Day 342– March 15, 2015

As I walked meditatively around a crater rim in Death Valley National Park, I planned for the future, not just the coming week, but for the rest of my forties. In ten days on March 25, I celebrate my 42.5 birthday. I will be 25% done with this important 40s middle period. I have goals.

10 Things to Accomplish in My 40s before September 25, 2022

Family

  1. Get married.
  2. Say Goodbye to My Parents. At the end of my 40s, my father will be a month shy of 90. My mother will be in her late 80s. I don’t know for how long they will be around, but I would like to have some meaningful time with them.
  3. Own a Home.

Career

  1. Try a Computational Career. I have wanted to program computers as a job, but stuck instead with chemistry. Take a risk and try something new.
  2. Be Influential at a Company. Join a young company to shape its culture, design its products, hire its people, and drive its success.
  3. Take Another Break for about a year before I turn 53.

Adventure

  1. Triathlon.
  2. Visit all 50 states. I am missing 6: Alaska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina.
  3. One Long Hike for a week or more on either the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail.
  4. Move Away from San Francisco. I love you, but I can’t live here forever.