A good friend of mine recently asked if I’d revisited my 30 before 30 list since turning 30. I was somewhat embarrassed to admit that I had not. Well, that changes today. For you newer blog readers, I initially started this blog to document 30 things I wanted to do before I turned 30. Here’s an update on what the list looks like today!
1. Jump out of a plane. Haven’t done this or planned it yet – my plan is to arrange this for when the weather gets warm.
2. Run a half marathon (a second one – I ran one during my last year of law school). This kinda cracks me up, since I’m now training for a marathon! And, since setting this goal, I’ve ran 2 half marathons, 2 ten milers, 3 10ks, and multiple 5ks.
3. Use my passport. No immediate plans with this one.
4. Take part in meaningful volunteer work. DONE! Read about my pro bono experiences here.
5. Find a new karaoke go to song – “Baby Got Back” is classic, but it’s time to expand my range. I’ve actually done a decent amount of karaoke lately and started to appreciate the value in switching it up.
6. Stick to a budget. Working on this one, but major improvements since I first set this goal.
7. Try one new restaurant a month. With all the new restaurants in my neighborhood and my work travel, this has been happening!
8. Make one new recipe a month week. See my answer to the previous question. This has not been happening. I’ve been relying on old favorites and not making new things. I need to get back to it!
9. Take a surfing class. No, not yet.
10. Go skiing. Okay, I am committing to making this happen this winter!!
11. Road trip like I mean it. Numerous trips to VA Beach and Charlottesville. Plus a train ride to Boston — I’m counting it all 🙂
12. Start my own urban garden. I did this last summer but traveled too much this summer to keep it up. Check it out last summer’s bounty here.
13. Perfect my biscuit recipe. I make a pretty good biscuit if I can say so myself.
14. Cook a five course meal. Ha. Not yet. I’ve made multiple meals for folks but not done the full five courses.
15. Stay up and watch the sun rise. Well, I’m often up running before the sun rises – so I see the sunrise multiple times a week. Can’t believe I just typed that sentence — the me of 2 years ago would not believe it either!
16. Learn to change a tire. Yes, unintentionally!
17. Make something (a scarf, a shelf, etc.) and display it or give it as a gift.Yep. Remember that time I made a couch?! Check it!
18. See two great museums in NYC (I’ve been to NYC numerous times, but never done a major museum – I have no idea how that happened). I’m in New York all the time for work and still haven’t done this. So sad. Recommitting!
19. Clean my apartment at least once a week. This has been surprisingly easy. I usually clean up as I go, so scrubbing the bathroom / vacuuming and the like isn’t painful.
20. Take a trip with my mother. Not yet. Though I did plan a 60th birthday party for her (with my dad and sister of course). Does that count?
21. Live car free for a month. This was done unintentionally, but it was done!
22. Take a weekend trip – solo! Do my work trips count? If so, I’ve done this multiple times over.
23. Have a sleepover with my niece and nephew. We did this over Christmas but it wasn’t a real sleepover because there was a house full of people and we didn’t make popcorn and stay up all night. Last Christmas we were all in Disney World together so that kinda counted as well!
24. Find a church in DC. I have found a wonderful church in DC. Here is my post on this.
25. Send at least five hand written letters to friends/family. I’ve sent numerous cards so I’ll count them.
26. Write (creatively) every day for a month. I write for this blog almost everyday. Let’s consider this a win!
27. Have a housewarming/cocktail party! Oops.
28. Do a random, anonymous act of kindness for a stranger. Yes and I’m not blogging about it.
29. Try a new fitness activity. Barre class, what!
30. Plan an AWESOME 30th birthday party! My birthday was wonderful and I had numerous opportunities to share it with loved ones. A great time indeed!
Did you do a 30 before 30 (or a 35 before 35, etc)? If so, how many items did you complete? Are you still working on your list?
That is a really great idea. I might just have to make a list. I turn 30 in May =)
Do it! So fun 😉
I should have done this before I turned 30. I’m turning 31 this month! Ha!
You can always do it for your next birthday! I’m an Oct baby as well — I turn 31 on the 16th. You?
I’ll be 31 on the 26th!!! October babies rock!!! *high five!
woohoo!!!
I love your list! I have several items on my list, but need to put them all down in writing. Some of your items would definitely make an appearance on my written list, especially the run a half marathon, which I look forward to completing in January!
Yay – make a list! It’s fun to do and even funner to reflect on after you’ve done items.
Make that skydiving trip happen, it’s the most amazing experience ever:) Even if I did break my tailbone when I did it last:)
Ouch, really? Coming down??
I love the idea of making a list like this! I’m glad you were able to cross a bunch of those off!
It was such a fun process! I highly recommend it 🙂
i highly recommend taking a non-work related weekend trip solo. i did it in may and it was heavenly. went to the great smoky mountains and just enjoyed.
i don’t have a 30 before 30, i don’t like setting deadlines for stuff like that, but i suppose i did i actually would get on the whole “become fluent in spanish” and “learn to play at least 3 songs on the guitar” thing on my bucket list. (read: i have a bucket list, so… it’s more like 100 things before death.)
The great about having a 30 before 30 (or anything like that) is that there is no “real” deadline. As you see, some of the items I completed, and others I didn’t — and I didn’t feel bad about that either 🙂