30 (or so) While 30

Firsts, momentous, or just memorable events from my 30th year:

1. Found out I passed the Mass bar exam and was sworn into the Massachusetts bar in a really awesome ceremony at Faneuil Hall

2. Survived an extremely difficult fall that included an intense journey of discovery, repentance and healing (I know, it's not a single event and is hard to put in words but my 30th year memories would be seriously lacking if it wasn't included.)

3. Visited the Joseph Smith birthplace in Sharon, Vermont.  Twice: Once in the late fall and once in full-bloom summer.

4. Read Jesus the Christ (again; first time as an adult)

5. Survived a Boston winter

6. Started cooking with seafood (hopefully more about this in some future post)

7. Enjoyed a few months of real unemployment (not underemployment, but true unemployment). Read a ton, did lots of projects, watched a lot of the winter go by from the inside of my house (which might be how I was able to survive it).

8. Made a big dent in transcribing my grandpa's mission journal.

9. Read William Wilberforce's biography (life changing). Also had a great movie/discussion night sharing some of what I learned.

10. Figured out something I'd actually really love to do for employment. (Sometime life will slow down enough for me to make progress toward getting there.)

11. Went to the beach many times.

12. Got an awesome tan.

13. Went to Girl's Camp as an adult leader

14. Was a bridesmaid; got the bride's bouquet

15. Loved my Institute classes (especially Pearl of Great Price)

16. Got lots of new roommates, notably Aline and Katrina

17. Went on an awesome trip around New England with my favorite Rachel; so many firsts included in that, including taking a trip where we just wandered and did what struck our fancy

18. Kayaked (after the first, I did it a couple more times!)

19. Starred in a movie! :)  And won a film festival

20. Met, became friends with and grew with Avinash.  Had some of the most intense conversations of my life.

21. Completed a year as a temple ordinance worker; spent an incredible amount of time in the Boston temple.

22. Made over $50/hour (doing not much, which makes up for the years of working hard and making $5.15--but the latter were such good times).

23. Went to immigration court to represent a client! (It was kind of surreal and kind of awesome to see the court docket and under the "Counsel" column, there was my name!!)

24. Went to JRCLS leadership conference and ILRSymposium as a "real adult" (not student)

25. Was a runner for TaskRabbit

26. Learned how to write wills; went to many trainings, met an awesome potential mentor (should I decide to do it)

27. Was available to serve in a dozen ways I've always wished I could: drop everything and go stay with a friend for a week when her back went out; be a goffer for wedding prep; dozen airport pick up and drop off; help knock down ceilings of a house remodeling; feed people; babysit; and so much more

28. Attended 6 months of the Peer-to-Peer-Employment-Group and learned SO much!

29. Helped a handful of people start reading/understanding the Book of Mormon (in several different settings and it is so awesome!!)

30. Canned food at the LDS Home Food Storage center

31. Made a more conscious effort to have a food storage; began making wheat bread as regular source of bread (no more buying bread); bought a wheat grinder

32. Became a "Big Sister" in a flexible program at Boston's Big Sister program

33. Became trained and started volunteering at Somerville Growing Center

34. Had the best Easter of my life, as my understanding and testimony of the Atonement and Resurrection was at a new high

35. Taught a dozen (or more) people to play Rummikub

36. Biked to the Boston Temple (you don't understand the momentous-ness? Then you haven't seen the hill it's on.); Did a lot of other biking as a means of transportation

37. Went to Cape Cod (met an awesome grandma and other family of Lindsay)

38. Got bit by a dog

39. Enjoyed a sauna. Really enjoyed.

40. Drove JF across country

41. Fun family reunion in Arkansas/Missouri. Man, I love my family!

42. At Christmas, met my first nephew

43. Sold things on Craigslist (I've always just been a buyer before)


44. Furnished a living room/kitchen (well, four months in I'm almost done with the process)


What's that you say?  I'm way over 30 (items, that is)?  Okay, I'll stop but this doesn't even include dozens of new friends (some of them really, really special to me), several awesome things I've learned to cook, dozens of cool FHEs I did, fun trips in the area, SO many spiritual learning experiences,other legal work growing experiences, and so much more. Life is full, very good and chock full of learning experiences right now.  It's been a very good year!