My 30 Before 30

After careful consideration, I finalized my list.

1. Get completely out of debt. This may take a while.

2. Learn to read Hebrew fluently. I’m about halfway through the aleph bet.

                      

3. Become fluent in Spanish. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve learned “Buenos dias” this time I’m going to finish what I started. After I learn Spanish I’ll add another language.

4. Launch a new blog. Like, a new one, with a specific purpose in mind.

5. Learn to use Excel, make videos, and edit photos. I should probably buy a camera for this one.

6. Go on a road trip with Zach. Not sure where yet. Probably West.

                    

7. Write a book. I’ve just always wanted to do it. Suggestions welcome.

8. Go to Norway (England and Scotland) with my mom. Summer 2014!

            

9. Develop and stick to a cleaning routine. I have a plan.

10. Attend a blogging conference. I’m a nerd.

11. Accumulate my “dream wardrobe”. Meaning shopping for very specific clothes. Audrey Hepburn trench coat is on the list :)

                      

12. Go camping. I’ve never been.

13. Memorize 20 poems.


14. Teach someone to read.


15. Read 250 books. I can read books I’ve already read but if I read it twice in the next four years it only counts once.

                          

16. Enter a story contest.


17. Go to a tiny house workshop. Preferably one I could drive to.

18. Learn to identify every country and capital. Because not many people can do this. Also, capital is a strange word. Capital…capital…capital.

19. Dred my hair.


                            

20. Have professional pictures taken of myself. Because Pinterest makes me want to.

21. Learn Sashiko embroidery. This one of my two crafty things.

                      

22. Cook or bake 100 new recipes and compile my favorites. I love cooking!


23. Skydive. I didn’t want to do this until I saw Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
            

24. Learn hooping.
            

There are other good hooping videos out there. I didn’t title this one but she is very
good!

25. Make a quilt. This is my other crafty thing.

26. Throw a party. Not a kegger, more like a barbeque or a tea party. I haven’t settled on a theme yet.

27. Have a Jane Austen Movie Marathon. At least one movie version of every book. It might take an entire weekend.

28. Attend a storytelling workshop or conference. Because storytellers are awesome!

29. Learn Kathak. Which I’ve been wanting to do ever since I watched Madhuri Dixit in Devdas.

              

30. I have a lot of other “possibilities” so I’m leaving this one blank. Between now and 30 I will do something awesome and add it to the list.



Deadline: April 18, 2016

I’m Making a Plan to Make a Plan

For the past few days, I’ve been thinking of making one of those “30 before 30” lists. It seems like everyone has them, at least they seem to because I’ve been scouring the internet for other people’s lists* and ideas. For the record, I’ve been making lists like this since I was, I don’t know, seven? That’s right; I was making bucket lists before anyone had heard of a bucket list. Remember when I said I have a lot of notebooks? Well, besides house plans they are pretty much filled with lists and goals.

   

That being said, some earlier lists included things like “swim with dolphins” or “ride in a hot air balloon” which will not be included on my new list. Not because I’ve done them but because those aren’t things I actually care about. I mean, I wouldn’t say no to those options but I’m not going out of my way to making it a life goal. So my rule number one is only put things on the list that I really care about, not just because it sounds cool.

Rule Number Two is not to put something on my list that I couldn’t actually do. Like, I would love to trek Machu Picchu but I’m probably saving that one for my 40 before 40 list, because travel costs money and we have other uses for money at present. (There are a couple of travel items on the list so far but much less expensive than say “Backpack through Europe”.) I’m also trying to keep the list specific. I’ve seen goals on Pinterest like “Be genuinely happy”. (As opposed to what, being deceptively happy?) It’s just too broad. Having good relationships and doing good in the world are what make me happy, and I can’t put “Have good relationships” and “do good in the world” on my list, because when would I check them off? Plan a surprise for someone or donate money to a good cause are more specific and foster those other lifelong goals much better.

I’m also (Rule Number 3) not going to put a lot of crafty things on my list (sew a dress, crochet a scarf, make a scrapbook, buy something old and repaint it, etc.) At 26, I’ve finally accepted the fact that I am not a crafty person. I will buy the supplies for whatever awesome DIY thing I want to try and they will sit there, untouched, for months. It’s a huge waste of money for me to keep doing this. As much as I wish I was a crafty gal I’m just not. If you want a knitted blanket talk to Zach, I’m doing good just to have a garden going and I wouldn’t say a garden is a “craft”. (There are a couple of “crafty” things on the list but I think I can manage it. I tend to be crafty only when it comes to hand making a gift for someone, then I usually scrape by with a decent product.)

**I forgot to put this in the original post but in addition to no crafty things, I'm also not doing any athletic things like P90X or running a K of any kind. That's not how I roll.**

This list is not work related. Trust me, if when I get a teaching job again I have a whole other set of goals related to that. This list is just for fun.

So I’m finalizing it and I’ll post again when it’s complete. If you have any ideas that you would put on YOUR 30 before 30 list (or 20 before 20 or whatever) let me know. You know me, I love lists :)

*Sidenote: Try Pinteresting “Bucket List”. It seems that most people want to ride a horse, see the Eiffel Tower, and swim in every ocean (many of them naked, skinny dipping is a big goal too), and everyone wants to travel everywhere. A few want to send a letter by owl and see a mermaid, which would be amazing but highly improbable, and many goals seem to have been inspired by Nicolas Sparks movies (kiss in the rain, put a message in a bottle, lay in the road in the middle of the night). Some want things to happen to them, like receive an edible arrangement and others want to own a ‘67 Chevy Impala, of which I am sure there is a limited number. I find it fascinating.