Dec 1, 2025
29. Eat in a (fancy) restaurant alone
seen from Malaysia
seen from Ireland
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from Ireland
seen from Israel
seen from Sweden
seen from Bulgaria
seen from Israel
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Sweden
seen from China
seen from Australia
seen from Sweden
seen from China
seen from Germany
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from Australia
29. Eat in a (fancy) restaurant alone
50 Things I probably won't get done before 50 (halfway there edition)
Life changes, and as it does, goals do too, especially when you're an old shit like me. Trimming this list of a little more rubbish and adding some things that are more important to me in this new stage in life. Also, I have a wonderful, supportive and indulgent husband now, so adding in those things I thought I could never do... just in case. Also, technically everything after #24 on my Done list has been after I turned 40, so I really only have to do 40 of these? 🤪
THINGS I'VE DONE
1. hide 43 treasures
2. milk a cow
3. Tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue
4. Get a tattoo
5. finish crocheting my tetris blanket
6. Send in a postsecret
7. try sushi
8. Have glamour photos taken of me
9. crochet a hat
10. Go to a strip club
11. dye my hair purple
12. go on a pub crawl
13. have brunch with friends
14. Give blood (well, I tried, but they wouldn't take it!)
15. take part in gishwes
16. try a foreign cuisine I’ve never had before
17. take a chocolate factory tour
18. fly first class
19. do the Colour Run
20. do a nude photoshoot
21. find a signature scent/perfume
22. get a helix piercing
23. go to a RHPS Audience Participation screening
24. go to Midsumma/Pride March/Mardi Gras parade
25. grab a handful of cake and just eat it
26. invent a silly holiday and get other people to join in
27. get a septum piercing
28. visit Japan
29. eat snails
30. take a moonlit walk on a beach
31. get a professional massage
32. see the Southern Lights
33. go on a road trip
34. see the Eiffel Tower
THINGS I'VE YET TO DO
1. Send a message in a bottle
2. Record/produce a song
3. visit a planetarium (and see a laser light show)
4. Swim with dolphins (attempted, but failed and still want to try)
5. Throw a dart into a map and travel to where it lands
6. see a total solar eclipse in person
7. bake a Croquembouche (or something crazy complicated)
8. Take a pole dancing class
9. spend a day taking photos of Melbourne
10. visit all the Australian states and territories - 5/7
11. eat at a teppanyaki style restaurant
12. visit the Great Barrier Reef
13. finish a ‘Wreck This Journal’
14. get a matching tattoo with someone
15. complete the c25k program
16. take part in a drum circle
17. write an Android app
18. Design my own Tarot deck
19. go strawberry picking
20. take a silversmithing course
21. eat fondue
22. learn to contact juggle
23. ride in a limo
24. join the mile high club
25. see the Northern Lights
26. wear a bikini to the beach (without a cover up)
27. Be able to do a pull up unassisted
28. host a fancy dinner party in a strange place (ie, traffic island)
29. eat alone in a (fancy) restaurant
30. build a Rube Goldberg machine
31. watch a meteor shower
32. recreate a childhood photo
33. paint with oil paints
34. take a salsa dance class
35. learn ASL
36. learn to drive left hand drive
37. go to a Ren Faire
38. write and film a short movie
39. fire a gun (at a shooting range)
40. see bioluminescence
41. learn how to pick locks
42. do a advent calendar
43. go to the City Museum in St Louis
44. visit New York
45. tour the Dresden Files sites in Chicago
46. visit Petra, Jordan
47. eat at the Pizza Hut in Egypt across from the Pyramids
48. visit the Eternal Lightning Fields, Venezuela
49. visit Wat Samphran (Dragon Temple), Thailand
50. visit Chichen Itza, Mexico
50 Before 50 Travel Bucket List
My 50 Before 50 Travel Bucket List – 50 adventures, destinations, and unforgettable moments I want to experience before turning 50. Ambitious? Yes. Exciting? Absolutely. Let’s make every journey count! ✈️✨.
50 Before 50
Start the year with a cold plunge
Get back to reality, full day at home after holidays
Write annual impression by end of weekend
Complete 10 squats per hour 10x daily
Donate to kitty charity in honor of Jax
Start a weekly gratitude jar with DJ
Write Instagram post 3+ times per week
Learn jump rope trick #1
Spend 30 minutes organizing
Plan a fun activity with a friend
Book an evening at McLemore Resort
Donate clothes
Listen to a TED talk
Design Hangar Time sign
Learn jump rope trick #2
Gather materials for taxes
Thank & recognize co-worker via Bravo
Book Kentucky Derby
Book 10k charity race during warmer months
Listen to a YouTube skill based video
Work on DIY string art
Learn jump rope trick #3
Review recurring expenses
Thank & recognize friend via card
Book timeshare
Donate food
Take call with mentor
Work on lettering craft
Learn jump rope trick #4
Finish taxes
Check in with friend/family member
Book trip to Providence Canyon
Adopt a penguin
Prepare quick top 5 list for week
Work on valentine craft
Learn jump rope trick #5
Spend 30 minutes organizing #2
Send friend/family a thoughtful/practical gift
Enjoy roller skating with friends
Volunteer at local senior center
Listen to Stuff You Should Know Podcast
Draw card for service member (for care pkg)
Learn jump rope trick #6
Complete will
Facetime friend/family member
Visit with friends in Rome, GA
Send care package to a service member
Finish listening to You Only Die Once
Write special edition turning 50 impression
Go 50 days without consuming alcohol
30. See the Southern lights
This was barely visible with the naked eye as a vague pink haze, but at least I can say I''ve seen it. Apparently it was going off about an hour before I got up, judging by everyone else's photos.
