Up, up and away!

Only a few weeks left; I'd better get after it. I did check off trapeze lessons - which then essentially disabled me for the better part of four days.

In October, I attended a class at Trapeze School New York. During my staycation, I rolled out of bed and into the suggested attire, grabbed some coffee and headed to their set up near the Navy Yard in DC. They've moved around a bit - used to be near Chinatown - but they now have quite the tent set up snuggled in between the Nationals stadium and I-295. Fortunately, they have an outside trapeze and an inside trapeze for the chillier months. You can take a variety of classes (silks, trampoline, static trapeze) but I went for the classic flying trapeze class - what I guess is likely their most popular class. Upon arrival, I checked in, signed a waiver promising not to sue should I fly uncontrollably off the trapeze, chalked my hands and got ready to go.

The scariest part - climbing up the d*mn ladder to the platform. It was super wobbly and by the time I got up there my heart was typically racing. The best part - flying! I got to go 8-12 times and each time was awesome. I started to get the hang of it after a while, doing knee hangs and back-flip dismounts (which I assure you probably sounds more difficult than they actually are). I left feeling stretched out, full of adrenaline, and already a little sore. Little did I know that the next day I would be indescribably sore. Muscles I didn't realize I had were screaming and my abs were positively wrecked. I understood then why the woman in charge there looked like an Olympic athlete. Here's a pic of me in the air hanging by my knees - sans soreness, it was a lot of fun. :)

Two steps forward, one step back

The big day came and went. I am now 30. Life is wonderful, no,I'm not hysterical, and in fact, I'm happy to be an even number again. 29 - ehh. 30 - awesome.

These past weeks have been lovely. I celebrated with some of my favorite people (pic with friends at a small party in the theatre room in our condo building), had some good down time with the Mr. and checked a few things off the list.

Jiffy Lube, the jig is up. Long past are the days of me blindly giving you $35 dollars a pop to change each of my windshield wipers (warning: potential economical exaggeration). Grant and I ventured out to the Advance Auto Parts last Saturday for an out of the ordinary shopping trip. Happily, in the same shopping center, I also found a new pet store (which Grant thankfully got me out of sans animal) and a little pumpkin patch. Not really a pumpkin patch technically, but they bring in a bunch of pumpkins, gourds and flowers from local farms and sell them at this big stand. Very fall-ish. I got my 22" blade and my 20" blade from the auto store, looked longingly at the dog leashes and nearly bought 6 mini "decorative" gourds for $6 before hopping back in the car and heading home.

When it came to actually changing them - piece of cake! (And by piece of cake, I mean, after 10 minutes of struggle with a blasted "adaptor" that didn't actually need to adapt ANYTHING, I popped those bad boys on there like it was nothing.)

I removed the old blades...

Installed the new ones..

And tried them out - SUCCESS!

To make matters more rugged-womanly, during our windshield wiper party, Grant noticed that one of my brake lights was out. Inspired by my new streak of mechanical prowess, I went back to Advance Auto Parts, got a bulb and changed that myself as well. Turns out that isn't difficult either. The next time Stan at Jiffy Lube tries to sell me a $27 brake light - actually $4.99 for a two pack it turns out - I'm going to karate chop his face. Or I'll politely say, "No, thank you." and then go sit down in the oily smelling waiting area where they play Days of Our Lives on repeat.

I also made my long-awaited SkyMall purchase this month. You might be wondering - the Christmas-themed yeti? The cat potty training kit? No, my friends. The Happy Feet...

Not surprisingly, it's bad for your feet to be squished up in shoes, particularly heels, all day long. It can cause pain now and when you get older (ahem, older than 30 I'm guessing) can cause more serious problems. These are supposed to realign your toes/foot. We'll see. So far they are just kind of funny. According to their website, I should give a pair to the following people as gifts: "rock climber, ballet dancer, bank teller, fashion model, football player or school teacher." All my teacher friends out there, get ready for an exciting Christmas (surprisingly, I don't know many fashion models).

