Yesterday, I was going through old journals and I found a list of dreams I had at 21. I thought I would share them with my readers:
1) Go to law school - I am still working on this one, it requires money, time and most of all money. Sorry everyone, I am not going to law school. I know friends and family will be disappointed not to see me in court duking it out with my opponents or getting the bad guys off the street. I am thinking I would be one of those Law and Order attorneys, fighting crime, taking down the bad guys one at a time. Bad news everybody, I hate wearing suits. I would not want to wear a suit every day. Polyester is my least favorite fabric says the so called Fashion Maven.
2) Run a Triatholon: OK, so I laughed out loud when I read this one. Ummm...Christina you are 35 and you can barely walk the dog around the block let alone do Yoga where you sweat like a 400 lb man. I am stretching and trying to contort my body into positions I literally laugh about in my head as the instructor comes around to fix my every position and I end up feeling like Niles from Frazier when he is doing Yoga with Daphne in Season 10. Yes, I am a nerd and I watch Frazier and I also love old 80s movies.
Again, Christina did you lose your mind when you wrote this down and realize the physical endurance it takes to run, bike and swim Apparently at 21 I thought I was invincible and a potential IronWoman! Sorry kids, I don't pan on doing a Triathlon. I don't think my knees could do it and my body would hate me forever and would never forgive me for pain I subjected it to, but I am more than happy to run a 3k or 5k with anyone for fun and eat a big breakfast after we get done.
3) To canoe down a river: Am I planning my own death? Now which river and where? Colorado River? Am I planning to go from Colorado to Nevada? I could end up in Lake Mead. : )
Maybe I could just canoe on a lake, perhaps that would be safer. My 21 year old mind didn't fathom the dangers of actually canoeing down a RIVER. There are so many steps to canoeing down a river, how to get in a canoe, how to get out, the proper clothing. After reading about going down the Shenandoah River....I was slightly terrified especially the part where they tell you how to self rescue a capsized canoe or what to do in white caps. Ummmm...again no thank you past Christina. No danger for me. I would like to see my son graduate from middle school, high school and college, perhaps even get married and have grandchildren for me. Fingers crossed on all those things
Just in case you want to know how to rescue yourself in case of an emergency, I am happy to provide the instructions:
How to Self-Rescue a Capsized Canoe
Capsizing in rapids can be a terrifying experience. Knowing what to do when it happens can save your canoe and equipment, as well as your life.
Try not to lose your paddle. You will have a long trip with no paddle.
1 Go to the upstream end of your canoe immediately upon capsizing and grab hold.
2 Keep your feet high and away from the bottom of the river unless it’s very shallow.
3 Consider the situation you’re in and decide whether your life or your companions’ lives may be in danger. Is there a dam or major rapids ahead? Does everyone have life vests and can everyone swim.
4 If your life or someone else’s is in immediate danger, forget the canoe and do whatever you have to do to avoid a disaster. If you’re not in immediate danger, stay with the canoe.
5 Attempt to swim the boat to shore. Remember the concept of ferrying. This is vitally important here.
6 Turn the back end of the canoe toward the shore you wish to swim to and kick in that direction. Keep your feet up to avoid rocks.
7 Swim until you’re in water shallower than your knees before trying to stand. Remember that the weight of the boat is going to pull you when you try to stand.
8 If two people can get the boat to waist deep water, completely submerge the canoe, turn the canoe upside down under water, lift the canoe straight up from both ends and set the canoe right side up on top of the water. Get to the bank and reenter the canoe.
4) To have a picnic under the STARS: Excellent Choice! Finally, I wrote down something I could actually do 14 years later and I am being totally realistic here, I can handle a beautiful night under the stars. Let's grab a very comfy West Elm blanket, a picnic basket full of crackers and cheese and other goodies, go out to the country, lay on our backs and look up at the stars. I even looked up the future Star Gazing events in the coming months. Now, could someone just find me a gorgeous brunette haired handsome man for me to share this beautiful moment with? Side note: Preferably, I would like this man to be at least 6 ft tall with minimal baggage. I promise I will only look at the stars and not just gaze at him into his eyes. I know it may be hard for Prince Charming not to gaze into my beautiful green eyes and fall in love with me so I will try to stay focused on the sky above and the brilliant double planet coming our way on October 26.
A brilliant double planet … again: Oct. 26
For the second time in 2015, Venus and Jupiter will engage in a close conjunction, this time separated by just over 1 degree, Venus passing to the southwest (lower right) of Jupiter and shining more than 10 times brighter than the huge gas giant.
Taurid meteor shower 'fireballs': October and November
The Taurid meteors, sometimes called the "Halloween fireballs," show up each year between mid-October and mid-November. The shower should peak from Nov. 5 to Nov. 12 in 2015. Meteor expert David Asher has also discovered that Earth can periodically encounter swarms of larger particles, which can produce fireball meteors in certain years, and 2015 is predicted to be one of those years.
5) To visit Monterrey, California: Thank you past self, I actually went to Monterrey in 2011 with Scotty, but the visit was far to short. I love the boardwalk, the shops, the beaches. I could take a cup of coffee and just sit on the the beach for hours looking at the ocean. The peace and serenity of it all makes me fall in Love with Monterrey all over again and again. I told my son I will retire in Carmel or Florida. He told me I am not allowed to live in Florida until I am 70 because of the hurricanes and then he will buy me my condo.
He was more apt to me living in Carmel, California and he said he would buy me a condo there because he wouldn't have to worry about hurricanes and I could move there when I am 65. Good thing he is so open to paying for my future condo and I told him he could go golf at Pebble Beach and I would watch his kids. I thought that was a fair deal. I am also trying to talk him into buying me a Porsche Cayenne. Hey, a girl can dream!
The other day we went to the dentist and he said Mom, you always pay for my dentist visits, but you need to go. I said you are more important. I will go in a few months. He said mom when I grow up, I will pay for your dentist visits and doctor visits. They will call you back and say Ms. Deck, Ms. Deck, it's time for your appointment and don't worry Mom I will make sure you hear them when they say its your turn. Apparently, I am going to have bad teeth and I won't be able to hear. Thanks Scotty for having my back.
6) To own a SAAB convertible: Red, beige interior, black top, power windows, locks. I have wanted this car since I was 16 and yes, 21 year old self you can have this car, but I may need to get a second job or a job where you make $200,000 a year. As Wayne Campbell said in Wayne's World, It will be mine. Oh yes. It will be mine.
7) To go to Florence, Italy: Yes, I watched While You Were Sleeping with Sandra Bullock 600000 million times too many and in the movie she wanted to go to Florence Italy. But, that is not why I want to go. It is a beautiful, ancient city full of art and architecture. It houses great works by Botticelli and Michelangelo, the Tower of Pisa and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. Thank you 21 year old self for this recommendation. Now I just need to save some money for a plane ticket, hotel and for food. Maybe I could start one of those Go Fund Me Pages...Would anyone contribute? It is a valid cause people! I need to go to Italy! This woman needs a vacation.
8) Start Forgiving myself for mistakes: This is me at 35 not 21. I am now in my mid 30s and I can't dwell on my errors of my past, I can only learn from them, let them go and move on...It is called self compassion. So now at 35, I am where I am meant to be. Yes, 21 year old self you had some great dreams and passions. Some of them I can do, but some of them will stay in the past. The greatest thing you forgot to put on that list was have a child. Have a Scotty, an amazing, delightful boy with the biggest heart of anyone I know. He's been my greatest joy, my greatest blessing and my greatest work of art.
xx
Flickr/Patty
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