Owning up to 30 before 30

Ok, so I'm gonna own it right now.  I'm pretty sure there are 10 items on the list that there is no way I can accomplish before January.  Just ain't happening.  So...I'll confess to being a failure and set more realistic goals in the future. 

For instance?

The 10k...yeah...not really running at all right now.  So the likelihood of running 6+ miles next month?  Mmm...not happening.

Also, I have not been vegetarian at all for a bit.  It just isn't working with my lifestyle right now, and I'm dealing with some guilt, but I'll worry about that later.

I can't go into the rational for everything just now, so I'll leave it at that.  Oh!  And thanks for the concern, but I really wasn't hurt by the fireball.  I may have lost a little bit in the aesthetic department, but that's all.  Thanks, though! 

30 before 30: #13. Throw a party

I do have to admit that this is one of many items on my "Bucket List" that I have done many times before.  That didn't make it any less of a goal.  And, it's yet another one that I selfishly used Chris for my purposes.  For his 30th birthday, we had some of our friends over on Saturday.  Not a huge gathering, but it qualifies.

Chris's best man, Matt, brought a lot of his home-brewed beer, as always.  He is very talented.  Don't think some skunky crud coming out of someone's basement.  Think treats from a semi-professional, who dreams of one day being a brewmaster.  He frequently enters competitions, and frequently does well. 

Why the beer talk?  Matt showed up, and immediately treated us to a  micro-brewery beer he had recently discovered, and MAN, was it delicious.  He did not warn the light-weights amongst us (*cough* me) that it was 13%, though, when he handed me a mug full.

Try it, it's delicious.

Not surprisingly, before any other guests showed up, I was running up and down the street trying to invite neighbors.  While this may count toward #8 Making Friends, it is perhaps a little embarrassing.  Not that I was visibly intoxicated.  I just get very friendly.  The two neighbors I talked to, and would love to be friends with, both sounded very positive, and said they'd try to stop by...but didn't.  I was bummed.

The real reason for the party, forget all that birthday stuff, was to watch Penn State play Alabama.  Originally, we were going to watch the game on a screen in the backyard, but the dog has made the yard a terrible minefield that contains swarms of flies.  We try our best to keep up, but...it's disgusting, and we certainly weren't letting people out there.  So, inside it was. 

Lent by another groomsman, Mike

I can't really claim to have watched much of the game, but perhaps that's better for our sanity for two reasons.  1) Penn State got slaughtered (not surprisingly) and 2) Chris DVR'd it and we watched it again the next morning anyway.  The re-watching of the game is pretty standard in our house, and should not surprise any of you who read Old State Glory.  Chris doesn't get all his stats with one watch.  OH no.  There is serious analysis going on in our house.



Now, I'm starting to feel there's a bit of a conspiracy.  Virtually every blog I read has recently announced they are pregnant (Hi Kat of Living Like the Kings and Tina of Faith, Fitness, Fun who usually read here, too).  ALSO, while you can only see Maddie over on the left, and Will front and center, Sam is hiding behind a column and Tim & Cathy are hiding little "Borat" (or so they claim) in-utero.  Feeling some pressure.  But, while my husband suggested that I do a post on my feelings on what we're thinking, I think I will not ask for THAT many comments.  ;)

EDIT 
***NOTE FOR ALL NEW PEOPLE WHO ARE FINDING THIS POST SEARCHING "PREGNANCY": The complete and total irony of this post is that I was indeed pregnant at this party.  I did not know it.  I found out 4 days later.  Our feelings were that we were going to start trying some time in a few months...obviously...well, y'know...unnecessary.***

Overall, we had a great time.  I made vegetarian chili (which, I need to send the recipe to Kelle, but you can find HERE.  Yum.) and pulled pork, as well as the cake.  Our very generous and helpful friends brought all the sides.  Which, obviously means, I broke down and ate some of Meghan's buffalo chicken dip.  Ok, the majority of the pan.  So much for vegetarianism, and my comfort.  OHHHH have I felt sick from the dairy.  Whatever, worth it.  It's awesome.

And even Harper got up off her whiny, sick-butt and joined in.  She can't resist a good party!  Of course, she was passed out the next day, but loved it while it was going on!

30 before 30: #23. Bake a cake and decorate it WELL

This can also be titled: Happy 30th birthday, Chris! 

