30 things to do when I'm 30

It's November 1st and I'm suddenly reminded that I am *gasp* turning 30 years old this month!! Since we all know that your twenties are just an extension of adolescence full of frat parties and clubbing, I feel like I'm finally actually entering real adulthood now. So, in honor of this milestone, I have compiled a list of adult, and not-so-adult, things to do this year:


30 Things To Do When I'm 30

1. Buy a Dog - Seriously. Soon.

2. Find the Perfect Sunglasses -  Why can't I find just one decent pair of sunglasses that make me look like a cool movie star?

3. Accumulate Cool Kitchen Appliances - I already have a cute fruit-shaped fondue set

4. Eat at Celebrity Chefs' Restaurants - Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck, I'm looking at you

5. Bake Challah for Shabbos - Braided and all

6. Wear a Costume - Go out for the night in a costume for no reason at all. It doesn't have to be the end of October to party like a pirate hooker!

7. Slow Dance at a Restaurant -  I want to go on a date to one of those classy restaurants where you get dressed up and they have a dance floor and play standard slow songs. Dancing to Frank Sinatra while waiting for dinner is very romantic.

8. Participate in a Flash Mob - Choreographed dance to "Don't Stop Believin'" in the middle of the mall? Why yes, that sounds like fun!

9. Take Vampires Back  - Sorry Twilight and Vampire Diaries and half of True Blood (though I really enjoy True Blood so I'll let the fact that Eric is so damn sexy and wears tracksuits slide this time), vampires are scary monsters not sexy Hollister models! I refuse to participate in this mass delusion any longer. Back to Nosferatu, Dracula, and Fright Night -- those vamps will eat Edward for dinner.

10. Wine and Cheese Parties - "They probably sit around on the floor with wine and cheese, and mispronounce allegorical and didacticism." They're probably thirty.

11. Drink Tea - I hate the taste of all teas. I've tried regular, iced, lemon, mint, chamomile, etc. I don't like it. But, I will force myself to acquire a taste for green tea. The stuff is just too healthy.

12. Wear My Hair Down More Often - It's just prettier that way

13. Buy a Hammock - Laying in a hammock is the perfect way to spend a beautiful day

14. Grow a Herb Garden - Fresh basil, dill, and mint on hand at all times

15. Sail to the Bahamas - Literally. Trip to Bimini on the open seas. S and the A team have promised me this for a while now so I'm gonna hold them to it!

16. Disney World - I only live 2 hours away and haven't been there in years. What better way to stay youthful while celebrating your entrance into serious adulthood?

17. New York City - Just cause I really need to visit New York every year. Cause I love it there.

18. Donate my Clothes - For years I've been accumulating clothes in my closet that I'm never going to wear again. I'm moving soon and my clothes are moving to goodwill.

19. Stay in Touch - The older you get, the harder it is to find really good new friends that you connect with. I'm going to make a really big effort to stay in better touch with high school and college friends. After all, no one will be there for you like the people who have seen you through all your adolescent mistakes

20. Dance like Britney Spears - I will learn how to do the dances from her music videos. The choreography is awesome! So much better than singing into a hairbrush

21. Get Over My Fear of Clowns - I hate you, Pennywise

22. Watch a Scary Movie By Myself Before I Go To Sleep - I love scary movies. I hate watching them by myself late at night. I will conquer this challenge. But not while watching "The Exorcist." That movie is my kryptonite.

23. Play My Piano - I took piano lessons for many years but stopped practicing and playing since college because my piano is at my mom's house. I got a new keyboard last year. I think it's time to find my old sheet music.

24. Candid Photographs - I love taking pictures. I'm like the paparazzi when it comes to a night out with my friends. But, I think I'm gonna start mainly just taking candid shots. There's something special about capturing those real moments instead of posed smiles.

25. Learn to Surf - Yeah, yeah, I know.. I say this every year.

26. Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride - Just like those carriage rides around Central Park. I've always wanted to do that. There must be somewhere down in South Florida where I can do that on a chilly winter night.

27. Learn Mom's Recipes - I love cooking and over the past couple of years, I've really started collecting a bunch of my own recipes and perfecting many dishes. But, I really need to master my mom's chicken soup, spinach casserole, broccoli pasta, etc. Childhood home-cooked meals were the best!

28. Stop Being Jealous of People Named Casey - My last name is Stengel. How cool would it have been if my parents named me Casey!  Casey Stengel? Why yes, that's me, and yes, I am in the Baseball Hall of Fame. But no, I can't say that. You know who got the name instead? The family dog

29. Convert my Friends into Country Music Fans - Sunny days on the boat, drinking beer, and jumping in the water needs some Kenny Chesney, not Lady Gaga, in the background.

30. Rock my Cowboy Boots - I wear them every year for the Kiss Chili Cook-Off and they're perfect for tailgating at the next Tim McGraw concert. But I'm gonna put them to more use and pull of the Southern cowgirl look for a normal day out.