30 before 30: i jumped out of a plane

skydiving...
WOW!
so a few weeks ago, i (finally) jumped out of an perfectly good airplane cruising at 14,000 feet.
(the story behind this, here and here.)
hands down the craziest, best, most terrifying, exhilarating, amazing, fantastic, adrenaline rush i have ever experienced in my life.
the only way i can describe it is that you will never feel more alive than when your feet touch terra firma again.
thank you to my amazing friends for the experience of a lifetime... and to leah who was brave and crazy enough to do it with me.

30 before 30 recap

seeing that i'm a month on from my 30th birthday i thought it was about time i gave a little recap on my 30 before 30 list.

this little project generated a LOT of interest and became a pretty common conversation piece with friends and strangers alike.

to start with i'm going to explain i never had any false expectations that i would get the entire list finished in one year.

the main idea behind it all was to write a list of things i personally wanted to do and try to get some of them accomplished.

without the list i wouldn't have tried to achieve half of them.

would i have made a big effort to run 10km if i didn't publicly note it?

most probably not.

i never intended to 'disrupt' my life for it either.

i wasn't going to miss other opportunities that came up or put aside important events for the sake of a list.

it was more about getting the most out of life, rather than putting life on hold.

so if i hadn't quit my job mid last year, i may have made pizza dough and bought a bike, but never gone to europe.

it was also a self motivation exercise, further spurred on by the fact that i made published it on my more-popular-than-i-thought blog.

i'm really touched by all the support and interest in it.

so thanks!

especially to my darling friends.

24 out of 30 ain't too bad!

30 before 30 update

2. skydive (eeeeeeekk!) [doing]

doing!

a birthday gift from some of my darling friends in perth.

when i got the card from charlene, i didn't know whether to laugh or cry!

I'm quite excited either way.

so stay posted for this one...

5. run 10km [done]

somehow this was preferable to completing than say making pizza dough (no. 14).

we had a public holiday the other week and I just got up after dinner and decided to do it.

it's not easy.

i'm talking running 10km.

no walking, no breaks, no leisurely jog.

i did it in 62 minutes.

and not going to lie, i'm pretty proud of myself!

12. have a whole month of no shopping [done]

quite easily done when you're not earning money for a while.

so i made it more like 12 weeks without buying any shoes, clothes, etc.

a good lesson in deciding what you want as opposed to need in life.

16. spend a whole weekend at home [done]

some people might think this is strange, but in a life where you're so busy with work and social activities, it's great to have a real break from everything – including "fun".

another one i'd seriously recommend trying.

17. knit a scarf [so, so close to being finished]

and because of this i'm going to slightly cheat and say done.

i only have to cast-off and that requires some concentration and possibly a youtube video to learn.

18. go to body balance, yoga or pilates consistently [done]

i did.

and it's amazing what it does for your peace of mind, posture and strength.

my favourite is yoga i think.

the class i do at my gym is pretty intense.

i am more sore the next day after a yoga class than a 10km run…

i'll indulge you all (or myself) in a proper round up soon.

i have had some amazing feedback about this list and want to share my thoughts behind it all.

30 before 30 update

6. host a FABULOUS dinner party [done]

what an amazing night.

must do anther one (hint hint emma b).

9. bake a cake [done]

well technically not correct.

i made a cake.

totally counts in my book, since i've never baked a cake before.

gasp!

24. update my design portfolio [done]

yay!

what a loooooooong process.

even to the point of a beautifully printed little book now.

job hunt, job hunt, job hunt.

27. detox [done]

i count my detox as an 9 day long natural foods only thing.

no alcohol, no sugar, no preservatives, no processed food, heaps of water etc.

did make me feel a whole lot healthier.

got to try it again.

or just consistently eat really well.

30 before 30 update

13. watch a movie at the cinema by myself [done]

fantastic movie – the hunter.

very appropriate to watch a movie about tasmania in tasmania.

the going alone thing was actually great.

slightly surreal but great.

25. design my own stationery set [done]

dear musketeer has a very happy little brand now.

business cards, little note cards and stickers.

28. learn to make a paper cranes without instructions [done]

took a little while to get my head around it, but paper cranes are now extremely easy to make.

30. open an etsy shop [done]

another list item i didn't think i'd complete but i did!

30 before 30 update

1. holiday in europe [done]

best experience of my life!

when i first wrote this list, i envisioned this being the toughest task to complete.

so thankful i got the chance to do it!

