This is the day I turn the big 3-0. A whole new decade in my life. There were still some wild oats I wanted to sow before leaving my 20s, however. I decided to create a list of 30 things to do before turning 30. In November of 2016, just four months before my birthday, I set out to accomplish my list. Below are pictures and descriptions of my adventures.
1. Plant a tree. Check ✓
2. Ride Marta. Check ✓
3. Commit an act of first world anarchy by eating a peanut butter sandwich directly below the sign that says it's illegal to eat on Marta. Check ✓
4. Hike up a mountain. Unfortunately, I had to change this one. Apparently walking in place to get all your fitbit steps is not a great idea. Turns out I have an extra bone in my left foot. Walking so much, combined with bad shoes and this extra bone, resulted in a hurt tendon. I was able to change number 4 to something pretty awesome: Get professionally done photographs of my foot in the form of an MRI and X-ray (something I've never done before)! I also got to wear a kick ass boot for months on end. Check ✓
5. Egg something. Let's just say this is something you'd want to egg around election season, particularly this election season. Check ✓
6. Get a random, unplanned tattoo. Check ✓ (originally this was to have a fancy picnic, but a random tattoo sounded much more like something a 20 year old would do).
7. Buy a little black dress for all occasions. Check ✓
I may have also bought this cute lady bug dress as well!
8. Get a new, adult passport. Check ✓
9. Write a letter to my 40 year old self. Jamie also set it up for us to record a video letter as well. Check ✓
Here is a sample of some of the things in my letter that I wish to remember:
1. It's immoral to take for granted the one life you are lucky enough to live.
2. you need different levels of friendships (shallow friends are just as important as deep ones)
3. Codependency is not love. It will only turn to hate.
4. You have to advertise yourself to make friends.
5. All things end in pain--it doesn't mean it wasn't worth it.
6. Fuck the unknown--you waste life when you allow fear to prevent you from living.
7. You cannot have a fish tank. You don't know shit about keeping fish alive.
8. The secret to happiness is proper serotonin levels.
9. If you go above and beyond for someone else, it does not mean they will for you. And that's okay.
10. Laugh at every mistake you've ever made--perfection is a game for liars.
11. Never trust authority simply because they are in a position of authority.
12. Playing isn't for kids--it's for human beings.
13. It's better to feel lonely than to stay in a toxic friendship.
14. Our existence may be ultimately meaningless, but popcorn still tastes good.
15. You are worth more than what you create, what you do, and what you can give to someone.
16. Life is constantly moving and changing--move with it.
17. You will immediately regret eating taco bell.
18. Someone saying something is right doesn't make it so. Something is right for a logical reason.
19. When you expect too much from yourself, you will also expect too much from others.
20. "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time" -Bertrand Russell
10. Go to a speakeasy (password required). Check ✓
11. Make a kick ass chocolate soufflé. Check ✓
12. Seek counseling specifically to recovery from religion. Check ✓
13. Make a fruit cake that actually tastes good. Check ✓
14. Make replicas of the snowmen my family had when we were kids. Check ✓
15. Finally address my lack of skills in spelling and reading. Check ✓
16. Eat at Steak Out. Check ✓
17. Fly a kite as an adult. Check ✓
18. Help a stranger financially. Jason and I ordered pizza on New Years Day and gave the lady a $100 tip.
19. Give my cats the best day of their lives. Check ✓
We took them for a stroll:
We fed them their favorite food: turkey hot dogs, apparently.
We bought them a new toy, which they still play with regularly. I love Peanuts' face there:
20. Climb a tree as an adult. Check ✓
Jason and I went to a park that was closed and walked the trail. We also found trees to climb on. I had to be careful because I was still healing from my hurt tendon, but Jason got to be adventurous:
21. Go camping in my own back yard. Check ✓
22. Meet an elephant. Check ✓ (keeper of the day program at Atlanta Zoo... amazing!!
23: See a sunrise and a sunset on the same day (also the same day as when we met Kelly and Tara the elephants). Check ✓
Sunrise:
24. Drink Champagne in a limo. Check ✓
I ordered a limo and we took it to Nick's Grecian Gyro for dinner. We popped the champagne on the way home.
26. Shoot a gun. Check ✓
Jason and I got up early one morning and went to a nearby school where I practiced getting into every gear and going forward and backward. I still need practice, but the police weren't called on me this time! So that's a plus.
28. Go roller skating as an adult. Check ✓
This was actually my 30th birthday part. We went to the skating rink with a bunch of friends one Sunday afternoon and then went out for pizza right after. Nikki even drove down from Tennessee for it! It was wonderful.
29. Build a cat house (or box) for them. Check ✓
30. Built a blanket-fort in my living room as an adult. Check ✓
Jason and I had a fancy dinner. This was literally the night before my birthday, so we went all out. We moved the mattress into the living room and slept under the twinkle lights in the blanket-fort. It was a great valentine's day!
Birthday breakfast:
Strawberries after birthday couples massage:
Star of India birthday dinner:
The big 3-0. This decade I hope for adventure, freedom, health, happiness, and love. This decade will be a period of self-improvement for me. I want to learn how to be comfortable in my own skin, learn how to take care of myself properly, learn what a healthy relationship means, and learn to be completely open and honest about who I am fully, without guilt or shame. It's about time I start learning to feel capable, confident, and self-sufficient. To life!