Chris lucked out and convinced me that he needed a week of celebration, so this cake was for a party we held on Saturday night, not actually his birthday on Sunday.  And, the definition of "WELL" is very subjective, but this is pretty darn good for me.  So I'm going to check this one off my list. 

30 before 30: #8 FAIL

I can't even say I tried.  My problem is that I have no follow through.  Saturday, people started talking to me, so it gave me the perfect opportunity.  However, I have not pulled off #8 yet.  It is:

#8. Talk to 5 random people in the hopes of becoming friends

Saturday, Harper was up bright and early, so by 6:30 am we were out the door walking.  She was being a loon since she is FINALLY done with her heat, healthy, and feeling energetic.  We get to the bend in our road, about 5 houses down, and she goes crazy barking at a mom and her daughter exiting their house to walk their dog.  This dog is angelic.  It is a shepherd mix, but unlike our loon, never barks, never tugs, and frequently runs with his mom off leash.  I believe his name is Bear.  Why am I not friends with this family?  I suppose it's that they have kids.  

I have this hang-up that anyone with kids must be older than me.  Which, of course, is absolutely ridiculous.  I have friends, who I graduated with, who have MIDDLE SCHOOLERS.  I should not assume that baby = old.  In my mind though, I never really see moms as potential friends, unless I knew them pre-kids.  Maybe I don't feel like I can relate?  I don't even know if that's it.  Anyway, Bear's mom strikes up a conversation with me about how I probably don't have to lift weights with the Harper work-out.  And, I got to thinking, why am I not friends with her?  She lives a couple doors down, has a shepherd, is friendly, runs, seems about my age...where's the problem?  But do I say more than a couple sentences?  No.  Admittedly, Harper's still barking at Bear, but I probably could have made more of an effort.  FAIL #1

Break in the action, but at this point, Harper startles a squirrel out into the road where it gets hit by a car and dies.  I start crying.  So now, I'm bummed at my friend failure, crying over a squirrel, and walking a very vocal dog.  Yeah, I look approachable.  

Ok, now we're at the park.  I see another my-age woman entering the park with a fluffy little purse dog.  I get nervous.  These are the people that always get paranoid that my mean, giant shepherd is going to eat their little angel.  In contrast to that scenario, though, Bitsy yanks the leash away from her mom and runs at us and tries to ATTACK Harper!  It was pretty hilarious.  This little 3 pound miniature poodle jumping up and down trying to get at Harper's throat, and failing.  Harper's just standing there looking at me like, "What the heck is this toy trying to do?"  Bitsy's mom comes running over, apologizes profusely, says, "Bitsy, you're really lucky that's a nice dog", and chats briefly.  But do I follow through at all, or, again, even find out the woman's name?  No.  FAIL #2    

Later, I'm shopping for Chris's birthday present and briefly chat with a woman at the store.  No name, no follow-through.  FAIL #3

I don't even know if this counts, but next, at the grocery store, I felt really fantastic about myself.  I was the last person in line before the cashier went on break.  She was a very young girl, who at MOST was maybe 16.  People kept trying to get in line, and she'd respond pleasantly that she was closing.  This was fine until some jerk of a man tried and threw a fit saying he had lost his place in another line because she couldn't manage to shut her light off.  I told him that that was a lie, as people had tried previously to get in her line, and she had had it off for all of those occasions.  He huffed, said, "Thanks for sticking up for me", and some meaner things under his breath.  I told the girl, "I know you're not allowed to be nasty, but I can."  Later, as I was walking out, he came up and apologized to me for his comments.  Well, at least he realized he was being a scrooge.  I was proud that I had stood up for the girl. 

Alright, so I don't have 5 fails, but I do have enough that I need to try again on another day.  Back to square 1!

30 before 30: #30 Attend a New Church

Have  I found my new church?  Maybe.  There were certainly a lot of pros, but also one very big con. 

I have decided to leave the Catholic church for multiple reasons, but the last straw was their recent pronouncement which equated ordaining women priests to pedophilia.  I didn't particularly agree with the idea that a woman couldn't be the vehicle through which the congregation connected to God in the first place, but to put it equal to such a vile corruption of a child?  Inexcusable. 

I considered a few different churches in my town, and based entirely on websites, the Baptist church seemed the most appealing.  It was an active parish, with many activities, and seemed to be a bit younger than the rest.  That is important, as our town tends to have congregations that are largely elderly.  That was one upside of my Catholic church...youth!  Though, it wasn't very active, and I never really got to know many people there. 

