30 Before 30...Day of Reckoning.

I've been behind on updating my 30 before 30 progress and enough people have asked about it, that I figured it was time to settle up on the list. I turned 30 a few weeks ago on July 7, 2012, and let me tell you, it was spectacular. I'd like to say I just woke up in bed at home feeling wiser and generally more awesome, but that would be a lie. I woke up on my 30th birthday in a tree house suite (upgraded because I happened to mention my birthday fell on the following day) in the middle of the Belizean wilderness. My boyfriend nailed my birthday celebration with a weeklong trip to Belize filled with secluded island SCUBA diving, Howler Monkey interaction, wild crocodile viewing, zip lining, mayan ruin touring and the best ceviche I've ever eaten.

So how did I do? 24 out of 30 isn't so bad, right?

The most important thing I gained from this experience is the motivation to get out there and try new things. Sounds hokey, but that sums it up. I would always say things like "Oh, I should really do that." and it never happened. The time constraints gave me the motivation I needed to actually pursue these awesome activities. This is a tactic I will employ in the future to make sure I'm getting the most out of the world around me. I hope you're inspired to go after your own list.

1. Join CrossFit. (Completed March 24, 2012) I'm five months in, I've got some pretty serious guns, and I know what a burpee is now (wish I didn't).

2. Get out of debt completely.  (Completed July 7, 2012) This feels great.  Enough said.

3. Buy myself a nice piece of jewelry. Thank you Amanda Keidan of Amanda Keidan Jewelry for making this happen.  I've worn my beautiful custom ring everyday since.

4. Take a Bikram yoga class.  (Completed March 25, 2012) It was so hot, but I didn't quit.  Mission accomplished.

5. Go SCUBA diving. (Completed December 2011)  This opened up a whole new world to me.

6. Get certified in Open Water Diving SCUBA.  (Completed July 9, 2012-I'm counting it) I am so comfortable in the water now and had the great pleasure of seeing a sea turtle, barracuda and sting ray.  I've got a new hobby now.

7. Come up with 30 great vegetarian/pescetarian recipes that I can make everyday. Well, this was a bust.  I came up with about three that I wrote down.  I've got to work on this for the end of the year.

8. Go to a shooting range and learn how to shoot. (Completed May 25, 2012)  I thought this would be a lot more exciting.  I don't think I need to do this again.

9. Drive myself or do a ride-a-long in a race car. (Completed May 26, 2012) See #8.  It's also really expensive.

10. Try absinthe. I knew this would be one that I completely forgot about.

11. Get my nephew to call me by my Auntie name "Essie". (Completed April 15, 2012) This was very exciting, but now every time he sees me on Facetime, he says "Oogy?".  That's one of my dogs....I've been replaced by a German Shepard.

12. Enter a design competition. (Completed March 31, 2012) I'm really glad I did this, and will certainly do another in the future.

13. Learn how to bake a great chocolate cake. (Completed April 8, 2012) Nailed this one.  It was so delicious!

14. Go hot air ballooning. (Completed June 24, 2012) I can't say enough good things about this.  Do it at some point in your life.

15. Learn 100 words in Hebrew. I am a horrible girlfriend to my Israeli boyfriend.  I never did this, and I think I know maybe 10 words.

16. Get acupuncture. I purchased the Groupon and then never went.  I'm still planning on going.

17. Reach 150 followers and 2000 pins on Pinterest.  Didn't get even close to this.  130 followers and 1400 pins.  Were my board names not compelling enough?

18. Take the Frank Lloyd Wright tour in Oak Park. (Completed May 19, 2012) Can't believe I waited so long to do this.  I had a great time and learned so much.

19. Visit the Farnsworth House in Plano, IL. (Completed June 17, 2012) This was great for several reasons including the obvious awesome architecture.  I went with my parents which is always a fun and hilarious time, and we also enjoyed a short nature walk leading up to the house.

20. 7-Day Juice Cleanse.  (Completed May 27, 2012) I don't need to do this again.  I almost passed out at Crossfit, and that's just not worth it no matter what the nutritional benefits are.

21. Volunteer at 'The Plant'. (Completed May 19, 2012)  I love the concept of of this group.  I had a good experience, but I probably won't be back regularly due to time constraints.

22. Go to a Baha'i service. (Completed March 20, 2012) This was cool.  Religion is an interesting arena, and I'm always interested in different viewpoints. 

23. Watch 'The Exorcist'. (Completed May 18, 2012) I feel better about myself for finally watching this.  How I'd gotten this far in life without seeing it is beyond me.

24. Create a great bar set up-cart, booze, mixers, accessories. Turns out this is an expensive endeavor, but I've enjoyed many a key lime martini and St. Germaine infused champagne cocktail in my limited selection.

25. Milk a cow. (Completed June 16, 2012) LOVED doing this.  We actually had a whole tour of a dairy farm along with the milking.  I did find out some things I was really disappointed to know about, and it is informing my more extensive education on the dairy industry.

26. Visit the Holocaust museum in Skokie, IL.  (Completed May 28, 2012-Memorial Day)  Moving and extremely well designed.  It amazes me that human beings have the capacity to treat each other so horribly. 

27. Eat an ostrich egg. (Completed April 8, 2012) Delicious and such a fun activity cracking it open!

28. Do WWOOF. (Completed April 7, 2012) I felt super crunchy, and that's a good thing!

29. Go to a MMA fight. (Completed April 13, 2012) I probably won't do this again, but I had a great time hanging out with my Dad while watching.

30. Buy a lotto ticket once a week until my birthday. (Completed July 7, 2012) Well, I didn't win.  Lesson learned.