30 Things by My 30th Year: 7 Month Update

Somehow my 29th year has been flying by and now it's only about 5 months until I turn 30! Gah! How did that happen?

Anyhow, in case you are new around here, I put together a list of 30 things that I want to accomplish by the time I turn 30, coming this July 15. It's been quite a while since I gave an update on this (and to be honest, I'm intrigued myself to see how I'm doing!) so here you go!

1. Learn how to knit

2. Learn how to use a sewing machine

I'm certainly no pro, but at least I understand the mechanics of how it works! Now I've just got to practice...

3. Start taking vitamins (for real. Not just buying them & stashing them under the sink)

I'm doing even better...taking vitamins and calcium chews!

4. Lose 10-15 pounds and maintain it (!!)

I have a long way to go on this one

5. Be better about correspondence with friends; Skype with the friends I’m missing across the country!

I was doing great on this in the fall and then the holidays threw me off. Ready to pick it back up again Maggie?!

6. Learn how to properly use my DSLR - the manual setting, white balance, the whole shebang!

7. Get our entire home painted via professional painter and lit via professional electrician

So happy that this is done! It is life changing!

8. Organize our den/office so that it is cute and inviting...not serving as a giant storage closet

This is on it's way! We have Shaun's desk and filing cabinet set up and did a serious detox. We have a little more work to do before I can cross this off!

9. Call my Dad once a week 

I haven't done this, but I see him almost once a week!

10. Call, Skype or email with my sister Christine at least once a week

11. Find freelance assignments

Still a work in progress, but you can find my first article on The Daily Meal! They featured my buffalo chicken lettuce wraps last week.

12. Write a book

13. Meet my Dad for lunch or dinner in New York City

14. Devise organizational system for my shoes

This just happened! Check out my shoe detox.

15. Find a spot for my cookbooks where they will be easily accessible...and used!

I started my kitchen office nook and just need to hang the shelves where the books will reside.

16. Watch 10 classic films

17. Try bone marrow

18. Get my wedding album made (before our 4th anniversary)

19. Read 5 classic novels (suggestions?)

20. Visit a new US city

In October, we traveled to New Mexico and visited Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

21. Make a budget & stick to it, making it possible to grow our savings!

I've been trying to sock away money like it's my job.

22. Unplug - turn off my computer at a reasonable hour after work. Put the Blackberry on silence. Enjoy quality time with my husband that isn’t disrupted by Facebook, Twitter, the blog, work emails, etc.

I have been much better about this, especially on the weeknights! I hardly even turn on my computer once I get home from work and the iPhone only gets checked once or twice.

23. Make things happen for myself, instead of waiting for them to happen to me.

Always a work in progress, but I feel like I'm in a good place with this.

24. Buy a piece of art. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. But something Shaun and I like!

25. Learn how to make my mom’s famous tomato sauce & meatballs

26. Make at least one new recipe from each cookbook in my collection

Rocco DiSpirito's Now Eat This: Sloppy Joe's
America’s Test Kitchen - Chewy Sugar Cookies
Betty Crocker Cooky Book - Trix Cookies (morphed into Golden Grahams cookies), Date Bars (adapted into ooey gooey marshmallow chocolate bars)
Peas & Thank You - Spanish Quinoa, Chocolate Chip Cookies w/Sea Salt
Wine + Food - Pork Loin with Apple Chutney
Better Homes + Gardens - Kalamata Lemon Chicken
Muffins - Strawberry Yogurt Muffins

28. Eat at 10 new restaurants in New York City

BLT Steak
Bianca
Gusto Organics
Striphouse

29. Make a Top 30 Of All Time playlist...what would your list include?

30. Take time to enjoy life, recognize how lucky I am and spend time with my husband, family and friends. At the end of the day, that's what matters, right?

Always a work in progress, but I think I've really taken time to do this over the last months.

So there you have it. I still have a lot to cover on this list! But I'm pretty happy with my progress thus far :)

Question of the Day:

What are you tackling lately?

Do you have any lists like this?

30 Things by My 30th Year: 2 Month Plus Update

When I turned 29 in July, I decided to put together a list of 30 goals that I hope to achieve by the time I hit 30 next year. Here's my monthly update!

1. Learn how to knit

2. Learn how to use a sewing machine

I had a date with my Mom on Saturday to do some sewing and cooking. I am not ready to cross this off the list since I still have a long way to go. I started making a Fall table runner. I will share it with you when it’s done!

3. Start taking vitamins (for real. Not just buying them & stashing them under the sink)

4. Lose 10-15 pounds and maintain it (!!) I want to look like this again:
    I lost 3 so far! (Nope, no more than last month :( )

5. Be better about correspondence with friends; Skype with the friends I’m missing across the country!

I started using Google video chat with my good friend Maggie, who left NJ to move back to Missouri. We have a date every other week...so far we’ve chatted twice! I still have some other friends on my list with which to set this up...

6. Learn how to properly use my DSLR - the manual setting, white balance, the whole shebang!

I took a DSLR workshop in September. Though I still have a lot of practicing to do (especially when it comes to exposure and composition), I’m ready to cross this off the list because I understand the mechanics...it’s just a matter of putting it into practice! I took DSLR Workshops by Okello Dunkley - I highly recommend if you are in the market!

Greek layer dip - a perfect game day eat!

