Friday, February 5, 2010

30 before 30!

Tomorrow I will turn 29.

29. Still trying to get my head around that.

So how will I be celebrating? I am having some friends over for a little Mexican Fiesta! I'm having a taco bar and everyone is bringing something to share. We'll cap off the night by playing games while enjoying some cervezas & wine!! I have yet to buy a single ingredient for this little fiesta, which is so unlike me, but I have honestly been swamped lately so the shopping will have to occur tonight or Saturday morning.

I can't believe I am starting the last year of my 20's tomorrow. I know this year is going to fly by and before I know it, I'll be posting about my 30th birthday. Life is moving too fast lately and I feel like I can't quite catch my breath. I now understand what my mom meant when she told me she wished she was bored when I would complain about being bored as a child.

I am kind of nervous about turning 30. I know it's a year away, but in my mind, I always envisioned that I'd be in a certain place by the time I turned 30 - namely, in a house with a fantastic husband, and possibly 1-2 kids.

Well, that's not going to happen. I am not going to be married by the time I turn 30 and that's ok. It's out of my control.

So instead of focusing on something that is out of my control, I want to spend the next 365 days focusing on things that I can control.

Hence, the '30 Before 30' list which I've alluded to in past posts! So without further ado, here it is!

Health:
1. Work my way up to being able to do 20 real push-ups. I can only do 'girl' ones currently.
2. Run my 2nd full marathon (will be running this marathon!)
3. Join a local running club
4. Go one month without eating out
5. Get a body fat assessment done, most likely in the 'Bod Pod'
6. Run a 5k in 27 minutes (PR is 30 minutes)

Cooking:
7. Learn how to roast a chicken (will need my aunt, mom, or brother's help with this)
8. Make one new recipe/month
9. Host a dinner party
10. Find a cooking class/seminar to attend - most likely at Kitchen Window
11. Go to a knife skills class (at Kitchen Window)

Finances:
12. List or rent out my condo on or before my 30th birthday
13. Set up a living will
14. Put at least $1,000/month in savings

Faith:
15. Join the womens group at my church
16. Spend 1 hour in the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel each month
17. Go to a Cathedral Young Adults event

Crafting/Cultural:
18. Learn how to knit socks
19. Spend a week with my Grandma and learn to crochet
20. See a ballet or opera production
21. Do something with the photos from my France trip (most likely a photo book for my coffee table)

Miscellaneous:
22. Visit a blogger friend in real life! (will accomplish this when I run the marathon with Amber and Lauren, but want to do an additional blogger meet-up!)
23. Send one piece of snail mail/month
24. Buy a new set of dishes - I hate the post-college cheep ones I have!
25. Read 3 classic novels
26. Make over my blog - especially the header. I am going to need help with this!!
27. Do a hair workshop with my best friend Brooke. I suck at doing my own hair. She is awesome. I hope she can teach me how to do my own hair!
28. Visit my grandma at least once every 3 months
29. Climb Inspiration Peak in the fall when the leaves are changing
30. Visit the Duluth, MN area - possibly I will tag along with my aunt & uncle on one of their camping trips?

So there you have it! I will keep you updated on my progress!

If you put together a list like this, what would you include?

23 comments:

  1. That is such a good list! I am sure you can accomplish that this coming year! Hope you have a great time with your friends and a great birthday! Happy birthday!

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  2. Have a great birthday! That fiesta sounds wonderful. This is a great list, too.

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  3. Brilliant list! And happy birthday tomorrow.

    I want to see at least 5 other countries, and maybe meet up with some bloggers! Also, I'd quite like to be doing something creative and earning money for it!

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  4. What an amazing list! You've inspired me three months into my 29th! I say you, Alissa, Heidi, and the other ND DGs head to New Orleans for a girls weekend in the fall!!! My friend Christie makes perhaps the best roasted chicken I have ever tasted. It's served with these amazing croutons (not sure how they would fit in to gluten free) but mmmm. I'd love to do a knife skills class too!! What fun your list is!!

    Ps - I highly recommend The Blog Fairy!!! She is AMAZING!!! I love what she did for my blog!

    Have a wonderful day, and may all of your birthday wishes come true!