50 things I probably won't get done before 50
Let's face it, I've been working on varying versions of this list for 12 years. I've never come close to hitting my goal. BUT I have done a whole bunch of things I've always wanted to do, that I probably never would have done other wise, so whether or not I reach the goal, I think this is a good thing to keep going.
I went right back to the original list, and am combining it with all the iterations from over the years. I'm also adding in my travel goals. I always kept them separate because I didn't have the money to travel, and wanted to keep my list achievable, but I'm not as concerned about hitting every goal any more, and also, if I don't travel by 50, then when?
I've made a separate list for the things I've done too, to remind myself of what I have accomplished. The items I removed from the list because I really don't think it's possible, or care if I achieve it, I'm putting back in as bonus goals... they don't need to count, but maybe the opportunity will come up, who knows? And it's good to see where I've come from.
THINGS I'VE DONE
1. hide 43 treasures
2. milk a cow
3. Tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue
4. Get a tattoo
5. finish crocheting my tetris blanket
6. Send in a postsecret
7. try sushi
8. Have glamour photos taken of me
9. crochet a hat
10. Go to a strip club
11. dye my hair purple
12. go on a pub crawl
13. have brunch with friends
14. Give blood (well, I tried, but they wouldn't take it!)
15. take part in gishwes
16. try a foreign cuisine I’ve never had before
17. take a chocolate factory tour
18. fly first class
19. do the Colour Run
20. do a nude photoshoot
21. find a signature scent/perfume
22. get a helix piercing
23. go to a RHPS Audience Participation screening
24. go to Midsumma/Pride March/Mardi Gras parade
25. grab a handful of cake and just eat it
26. invent a silly holiday and get other people to join in
THINGS I'VE YET TO DO
1. Send a message in a bottle
2. Record/produce a song
3. visit a planetarium
4. Swim with dolphins (attempted, but failed and still want to try)
5. Throw a dart into a map and travel to where it lands
6. take a moonlit walk on a beach
7. learn the thriller dance
8. see a total solar eclipse in person
9. go on a road trip with friends (husband counts right?)
10. bake a Croquembouche
11. Take a pole dancing class
12. get a professional massage
13. spend a day taking photos of my city
14. visit all the Australian states and territories - 5/7
15. eat at a teppanyaki style restaurant
16. visit the Great Barrier Reef
17. finish a ‘Wreck This Journal’
18. get a matching tattoo with someone
19. complete the c25k program
20. do a proper cosplay photo shoot
21. take part in a drum circle
22. write an Android app
23. Design my own Tarot deck
24. go strawberry picking
25. take a silversmithing course
26. eat fondue
27. learn to contact juggle
28. ride in a limo
29. join the mile high club
30. see the Southern/Northern Lights
31. wear a bikini to the beach (without a cover up)
32. Be able to do a pull up unassisted
33. host a fancy dinner party in a strange place (ie, traffic island)
34. learn to read lips
35. eat alone in a (fancy) restaurant
36. build a Rube Goldberg machine
37. watch a meteor shower
38. recreate a childhood photo
39. cook pasta from scratch
40. take a salsa dance class
41. learn ASL
42. see the Thai floating lantern festival
43. go to the City Museum in St Louis
44. visit New York
45. tour the Dresden Files sites in Chicago
46. visit Petra, Jordan
47. visit Japan
48. visit the Eternal Lightning Fields, Venezuela
49. visit Wat Samphran (Dragon Temple), Thailand
50. visit Chichen Itza, Mexico
BONUS GOALS
1. bungee jump
2. watch all of classic Doctor Who
3. visit Katoomba at Winter Solstice for the Winter Magic Festival
4. get my driver’s license
5. do a beer centurion (100 shots in 100 minutes)
6. crowd surf
7. fire a gun at a shooting range
8. learn to juggle
9. write and film a (short) movie
(Sunday) Started with a ferry ride to the village of Mallaig, where I had plenty of time to eat lunch and get rained on before catching the #Steam Train to Fort William, travelling first class with some delightful views and lovely company. Arrived at a gorgeous hotel with some amazing views - just in time for the rain to ruin those views too! That’s the risk of the UK in September I guess… #DebiDoesEurope #50before50 #01UK #traintravel #scotland #JacobiteExpress (at Old Pines Hotel & Restaurant) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUURIWCrCiP/?utm_medium=tumblr
Tal’s list of 50: fifty before 50
October 15, 2020
It’s my Birthday this Saturday and I will be 49, so I am entering my 50th year of life. Doesn’t show, eh? I thought turning 40 was less bad than 30, because in 2001 I felt like my youth was over. Then the saying is: life starts at 40. So I celebrated my iForty grand and spread over 2 days.