7. Get our entire home painted via professional painter and lit via professional electrician

I have 3 lighting fixtures in my possession and am scheduling the electrician today! (!!) I also found a painter, who is coming at the end of October. Now I just have to officially pick out paint colors!

8. Organize our den/office so that it is cute and inviting...not serving as a giant storage closet

Still a work in progress. It’s not cute and inviting. We did order a small filing cabinet to match Shaun’s desk, and I plan to clean out a bunch of stuff in the coming weeks.

9. Call my Dad once a week

I haven’t done this. I need to change it.

10. Call, Skype or email with my sister Christine at least once a week

I haven’t done this either, though we have communicated briefly each week regarding The Peach & The Pit.

11. Find paid freelance assignments

12. Write a book

13. Meet my Dad for lunch or dinner in New York City

14. Devise organizational system for my shoes

15. Find a spot for my cookbooks where they will be easily accessible...and used!

I started plotting out my kitchen office nook. I have a desk built and shelves to hang. The cookbooks will go there and I cannot wait!

16. Watch 10 classic films

17. Try bone marrow

Done! At BLT Steak, as a surprise addition to our shared rib-eye

18. Get my wedding album made (before our 4th anniversary)

19. Read 5 classic novels (suggestions?)

20. Visit a new US city

I’m going to Albuquerque in 2 weeks for my cousin’s wedding! I can’t wait! I may also be adding Santa Fe to this list while we’re out there. I'm just hoping for a Jesse Pinkman sighting...

21. Make a budget & stick to it, making it possible to grow our savings!

22. Unplug - turn off my computer at a reasonable hour after work. Put the Blackberry on silence. Enjoy quality time with my husband that isn’t disrupted by Facebook, Twitter, the blog, work emails, etc.

I’ve been trying to do this by quitting all of these applications by 9pm each night. I’m trying to get it down to 8pm!

23. Make things happen for myself, instead of waiting for them to happen to me.
    I’m working on this in my head right now!

24. Buy a piece of art. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. But something Shaun and I like!

25. Learn how to make my mom’s famous tomato sauce & meatballs

On our Saturday date, my mom gave me the tutorial for her best ever, most amazing of all time meatballs and sauce. I came home with a giant stockpot filled with sauce and meatballs. Every bite tastes like home. We enjoyed some for dinner last night...and will be enjoying them for a while :)

26. Make at least one new recipe from each cookbook in my collection

Rocco DiSpirito's Now Eat This: Sloppy Joe's
America’s Test Kitchen - Chewy Sugar Cookies
Betty Crocker Cooky Book - Trix Cookies (morphed into Golden Grahams cookies)
Peas & Thank You - Spanish Quinoa, Chocolate Chip Cookies w/Sea Salt

27. Host a girl’s night with all my best ladies

28. Eat at 10 new restaurants in New York City

BLT Steak
Bianca
Gusto Organics

 

29. Make a Top 30 Of All Time playlist...what would your list include?

So far:
Van Morrison - Days Like This
Jackson Browne - Stay/Roadie Song
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
   
30. Take time to enjoy life, recognize how lucky I am and spend time with my husband, family and friends. At the end of the day, that's what matters, right?

I try to do this every day!

So there you have it. I've been pretty busy over the last couple of months. I'm really to take some of these things from half way finished to completely crossed off the list!

Questions of the Day:

What goals do you have in your life right now? Big or small?

What goals have you accomplished lately?

First Favorite Song

Last night, Shaun had basketball and I spent the evening playing with the kitten and watching 2 episodes of Parenthood. I had one of those days where I just felt sad all day over everything. The thought of giving away the kitten. The thought of keeping the kitten. The rain. Everything seemed to set me off. So it's no surprise that I stopped off for an emergency package of Reese's peanut butter cups {something I never do, by the way} which served as dinner, followed by some leftover chips and dip from football Sunday. And 2 glasses of red wine. And perhaps a bowl of cut up bananas with whipped cream. Yuck.

Yep. I woke up this morning feeling pretty badly about myself {physically & emotionally} and all of the healthy eating I've been doing to try and shed some pounds. I know emotional eating is the very worst kind. But it happens occasionally, right? Right?!

Oh well. What can you do? Today I'll wear baggy clothing to work and pretending like last night never happened. I didn't really want to tell you this story because, well, I'm embarassed quite frankly. But I'm trying to keep it real for ya, and sometimes delicious, freshly made dinners, like pasta primavera, just aren't in the cards.

 

Moving on.

As you may know, I'm working on a Top 30 of All Time Playlist, following my 30 by 30 list. Shaun was asking me about it a few days ago and asked which Michael Jackson song would be making an appearance. He obviously has so many amazing songs and I've been a fan for as long as I can remember. Though I currently may love some other songs more, to me, Billie Jean is a must for my all-time list.

In fact, Billie Jean was my first favorite song ever.

I remember making my parents play it on loop on their turntable while I danced around the living room. I had to be no more than a few years old, but I can still remember it clear as day. It really was my first favorite song! And it still makes me smile to this very day - or jump up and dance with my hands flairing if I hear it when I'm out somewhere. Oh MJ.

Questions of the Day:

What was your first favorite song?

Have you ever had a day like the one I mentioned above?

psst...We're round up a bushel of fun links on today's Handpicked Peaches! Head over to find some cute things.