27. Donate bone marrow or plasma

I signed up for the national bone marrow list and got my packet in the mail. I took some cheek samples and sent them in and now the wait begins to see if I am going to ever be a match to someone. In the meantime, I will start looking into blood banks where I can donate blood or plasma more frequently.

17. Learn to Rock Climb

Update: This one is definitely checked off the list. I had my first rock climbing experience about two months ago and I have gone about once a week since. I love it! I have even done outdoor rock climbing once around the Consumnes River.

0. Learn to Water Skii

(my first attempt)

I know this can't really count as a number since it occurred before I wrote my list, but seeing as it was part of the inspiration for forming a bucket list, I felt like it deserved a mention. I have never been particularly great at sports or coordination and I think it was a combination of not being very muscular and a mental thing. Now that I have been working out very regularly, I have better control over my body and I have more faith in what it is able to accomplish. I tried water skiing a few times before this- very unsuccessfully. Both times I was unable to come close to standing up. Then two weeks ago, Nikkie invited me to go out on her friend Pat's boat. He had a membership to a private lake that made learning so much easier and he explained what we had to do really carefully. After a few tries, I was able to stand about half way up but I would panic once I did and just drop the rope. Finally this Wednesday we went back out again, this time on the river. I told myself that this time I was just going to go for it and stand up no matter what. First try I stood up and got pulled around for a few minutes straight. It was so much fun and I was so proud of myself for being able to do it. I even was able to grab the handle with one hand and wave with the other! The sense of accomplishment and pride I got from this experience really drove me to want to choose other things to try out over the next few years to make myself a better, more diverse, and stronger person. Hopefully as I check each item off the list I will feel the same sense of achievement.

The list

30 before 30

0. Learn to water ski - Complete
1. Read a book in Spanish
2. Throw an amazing party
3. Complete a triathalon or marathon
4. Volunteer at something I am passionate about
5. Go wine tasting in Spain
6. Eat pasta in Italy
7. Go on top of the Eiffel tower
8. Do something naughty in Amsterdam
9. Go white water rafting
10. Get a full time job in my field
11. Move into my own place
12. Learn to cook an ethnic cuisine (Thai, Indian, etc)
13. Learn to do Yoga
14. Help someone anonymously
15. Plan an amazing surprise for someone special
16. Make a new close friend
17. Learn to rock climb
18. Learn a dance (salsa?)
19. Go on a two (or longer) day road trip
20. Contribute the yearly max to a Roth IRA
21. Give someone the perfect gift
22. Visit Wynn in NY
23. Learn to snowboard
24. Dye my hair for the first time
25. Plant a garden
26. Be a vegetarian for a month
27. Donate plasma or bone marrow
28. Go on a helicopter ride (hot air balloon?)
29. Read five classic novels
30. Send everyone I love a letter telling them why

The concept

So with all fairness, I have to credit the idea of 30 before 30 to my good friend Theresa. We were going to write bucket lists (I actually did start to write mine) but seeing as I am just about to turn 27, I am nowhere near kicking the bucket (hopefully), there was no push to get all of it accomplished quickly. What I like about this idea is that it forces me to really spend the next 3 years trying new things, bettering myself and improving my skills or talents. I plan to end up with about one new task each month from here until I reach the milestone of turning 30.

My inspiration for this is my crazy change in lifestyle that has happened the past year. I realized that life isn't going to be under my control and I can't plan everything that comes my way. However, I can choose what I focus my attention on and what I prioritize will play a huge roll in how I feel and act. If I can turn the past 6 months of nothing but lemons into some kind of lemonade, I have so much faith in myself to live a life I am happy with and proud of.

I know that this list I came up with may change with time. Some things that seem like a good idea now may not turn out to be important to me later or just may not be possible. There will be situations that come up that will allow me to try things not on this list that may be even more life changing or just plain out fun. The point is not necessarily to go through each one exactly to the letter, but to take the idea and apply it to as many opportunities as I can find. I need to start living life more freely, being open to new things, really finding out who I am based on what I love to do. So, here we go... 3 years and 17 days to go until I turn the big 30. Can I become a much more worldly, experienced and whole person by then? Let's find out!