In 7 days, I’ll be arriving in Isla Mujeres, Mexico for a long-awaited Christmas vacation with the fam. Currently residing in the PNW, I’ve had months of rain, cold, family-less holidays and I’m really looking forward to some sunshine, heat and quality family bonding.
That said, the weather forecast is predicting rain on (at least*) the first 3 days of our trip. I’m not a rain hater, especially when it’s at the beach, but here’s hoping (and wishing and thinking and praying) for more sunshine than rain. A whole lot more.
*all that’s currently on the 10-day outlook
30 by 30
last Thursday was my 29th birthday. it stirred up a wealth of emotions and got me thinking about what used to think my life would look like at 30. when i was a kid (or heck, even a high schooler), 30 seemed so old. Of course I’d be married and have kids by 30. I don’t have a master’s degree, don’t own any property, have never been in love, don’t know exactly what I want to do with my life, etc. It’s been a hard reality to compare myself to friends who’ve hit the mark already.
Obviously, since that’s not the plan God has for me at the moment, I’ve stopped comparing. And I made a list of skills and experiences I want to live out during the last year of my 20s. And so it begins…
- Learn to snowboard
- Run a half marathon (update: i’m registered and I’m done!!)
- Learn how to make soufflé (done)
- Stick to my budget for 3 months straight
- Pay off credit cards completely (update: two down, one to go)
- Read 12 books (update: four down: Skinny Bitch, The Shack, Blue Like Jazz, The Non-Runner’s Guide to Running for Women, Humility: True Greatness)
- Write thank you notes for everything I want to thank people for (in progress)
- Read the Bible all the way through (waaaaay behind)
- Learn to sabre a bottle of champagne
- Crash a party
- Karaoke!
- Re-learn CPR
- Swim in the ocean (and not panic)
- Get a physical
- Learn to change a flat tire; oil
- Midnight trip to the beach; watch the sunrise
- Learn to sail (for reals) (Update: signed up for sailing lessons!)
- Climb a mountain (or really big hill). aka hike in the PNW (Update: Hoh Rainforest, Cape Flattery (which isn’t really a hike as much as a nature walk), etc.)
- Return to TCU for a football game (update: went back to TCU for a party, pre-football season)
- Drive the Pacific Coast Highway (Update: it’s been brought to my attention that Hwy 101 in the PNW is technically part of the Pacific Coast Highway, so I’m halfway there. I want to drive it with the windows down in California though. That’s still TBD)
- Watch sunset at Cannon Beach (went to Cannon Beach, it was cloudy, so I have to go back)
- Wine taste in Napa (ticket booked: LABOR DAY WEEKEND, BABY)
- Blog One for Humanity
- No turning down invites to do things – just say YES! (YES! went and saw Dave Ramsey Live!, quit my job, got a new job, ran a 187 mile Ragnar Relay, Sounders game, fantasy football, etc)
- Find and watch the whales
- Learn to rock climb
- Get freelance design/photog business up and going. (in progress)
- Host a locally grown/made dinner party
- Attend/participate in 12 local festivals (8 down, 4 to go: Chocolate Festival in Ocean Shores, Tulipfest, Pridefest, Rock and Roll Marathon fest, Ragnar Finishline Party, St. Edwards Beerfest, Taste of Sonoma, Fremont Oktoberfest)
- Buy a killer little black dress
we’re on the up and up!!
the days are starting to get lighter again!!
i love it when the tides change.
bring on the spring!
is it too early to be saying that?
this is how I’m decorating for the holidays!
night run
so let’s say i’m going to go for a night run tonight (which i am). what kind of reflective gear should i plan to acquire/wear?
it’s pretty much dark by 4:30 p.m. here in Seattle these days so every day seems like a night run… but who has thoughts/suggestions?
i’m thinking sabbatical…
One of the perks at my current job is that after 7 years of service, i get a 6 week sabbatical. This is in addition to the vacation that I already get annually. It’s a tremendous benefit and one that I can’t wait to actually see happen.
I’ve been at the agency for 3.5 years and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t ponder sabbatical ideas, like, once a week at best.
Several of my co-workers have been at the agency awhile and have taken their sabbaticals recently, which reminds me day-in and day-out why i need to stick it out for another 3.5 years. Off the top of my head, here’s what they’ve done with theirs:
- Kim added 2 weeks vacation to her sabbatical and rented a cottage in Ireland for 2 months.
- Julie had a “staycation” with her hubby and 2 year old.
- Karin went to South Africa and ran an ultra marathon (34.8 miles).
- Neil is traveling all around Europe and the Middle East.
At this very moment, I’d like to document my current ideas for a sabbatical:
- 2 months in Costa Rica staying mostly in a small beach town called Samara. I would probably take a Spanish emersion course.
- 6 weeks in LONDON just bumming around and listening to boys in suits with french cuffs speak british :)
- 6 weeks on my parents’ sailboat in S. Texas, which would probably help me save money, rather than spend it.
What would you do if you had 6 weeks off, but still got paid?
the ‘rents are coming…
My parents are coming to visit! My parents are coming to visit!
I moved to Seattle a little more than 3 years ago, and the last time they came to visit shortly after I moved. It was probably a good vacation for them — I had to work the whole time, I didn’t know the city, I had no friends, my studio apartment had a ton of boxes for them to help me unpack, etc. It’s a wonder they haven’t been back…
It wasn’t just becaue it was a bad trip, since then, my older sister got divorced and had our family’s first (gran)baby, my little sister moved like 5 times and needed help, and my parents bought a bigger sailboat. I mean, who would want to visit Seattle when all that other funness is going on?
I’m not complaining, just heavily anticipating their arrival. They get here Wednesday. I’m frantically doing laundry and cleaning until they get here. woo hoo!
(originally posted to http://perservere.tumblr.com)
P E R S E R V E R E
I’m perservering in my quest to be more fit, fabulous and less flabby. If you’re interested in my progress, check out my other blog…
This is what I’ll be doing in the wee hours of the midnight tonight — hoping to catch a glimpse of the Perseid meteor shower. I hear it’s one of nature’s greatest light shows.
Source: Lorenzo Comolli (via FoxNews)
