30 years

Photo of me at 20

Close to 30.

Tomorrow I turn 30 years old.  This seems crazy to me in someways, and perfectly mundane in others.  I think that if you asked 10 year old, and 20 year old me what I would have accomplished and/or where I would be at 30, those answers would be very different from each other, and what actually happened.

Fact:  At the age of 30, I will be an unemployed former high school teacher, living in South Philadelphia, in an apartment with a Jewish woman, a roommate, and her cat. The closest high school friend is 2 times zones away and college friends are over 2 hours away.  My family all reside on the other side of the country.    

30 things that have happened to me so far in life that are noteworthy/unbelievable/or would have impressed 15 year old me:

1.  I have driven from coast to coast, twice by myself and have never had to pay for housing because of so many amazing friends and family.
2.  I have watched the Winter Olympics in a different country (Vancouver 2010)
3.  I have earned more than $40,000 in a year
4.  I have survived open heart surgery
5.  I have used an ice ax and crampons while scaling a mountain
6.  I have 2 college degrees
7.  My senior year of high school, I made it to the state competition in every one of my extra curricular activities, and won hardware in all but track.
8.  I have seen all of my siblings get married to people I really like and have (so far) 3 nieces and nephews.
9.  I have lived in 5 different cities and 3 different states.
10.  I have traveled to Ireland and hiked through the Burren.
11.  I have had my name on the title of 2 cars.
12.  I have backpacked into the wilderness by myself for multiple days.
13.  I have guided a raft through rapids on a river
14.  I have surrounded myself with amazing people who share my love of laughter and fellowship everywhere I have lived.
15.  I have preformed songs I have written on stage in front of hundreds of people
16.  I can play 3 musical instruments well, and a few others with varying results
17.  I have worked as a farm hand, janitor, construction assistant, day camp counselor, administrative assistant, sports referee, Resident Assistant, Assistant Resident Director (first in that role at Oregon State), Late night Activities director (first in that role at Oregon State), and classroom science teacher.
18.  I have been to 38 of the 50 states (if you count flying in and out of airports)
19.  I have mourned the passing of close family members
20.  I have regretted how I treated some people in my past.  I am not proud of it, and hope they have forgiven me.
21.  I have broken 7 bones (including my nose)
22.  I had the person I voted for actually win elections
23.  I have seen the Las Vegas Strip, Empire State Building, Space Needle, The building formerly known as the Sears Tower, The Golden Gate Bridge, The Capitol and White House, Hollywood, Disneyland, the Freedom trail, Fenway Park, Independence Hall, and Mt. Rushmore.  
24.  I have also seen Devil's Tower, Old Faithful, The Tetons, Yosemite's Falls and Valley, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Glacier, Mt. Ranier, Hood, and St. Helens, Pike's Peak, The Smokey Mountains, the Catskills, Sitka Island from a Kayak, and more.
25.  I have never had to worry about where my next meal was going to come from, or having a roof over my head
26.  I have dug up bones of dinosaurs, mammoths, sloths, and tools used by primitive man.
27.  I have run a marathon, and 4 half marathons.
28.  I have snorkeled in the Carribean
29.  I still feel 16 at times, and am shocked when the year 2000 was over 10 years ago. 
30.  I have met a wonderfully funny and beautiful woman that I found myself moving across country for.