Category Archives: 25 before I’m 25

25 before I’m 25 – Fail.

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So, I’m 25. The whole birthday thing happened last week and I’ve put off going through my 25 before I’m 25 list because, well, I didn’t do them all. 5 years ago all I would have wanted for my birthday was to go out, party, and have a night to remember with my friends. Now, all I wanted was a night, at home, doing nothing but relaxing. Maybe that’s the wedding planning/house buying craziness talking, but maybe it’s not. We had hamburgers and strawberry shortcake. It was the perfect in every way.

I originally posted about my 25 before I’m 25 list in 2010 and gave ‘er a little update in February 2011. Below is the final summary of what got done, and, um, what didn’t. About half made it to fruition and the other half of the list was a major fail. Everything on this list is still something I want to do, it just wasn’t in the cards for the year before I turned 25.

  1. Spend a week on a beach. Any beach. Unplugged. - Ok, I didn’t do this… but I’m going to be heading to a beach on my honeymoon. That counts right?
  2. Re-work the design of this site. - Done.
  3. Read 12 books, one per month. - Done. I think I read maybe 50 books this year, and totally underestimated my reading abilities.
  4. Post 100 times… 30 will, hopefully, be cranked out in November. - Well, I quit Nablopomo… and fell of the wagon when things got hectic this spring. Fail.
  5. Be healthy. Get back to working out and eating well. - Done. I think I’ve done this. I’ve been working out, trying to eat better and trying to slim down for the wedding.
  6. Try yoga. - Fail.
  7. Take cooking classes. - Fail.
  8. Schedule time for myself each week. - I would say I did this about 50% of the time. While I crave alone time, I’m too much of a do-er and end up finding things to do in place of “me time”.
  9. Find a classy purse that suits me. And buy it. - I bought a lovely gray purse off Etsy! Double done.
  10. Be able to do 10 push ups. - I can’t do 10, but I can see myself getting stronger and dipping lower and lower. Score!
  11. Attend Canvas and Cocktails. - I have a gift card but haven’t used it, yet. I’m halfway there.
  12. Smile more often — especially at strangers. - Some days this is a go, other days this is a fail. Check Denver traffic to see which day we’re on.
  13. Fix Charles. Surgery and all. - Done and done.
  14. Be happy. So much of it is in my control. - Done.
  15. Pick a cookbook and make all the recipes – except the ones with mushrooms or other inedible objects. – I’ve got cookbook commitment issues. Sue Me. Fail.
  16. Tell everyone I love, why I love them. - An everyday goal… and one that will always be in progress. Done.
  17. Send more mail. Cards, packages, random gifts. - I sent and gave lots of gifts, card and random little mementos this year. Done.
  18. Stay up late drinking wine and talking, even though I have to work the next day. - Done, done, done… too many times to count.
  19. Buy a pair of *perfect* boots for winter. - I bought a pair… but my calves rebelled and wouldn’t allow the zipper up. So technically, done?
  20. Spend a weekend in the mountains with friends. - Done.
  21. Buy something from Etsy for someone and for my house. - Done. I bought magnets at Christmas for friends (and a necklace)… and a purse for me!
  22. Develop my favorite pictures and hang them up. - Fail.
  23. Be a positive impact. Be aware of what I do, what I listen to and how I behave. You never know who you’re impacting. - Always a work in progress.
  24. Eat locally and naturally. Try to buy local and eat out at local restaurants. - Doing better at this. I love me some local food, and have tried to spend my money where it counts.
  25. Stop to smell the flowers. This year flew by and I was constantly caught up in the day-to-day. I want to remember to take it one step at a time and pause to enjoy it! - Well, I’m planning a wedding and buying a house. I haven’t had much time to stop and smell the flowers. Have to mark this one as a work in progress.

Maybe the next list should be a 30 before I’m 30. That way I have five years. Meaning I’ll either have plenty of time to get all 30 things done OR I’ll totally forget about it until the last day that I’m 20. There’s probably and equally good chance it could go either way!

*Image by Jonty Wareing

Me and me alone.

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Guess what? I can finally cross something off my life list. The very first thing I’ve actually done! Don’t worry, there are no illusions that I’ll suddenly snowball into a frenzy of life list accomplishments, but you have to start somewhere.

I’m living alone. As in, no roommate, no sharing food, no sharing the toilet, no socks ending up in the wrong room. After seven years of roommates (wonderful roommates at that) I was ready. Though… there were plenty of years where I thought the boogey man was after me and the only thing standing between me and him was having a roommate. Since then the boogey man and I have made our peace, though he’s still got me looking over my shoulder in the dark. That could also be all the Criminal Minds I watch, either way.

I’m slowly making it home, and by slowly, I mean really slowly. I’ve got a mirror to hang above the couch that I bought weeks ago and still have boxes in the bedroom, even though I moved in two months ago. Since I don’t live with anyone, nobody told me I have to unpack — so I’m doing it in my time.

So, there’s that. Check one for me.

It’s been six months – update!