However, Chris was adament that he was not going to consider the Baptist church, and both of us do not agree with the tenant that alcohol in any form is evil (which is even the largest text on their website).  So...onto the next consideration.  And, the logical conclusion that anyone might have predicted: the United Methodist church.  Many members of my family are Methodist, and I spent substantial amounts of time in the church as I grew up. 

First United Methodist Church of Phoenixville

I was nervous.  It's always hard going somewhere for the first time when you don't know the culture and are alone (Chris was studying).  I didn't know where to enter, if I was dressed appropriately, how I would be received, etc...  I sat in the car for a good 10 minutes before entering just people watching. 

I entered and was mobbed.  Alright, that's a bit of an overstatement, but I was greeted by at least 5 people.  And then the pastor came over to me after I was seated and chatted.  SHE (!!!) said that it was impossible to hide at the 8:30 am mass, since it was small and everyone knew each other.  This was not meant to exclude me, but to welcome me with open arms.  The service even began with her greeting, and then encouraging everyone to stand up and greet each other for at least 5 minutes.  I found this a little awkward, being new, but it was nice. 

The sermon was even meaningful, and one that I needed to hear.  It involved forgiveness, and one statement particularly struck me.  The pastor said, "Forgiveness that does not count the cost is the ultimate value."  This needs to imprint on my heart.  There is someone in our lives who, for reasons unbenownst to us, has decided to inflict some fairly substantial pain, and then cut us out of his life.  It has proven difficult to grant forgiveness.  It isn't even a circumstance that it matters to anyone aside from Chris and myself, but I need to forget the cost, and let the weight be lifted from me. 

Therefore, the pros: walkable distance, welcoming community, active, varied ages, good music, sermon that spoke to me

The cons: there were no more than 30 people at the service, and I don't know if the other times would be different, this will have to be determined

Regardless of my decision, I think that unlike #20, #30 has been completely satisfied and has been marked off the list!

30 before 30: #20 Painting

#20 was to create a painting I was willing to hang in my own home...and I'm not sure this qualifies.  I decided to try and take the easy route.  I finished a painting of my little brother that I started a couple years ago, and was so enthusiastic about that I let it sit, taped to my board, since then.  I'm not sure how well the tape will even come off.  Anyway, it's done, or at least finished to the point that I'm willing to do.  I just don't like it.  It's not very good, I don't feel strongly about it, and...blah.  So, I might need to paint another to satisfy this requirement, but we'll see how the time works out.  For now, I present #20:

 

30 before 30

I turn 30 on January 4th, 2011.  I have come to the realization that this is pretty soon.  To the point that I cannot do one activity a week off my mid-life bucket list.  In fact, it is more like 2 activities a week if I want to achieve completion by then.  The list started with someone's bucket list that I found online, but I honestly don't remember where.  And...I don't think much of it survived.  These are minor challenges, due to time constraints, but all of which, I am eager to try and accomplish.  So, here is my list, feel free to laugh as I fail miserably.  These are in no particular order, and I do not know when I will cross each one off. 

1. Travel somewhere I've never been

2. Go to a costume party dressed to the nines

3. Identify someone who has inspired me and tell them

4. Climb a mountain

5. Discover a skin care routine that WORKS

6. Perform a kind deed to at least 5 strangers without expecting anything in return

7. Volunteer

8. Talk to 5 random people in the hopes of becoming friends

9. Experience a sunrise

10. Go stargazing

11. Plant a tree

12. Take the GRE

13. Throw a party

14. Go to a driving range

15. Learn wine appreciation

16. Achieve my ideal weight (125)

17. Learn to play the guitar

18. Take up dancing

19. Run a 10k

20. Complete a painting I’m willing to hang in my own home (instead of just my parents')

21. Improve flexibility so I can touch my toes.  (Honestly, nowhere close)

22. Redecorate a room

23. Bake a cake and decorate it WELL

24. Join a book club

25. Go vegetarian for a full month. No cheating.

26. Go skiing

27. Organize a picnic outing

28. Read at least one book a month.

29. Tell your parents and siblings that you love them.

30. Attend a different church

Honestly, the list is pretty staggering.  I don't know how I'll make it through it.  But, it's supposed to be a challenge, right?  And...just for kicks, my MoH just posted this picture from a decade ago, so I'll share how much we've grown since then.  Here's to growing older and wiser!