, which was later modified to ‘Swim the channel’ – virtually, obviously. I have some 925 lengths left to go, and have not been in a swimming pool for over a year, so I need to get back into exercising more regularly – hopefully my new work / life balance will help me accomplish that.
I have had an idea to create a ‘Family blanket’ – the ‘Polly Bolly’, if you will, where each year will represent a year in the Thompson family. A few are half completed, and I have a plan for the entire thing, but what I need is some time, some motivation and some space to get the sewing done.
While I am in a ‘sewing mood’ , I have a Sashiko Cushion to complete as part of the ‘Learn a Japanese Craft’ task. I have been experimenting with sumi-e painting, calligraphy and creating Orihon, but I think sewing small stitches may be where my skills lay.
While this task may end up being a bit too pricey for me to do this year, I’m putting it on this list anyway. Attending a Zen retreat – not necessarily in Japan, there are plenty about in the UK, -has been something I have wanted to try for a while. Although, not one that bans phone use as I have a 2907 day Duolingo streak to maintain!
Another – possibly too expensive- task was to attend a murder mystery weekend (#49). I am on a few mailing lists and keeping an eye out for local deals. Having subjected my chap to an escape room, I feel that a murder mystery with a meal is the obvious next step.
The ‘See a Sunrise’ task gets harder as the year moves into spring as it means getting up earlier to catch it. Perhaps I will get to tick this one of in Japan when I go next week? If not, I may have to wait until autumn and the longer days, but this is a task I should definitely get completed this year. Once I have a photo, it can join my sunset pictures, like this one I took in Kobe.
Finally, I have no trouble starting to write books, but I need to commit and complete one. (#42) The books I am currently working on include a graphic novel tanka, a cultural study of Japan’s previous capitals and a ‘How to Haiku’ guide. This last one I will use as the basis for the workshops I am planning. I am looking to finally launch Polly’s Pad as a business with ‘Writing for Wellbeing’ as a core element. Once I return from Japan, I will be looking at booking creative spaces to hold my workshops and start advertising the ‘How to Haiku’ experience.
Happy Birthday to me!
So – this is 49. Looking forward to see what the final year of my forties brings. Hopefully it will be lots more fun, adventures, and excuses to do some Japan related activity.
If you have been putting off writing your Bucket List, do not worry. My next post is all about anti-bucket lists. What have you decided you are definitely not doing in the coming year? Check out my next post to see what I suggest.