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Today is my half birthday, and in honor of such an exciting occasion I thought I’d give and update on where we are with my 25 before I’m 25 list. Here we go:

  1. Spend a week on a beach. Any beach. Unplugged. (No such plans yet. Sad.)
  2. Re-work the design of this site. (Went to polka dots, that counts right?)
  3. Read 12 books, one per month. (On my way, so far we have Leota’s Garden, Devlin Diary, The dive from Claussen’s Pier, The Friday Night Knitting Club, The Shack… and many more to come)
  4. Post 100 times… 30 will, hopefully, be cranked out in November. (I’ve got a way to go on this — especially since I am a Nablopomo drop out)
  5. Be healthy. Get back to working out and eating well. (I’m re-starting the eating well,  and working out is next on the list)
  6. Try yoga. (Still need to do this)
  7. Take cooking classes. (Still need to do this)
  8. Schedule time for myself each week. (Still need to do this)
  9. Find a classy purse that suits me. And buy it. (Still need to do this)
  10. Be able to do 10 push ups. (Back to the working out, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed on this one)
  11. Attend Canvas and Cocktails. (They’re opening a new one by my house and I got a gift certificate for Christmas – BONUS!)
  12. Smile more often — especially at strangers. (Well under way)
  13. Fix Charles. Surgery and all. (Done and done. He has his last blood test this month)
  14. Be happy. So much of it is in my control. (Working on this, but I’m one happy camper lately)
  15. Pick a cookbook and make all the recipes – except the ones with mushrooms or other inedible objects. (I’m a total flop here. I just can’t commit to one cookbook. I’m a cookbook and recipe slut, ok?)
  16. Tell everyone I love, why I love them. (Still working on this)
  17. Send more mail. Cards, packages, random gifts. (Sent a few)
  18. Stay up late drinking wine and talking, even though I have to work the next day. (Done with Jacqui, Liz, Lindsey, Kaitlyn, Marcy… and the list goes on)
  19. Buy a pair of *perfect* boots for winter. (Hmmm, any suggestions??)
  20. Spend a weekend in the mountains with friends. (Went to Vail in October and going again in March with Kaitlyn and her new fiancé Griffin – so excited)
  21. Buy something from Etsy for someone and for my house. (Bought a purse, now something for my house… ideas welcome)
  22. Develop my favorite pictures and hang them up. (Once I’m all moved in I’ll get on this)
  23. Be a positive impact. Be aware of what I do, what I listen to and how I behave. You never know who you’re impacting. (This would be a work in progress)
  24. Eat locally and naturally. Try to buy local and eat out at local restaurants. (Doing a little better, but those Red Robin french fries get me every time)
  25. Stop to smell the flowers. This year flew by and I was constantly caught up in the day-to-day. I want to remember to take it one step at a time and pause to enjoy it! (Now that I’m moved down South again I think this will be much easier — I’ll keep you posted)

Hopefully I’ll have individual posts on more of these soon…
*Image by Libertinus

I’m 24. And, 25 things to do before I’m 25.

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I'm 24 and can hardly believe it.

I turn 24 today.

It’s weird, I feel like there is no way I’m already 24. When I was a little kid, 24 seemed so old, so mature. An age where things had fallen into place. An age where you had a great job, you had your own house, where you were dating the Ken doll. Where everything was glamorous. Not to say my life isn’t those things, but it’s weird to feel nothing like I dreamed I would.

This past year has literally flown by. I know things speed up as we age, but holy freaking cow. I  just remember being in elementary school praying for Christmas and all my presents to come faster, in contrast to now when I wish we could skip it all together because I don’t have time to shop. That’s been my life this year.

This past year I started commuting an hour each way to work, I met an amazing guy, I moved in with one of my best friends, I live near downtown, I traveled (North Carolina, Iowa, San Francisco, Louisville, Philadelphia, Indiana, Chicago, Los Angeles, and up to the mountains of CO), I climbed a fourteener and I got back to my roots and figured out what I believe. It was busy to say the least.

With that said, here are a 25 things I want to accomplish before I turn 25… before I’m a quarter of a century.

  1. Spend a week on a beach. Any beach. Unplugged.
  2. Re-work the design of this site.
  3. Read 12 books, one per month.
  4. Post 100 times… 30 will, hopefully, be cranked out in November.
  5. Be healthy. Get back to working out and eating well.
  6. Try yoga.
  7. Take cooking classes.
  8. Schedule time for myself each week.
  9. Find a classy purse that suits me. And buy it.
  10. Be able to do 10 push ups.
  11. Attend Canvas and Cocktails.
  12. Smile more often — especially at strangers.
  13. Fix Charles. Surgery and all.
  14. Be happy. So much of it is in my control.
  15. Pick a cookbook and make all the recipes – except the ones with mushrooms or other inedible objects.
  16. Tell everyone I love, why I love them.
  17. Send more mail. Cards, packages, random gifts.
  18. Stay up late drinking wine and talking, even though I have to work the next day.
  19. Buy a pair of *perfect* boots for winter.
  20. Spend a weekend in the mountains with friends.
  21. Buy something from Etsy for someone and for my house.
  22. Develop my favorite pictures and hang them up.
  23. Be a positive impact. Be aware of what I do, what I listen to and how I behave. You never know who you’re impacting.
  24. Eat locally and naturally. Try to buy local and eat out at local restaurants.
  25. Stop to smell the flowers. This year flew by and I was constantly caught up in the day-to-day. I want to remember to take it one step at a time and pause to enjoy it!

Here’s to a great year ahead and a great year behind! Pizza, cake and vino tonight. The only way to celebrate!