Age is a funny thing. I've finally reached that place in my life that I absolutely could not fathom when I was a child. You know, the one where birthdays are just another day. Sure, I get excited about presents--WHO DOESN'T?!?--but I just don't get that worked up over parties and adding yet another year to the roster. That said, I'm also not quite at the place where I'm terribly anxious about getting older. I think it's safe to say that I'm mostly just apathetic about the whole thing.
There does, however, something seems a bit magical about the year that you turn 30. I expect everyone goes through some sort of secret initiation into adulthood where they are handed the manual to life and finally understand what they're meant to do with their time here on earth. If that doesn't happen, just don't make me know it. But then, I got awfully excited about turning 13, 16, 18 and 21, and to be perfectly honest, nothing very magical happened then, and probably nothing very out of the ordinary is going to happen when I turn 30.
Still, I know an awful lot of people who have stared down the barrel of the big 3-0 over the past couple of years, and as okay as they seem about it on the surface, every now and then I detect a glimmer of sorts in their eye or pick up on a certain tone as they discuss the big day. I don't know what they're thinking when they look back on their 30 years on this planet and take stock of where they are in their life, but I know that when I get there, I want to look back over the years and think "yeah, that's just about right."
In that spirit, I've done some soul searching and come up with a list. A list of things that I think in 2 years and 5 months, 30-year-old Angela will be able to look back upon and say, "yeah, that's just about right." Not because my life is ending, or even because any particular "new phase" is beginning, just because for once in my life, I want to reach a completely personal individual milestone and have it really mean something.
Some of these are long-term goals, some can be taken care of in a weekend. Some are entirely frivolous, and others have very deep, spiritual meaning. But all are things that in my heart of hearts, I really want to happen. Over the next few years, I'll go into more detail on each item of the list, and cross things off as I accomplish them, but for now, here is my list of 30 life events that I will attempt to complete by December 20th, 2012.
1) Learn to speak French--at least enough for basic conversation.
2) Climb to the top of the Eiffel tower, eat macarons at the Laduree on Rue Royale, stroll through the Louvre, see the water lilies at Giverny. (In short—go to France.)
3) Travel to at least five new countries. (Top choices of the moment include Spain, France, Greece, Egypt, and Germany, but these are negotiable.)
4) Ride in a hot air balloon.
5) Run a 10K.
6) Complete my Masters degree.
7) Have another story or article published.
8) Read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.
9) Finish writing a novel.
10) Suck the head. No, not like THAT! Like this.
11) Place a bet in Sin City.
12) Go to the Kentucky Derby.
13) Geaux to an LSU football game.
14) Volunteer.
15) Organize all of our digital photos in scrapbooks or albums.
16) Learn how to sew and make a piece of clothing that I’m proud to wear in public.
17) Toast with a glass of Dom Perignon.
18) Read the entire Bible, cover to cover, without skipping the boring bits.
19) Go to the Guggenheim.
20) Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
21) Get a second piercing on my ears.
22) Finish all of the books in the top 100 of the Greatest Books List that I haven’t already read. (Will do an additional list tracking these.)
23) Go to a Starbucks drive through and pay for the order for the car behind me.
24) Learn to make my mom’s spaghetti sauce so that it actually tastes like my mom’s spaghetti sauce.
25) Attempt surfing. Not the net—the waves!
26) Do a cleanse, maybe this one?
27) Take a cooking class.
28) Buy a bike and relearn how to ride it.
29) Take a spinning class 3 times a week for at least one month.
30) Have a baby.
I actually find myself shaking a bit and trying to quell the butterflies in my stomach as I prepare to share this list with the world. But I look forward to seeing where the next few years take me, and sharing my experiences with you all.
wow... fantastic goals. now you're making me want to make a list. and i'd have one month less than you to complete it. hrm.
good luck with it all. i know you can do it!
Posted by: stacy | July 20, 2010 at 03:28 PM
I think that's a wonderful list Ang. Good luck with all of it. I am glad we get to be on this journey with you. :)
Posted by: Jass | July 20, 2010 at 03:40 PM
I am with you completely on not getting very excited about birthdays anymore. I just recently started feeling that way and I almost feel like I'm going through a quarter life crisis!! I haven't made a list like that...but it sounds like a GREAT idea!! I'll def have to try it. :)
Posted by: Same Sweet Girl | July 20, 2010 at 03:51 PM
Oh, yeah, I've totally done that! I had a five-year plan that I wrote in 2008 and accomplished about half of the list. I'm still not fluent in a foreign language, but I became quite conversational in Russian. I can now also hold my own in German, although I have a LONG way to go before I can sprech with the natives (i.e. my husband's family). My big thing right now is 30 state capitals before I turn 30, although I'm not sure I'm going to make that ... oh well.
