30 by 30

I'm not really the guy that celebrates birthdays; they're just another day to me. I love celebrating other peoples' birthday, just not my own. While I don't care much about celebrating them, they still happen. And this year is apparently a big one. The big 3-0 coming up in a less than 2 months. In honor of that, I'm sharing a list of things I thought I'd do by 30, things I actually have and things I still plan to.

Things I thought I would do:

1. Be a high school English teacher

Ever since middle school I really wanted to be a teacher. By the time I got to college, I started to realize that it's not really what I wanted.

2. Be married and have a kid

This one speaks for itself. I thought I'd be married by 25 and my first kid by 30. 

3. Own my own home

Considering how much I've been traveling the past few years, this was not a high priority.

4. Own a BMW

Again, wasn't a high priority with the travel.

5. Write a book

Along with teaching, I wanted to be a successful author by 30 too.

6. Go skydiving

I remember turing 18 and my friend Jim and I thought about it. Then we saw how expensive it was. 

7. Have a PhD

haha....

8. Place my feet in all 50 states

I was pretty serious about this at one point. I probably have about half of them in if you can't layovers

9. Get a tattoo

I actually did that one...three times.  

10. Visit Germany

Always wanted to since taking German in high school. I ended up in a different country 

Things I actually did:

1. Moved out of the country

Still can't believe I actually did that! I feel like I lived a full life in that time. 

2. Had a few death threats

I guess technically it was just one, but it was repeated daily for 4 months. All because I exposed a few conmen and their scam. The phrase "I will end your life" or "I will cut your head" became a regular part of my day. 

3. Nearly got arrested in another country...

For being honest enough to refuse to pay a bribe. 

4. Learned to ride a motorcycle

Ended up buying one in Kenya too. Starting to save up to buy one here in the US now. 

5. Owned my own gun

Yeah, I know, lots of mixed opinions on this. But my gun never once shot a bullet that wasn't facing a safe direction. Truth be told, as much as I goof around daily, when it comes to firearms, I'm the guy you want to have one.

6. Starting living on my own

Well, mostly. I just moved into an in-law suit this weekend. No roommates. It's a strange feeling, but I kind of like it. I'm also realizing that I 

7. Spent just shy of a full decade working for one company

I learned a lot working there. Not only about business but about myself as well.
8. Owned my own kayak
I miss my kayak. I had so many great days on the lake with it.
9. Went snorkeling 
I can honestly say that the Kenyan Coast is probably the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. And snorkeling there was an incredible experience
10. Learned to forgive
I grew up with a lot of anger and hurt towards some biological family. While those are people I have no contact with, I have learned to let that anger go and forgive.

Things I plan to do:

1. Finish the book Wild at Heart again.
I've read it a few times and its that time to read it again
2. Run a 5K
I did an event called a Goliathon in April that was a 4 mile run with a bunch of obstacles. It was so much fun that I want t try a 5K. But I HATE running!
3. Read two fun books
I'm reading Marcus Luttrell's second book to start. Then to find one more. I used to love reading, but I've fallen out of it lately.
4. Build a ship in a bottle
Or at least start to. I just need to find a kit. I've wanted to do this for a while but never got around to it
5. Spend a day on a lake in a kayak
Speaks for itself.
6. Have Rita's Water Ice twice
I threw something easy in here :)
7. Cook chamosas 
It's an amazing recipe that we came up with in Kenya. I haven't made them in a long time though.
8. Spend a day on the beach
I can't remember the last time that I spent a day on the beach in the US. It's been a while since I've been around long enough during the summer to do that!
9. Go on a roller coaster. 
I'm terrified of heights but I kind of enjoy roller coasters...except for the hill going up part. I despise that part of the ride.
10. Write a total of 15 blogs on my other writing site
Yeah, I keep a second page too. Mainly devotionals I started to write out. I only have 3 so far, but I'd like to get to 15 before I turn 30. I have the ideas, I just haven't been able to write recently.

There's my list of 30. There are others in all three categories, but this will have to suffice. And because I've shared it, I guess I have to complete most of the last list, huh?