    Jen

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  5. Great list! I hope I can be one of the bloggers you meet on one of our MN trips this summer =)

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  6. Incredible set of goals, Lisa. Anytime you want to get together to roast a chicken, let me know. Perhaps on the North Shore next fall? :)

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  7. What a great list! I'm so excited for all these things and it sounds like you're going to have a great time tomorrow night!

    I vote that I'm one of the bloggers you meet in real life. Just saying - you should see the nation's capital. :)

    Snapfish is a great site for making that photo book you're talking about. The account is free and after your first upload of pictures you'll probably get some free prints!

    Ooh, can't wait to see what you come up with for your blog design! I used Danielle (from Girls Night Out designs) for my blog and she was awesome to work with.

    You've totally inspired me to make my own list - hopefully I'll post that soon!

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  8. Happy Birthday!! I hope I can meet you this summer as well, because, we just need to hang out. This is a great list and I hope that you accomplish everything on your list. =) Have a wonderful fiesta!

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  9. Happy birthday, Lisa!! I absolutely love your list and can't wait to read about you accomplishing them! Many of them are things I would like to do as well!
    A blogger meet up would be so fun! I would totally be interested in participating in that!

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  10. GREAT post. Focusing on things you CAN control... words to live by. Have an amazing birthday! :)

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  11. Love the list! Everything seems achievable and fun to do!

    I hope you have a fabulous birthday as you deserve it :)

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  12. that is a very achievable list Lisa! have a great birthday.

    blogger friend meet-ups are the best. I hope I get to knock that one off the list for you. the 27 min 5k is also well within reach. but warning.... i can't help you much with the hair or grandma stuff. just putting that one out there. <3

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  13. Happy early birthday! I'm very impressed with this list. I hope you'll print it out and cross things off as you accomplish them. Way to keep the year leading up to 30 exciting.

    BTW, I hated turning 29. Wish I had been thoughtful enough to do a list like this to keep my year interesting. 30, on the other hand? Loved turning 30 and loved being 30 ... there are good things to look forward to!

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  14. That's an awesome list of goals for the next year, Lisa! And with your history of achieving your goals/resolutions, I know you'll meet and probably surpass them!

    If I were to do a list like that...which I would like to -- I would add (this is going to be sad): Start reading. All I read is text books, and I dream of the idea of reading for pleasure. However, when I try reading for pleasure I lose attention within minutes!

    I hope you have a WONDERFUL birthday! I know your fiesta will be a success!! Try getting rest and unwinding after your crazy week! Love you!

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  15. I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU!

    Just thought I'd throw that out there early!

    What a great list! You are so going to knock every one of these things out of the park! YAY!

    My first piece of advice for remaking your blog would be to switch to wordpress, even if you don't have a lot of time it's SO MUCH easier to play with the design in wordpress!

    I hope you have a great, great birthday tomorrow! A mexican siesta sounds absolutely wonderful. And I hope you're feeling better today :-)

    XO

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  16. Ummm, Lisa you may need to update the list to "31 before 30" because I'm pretty sure we discussed after the flat tire incident having -"Learning how to change a tire" - as one of them! hehehe Just kidding the list looks awesome. Have a great birthday.

    Love you cuz,
    Julie anne

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  17. happy birthday! i hope you have a fabulous time at the fiesta. that sounds like fun. your list is great..i have no doubt that you'll be able to accomplish all those things!

    have a great birthday weekend!!

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  18. Lisa, this is such a great list. Very well thought out. I would need some serious time to think of my list. Have an awesome birthday. I imagine the fiesta will be quite a bash. Mmm...mexican food makes my tummy happy. :) Happy almost 29th!

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  19. That is an awesome list, and I love your attitude about the whole thing :)

    Come to Boston and meet me!

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  20. I hope you have a fabulous birthday. Your celebration sounds like my kind of thing! I'm kind of not looking forward to celebrating my birthday this year because I only have one girlfriend that lives in town.. most of my friends had to move out of state because of the economy and I mainly I have male friends here.. boo

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  21. Happy Birthday Lisa! Make it one to remember. :)

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  22. I love this list! The fact that you have it divided in sections like hat :) And to be honest, I have no doubt that you'll be able to accomplish them :)

    I hope to meet you soon too!!!

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  23. Happy Birthday Lisa. I hope you are having a fantastic day!!!

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