I'm happy to report that I'm making some pretty good progress on my thirty before thirty list, and I've only been 29 for about two weeks!
The biggest thing, and the reason I look like I'm bursting with happiness in this photo, is that I booked a trip to France and Italy for next August! And I'm going alone! I am so excited I keep grinning ear-to-ear. I'm doing a group tour that starts out in Paris and then ends in Rome. So this will take care of numbers 4 (Travel to Europe) and 5 (Travel somewhere alone) on my list. I seriously can't believe I'm actually doing it. I've been dreaming about this my whole life.
I'm doing well with number 1 (learn French) which is really going to come in handy now! I've been trying to use the Duolingo app every night and I've only missed a couple days so far. For number 6 (complete a 30 before 30 watchlist) I've completed the list of movies I want to watch over the next year (you can view the list here) but so far I've only watched one of them. It was Eyes Without a Face, one that I'd been wanting to see for a while and I'm SO GLAD I finally watched it. It's one of my favorite new-to-me movies this year.
I'm also making progress with number 7 (start driving) I actually drove myself to the movies last week! I'm still a little nervous about actually being on the road (I'm mostly scared of other drivers more than anything else) but I feel like I'm very skilled at handling the car now. And once I get even more comfortable I'll be able to really get to work on numbers 28 (go to the movies more often) and 15 (volunteer)
I've made a little headway on number 13 (reading books on the middle ages) I have a book called 1215 that's all about the year that the Magna Carta was signed, and I'm dead set on finishing it while it's still 2015, the 800th anniversary year. I'm about 1/4 of the way through. I also started this book on The Black Death, which seems like it'll be very good, too.
The one that I'm still having a lot of trouble with is 22 (spend my time more wisely) This one is probably going to take all 12 months of being 29 because it's more of a lifestyle change than just trying to complete a task, you know? I waste way too much time on the internet or just dawdling when I should be getting work done. Sometimes I legitimately decide to skip projects entirely because it would take away from my movie-watching time. It's slightly pathetic. I'm working on it though!
That's about it so far. I'm seriously so excited about Paris and Rome, though, I think this must be what it feels like to be in love. I'm giddy and floating and I cannot stop smiling. Somebody pinch me, this can't be real!
