Another year older...

So it is official.  I have turned 30.  This weekend ushered in a new era of me.  It was filled with some of the best friends I could ask for, supportive family, and the realization that turning 30 meant nothing other than another year of experiences to learn from.

My weekend started out with my paraprofessional, Pam surprising me on Friday.  When I came into work (after a much appreciated 2 hour delay), she had my classroom decorated in balloons an this was hanging outside my door.

She had secretly gotten my mom to give her pictures of me growing up and made a beautiful 30-shaped collage.  It was pretty awesome seeing how far I've come.  

Saturday night some of my friends came by to celebrate.  That celebration eventually ended in a game of darts around 2:30am that included Tim and I going against my brother and mom.  Good stuff.  

Sunday was my actual birthday, and actually ended up being the most low key.  Most of the day was spent lounging around, which was briefly interrupted by my involvement in a pretty epic picture for Tough Mudder (more on that a different time).  Finally my mom made my favorite meal and I finished out the day with my family.  

I found it pretty awesome that on my special day, this was in our newspaper.

Yep, that's me and some of the ladies of Team Adrenaline gracing the cover of this month's Her Times (part of our local newspaper).  They had put a call out for local ladies to share how they get fit and fellow TA member, Jen Kelly, wrote a beautiful response recognizing the importance of camraderie.  Read hers, and the other responses here.

As I turned the page into the next chapter of my life, I recognized how much my goals have changed.  Since the last list was so much fun, I decided to come up with another list of things I want to accomplish.  This time, I'm giving myself 10 years.  I figured coming up with 40 things I want to do before I turn 40 wouldn't be too difficult.  Still, I found myself short.  I have already accomplished so much, and I'm still figuring out where I want to go from here.  So, I took the items from my 30 before 30 life that I still wanted and went from there.  Recognizing how much change can occur, I also left a few spots at the end so that I can ambitions as they come up. 

Bri's 40 Before 40 List

1. Run a marathon - Already registered!  Wineglass Marathon - October 2014.

2. Visit Ireland

3. Get a tattoo

4. Ride on a motorcycle

5. Travel further west than Toledo

6. Attend an NFL football game, preferably Steelers

7. Completely refinish one room of the house

8. Have the equivalent of one month's salary in savings

9. Golf a full 18 holes, and keep score

10. Pay off all my credit card debt

11. Take M to Disney

12. Swim with dolphins

13. Complete a triathlon

14. Earn my Ed.D in Special Education or at least start on my coursework

15. Become a Health Coach

16. Go ziplining

17. Ride a horse

18. Hug a koala bear

19. Take pictures of my feet in the ocean on both the Atlantic and Pacific coast

20. Host a holiday meal

21. Learn to drive a stick shift

22. Have a conversation in Spanish

23. Be able to complete a pull up

24. Volunteer

25. Attend an even that requires formal attire

26. Write letters to the five people who have most impacted my life

27. Ride in a helicopter

28. Run in the Disney Princess Half Marathon

29. Go on a cruise

30. Donate my hair (again)

31. Go wine tasting in a limo or party bus

32. Completely unplug for a week, write about the experience

33. Make something and sell it

34. Repeat our honeymoon, only this time bigger and better

35. Go for a day sail on the Niagara

36. To be added when I'm 32

37. To be added when I'm 34

38. To be added when I'm 36

39. To be added when I'm 38

40. To be added when I'm 39

Looks like I have some work to do, but I'm excited to get started.  Getting to 30 has been quite the journey, and I can't wait to see what is coming up next!

List Update - One Month In!

Bri's 30 Before 30 List

1. Run a 10k  I tried to get my friends to sign up for the St. Patty's Day 10k, but they wanted to do the 5k instead.  I'm still looking at a few different races in the spring.

2. Finish a half marathon  Registered and paid.  Got a gym membership so I can run more consistently.  Currently I'm running 3-5 miles consistently.

3. Travel further west than Toledo Still working out the details with Tim

4. Shoot a gun  Tim says he has a plan for this one (not sure what it is though!)

5. Visit New York City

6. Start a blog/journal You're reading it!

7. Go to an NFL football game

8. Read at least 10 books off of Time’s Top 100 Books of All Time list Finished The Great Gatsby and now I'm reading Slaughterhouse Five. 

9. Take a class unrelated to teaching

10. Finish re-painting the house (Master Bedroom, Guest Bedroom, Downstairs Living Room, Basement Bath)

11. Have the equivalent of one month’s salary in savings. About a third of the way there!

12. Host/Cook a holiday meal for the family. Talked to mom and she isn't willing to give up any of the biggies (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving).  Instead I was given Mother's Day, Father's Day, Labor Day, and Memorial Day.  It's a start I guess.

13. Take a weekend trip focused on M.  In the planning stages.  May be next winter, a few months after I turn 30 but I'll still count it.

14. Go to a concert.

15. Have a girl’s weekend somewhere other than Erie.

16. Golf a full 18 holes, and keep score

17. Pay off at least 2 of my 3 credit cards. (and keep them that way!!) Consolidated so I will have a zero balance on all 3, but will have one payment to cover the consolidation loan.  According to my calculations I'll have everything paid off in two years.

18. Get another tattoo

19. Organize all my pictures and back them up. Maybe even get some printed out.

20. Try at least 10 new foods (or re-try foods I haven’t tried in a while) Thanks to Tim this one happened really quickly.  So far I've tried Rye Bread, BBQ sauce and BBQ chips.  Random and kinda lame, but still they were all new.  Since I've already met this one but want to keep going, I'm changing the number to 10.

21. Ride on a motorcycle

22. Change my hairstyle/hair color

23. Complete at least one random act of kindness/pay it forward type action

24. Make/build something

25. Surprise someone

26. Rekindle my mad piano skills. I've played a little, but I'm having trouble finding something I want to play.  Still looking for good sheet music.

