30 By 30: Making the End of My 20s Count

So... this post is about two months overdue, but better late than never, right?

Thirty. 

Holy crepe. How on earth am I staring that milestone in the face?! Feels like just yesterday that I was too young to sit in the bar area of restaurants. My 20s have flow by in such a blur, and I can hardly believe they're nearly over!

Then again, when people in my ward barely graduated from high school... and when my friends are all pretty much done birthing their babies... well... the reality of my age catches up to me. And it isn't a bad thing, either. Besides those occasional moments when I want to run screaming down the hall, I'm pretty much okay with owning my almost-30 status.

Still, ending my 20s is no small feat, and I want to do it well. And so, in no particular order, here are 30 things I hope to accomplish in the next 308 days (some of which are already in progress):

1. Become a "True Aggie." Preferably at the hands... er, lips... of someone who isn't some random stranger.
   
   
2. Visit five new states. And since this goes retroactively to my birthday, Georgia counts - so I've got four to go. If Route 66 happens, then I'll knock out Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. I'm also considering a Spring Break trip to Boston, and I could tack on a road trip around New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. So stinkin' excited.
   
   
3. Go on 30 dates. Again, if we date this back to my birthday, I've gone on six so far. But I'm really going back to the beginning of 2011, which puts me at 16 so far. I think I can swing 14 dates in 10 months. I hope.
   
   
4. Become my authentic self. Years ago, my friend Kaylynn wrote a blogpost about becoming her authentic self. That post has haunted me ever since! I wondered what that even meant - and what it would feel like to peel off the layers of self-protecting barriers and be completely comfortable in my skin. I'm getting danged close, and it is the most empowering thing ever! I'm not sure that this process ever really ends, but I'd like to make it a high priority. Dr. Brene Brown has some great stuff on this topic, if you're interested.
   
   
5. Attend the temple at least 30 times.
   
   
   And as a part of that, I'm trying to make the Draper temple my temple of choice (Provo's where I usually go - part sentimentality, part habit). I'd love to feel as connected to the Draper temple as I still do to Newport Beach.
   
   
6. Learn to ski. This will be my ninth winter in Utah, and I've never tried skiing. Ridiculous. Time to start!
   
   
7. Drive Route 66. Finally. This is the time!!!
   
   
   
   
8. Go on a cruise with my best friends. Perhaps we can make it a joint "We're all turning 30!" celebration!
   
   
9. Be debt-free. I'm sooooo clooooooose...
   
   
10. Sew what? I have a sewing machine, but that doesn't mean I know how to sew. Unless there's a proficient seamstress nearby to help me with the bobbin and all that nonsense, I'm hopeless. At the very least, I would love to turn the quilt blocks we made for a friendship quilt in my San Clemente singles ward into a bonafide quilt. And finish those baby quilts I started for Primary Children's Hospital in the spring. (Sorry, Caron!!! I know I'm a slacker!!!)
    
    
11. Get at least one really, really good kiss. Like, of the foot-popping variety.
    
    
12. Hike Mt. Washburn.
    
    
    My poor father pushed us to do this when I was 10, and I whined the entire way up... until I realized how awesome it was that I climbed a freakin' mountain, and I skipped the rest of the way down. For years I've been wanting to go back and do this hike in Yellowstone again, sans the whining. And speaking of hiking...
    
    
13. Hike the Y. Since I'm ashamed that I never got around to this as a BYU student.
    
    
14. Hike Timp. I work at the base of this stunningly gorgeous mountain yet have never attempted to climb it. Again, ridiculousness. This must happen.
    
    
15. Read 30 books. Since we're doing the 30 theme. And textbooks totally count, because 30 is a lot! That's three a month from here on out.
    
    
16. Finish the Book of Mormon twice. And one of those times will be by Christmas, thanks to my stake challenge (that I'm woefully and pathetically hundreds of pages behind on... yikes!).
    
    
17. Get starstruck.
    
    
    And no, I'm not talking about celebrities. I've always been fascinated by stars, but I've never taken the time or made the effort to really learn astronomy or even name many constellations. Definitely a goal worth pursuing.
    
    
18. Lose 30 pounds. Again, with the 30 thing. I'd actually like to go beyond that, but I'd be happy with this. Honestly, it's more pragmatic than cosmetic. Everyone says that your metabolism hits a wall at 30. It's going to be a heck of a lot easier to reach my goal and fight to maintain it than to fight to get there after 30.
    
    
19. Make time to WRITE.
    
    
    And I'm not talking blogging or creating content for pay. I'm talking writing from my heart, putting the proverbial pen to paper and telling stories that keep knocking around in my brain. I'm in a writer's group, so that accountability should help. (Thanks, Rachel!)
    
    
20. Just dance. Dancing feeds my soul, and I can tell the difference in my overall life when I'm dancing and not. Same thing for exercise in general, but dance is definitely my workout of choice. There's a killer ballet-fitness class in Lehi I went to a few times and LOVE - again, just gotta make it a priority. I need to be dancing at least once a week, whether it's a class or just a rock-out session in my bedroom.
    
