30 by 30 Update

It's 2015, my how time flies. I've been thinking about this goals list quite often lately with my thirtieth birthday approaching this year. There have been some really big changes in my life since I originally wrote these out. Several aren't particularly applicable anymore, but I've updated them none the less.

1. Participate in 6 craft fairs with my crochet stuff
   I've participate in two craft fairs, both during my time in Pennsylvania. Since returning to Oklahoma, I haven't done much crafting for other people.
2. Don't let others get me down and remember this every day, "You is kind, You is smart, You is important"
   Wow, the last year has been full of dark and twisty moments, but despite all the drastic changes, the last two weeks have been much more bright and shiny.
3. Read 30 new books (yes Sabrina I stole this)
   So far I have read 31 books! I've got a blog draft listing them all, which I will post in several months when my birthday comes around. I thought this would be one of the toughest challenges, but I finished this with plenty of time to spare!
4. Remember the little things and don't fight over money
   The little moments: walking Edward after work, driving while the sun is rising and being able sleep soundly without a noisy neighbor.
5. Learn Italian or Spanish
   I'm afraid I haven't even started this particular challenge.
6. Get 10,000 fans on my Facebook model page
   Summer of 2013 I deactivated my Facebook page and later that fall I deactivated my personal account There were a variety of reasons why, but it has been freeing not having the distraction. Plus it had become a rather negative environment, so it's been a little easier not to get swept up in petty, unimportant things.
7. Run a marathon
   My return to Oklahoma meant a few short jogs around the block, but I have yet to finish the physical therapy necessary for my marathon training. I'm afraid this particular goal may need to get moved to my bucket list...
8. Remember to send out birthday/anniversary cards to my family/closest friends without them being late
   I've gone back and forth with this one. I did join an online card site name JacquieLawson.com which has really cute cards for all year round. I've sent quite a few out, but more for holidays than anything else.
9. Join a crochet/scrapbook/women's group (or 2) here in PA
   Well, I had listed this hoping to meet more people, branch out while living so far from home. Now that I'm back in Oklahoma, I'm once again part of Vicki's crops down in Purcell. I missed them a lot and am really glad to be joining all those ladies!
10. Continue learning how to fix my '71 Camaro by myself
    RJ actually has Astrid right now. He's doing some bigger stuff, but now that the weather is getting nicer, hopefully I'll be able to make my way out there to help!
11. Reach 300 blog followers
    So far I have increased my followers from 3 to a whopping 8, but with so little blog activity, that's not surprising.
12. Have an official date night at least twice a month
    We had an official date night once a week! Until we moved home and so much has changed. Now I have a date night each week with Sabrina ;)
13. Fill the 4 journals I have sitting on my bookcase
    I've been writing in my journal a little more of recent. One is about 3/4 of the way full. I'm going to need to hustle!
14. Crochet 4 afghans
    I've finished three afghans, and have started a fourth. I've also done a 3x3 baby blanket and a large nap blanket for my nephew.
15. Be old fashioned "pen pals" with my Grandma and Sabrina
    I continue to write Grandma. She doesn't seem to as much, but I still look forward to opening my mailbox at the end of each day. Since I don't need to write Sabrina anymore, I've started writing Dad.
16. Build a clientele for my hair styling work
    No longer applicable since I'm now a Sales Manager at Bankers Life. Wow, life changes!
17. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or nursing home
    There's a really nice retirement center around the corner from my new place, I need to go in and see if I can help with something after work one night a week.
18. Take enough pictures to fill my two Christmas/Winter scrapbooks
    Not sure why I haven't taken as many pictures at the holidays, the whole family seems to have been on pause.
19. Finish Grandma Molly's memorial scrapbook album
    There are only a few final touches left! I've done all I can do. Some of the family members need to do a few more journal boxes to really top it off.
20. Remember to take photos with Nate, friends and family year round so I can scrapbook our memories
    Got my camera charger back from Oklahoma, and have been doing better for vacations, but not smaller events. Of course this means I need to pull my scrapbook stuff out of the closet...oh boy, well this one needs to change a bit.....I've been taking photos at our work events and have created a scrapbook for the coffee table in the welcome room at the office.
21. Start my own racing scrapbook
    This one is at a halt. In fact I don't have a lot to scrapbook from the last three years, so for now I'm creating a Christmas album for mom.
22. Reread Writing Down the Bones and follow her suggestions for writing topics in my journals
    I've got my own copy, and started...need to restart and dig in!
23. Remember to share good news, not just the bad news
    This I've gotten much, much better at doing.
24. Get some legitimate, paid modeling work
    My last photoshoot was in December 2013. I have given up modeling...at least for the time being ;)
25. Sign up for 30 modeling contests
    I signed up for three. I didn't win them, but on a different note,  I have been published in a magazine! That is definitely better than a contest :)
26. Attend pilates or yoga classes
    I have yet to join a gym again, but I do have access to the workout facility at my new apartment complex. I plan to start going as well as revisiting all the pilates videos I have acquired.
27. Run the NYC marathon
    Well this would be more of a challenge now. Not just because of the reasons in #7, but also because NYC isn't just a few hour drive down the turnpike....BUCKET LIST!
28. Take a cake decorating class
    Honestly not sure if I still want to do this one. I might need to come up with something new.
29. Take up ballroom dance lessons again
    Do I have to have a partner for this? My job may be too demanding at the moment, but I'm confident I'll do this again in the future.
30. Visit the top 10 places to go in Pennsylvania as listed here: http://midatlantic.choicehotels.com/pennsylvania-hotels/top10attractions
    I've only hit two places on this list: Falling Water being the first, but I've also been to Kentuck Knob (Frank Lloyd Wright's second house in the same area). I was finally able to get to Kennywood as well. They had this black widow ride that was so high up it was almost terrifying to both of us! Although I couldn't take the time or spend the money to do most of the things on this list, I was able to make a trip over to Sandcastle, a famous waterpark in West Mifflin, PNC Park to watch the Pirates play three times, and I volunteered at the Pittsburgh Marathon, which meant traveling across many of the incredible suspension bridges.

