So, I turned 30! On Friday, in fact. Now, the shocking thing to me isn't that I am actually now 3 decades old, but that it seems to have gone by so quickly! When I first started this blog, I had just turned 26, and had no idea what would be in front of me. Since then, I have accomplished a lot, but the point of the blog was to really show that life is a journey and we should always try to be the best that we can be. So, here's the list of accomplishments achieved:

1) Master Spanish (finished Intermediate 2 in May 2011!)
2) Master Hindi (getting better everyday as of 10/14/13!)
3) Teach creative writing (doing as of 1/11/12!)
4) attain Master's degree (receiving it on 12/20/13!)
5) Rape crisis counselor training (done as of December 2010!)
6) Run a 5k in MA
7) Take swing dancing classes (done as of May 2010!)
8) Get trained as a Domestic Violence advocate (doing it 3/10/14 through 4/9/14!)
9) complete Master's thesis (defended on 11/26/13!)
10) take Bollywood dance classes (taking it as of 1/11/12!)
11) Take the Civil Service exam (taking it on 2/8/14!)
12) Take a Fiction writing class (taking it as of 1/14/14!)
13) Present at an academic conference (done on 10/20/12!)
14) go snow tubing (going on 2/28/14 with Aaron and the Rozens!)
15) go white water rafting (done on 10/13/12!)
16) stand on a state line
17) volunteer for an organization I believe in (doing grant writing for Saheli, starting 1/11/14!)
18) take the Jeopardy contestant test (done on 1/18/12!)
19) perform (singing) at an open mic night (practicing on 2/15/14!)
20) get a short story published
21) join a community choir (did on 9/20/12!)
22) take a First-time home-buyer's class (completed 10/26/13!)
23) be part of a writing seminar (doing it starting 1/14/14!)
24) start learning Russian (learning it as of 12/30/14!)
25) invest in stocks (done on 10/27/12!)
26) get trained as a mediator (training 5/1-5/11!)
27) be on an executive board of an organization (got recruited for Acton 2020!)
28) get an academic article published (done with the conference!)
29) jump into the ocean before 3/14/14 (got sick)
30) open a retirement account (did it on 11/1/13!)

25 out of 30 are accomplished! I will probably write a 20 before 35 at some point, also. For my actual 30th birthday, Aaron surprised me at a restaurant, which was really sweet. The majority of the people I am close to now did come, but I did realize that the majority of the people I really want to keep in my life are stable, married people. I guess because we aren't against the idea of having a family, it's probably best if we keep the circle of people who are a good influence for them. Our house hunting is on full-on mode (going to drive through Wilmington and Beverly today), and we got a huge tax refund for a downpayment. I know we are really lucky to have stable jobs and even have the ability to look at a house and 30-year mortgage, but the process has been a bit frustrating so far. On one hand, we definitely want good schools and community. Then, we want opportunities to help others (as I have been being trained as a DV advocate to do so). As it is, I've been at my current job for more than 3 years, and it's very uninspiring. Although the students change, I am seeking a position (and trying not to get too frustrated about how long it is taking) where I can be a leader and have more responsibility. Along with working full-time, job-hunting, and house-hunting, time management is of the essence. I guess I really have entered my 30s-- I'm obsessed with productivity. Off to look at some houses now :)