Challenging 50

For every milestone birthday I've found a different way to celebrate. Some happened by chance. Some took a little planning. Each one tells a story about where I was in life at the time. 

Fifty deserves a story of its own. A unique celebration. After all, it's a half century! And maybe the mid-way point in a life? (If I make it to 100 of course...) So I decided to give the milestone the attention it's due, by challenging myself over the next year, or decade!

Here's the current list of challenges. I might update it if inspiration hits, or interesting suggestions come my way (two of them are already additions to the initial list I came up with in July).

Last updated: August 25th, 2026

🎂 THE BIRTHDAY YEAR

July 2026–July 2027

🎉 Celebrate my birthday with over 50 people who are important to me.

    👉 Progress: x/50
💌 Send 50 postcards to people who are important to me.

    👉 Progress: x/50
📍 Visit 50 new places. 

    👉 Progress: x/50
📚 Read 50 new (for me) books, of which at least 20 should be in French or Spanish.

    👉 Progress: x/50
✍️ Write 50 blog posts (in whichever blog).

    👉 Progress: x/50
⌛ Spend 50' every day for 50 days doing at least one of these things: reading, writing, walking or swimming.

    👉 Progress: x/50
👣 Walk 50km/month for at least 5 months.

    👉 Progress: x/5

🧠 Reflect on 50 memories, old or new.

    👉 Progress: x/50
📖 Make 50 additions to my Adventure Book(s).

    👉 Progress: x/50

⭐ Celebrate Star Wars 50th Anniversary with a full movies + series watch in chronological order.

    👉 Progress: not yet started.

🎬 THE LONGER CHALLENGES

✌ Do 50 "crazy" things, that I come up with or are suggested by friends.

    👉 Progress: x/50

🎥 Watch 50 movies celebrating a milestone anniversary in the cinema (if possible).

    👉 Progress: x/50

🌍 THE ROAD TO 60

📚 Read around the world book challenge.

    👉 Progress: x/198
🗺 Reach a tally of 100 countries visited.

    👉 Progress: 68/100

I've posted a few detailed thoughts about these challenges in a post and I'll be writing monthly updates and reflections on my progress here in the blog, as well as updating the progress trackers here.

🤝 Want to join in?

A wacky project is more fun with other people involved. 🤪 You can help me along the way if you:

✌ Have an idea for one of my 50 "crazy things"? You can suggest it here!

📚 Know a book I absolutely need to read for a specific country? You can recommend it here!

And if you're one of the 50 people I'm planning to celebrate with... either we already have 😉 or you'll probably hear from me personally! ❤️