For the tragic "one step back," I spoke with the Red Cross and I'm not eligible to give blood again until June 1, 2012. This particular 30 for 30 just isn't going to happen. Our trip to Mexico hit a few spots where rare cases of malaria were reported so I have to wait a bit before I donate again. Next year...

All for now, friends. Happy fall.

My favorite speech writer

In the midst of season 4 of The West Wing. They've just introduced Will Bailey and I know what is coming. Sad face. Preparing to bid adieu to my dear Sam Seaborn...

(On a side note, Toby is pregnant with twins?! I don't approve. They'll be grouchy and cynical by age 3.)

The big month...

While I have until December to complete the list, this is the month - I turn 30 on the 30th of September! Still unclear on what exactly we'll do to celebrate, but like it or not, it is coming fast. Grant usually very nicely (and patiently at this point) asks me what I'd like to do to celebrate and I say something like, "That's a really good question!" and then I forget about it within two minutes or something happens that makes me think about something else. I should really consider adding working on my attention span to this list...

In other news, I got my Eastern Market artwork! In my six years in DC, I've purchased earrings, tomatoes, roasted nuts, lemonade, birthday cards, cheese, and other random goodies from the market. Up until now, I haven't supported our local artists who offer up their photographs or paintings for purchase. After a yummy brunch this Sunday at Tunnicliff's Tavern and an iced latte from the local coffee spot, we wandered by several artists and browsed. I found this lovely photo spread of the Jefferson Memorial showing it at all four seasons. It's perfect! Grant and I got engaged on the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson is one of our favorite DC landmarks. It's matted, framed and ready to hang. The where to actually hang part is still TBD but it's set to go on the dining room table just as soon as we decide.

Non-snoozing is still a work in progress. Work has been, to be kind, CRAZED for the past two months so it's been hard to get into any kind of routine. Excuse? Perhaps, but I'm working on the snooze. I've been keeping my alarm clock on the windowsill away from the bed so I actually have to get up when it goes off. When that happens at 6:30 am, I'm all set. When that happens at 5:00 am, it's a different story. Friends tell me to have a baby and then I'll be getting up at 5:00 am no problem. For now, I'll stick with our fish, Po, and continue to nearly fall to the floor as I stumble toward my beeping alarm.

For my non-alcoholic month, welllllllllll. Hmm. I REALLY TRIED! We're going to have to bump this one to the month of October. Grant and I went home to ABQ and were wedding venue searching - one of the spots was a winery. You think I'm going to consider a venue that only serves their wine if I haven't tried it?! No. However, I did make the super delish cucumber cranberry sparkling beverage. It was delightful! Nice and crisp. I would recommend using less of the cucumber simple syrup than the recipes calls for. It was a little too sweet. I added in some additional sparkling water as well as the sparkling cranberry juice and it worked out nicely. Just play around with it. But try it! Yum.

More to come in September! Planning for a segway tour, Skymall purchase, and trapeze lessons are underway. Here's to the big 3-0!

Sans Snooze – and alcohol!

Success! For the second day in a row, I got up sans snooze button. I can't really count Sunday though since I woke up at 8:30 AM and was actually sort of awake already. But today, I hopped up at 5:30 AM to turn off the alarm and head to the gym. The good news - I loved both the no snoozing and the getting up early. I went to the gym, took a shower and got ready, ate a warm, healthy breakfast, and watched The Today Show for 30 minutes before heading out - at 7:30 AM! I'm sure I'll be completely exhausted by 3:00 PM, but it'll be well worth it. All is well for now.

In other news, August is my "no alcohol for one month" month. With this crazy heat, it's a tough month. After a sweltering 101 degree day with a heat index of 110, what is more refreshing that a freezing cold, fruity sangria?! (Water, you say? Whatever.) In August, instead of a spiked fruity delight I'll be experimenting with hugely refreshing, ice-cold non-alcoholic drinks.

