30 by 30: A Work In Progress

   I have always, to greater and lesser degrees, been a maker of lists. Grocery lists, packing lists, lists of classes I wanted to take, restaurants I wanted to visit,and on and on from there. Several of the bloggers that I follow have been posting lists of things that they want to accomplish. My dear friend Nubby over at The Adventures of Nubby Tongue and a relatively new source of awesome and inspiration for me, Sarah at Yes and Yes, just to name a few. My own dreams and wishes and the inspiration of these and other friends have moved me to to do the same. So, I give you the (currently unfinished) list of  thirty things I want to have accomplished or experienced by my thirtieth birthday, which will be November 20th, 2012. So, that gives me one year and 301 days (or, more simply, roughly one year and ten months) to accomplish what I have set down here :) Can I do it? I hope so. I think so. We'll see :)

  Let me be clear. I do not at all view turning thirty as a bad thing. In most ways I am very excited about it. I do not see it as the end of fun, or joy, or my youth, as so many societal messages seem to preach. I see it as a milestone, no more, no less. The end of one decade of my life and the beginning of another. As I advance through my life, I want to always have an eye toward new life experiences. This is a list of things that I would like to do before the next chapter of my life, which I'm sure will have no shortage of new adventures :)

30 Things to Accomplish by my 30th Birthday

1. Travel to California to visit Nubby and Pookie in San Francisco and Emily in Los Angeles.
2. Lose 30lbs.Or, lose at least two solid pant sizes and at least 8% of my total body fat. Yes, this is on my list of 2011 goals, but fitness and health will go beyond just the current year, so this goal is making an appearance here too.
3. Move to the greater NYC area (anywhere that is a train ride of 60 minutes or less into Manhattan)
4. Return to and stick with my Yoga Practice incorporating class sessions and at home sessions.
5. Attend services at a Unitarian Universalist Church. (This has been on my mind for awhile, but I was reminded of it when I saw it as one of Sarah's goals at Yes and Yes)
6. Take a Belly Dancing Class.
7. Go back to Europe.
8. Go back to Cape Cod.
9. Finish a queen size bed quilt.
10. Finish a Painting.
11. Lay naked in the rain. (stole this one from Nubby, but it's such a good idea I couldn't help it)
12. Achieve at least a conversational level of proficiency in American Sign Language.
13. Go on a weekend Meditation Retreat.
14. Try at least 5 new ethnic cuisines (Ethiopian, Vietnamese, etc)
15. Go Camping (as in, no running water, sleeping in a tent, cooking over a fire) for at least two nights.
16. Bathe in a Natural Hot Spring.
17. Make homemade cheese.
18. Attend a Music Festival.
19. Buy something totally frivolous, ridiculously expensive, and utterly fabulous.
20. Volunteer in a humanitarian program.
21. Organize, print and/or publish my photos in a forum other than Facebook.
22. Submit an entry to PostSecret.
23. Participate in a Flash Mob.
24. Sit for a nude photography session and/ or pose as a nude model for an art class.
25. Go on a Spa weekend, where I do nothing but rest and receive pampering body treatments.
26. Become a better photographer. Are there classes one can take? Books to read? I shall find out.
27. Go to an Oceanside Boardwalk.
28. Go to Colonial Williamsburg.

More to come!!!

As I said, this list is not yet finished, and I won't necessarily stop at 30 *things*, either. I will add to this list as I am inspired to do so :) Any input? Feedback? Advice? Tips? Please don't hesitate to let me know, I welcome any and all insight :)

Also, as soon as I figure out how, I will create a permanent tab in my blog for this list and for my 2011 goals. If anyone can help me do that, I would be extremely grateful :)

Aaaaaaaaaand GO!!!

Love,
Lynn