30 before 30!

The list is finalized! It is what it is. I fairly quickly went from not having enough things that I could come up with, to having too many. Basically I went looking for the person's list who inspired this project, only to get linked back to the blogs that inspired her 30 before 30 project, only to read comments on that blog and links people left to other such lists, with many more ideas. You get the idea. Soon I was left with more ideas (and mostly things I'd already wanted to do, not just getting entire concepts from other people, I mean) than I had room on the list for. Fortunately, I also in this process I discovered the Day Zero Project, so I now have a lengthy list of short-term goals and longer-term dreams to keep me going in addition to these 30 I'll be focusing on for now.

Anyhoo... without further ado (and in no special order), here they be:

1. Take part in a flash mob. Totally didn't plan this one, but did one with my 8th grade campers during the second week of Summer Safari back in June!

2. Memorize Psalm 104 all the way.

3. Find out the answers to all the questions I’d jotted down in my Bible, while reading it all the way through. (The factual ones, I mean. Not trying to answer all the deep questions of theology, in the next year.)

4. Apply to graduate school. (And hopefully, get in!) This one is totally done. Though I forget the date. But by early March, for sure, I've had my first acceptance!

5. Go on a blind date. (I’ll need friends’ help for this one, somebody set it up! J) (For the record, this one was on the list before my mom suggested it.)

6. Dye my hair some color that is not usual for me. Calling this one done. It's been a long time since I was actually a brunette.

7. Visit a National Park I have not been to before.

8. Use a chainsaw.

9. Finish the quilt I started forever ago. (No, seriously. It’s been years. I keep forgetting about it for many months at a time.) 

10. Complete a 10K (note that I did not say I have to be running for all of it).

11. Completely go through all my closets (clothes, storage… ok, that’s the only 2 kinds). Leave them much emptier when I am finished. Done! And this was not necessarily a given with moving, though knowing that I would be made this an easy one to include in the list... but yeah, there was lots of weeding out and trips to Goodwill before I loaded up to move what was worth it, all the way across the country. :)

12. Throw a surprise party for someone.

13. Stay up all night in the woods.

14. Fire a gun.

15. Karaoke. (For the record—before any of my friends try to hold me to their interpretation of this one—I am entirely planning on this not being by myself. So there, friends! You’re gonna get dragged into this one, right with me! :) Completed, 03/15/13-- though I had no idea that would be the case, when the day began-- Jes and Cathy are super awesome friends for helping me accomplish this one!!  

16. Learn a magic trick (card tricks count). (Also, I would consider “learn a yo-yo trick” to be a suitable substitute for this one.)

17. Go skinny dipping.

18. Learn to knit or crochet (gotta have something to do when I’m old, right? ;)

19. Try brussels sprouts. Completed, 11/02/2012

20. Host a dinner party for friends.

21. Drag a friend to my church. (Well, if they walk in willingly, that is of course fine, but I’m covering all bases. Also, I realize just one sounds like not much at all, but as most of my friends in Colorado are from my church, it actually seems a tad daunting to me.)

22. Learn to identify all the countries on a map/globe. Workin' on it. It's the Balkans that get me.

23. Be able to do 10 pushups. (This also may sound like aiming low. But seeing as I can currently not—nor even in my life have I been able to, I don’t think—do even one, I think this is perfectly reasonable.)

24. Speak in front of people in some sort of situation that scares me. (That caveat is included because I am actually quite fine speaking in front of people in a great many situations. I’m not entirely sure where I would find a situation that fits the bill for this one, where it would make sense for me to be saying something in front of them. But basically, this means if such a situation arises, I can’t very well say no! J) This one might actually be difficult to mark as done... just presented to a workshop of 75 eighth graders + their teachers/chaperones + a half-dozen volunteers + a few co-workers the other day. So, you'll have to top that to even start making me nervous.

25. Leave nice notes for people (either that I know, or don’t know, e.g. in a public place). Completed, 10/31/12

26. Eat 100% vegan for a week. (Because seriously, I’ve been vegetarian for over 13 years. Maybe it’s about time, already?)

27. Send in something to PostSecret or Found.

28. Memorize a favorite poem. (http://www.bartleby.com/119/21.html)

29. Donate blood (and don’t pass out. Preferably). (This will also tell me my blood type, which I have always wanted to know. I don’t know why I care so much, but I’m intrigued.) Attempted, 10/31/12 and 11/20/12

30. Do a 30-day photo challenge. (My mom did something like this last year, but for the entire year, taking a photo every day—well, usually more than that, but choosing one favorite from the day—and posting them to facebook. I’m opting for a shorter version. J) Completed, November 2012

(Links to progress updates now available right from here, by clicking the underlined item numbers!)