Thirty Things From My 30th Year…

I leave for Mexico on Tuesday and won't be back until 6 days into the new year, so I figured I would offer up early what I figured out in 2008, the exit out of my twenties, my first full year back in Oregon.

Thanks again to all of my family and friends who made it a wonderful, interesting, challenging, thought provoking, exciting, and worth while 30th year of life.

In no particular order...

1) Rafting down the Clackamas river at nightfall is a terribly cold idea. Even if it is 90 degrees that day. Be patient and wait until the next day when the sun is back on the water again.

2) Snow is an evil monster. Please stay in the mountains next time.

3) The best part of Christmas is less about the presents and more about helping out those who truly need it.

4) The second best part is playing games until 2 am with your family, and beating them all at Yahtzee. Nevermind that I horribly lost the other games we played.

5) If your dad throws down “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” as the card for the ‘Song that best represents Sarah is…” it could be his passive aggressive way of saying, “I want more grand kids, preferably in the next decade.” Maybe I should get on that whole marriage track someday.

6) It will never make sense to me that God takes beautiful young mothers away.

7) I did too deserve my Garmin. Hell yes I did.

8) That said, I know I can actually find my way around most of the Portland/Salem Metro area now without Garmin. But, he’s still my best friend, in electronic device form, besides my new iPhone…that thing is pretty addictive.

9) Selfish doesn’t work for me. Neither does self centered. Neither does anyone with cats that aren't clean and cute.

10) It’s okay to cry tears of joy when your Beavs beat the number one team in the country, especially when you are at the game! And it’s okay to cry the next week when they get a bad call at the end and lose the game. And it is okay to cry even more when they blow the biggest game in forty years on their home turf during the Civ...oh man, I can’t go on…I think I am going to go cry now.

11) Selling ex-boyfriend jewelry is an excellent way to fund a trip to Mexico. Well, that, and good old fashioned hard work and overtime.

12) If your friends tell you that you ‘need’ to go to Vegas…you better go to Vegas. And you should probably go the next year too, and make it a point to win MVP again, or at least tie with Wes.

13) I am an Oregonian, tried and true. Anyone who tries to get me to move from this place again is probably going to have to fight most of my friends, and several of my family members, with sharp weapons. Be prepared to leave without me, because they will probably win.

14) I love working with teenagers.

15) I hate when they are on the run, let down by their parents, or in really tough spots in life.

16) I worry about ‘my teenagers’ too much.

17) Slumdog Millionaire is the best movie of my 30th year, hands down.

18) Being designated driver tends to be more fun than being the one driven. And no, peer pressure does not work on 30 year olds.

19) I have very amazing close friends. Really, they are kind of psychic, intuitive, compassionate, matter of fact, ready to kick my ass. I love them.

20) I also have a wonderful family. Not to sound all braggy and stuff, but they’re pretty awesome.

21) And yes, Bailey is still the best dog ever. High emotional needs, snoring, and shedding aside.

22) Not knowing your future niece’s name for 40 weeks while she is in utero can drive you insane. Thanks Tater Bug for being perfect in every way though. I am glad they decided to not name you Lexamin or Ducky.

23) Watching Obama’s acceptance speech and being excited to the point of jumping up and down is completely okay…especially after surviving eight years with that evil guy from Texas.

24) Speeding tickets and parking tickets suck. Especially when you get both for the first time ever in the same year.

25) Nothing really matters unless you want it to.

26) It’s important to see the ocean at least once a year. And even more important to not read too into the fortune that the weird machine on the bay spits out at you. And even most important to load up on as many calories as you can while you are there.

27) Exercise and physical activity kicks the hell out of every negative emotion.

28) Always stay true to yourself and make sure you say what you need to say. But try not to be an asshole too.

29) Going to bed before midnite, while probably good for me, just still seems impossible most nights.

30) Turning, and being 30 was nothing more than a number, and some extra laugh lines, and an excuse to have three parties…I didn’t mind 30 at all and look forward to 31...(and this year, if you want to come to the party and we forgot to put you on the invite, just remind me…it‘s in Portland for those of you down south who fear the bigger city…but it‘s for three of us and it'll be fun!).

Happy New Year everyone. I look forward to all that 2009 brings my way.