With January quickly coming to a close, I think it’s time for an update of my 18 for ’18 list.
List Item Number 1: Bake Cookies Once a Month
I crossed this monthly item off the list on January 16, when I made Peanut Butter Cup Cookies (here’s the recipe I used). They were definitely a hit!
I modified the recipe slightly, using Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Hershey Kisses, and Rolos – all leftovers from Christmas. Personally, I liked the Rolos the best.
List Item Number 10: Buy Proper Makeup/Toiletry Bags
For years, if we’ve been going on a plane trip, I have just stuffed all my toiletries into Ziploc bags and tossed them in my suitcase. I do have nice bags for car trips, but they’re far too large and heavy for plane travel. Also, I am NOT one of those people who can travel with just a carry-on bag, in part because of the number of toiletries I tend to bring with me; if I was this sort of traveler, a Ziploc would be appropriate.
As we take multiple plane trips every year, this bag situation has not been ideal. However, as it was easy and cheap to use the Ziplocs (if a little inconvenient once we reached our destination), I never bothered to remedy the situation, even though it would be so nice to have a legitimate toiletry/makeup bag.
I put this item on the list because I knew I could put off purchasing a legitimate toiletry bag indefinitely; this would force me to just spend $20 and take care of it. After initially ordering the wrong color, I returned the first attempt at ordering a makeup bag and got what I wanted on January 24. Here’s a picture of Choppy modeling it:
I can’t wait to use it on some upcoming trips – I’m sure it will be a vast improvement to the Ziploc bags and I will wonder why I waited so long to purchase it.
List Item Number 12: Go Out to Lunch with Paul Once Per Month
Paul and I went to lunch together on January 23, to Bel-Air Cantina, which is a small Wisconsin chain of taco places, with six current locations. Right now, they’re in the news around here because the new stadium for Milwaukee’s NBA team, the Bucks, bears a striking resemblance to one of the Bel-Air Cantina restaurants.
List Item Number 15: Eat at 6 New-to-Me Restaurants
When I put together this list, I tried to be reasonable about what I could and couldn’t do over the course of a year. I figured eating at six new-to-me restaurants would require a little effort, but it wouldn’t be terribly difficult, particularly as we travel and have chances to try new places regularly.
It turns out, I went to four new-to-me restaurants in January and barring something unexpected happening, I’ll be done with this list item by this time next Sunday.
This list item was helped by having traveled up to northern Wisconsin one weekend; it’s much easier to eat at new restaurants when you’re on the road, particularly if you’re someone who doesn’t eat at many big chain restaurants when traveling (like me). Three of the four new-to-me restaurants were visited when we were up north; only one was at home.
- January 12: Kusek’s Red Steer Supper Club – Minocqua, Wisconsin
- We had a very nice meal out with my parents here – I would definitely recommend it if you find yourself in this part of northern Wisconsin.
- January 14: Shamrock Pub & Eatery – Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin
- We drove here on snowmobiles – not your typical way to arrive at a restaurant unless you are in one of a very few parts of the country/world.
- January 15: Rib Mountain Taphouse – Wausau, Wisconsin
- Neither Paul nor I was feeling great this day, but it didn’t stop us from trying somewhere new on our drive home from our snowmobile trip up north.
- January 24: North & South – Madison, Wisconsin
- I met my mom here for lunch – it is somewhere which has been around awhile, but I just hadn’t eaten there.
List Item Number 16: Do 6 Wisconsin Travel Related Blog Posts
This is one people already saw – I posted on the Isthmus Beer & Cheese Festival on January 21.
The Verdict
Things are going well so far! Here’s the updated list:
On to February!
I still use ziplock bags for all sorts of things, especially cables and gadgets. Being able to see through the walls of the bag helps me keep my main bag tidy.
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I have some bags with mesh which serve that purpose nicely. I am looking forward to having a nice, tidy bathroom on vacation now – the bag has a little hook, so I can hang it from a towel rack and have everything clean, but still accessible.
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I’m lucky as a bloke I just loosely pack a toothbrush, toothpaste, electric razor, moisturiser, and dental floss. True, it’s not as neat in the hotel bathroom but I always put the stuff in a drawer each morning and then pull it all out each night.
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Oh, to be able to travel with only those things – I have all those things (well, a regular razor) and so much more.
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Cool bag and great progress on your list. 🤩
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Thanks! A little progress here, a little progress there, and it will all add up in the end!
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Even eating an elephant is done one bite at a time. ☺️
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Progress!
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Yes!
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Wow. Megga impressed!
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Thanks! Now, the real key is to keep on going!
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I’m impressed that you’ve done best at the eating challenge. I would be great at that challenge too.