27. Improve my Spanish

28. Learn to drive a stick shift

29. Have a spa day – more than just mani/pedi

30. Celebrate my 30^th in style! (think Limo, sequins, bubbly!)

List Progress 1/27/13

So as much as I hate to center everything around my lovely list, I figure I should at least give a periodic update of where I am.  Honestly, this is more so that I keep myself on track, and less for your enjoyment.  So as of this evening here is where I stand:

1.    Run a 10k....Looked up a list of upcoming races, unfortunately there aren't any 10k races until late spring/summer.  Guess that gives me time to train!

2.    Finish a half marathon...Registered.  Even signed up to be on my school's team (hoping that, and the $50 registration fee, will keep me from backing down)

3.    Travel further west than Toledo...Discussed posibilities with Tim, so far, nothing set in stone.

4.    Shoot a gun

5.    Visit New York City...Had an opportunity but had to pass, it would've been with a high school group and I really want more of an "adult" trip. 

6.    Start a blog/journal If you are reading this, I can assume that this item can be crossed off :)

7.    Go to an NFL football game....Not going to get started on the whole Super Bowl situation.  Let's just say I will have to wait until next season.

8.    Read at least 10 books off of Time’s Top 100 Books of All Time list...Finished The Great Gatsby last night, not sure what I'm going to read next.

9.    Take a class unrelated to teaching

10. Finish re-painting the house (Master Bedroom, Guest Bedroom, Downstairs Living Room, Basement Bath)...Tiled my shower....oh wait, that wasn't on the list...

11. Have the equivalent of one month’s salary in savings...Saved a whopping $50 from last paycheck (hey, it's a start)

12. Host/Cook a holiday meal for the family.

13. Take a weekend trip focused on M...Started planning, looking more like an entire week!

14. Go to a concert.

15. Have a girl’s weekend somewhere other than Erie.

16. Golf a full 18 holes, and keep score...Tim got new clubs, but that doesn't mean much.

17. Pay off at least 2 of my 3 credit cards. (and keep them that way!!)

18. Get another tattoo

19. Organize all my pictures and back them up.  Maybe even get some printed out....Started out planning on organizing, ended up just looking at pictures for two hours

20. Try at least 3 new foods (or re-try foods I haven’t tried in a while)...Almost tried Salt and Vinegar chips, then I smelled them, bleck!

21. Ride on a motorcycle

22. Change my hairstyle/hair color

23. Complete at least one random act of kindness/pay it forward type action

24. Make/build something...Does tiling a shower count?

25. Surprise someone...Gave a co-worker some treats, but I'm hoping to accomplish a little more than pawning off my leftovers on someone else.

26. Learn to play the guitar (at least some of the basics)...Seriously thinking about changing this one.  Recently I've gotten back into playing the piano from time to time, and really would rather just focus on one instrument.

27. Improve my Spanish

28. Learn to drive a stick shift

29. Have a spa day – more than just mani/pedi

30. Celebrate my 30^th in style! (think Limo, sequins, bubbly!)

So, if you were wondering, that's where I am as of right now.  Nothing too drastic, but still its a start!

The List

Recently beginning my 29th year, I had what I consider to be a "mini mid-life crisis."  For me, the thought of no longer being in my 20's was terrifying.  Growing up, there was a certain ideal I had for a 30-year-old.  Someone who was confident in who they were, what they did, and how they looked.  Now, one month in to my 29th year, the only thing I can say with confidence is that I am none of the above.  So I decided to set out and change that. 

Step one of my plan, my "30 Before 30" list.  Now anyone that knows me, knows that I am all about writing lists and planning things out.  My problem comes in the execution of the plan.  I normally go gung-ho for the first week or two, and then fizzle out and forget about it within a month.  I've had some great plans in my day.  Luckily, due to my amazing listing and planing skills, they are all laid out on paper for anyone who has the ambition to take them a step further.

I am sure your burning question at this point has to do with what is on the list.  Well, without further ado, here it is in all of it's list-like glory.

Bri's 30 Before 30 List

1.    Run a 10k

2.    Finish a half marathon

3.    Travel further west than Toledo

4.    Shoot a gun

5.    Visit New York City

6.    Start a blog/journal

7.    Go to an NFL football game

8.    Read at least 10 books off of Time’s Top 100 Books of All Time list

9.    Take a class unrelated to teaching

10. Finish re-painting the house (Master Bedroom, Guest Bedroom, Downstairs Living Room, Basement Bath)

11. Have the equivalent of one month’s salary in savings.

12. Host/Cook a holiday meal for the family.

13. Take a weekend trip focused on M.

14. Go to a concert.

15. Have a girl’s weekend somewhere other than Erie.

16. Golf a full 18 holes, and keep score

17. Pay off at least 2 of my 3 credit cards. (and keep them that way!!)

18. Get another tattoo

19. Organize all my pictures and back them up.  Maybe even get some printed out.

20. Try at least 3 new foods (or re-try foods I haven’t tried in a while)

21. Ride on a motorcycle

22. Change my hairstyle/hair color

23. Complete at least one random act of kindness/pay it forward type action

24. Make/build something

25. Surprise someone

26. Learn to play the guitar (at least some of the basics)

27. Improve my Spanish

28. Learn to drive a stick shift

29. Have a spa day – more than just mani/pedi

30. Celebrate my 30^th in style! (think Limo, sequins, bubbly!)

 

So there it is folks!  Now that I've put it on display, I can't back down, right?  There are some things I'm quite passionate about doing, others were put on more as a filler.  What do you think?  If you had only a year before a personal milestone, what would be on your list?