The 30 Before 30 List

And that is it ladies and gents! The 30 things I want to do before I'm 30. Today is June 13, 2011. I turn 30 on February 18, 2014. So I have 980 days (I did the math so it might be/ probably is a little off). Wow! That doesn't seem like that many days does it? So here is the full list with links to each page and how I'm doing so far.

1: A Healthier Me - I've started, but I wouldn't say I've reached the goal yet
2: Finish College - Nope

3: Get An Agent - Nope

4: Scrapbooking - I have started but I haven't reached that ultimate goal of doing it weekly.
5: Conquering Yeast Breads - Nope
6: Walk in the 3-Day - Nope/ Haven't signed up yet... Am I walking this year?
7: Lose My Black Thumb or Grow a Green Thumb - I have a pretty awesome garden started...
8: Learn to Love Running - I've started but there are no warm fuzzies for the experience yet.
9: Run a Half Marathon - Nope
10: APPARENTLY I DID NOT THINK OF ONE... I'LL WORK ON THAT
11: Paint My Bedroom - I've picked a color!
12: Play Golf - I've thought about it but no...
13: Attend More Live Music Events - Nope
14: Volunteer - Nope
15: The Improv - Nope
16: Stop Procrastinating - Okay I am wokring on this but the goal has not been realized yet.
17: Meditate - Nope, but I'm really beginning to see how important it is!
18: Re-Do My Baby Albums - Nope
19: Experiencing Mother Nature - Nope
20: Try 1 New Recipe A Week - We are trying this... in fact we've been trying a lot of new recipes!
21: Learn To Make My Bed Every Day - Today marks day #1!
22: Take a Knife Skills Class - Nope
23: Read 5 Classic Novels I've Never Read - Nope
24: Go On A Cruise - Nope
25: Really Learn To Knit - Nope
26: Attend Sporting Events - Nope
27: The 365 Project - Nope
28: Buy A Scale - Nope
29: Scrapbook Jason's Boy Scout Photos - Nope
30: Buy A House - Nope

So that is where I stand. I'll update periodically so keep checking back!

#30: Buy a House

If you don't know this, we rent. It's a long drawn out story, one I'm not going to get into, but we rent our house. And we'd like to own one. I think.

I can't really decide. I'm having trouble seeing the upside as I like that someone else takes care of the major problems but I have been told that home ownership is one of those things you have to do in your life. That's it like the icing on the cake of adulthood. That you aren't completely an adult until you own a home. Like I said I'm not seeing he advantage but I'll do the research, I'm sure I'll get there.

So we will buy a house before I'm 30.

#29: Scrapbook Jason's Boy Scout Photos

Two years ago I bought everything I needed to do this. Asked Lynda for photos, got a jump start on it, wanted to give it to him for Christmas and NEVER finished. I'd really like to do it before my kiddos become cub scouts. And since Carson can do that at age 6, I need to finish up with that album before I'm 30.

Not to mention, it would mean a lot to Jason and I love him. Boy Scouts, becoming an Eagle Scout were very important milestones in his life and he deserves a memento that honors his hard work and all of his efforts. The scrapbook can be his way of showing the boys what Boy Scouts can provide for them. The knowledge and skills they will be taught. I believe scrapbooks are story books that chronicle the stories that make our lives what they are. The stories are what make the pictures. Those are the memories and that is important.

#28: Buy a Scale

Oh my goodness. This seems so small doesn't it? Just walk into any Walmart or Target in our country and buy one, right? Right? Wrong!

That number is evil. And it isn't about the number, to tell the truth. I want my weight issues to be about liking myself. Looking in the mirror and being satisfied. Putting on a swimsuit and not being self conscious. I feel like women are trapped by the number. It's their center. Everything about how they feel about themselves, about their self worth and their beauty rests on that number! I know that I'm like that to a certain extent and I don't even have a scale to give me a daily readout of how I'm failing to control that NUMBER! AGH!

What is it about that NUMBER that controls us? I'm a tall, curvy woman. I get away with carrying around extra weight because my build hides it. I'm well proportioned. As skinny girls say, I'm voluptuous. I HATE that word.

I've digressed. I need to buy a scale. It's step 1 in facing my fear of the number. Taking back control. And I'll do that... sometime before I turn 30. Probably February 17, 2014.

#27: The 365 Project

The 365 project is a photography project where you document a year of your life by taking a daily photo. We want to help you build a picture of the little day to day things that make your life so special and unique. Everyone can take part and join in! All you need is a camera.