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It’s such a fun one to do – though I can’t say I expected to go to so many new restaurants so quickly.
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I can see you are a ‘list’ person – it really motivates you! Your toiletry bag is very swish, that size would make a good overnight bag for me. 😉
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I’m not sure the toiletry bag will even hold all my toiletries! I wish I was someone who could pack lightly. I’m always impressed by someone who can hop on a plane with just a carry-on. The few times I’ve been forced to make do with just a carry-on, I’ve been somewhat miserable, missing all the things I had to leave behind.
As for the lists, I’m an expert at it. I actually make a new one for work every day. If something doesn’t get on the list, though, I completely forget it exists and it therefore never gets done.
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I admire organized people – I’m hopeless at it!
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It’s my natural state as well – the organization is definitely something I worked to get good at!
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Lovely bag modelled perfectly by Choppy, you’re doing well on the eating bit of the list! 🙂
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It’s a fun and easy part of the list to do well!
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I think if I had a list pretty much all of it would involve yummy food 😊
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I always have lists stuck to the kitchen cabinet…love to cross accomplished things off & add new ‘things to do!’….even if it’s just putting the registration sticker on my car.
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I’m an expert list maker – I make up a new one daily for work. I completely agree with your love of crossing things off. I especially love to cross something off which has been on there for months (note: my to do list is three pages long).
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A tremendous list Sarah. Love so much of your creative mind in these items. So many of these things of that initial investment of time and some money will be enjoyed for such a long time. There is nothing that can compare with fresh herbs. And once established, they are pretty much maintenance free. Enjoy it, as you scratch each item off the list! 🙂
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I’m thoroughly enjoying the list so far – it was meant to be things which are fun, but which I might not otherwise do.
I may jump the gun on the herbs – I have a lot of light in my office, and I think it would be nice to have a little set of herbs growing in there. I could snip off what I needed at night before heading home for the day.
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What a great idea. My herbs are buried under the snow. Having fresh herbs like that in winter would be so wonderful. 🙂
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Mine would be under snow here as well – plus, having them inside you get a nice, green something to look at (a something which isn’t a pine tree).
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Oh that is an ambitious, and yet I believe doable for you, Sarah List. You certainly have gotten a good going start on it. All my best to you. Greetings to Choppy. THank you.- JoHanna
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Thanks! I’m enjoying it so far – but that was part of the point, to put things on it that I wanted to do, but might not get around to if I didn’t have some motivation to do them.
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Sounds like you’re off to a great start! I think I might need to add make cookies once a month to my plan for the year too. Yum!
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Plus, it’s a good way to make better friends of co-workers and whoever may get lucky enough to try some!
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Amazing how when we do a little plan things happen to get done. I wish more people included their PHYSICAL and MENTAL Health in these lists and applied the same effort. It seems to me without quality health the other things on the list won’t be nearly as much fun accomplishing.
Kudos to you for accomplishing so much!
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You are so right…spot on!
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I do have the bike rides on here – so there’s something. Of course, I’m not giving up on my daily walks either. A couple good (and fun) things I do every year didn’t make the list, because they’ve become such ingrained habits, like the walks (the other big one being, ‘read 52 books a year’ – something I started doing maybe a decade ago).
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You have an excellent start on your list. Choppy is a super model!
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I’m glad I have her to take care of the modeling duties – she has the skills down for it.
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Choppy, you look great as a model. We love cookies. You are doing a great job with your list
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Who doesn’t like cookies? (If such a person exists, I kind of want to know him or her, so I can eat all of his or her cookies.)
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I am very impressed! And Choppy models your new make up bag beautifully. 🙂
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I’m glad I have such a talented model in-house.
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hehe Yes 🙂
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So true , Such an amazing Post and I love it. Love how you have explained your thoughts.
Btw there is a new post on my blog on – my 2018 fitness routine- https://sunainadasblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/29/adding-yoga-to-my-fitness-routine/
Hope you will like it
Xoxo,
Sunaina
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Thanks!
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Wow! Well done!!! Seems like this 18 for 18 is the thing !!!
Oh and btw….Choppy did a beautiful job modelling your bag. Pink certainly is her colour 🙂
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I’m lucky it looks good on her, because I’m not about to stop buying pink things.
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I really like this Sarah and I want to make my own list. Wow you have done so well in just this month!
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You should! I’ve read it’s easier for many people to start a list another time of the year than January. I know that was true of me when I resolved to walk Choppy at least a mile a day – I never would have done it had I started in winter, but starting in May meant I got to walk in the nice weather long enough that when the cold weather showed up, I wasn’t going to let my streak die!
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Yes you have done such a great job Sarah! I love hearing about your walks!!
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Those cookies look delicious! 😄
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They were definitely tasty!
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