What’s one thing you have not done, but really want to do? What’s holding you back?
{I really want to run a half marathon. What’s holding me back? Time. Lifestyle. Random inconveniences. I’m certain I can run 13 consecutive miles, but I’ve yet to come across an organized half marathon that’s local and works with my schedule. That’s a pitiful excuse, isn’t it? So… I’m going to sign up for the Big Sur Half Marathon! It’s being held November 18, 2012, and it runs very close to my new hometown in California. Yay!}
katyupperman.com 
Hmmm… Well I guess I am kind of at the end of my college years (uh, I have a week before I graduate) and I am kicking myself for not having a normal college experiences. No significant others (I put school before meeting people. ALWAYS. Even in hs.), no clubbing, not a lot of drinking, not a lot of going out, never been to a house party, never been to another part of the town (nicer/funkier area). I just feel like I had one of those nice girl college years – where I studied and I didn’t go out a lot and I wrote more (um, like 2 novels?), and I don’t know. A part of me wishes I would have gone out clubbing etc. But I also realize – that’s not who I am. I don’t *like* dancing with random guys. And with the whole dating scene – I’m not ready yet. Sure I’ve been asked out (alot), but I know I am not ready to date. This makes me feel kind of silly at 23, but…yeah.
Something I held back from before was writing. I always told people I was a writer but I never actually wrote. No really – my entire family, extended included (and my dad has 13 first cousins so thats a lot!), always thought I wrote. In reality I wrote 1 sentence, decided it was THE WORST IDEA EVERRR AND NO ONE WOULD BUY IT AND DASHED GOES MY JK ROWLING DREAM (uh. I was a dramatic 7 year old), so I never finished anything. Until college. Until I was no longer the shining spotlight in school. I went to small elementary/middle/high schools where I was “The writer” of the class. I was the best. Everyone else sucked. I was going to be published. They were going to be nothing. Thank God in college someone pointed out the flaws in my writing or else I’m pretty sure I’d still be in b!tchywriter mode. LOL 🙂
(sorry for such a long response!)
You’re so smart for taking hold of your writing now, early. I waited until my late twenties to get started, even though writing is something I’ve always wanted to do, and I regret wasting so much time on things I wasn’t completely passionate about. And it sounds like you had the college experience you NEEDED to have. I bet in the future you’ll be glad you didn’t piss time away dancing with skeezy guys and ruining your liver. 🙂
HEY. Since you’re in CA now… Are you going to ALA this summer???
I’ve always wanted to surf, but I’ve never even known how to get started in attempting it. So it’s on my bucket list. Also my MC surfs and I’ve decided that if this book furthers my career with an agent, I’ll celebrate by going somewhere and taking surfing lessons 🙂
Ooh, I love the idea of celebrating with surfing! I’ve never attempted it either, but it’s definitely something I’d like to try. I love swimming, and I love the beach, so why not? 🙂
And I’m looking into ALA. I really want to go, but we’re hours from LA, so I’ll have to see if it’ll work out. I’ll definitely keep you posted!
I’m impressed. That is not on my list. I hate running.
I’ve always wanted to scuba dive. There’s such cool stuff down in the ocean.
I love scuba diving, Liz! You should definitely do it if the chance ever presents itself. And yeah… I hate running too, actually, but even more so, I hate how crappy I feel if I don’t do it. Good enough motivation, I suppose. 🙂
I’ve always wanted to study abroad, but I’m not in school anymore and when I was in school I couldn’t afford it. Oh well! Maybe I’ll study abroad if I decide to pursue an MFA one day 🙂
Good idea, Crystal! I missed the boat on studying abroad too, and I do regret it. I think I’ll keep your MFA abroad idea in mind — sounds like fun! 🙂
Sky-diving! Ha, just the plain fear of jumping out of a plane LOL
Oh, I would NEVER! My husband jumps out of planes all the time for his job (Army) and every time he does it, I get completely freaked out! Good luck to you, though. 🙂
I really want to travel. Particularly to Europe, like Britain and Italy, and it would also be cool to go to Turkey – these are all places I did a lot of research about when I was getting my history degree. (I concentrated in medieval history. Which no one ever expects when they first meet me.) The whole money thing has always held me back, but I’ve promised myself that when I get my first Big Girl Job, I’m going to start saving up money so I can go over there and finally see all the things I spent so much time reading about.
I’d love to travel through Europe too, Stephanie, particularly Italy, Greece, and France. We’ll have to meet up for wine and cheese in a tiny cafe one day. 😉
This does look gorgeous and you´re going to be so proud of yourself!
There are many things on my bucket list – including going to Italy, we haven´t been yet and his aunt/uncle got us a weekend in Venice for our wedding but still didn´t take the time to do it. I´d also would love to learn Russian (properly) so that I could surprise him with it. Running is another one…I jog from times to times but not often enough.
Yep I think I need better time management 😀
I’d LOVE to go to Italy. It’s my number one European country to visit. I’d love to see Greece and France as well, and I might have to come visit you in Germany while I’m at it. 🙂 And yeah… time management can be a real hindrance in goal-meeting!
