Yesterday, I wrote 14 out of 24 things I want to try to accomplish in the new year. If you missed that post, you can read it here. The first half of my list was well thought out and focused on my passions, like reading and writing. The rest is off the top of my head and consists of items that could be considered low-hanging fruit, but I should probably add them to the list anyway.

SPOILER ALERT: The last item is the one I’m looking forward to the most in 2024.

15. Cook two new recipes a month. 

I am a little tired of our go-to meals of turkey meatloaf and honey dijon mustard chicken. They are delicious meals, but I make them all the time. I should branch out and try something new. So, I’d like to cook two new recipes monthly and see if they are good enough to add to the rotation. I bought a new cookbook last year that I haven’t opened yet, but it promises “recipes for keeps and essential techniques to master everyday cooking.” Sounds good to me. If nothing else, the experience will make for good blog content.

16. Deep clean one room every month. When I’m finished, add something to the room that it needs or looks nice.

I’ve been on a mission lately to clean out closets and organize drawers, but it’s time to go next level. I want to deep clean certain rooms in the house that are stressing me out. My laundry room could be much more user-friendly. If you go in there to find something, it will take longer than you think. The dining room is too plain for my taste. Plain as in BORING! We redid our kitchen a few years ago and knocked down a wall. The dining room furniture doesn’t go with the look I’m trying to accomplish, so this needs to be fixed. And my bedroom which should be my sanctuary for rest and relaxation but is in a constant state of disarray. I’ve moved the same notebooks, magazines, and loose papers  around the room in hopes of organizing them to no avail. Also, our bedroom closets are not set up for putting clothes away neatly and easy to access. Many items wind up on the floor and then I push them out of the way, recreating the messy state of my bedroom week after week. It’s all so frustrating.

This year, I want to clean these rooms out and then add something the room could use, like new artwork on the wall or replacing the ceiling light in my home office, which doesn’t do its job adequately. This will be fun, and I will start with the laundry room.

17. Get a Real ID and TSA Precheck status.

These items have been on my list for a few years. Each will take a few hours of my time to complete and then it will be done. What am I waiting for? Apparently, 2024.

18. Increase participation in the communities I love or want to get to know better. 

I’m already an active participant in a local writers’ group and neighborhood book club. Lately, I haven’t been attending events or services at my synagogue, a community I love being part of and spending time with. I need to try on a few committees or activities to see where my interests lie, but I miss it.

Last year, I also joined the local chamber of commerce and am interested in providing freelance writing services to small businesses and nonprofits as a side gig. They are an amazing group of people who have already welcomed me into the fold. I will keep those relationships going and get more involved in the new year.

19. Visit 2-4 places I’ve never been to before but always wanted to see.

A few months ago, I told a friend I wanted to visit the National Comedy Museum in upstate New York. To my surprise, she was also looking to go there, so I’d love to make that happen this year. My husband isn’t the biggest fan of museums, so this will probably be a girls trip.

This also got me thinking about other places I’ve yet to go, like the Barnes Foundation right here in Philadelphia. Another friend runs an Airbnb in Cape May, NJ. While I’m originally from New Jersey, I’ve never been to this shore town. I’m sure I’ll come across other places within driving distance of Philadelphia I’d also like to visit. Suggestions welcome!

20. Drink more water. 

No explanation is needed here. I just need to do it often enough that it becomes second nature to grab a bottle of water instead of a can of soda.

21. Go to a live show. 

I love attending concerts, watching comedy shows, and seeing a show or a play, but I stopped going because of the pandemic. It would be great to bring back some culture into my world.

22. Find and purchase a new Haggadah for our Passover Seder.  

This is a tough one but it needs to be done. I have used the same Haggadah for our Passover Seder for the last ten years. It is geared toward the youngest family members, but it is time to upgrade. I’d still like to keep the seder to 30-45 minutes, but I want to make it more meaningful and appropriate for the people around my table. Since I lead the seder every April, I’ll have to start looking soon, choose one (there are so many options!), and buy enough so each guest can follow along.

23. Learn the right makeup color palette is for me. 

From the spiritual to the superficial, I can’t get the right colors for my skin tone when I buy makeup. I have an olive complexion and green eyes. The eyeshadow always looks pretty in the case, but sometimes I don’t like it when I get home. My blush is also either too pink or too blended in. And don’t get me started on lipsticks. I have so many colors and can’t seem to get it right. One of these days, I will be brave enough to walk into Ulta or another beauty counter and let the salespeople pamper me.

24. Do something completely out of character. 

I love this one because I have no idea what it means. But I’ll know it when I see it, and I’ll say YES!

That’s it! That’s 24 things to do in 2024! What made it to your list?