    
21. Sing, sing, sing. Along the same lines, singing and music bring more joy to my heart than just about anything else. So I'm planning to start voice lessons in January - already have an amazing teacher lined up, soooo excited!!! - and I'd like to get my voice beyond the awesome shape it was in while in OCMCO (which was the peak of my personal vocal performance as far as technique and timbre go).
    
    
22. Put my clothes away in the closet, not on the floor. Harder than it sounds, people. Harder than it sounds.
    
    
23. Reinstate "Christa Dates." I know it sounds so New Age-y, but there's sooooo much value in getting time alone to ponder and just breathe sans pressure or company. In college, I was good about setting aside Friday nights for me time, but these days it's rare. In fact, I blame my snoozing addiction on this. That quiet time before I'm out of bed seems to be the only time I get to myself all day, but indulging in snoozing just makes me start the day rushed. Quality alone time should supplant the snooze. In fact...
    
    
24. Stop snoozing. See above. Addictive! And speaking of addictions...
    
    
25. Give up the Diet Pepsi once and for all. And that goes for all soda, caffeinated or not. Why must flavored, carbonated chemicals be so tasty (but so unhealthy)?! WHY?! Curse you, soda!
    
    
26. Write in my journal weekly. Or at least a few times a month. I tend to blog more than journal, but I also filter what goes on the blog (shocking, right?). So there's a lot of real stuff that doesn't get recorded that should. Although my journals do make for an entertaining read of my dating history, since I somehow manage to get that written down every time. *sigh* Ridiculous girl.
    
    
27. Learn to poach an egg.
    
    
    Eggs Benedict is sooooo my favorite breakfast EVER, largely because of the buttery goodness of the poached egg. However, that's one cooking technique that intimidates me like no other. I've conquered my abject fear of pie crusts (thanks, Mishy!!!) - it's time to take on the poached egg.
    
    
28. Make the most of my commute. I loooooove music, so I'd much rather tune out to some tunes on the drive home than listen to spoken word. However, I'm spending at least 5-10 hours in my car each week. Just think of all the spiritual nourishment I could digest if I spent at least a few of those drives listening to BYU devotionals, General Conference talks, etc.?!
    
    
29. Run a 5K. And I mean actually run it this time. None of that sissy walking because I woke up on race day with legs made of cement. I still hate running, but I can appreciate its health benefits. And maybe if I persist at it, I'll actually grow to love it.
    
    
30. Channel my inner Annie Oakley.
    
    
    I'd love to be the kind of woman who is as proficient on the shooting range as she is in the kitchen. Gotta know how to protect myself, after all. The zombies might really come!!!
    

Whew! Do I ever have my work cut out for me or what?! Should be a fun year, though. And if anyone wants to join me on some of these goals (i.e. traveling, hiking, shooting, running, dancing, etc.), let me know!

Alfredo is Dead. (Long Live Alfredo!)

Whew, what a week! My head is still spinning. Less than a week ago, Alfredo, my dearly beloved 1999 Nissan Altima, was running like a gem. Today he's someone else's car, and I'm the owner of a 2008 Honda Civic.

Seriously - when things happen in my life, they happen fast.

So, let's bring you up to speed: Friday morning, Alfredo started running ragged. If I got above 20 mph, he was fine, but below that was rough. I called my mechanic and described the symptoms, asked if I could get through the (busy, busy) weekend alright? He said I'd be fine, the car wouldn't die on me.

He was wrong. SO wrong.

Saturday morning I went to run a bucketload of errands, starting with Wal-Mart. Well, Alfredo wouldn't start right away, and driving to the post office was so scary. But he started up just fine after that errand, so, being my sometimes-not-too-bright self, I figured we were good to go and hopped on the freeway.

BIG mistake. HUGE!

Next thing I know, I'm crawling at 15 mph along the shoulder, hoping and praying I can just make it to the Nissan dealership where my friend Andy works. Thankfully Alfredo made it - and when Andy's colleague who was assessing the situation said "Wow, I've never seen that before," I knew we were done for.

Sure enough, it seems the hose that takes coolant to the engine leaked fluid into the engine, warping or cracking the head gasket. The mechanic opened the fourth cylinder, and there was coolant boiling and steaming. My car had been running in failsafe mode! Scary stuff.

Anyways, it all worked out. I went car-shopping Monday night with my super-car-savvy friend Lincoln and fell in love with my cute red Civic. Tuesday I listed Alfredo on KSL (which is bigger than Craigslist around here), got offers almost immediately, and sold him off Tuesday night, hours after I picked up the new car.


Isn't she a beauty?!


I need some help in naming her - if you don't mind, please click over to the blog (yes, that means you, Google Reader-ites) and cast your vote. Polling closes at noon May 5th. If you have other suggestions that aren't in the poll, chime in and let me know! I'm abandoning my recent car nomenclature (three Altimas = Al, Allie, and Alfredo) in favor of something that gets to the spirit of this sassy red car. After all, "Honey" was the best I could do within the constraints of "Honda Civic." Lame. Not gonna happen.

