Thursday, April 30, 2009

30 Things for My 30th Year

Today, I turn 30. I've been joking and lamenting to family and friends about how old I am, but really, I'm fine with 30. It seems strange to me, I'll admit - a little weird to be 30. Where did the last ten years go so quickly? But I'm ok with it. However, I thought I'd work on a list of things I'd like to do/accomplish/try/etc. during the year that I'm 30. Here we go:

1. Make myself get on a plane again. I'm very afraid of flying - my biggest phobia - but I flown many times before, and need to get back into the habit of just doing it.

2. Go to Ireland

3. See the Grand Canyon, visit my friends out West, and take that cross-country road trip I’ve had on hold for a few years now.

4. Start taking tap classes again. I broke my ankle 2 1/2 years ago, and had surgery to correct it 2 years ago, and it's never been the same, and dancing has seemed out of the question. But I really miss it, and want to try it even if I have to go back to a beginner class.

5. Get back into running 3 miles. Again, ankle issues every time I've tried to start running again. But I think I need to go about it in a more systematic way, and try again.

6. Plant a garden. Not sure how this will work, now that I will be living in apartment, but we'll see.

7. Learn a few guitar chords well enough to play along with easy songs that I could use in worship settings.

8. Start learning Spanish (and Gaelic, which fascinates me, but Spanish does seem so much more practical.)

9. Work on or be in a play/musical. I really miss working in the theatre.

10. Finish the scarf I’ve been knitting for a long time. Think 3 or 4 years....

11. Be more intentional about discerning God's direction re: higher education.

12. Find a place in Syracuse, as I did in NJ, to be in regular, hands-on mission work with my congregation.

13. Organize a group of at least 40 young people from our 4 conferences to attend Exploration in November.

14. Start eating more local, organic, vegan foods, even if I can't make the complete vegan transition because I'm wimpy.

15. Speak the truth more often. I know that sounds pretty vague, but applies in so many different ways that I think vague is better.

16. Start spending less. I've been blessed with a good salary, as far as clergy salaries go, for the past couple of years, and I've been amazed (read: distressed) at how I've grown right into spending it. Having a pay cut as I move back to NCNY from GNJ will help me spend less (eek!) but I want to be more careful, more thoughtful about my spending regardless.

Okay, I'm running out of ideas. Maybe Part 2 tomorrow. What would you like to/liked to have done when you were 30? Any ideas?

3 comments:

revjimparsons said...

Happy Birthday and welcome to the land of 20-10. I am finishing up my 20-10th year and will 20-11 in May. I like the idea of this list and I hope you can accomplish them all.

TN Rambler said...

Happy Birthday, Beth.

Megan said...

Happy belated b-day. One goal that I had for when I turned thirty is to go to 6 out of the 7 continents. I made that goal when I was 16 and I had been to 3 continents. I still have only been to those 3 continents, but to 8 more countries since then. Probably won't hit any new ones between now and Labor Day.

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