One of my favorite NA drinks is the cucumber cranberry cooler at Founding Farmers. I get the darn thing and have to use every bit of my willpower not to chug the whole glass immediately. It tastes clean and smooth and oh-so-delightful. It isn't too sweet and the cucumber is a stand out. I started searching around for recipes and found this one below on an awesome blog - Cake, Batter and Bowl - that I'm going to try. You'll see it's a cocktail and calls for gin - we're just going to substitute that for some crisp, sparkling water. Stay tuned for an update - or try it yourself and let me know what you think!

Cucumber Cranberry Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 cup shredded English cucumber, plus 6 slices for garnish

1 cup gin (or sparkling water!)

1 cup sparkling cranberry juice

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Directions:

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat for 2 minutes or until liquid is boiling and sugar has dissolved. Stir in shredded cucumber and remove from heat. Allow simple syrup to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, and strain out cucumber.

Combine 1 cup cucumber simple syrup with gin, sparkling cranberry juice, and lime juice and stir until well combined. Serve over ice and garnish with extra cucumber slices. Makes 6 servings.

Serial Snoozer

Oh, that extra 9 minutes. There is very little that can get me out of bed without hitting the snooze. Except for waking up late when I’m supposed to be at the airport or waking up at 2:00 AM to a fire alarm going off in our building, I always hit the snooze button. And I don’t mean I hit it once or twice. Three – four times per week, I am consistently guilty of hitting the snooze for at least an hour. Grant does the same – I’m confident our neighbor want to punch us both (fortunately he plays the guitar LOUDLY until 2:00 AM [until the fire alarm goes off] so we consider it even).

It is difficult to find reliable research about the ol’ snooze button (but there are a lot of blogs out there with strong opinions). I did find a NY Times article by Martica Heaner about snoozing which shares that, “Although scientists have not specifically tackled the question, sleep researchers agree that short bouts of sleep are far from ideal. The restorative value of rest is diminished, especially when the increments are short, said Dr. Edward Stepanski, who has studied sleep fragmentation at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. And a teeter-totter effect of dozing and waking causes shifts in the brain-wave patterns.” Additionally, “sleep-deprived snooze-button addicts are likely to cut short their quota of REM sleep, impairing their mental functioning during the day.” Yowza. I’d like to keep my mental functioning at a high, please.

So, I’m adding this to my list. When I go to bed, I have the BEST of intentions – “At 5:30 AM I’m going to leap out of bed, go to the gym, and really take advantage of the morning hours!” Reality - “BEEP! BEEP! Snooze Snooze Snooze BEEP! BEEP! Snooze Snooze Snooze BEEP! BEEP! Snooze Snooze Snooze. You get the idea. My goal is to be snooze-button-free, by the end of 2011. If I’m going to sleep in, set my alarm according to that time (or not set it at all!). If I’m going to get up early, I’ll set the alarm and GET UP. This is an epic challenge for me. Let the games begin…

Eggcellent!

This month I set out to take on the incredible, edible, egg. I am an undeniable fan of all things brunch - fluffy waffles, crisp mimosas, scrumptious coffee cakes - I love it all. However, few things can trump a well-prepared eggs benedict - particularly if there is a crabcake snuggled between the english muffin and the egg. Because of my love of brunch and my longing to be able to make this delicious dish at home, I added the poached egg to my list.

Over the course of the past several months I've gotten lots of advice; use a ladle, use vinegar, stir the water, use some newfangled thing they sell at Sur La Table - the list could go on. I watched several videos and finally decided to take the plunge. Here's the real revelation - it's just not that hard! Even the first try went spectacularly well. Here is my unsolicited advice...

1. Fill a medium to large size pot with warm water. Put on the burner and turn to medium. It shouldn't boil, but should just perhaps release little tiny bubbles along the bottom.

2. Add some white vinegar to the pot. No specifi

c measurement here. Just eyeball it and pour a little in.

3. Take a slotted spoon and start sternly stirring the water in one direction. You want to make a mini cyclone.

4. Once the water is moving, crack your egg and drop it right in the center of the cyclone. It should grab the egg and hold it together, perhaps spinning it a few times.

5. Let that bad boy cook for a few minutes before pulling it out with your slotted spoon. You can jiggle it a little which should give you an idea of how runny/hard your yolk is.