Meanwhile, although the whole experience was unexpected and, honestly, somewhat traumatic (I thought I was fine but was physically trembling through the weekend - don't even ask how many times I dropped stuff!), I feel like I learned a lot. Here are some of the top takeaways:

• Lean on Me - I have a surprisingly good support system here in Utah! Usually I feel like I have more friends in Orange County still than I do here (and those friends are from high school / college / OC anyways), but this opened my eyes to how not true that is. Of the six angels / knights in shining armor who stepped up and got me through this mess, five came from the ward I've been in for the last eight months (although some I'd met earlier through Christina). My visiting teacher and roommate even let me borrow their cars. That kind of generosity is phenomenal! I feel immensely and incredibly blessed to have such great people in my life!
  
• Love and Marriage - The older I get, the more I see just how genius and inspired an institution marriage is. Cheesy as it might be to say, throughout the whole ordeal, all I could/can think is, "A husband would be soooooo handy right about now." Living a mere 8 miles from home in Orange County, I could lean on my wonderful dad for any car issues. Living 676 miles away, however, that's not really an option anymore. Dad was soooo helpful in giving advice, and my guy friends were gems to be there for both transactions (seeing as I use "thingy" "thingamajigger" regularly when discussing cars - kinda shreds my credibility), but still. It'd be nice to have someone else materially invested in major decisions - and, frankly, who could give me a hug. I miss hugs.
  
• I Am a Child of God - This isn't a new revelation, but yet again I was reminded of how things always work out. This whole situation worked out so marvelously and so quickly, it just blows me away. I know my Heavenly Father really is involved with the details of life, and it's sooooo comforting to know that even when I feel alone, I'm not. Things might seem like mountains in the moment, but they're not. God is greater than all - it's just a matter of trusting and not always worrying. He sees the end; I just need to hang on for the ride.

So, that's the car saga. Please come vote for the car name when you have a sec!

What Can You Buy for $1,060?

Not ten days after replacing Alfredo's water pump, I found myself back in my mechanic's shop this afternoon.

Diagnosis: Alfredo needed a new alternator.
Price tag: $400.

On the way home, I added up all of my automotive fixes since August: $1,060 for brakes, a water pump, two serpentine belts, an alternator and an oil change (for good measure).

HOLY CRAP!!!

Now, I understand that this is all part of the owning-a-10-year-old-car territory, but still... That's 20 trips to Wicked. 100 trips to the movies. 75 dinners at any of the mid-range dining establishments I so enjoy (Outback, Mangia Bene, Bad to the Bone, etc.). Airplane tickets to Europe. A really decent trip to New York City. A new laptop. An amazing new wardrobe. A gym membership for, like, a decade.

It's just plain painful. And it's more than 20 percent what the car cost in the first place!

Of course, on the bright side:


I shouldn't have to see my mechanic again until January or February. *knock on wood*

I have a great mechanic whose office has really, really comfortable couches - perfect for curling up with a laptop or book. I know. I've spent a lot of time there.

And, all of these repairs came when working at the PR job, not at the paper. Had they happened back when I was at the Reg, wow, I don't even know what I'd do!

So, it all works out in the end... but... bleck. Anyone else had so much car fun? Anyone?

Priceless

New water pump for Alfredo, my Altima: $380

Two new serpentine belts for Alfredo: $90

A full tank of gas: $50

Knowing that tomorrow I can drive to my great-grandma's funeral in L.A. and my roommate's wedding reception near Bakersfield without worrying that my car's going to blow up: Priceless.

Driver's Ed

Does anyone remember the 1950 Disney short, "Motor Mania"? It's the bit where Goofy plays Mr. Walker, your everyday nice guy who, when placed behind the wheel, becomes Mr. Wheeler, an aggressive beast of a driver, in the spirit of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?

Well, I'm not quite that bad, but, admittedly, I am not my sweetest and most Christlike behind the wheel - and this morning I had a wake-up call on why that's not a good idea!

Driving along my usual morning commute, there was a big, slow truck in the right-hand lane, so I wisely moved into the left lane and carried along. Well, when I got up to the truck, some poor sap in a silver pick-up was trying to get into my lane - and why should he push ahead of me when I'd thought ahead, right?

The pick-up squeezed in, and, much to my chagrin, I realized that the driver was none other than my buddy, Brian B., one of those guys who is so amiable and fun, he always brightens my day! Boy, did I ever feel like a jerk.

We both pulled into Costco for gas, so after I got my pump going, I walked over to say hi and apologize for being a brat on the road. He was like, "Yeah, I thought that was Christa being a hater!" We laughed, no big deal, right? But it cut me to the core to think that if it hadn't been Brian, I totally wouldn't have cared.

So, my little PSA for this Monday morning is to remember to be nice on the road. You never know who you'll run into, and isn't it always important to put your best foot forward?

PS: Here's a 16-second clip from "Motor Mania" - enjoy!