30 Before 30 // Take 2

Last year when I turned 28, I posted a 30 Before 30 list.  It was quite a snoozer, admittedly, and I'm ashamed to say not many items got crossed off.  You see, several items that I WANTED to put on the list, I was too chicken to, like "Flip a house" (check), and "Own my own business" (check).  But seriously, 4/30 crossed off in a year? abysmal! Now that I have officially only 319 days until my 30th birthday (April 30, 2014), I decided to revisit, revise, and make it bigger and better than before!  I'm keeping some of the list and scrapping others for new adventures.  It's amazing how I always get great aspirations, but when I sit down to write these, they all fly out of my head!

Here's how my previous list played out:

  1. Host a formal dinner party- Staying- why have I not done this yet??
  2. Take a cross country road trip- With the new flipping business, this one will be put on hold until probably next summer
  3. Get back in shape/live healthier- zzzzzzzz- still working on it, but not a measurable goal.  Ousted!
  4. Buy a 'big girl' camera completed 6.12
  5. Take a photography class (to learn how to use said 'big girl' camera) completed 6.12
  6. Start an etsy shop- I may still do this, but now that I'm self-employed, focuses have changed.  I'm still going to take this one off the list to make room for something better
  7. Have my home featured on a notable blog- Staying
  8. Have a room I designed featured on a notable blog- Staying
  9. Design a residential space that doesn't belong to a friend or family member- kinda completed, but this one will be morphing into "Start my own design business"
  10. Build a piece of furniture- Staying
  11. Attend a blog conference- Staying
  12. Meet a blogger and/or designer that I admire- revise to 'design blogger' (more specific).  Although I did pseudo-meet John and Sherry from Young House Love at their book signing, I'm not counting it.
  13. Guest post on another blog completed 7.11.2012 here
  14. Run another 5k (without knee issues) completed 10.14.12
  15. Visit Europe- revise to 'visit another continent.'  This one might be a longshot, but come on, almost 30 and never been off this land-mass??  Pathetic, Karen.
  16. Go camping- this may still happen, but let's get some more exciting things on this list!
  17. Visit the Brooklyn Flea Market- Staying
  18. Picnic in Central Park- Staying
  19. Get a 2nd tattoo (something meaningful)- Staying
  20. Redesign my blog myself- I still wish I could have done this myself, but I finally had to admit to myself that it was over my head.  So happy that I hired the guys at Roundhouse Designs, though- isn't the new design awesome??
  21. Visit New Orleans- This will be revised and condensed with other goals to be 'visit 5 places I've never been'
  22. Explore my hometown- Staying
  23. Reupholster a chair (not just a cushion)- Staying
  24. Create an organized, creative, project/work area- Staying
  25. "Finish" designing our house- We'll be tackling the last room, the kitchen this summer, but let's be real- I'll never be done with this one, so it gets the ax from the list.
  26. Take a dance class- to be more specific, I'm revising this to a ballet class
  27. Procrastinate less- vague much?? Ousted!
  28. Take a weekend ski trip with Hubby- Staying (I don't really ski...)
  29. Go cross country skiing- Staying (at the rate Mother Nature's going this year, I may be able to cross-country skii mid-summer! I exaggerate a tad, but seriously, New Englanders, where's summer???)
  30. Give blood- Staying (and ashamed this isn't crossed off)

So let's try this one again.

30b430

new-and-improved

It is my goal to do everything on this list before April 30th, 2014!

  1. Host a formal dinner party
  2. Visit 5 places I've never been
  3. Go on a girls-only trip
  4. Ride a horse
  5. Swing on a flying trapeze
  6. Start my own design business
  7. Have my home (or part of it) featured on a notable blog
  8. Have one of my designs featured on a notable blog
  9. Instagram at least once a day (starting today 6.14!)
  10. Build a piece of furniture
  11. Attend a blog conference
  12. Meet a design blogger that I admire
  13. Establish a relationship with a mentor
  14. Do something that scares the crap out of me
  15. Visit another continent
  16. Refinish or sell every piece of my collection of furniture in the basement
  17. Buy a treasure at the Brooklyn Flea Market
  18. Picnic in Central Park
  19. Get a 2nd tattoo (something meaningful)
  20. Host a giveaway on the blog
  21. Own a vintage bicycle (and use it!)
  22. Explore my hometown
  23. Reupholster a chair (not just a cushion)
  24. Create an organized, creative, project/work area in my disaster of a basement
  25. Improve my cooking skills (or lack of skills)
  26. Take a ballet class
  27. Define my design aesthetic and develop it
  28. Take a weekend ski trip with Hubby
  29. Go cross country skiing
  30. Give blood