Time stamp of this photo: 9:38pm.
Reason number 157 why I love the Pacific Northwest: it stays light well past 9pm (this photo shot a bit dark, but there is definitely a fleeting amount of light left on the horizon. One could drive without headlights and still see the road and be seen.)
Love it.
23. Make a Shutterfly Book for India Trip
Completed: May 3, 2012
Why I put it on my list: I took close to 500 pictures during the week I was in India. I’ve been back about six months and hadn’t done anything with the pictures. I knew that if I didn’t make a direct point to get something done with my photographs, they’d be hidden on my computer for years.
Honestly, I didn’t think this would be the first one I’d check off my 30 before 30 list. I thought this would be more of a winter project, but I had purchased a Groupon a few months ago for a Shutterfly book, realized that it expired soon, so I got on the ball, and finished it up! This was my first Shutterfly book, and overall it was a good project – that is the type of “scrapbooking” I can handle!!
After a few hours of making sure each page was exactly how I wanted it, I clicked Order and less than a week later, my book was sitting in its orange Shutterfly box on my doormat. I paged through it and really like how it turned out. I sprang for a more modern looking design for a few extra bucks and ended up getting an additional page, but with the Groupon it was about $18 with shipping.
Here are a few pictures of the book. Simple and classy.
Here’s a PDF preview of the book, so you can “leaf” through it.
http://www.mediafire.com/view/?41ea2jamnw17het
One down, 29 to go. Oh, and I changed one on the list. Number 30 is to have a 6-month emergency fund. But after doing a yearly budget estimate, that’s just not going to happen with all the trips I have planned. So, instead of six months, I’m going to say I’m going to have at least $6,000 in my savings. If anything happens, that’ll hold me over quite a bit – but it’s just not a full six months. It’ll do.
After a few tweaks, and some input from friends (hello, number 15!), I think this is my complete “30 Before 30” list! For those of you unfamiliar with this type of list, it’s 30 things I “need” to do before I turn 30 (July 2013). I’ve decided to get a head start and start a few months before my 29th birthday, but I may need all the help I can get!
Some of these things I just haven’t done before (5, 20, and 21, for example) and some I’ve just wanted to do for a while (1, 15, 26, etc.), so I’m looking forward to crossing these off my “bucket list!”
I’ll keep you updated as I cross things off! Let the countdown to 30 begin.
Parantheses mean that I’ve agreed to do this with someone already and/or I know when I’ll be doing this. Feel free to let me know if you want to partake in any of these!
1. Go Sky Diving (Suzanne, Summer 2012)
2. Road Trip to Another State—must be beyond Portland
3. Take a Trip to an All-Inclusive Resort (Becky, Suzanne, Winter 2013)
4. Kayak in Lake Union or Lake Washington (Elizabeth, Summer 2012)
5. Go Stand-Up Paddle Boarding (Tracy, Summer 2012)
6. Go Snow Boarding or Skiing (Winter 2013)
7. Go to a Shooting Range (Carly, Spring 2013)
8. Play in a Volleyball League (Tracy, Fall/Winter, 2012)
9. Eat at Cafe Flora
10. Spend a Full Weekend Exploring LA with Carly (Carly, duh, Spring 2013)
11. Do a Bike Race
12. Canterbury Court Roommate Reunion (Jen, Becky, Summer 2012)
13. Move into a House with Anna (Anna, Summer 2012)
14. Take a Trip to the San Juan Islands
15. Go Skinny Dipping—with other people required
16. Visit a Museum I’ve Never Been To
17. Ride the Duck in Seattle
18. Watch 15 Best Picture Winners
19. Read or Listen to 10 Classic Books
20. Make a Loaf of Bread from Scratch
21. Drink an Entire Cup of Coffee
22. Go Without Technology for an Entire Weekend
23. Make a Shutterfly Book for India Trip
24. Decorate my Cube at Work
25. See a Broadway Show I Haven’t Seen Yet
26. Go on an Overnight Trip Alone
27. Host a Party at New House
28. Take a Woodworking Class
29. Quit Ushering
30. Have a Fully Funded Emergency Fund
Well, there you have it! Lots to do! I’m excited to get started. Again, let me know if you want to partake in any of these! (Women only on number 15, please.)
