Today marks the end of my quest to complete 31 Things Before Turning 31, as today is that most magical of days: my 31st birthday. I'm actually proud of how many of these I was able to do, especially since I created my list a month after my birthday. Even if I didn't finish a few of these, they're at least in process or in the works.
Without further ado, here's the grand updated list!
1. Visit my brother Matt in Virginia
2. Move to Nashville
3. Flambé something
4. Read 100 books
5. Go to a writing workshop, read a book on writing, etc.
6. Take a horseback riding lesson -I had scheduling difficulties with this one. My former roommate was going to give me a lesson before I moved but we couldn't get our acts together. However, a few months ago there was a LivingSocial deal for a riding lesson and this will be in the works for this spring.
7. Go to the Holocaust Museum
8. Eat at one of Rick Bayless' restaurants
9. Scrapbook 2007, 2008, and 2009 -So close! I made it to about April in 2009.
10. Complete Anna and Katelyn's birthday presents- This is an insanely huge undertaking! I've started cutting out the pattern but two of these means double the work. The silver lining is they're both young enough that they don't know Auntie will be late with their present.
11. Go to Medieval Times
12. See the new Modern exhibit at the Art Institute
13. Dance every week
14. Update my recipe book -Another big undertaking! I've made good headway but I still have a lot of transcribing to do.
15. Buy a new stereo system
16. Reacquaint myself with my Canon Rebel -Canon Rebel or not, I've overall increased my picture taking. Next on my list is to get a new digital camera for the days I don't want to lug the Rebel around.
17. Regularly paint and sketch -I did paint and sketch more than I did the year before but there is definite room for improvement.
18. Make next T-shirt blanket
19. Do an intense Spring Clean
20. Enlarge blog readership for HopefulLeigh (Goal of 25 confirmed followers.) Between Google Friend Connect and FeedBurner, I more than doubled my goal! Thanks for following along, friends.
21. Enlarge blog readership for my professional blog (Aiming to get to 50 here.) I exceeded this goal as well- I've been holding steady at 70+ readers. I thought my transition to pediatrics might have cost me some readers but the opposite has happened. All the more impressive since I'm lucky if I update it once a month!
22. Eat at 5 new restaurants
23. Get my next tattoo- I came so close on this! Before I moved there were a few friends that wanted to accompany me and get their own tattoos as well but this fell through. Then once I moved, I faced the task of finding a quality tattoo parlor. I started asking around and I'm glad to say that I've finally found the perfect place! I'm excited to check this one off the list soon.
24. Consult a naturopath -I didn't completely follow through but I did research some different options on eczema and that's good enough for me.
25. Preserve my White Sox 2005 World Series newspapers and memorabilia- I got stuck on researching the preservation materials and then never got around to ordering them because, well, they're pricey. In any case, I think I have it narrowed down to a few options.
26. Buy a new computer printer -My friend Kelly gifted me with her old printer. Score! (Thanks again, Kelly!)
27. Be a peacemaker -Strange as it may seem, this little goal stayed in the back of my mind whether dealing with office politics or friend drama. It helped me keep my tongue in check when need be but also helped me be a mediator.
28. Bring back Last Minute Dinners
29. Cook a real meal 2-4 times per month whether or not I'm having company -I've been a cooking fiend again which has been great! I've been intentional about trying new recipes, tweaking old ones, and feeding my favorite friends. Cooking is such a great stress reliever for me.
30. Find a new small group Bible study
31. Be open to wherever this next year takes me! -It would be simple to say "look at #2" and leave it at that. However, through the ups and downs of this past year's transitions, I did remain open to whatever lesson I needed to learn.
Take heart...my quest is far from over. Go here to look at 32 Things Before Turning 32!