30 Before 30

In my case, it would be “50 Before 50”, since I’m technically out of my 30s. Just typing that fact has made me feel officially OLD!

I am up for some suggestions for 20 more things to do before I turn 50, so please send your suggestions to me!

Still, this list is well-rounded and something I’m passing on to my three nieces in hopes that they will explore the world and live the life that I wish I had had the courage to live.

Photo Source: Nikon and Nail Polish

1. Live in another country – This is still on my bucket list, even if it’s only for a month! I would love to experience another culture, new sights, new sounds, new people, new foods.

2. Get a tattoo – Been there, done that… twice as a matter of fact. I even had my nose pierced (but I took it out for my job); and I also have my belly pierced.

3. Ride in a hot air balloon – I would love to ride in one during a hot air balloon festival, to see all those colorful balloons against the sky and then to see all of the lovely landscapes down below!

4. Beat a video game – I’m going to say I’ve don’t this, as I was pretty good at the Atari game, “Pitfall”, when I was younger. My brother and I would challenge each other, but since the game was in his room, he could practice longer and more often that I could.

5. Travel to India – I would love, love, LOVE to visit India. The majestic beauty and the splendor of the palaces and the Taj Mahal vs the slums that surround these buildings would be mind blowing to see. I guess the next best thing would be to watch The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel or Slumdog Millionaire.

6. Buy a house – Been there, done that… we sold it and moved to my husband’s grandmother’s house. Now my dad and mom own our first house, but my next house will truly be our home in Colorado.

7. Stop drinking soda – I do this every year for Lent… I give up Diet Coke. I know it’s bad for me, but I trade the Diet Coke for Sweet Tea, which probably isn’t any better for me with all the sugar.

8. Volunteer – I highly encourage young people to volunteer. I worked at a Christian university for several years, and I helped develop a learning service program where all incoming freshmen were required to perform “X” amount of hours of volunteer work. I think volunteering is important because it makes you put others first, ahead of yourself.

9. Take burlesque lessons – Regardless of how cheesy the movie Burlesque was, I still enjoyed it and would be all for taking burlesque lesson… heck, I’d even be up for pole dance lessons!

10. Upgrade my camera – I also have an old digital camera, but with the advancement of camera phones and with how easy it is to upload photos to every single social media outlet out there, a camera phone is all most people need or want. Although my Samsung Note phone has a great camera, I’m still a fan of my old manual Vivitar camera.

11. Decorate an entire room the way I want – I don’t think I’ve every really decorated an entire room the way I want to, but when I build my house in Colorado, I will decorate it and outfit it the way I want!

12. Start a family – I have to honestly say that I did, at one point, want children; however, I’m kind of a selfish person and so my husband and I didn’t have any children. We currently have three wonderful four-legged children. Our oldest, CT, passed on to the great dog park in the sky several years ago, leaving her soulmate, Dakota, to grieve all alone. A few days later, we adopted Daisy Mae, a beagle-poodle mix, who brightened Dakota’s day and brought him out of his depression. Then last summer, we adopted Doc, a stray wandering around our country neighborhood. He has made our family complete!

13. See whales in the wild – This would be not only tremendously exciting, but tremendously scary. These large creatures could probably swallow me whole… and that’s scary!

14. Learn to knit and knit something – I love to knit and crochet, and I’ve knitted some wonderfully warm and misshapen scarves!

15. Sing karaoke – I went to a Pool Hall several years ago (before I was married) with a couple of my friends and got up the courage to sing “Who’s Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” by Shania Twain. Needless to say, it wasn’t that great, but at least I did it!

16. Grow a vegetable garden – I really think I’m going to do more than just tomatoes and jalepenos this year. My grandpa Lashlee was the green thumb Master Gardner. I guess I need to figure out what his secret was!

17. Get married – Yep… and I was lucky enough to marry my best friend!

18. See a stand-up comedian – My husband and I saw the Redneck Comedy Tour, featuring Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy, and Ron White. We had a good laugh!

19. Have a job I love – I’ve been lucky in that I’ve had a couple of jobs that I’ve really loved! In fact, I love my current job as a Registered Medical Assistant to a General Surgeon. I also loved my job as a news reporter for a newspaper, and I loved my job as a Public Relations Coordinator at a Christian University. However, you can love your job but dislike your boss, but being lucky to love your job and like your boss is an added bonus!

20. Visit the graves of loved ones I’ve lost – I haven’t done this, for the simple fact that it makes me sad to know that they are gone from my life, even if it’s only physically. I know that their memory will live in my heart forever, but I would still love to wrap my arms around them and tell them I love them one more time! (RIP – Vanessa Bell, Grandpa Howard, and Grandpa Lashlee.)

21. Spoil myself with something lovely – I don’t usually spoil myself unless I take time to get a manicure and pedicure, but I consider myself spoiled when my husband let me wander around the Louis Vuitton stone in Columbus, OH, and pick out a purse! That, to me, was an extravagant purchase, but I love my Estrella purse very much!

22. Start a family tradition – Several years ago, I sent my three nieces on a scavenger hunt for their Christmas gifts. Even though they are older now, it is something that I will continue until they have children and I can send them on scavenger hunts!

23. Plant a tree – I will do this when I build my house in Colorado!

24. Read 50 books – I was an English major in college and a bonafide bookworm, so reading 50 books was no big deal. I still read books – hardback, soft cover, or on my Kindle app on my iPad. Reading can transport you to a new and exciting place, filled with amazing and quirky characters!

25. Take each of my nieces out for a fun girls’ day – I do this, not as often as I would like, but I love spending time with “my girls.” In fact, I need to schedule some girl time with this for this summer!

26. Throw a themed party and go all out – This sounds like something that I would do, but haven’t yet done… guess I need to get on the ball and plan a kick-ass party!

27. Learn to like beer – nope… I’ve taken sips of several different kinds of beers, but it all tastes like medicine. Guess I’ll stick to vodka drinks!

28. Win an award, trophy, or prize – I’m not “competitive” in the sense sports competition, but I sill like to participate in a good competition. I participated and won several piano competitions growing up, for which I’m very proud.

29. Party it up at Mardi Gras – Does marching with my high school band during Mardi Gras parades count? No? Then, I guess I need to party it up at next year’s Mardi Gras! Heck, I could even throw a themed party for Mardi Gras!

30. Attend an art workshop – I attended a small art workshop when I worked in Public Relations at the University, but I participated in order to write a story. I would really love to attend an art workshop and tap into some deep, hidden artistic side of myself.