Monday, September 23, 2013

I've been 30 for a while now

It's been over 4 years since I've last blogged. I don't know whether it'll be another 4 years till I write another. But I thought I'd write a little bit just to get my brain going. This is a recycled post. Posted 5 years before I turned 30, and now being re-posted just before I turn 31.

1. Drive a wickedly cool car, even if you have to rent it. "Wickedly cool" is defined as any car that turns heads on the streets. They say life is a journey and you should enjoy the ride.
I used to "not do manual", but I can semi-confidently say that I do do manual. I have yet to drive a wickedly cool car. The coolest I've driven was my cousin's boyfriend's type-R around the block.
2. Date against type. Better yet, date somebody "dangerous." Waking up tied to a bed with a person who has more tattoos than brains will give you stories to regale other members of the old-age home in your dotage.
Yes.
3. See the world. It's much easier to do when you're 22 and footloose than 35 with two bawling babies in your backpack.
Before I turned 30, I moved to Hong Kong. Then I got pregnant. I managed, however, to visit a few new countries before I hit the milestone age - Malaysia, Singapore, Macau... and I guess Hong Kong! Now that I've got one bawling baby (he's pretty sensible, only bawls for a reason) - we've got Korea, more of Thailand and Sanya before I turn 31!
4. Live in a cool place.
Been living in Hong Kong since May 2012!
5. If you're going to drink a lot, do it when you're young. Getting sick on cheap white wine after 30 is pretty pathetic. Young drunks sometimes get away with being "cute," though you may still have a lot of apologizing to do. Get this experimentation out of your system and you'll appreciate finer spirits when you get older.
No change to previous post.
6. Take risks with your job. Most people end up changing direction in their careers after their 20s anyway, so, take the time to figure out what you want to do. There will be time enough to be a cubicle drone later.
I haven't taken any real risks yet. I've requested moves to another project and that felt like a risk at the time! Going back to work full time and trying to find something to occupy my brain for the rest of my career will need to involve some actual risks I think!
7. Do something physically adventurous. And do it OUTSIDE! No one will ever be remembered for playing Nintendo or watching every single episode of "Friends." Enjoy your body while you're young, push it to its limits!
I've been skiing again - post ACL reconstruction skiing too! That's pretty adventurous! That's all though. The other week I went wake boarding and I can't wait to do it again!
8. Take your parents to dinner. It gives you a chance to show your parents that you are an equal and that you are responsible. It's also a chance to show your appreciation for all those dinners they bought over the years.
Always.
9. Do volunteer work. You may be broke, but you can give your sweat and earnestness to a cause in which you believe. In addition to improving your world, you can allow yourself to be exposed to others in the world.
In the two years before we moved out of Sydney, my boyfriend/fiance and I did St. Vinnie's Door Knock Appeal. One year it was through a well to do neighbourhood with people with lots to give, the other was a more run down part of town - that was tough!
10. Use this decade to go to extremes. Climb the tallest mountain you can find. Picnic at midnight. Learn to sail. Talk to strangers. Road trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Take a midnight drive to the beach then stick around for dawn.
Road trip to Chicago from New Jersey and explored the green town on St. Patty's Day. Talked to loads of strangers when I moved my life her to Hong Kong and looking for new extremes in the coming years!