the year of MJ

Note: this post has nothing to do with the Bulls or basketball. Sorry to disappoint!

Making resolutions is so 2015, am I right? But I must admit I don't hate the idea of a list or having something to work towards. After all, I'm still enneagram 3.

So, let's do this...albeit a little differently this year. These are not going to be large behavior or mindset shifts, but rather, like the steady process of getting to know a new friend. If that friend was a hip city of one million people. Call it an Austin bucket list, or a hyper-focused set of resolutions, or whatever! But this is what I hope to do, see, and discover in '23. And I feel like that's about as good a way to manifest the energy and life I want as any! Hey maybe I'll even make some friends along the way!

• Learn to two-step. Gotta dust off those cowboy boots I've worn approximately two times in my life somehow!

• Central Market. H-E-B's upscale brand (grocer). Just one of those places it's crazy I haven't been to yet!

• Austin Public Library. She's not your average library, from what I hear. See for yourself:

• Float down the river. A Texas rite-of-passage, and now that I know how hot it gets in the summer, a necessity!

• Road trip to Fredericksburg. It's a 19th century German town about 80 miles west of Austin. I love all the jumping off points from here! Which is not something I'm used to having lived in Illinois most of my life. With that said...

• Road trip to west Texas i.e., Balmorhea, Marfa, Big Bend. This is a longer trip, but it'd be killing two birds with one stone (I may also have a National Parks bucket list...).

• Road trip to Lost Maples State Natural area. I do miss fall colors, and apparently, they're great here!

• A concert at Stubb's. The name just resonates with Austin for me!

• Actually, a boatload of concerts. I only went to two different venues last year, which is downright shameful given Austin's music credentials.

• Kayak town lake. I don't think you truly live in Austin until you do this, and I never made it last year!

• With this said, more barbecue needs to happen as well. At the very least, these four:

  • Interstellar

  • Distant Relatives

  • Franklin's

  • County Line

• A solo Saturday night at Vintage Books & Wine, affectionately known as Austin's living room. Plus, I owe them a book for their lending library!

• The Taco Mafia. Featured on a 'Somebody Feed Phil' episode, this includes:

  • Nixta Taqueria (duck carnitas taco)

  • Discado (discada taco - where layers of beef, pork, and vegetables are cooked in ways where each layer is cooked in the juices of the previous layer)

  • Palo Seco 512 (birria quesotaco)

  • Cuantos Tacos (campechana taco, made with a mixture of brisket-cut suadero and Mexican chorizo longaniza)

• A guided tour of the Capitol. Just in case this list was getting too fun!

I'm going to stop here. There's certainly plenty more, but I'd like to think I may stay here a while. And I've got to leave some future writing material :)

Well, what do you think of my list? For those who've been here or know the city, what would you add? Also open to visitors for any/all of the above. My apartment is small, but it'd be better with your company!