Come back often for updates on the adventures that will ensue.
Reposted from my friend Carly:
So the next time you are tempted to express shock and awe over the tall person you see in the elevator, in the store or on the hospital bed, be prepared to receive an equally obnoxious inquiry in return.
I am writing this post today mainly because I am trying to procrastinate on doing a budget and balancing my checkbook. Writing is so much more fun than finances!
Let’s talk about New Year’s Resolutions, which I talked about here.
I have FAILED on my 52/52 project. I’d like to blame something, but mainly it was my over scheduling my time that screwed me. My camera’s been parked in the same place for weeks without even a hint of being used. I’ve taken some random shots here and there but for the most part they haven’t been much and nothing worth sharing. I did go to a photography class that I really liked and learned a lot, now I just need to execute what I learned! So, yes, that one was a fail. But it’s not completely dead … I do hope to accomplish it soon!
BUT in an attempt to redeem myself, I can say that I more than a third of the way done with my other New Year’s Resolution! My friend Tracy and I decided to bike 1,000 miles this year and I am well on my way to fly past that! Today I hit exactly 400 miles — woohoo!
It’s going to be pretty great to accomplish that! And barring any serious setbacks, I should have no problem hitting that by June or July (since we have so many more miles coming up for our STP training). Who knows, maybe after I cross that milestone I’ll shoot for 2,000!
So, in terms of New Year’s Resolutions go, I get a 50%. Not great, but at least I get half credit!
Who needs meat?
This was my lunch today.
Dave’s Killer Bread topped with:
Hummus, cucumber, grated carrot, grated zucchini, tomato, green pepper, lettuce, and avocado, all drizzled with a shiitake vinaigrette. I was a little hesitant on the vinaigrette at first, but it added so much flavor! But it wasn’t overwhelming—everything was just right.
Hearty, crunchy and flavorful. What else do you need in a sandwich? Give this a try sometime—I promise you won’t miss the meat.
Clearly I have a problem stringing two little letters together. They are N and O.
Here’s my week this week. My month of slowing down (March) is most definitely over. It didn’t take me long to get back to my ‘normal’ schedule of busyness. (The items in gray are reminders, not necessarily ‘events’.)
I’m also trying to go digital with my calendar by utilizing Google Calendars rather than my usual Moleskine write-in calendar. I’m weighing the pros and cons… I do tend more towards the old fashion way I think.
Today was a pretty shitty day. But seeing this made me smile for two reasons:
1) it reminded me of our old cars, especially our old Econoline van, because this was on the window and I saw it every time I got in the front seat.
2) my life seems a little out of sorts right now. My job isn’t ideal, this car accident has ballooned into something ridiculous, and well, things just aren’t working out. And seeing something that says ‘Get It Together’ makes me want to cry a little bit
So as much as I’m trying to ‘get it together’ life isn’t cooperating. So much is out of my control and yes, while I’m trying to lean on Christ and know that all this will work out for good, I do feel a bit out of control. My heart isn’t in it anymore. Things are just a little too overwhelming that I just want to curl up on my bed and sleep for a really long time.
But instead of doing that, I am waiting for my cycle class to start… Hopefully I’ll sweat out my anxiety … Better out my sweat glands than my tear ducts I suppose, especially when I’m around other people.
((sigh)) this too shall pass
One flight booked, two more to go.
Excited to see some of my favorite people this summer! Wish I could see all my favorite people, then I would make additional trips to San Diego, Kansas City, Los Angeles, and Indonesia. But unfortunately the checkbook and vacation time don’t allow for it.
Sorry, folks, I can only be so many places. :-(
I’m usually at work at 7am, instead of getting out of bed at 7am. Whoops.