7. organise my closet [done]

admittedly my hand was forced on this one.

moving does that.

so i guess it is organised in the way that i at least sorted everything out, got rid of stuff i didn't wear anymore and donated it to the salvos.

my general rule of thumb was, if i hadn't worn it in the last year i didn't keep it.

also travelling around europe for 6 weeks with a handful of clothes makes you realise how little you do actually need.

plus now i have been living the last 5 or so weeks with just the suitcase full of clothes i brought over to tasmania.

ok... i admit i do miss my "full" closet, so i go "shopping" in my sisters'.

22. attend a symphony orchestra concert [done]

i went to the tso with my girlfriends the other week.

it was amazing.

the cello solo from alban gerhardt was out of this world.

if you ever get a chance to see him live, DO!

the concert was of course followed up with a little walk down the road for a late dessert at pierre's.

29. create a papercut artwork [done]

a surprisingly calming task.

it took me a while, but i love the idea of creating something with just a knife and a piece of paper.

30 before 30 update

11. watch breakfast in tiffany's [done]

i watched the gorgeous visual feast that is breakfast at tiffany's.

it's glamorous and humorous and got me hooked on audrey hepburn movies now.

23. buy a pair of real ugg boots come winter time [done]

so i finally got some ugg boots.

the 'proper' kind.

not red – you have to order them.

but black'll do.

so warm and comfortable.

my feet are very happy.

26. visit the planetarium [done]

and finally, I took (dragged) jamie along with me to the planetarium yesterday.

i was so excited, possibly to the point of embarrassing for my poor little brother.

it brings back all the magic and amazement i felt as a kid.

who wants to go with me again?

book worm... 30 before 30

20. read the great gatsby again [done]

loved it.

ask anyone who was around me on the weekend, cause i spent most of with with my nose buried in this intriguing tale.

“he must have felt that he had lost the old warm world, paid a high price for living too long with a single dream. he must have looked up at an unfamiliar sky through frightening leaves and shivered as he found what a grotesque thing a rose is and how raw the sunlight was upon the scarcely created grass. a new world, material without being real, where poor ghosts, breathing dreams like air, drifted fortuitously about...like that ashen, fantastic figure gliding toward him through the amorphous trees.”

the great gatsby.

chapter 8.

getting there... 30 before 30

8. get up before sunrise [done]

i'm counting this morning.

up at 4.30am.

yawn.

water herbs (see point 4 below).

drive to airport.

drop off friend.

drive to cottesloe.

6am.

run.

run.

run.

walk.

drive to work.

(pick up a sneaky bacon and egg muffin. shhhh)

7.15am.

work.

totally counts.

(photo in the dark to prove it).

4. grow herbs [done]

well i planted some seedlings last weekend.

they are still alive.

if they die, i'll "un-done" this one.

promise.

see how i'm going with the rest of my list here!

30 before 30

hello 29.

nice to meet you.

before i meet the next decade in 366 days (thank you leap year for granting me an extra days grace) i've decided to make a most-possibly-impossible-to-complete but inspiring list of things to achieve in the coming year.

documenting it means i just have to try harder.

so welcome along.

in no particular order:

1. holiday in europe [done]
2. skydive (eeeeeeekk!) [doing! a birthday gift from friends]
3. create a children's book [started]
4. grow herbs [done]
5. run 10km [done]
6. host a FABULOUS dinner party [done]
7. organise my closet [done]
8. get up before sunrise [done]
9. bake a cake [done]
10. become "pro" at tennis [me and my new racket were getting there]
11. watch breakfast at tiffany's [done]
12. have a whole month of no shopping [done]
13. watch a movie at the cinema by myself [done]
14. learn how to make pizza dough
15. indulge myself with a day spa outing
16. spend a whole weekend at home
17. knit a scarf [so, so close to being finished]
18. go to body balance, yoga or pilates consistently [done]
19. get a bike
20. read the great gatsby again (without college english assignment eyes) [done]
21. go horse riding again
22. attend a symphony orchestra concert [done]
23. buy a pair of real ugg boots come winter time [done]
24. update my design portfolio [done]
25. design my own stationery set [done]
26. visit the planetarium [done]
27. detox [done]
28. learn to make a paper cranes without instructions [done]
29. create a papercut artwork [done]
30. open an etsy shop [done]