- Apr 10, 2017

30 Before 30: April Update

4 months until I turn 30! 136 days! Eek!

5. Learn Japanese

Constantly working on this one. My recent focus has been working on learning Hiragana. I am confident with about 70% of the characters and that is pretty awesome. I LOVE driving around and naming the different characters and I get so excited when I recognize a word. The first word I sounded out and recognized was "futon". I was so excited! I am still using Mind Snacks to learn but I have also started using an app called Memrise. It is free and really well done. It has helped me a lot with learning Hiragana.

6. Run Half Marathon #3 in 2016

DONE! And Half Marathon #4 in 2017! I completed #3 on November 20th, 2016 and on April 2nd, 2017 I completed #4. I am really liking this 1 half marathon a year tradition.

#3 was tough. It was a boring course ( 2 laps around an industrial complex). I was ready to give up at mile 11. I was hot and tired and hurting. Then it started to rain and that was the little bit of cooling off that I need to push it to the down hill at the end. I PRed at 2:50.

#4 was fun. I didn't train as much as I wanted to and was feeling the pressure. I had never had a great half marathon. I decided I was going to take it easy, enjoy the ride, and run with my friend Beth. We came in close to last but we had a blast. It was a beautiful day, the course was beautiful (one of my favorite runs), and I got to hang out with my friend.

There are a lot of races on Okinawa and I am already looking for one to do next year.

7. Climb Mt Fuji

This trip is in the planning stages!! Tentatively in July or early August!

11. Vote for President

Done! Voted by absentee ballot. Happy to exercise my 19th amendment right.

12. Start a Blog (or restart )

I have been working on this one. I went through a bit of a creative funk but I am now on the other side of it and have lots of new work to share.

13. Go on 1 Date Every Month

Ahhhhh, this one... welp life got in the way of this one. My husband is in the military. Uncle Sam sent him on a 6 month all expenses paid trip. Needless to say date night is kind of difficult when you are on opposite sides of the world.

14. Learn Calligraphy

Love practicing this one. My lettering has gotten better and better as I develop my style.

22. Go on at least 1 Adventure a Week

This one might be my favorite. We LOVE adventures. This has probably been the easiest one.

24. Visit 3 Ryukyu Islands

1 down, 2 to go! On my mom's most recent visit we ferried out to Iejima. We rented bikes, explored, and had a blast. It was so easy to catch the ferry that I will totally be doing it again and again.

25. Snorkel with Sea Turtles

We met our families in Hawaii for Christmas and we saw a sea turtle while snorkeling. Technically I went swimming with sea turtles but I would like to try again in Japan.

29. Visit at least 1 East Asia/ Pacific Country

Not done yet BUT I flew back stateside recently through Seoul Korea and just going through the airport I decided we MUST go back! It looks like such an amazing country, it is high on my list of places to visit.

30. Keep a Daily Gratitude Journal

I started the #creatitivegratitudechallenge with Priscilla George and I am loving it. I have started keeping a Creative Gratitude Journal and I am having so much fun.