The Personal Edit #2: Thirty Before Thirty

 
Back at the start of the year I was aware of my impeding 29th birthday in February and my last remaining year of my twenties. I have been dreading the thought of turning thirty for sometime and felt I wanted to do something that helped me make the most of this important year. So I decided to create a 'thirty before thirty' list.

I had seen others do similar 'bucket' lists before and wanted to create my own. I spent much of January and February generating a list of things I would enjoy, but that would also challenge me and develop me as a person. So without further ado...

1. Reach goal weight
2. Skydive
3. Volunteer at the monkey sanctuary
4. Hot air balloon ride
5. Climb the three peaks
6. Learn to roly poly
7. Be able to do 10 proper press ups
8. Send a letter on a balloon
9. Do a good deed
10. Get a tattoo
11. Go ice skating at Somerset House
12. Travel somewhere new
13. All night movie screening
14. Learn to make...
15. Bake Andrew a snooker cake
16. Go to Wimbledon
17. Blow Glass
18. Have afternoon tea on New Year's Eve
19. Get a picture with a celebrity
20. Have a Peggy Porschen cake
21. Go to a gig of an old favourite band
22. Host a dinner party
23. Bid and win something at a live auction
24. Finish the crochet blanket
25. Teach someone to...
26. Learn to say thirty in thirty different languages
27. Go to a dance class
28. Go to a Michelin star restaurant
29. Ride in a rickshaw
30. Fund something through crowdfunding

There you have it. Quite an eclectic list I like to think. Now some things probably need explaining...

There is a fair emphasis on activity and movement as I know I need to exercise more. Number six and seven may seem fairly simple to most people but I have terrible upper arm strength and no tumbling skills. I have already started working on number 6 and ended up pulling my neck, so it's a work in progress.

Number 11 may also seem like just a nice idea, but I actually have a fairly big fear of ice skating and haven't been able to do it since I was very young. So this will also take some work to achieve.

There is also a focus on crafty pursuits as these have taken a back seat since I started my doctorate. i have left 14 intentionally vague so that I can go where I fancy, but at the moment I am thinking possibly flower arranging. The same with 25 as I want to pass on a crafty skill but want to leave it open depending on who I end up teaching.

And actually I have already achieved a few of them already, or they are already booked. For example I have booked my volunteering fortnight at the Monkey Sanctuary for September (3) and got tickets to see Steps (YES STEPS!) in November (21). I've even decided on my tattoo (10) but just need to go and book it (procrastination and fear working here I think). We're also going on holiday to Marrakesh in September which will tick off number 12.

For our anniversary we went to Galvin at Windows so number 28 has been achieved. We also went to see the Harry Potter Marathon All-Nighter at the Prince Charles Cinema so (13) is ticked off. Finally I've crowdfunded the amazing Troffle for their expansion (30).

So 4 months or a third of the way in, I've achieved 3 and booked 3. Hmm, not looking so good so far. Think I need to get a wriggle on. Any ideas on how I can tick a few more off the list?

1. Reach goal weight
2. Skydive
3. Volunteer at the monkey sanctuary
4. Hot air balloon ride
5. Climb the three peaks
6. Learn to roly poly
7. Be able to do 10 proper press ups
8. Send a letter on a balloon
9. Do a good deed
10. Get a tattoo
11. Go ice skating at Somerset House
12. Travel somewhere new
13. All night movie screening
14. Learn to make...
15. Bake Andrew a snooker cake
16. Go to Wimbledon
17. Blow Glass
18. Have afternoon tea on New Year's Eve
19. Get a picture with a celebrity
20. Have a Peggy Porschen cake
21. Go to a gig of an old favourite band
22. Host a dinner party
23. Bid and win something at a live auction
24. Finish the crochet blanket
25. Teach someone to...
26. Learn to say thirty in thirty different languages
27. Go to a dance class
28. Go to a Michelin star restaurant
29. Ride in a rickshaw
30. Fund something through crowdfunding

Jewel 

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