The Big Three-Oh

Thirty…30…three, zero. To quote the too soon gone, Aaliyah “age ain’t nothin but a number”. But this number is so high! I have never been terribly concerned about my age. Most days it takes longer than I’d like to admit for me to remember how old I actually am at that point in time. The past year however, has seemed like a slow countdown to old age. Thirty marks the end of youth, no longer will anyone consider me young. Most say that you become an adult at 18, but this birthday is the first that has made me think of myself as one. I am married, I have a child, I have been living on my own for the past 11 years, but this number is getting to me. I know that this birthday will come and go just like the others, and nothing significant will change because of it, but it is messing with my psyche.

I have seen a number of 30 before 30 posts…lists of goals that those who are approaching the dreaded milestone want to accomplish before their lives, as they know them, come to an end. So for my birthday, I have decided to compile a list of 30 things that celebrate what makes me who I am.

  1. I have an almost-one-year-old son, Sean. He is perfect, but he doesn’t understand the importance of a good night’s sleep (see #15)
  2. I have known my husband for exactly half of my life. We met at 15 and started dating at 19.
  3. I have two cats, Bagheera and Cthulhu.
  4. I am a dog person
  5. I love reading stupidly long book series (ie: Dune, Wheel of Time, Harry Potter…)
  6. I love Star Trek
  7. I am an only child (read: I don’t know how to share)
  8. After spending four years in college for psychology, another three in grad school for social work, and a total of 7 years working in the nonprofit sector, I am now working as a tech for a software company. And I love it!
  9. McCormick & Schmidt in Kansas City serves the best food I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating
  10. One of my favorite experiences is having a tattoo artist actually get excited about creating the piece you want.
  11. I don’t believe in a higher power
  12. The universe fascinates me
  13. I love winter! My favorite type of day is when there is sparkling snow on the ground, temperatures near zero, and bright sunny skies. In all of my travels I have found very few places where conditions are right for this type of day…one of these places is where I currently call home.
  14. I can’t spell
  15. I am a coffee snob.
  16. I love craft beer and homebrew.
  17. I was a Rotary Foreign Exchange Student in Germany. I became nearly fluent in German during that year abroad. It breaks my heart that I have lost that fluency.
  18. One of my lifetime goals is to visit Germany again, bringing my husband with me this time
  19. I don’t like doing things that I am not instantly good at. This is one of my greatest faults. I’m working on it.
  20. I think too much. About everything.
  21. I am an eternal crafter. I used to craft with my mom as a child. I want to craft with my children as a mom.
  22. I have a love-hate relationship with my sewing machine. I love the finished products, I hate the process.
  23. I cannot see wildlife that is pointed out to me…ask my dad or my husband. Many a deer, bird, bobcat has gone unseen by these eyes
  24. I accidentally, on purpose forget to complete tasks that are unpleasant to me
  25. My favorite craft material is glitter
  26. I love getting and sending snail mail. It is such a welcome surprise mixed in with a stack of bills
  27. Giving gifts makes me happy. Searching for the perfect gift, wrapping them up in pretty paper, the joy in the face of the recipient
  28. Halloween is my all-time favorite holiday. Candy, costumes, carving pumpkins. The smell of fallen leaves, cool crisp autumn air. The season is my kind of perfect!
  29. My wedding dress was navy blue
  30. Several years ago The Mister and I played a WoW TCG tournament to determine which of our desks was the best.

Thanks for taking the time to learn a little more about me. If you could only tell someone new one thing about yourself what would you choose?