the bucket list for 30

I will be 30 years old this October. Holy cats! That sounds so old *insert grumbling of people over 30 here.* I know, I know, I just, well, I guess we all imagine we will be doing certain things by certain ages...Anyway, I have been spending a lot of time thinking about sending my twenties out with a bang, or at least an effort of some sort, and have come up with 30 things that I would like to do by the end of the year. Nothing too thrilling; I am not really the sky diving, bungee jumping sort, well, maybe I will be as I come up on 40...?

Anyway, call them goals, ambitions, dreams, hopes, wishes, aspirations, whatever; I have a mission. I suppose I will periodically write to tell of my (mis)adventures as I pursue my "30 for 30." Wish me luck!
  • Clean our basement  Farm houses are old and while ours is very cool, our basement looks a little Sandford & Son-ish, with remnants left behind by the last few families that have come and gone. This seems a little easier said than done to me. Our basement is creepy as hell. It kinda reminds me of that basement from Silence of the Lambs. Yep, and it has dirt floors...maybe I will just imagine that I am going on some kind of archaeological dig--holy Jesus, I better not find any bones down there! YIKES!
  • Paintball  Never done, always wanted to. Recently found a place that does paintball relatively nearby. I can only imagine how this will roll. I kinda picture myself freaking out since I don't like being chased. I think I still have rugburn on my knees from an ill fated, spazz moment during a Laser Tag game back in 1992.
  • Cruise  This dream has been realized. Our tickets have been purchased for the cruise. Now we just need to get our flight and hotel booked and it is off to the Carribean we will go!
  • Read 30 books by the end of the year
  • Hike all of the trails on the Farm I think if I am remembering correctly there are 18 hiking trails around the Farm property. I think I have been on four so far (roommate RugbyGirl helped me out--taking me on two new ones this week!)
  • Read more poetry
  • Watch the Godfather I & II  I know, I know. Seems UnAmerican, or UnPacino or something. Tried to do GFI but kept getting interrupted. If I don't watch both of these I am pretty sure my best friend L is going to disown me.
  • Go clubbing (out here)  Some of the Farm girls and I have been tryiong to set something up since October. I will see this dream realized.
  • Get everyone to go karaoke
  • Make it through Life Aquatic without falling asleep
  • Go to Minute Man National Park 
  • Go to Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket  Been wanting to visit all three of these places since I was a teenager and Massachusetts sounded exotic or exciting...
  • Go to more of the museums nearby 
  • Get through The Fountainhead  Maybe the second time around will be easier.
  • Grow sunflowers I love sunflowers and really, really, really want to grow them this year.
  • Read War and Peace 
  • Philadelphia  Never been to the City of Brotherly Love and it's not too far from the Farm, so a weekend away has to happen.
  • Library Job (PT or subbing or even volunteering)
  • Have a Breakfast at Tiffany’s night in NYC (stay up all night partying and then walk around outside, looking in storefront windows while eating a doughnut and drinking coffee). Sounds classy, I know. Something I have always wanted to do since the first time that I saw the movie.
  • Go camping  Even though I did camp in Nova Scotia with TSO this past October, I want the real summer experience of camping without having internet or bathrooms nearby.
  • Publish a poem
  • Get a first draft of a book done
  • Get my photos in order
  • Pick up a hitch hiker  X MISSION ACCOMPLISHED  The Farm is located in the middle of nowhere, hippy country. During the summer especially we see lots of hikers and I have always wanted to pick one up. I did it last week. Charma, wherever you are, thanks for helping me check something off the list.
  • Organize my entire iTunes Library
  • Submit something for publication in a library magazine
  • Lose two dress sizes
  • Get involved at the parish I attend here
  • Read the Bible more
  • Become a better pen pal to my brother while he is overseas

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