6. Make sure you drain it well with your slotted spoon and then drop it onto your prepared english muffin with whatever other yummy accompaniments you choose.

7. Voila! Dig in. :)

Learn how to make a poached egg - CHECK!

Roughing It!

Sooooo, turns out I'm still here. April 30?! Eek! For the record, I did have a bagel with cream cheese on May 1...and it was so delicious that I've simply had to have several since. :)

I've been trekking along on the rest of my list. Here are a few updates...

We went camping! Sadly, we're missing Yacob, Matt and Justin (not to mention our four-legged friend/foe Dylan) in this photo but this was part of the bridgade. We went camping at Camp Merryelande in Maryland where we slept on the sand and listened to the waves roll in on a gorgeous Sunday morning. We plugged our cell phone chargers into the trees, packed up camp, and hit up Wendy's for our annual post-camping grease-fest. What? Plugged in our cell phones? Of course! Camp Merryelande is not just any camp. They bring around bags of ice, will deliver a freshly chopped pile of wood and kindling for a fire and yes, have even built electrical outlets into the trees. Some might argue that this is not real camping. I would argue that I - 1) slept in a tent, 2) used the great outdoors when nature called and 3) snacked on s'mores at 3:00am by the campfire. I call that camping. On a more sour note, I did however prove that I cannot actually start a fire and would rely on Maura heavily if we were ever actually in a real "roughing it" situation. Until next year, Camp M...

Final hours

Saturday, April 30. Just 14 hours from now I'll be waking up and immediately heading to Einstein's for a delightful bagel with...CREAM CHEESE! No, not "sheese" or "chrese" or "cheezze" or some other odd substitute. Real, creamy, milky cream cheese. This last week has hands down been the hardest. Once I had just seven days remaining I began to think of all the things I'd want to eat and would be able to - soon! Chips and queso. Eggs benedict. Bagels with cream cheese. Sushi with shrimp and tuna and salmon.

As excited as I am to "'tox" (as opposed to "detox"), one of my most recent vegan meals was divine. One rainy Friday, Maura, Jen and I headed over to Sticky Rice, a local hotspot on H Street. Sticky Rice marks the vegan options on their menu and there are many. Vegan noodle dishes, sushi, and of course, a bucket of tater tots. We enjoyed a vegan spread of tater tots, Mock Chicken Schezwan, a sushi roll with tempura fried sweet potato, agave jalapeno and sesame seeds and a delightful little roll of vegan tofutti cream cheese, cucumbers, avocado, vegan spicy sauce, drizzled with ponzu and scallions. You can see the agave nectar dripped all across the plate. This little touch of sweetness was a lively final note. If only I could have eaten every meal this month at Sticky Rice!

In non-vegan news, I watched my movie for the month (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest), gave a second blood donation, and watched Oscar-winning documentary Inside Job. I'm nearly through my latest book, Watermelon, and my May 21 camping trip is planned. Marathon training begins this week. Can't wait for track workout number one. Something about 800 x 4 x 30 or some such nonsense (Grant is in charge of this part). Somehow I think three months from now when I'm 8 miles into a 14 mile run I'm going to wish begin vegan was the most challenging thing currently on the list...

French people hate vegans?

Ok, so maybe that isn’t a totally fair characterization. My experience at dinner last night may have left me slightly jilted. Let me explain…

I’ve actually enjoyed veganism far more than I thought I would. My prediction was that it was going to be a mere test of will and that I would just need to drag myself through 30 days without some of my favorite delights – goat cheese, a piping hot breakfast burrito with delicately cooked eggs and stringy, melty cheese, mashed potatoes made creamy with fresh milk or cream and of course a generous helping of butter, to name a few. Turns out, I’ve actually had little trouble. The first week was pretty brutal – mostly because of detox. I just didn’t feel good. Since then, things have been looking up! I have far more energy than usual and I surprisingly haven’t been craving any non-vegan goodies. I know what to cook and I know what to eat. Typically that has been satisfying and quite enjoyable. Until last night.

