30 Things By My 30th Year: One Month Update

Hi peeps! How are you today? I want to hear all about it.

I'm feeling not-so-much admittedly. I've had a terrible cough and congestion all week and it seems to be culminating (I hope) yesterday and today. Between Cough Fest 2011 and the crazy Hurricane Irene talk, I'm cocooned up at home for the morning making a plan to ridding myself of this cough and making sure we have supplies should disaster strike. Later today Shaun and I are heading down to Delaware for his brother Steven's wedding tomorrow...congrats to Steve & Katy! Let's hope the weather holds for your big day!

Meanwhile, I realized that it's been well over a month since I turned 29 and gave you a list of my 30 things to accomplish by the time I turn 30.

How did the last 5 weeks or so go by so quickly? I have no idea. I was able to get started on a few things though...

30 by 30: 1 Month Update
1. Learn how to knit

2. Learn how to use a sewing machine
    I’m on my way - my parents bought me a sewing machine for my birthday!

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...though this week doesn't count :)

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

6. Learn how to properly use my DSLR - the manual setting, white balance, the whole shebang!
    I registered for a class in NYC in September. I literally cannot WAIT.

7. Get our entire home painted via professional painter and lit via professional electrician
    I've already gotten a couple of quotes. I'm working on picking out colors & lighting fixtures! Yay!

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

9. Call my Dad once a week (I already talk to my Mom at least once per day)
    I’ve actually been seeing my Dad about once a week, which is even better!

10. Call, Skype or email with my sister Christine at least once a week
      She just left last week. We had a fun girls night to say buh-bye! (and the Boys II Men song, It's So   Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday just played in my head)

11. Find paid freelance assignments

12. Write a book

13. Meet my Dad for lunch or dinner in New York City (where we both work!)

14. Devise organizational system for my shoes (for the first time in my life)

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

16. Watch 10 classic films

17. Try bone marrow
      Done! At BLT Steak, as a surprise addition to our shared rib-eye. I loved it!

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

19. Read 5 classic novels (suggestions? I recently read Jane Eyre and adored it)

20. Visit a new US city

21. Make a budget & stick to it, making it possible to grow our savings!
      I started my spreadsheet. It's SO not easy to see where I spend my money, but it's definitely
      enlightening!

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, etc, etc.
      I'm working on it...but I could be better!

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

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 joes (and I will be making these again!)
     America's Test Kitchen - Chewy sugar cookies (which turned into failed Golden Grahams cookies)
     Betty Crocker Cooky Book - Trix cookies (morphed into Chocolate Glazed Golden Grahams cookies)

27. Host a girl’s night with all my best ladies
     I’m working on planning a Fall cocktail party/hang out sesh.

28. Eat at 10 new restaurants in New York City
     BLT Steak
     Bodhi Tree

29. Make a Top 30 Of All Time playlist...what would your list include?
    I started it!
    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?
This whole summer has been fantastic for friends and family time! We've seen a lot of them!

So there you have it. A little roundup of what I've been up to over the last month!

Questions of the Day:

How are you getting ready for the storm, if you're in its path? We'll be at a hotel, but bringing flashlights, candles, matches, water and food!

What are you doing this weekend? I'll be partying at my bro-in-law's wedding!

What have you been crossing off your list lately?

I'm 29! And 30 Things by my 30th Year

It's here. I was not really feeling turning 29.

 

But then I put on some Deborah Lippman Happy Birthday nail polish, and I immediately started to feel better. I decided to embrace it. In a few years, I'll look back and wonder why I was so worked up over getting another year older. It's just a number.

And after looking back on my 28th year, I realized that I still have many great things to come. After seeing some other bloggers like Joy the Baker and Beantown Baker do a 30 by 30, I wanted to join in the fun.

1. Learn how to knit

2. Learn how to use a sewing machine (Mom, this means I need your help!!!)

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:

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

6. Learn how to properly use my DSLR - the manual setting, white balance, the whole shebang! Any book recommendations? Or classes?

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

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

9. Call my Dad once a week (I already talk to my Mom at least once per day)

10. Call, Skype or email with my sister Christine at least once a week (Kimberly and I are already pretty good at Gchatting almost daily and seeing each other often since she lives in NYC)

11. Find paid freelance assignments

12. Write a book

13. Meet my Dad for lunch or dinner in New York City (where we both work!)

14. Devise organizational system for my shoes (for the first time in my life)

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

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? I recently read Jane Eyre and adored it)

20. Visit a new US city

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, etc, etc.

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

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

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

28. Eat at 10 new restaurants in New York City (I will already cross one of the list tonight because Shaun is taking me to BLT Steak for dinner!)

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?

31. (One for good luck) This is reader's choice. What do you think should be added to this list? Leave me some suggestions and I'll pick one next week to add to the list!

So there you have it. My 30 things by the time I hit 30. I know this is a lofty list, but I have high hopes for year 29 :) I'd better get busy!

And while we're on the subject, what do you think? What are your suggestions for classic movies or books? What would you put on your Top 30 Of All Time playlist? Any recommendations for NYC restaurants to try?