SLIDER

30 before 30

Saturday, January 25, 2014


So, if you checked out my about page (or know me otherwise), you'll know I turn 30 in September of this year. 30 is a big number for a lot of people, myself included. I think it's considered the first step into "old" territory. I've heard 30 is the new 25, but maybe it always was and I was just too young to really realize that. Who knows?! I just hope it's true!

 I'm a late bloomer, though. I didn't really start coming into who I was until I was about 23 years old and started learning a lot more about myself. And I haven't really felt self-actualized until within the past couple of years. So there is still a lot on my plate as far as wanting to accomplish before the scary age of 30! Rather than make new years resolutions this year, I made a list of 30 things, large and small, to accomplish over the next nine months that I hope will help make me feel more at peace with the big THREE-OH. I've put it under a read more, because a 30 point list is rather long, especially with descriptions. Whenever I achieve any of these points I will make a post about it!


1. Get septum pierced 
I've been wanting a septum piercing since my mid 20s. I've waited so long because I wasn't 100% sure I wanted it, or if it was just a phase. I don't think phases last this long, and while I feel odd getting one at almost 30, I still feel like it's something I need to do! (Sorry mom!)

2. Read 18 books 
18 books? That's nothing! Right? Well compared to my whopping ZERO books last year, I think this is actually one of the more difficult goals to achieve for me. I'm already starting off slow on this one, and have only made it about 30 pages into a graphic travelogue(basically, a comic)! 

3. Learn to surf 
My boyfriend is a surfer, I have dabbled once or twice and sort of tried, but haven't really given it my all. I have no excuse not to do this when I can get my lessons for free!

4. Thrift more, find good used items instead of spending on new, cheaply made ones 
This one is about learning to budget better, and not shop so compulsively. Thrifting is a lot of work. I rarely find anything worth buying off the rack, but I am determined to find SOMETHING cute and worthwhile this year! I follow so many bloggers that thrift, and am always so in awe of their finds. Of course I live in an area where thrifting is likely popular, so everything probably gets snatched up before I ever get to them!

5. Put out at least 2 short form comics 
This one might be the most important to me. I started a comic when I was 20 years old, and it lasted for 4 or 5 years before it got too difficult for me to fit into my life. I have several ideas for short form comics (including a memoir style one) that I need to get a move on. Making comics is a real passion of mine, and completing this goal would mean the world to me!

6. Take at least one road trip
I have not been on an honest-to-goodness road trip in my entire adult life, and I find that to be a real shame! I love road trips and the idea of road trips, and it really steams me that I have been putting it off for this long. Every year I plan one, and every year the plan falls through! Not this year, no way!

7. Move out on my own (hopefully to Portland, OR) 
I lived on my own for only 4 or 5 years before I had to move back in with my parents due to some serious financial hardships. I'm still trying to come back from those hardships, and still living with my father because of that. I really need my own space, and I really need to get out of Los Angeles even more! This year needs to be the year that I do it! I have my eyes on Portland, and if my trip next month goes well, all road-signs point to Portland as my destination for residence!

8. Really push my art career forward
It's hard to imagine you're good enough and that people will pay you for your work when you follow so many artists that are so much better than you and that you admire dearly who are barely making ends meet! It's a feeling that's held me back from ever really trying to push my work forward as a larger source of income, and I think that was pretty harmful to do to myself. I could have been so much further along now if I hadn't let my fears control my actions. But no more of that nonsense. I just want to make art jobs a more significant part of my income. 

9. Craft/DIY more
Why spend $800 on a turquoise dresser when I can just buy an old one for $100 and a can of paint and paint it the exact color I want? I've only recently come to this conclusion after having to get rid of most of my furniture, and realizing I didn't miss any of it because none of it felt personalized to me! I also want to do some crafting involving my artwork! I also have a bike that needs a make-over.

10. Become a better photographer
I've been loving photography for years, but never really had decent equipment to get the kind of shots I wanted. I've tried and tried, feeling that if you want a good photo all you have to do is have an eye for a good shot. That's partially true, but if that wonderfully composed shot is blurry because your camera stinks, a good shot that ain't! My boyfriend is a photographer, and gave me an older camera of his that is still way better than any camera I've owned, and has offered to teach me how to use it. Whatever he can't teach me, I bought a highly-reviewed book to teach me the rest!

11. Re-learn to code for sites
Okay, let me be honest, I was never a stellar coder. I knew probably enough to make a decent site, but I think I was in the intermediate stages. However all that unraveled when I dated a web developer and she did everything for me! So I'm pretty much back to knowing the very basics. I don't know if I'll ever really understand coding on a advanced level, but I'd definitely like to get back into that intermediate level at the very least!

12. Start/make a zine
This one is pretty self-explanatory. I already have a few ideas in mind, so I hope I can pull at least one off!

13. Treat my body better/be more active 
I actually started this a couple of years ago when I moved to LA, but last year in summer, it was so hot, I fell off the wagon because I never wanted to be outside in the gross summer heat! And then Christmas came around and well lets just not talk about that! But the point is I'd like to get back to doing activities regularly. It's hard as an artist, getting out often, when it takes so much work to do art, you want to huddle in front of your medium of choice all day, but it's really important to me and my health to achieve this one!