That. Up, there. Is what the website says. I'd like to do that. It gives me an excuse to play with my camera more. As if I really needed one but hey, this is about trying new things, using my camera in different ways. Here goes!

Go Here to read more.

#26: Attend Sporting Events

I'm working on a specific number of sporting events. I'm thinking 5. My husband is not the sportiest person in the world and therefore when we are thinking of entertainment it is not where we lean. But I know the boys would benefit from attending. I know it would open their little minds to the different types of physical activity that is out there. I was active in sports and believe in them as teaching tools for children. I believe in team work. I promise, I really am as cheesy as you think I am.

With that said, it does not mean we must attend football games.

There is soccer and hockey and Nascar and baseball. I like football and basketball as much as the next person but having been from West Texas and a town that was REALLY into women's basketball... I think I've had my fill of those two to last me a few more years. Not that I wouldn't love to go to a football or basketball game should the tickets fall into my lap... I'm just not buying them. Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban have plenty of money.

So I think 7... attend 7 sporting events before I'm 30. We can do this!

#25: Really Learn to Knit

I sort of learned once. I started a scarf, almost finished it, rolled it up and never looked at it again. I think this is something I would be good at. Could enjoy, you know because I totally need another hobby, and could teach my grandchildren some day. Just something I'd like to learn. You can never learn enough right? Learning keeps you young? Damn, I hope so!

#24: Go On a Cruise

Ultimately I'd like to do this with just my husband, Jason... but if I must bring along my children I would like it to be a Disney Cruise as they have child care. I love my kids, I jut don't want to be with them every second of the day.

I love traveling. Going new places, seeing new things. I prefer car trips but as many of you know or will soon know. Car trips + children = HELL. Now as they get older DVD players are amazing but letting your children watch DVD's for 13 hours makes them extremely cranky. And normally I find children do not need any extra reasons to whine.

Also the idea of unpacking once, your hotel room traveling with you while you see multiple "awe" worthy sights is brilliant! Suitcases are NOT my friend. I am a very bad packer. I never know what I'll need, how much or how little. I feel a summer tropical cruise is pretty self explanatory and will not send my brain into overload.

There is water, too. I'm a fish. Seriously! If I could spend all day int eh water I would. My dream home has an indoor outdoor pool so I can enjoy it year round. Swimming is one of those things in life that just makes me blissfully happy. So pools on the ship, beaches on destination days. Win, win for me!

#23: Read 5 Classic Novels I've NEVER Read

I adore reading. Getting caught up in some other world. It's the actress in me. I put myself inside the story, not always as the lead, just a part of it. Anther place, time, era... I let my imagination run away with me and I simply adore it!

I don't want one of those e-reader thingys. I get it, they are simpler, they take up less space, new books are simply a click away, your options are seemingly endless. But I like books. The weight of them, the pages, the smell. New, old, whatever. I can spend hours inside book stores, scouring the aisles and I would I want to change that?

But I got to thinking... my knowledge of the classics is pretty limited. And I'd like to change that. So below are the 5 classic novels I'd like to read (or read again, with a higher knowledge of the text) before I turn 30.

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (I read it when I was 13 and I'm pretty sure I didn't appreciate it fully)
2. 1984 by George Orwell
3. The Catcher in The Rye by JD Salinger
4. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
5.Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Have any I should add? I know there are tons and I could scour the shelves for years and never find them all. Help me out! Leave a comment...

#22: Take a Knife Skills Class

We ALL know I LOVE to COOK!!! But I have to be honest, my knife skills are seriously lacking. I mean, I'm pretty positive that I could kill you if I needed to, but julienne slice you in under 24 hours? Probably not. And really, I'd like to be able to do that!

I don't know why but I'm just not very fast with my knives which slows down my cooking time and as much as I love to cook, I hate prepping for hours on end. It's frustrating! Central Market, Sur le Table and William's Sonoma all offer classes, now to sign up for one in my overly abundant free time!

#21: Learn to Make my Bed EVERY DAY

Laugh... I know you want to. But I seriously, get so much more done in a day when I make my bed. It makes me feel productive. It makes my bedroom feel clean. I like the look of it... I mean HELLO!!!!!! I spent a lot of money on that silk comforter and those throw pillows and I put a lot of effort into making sure that that bed looks gorgeous when it is made up but... I rarely make it. Now does that make any kind of sense at all? No. In fact it's nonsensical in every sense of the word!

In order to keep some kind of track of this, I'll make little notes on my calendar in my phone. Most educators and people who are in "the know" tell us that in order to learn a behavior, a task must be repeated for 23 days in a row. So thats is the first step in this goal. Make my bed 23 days in a row.

Whoosh.