30 Before 30

The "30 Before 30" list.  Yes, I have finally completed it.  In the Fall, I had moved for a short-term period of time and wanted to get to know some girls at a local church while I was there.  After all, having a community (even for just a short period of time) is worth all the effort if it means meeting great people and not being a lonely hermit.  That being said, these girls (whom I love, miss, and hope to never forget) loved the 30 Before 30 List.

"30 Before 30...what's that?"  Simply put (and as many of you have probably gathered), it is a list of 30 things to do before one turns 30 years of age.  So what exactly is the concept behind this list?  Well, like myself, the majority of these girls were of the single variety!  And, some of them had heard of the list and decided to implement it into their lives.  Why? To help them to live their lives for the sake of living by setting goals and not just live to find that "special someone."  Obviously, I approve.  And once I started spending time with these girls more, the list came up more and more frequently.  Because they were living to pursue joy and not just a relationship.

So I started jotting down my list in my phone.  And yes, that was the Fall (like, probably October-ish) and now it is mid-July.  It took me a bit of time, but I'm okay with that.  I wanted to take this process seriously and list things that I would seriously like to do.  It was also kind of hard to find things that I hadn't done.  Things like learning to ballroom dance.  Or going rock climbing.  Or eating a donkey burger (yes, I have done this).  Which is good, because it means that I'm living life.

So, without further ado (but probably plenty of side comments), here is my 30 Before 30 List (in the order I thought of them, likely not the order I will complete them):

1. Complete a 5k (I had originally written "run" but decided that might be unrealistic)
2. Discover a beer that I truly enjoy
3. Hike the South Sister (a mountain, for those who may not know)
4. Catch a steelhead (a type of fish; earlier in the year I had caught my first salmon and a couple years ago I caught some sturgeon.  I figured I should keep the fish-thing up)
5. Buy a new (to me) car
6. Give someone I don't know well (or at all) a large sum of money as I am directed
7. Write Part 2 of my novelette (which I hope to make into a novel)
8. Go on a medical mission trip
9. Read (I know that it would be really easy to cross this off after say, a sentence, but my intention is for it to be open-ended.  To continue reading up until 30 and beyond.)
10. Ride a horse (believe it or not, I have not done this.  Even growing up in a small cowboy/hick/redneck town)
11. Host an awesome civil war party (the "civil war" is a HUGE rivalry game, in this case a football game, between my alma mater and our bitter enemies whose university is also located in my dear state)
12. Read a CS Lewis book (the catch:  it can't be Narnia)
13. Go to zoo lights (around the holidays, the zoo puts up all sorts of Christmas lights and sells hot chocolate...or so I've been told because I've never been)
14. Go to a professional basketball game (I know, it's somewhat insane that I haven't done this yet)
15. Go on a legitimate date (let's be honest; all the "dates" that I've been on--which hasn't been many--I have been tricked into going on.  Because it was not made clear to me that I would be the only other person there.  Not okay, guys.  Seriously, grow a pair)
16. Sit on the beach and watch the sun rise over the ocean (which will require travel on my part!)
17. Get a puppy
18. Attend a comic-con
19. Read the entire Harry Potter series
20. Watch all of the Harry Potter movies
21. Learn the ins and outs of retirement and how to plan to get there (IRA? 401k? What? I'm clueless...but I should figure it all out)
22. Play BINGO at a BINGO hall
23. Befriend a widow
24. Have responsibilities at a church I consider my home (which has been difficult with my schooling...excuses, excuses, I know)
25. Stay at a bed and breakfast
26. Send flowers to someone for no specific reason other than to love and encourage them
27. Buy a stranger's coffee behind me in line
28. Read the Bible in its entirety (catch: not NLT or NIV.  I've already done it with those, but it's been awhile.  And honestly, it would probably be good to do this at least once a decade, right?)
29. Find a charity I'm passionate about and embrace it for the long haul (this means committing to donate for years, if not decades, as well as volunteering)
30. Have my first kiss (this --> [click link] will NOT be me...though I will also not just go out on the night before my 30th birthday looking for some dude to kiss for the sake of this list.  It's just a goal...)

So there you have it!  And hopefully, as I complete these, I will be able to blog about them and let you know how it goes.


**Addendum** I'm crossing things off occasionally because I've done them...not because I've given up on them. Haha.