{"id":4925,"date":"2026-06-09T04:19:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T08:19:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hoperoth.com\/blog\/?p=4925"},"modified":"2026-06-09T04:19:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T08:19:44","slug":"46-before-46","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoperoth.com\/blog\/46-before-46\/","title":{"rendered":"46 Before 46"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I have a friend visiting next week. We just firmed up plans to tick something off of her “35 Before 35” list. Which reminded me that, back in the day, I started a 30 Before 30 Challenge.<\/a> First of all, I’m laughing my old ass off at the idea that I was nervous about hitting the big 3-0. I’m now officially “damn you look good for your age” years old. My 30s were fantastic<\/em>. Don’t be scared of your 30s! My 40s have been great so far. I wouldn’t mind having the metabolism and energy of my 20s, but if you made me choose between my 44-year-old brain and my 27-year-old knees, I’m taking the mental growth over the shredded cartilage. It’s not even a question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of energy, it’s absolutely adorable<\/em> that I thought I could check 30 things off a list while also planning a wedding. By my account, I made it about halfway through before pivoting to wedding planning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Started Off Strong but Didn’t Finish Out: The Hope Roth Story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I like the idea of pushing myself to do some more things. Especially with me being funemployed and all. I think it will be good to have something that pushes me to get out of the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few items on my list aren’t feasible from France, so I’ve updated and expanded my list. I am turning 45 this fall, which is not nearly enough time. So, we’re going with a random number and doing 46 before 46. I’m also going to stack the deck by adding a few items that I’ve got some plans for. Depending on how it goes, I might give myself permission to finish off my list in my 46th year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Have drinks at\u00a0Top of the Hub<\/a>.<\/del>\u00a0Check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Run four more\u00a0pikermis<\/a><\/s>.\u00a0Sortof check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Sew a quilt that I keep and use for myself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Swim with a dolphin<\/s>.\u00a0check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Take Kristian on a romantic picnic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Get another tattoo.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Write a song about a completely ridiculous subject like canals or the industrial revolution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Go white-water rafting<\/s>. check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Make a\u00a0Baked Alaska<\/a>. Bonus points if I don\u2019t ruin it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Attend an outdoor play.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Volunteer at Lilian’s school.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. Sleep in a hiking hut.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13. Take my Dad to a Red Sox game<\/s>.\u00a0check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  14. Attend a ballet in Paris.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  15. Visit the alps.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  16. Do a mud run.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  17. Go skiing or snow-boarding<\/s>.\u00a0check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  18. Share a banana split with Kristian<\/s>.\u00a0check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  19. Read a \u201cclassic\u201d book that I\u2019ve never read before.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  20. Go on a bird-watching tour.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  21. Do an aerial photoshoot.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  22. Surprise my family with freshly baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  23. Offer to do family portraits for a friend.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  24. Play around on some monkey bars<\/s>.\u00a0Check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  25. Go see a Broadway (or off-Broadway!) play<\/s>.\u00a0Check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  26. Participate in an app-based scavenger hunt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  27. Surprise someone with a care package<\/s>. Check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  28. Purchase a sparkly outfit. Wear it to a random event.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  29. Organize a water fight with some of my \u201cgrownup\u201d friends.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  30. Paint a watercolor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  31. Visit a lavender field in Provence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  32. Dine on the Eiffel Tower.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  33. Use a sauna in Finland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  34. Visit Omaha Beach\/Normandy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  35. See tulips in Amsterdam.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  36. Ride the London Eye.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  37. Take a baking class.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  38. Visit Montluc Prison.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  39. Go on a wine tasting tour.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  40. Take an Aiguille du Midi cable car ride.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  41. Take a skateboarding lesson.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  42. Bicycle in the French countryside.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  43. Swim in a calanque in Marseille.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  44. Paddleboard around the Lyon Confluence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  45. Visit a new Christmas market (aka not the one across the street from our apartment).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  46. Drink champagne in Champagne.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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