Thirty One

I turn 31 tomorrow!

Gratuitous Submarine Birthday Ball picture.

I just came across an interesting Huffington Post article entitled Turning 30: 30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know.


I have to admit I'm pretty happy where I am right now!

I have a great boyfriend! We love each other, and he understands my weirdnesses, which is key, I think. And I clean the toilet without complaint once a week. Hey, it's give-and-take.

My family is awesome.

I have a good job that I reasonably enjoy.  I earn a nice salary and have the opportunity to earn overtime pay if I so wish. I get to travel occasionally and dine out on the corporate card.

I am in the best shape of my life. I wish I was a little smaller in the gut-area, but doing Oly-lifting has me starting to see more definition in my shoulders, thighs, and gut-area.  Plus, you can't beat the folks who work out there - they are awesome!

I can afford to get my face peeled / microdermabraded every few weeks. It has made a huge difference in the texture of my skin, as I had cystic acne for about the last 15 years. I truly believe Paleo eating made it go away, as it can resurface any time I have an extended 'vacation' from Paleo eating.  I can also afford a nice skin care regimen.

I choose to eat high quality, organic / grass-fed / pastured food that nourishes me and keeps most of my food dollars in the local economy.

I can use tools comfortably. I rebuilt a VW Beetle back in high school, and being a mechanical engineering major had me in the metal shop many times over the years.  I worked on a research project called (at the time) Future Truck, where an SUV was retrofitted to become a hybrid vehicle. I learned how to work with carbon fiber there. I also took a welding class my last quarter in college for fun.  These days, most of my mechanical know-how has been put to use doing house remodeling projects.

Oh, and since I rebuilt a VW Beetle... I can drive a stick. I can't wait to own a sports car... and let someone else teach Daniel how to drive a stick. I don't want to be responsible for that. You really need a third party.

I can drive 40 foot buses.  In college, I got a B-class California commercial drivers license. Good times. I've driven the large U-Hauls over the years, and love driving our big Dodge Ram V10 full size pickup around and maneuvering in city streets with that thing.  My favorite is backing it up at the garbage transfer station and tossing things over the cliff into the Garbage Abyss.  It's very satisfying.

I have good friends, good hobbies, and the secure knowledge that when I spend time by myself, I am most certainly not lonely.

I feel secure in my choice to not have children, and rarely do I have to defend that choice to anyone anymore.

I have ridden horses several times.  I wouldn't say I'm GOOD at it, but I've done it.

Things I want to learn?

- How to shoot a gun
- Scuba-diving... but somewhere warm, not up here in Puget Sound
- Make a compost pile out back
- How to smoke meats


Happy birthday to me!