Golden Year

My birthday was last Thursday.  I turned 28.  It feels weird.

For whatever reason, 28 has some sort of significance in my head.  Perhaps it's because I'm now only two years away from the dreaded 30 (gasp!).  Perhaps it's the fact that the invitation for my 10 year high school reunion arrived two weeks before the momentous birthday.  Perhaps it's simply the fact that I turned 28 on the 28th day of the month (which, according to my sisters, ushers in my "golden year"... I feel bad for those who were born in the early days of a month and, therefore, experienced their "golden year" at the ripe old age of 3 or 4!).  Whatever the reason, 28 feels strangely important.  Most of the time I don't really feel like I'm 28.  It could be due to the many hours I spend with people a decade or more younger than I am.  It could be due to the difference between my life and many other 28-year-olds I know (I'm not married, having kids, or buying a house).  It could be due to the fact that I'm still living at home with my parents (at least until September).

Anyway... the thought of turning 28 prompted some soul-searching which resulted in a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30 (inspired by my friend Cindy).  I tried to make the list pretty achievable (seeing as I only have 2 years to accomplish it), but I also wanted to give myself some goals that would require some stretching and planning.  Here's the list... feel free to ask me how it's going!

1. Road-trip somewhere

2. Visit a national park

3. Get another stamp in my passport
4. Start grad school
5. See the Rockies in person
6. Do 30 Random Acts of Kindness
7. Watch the sun set over the ocean
8. Be in another show In Progress (Once Upon A Mattress)

9. Read the rest of C.S. Lewis' fiction

10. Get my tattoo  DONE

11. Sing karaoke

12. Discover a favorite hang-out (that's NOT Starbucks or Panera)
13. Find some of the unique places in Atlanta
14. Shoot a gun
15. Paint and display a picture
16. Read the whole Bible
17. Watch all 6 Star Wars movies
18. See a movie at the drive-in  DONE
19. Watch 25 of AFI's 100 Movies  (I've seen: 12)
20. Drive with no destination (only left turns?)
21. Go on vacation with my friends
22. Have a "usual" somewhere

23. Spend the night under the stars

24. Spend an entire day in a museum
25. See a performance of Swan Lake
26. Spend at least two nights on the Appalachian Trail
27. Make at least 30% of the items currently on my "Favorite Recipes" board on Pinterest (326*.30=98 items)  (I've made: 7)
28. "Go vegan" for a week

29. See The City Harmonic in concert

30. Swim in the Gulf of Mexico DONE