Mad dash at the end of the summer

It's a recurring event, isn't it?  At the end of each vacation, season, timeframe, or even project, we all make a last ditch effort to complete everything we wanted to do. 

Or is that just me?  

Less than a month ago, I blogged about some (read: not all) the things I wanted to do before the summer was over.  That was deadly.  If you know me, I'm all about lists.  I am made to complete lists, to check them off, to work at getting them accomplished.  Without a list, I'm the queen of procrastination; without a plan, why even bother?  I don't.  Clearly, I should have made the list at the BEGINNING of summer.  Or maybe this is why I did NOT make the list at the beginning of the summer!  hahahaha

Sadly, I haven't quite completed my list, but I am damn close.  Please excuse the foul language...for those of you who do not enjoy reading swear words.  Of course, again, I must say, if you know me, then you must know the word "damn" is tame in comparison to the other lovely words that I often choose. :ahem:  moving on. haha

So, let's recap:  I had eight items on that list I wrote and I'm pretty close to getting it all done.  Four are COMPLETELY finished and a couple others are in the works.

1. Yard Sale - Check.  Made $200.  Woot. Woot.
2. Paint the office - Woot. Woot.  Complete.  It's lovely.  Now I just need to organize it. HA.
3. See the baby dolphins - The plan is to go to Discovery Kingdom tomorrow!  Gotta make the season passes worth it, right?  Plus, I want to see the animals!
4. Use our Great America passes - Check!  We went today.  It was a blast.  I also tried Dippin' Dots ice cream for my very first time.  Weird.  Yummy but weird.
5. Go to the Planetarium portion of the museum - I'm hoping to get there next week.  Since I have to run to SF again for one of the appointments in #7, this is the perfect opportunity to do so!
6. Plan a family vacation - Trip to Disneyland planned!  Woot. Woot.  It's a small world after all...it's a small world after all!
7. Schedule appointments - Almost there.  Most are done.  Others are scheduled.  A couple more still need to be set, but I have to work out timing.
8. Whitewater Rafting - Working on getting this scheduled for September.  Call is out to the company...

On top of all that, we did our regular stuff: taekwondo classes, swim lessons, and playdates.  Even more, we made it to the San Francisco Zoo AND I competed in "The Great Urban Race" with my lifelong friend.

Unfortunately, I may have done a good job at my summer to-do list, but I haven't done much by the way of work.  I started it...but it wasn't really on a to-do list, so I "tabled" that for another day.  Yes, I have work that needs to be done....but technically work doesn't start until next week, right???!! hahaha.  I'll start a work list next week.  tee hee

For now, I'm still in summer-mode and need to get it all done.  It's a mad dash to the end...typical in a procrastinator's life, right?

Being "old" does NOT mean I can't do it!!!

After the kids' belt promotion ceremony, the studio was open to "play" for a few minutes.  My daughter was doing cartwheels and stuff, so I showed her my cartwheel.  A six-year-old girl looks at me and says, "You're too old to do a cartwheel!"  I said, "I may be turning 40, but I can still do a cartwheel."  Then, I proceeded to do another one.

What the heck?  Why does this kid think...that after a certain age, instead of growing up and getting bigger, we start decaying and dying?  hahaha.

The more I thought about it, I figured that she probably once asked an adult she knows to do one and the adult responded with, "I'm too old to do a cartwheel."  Since I have not really grown up (and don't plan to), there are a lot of "kid" things I still do: play games, make crafts, do cartwheels, play with waterguns (though I prefer the waterhose because then I win! hahaha), etc.

It's not really age, I don't think.  It's mindset.  It's the willingness to still be a kid and to play.  Of course, since I teach a class based on leisure theory and the value of play, I suppose my child-like persona is not surprising to anyone.

Anyhow, I have to say I was happy I didn't fall on my a**.  I don't remember the last time I did a cartwheel; I was just pretty confident I could do it.  I figured it was like riding a bike: just do it and I'll remember.  I was happy that one of the helpers (a teenage boy) even said, "Wow.  I think that's better than I can do."  Woot.  Woot.  Let's hear it for the "old woman" that showed those kids! hahahaha.