Thirty Before 30

Turning 30 sucks, I don't care what anyone says about it - I don't care how positive you are about it, the truth of the matter is - it's that big milestone to remind you that your 20's, as miserable or as wonderful as they were, are OVER. Turning 16 was fun. Turning 18 was fun. Turning 21 was fun. Heck, turning 25 and having the right to rent a car was fun. But turning 30? Highly doubtful.

The only highlight of turning 30 is somewhere, I had a "Thirty Before 30" list. I can't seem to find it anymore so in the interest of turning 30 without a list, I've recreated one to hold myself accountable towards for the next year (I'm not 30 yet - thank goodness). So I thought to myself.. how do I construct a list that truly represents what I wanted to accomplish at 30 before I was a year away? In order to do that, I have to go back to the future (love the movie) and think of what I hoped to accomplish by 30 when I was oh - say 20. So here's my list along with commentary and what will shock you are the things that are on there, indicating what I hadn't done by the age of 20.

1. Get married - done!

2. Have kid(s)- done! one counts!

3. Buy a house - On hold after I married a student.

4. Decorate the newly purchased home - see 3 above

5. Go camping - Andy took me for the first time last year and we're going again this weekend!

6. Go to Europe, specifically Greece - cuz it's amazing and I really love Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (don't lie, you do too!)

7. Go skinny dipping - not sure if this will ever happen.. too risky for my likes but somehow I thought by 30 I might have the guts.

8. Learn how to sew - done, not well... but it just says learn.

9. Get my CPA - done after a brutal number of tries

10. Go on a cruise - pending

11. Go sailing - done

12. Go hiking - done

13. Go on a real vacation (Vegas does not count nor do training weekends before or after, nor do wedding weekends) - done...the honeymoon was my first real vacation (sad huh?)

14. Write a book - pending

15. Learn to cook - I'll say accomplished, it doesn't say learn to cook WELL, just learn to cook

16. Read Fountainhead - my college roommate did and I was so impressed... but never go around to it, the longest bookz I've ever read are A Prayer for Owen Meany (Simon Birch) and Harry Potter!

17. Stop biting my nails - not sure if this will happen

18. Go to a concert - (the Super Korean concert in tenth grade and the college concerts I got to go to for free as a resident assistant don't feel like they really count)

19. Get a six pack ... or a four pack, heck just a line down my stomach indicating I am somewhat ripped - don't think I'll ever accomplish this one

20. Go surfing - done, didn't get up on the board but trying counts

21. Get published - done page 46 anyone?

22. Learn to play the guitar - yeah, some things won't get crossed off my list

23. Run a 5k - done

24. Run a 10k - done

25. Run a half marathon - again, some things won't get crossed off my list cuz I'm over running

26. Do a pull-up - again, some things probably won't get crossed off my list... EVER!

27. Go to the Oscars - I thought I could go as a seat filler after two years with the Firm, but I only made it to the Emmys three times (and we left early the third time because we were a bit bored), guess it's a lost cause unless my brother makes it in the industry!

28. Do some meaningful philanthropic work - done through the Ronald McDonald Camp for Good Times and Philanthro and the Church

29. Learn to french braid - still trying

30. Do the splits - probably never going to happen

And there you have it - in no particular order. 15/30 .... 50% ain't half bad.