#18: Do something that makes me feel like an adult: Buying my first home! Completed 11/29/07

My blog posts from the fall of 2007 (particularly 11/29) describe the event that ushered me into adulthood. In addition to the tidbits of grown-up life I experienced through the process, I gained at least one other really useful piece of knowledge from the home-buying experience:

IKEA bookcases were designed by the devil to make people swear more. Determined to do some "handiwork" on my own, I decided to assemble two large sets of shelves I had recently purchased at the design-on-a-dime mecca known as IKEA. I've always fancied myself something of an analytical genius. You know - someone who could test into the CIA and become a spy simply based on my ability to put together a jigsaw puzzle. Unfortunately, my prowess at solving puzzles did not translate well to the shelf-building process. I am very good at reading and following directions, but when the devil has interceded in the design process there is not much hope for even the most literate and analytical person. After a smashed thumb and a few audible expletives, I finally managed to get the shelves assembled. The result is worth the pain and frustration I endured, but I hope one day I will be able to purchase a piece of furniture without the evil words on the box: Assembly Required.

#5: Visit a New State: Oklahoma! Completed June 2007

In June of 2007, I traveled with the FPC Jr Hi Youth Group on their Road Rules trip. Each year since 2004, I have gone on Road Rules as an adviser and helped lead a team. In 2007, I lead the ORANGE team as we journeyed to Oklahoma! Ohhhhhh-klahoma! I had never been to Oklahoma, so I was able to cross that off my list.

This is the whole group with all the team colors represented (but orange is still the best). This is actually a picture of the group in Nashville on the way home, but it was the only group picture I had. =)


The purpose of Road Rules is to take middle school students from our church to locations around the USA to teach them about service and how to show people God's love by meeting their practical needs. We started in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. We volunteered at the Creek Nation Festival, worked in nursing homes, cleaned up homeless shelters, and actually got to see a local rodeo!


This is a picture of the Creek Nation Festival Parade.



Ashley (one of the youth directors) and I enjoyed the rodeo because it was a brief moment during which we didn't have to keep the kids occupied. We were around them 24 hours a day for 6 straight days... I think you can see the lack of sleep on our faces. =)

On the way home from Oklahoma, we stopped in St. Louis, MO and Nashville, TN where we did similar forms of volunteering: painting shelters, sorting clothes at the Salvation Army, and more. I think Road Rules is an excellent way to show middle school kids from this area that not everyone lives like they do, and it is our responsibility as Christians to help others.



The entire trip is made into a "competition" between teams and there are ways to earn points in challenges throughout the week. If you know me, you know I'm competitive when it comes to games (but not sports - that requires too much coordination!), so I was delighted (read: fiercely proud) when my Orange Team won the competition at the end of the week! I attribute at least part of it to the amazing songs I made up for my team. I will leave you with one of those:
Orange Team!
Dreaming 'bout orange team!
They are not red, not yellow -
but in between. =)

30 things to do before I turn 30

It has been almost a year since my last post. I could attribute the lapse to a lack of time to squander online, but we all know that I make time for other activities so that excuse won't hold. I could say that I've had nothing interesting to write about, but that also isn't true. If I'm honest with myself, the real reason I have neglected my blog is that my Oxford blog got such great response from friends and family that I was overwhelmed by the pressure. I felt the need to write my follow-up blogs so impressively that I was stymied. Essentially, it's all about my pride.

Nevertheless, here I am again and I am determined to continue writing. Really, I've missed typing words, highlighting them, deleting, and starting over. As a genuine literary nerd, I truly enjoy the writing process. All the drafting, editing, and revising makes my world go 'round. So here I am... at a new phase in my blog.

My return to the blogging world was sparked by a conversation I had recently about my list of 30 things to do before I turn 30. I created the list in the summer of 2006 as a way to push myself beyond my comfort zone, and I have now accomplished fourteen of the goals. Unfortunately, I have only until February of 2010 to finish the other 16. I have decided to blog about my list - the ones I have already accomplished and the ones I still need to master. I'll try to catch up on the ones I've already done, and I'll continue to post as I check another one off my list.

Let's start with the official list. This idea was inspired by my pal Eric who also created his list in 2006 and told me about it. He and I met in the honors dorm our freshman year at Clemson. We were the only English majors in a sea of engineers, so you could say our friendship was destined by the fate that rules the pages of all great literature. When he told me about his idea, I was intrigued and immediately began drafting my own list. I made a few versions that summer but finally decided on the final draft. Here you go:


30 things to do before I turn 30
created summer 2006
~in no particular order~

1. Become proficient in another language
2. Earn another degree or certificate
3. Read through the entire Bible
4. Take a Latin or Swing dance class
5. Visit a new* state
6. Do something outside my comfort zone
7. Win something
8. Knit / crochet something other than a scarf
9. Complete a top-level Sudoku puzzle
10. Perform something for an audience
11. Face a fear
12. Learn to drive a stick-shift
13. Go on a date
14. Publish something
15. Design and plant a garden
16. Watch a sunset on a west-coast beach
17. Visit a new* museum
18. Do something that makes me feel like an adult
19. Go to Boston in the fall
20. Learn to play all of "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano
    
21. Jump off of something high
22. Learn to play another instrument
23. Play my french horn again
24. Go somewhere "out west"
25. Visit with an old friend
26. Watch a storm from a porch
27. Ride a bicycle somewhere interesting
28. Visit a new* country
29. Hike a new* trail
30. Cook a gourmet meal

* new = new to me

So there it is... quite a list! 14 down, 5 in progress, 11 remaining. The ones in bold font are the ones I've already done. Those in italics are works in progress. The rest are looming over my head (and staring at me each day from the list on my refrigerator door).

I welcome your comments about my list or your suggestions on how to accomplish my remaining goals. The only words I don't want to read are those reminding me how soon I'll be 30! I don't have a lot of time to get all these done. Help! =)