Did my dreams come true and did I make my bucket list happen this year? You will find out in this blog!
At the start of this year I layed out my thoughts and the feeling that this year could turn out very differently than I was expecting. That is why most bucket list items are quite flexible. Cause back then I couldn’t say what I wanted to say. Rectification… what I wanted to SCREAM. Last year in December I filled in all the necessary paperwork to change my last name after a lengthy paper process. I knew that it would be hard for me to do the things I truly wanted, so I waited until I could grab my moment. Once I had my new passport in my hands, I can’t describe the feeling of freedom I felt. I shook off my old life, and opened a new book in my life.
So I followed the flow while I worked hard to make as much of my bucket list and personal goals happen in the weeks that were left in 2024.
Visit something music related
Finally, after a dreadful 2023 of attending zero music related experiences… I attended a concert! Not just a concert, I found my way to The Eras Tour all the way in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. This made me so happy, because all the plans that I had in 2023 simply didn’t work out, from festivals to concerts. But being a Swiftie for the past 15 (?!) years, it was amazing that my first music related experience after covid was going to see Taylor Swift.
When I moved to Vienna at the beginning of December I found myself in one of the musical capitals of the world. So of course I had to do lots of music related things. I went to a classical concert, did some clubbing in a museum (cause is there a more exciting place to see a disco ball?) and made my way to the ballet.
Staying in a castle
Depending on how long you’ve been following this blog, you probably know all the unique places I’ve lived in. From an estate to a museum. It has been itching for a while to stay in unique places again. For example, last fall I stayed in a converted monastery, which was a very out of the ordinary experience and I can’t get enough of it. So the next logical step seems to me to be a castle?
Unfortunately and fortunately I couldn’t make it happen this year. The plan was to do this in September or October, but then I found an amazing apartment in Vienna and I was sold. I rather went for a temporary stay than spent a night in a castle. But one day I will stay in a castle!
Getting new tattoos
Staying in unique places wasn’t the only thing that started to itch for me. Even though I’ve had tattoos before, this is something I wanted to experience again so much that I decided to put it on my list for this year. I solemnly promise that I will come up with a more specific bucket list in 2025. For this year, I just want to be able to do everything that I already felt like doing in 2023, but couldn’t do then for whatever reason.
And yes, last February I crossed this off my list! I got two new tattoos on my right arm: a book and nature tattoo and an origami wolf. They came out stunningly!
Visit three new places
This year I have made it my mission to visit at least three new places. And how did I do? Very well! Although due to my name change everything was very last minute. In case you don’t know, when you are in the process of changing your name… you can’t just leave the country. On my way to Vienna I stayed in Nuremberg and Vienna was also new for me.
When I went to The Eras Tour I stayed in Recklinghausen and the concert was in Gelsenkirchen. But since I didn’t truly see a lot of either place, I wasn’t planning on counting these places in, then again I did go there and that trip was amazing. So here we are, I visited new places!
Do five “carefree” things
Every year I come up with a sentence or word that describes how I want to start the year. For 2023 it was: you have nothing to lose. “Carefree” is my word for 2024. As stated at the beginning of this year: I want to go on an adventure, whenever and wherever I can! Completely carefree. These were the five carefree things I did:
1. In April I decided very spontaneously to book a hotel and go to the opening of an exhibit in a museum. (Yes, the museum I used to live in!) It was not just to see the artwork, but also to enjoy the little town. That place truly has a piece of my heart and I was so excited to wander around there.
2. The second “carefree” thing was also travel related, but was for less fun reasons. I went to a memorial service on the other side of the country, but it was quite the obstacle to go there. I just started the new contract, so I had work and also some construction on the train roads made it hard to do just a quick turnaround. So why be quick, why not make a trip out of it? Last minute I booked a hotel for a couple of nights, arranged that I could work in the office (the one from my contract) and most importantly I went to the memorial service. Honestly, it’s a trip I won’t be forgetting anytime soon and I am so happy that I put in the effort to make it happen.
3. Well I changed my name. Yes, the process was started in 2023, but I am picking the fruits of it in 2024 (and the rest of my life). One of the many reasons why I wanted to change my name was so I would be truly carefree. And yes, it did work!
4. I moved temporarily to Vienna. This came as a very spontaneous decision. However once I had my new passport, I could not stop thinking about all the possibilities and I knew I had to make my dream come true of living in Austria, even if it would be for a short time.
5. What didn’t I do? It felt like all the doors and windows were opened when my name changed. From booking concerts for 2025 to everything I am doing in Vienna. I wanted to live here without a care in the world and do a lot of things that I would like to do. Living life to the fullest.
Conclusion
Visit something music related: yes, a Taylor Swift concert. In Vienna I went to a classical concert, did some clubbing in a museum and made my way to the ballet.
Staying in a castle: one day, I will make it happen!
Getting new tattoos: yes, two.
Visit three new places: I did it.
Do five “carefree” things: yes, and way more.
Except for staying in a castle I did everything and many more things! This was an interesting year for so many reasons, but I am also happy that this chapter comes to a close. Onwards to 2025, a year in which I hopefully can make more dreams happen and cross things off my bucket list.
Did you make your bucket list for 2024 happen?
Love,
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