Today's my birthday, and in honor of this, I am going to institute my first annual Cup-It List.

What's a Cup-It List? Well, do you remember the movie The Bucket List? In it, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson play two old geezers who find they are both terminally ill. They make a list of things they’d like to do before they, as it is delicately phrased, “kick the bucket.”

Fortunately, I don’t have any plans to kick anybody’s bucket any time soon. But there’s something to be said about doing the things you’ve always wanted to do. Certainly, if I knew I had limited time, say six months to live, I’d say, dang the bank account—let’s go to Hawaii. And then to Australia.

So it’s a good thing that I’m more inclined to be financially prudent (ha! my husband says) so our money lasts a looong time. But still, there are things, smaller things, I’d like to do that just keep getting put off.

That’s what I’m going to call my Cup-It List. While it may be smaller than a bucket--and less likely to be kicked—it’s still important. It’s critical to note that these are not things I feel I SHOULD do, but that I WANT to do for my very own reasons, but keep putting off.

1. Go to Duke Chapel when organ is playing. For two years, I went to Duke, but never went to the chapel to hear the organ. A missed opportunity that I can still do something about.

2. Finish crocheting a blanket and donate it to Project Linus. In a previous post, I mentioned making a blanket for my mom. I did finish it, and really enjoyed the weaving process. I wanted to do more, and decided to make another blanket so I can enjoy the process and then give it to someone in need. One problem: I have a hard time actually finishing a blanket because those nice even edges that it’s supposed to have? Mine never has them. So I get frustrated, put the whole thing in a big plastic bin, and start again. I guess the perfectionist in me needs to be tamed a bit. So that’s my goal. Finish a blanket.

3. Visit Coastal Carolina. While we make an annual pilgrimage to Myrtle Beach, I’d love to explore some of the quieter areas of the coast. Since I’m not sure where to go, or what to expect, so I’ve put it off. Given the shaky economy, this may be the year of the staycation, with day trips to the coast, but at least I can get there.

4. Enjoy the spring tennis season. Instead of worrying about wins and losses, really enjoy implementing the skills I’ve been working on over the winter. Relish in the fact that I’m outside playing, instead of doing the mountains of laundry that await me at home.

I know for some, my Cup-It List may seem inconsequential or silly, and that’s okay, because everyone’s list will be different—specially tailored for them of wishes gone by and dreams not yet realized. The beauty of it is that we don’t have to wait for a life-altering event to kick start this.

As my birthday wish, I hope you create your own personal Cup-It List. Let’s set a date to meet in six months, and celebrate our adventures.

Pamela appears Tuesdays on TriangleMom2Mom. Read more about Pamela at her blog Crazy is My Life.