Grant and I had dinner with some friends at Bistro du Coin, a Dupont Circle restaurant that once appeared on the Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants list. I wasn’t involved with selecting our dinner spot but happily agreed as the reservation was made. Yesterday afternoon I hopped on the web to check out my dinner options and plan ahead. Let’s just say it’s a good thing I did. Nearly everything, and I literally mean everything, featured some delicious combination of mussels, cream, ham, prosciutto, goat cheese (dear Lord help me), or other pork product. There were, no kidding, two things on a menu of over 60 menu items that didn’t include dairy or meat.

Several thoughts crossed my mind initially – 1) Ugh. I wish they had more vegan options. 2) Hmm, that mussels dish with cream and bacon sounds delicious…oh gosh, so does that ravioli! By the end of the meal I had one very clear thought – I WANT SOMETHING WITH MILK AND CHEESE!!!!! Our table got appetizers that included warm goat cheese salad, endive with ham and gruyere, ravioli with seafood, mushrooms and a lobster sauce, and some yummy fresh bread with – gasp! – fresh butter. Pardon me for a moment while I wipe the drool…

To say it tested my will is an understatement. I never thought of giving in though, which I find sort of surprising. At no point did I think, maybe I’ll just have ONE bite of that. Partially because I texted Maura with despair and she responded with, “Halfway through?” True, my dear friend. Halfway through.

Salty x 12

Over a week into veganism, camping trip is scheduled for May, and I'm scheduled for blood donation number two next week. I'll be curious to see whether or not I have enough iron in my blood to donate. I've never had that issue before but with the vegan diet - known to be low in iron - I may be in trouble. I'm taking a number of supplements, eating as much vitamin-rich food as possible all while trying to ward off as much processed food as possible. But let's be honest - sometimes you just really want to eat a whole thing of Pringles. :) Just me? Fair enough. We'll see what happens when I show up at the Red Cross.

One addition to my diet has been the small, lovely looking but heinously salty umeboshi plum. These little bad boys are praised for their intensely healthful qualities - good for digestion, alkalizing for the body and said to help with fatigue and aging. The pickled ume fruits are incredibly salty and sour and enjoy popularity in Japan. Maura, my vegan "sponsor," told me about the small, wrinkly fruit and they frequently appear in Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet. Upon purchasing them from Whole Foods for nearly $16 (yowza!) I ripped open the package, eager to try the fruit I'd been hearing so much about! I optimistically popped one in my mouth and can only imagine the contortion that immediately over took my face. To say they are "salty," is like saying that Congress is having a minor scuffle over our federal budget - massive understatement. I had been biting my lip all morning (bad habit) and the minute the plum hit my lip, I was certain it had burned a hole. With teary eyes, I quickly munched on the fruit, threw out the pit, and chugged approximately two liters of water. Intense. My stomach did feel great afterwards (and has each time I've repeated this crazy ritual) but it was not without struggle. Rumor has it they are great for a hangover. Haven't needed to attempt that quite yet but I'll report back if I do.

I have eaten several of these little devils since - and felt great! - but I'm not sure what I will do when the package runs out. Buy more? Call it a day? We'll have to see. Have you had these delightful treats? Don't be frightened - give them a go! If nothing else, they're worth the experience (and the healthful benefits that come along!).

3 days down, 27 to go...

Three days into veganism and so far so good. I'm enjoying the food and finding some delicious new recipes to try. Tonight's menu featured Mushroom, Leek, and Green Pea Risotto, a Kind Diet recipe. It was delicious! Super creamy and features some of my favorite veggies.

I'm also keeping my sweet tooth satisfied. Last night after a yummy potluck with delicious chick pea curry, Grant and I vistited Sticky Fingers Bakery, the only all-vegan bakery in Washington, DC. Sticky Fingers recently won Cupcake Wars on the Food Network though in addition to cupcakes they feature a full menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Their front case showcases scrumptious looking cinnamon buns, brownies, cupcake varieties and more.

