Countdown To 30

Only two months left until the "big" 3-0 birthday. I mentioned in the last post that I didn't have a clue what I was going to write about this month (if you missed the first two posts, you can find them HERE and HERE), and I'm still at a bit of a loss, but for better or worse, here we go...

For the last twenty-nine years and ten months, I have been developing my character, honing my personality, and trying my best to follow where the Lord leads. During that time, I have become opinionated and a bit obstinate, developed a dry sense of humor (okay, okay, I'm sarcastic too), realized that there are quite a number of household chores that I hate doing (scrubbing toilets and cleaning floors both come to mind), and come to grips with the fact that I will never totally be a people person.

As I prepare to enter my fourth decade, I realize that there is always room for improvement, but overall, I am comfortable with being me. I'm not everyones cup of tea - sometimes I'm not even my own cup of tea. I can get on my own nerves, I can drive myself crazy with my lack of discipline, and there are times when my brain is yelling at my mouth to shut up, even as the words are coming out. But despite those failings, I like being me. I'm comfortable with who God made me, and I hope that as I enter my 30's I am able to hone the gifts and abilities that I started to discover in my 20's.

With all of that being said, I've decided to share a list this month of thirty things that I like and don't like. I said I was opinionated, so get ready to see some of the opinions that have been formed over the last (almost) 30 years. (All I can think about at this point is the saying, "Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them and they all stink.")

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I LIKE:

1. Jane Austen books-turned-movies

2. Cream of Wheat

3. Jazz music

4. Days where it rains all.day.long

5. Rooibos tea

6. Mystery books where the plot isn't too scary

7. Editing

8. Indian naan bread

9. Living in other cultures and trying not to screw up too badly

10. The possibility of sleeping in

11. Road trips

12. Hunting for the perfect Christmas tree

13. Pumpkins (duh!)

14. Being married - when I was 12, I told God I was okay with being single forever. I'm glad He didn't listen to me.

15. Boston

16. The sound of ocean waves

17. Being done with school FOREVER - I did well in school, but I didn't like it

18. Being an aunt

19. Coffee - only the good stuff, please

20. Uncluttered surfaces, simplified closets, minimal paperwork

21. Classic musicals (The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Meet Me in St. Louis, The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma)

22. Holidays - the food, the decor, the movies

23. Stockings (the Christmas kind)

24. Blogging

25. Mussels, lobster, crab, shrimp, and fish (but only when the fish is cooked by one particular friend, or at Carrabbas)

26. Balancing the checkbook (weird, I know)

27. Hondas (that were made in Japan - prior to 1994)

28. Making lists

29. Having a clean house

30. Flexibility

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I DON'T LIKE:

1. Intense or scary movies that make me cover my eyes

2. Yelling

3. Rap music (with some exceptions: DC Talk and MC Hammer come to mind - purely for the laugh-factor)

4. Snakes - any size, shape, or color

5. False modesty

6. Peas

7. The taste or smell of wine, beer, or champagne

8. People thinking they know what I'm like without actually having a clue

9. Hot weather

10. Books that have great ideas that are lost by poor editing

11. Ground turkey

12. Cleaning

13. Women's retreats/brunches/general gatherings

14. Running life based on feelings and emotions rather than logic and reason - emotions have their place, but keep them in check

15. "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers (there, I've said it)

16. American made cars

17. Socialized medicine (a.k.a. "free" health care)

18. Country music

19. Clothing that shows more of a person than I care to see - be it bosoms, bellies, or backsides

20. Entitlement

21. My job (sorry to be vague, but until I do something else, I'm staying mum)

22. Undisciplined kids and their clueless parents

23. Fake flowers

24. Maxwell House and Folgers - I don't care if it says "Gourmet"

25. Skunks

26. Weeding and push-mowing

27. People who attempt to look uber-spiritual, but are totally fake at the core

28. The sound of metal on teeth

29. Hawaiian or B-B-Q chicken pizzas

30. Feeling stuck

I thought of other things that could have made both lists, but this is a pretty good overview of some of my likes and dislikes that have developed over my 30 years of life on this earth. You know which one was the hardest to decide on for both lists? Number 30. I even considered leaving them blank, just to show that I still have lots to learn and gain opinions about, but the OCD side of me wouldn't allow for that.

As I sit here typing this, I'm thinking about the fact that many of you will have opinions about my opinions (which takes me back to the earlier quote about armpits), but it's also one of the things that I love about this great big world: Diversity! I'll be back again next month with something else birthday related, but in the meantime, what are some items that would make your LIKE and DISLIKE lists? Do share - I'd love to know!