Although I like to throw a party, my 49th birthday will be a sober one. This due to COVID-19 and the fact that I am still recovering from the surgery. Only the (in-law) family has been invited - in different shifts - to give "my new life" a good start. And then I really turn 50 ... although almost? Fortunately, it will take another whole year, 365 days to get used to and prepare for it. How?
Due to my gastric bypass surgery 2 weeks ago, a lot will change in the coming year anyway, hopefully everything for the better. But on top of that, I found a nice idea, on the internet: a "fifty before 50 list" or: a list of 50 things I want to do before I turn 50: Tal's list of 50.
Because time flies, life is short and I still have quite a lot on my wish list, I had to set myself some goals, this 50-list is a nice stepping stone for that. Of course not everything will work out in the coming year (finances and COVID-19 also play a part in this), but even if I manage to achieve a quarter of them all, I am already happy. And fortunately I have a partner who likes to come with me, that also makes a difference.
The list is in no particular order and is filled with items related to travel, food & drink, health, shopping, family, work, culture, nature ... some goals are easier to achieve than others, but that only makes the challenge more fun .
And if don’t manage to accomplish some goals before October 17, 2021, there is still time afterwards. Let's go!
Tal's list of 50
Eat fish at the sea
Celebrating Christmas in Canada is not going to work, but I will put it on the list anyway
Drive from Toronto to New York by car (Canada / USA)
Touring through Northern Italy and swimming in Laggio di Maggiore (Italy)
Relaxing in Sardinia (Italy)
Go to Beatrix Potter's hometown (Sawrey Lake District, Northern England)
Spotting seals at one of the Wadden Islands, it doesn't matter which one (NL)
Getting to know NL even better by visiting 3 places I have never been
Create blogs with tips, tricks & recipes for people with gastric bypass / sleeve and updating this on my instragram account @talskitchen
Wandering through Valencia with Robbert (Spain)
Lunch at the Avocado Show (Amsterdam)
High Tea at De Groot (will be a challenge, I'll just bring a doggy bag)
Eat at Joris Bijdendijk restaurant (RIJKS or WILS)
And when dinner is at RIJKS, take Robbert to the museum to see the Night Watch again
Save money for the "Blue Fold Tableware" by Heinen Delft's Blauw
Take Robbert to a secret location (night away)
Cleaning my Nike Air Max so that they are finally white again
Select my LEGO and store it neatly in boxes (IKEA)
Buy a bicycle bags so I will take my bike more often (otherwise I cannot take groceries with me)
Sort out all the photos I have and put them in boxes
Make a boattrip in Giethoorn
Take Rick and Lucas to Ouwehand Zoo
Walk through the Loonse and Drunense Dunes
Youth sentiment: shopping for clothes in Eindhoven
Planning a Van Houten family reunion (mom’s family)
Planning a Van den Thillart family reunion - anyone who wants to help is welcome!
Keep my own room tidy and clean (sometimes I am a bit careless about that)
Buy nice short boots with heel, because I can wear them again due to my weight loss (hopefully my knee will agree)
Going back to learning the Italian language. After 24 lessons I unfortunately stopped and couldn't keep up.
Write (and post) blogs more often
Planning an offline weekend (I think the biggest challenge on the list, maybe I need to start with a day?)
Practice making vlogs
Exercise more by cycling more often, going to the swimming pool more, going to the gym at least once a week
Let myself being pampered more often by, going to the pedicure, beauty salon or manicure
In the past COVID-19 year I sent more people a real card, I want to keep this up for the coming year
Go to the Bossche market at least once every 6-8 weeks on Saturday
Realizing our shelf with bird houses at the back of the garden (à la Hotel Hoog Holten)
Create more moments of rest at work by, going for a walk during lunch breaks, having a coffee break with colleagues from another department and take a rest to have lunch
Putting a bunch of fresh flowers in the house more often
Feel the sea with my toes
Reorganize our bathroom: bath out, walk-in shower in
Set the alarm 10 minutes earlier on weekdays to be able to do exercises (at 6:00 am)
Research the gastric-bypass friendliness of restaurants and in particular the price / quantity ratio.
Create our dream house, current house or another, together with Robbert
Collecting, sorting and bundling all individual recipes - scattered around the house
Preparing my iFifty: do (can?) I make it a big celebration? Or do I do fun things for myself… and my loved ones. Or am I going on vacation?
Work from home at least 1 day a week
Remove my stored items from AllSafe and give them a new place in our house (or a new house)
Take Rick to the Moco Museum (Amsterdam)
Keep better track of my administration and immediately throw away what I don’t need
I do not only think it would be fun to work on this list the upcoming year, but I also hope to inspire others to actively undertake fun things. Are you going to set such goals of make a list yourself? Let me know, I like that.
I try to keep you informed of the progress through my regular blogs and my stories on Instagram and Facebook. Hopefully the list will get a bit shorter ...
For now: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
Ciao! X Chantal