I helped myself to the "George Carmelin" cupcake, one of the winning flavors on the recently aired show. Just imagine - chocolate cinnamon cake with a vanilla bean bourbon buttercream, bourbon caramel sauce, and candied pecans. It was moist, dense, and well worth the indulgence. The other winning varieties sound and look delightful as well - I'll leave those for another visit.

Enjoying my new diet for now. Post coming soon about my adventures with the umboshi plum...

Segways!

Yikes! Updating this blog might need to be added to my list. We are less than two hours from vegan month and good progress has been made toward other things on the list. I've watched movies, donated blood, and have been saving consistently. I've also had some ah-ha! moments and have ideas to add to my list. Almost complete and its about time I realize - it's almost April after all! Here is the latest addition...

27. Go on a segway tour.

• If you live in DC and haven't seen a jolly group of segwayers cruise by then I question how much time you spend outside. The group generally includes a too-cool-for-school group leader who shows off by driving his segway with no hands and speaks into a Britney Spears-esque hands-free microphone, a clump of people just trying to stay upright and then of course the group straggler who can't seem to keep up and looks like he/she wants to close the day with a shot of something strong. Clearly I want to be a part of this. Let's just hope I'm not the straggler at the back of the pack.

Excited to spend lots of time outside this weekend with friends and cherry blossoms! And eating lots of delicious local fresh produce. I'm sure by Sunday I'll be hankering for a melty grilled cheese, but its nothing that a trip to the Eastern Market vendors can't handle. More to come soon. Happy Friday, friends.

The beginning of this adventure...

It's officially 2011 - the year I turn 30. While I have no fear or anguish about this big event, I began to think about all the things I want to experience in the coming years - run another marathon, learn new skills, travel, and immerse myself in situations that make me think of the world differently.

With all that running through my overactive brain, during the holidays I developed a plan - create a list of 30 things I want to do the year I turn 30. This blog will follow that adventure and track my progress toward my 30 things. Of course I have an Excel spreadsheet tracker (I work for Teach For America after all) but this will track my qualitative journey towards 30...

So far, here is the list:

1. Run another marathon.

• I ran the Marine Corps in 2006. I'm excited to run it again this year. It obviously requires tremendous endurance and dedication over a number of months. I could use a little more discipline in my life and hopefully this will help.

2. Learn how to poach an egg.

• Brunch? Eggs benedict? Enough said.

3. Visit California.

• I've been sucked in by the visit California commercials. I'm hoping Rob Lowe can show me around. Just kidding (sort of). I have good friends there, the weather is lovely, and they have a beach - all things I need more of in my life.

4. Buy a piece of artwork from Eastern Market.

• I love Eastern Market. The street vendors? The cheese monger? Such a splendid variety of photography, painting, and other unique artistry. After living here for nearly six years, it's about time I buy something to put on the wall.

5. Purchase something from SkyMall catalog.

• I haven't decided between the potty train your cat kit (tricky since we don't have a cat), the yetti that you put in your yard to frighten neighbors and small children (also tricky since we don't have a yard) or the thing you rub on your head that is supposed to help balding men (tricky since Grant has all his hair). I'm sure I'll find something extra special.

6. Take trapeze lessons.

• This is just fun. Period.

7. Watch one movie I haven't seen per month.

• I don't really enjoy movie watching. They are far too long and I feel the need to multi-task. As a result, some people (ahem...Grant) are horrified by the list of classic movies I haven't seen. Everytime some one quotes something from, for example, Rocky (which thankfully doesn't actually happen that often) I give a blank stare. Rocky may make the list. It may not.

8. Go camping.

• Ever been to Camp Merryelenda in MD? Outlets in trees, people on four-wheelers that bring you ice, and a DJ'ed dance party at night. Maybe not the most authentic camping, but you sleep in a tent which is a rare occasion for yours truly. Maybe a Merryelenda reprise, maybe something more authentic. We'll see.

9. Go on a 10+ hour road trip.

• There is no better reason to drink Cherry Coke and eat endless amounts of Cheetos, peanut M&Ms, Cornuts and sunflower seeds from a long-cylindrical bag - ROADTRIP! Where to is undecided but it must be at least 10 hours one way.

