Back of a Starbucks Wrapper

Beautiful view of Lake CdA - I would
love this room Ironman weekend

Years ago, my friend Jenn and I had a tradition where we’d drive from Seattle to Coeur d’Alene to run Bloomsday and also have a little weekend getaway. At the time, we both worked in public accounting, so a long weekend in early May, was a much needed respite. Her dad is a manager at the Coeur d’Alene Resort, so he’d get us a fancy room with a view, we’d each have our own comfy bed and pretty much just vegged out, ran, hiked by Lake CdA, sipped wine, visited Gonzaga’s campus, and raced the famous 12k Bloomsday route.

On our drive home in 2005, we decided to list out some “bucket list goals.” And since it was a road trip, the only thing we had to document our list was a greasy Starbucks wrapper. Some were funny, some were serious, some were within reach, while others might take a lifetime to attain. The following years, we’d bring that list along with us and cross off the goals that were reached or add some new ones. As I got more into triathlon, I’d bring my bike on the trip and ride the Ironman course and eventually cross off the goal, “complete an Ironman.” The years wore on, schedules changed, and we’ve stopped making this trip. But we still get together about once a year to update our wrapper. It’s a great touch point for our friendship and fun to see each other reach new heights and make new goals in life.

Here’s a picture of our Starbucks wrapper:

We need to update the list!
Looks like it's been since fall 2010

I made my own list of goals for 2013 and wrote them out on a clean Starbucks pastry wrapper:

Have you written down your goals for the year?
Have you shared them with anyone?

Seven and a half years later, I’m excited to be crossing off another goal this month: buy a condo. I move in tonight! I realize it’s something a lot of my friends have done already. Some of my friends have also bought houses and become doctors or had kids. But it took me time to feel like it was financially the right decision to buy a place on my own and also know that I was comfortable enough in my life to want the constant (golden handcuffs?) of a mortgage. So long dreams of becoming a ski bum or joining the Peace Corp. Oh well, they weren’t on the Starbucks wrapper anyway.

It’s not a big house with a picket fence, backyard, personal maid, and lots of rooms for future rug rats (good grief). But it’s plenty of space for me and my bikes and other sports gear. And maybe someday a +1 and his bikes. It’s smart, clean, simple, has a lovely patio with a view of the Olympic Mountains, and is a short jaunt to Greenlake (perfect for Seattle runners). And it's all mine (with help from the bank.) I’m happy to be crossing this goal of the Starbucks wrapper. I feel more stable, established, and grown-up. It also allows me to start focusing on the 2013 wrapper.

Goals from the bucket list: clockwise from top left - One of the many
sports bra marathons that summer, winning a race and qualifying for
Kona, a peak of the new place, and my first sub-3:15 marathon