I live life by checking things off from different lists so that I can feel like I've accomplished something. I have one more country--Guatemala--to visit to complete Central America. [Check.]

My 2011 to-do list:

1. diving certification [Check; July 2011!]

2. trip to Alaska - postponed; going to Asia instead

3. visit two more new United States cities [Check; Fort Lauderdale, July; Kansas City, October]

4. watch more movies alone [King's Speech January 2011]

2010 to-do or the list of 2009 overflow:

1. Finally close on that new apartment, settle in and make it feel like home [Check; January 2010]

2. Hike Kilimanjaro. For real. [Check! July 2010]

3. Start baking and making my own pasta and my own sausages. Perhaps brew my own beer. [Check! November 2010]

4. Start gardening. [Check; grew some mesclun, mache and peas]

5. Visit at least 2 United States. [Check! Raleigh in July and Memphis in Sept 2010]

2009 to-do:

1. Dare I say hike Kilimanjaro? (That is, after I get a new job.) Get a new job first! [I got a new job in March 2009 after out of the market for about 2 months. As of this writing, I still like my job a year later.]

2. Go back to Asia via Singapore and visit my Kuya [We made it to Colombia instead.]

3. Visit at least 2 United States I've never been before [Double F-A-I-L. I promise to make up for it in 2010.]

4. Take up a new sport. Even reluctantly. [It's not new, but I'm on my second year of swimming.]

5. Make an adult purchase and really, finally, call New York City "home". [Due to delays beyond my control, I didn't close on my apartment until end of January 2010.]

2008 to-do:

1. Hit South America for the first time or make a second trip anywhere in Africa. [I made it to Asia instead. South America had to wait in January 2009. Patagonia, Argentina: check.]

2. Watch a movie alone. I don't know if I could have picked a better movie: No Country For Old Men; Saw Doubt after Christmas

3. Go to more plays, exhibits and opera. [January 2008: The Lion King; May 2008: November, Passing Strange; November 2008: Chicago]

4. Enjoy the outdoors more. [January 2008: Hiked Bald Mountain; May 2008: Harriman State Park, Rockefeller State Park; October 2008: Fishkill Ridge; November 2008: Breakneck Ridge]

5. Explore the United States. [Does New Jersey count? I never made small domestic trips in 2008.]

6. Eat more fruits! [June to November: my produce will come from the Stanton Street CSA; the last 3 weeks of the year, I made my own fruit-yogurt shakes--can't believe I didn't do it sooner.]

I blog about food and travel at www.writingwithmymouthfull.com/; my list of travel places is at www.ext212.com/.

My professional experience is at Hey Cia.