10. Go to the Outer Banks.

• Never been. Really want to go.

11. Watch six documentaries.

• I love documentaries - weird since I don't love movies. The Cove? As We Forgive? I find that watching well-done documentaries is a humbling experience. They so easily shed light on a topic or issue that you knew nothing about. The Rwanden genocide (As We Forgive) and the release of thousands of murders back to a community with merely forgiveness counselors to facilitate healing? Absolutely fascinating. Imagine living in the same community as the man who killed your husband and child, who served no time, and being expected to forgive him. Bold. I've watched one so far this year - 12th and Delaware. It's about a abortion clinic in Florida that is across the street from a pro-life group and follows their conflict and passion. No matter what you believe, it's super interesting and worth the watch. Documentaries prove that there are thousands if not millions of people in the world fighting for causes that you and I know nothing about. If that isn't humbling, I don't know what is.

12. Set one new race personal record (PR).

• I need to get my butt moving. I'm slow (for real) so we're going to try and pick up some speed!

13. Read 20 books.

• Love reading. Hoping this will help me read more consistently.

14. Learn how to change my own windshield wipers.

• No, I do not want to pay you $40 to change my $6 wind shield wipers. I will do it myself. Except that I don't know how.

15. Finish watching the entire West Wing series.

• I have the series but I am perpetually stuck on seasons 1-4.

16. Donate blood at least 5 times.

• I gave blood fairly consistently in college but have fallen off the wagon in DC. Only 1x in five and half years! Jeepers. My grandfather's health problems over the past few years have led to at least one blood transfusion and I'm so thankful to those that gave the blood that he needed. Did you know that one blood donation can help three people? While the vast majority of people have the ability to give blood, "currently only 3 out of every 100 people in America donate blood" (Red Cross).

17. Take a painting class.

• This is probably going to be fairly comical given that I have absolutely no artistic ability. At least I don't think I do. We'll see. Maybe I'll become the next Picasso. Don't hold your breath.

18. See the Statue of Liberty.

• I'm so close to NYC and have been a number of times but have never seen dear Lady Liberty. Grant hasn't either so we'll trek up to NY for this and #20.

19. Go vegan for one month (April).

• This is my current study obsession. I've started "flirting" with this and so far am in love with Rice Dream ice cream bites and Alicia Silverstone's Moroccan Couscous with Saffron. YUM. I'm eating some right now...and drinking a latte with skim milk. Not quite April yet. Fortunately my dear friend Maura is going to do this with me and she's a pro - thank goodness!

20. Eat at a 3 star Michelin restaurant in NYC.

• YUM. That's all.

21. Go hear a case at the U.S. Supreme Court.

• I live 8 miles from the U.S. Supreme Court building. I've been there - but never seen a case argued. A must do before I leave DC - why not make it happen now?!

22. Buy my own bowling ball and shoes.

• Bowling alley shoes = gross. Bowling alley balls = really throw dirt on my game. I'm quite skilled at bowling (lie) and only a quality ball will really let my ability shine. Also, my fingers are too damn big for the light balls which is annoying. I want one that is the right size! I also want a super cool ball - gold glitter? Blue ball with streaks of lighting across it? Now we're talking. Not to worry - pictures coming.

23. No alcohol for one month.

• Good for the body, good for the soul.

24. Put $xxxx amount of money in savings by December.

• Clearly not revealing specifics here but I've got a goal. I'm going to meet it no matter how many iced triple grande soy sugar free vanilla lattes I have to trade in for short iced teas (which is clearly a better choice on so many levels...).

25. Ride my bike to and from work one day.

• Riding a bike in downtown Washington, DC is sort of like a death defying stunt so I actually consider myself quite the dare devil here - I'm terrified.

26. Grant's Choice

• I am allowing Grant to choose one thing. Dangerous? Perhaps.

27. TBD
28. TBD
29. TBD
30. TBD

As you see, still a few to figure out. Feel free to comment with suggestions. I'll wrap up the list by the end of Feburary.

Here's to new adventures, unique experiences, and turning 30!