There are two things I can think of, which also happen to be my two biggest dreams in life: travel to Australia/New Zealand, and swim with dolphins. I haven’t traveled to Australia and New Zealand because I can’t afford it. Not just the cost of the trip (which obviously is a lot) but also taking off time from work. What’s holding me back from swimming with dolphins is having to wear a bathing suit. I need to lose weight.
I’d love to see both Australia and New Zealand — They appear so gorgeous in photographs and on TV. But yes, SO expensive, and SO far to travel. I can only imagine my four-year-old on a flight around the world. 🙂 Good luck reaching those dreams, Zanne!
I´ve got two things which I´m trying to get. The first one is to convince my husband to travel by plane…He hates it…and I want to go to London and Scotland. The second one is to get something I wrote a long time ago to the state it needs:published, but I need to be ready to do it…what´s holding me back from it is that…It scared me!!!!!!!!
I totally get what you’re saying about the scary part of writing… Fear has held me back from a rewrite far too long. I’ve finally come to the realization that if I don’t just DO IT, it’ll definitely never see the light of day. Now THAT’S scary!
I’ve got a few:
Get back in shape and finish a marathon (I ran the Honolulu marathon back in college, but crashed at mile 23…yes, only 3 miles short, I know).
And I’ve always wanted to sky dive. Crazy to want to jump from a perfectly good airplane, but one of these days I will do it!
Best of luck with the Big Sur half, Katy – I can’t wait to see pictures!
Mile 23? What a heartbreaker! I’ll definitely share pictures from the Big Sur… I’m already looking forward to it! And yeah, I have NO desire to ever skydive. Too scary for me!
I’d love to finally go to grad school a full decade after I got my bachelor’s degree. I may finally be doing that in the near future, if I finally take the GRE. I’d also love to take a trip through Europe and also go to some other places, like Japan and Australia. So much of my writing is set in Europe, it would be nice to have the first-person experience to draw on. And I’d love to work up the guts to walk away from my so-called fiancé and leave the walking DSM to his overbearing, Harpy mother who thinks it’s so normal to unquestioningly do everything for her 35-year-old gigantic baby who still lives at home.
Good luck on everything, Carrie-Anne! I’d definitely love to travel too, and I’d like to attempt an MFA one of these days. Maybe when my girlie is older. 🙂
One thing I really want to do but haven’t done is write. I love the idea of being a writer but the actual writing part is somewhat terrifying frankly because I don’t know if I even “can” write. It’s the old, “what if I’m not good enough?” that lingers in the back of my mind. Who knows maybe one day it will happen.
Good luck with the writing! You’ll never know until you try. Honestly, there’s a good chance you’ll be awful at first (I know I was!), but you learn with every page you write. Even after years at trying my hand, I still hate 98% of what I put down on paper. That’s what revisions are for, right. 😉
I want to travel. I’ve never really had the opportunity before; finances and my husband’s job hold us back, but I’m hoping that someday I’ll get to see the world. 🙂
Yeah, we have the same obstacles with travel. We both WANT to, but it’s terribly expensive and my husband’s job schedule isn’t all that flexible. We’ve been lucky enough to see lots of the US, though, so I’m thankful for that!
Um, does query agents count? That’s up there, but what’s stopping me is this draft of my MS. No matter how sweetly I ask, it won’t become perfect overnight. 😉
Also, I really want to climb Machu Picchu. I’m not sure if that’s something I’ll ever be able to do, but I have had this unexplainable urge to do it for years and years.
Tracey, my husband is super adventurous and wants to climb mountains and such too… Maybe some day! And yes, I think querying definitely counts. You’ve just got to beat that manuscript into submission!
I really want to do a headstand. Middle of the room, no cheats, no yoga teacher spotting me. Naturally, I am terrified of headstands because of an old gymnastics injury I got as a kid. Someday, I’ll tackle them!
I’d also love to drive cross-country, maybe along Route 66.
Good luck with your headstand; I’m not sure that’s something I’ll ever be able to do! And yes, a cross country road trip would be tons of fun! I think we’ll wait till our girlie’s a little older, though. 🙂
Everyone’s answer seems to be travel; I’m not surprised, but I’ve never really been all that interested in it.
I want to do about a million things. Almost literally. (Okay, not quite). A lot of the physical activities — rock-climbing, various watersports, hiking, horseback riding etc. — I hold back from doing because of my weight/fitness, which is just another way to say I’m too chicken and/or lazy to try, since I doubt it would actually be an issue.
I love hiking, but rock climbing? Nope… Too scared of heights!
Big Sur is absolutely gorgeous, Katy. You will love that run!
I can think of a million things I want to do, and the one thing holding me back is fear. I’m afraid of a lot. I’m trying to get over it, but…you know. Scary. Haha.
I can’t wait for Big Sur… You should run it with me, Jess! 🙂 And yes, fear is a hindrance for me when it comes to stepping out of my comfort zone as well. I’m working on being brave, though!