Reflections and Ruminations… and Plans

Wowsers.

What a predictable post.

I’m going to turn 30 this year.

In nine months, actually.

What did I used to think I ‘had to’ have done before I was 30? When I was a teenager (middle, above!!) I bored anyone who would listen that I wanted to be married and have had my first kid before I was thirty. That ended up happening, didn’t it??? That’ll teach me…

I wanted to have climbed the Inca Trail. I wanted to learn Italian. I wanted to be creative in my work. I wanted to smile alot.

It’s going well so far…

I want to go white-water rafting. I want to go to a festival (currently lusting after Latitudes). I want to go to the Pacific Islands and watch fabric being dyed. I want to be much less dependent on the internet.

Hmmmm…..

I’ve been mooching around various ‘Things to do before you’re 30’ lists and have come up with my own that I would like to try to do before September 12, 2011…

NB: If I were without child and/or utterly minted, this list would be much more geographically broad and include much more extravagance… As it is, these are more ‘things that may make me a better person’ rather than ‘things that will make me bankrupt’

1. Go to one restaurant a month that I’ve never been to before
2. Eat 5 foodstuffs I’ve never tried before
3. Bake bread. Actual bread. Not just yeast-assisted cakes
4. Knit something in Fair Isle/stranded colourwork or a complicated lace shawl
5. Give handmade presents this year (I’ve given myself a loophole in case I run out of time to make every present myself) – and make them GOOD THINGS that are wanted and liked and appropriate and… and… and…
6. Listen to 10 albums by artists I’ve not listened to before (suggestions welcome)
7. Write a letter for Tilly to open when she’s 18
8. Write a letter to myself to open when I’m 60
9. Read three ‘classic’ books I haven’t read before
10. Drink only water for one month this is going to be HARD – tea… wine??
11. Don’t complain about anything for a week
12. Go completely ‘unchained’ for a month (ie no shopping at any chainstores for food, clothes, etc)
13. Unplug for a whole weekend (no phone, Internet, television etc.)
14. See 10 ‘classic’ movies I’ve never seen
15. Workout for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks
16. Write a list of 101 things I’ve already achieved in this lifetime
17. Write a list of 50 things I like about myself
18. Write 5 letters to 5 people who changed my life
19. Sleep in a tent, outside, with my husband and my daughter
20. Make £100 from my crafting in one calendar month
21. See 9 performances featuring my friends (acting, singing, dancing etc) – professional or amateur
22. Help organise a street party for the Royal Wedding
23. Help organise a Big Lunch party for local families
24. Go a week without spending any money bar Tilly essentials – diapers etc
25. Grow a plant in this house that does not die within four weeks of ownership
26. Have a ‘no rubbish’ week
27. Don’t swear for a week this is going to be bloody difficult – geddit???
28. Take part in three craft swaps – the two last year were BRILLIANT and they made me so happy!
29. Put aside £10 for every I task I complete to buy myself a fabulous birthday present
30. Donate £10 to charity for every task I don’t complete

With thanks to Paola and her various links for ideas and suggestions for the above.