14. Do more water color paintings
I love to water color. It's definitely one of my favorite mediums, but the work involved in getting to the point where I actually get to sit down and paint has always thrown me off. No longer! I really miss it so I need to get back to it!

15. Organize my computer files. (Music/art/etc)
This one is kind of silly, and I don't know about you, but life feels hectic when my computer isn't organized! I do so much of my work on my computer, having everything saved around willy-nilly just isn't cutting it anymore. I've had this laptop for over a year now and things seem to be piling up! 

16. Make one sketch book that I’m proud of! 
This one is going to be very difficult. My sketches are usually practice. To create an entire sketchbook with sketches and works that I actually really feel pride in is going to be incredibly difficult for me to achieve! But I see so many lovely sketch books out there, there has to be at least one from me!

17. Fill all my current unfinished sketchbooks 
Self-explanatory. I think I currently have about 5 sketchbooks that are either partially completed, or completely empty. I should be able to fill in 5 in nine months if I keep working hard and practicing!

18. Go to Disneyland 
This one is weird, because...I don't like Disneyland. I don't like amusement parks in general because I detest crowded areas. I hate being anywhere where people are going to have to crowd around me in any way. This is more about pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and also seeing a place I had visited in my childhood with fresh eyes. This is especially important if I leave CA, because getting to Disneyland won't be as easy as it is now.

19. Figure out a plot, and start my epic comic
I can't be sure if this comic is considered an epic. I know what epic means, but it seems like a heavy word for a comic? Especially a comic by me! Either way, I have been sitting on an idea for a long form comic for around 5 years now and I've been having such problems with a solid plot that I've been putting it off forever and ever. I think my planning skills need to take a back seat when it comes to this comic, and I just need to dive in and hopefully the rest will figure itself out!

20. Travel to at least 2 new places
Well, I'll be in Portland, Oregon in about a month, so that much will be taken care of, but hopefully I can mark this off my list with another state before my birthday hits!

21. Get 4 new tattoos
I got 3 new ones last year, I felt like I needed to up the ante. I know what I want to get, it's just a matter of getting the funds together!

22. Get a passport 
I have no excuse not to. How will I ever leave the country on a whim if I don't get this one out of the way? (Okay so technically I need money too, but that's not the point!)

23. Edge out of my comfort zone 
This one is very general and ambiguous, but I'm going to leave it at that, because my comfort zone is so small and so varied that a lot of things can classify as breaking out of my comfort zone. I think it's crucial to my growth to at least attempt this one whole-heartedly.

24. Retry the 365 photo project 
The last time I tried this I was an unemployed shut-in. It did not offer much in the way of creativity. I was also in one of my serious depression episodes so I eventually lost all energy and enthusiasm to continue participation. I got over 100 days in though. This time I need to see it through to the end!

25. Leave more comments on bloggers and artists I really love. 
I've already started this one! I haven't really felt like a part of any community or gained many friends since Livejournal jumped shark (is that an actual expression?). I've kind of become a bit reclusive on the internet, but have also suffered a lack of connection because of it. This year I want to come out of my shell again and try and make more friends and connections via the internet (and otherwise!)

26. Find my green thumb
I love plants and I love being surrounded by flowers and succulents. But I am a plant murderer. I kill them so easily as if I didn't pay good money for them! No longer! I refuse to lose another plant due to negligence or ignorance! I will become a great plant mama!

27. Go on 3 camping trips. 
Last year my boyfriend and I went on one and a half (we left early due to being miserable) trips. They were so expensive we vowed to go on a destination trip instead next time. However, I really enjoy camping, so I want to try and take a few shorter trips instead of 1 or 2 long ones. (Even though it gets so tempting to stay in nature once I'm there!)

28. Get a second cat so Mr. Card has a friend.
Mr. Card is my cat. He's going to be 8 in April. He doesn't really like people besides me, but he has always enjoyed having other cats around (except the cat that belonged to my ex). I've wanted a second cat for almost as long as I've had only 1 cat, but I've never been in a situation where it was logical for me to get one. But I think Mr. Card could use a playmate again, and I'm hoping to get into a living situation that will allow for that to happen.

29. Cook&bake more from scratch 
I started this last year actually, but I finally started enjoying cooking. I used to hate it because I didn't have the attention span. It was always seen as a chore rather than an activity to enjoy. I've completely change my view on it after making a few successful dishes toward the end of last year! Christmas also got my spark ignited for baking, so I want to do more of that and spend less money on eating out!

30. Complete all of the video games I currently own. 
I don't know if I've mentioned it anywhere on this blog, but I love games. I have an Xbox 360 and a ton of games that I haven't even played. I have a ton more that need completion. This goal is kind of bogus, as it has no real merit for this list, but I think I'll feel better about getting them all out of the way, and have fun doing so in the process. (Okay, just let me have this one, I needed at least one easy thing to accomplish before I'm thirty!) 

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