hellooooo 30 (ok, not quite, but close)

ok, so i'm not *quite* there yet, but 30 is definitely looming in the distance. SO... i've decided to take this opportunity to document my final year in my 20s (ack!), especially since i've made this goal for myself: do something new/challenging for myself every month.

i realize that 12 things doesn't sound like much, but it hasn't been that easy to come up with feasible challenges. i also realize the irony in that statement... it's a challenge for a reason, right? but in coming up with my "to-do list", i discovered that apparently i wanted to challenge myself physically (see list of things below) and that takes a little more time (note to self: put down "no whining" on the list).

without further ado, THE LIST (so far. i'm still working on some other things. and i'm taking suggestions):

• run a half-marathon (done! TWO in fact. in november. that's not cheating. more on this later.)
• train/complete a triathlon
• ride all 200 miles of the AV200
• do a pull-up...yes, just one
• read one classic a month 
• take the GRE/apply to grad school
• complete projects that i begin (this is truly a challenge for me...)*
• be open to new experiences** (more on this later, too.)

so now it's january, and i'm a little behind on this "reading one classic a month", but damn is jane eyre long! plus, i start myself on these mini-projects and well... you know, if i want to complete these "projects" i begin, i've gotta stay on task, right? (current project? knitting a hat for rich & mittens for richard & a chalk bag for kim. i have gotten ahead of myself, apparently.)

BUT... i have actually signed up for the AV200 (for more information, check out the page above), and i'm beginning my training this month... going to have to ramp it up this next week, but i thought i'd start easy with a couple of spin classes a week... and hopefully get out on the real bike this weekend. i got my rider packet last weekend and boy does the training look... daunting. hopefully this will be one of those "projects" i complete... and plus, i have an additional incentive -- my friend richard has kindly agreed to join me on this ride, but he says he's only going to do it if he beats me. little does he know that i do not back down from a challenge so easily, so while i know he's an actual cyclist... i refuse to "lose" (even though this is NOT a race.)

 there you have it folks... my journey to the dirty 30... i really am looking forward to the next decade of fun, so this is just a bit of a precursor :)

* funny story -- so i started this post... oh a week ago. you see how this "complete projects that i begin" is going to be a challenge for me? i'm determined to write at least once a week; you know, a little self-reflection never hurt anyone....