Great list! Good luck!
Posted by: Lynn | July 20, 2010 at 03:56 PM
Okay, you have REALLY inspired me now!!!!! :--) I'm making my list this week!!! By the way, have you read Something Borrowed? The entire first part of the book is all about turning 30 and birthdays...the book is super fun, but that part in particular rang so true to my ears! :--) Now...to make my list!
Posted by: Kristie Carline | July 20, 2010 at 05:52 PM
Fantastic!!
Two suggestions (not that you've asked...)
1. Add one more to the list that says: In the event I don't cross off all items on this list, I will NOT be disappointed; I will be proud of my accomplishments.
2. I will extend deadline when I cross off #30.
:)
xoxo
Posted by: Anonymous G | July 20, 2010 at 06:05 PM
wait till you turn 40;)
Chery M.
Posted by: Cheryl | July 20, 2010 at 06:11 PM
Great list!! And a lot of those seem like so much fun :) #10 made me laugh! I should try making a 30 before 30 list...good luck girl!
Posted by: Emily | July 20, 2010 at 06:34 PM
I need to do this. 30 is one of my "scary" years. And I'm not ready!
Posted by: Brittany | July 20, 2010 at 07:22 PM
I have taken it upon myself to include myself in some of your list. I want to go to France with you. Also, clearly I should be there when you walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. And HAVE A BABY!
I like the Starbucks one... that's real cool. Stealing it!
Posted by: Brittany | July 20, 2010 at 08:21 PM
Lots of fun and interesting things on that list! I'm looking forward to following along. Especially that hot air balloon ride, because one of the funny stories I ever heard was my cousin's tale of the ride he took!
I think I've actually done more now that I'm on the other side of 30 (was 30-1/2 when I registered for my Master's program, e.g.), so lest anybody believe otherwise, life does not end at 30!
Posted by: Kate P | July 20, 2010 at 11:50 PM
Oops I meant "funniest" not "funny." Go me on the proofreading.
Posted by: Kate P | July 21, 2010 at 12:03 AM
What a great list! I make lists all the time, and I do have a rough draft of a bucket list, which includes, like you, finishing my novel an riding a hot air balloon. I'm a few years past my 30th birthday. Maybe I need to make a 40 before 40 list! :)
Posted by: WifeontheRollerCoaster | July 21, 2010 at 02:56 AM
Great list! Lots of fun stuff ahead of you. If you want a partner in your France adventure, you call me! I'm ready to go.
Posted by: Jessica | July 21, 2010 at 04:42 AM
I'll be 28 in a few weeks, and I'm looking forward to it. I love birthdays! I don't feel one way or another about turning 30 just yet. I'm happily married, I have a job I enjoy, life is good. Maybe I'd like us to buy a house by then, but we'll probably still be in Navy exile and I am SO not buying anything here.
I started doing a "101 things in 1001 days" list a few years ago, but I never thought of 101 things and I decided most of the ones I had already chosen weren't actually things I cared about, so I gave up.
Posted by: Heidi Renée | July 21, 2010 at 06:47 AM
Two thoughts:
1. Read Atlas Shrugged IMMEDIATELY - Hard to believe Ayn Rand forecast the future of Progressivism so accurately. But "Who is John Galt" now?
2. The Bible is a collection of books (some very confusing and poorly written - Sorry God) not meant to be read in sequence. You need to take the Disciple 1&2 Courses or something similar to help you figure out what the heck most of it is about and provide a lot of background and context.
Posted by: Old Warrior | July 21, 2010 at 10:42 PM
Dang lady, super ambitious list - I like it. I should maybe write out a bucket list one of these days. I always say to myself, "I have to do that before I die" - then naturally I always forget it. I rule.
Posted by: Chelsea | July 21, 2010 at 10:47 PM
I've been thinking about doing a "before 30" list myself. Yours looks great.
Posted by: garden state prep | July 24, 2010 at 09:10 PM
I did the Starbucks thing!!! Thank you so much for the idea :)
(I gave you credit on my blog today)
Posted by: Molly | September 17, 2010 at 04:17 AM