Cherry Stem, Check!

For those of you perhaps wondering, "What in the world is that thing?!" in the photo, well, I would have to say that that is the successful completion of my first item on my list. Go me, go me!!! (For those of you not currently in the room with me -- those of you being all of you because well, I'm alone right now -- I'm doing a little groove dance in my chair. Join me. There's head bobbing.)

Yes friends, that is a cherry stem tied in a knot. And not just any knot, but a knot successfully executed by my tongue. Who knew my tongue had such talent?!

I could not have achieved this dream on my own though, so there are a few people I would like to thank. First and foremost I would like to thank my parents for buying me that virgin pina colada, without which I would never have had access to that cherry stem. I would like to thank the person who made my virgin pina colada. You placed that cherry ever so perfectly on my colada. I will never forget you, whoever you are... To the waitress who managed to bring me my pina colada without dropping the cherry on the floor...at least not to my knowledge...to the waitress, for getting the cherry to my table, sanitarily or not, may you serve the populace with cherry stems for many years to come. And last, but certainly not least, to my roommates who inspired me with the desire to tie that cherry stem and gave me not only the courage to tackle the task, but also the confidence to see it through to the end -- in spite of the fact that I'm pretty sure that table across the aisle from me was laughing at the "slightly" odd faces I was making as I attempted to complete what seemed to be an almost an insurmountable feat. You rock my roommates, you rock.

30 Things to Do Before I'm 30

The joy of aging (and by joy I mean that inescapable sentiment we all find ourselves enveloped in as we are reminded once again that we are in fact truly nothing more than slaves to the whims of Old Father Time) was recently brought to my attention (and by recent I mean last year on my 29th birthday, and perhaps the year before that on my 28th, and perhaps the year before that...) that I would soon be leaving the youth and grace of my 20's behind to enter that more distinguished, if not slightly more grayish-haired decade of my now soon to be 30's (and by grayish, I mean gray...though, truth be told, these last few years of my 20's were stricken with this affront to my vanity so honestly I say to you 30's bring it on; my sister's a beautician and I know how to use her hair-coloring skills!).

As I have sat pondering over the last 29 years, 8 months, and 16 days give or take a few hours (and days depending on when you might be reading this), I have come to the realization that there is much I have yet to accomplish. For all my many talents, I have yet to master the art of stopping time (and I have done an extensive study of all the Stargate time warp episodes), and so I have decided since I cannot control time’s forward motion, I will just have to jam pack the next 3 months and 14 days give or take a few hours (and days depending on when you might be reading this) with all the many “really important” things I have yet to accomplish.

So, without further ado, I present to you my list of "30 Thing to Do Before I'm 30..." (in no particular order...)

1. Tie a cherry stem with my tongue
2. Visit Mystery Castle
3. Ride a Ferris wheel
4. Go to the Arizona State Fair
5. Climb a mountain
6. Lose 15 pounds…technically this has been done before, and then undone…I feel inclined to try my hand at doing it again though… :)
7. Write 30 more pages in my book
8. Do work at the temple for at least 30 different people
9. Read Pride and Prejudice
10. Read Atlas Shrugged
11. Learn 15 new recipes
12. Crochet a blanket
13. Learn "I Am A Child of God" in Finnish
14. Sew pajama pants with pockets
15. Draw a self portrait
16. Create a travel wall
17. Make my book of remembrance
18. Complete the Firm Workout Series
19. Take an online class
20. Stay overnight in a random hotel in AZ
21. Go 30 days without sugar
22. Earn 3000 points on family indexing
23. Make applesauce…I realize that this perhaps could fit under the learn 15 new recipes category, but my great desire to slaughter some apples with a potato masher elevated this one to its own number
24. Temple marathon
25. Find 3 new family names
26. Fly in a hot air balloon
27. Read a fiction book in Spanish
28. Run 30 miles (not all at once)
29. Learn to make balloon animals
30. Kiss a boy...what can I say, some of these goals are more realistic than others.

So there you have it, the final acts I will commit as a 20-something year old. Let the games begin!

PS. If anyone knows of anyone who would be somewhat suitable in helping me achieve #30, feel free to drop me a line!