'30 before 30' project

I'm turning 29 this month.

Now, I'm not going into a tirade about how I'm so sad to see the approach of 30, because quite honestly, I haven't felt like a 20-something for a couple years now.  I don't know, there's something about having kids that very quickly steals the I'm-the-king-of-the-world feeling right out of you.  Maybe it's getting your stomach sliced open twice, leaving a permanent muffin top decorated with a lovely scar.  Or maybe it's getting puked on, and peed on, and kicked, and climbed.  It might also be activities like cleaning up poop after an accident during bathtime, or 4am wake-up calls, or temper tantrum reconnaissance.

Whatever it is, that 20-something happy-go-lucky I'll-do-whatever-I-want-thank-you-very-much feeling slipped out of my grasp awhile ago, so at least that isn't looming over my head anymore.

However, there is still the fact that next year, my age will start with the number 3 and not 2, and that in and of itself makes next year's birthday a bigger deal than some, at least in my head.

Enter the "30 before 30" project.

Celine Novenario started her own (the first? the official?) 30 before 30 project, creating a list of 30 things she wants to do before she turns 30.  Her list is ridiculously ambitious, so she's clearly single and childless, but nevertheless, her project was inspiring.  So I decided to create my own list to complete within the next 12 months.  It isn't nearly as impressive as Novenario's, but it will be appropriately challenging for a mother of two who works outside the home full-time.

And hopefully, working toward these goals will result in some entertaining escapades, or at least some good stories to share.

In no particular order, The List:

1. Learn a new piano piece.  Really master it.  Some good options are Grieg's piano concerto in A minor (2nd movement), Rachmaninoff's prelude in G major, or Debussy's "Reflets dans l'eau."
2. Complete the Couch-to-5K running plan
3. Take Hip Hop dance lessons
4. Fully develop my blogging persona.  Specifically an overarching theme, voice, and design.
5. Find a new hairstyle I like that's not a ponytail.  Preferably one that is (almost) as easy as a ponytail.
6. Spring clean my house.  Note: Doesn't actually have to occur in the Spring.
7. Read a total of ten books from TIME's Top 100 list.  That means reading six more.
8. Get all dressed up and have a fancy, romantic date with my husband
9. Complete Pimsleur Italian I
10. Clean off Nan's desk in the corner and make it a proper writing space
11. Buy new lingerie that is hot, hot, hot
12. Weed the front flower bed and keep it weedless
13. Go clothes shopping once per season (a total of four shopping trips)
14. Finally read the manual for my camera, learn how to take better pictures, and then take more pictures
15. Buy a pair of TOMS
16. Open savings accounts and Roth IRAs for our kids
17. Take my mom and sister to a live musical, like the good ol' days.  Right now, I've got my eye on Beauty and the Beast in December 2011.
18. Get down to my pre-kids weight.  (That means losing ten pounds.)
19. (Re-)Learn ten constellations, including how and when to find them, and their stories
20. Bake cookies with my oldest daughter
21. Have a Glee marathon / sleepover with my sister.  Be sure to sing along as much as possible, with mouthfuls of Hot Cheetos
22. Go geocaching
23. Release a book into the wild
24. Walk / Run / Bike for charity
25. Take my lunch to work four times a week for a month (in the hopes of establishing a good habit)
26. Update our very outdated household monthly budget
27. Mail at least one greeting card to a family member or friend every month
28. Get another family photo taken
29. Visit my family (Mom, Dad, siblings) more than I do now.  And 'more than I do now' means more than four times a year... (which is pathetic, since they only live 45 minutes away)
30. Take in tasty treats to work for my 30th