30x30

30 x 30: #28 – Get out of non-student loan debt

2014 10-31 No More CC DebtI’m down to 11 and after this weekend I’ll be down to 10 and will have started two more with a third one on-going. I’m going to kick this list’s butt! I’m not sure I’ve ever been happier seeing a bar chart (and I really like bar charts), but watching that little debt bar on Mint.com slowly dwindle away and actually turn green (whoops I overpaid :-D) this year has been AWESOME!

If there was one I was most scared of not accomplishing and one that I will forever be most proud of accomplishing it is getting out of non-student loan debt (AKA credit card debt). Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t have an outrageous amount of debt, however, it was enough to make me wonder why I’d accrued it. And I know exactly why, but I’m not going into that, this is about the excitement of paying it off.

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30x30, Personal Project

30 x 30: #30 – Visit Alie in VA

2014 10-17 Virginia is for FriendsI was able to squeeze the 18th list item into an incredibly busy weekend. We flew down to Virginia for a wedding this past weekend and we were so close to where my BFF from growing up, Alie, lives and I knew I had to see her. This was one of the two I thought might happen AFTER my birthday, but squeezing it in made it happen BEFORE!

Alie has lived in Virginia for longer than I’ve lived in Boston and I just haven’t had the money to get down to visit her. We’ve seen each other a couple of times since high school, most recently for our 10 year reunion last year, but we talk everyday and it was good to see where she lived. I no longer fear that she lives in the middle of a war zone in a rundown building with hoodlums running around. (Seeing really goes a long way for alleviating those worries.

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30x30

30 x 30: #25 – Sing a song at live-band Karaoke

I2014 10-15 Live Band Karaokef there was one item on the list I thought I would chicken out on, it was this one. Seriously, if I ranked them from those I was most dreading to those I was most excited about this would be #1 dread and #30 most excited, but just like that I’m done with it. I will say Jukebox Heroes bill it as come be a rockstar and that’s what it feels like when you’re up there!

I’ve been to Live Band Karaoke a few times with my friend Dominic, but I’d never got up the guts to actually get on stage and sing, so when I made my list I knew I had to add this one. I’m a decent singer but rarely sing in public or within hearing range of anyone else. I tried out for a few musicals and music groups in undergrad and always made call backs but didn’t have the confidence to get the role, but either way. I added this to my list because I knew it would pull me out of my comfort zone!

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30x30, Personal Project

30 x 30: #16 – Reach 525 blog posts

2014 10-01 525 PostsWith my last blog post (back-dated to Monday), I’ve officially surpassed 50% of my 30×30 list! I may only be at 53%, but dammit I’m over 50% and that’s what matters!

I added this post to my list as I knew I would reach 500 not long after I kicked off my 30×30 list, but I also knew I wouldn’t make it to 1000 by December 21st and I wanted something blog related that wasn’t reading. Honestly, I’m still shocked I’ve reached 525 posts (over 550 if you include my posts on Now Entering Adulthood) and I’m really proud of it. As proud as I am about the post count, I’m more proud of what I’ve written about.

In the 525 posts I’ve written about over 300 books (304) and apparently 225 posts about random stuff including my 30×30 List, a couple of personal projects, Culture Corners, Workout Wednesdays and myriad other subjects I’m sure. Seriously, there’s no telling what I wrote about back in the days… Want to have fun, click this link and it will bring up a random post I’ve written since this blog started.

30x30, Personal Project

30 x 30: #5 – Run the Thompson Island 4k Trail Run

2014 09-18 Thompson Island Sibling SelfieMy 30×30 list is now 50% complete. BOOM! I’m definitely behind schedule, but I’ve got this.

I replaced the original #5 and #6 after I injured my ankle in late June and couldn’t run or work out for almost two months. So instead of running a 10k and a half marathon, hello first two items on my future 40×40 list, I added Run the Thompson Island 4k Trail Run and Bike 10 miles on the harbor walk.

My sister and I, sibling selfie above, agreed ages ago to do this trail run as it’s what first brought me to work for Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center (TIOBEC) I joined TIOBEC as a temp to help process data and they eventually found room in their budget to higher me full-time. While employed there I worked three trail runs and loved how much fun everyone had, but never got the chance to run one. Last year I had a conflict with my current job, but this year we were going to do it!

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