With six months left until my 30th birthday, I'll be putting a little bit of thought into how I need to change a few of these, as well as how to accomplish those still applicable.

What have been some of your challenges with long-term goal setting?

The Marathon.

'Hey barefoot guy, need some shoes?'

If you ever want a pick me up, some motivation...or to just completely restore your faith in humanity, go to a marathon, a triathlon, an ultra. You meet the most incredible people.

Sunday, May 5th meant it was time for the Pittsburgh marathon. This meant getting up at 4am so we could get downtown before the sun made an appearance, and me taking a nap in a parking garage for two hours because Ashley doesn't particularly care to be awake at that time of day.

Last year my Darling ran the race in about three and a half hours. That was when he was hoping to run it in four hours and he took a break half way through to drink a beer. This year he decided he'd run it hard and PR (personal record). He hoped for 3:20, maybe even 3:18 if he got lucky. Now as incredible and impressive as all of that is, it's not the point I'm trying to make with this post. When I was still waiting at the finish line and 3:30 went by, then 4:00 and he still wasn't there, I was wondering what the heck happened.

His friends and I tried tracking him, but all we found was that his timing dropped off halfway through the race. Then my phone rang from a number I didn't recognize. I answered to find my Darling on the other end, saying he had some problems but only had five miles left. About thirty minutes later (and five hours into the race), we see him practically sprint across the finish line, looking completely unscathed, in a brand new pair of running shoes.

For some reason, that neither myself or his cross country friends can comprehend, my Darling decided running the marathon in his cross country shoes would be a good idea, and maybe it was...until mile thirteen. By then his feet were so messed up he had blisters on his toes. He realized he couldn't finish in those shoes, took them off and trekked on for another two miles. That's when another guy running the marathon said, 'Hey barefoot guy, need some shoes?' The kid lived close by, pulled out his cell phone and made a call. Moments later his mom met my Darling on the street with three brand new pairs of running shoes, asked "What's your size?" and handed him a pair so my Darling could finish the marathon.

These days all you have to do is turn on the news and it's pretty easy to become bitter or always expect the worst. My grandmother doesn't turn it on anymore except to watch the weather, and I don't blame her. Don't get me wrong it's good to know what's going on in the world. We shouldn't bury our heads in the sand, but it sure would be nice if there was more promotion of positivity.

What happened with the kid, the mom and the shoes? We have no idea of their phone number or where they actually live. We have no clue how to give them their shoes back. So if you know a kid named Sam who lives around mile 15 of the Pittsburgh marathon route, we owe him a pair of running shoes...

And Then There Were Two.

The Insurance World. Holy cow, the insurance world. Six of us got hired in January to go up to Erie, PA for training. Now for a multitude of reasons there are only two of us left. Granted it is a time consuming, at times exhausting, "complex and confusing" company. Can you "appreciate that"? Oh phone scripts...

But in all seriousness it is pretty cool to help people plan their retirement giving them a road-map to follow. I've even gotten several perks and bonuses along the way including a shiny little trophy to sit on my desk for most applications written by a new agent, a couple of gas cards, two happy hours for writing annuities, and I'm not done yet folks!

In other news I actually received a tax refund this year that was more than $30. It only took until I was 27 for that to happen. I think I spent it responsibly:

• savings
• debt
• bills
• treating my Darling to sushi
• donating to a worthy cause
• a much needed hair cut (I'm ashamed I hadn't gotten one since November!!)
• a pair of high heels (because I am a 27 year old girl and one can only be responsible for so long!)

Alright, I think I'm done tooting my own horn.
It's been a crazy week. What positivity has been in your life lately?