XO,

Elisa

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24 in 2024

Happiness Project author Gretchen Rubin and her sister (whose name I can’t remember right now) propose this challenge every year. Come up with a to-do list of 24 things to accomplish in 2024. On this list are big things, little things, stupid things, and things I want to do. I know I’ll never get to all of them, but if I’m ever bored at some point this year, there is surely something on this list I can try to cross out.

Also, because I feel the need to expand upon each of these items, I’m making this a two-part post. Here are the first 14 items on my list. Tune in tomorrow for the rest!

1. Find and join a trivia team.

   Here are my qualifications for joining your trivia team. I grew up on Jeopardy and Trivial Pursuit. Now, I listen to many podcasts and can do the NYT crossword puzzle in under an hour. I love to read and have an affinity for uncommon knowledge and fun facts. On cruises or at resorts, you can find me at the daily trivia contest while others are by the pool. So how about it? If you have room for me on your trivia team, let’s make it happen!

2. Plan a trip to Europe and book it.

   In my life, I haven’t traveled much overseas, so I have some catching up to do. I had hoped to go on my first European vacation in 2021. Well, we all know what happened that year. But now that there is a better understanding of COVID-19 and more people are getting vaccinated, I’d like to plan a trip and then go on it in the Fall of 2024 or Spring of 2025.

3. Go down the shore three times this summer.

   Travel is going to be a common theme on my 2024 list. We live two hours from the Jersey shore, and yet we don’t go there that often. Mainly because we don’t have a place to stay, and it can get expensive. However, day trips are not out of the question, so I’d like to prioritize going at least three times this summer, sit on the beach, buy some fudge, stroll on the boardwalk, and play skee-ball.

4. More day trips/date nights with Scott.

   As empty nesters, we don’t have to worry about homework, school nights, activities, games, meets, and recitals. This means we can go out to dinner on a Tuesday night or catch a movie during the week. Or we can take a day and find dog-friendly places to enjoy. We live in a great part of the country and the possibilities are endless.

5. Plan my own writing and reading retreat.

   I don’t have to go away for this, but I want to carve out a weekend where I eat, sleep, read, and write and that’s it. It shouldn’t be hard, but I’m always distracted by real life, last-minute invitations, and, of course, laundry. But if I tell people ahead of time and make a plan, this will be something easy to check off the list.

6. Write for (at least) 24 minutes every day.

   Whether it is my blog, book, or freelancing gigs, I will make time to write for 24 minutes a day. You would be surprised how much writing I don’t do because I’m scheduling social media posts, selecting and cropping photos, and creating content beyond the copy. I will also track it so I know what I accomplished and feel more productive.

7. Meet with a genetic counselor.

   Part of the book I’m working on is about Parkinson’s Disease, which can have genetic and environmental causes. With this condition on both sides of my family, I’d like to know if it is worth getting tested for the genes. I know there is no cure, so what would I do with that information? This is all part of my writing journey, and my book won’t be complete without at least having the conversation.

8. Get more active on LinkedIn.
   

   My LinkedIn network is so generous with their time and advice as I continue to find a new job. While I don’t get a lot of engagement on my posts right now, I plan to fix that in the future. I want to dive into this platform and reap the benefits while giving back.

9. Two networking events and three coffees a month.
   

   I love meeting new people, finding something in common, and building a working relationship from there. There will be opportunities for me to help them at some point, which will give me great joy. When those chances come up, I’ll be ready to happily oblige.

10. Figure out my next career move.
    

    Full-time. Part-Time. Consulting. Freelancing. Rule the world. Who knows?!

11. Find a fitness routine or a personal trainer and stick with it.

    Walking around my neighborhood is about all I do to exercise. I know I need a better cardio workout. I know I need strength training. I know I’m not getting any younger, and the work I put in to my body and health now will help me as I age. This year, I have to make it a priority.

12. Read 50 books this year.

    Last year, I read 33 books but I had hoped to read more. This year, I want to reach this magic number. I’m not sure how I’ll do it, but I’m determined. However, I have one caveat. I don’t want to rush through my reading to get to that number and not enjoy myself along the way. The whole idea of reading to me is to immerse myself in new worlds, wonderful characters, and great stories. If I find myself rushing, I will purposely slow myself down. Otherwise, why am I doing this?

13. No Book Buy July

    I’ll be the first to admit that I have too many books on my shelf and Kindle. I’m starting to worry that I’m more of a book collector than a reader. That may be why the goal above is important to me. Maybe I need to prove it to myself. Anyway, I didn’t buy any books last July, and it was pretty great. I rearranged my physical books and, organized the downloads and made a plan. One that I plan to stick to this year by reading books I own.

14. Go on an indie bookstore crawl.

    Okay, now ignore everything I just wrote about not buying more books because I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS. There are so many independent bookstores I have yet to explore. Each store has its own specialty, charm, and staff of readers. I can’t promise I won’t buy books to support their wonderful businesses (and my own personal gain). I can promise that I won’t schedule this adventure in July.

XO,

Elisa

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