Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Time to get busy

Hello Friends! It has been months since I have written, and I have gotten some requests to get back online and talk about the things I don’t do in moderation.
I should start by saying that most things have not changed – I still do not drink in moderation, shop in moderation, or eat salty snacks in moderation. In fact, the reason I am even writing now is to stop me from eating the entire bag of Chex Mix I just bought at the airport (not nearly as good as P-Mix, obvi).
But one thing is new…the days of working in moderation for Carrie are now over.

I did not handle my 29th birthday with any moderation
As you may recall, NAM and I broke up about 5 months ago. And let me just say that starting a new job is HARD. You have a new set of programs to learn, new people to work with, and a new company to get accustomed to – is it sad that I don’t even know the name of the president of my company? I’ll answer for you…yes, that’s sad. And as I mentioned before, I am working A LOT.
I am not going to go into all the things that learning a new job has taught me about myself, because frankly I’m not really in the mood to write about that…but I am going to use that as an excuse for why I have not been blogging. And you know what – those days are done! NotInMod is back, and it is going to be better than ever (especially since the benchmark wasn’t set that high – let’s be honest).
Ok so – what is my return going to be about? Well, me, of course!
Since I have last written I have celebrated a birthday. I am now seeing the world through a 29-year-old lens, and let me tell ya, it’s glorious. And just like any real millennial, I am already thinking about what’s next…and the answer is that 30 is right around the corner - sort of. Now, turning 30 doesn’t scare me. I love where I am in life, I am proud of the things I have accomplished, I surround myself with wonderful friends and family, and I have at least one person who reads my blog (that’s Chad – because I make him).
But when the idea of a “30 before 30” list came up at our last IPPL reunion (which you can read about here) I decided to create a list – plus, I LOVE lists. Why you ask? Because 1) They keep you organized, 2) It’s fun to cross things off and 3) Because I grew up watching the David Letterman show with my sister Kim, and I think Top 10 lists are in my blood.

There are 2 different ways to look at this list – 1) Things you would like to do in your life before you turn 30 or 2) Things you would like to do in the next YEAR before you turn 30. Mine is the latter – let’s go.
1.       Run a 5K
2.       Go to the top of the Sears Tower
3.       Help my Mom move to Chicago
4.       Take a comedy class
5.       Increase my savings account by 30%
6.       Go to a Cubs rooftop
7.       Visit a winery – ideally an overnight trip
8.       Wake up and watch the sunrise over Lake Michigan
9.       Take a class about Whiskey/Booze (and not taste test in moderation)
10.   Volunteer on a Saturday
11.   Read at least 4 books – maybe one will be a “smart” book (that’s a relative term, but for example: I am reading a book called “I Totally Meant to Do That” and shockingly, I would not classify that as a “smart” book)
12.   Lose 5 pounds
13.   Pay off my Student Loans
14.   Paddleboard down the river, or at Montrose Beach, or really anywhere.
15.   Take dance lessons
16.   See at least 5 movies I have never seen that everyone else has (for example: Pulp Fiction, Coming to America, Goonies, Back to the Future, Animal House, Caddyshack - I know, "Carrie! How have you never seen ____?!")
17.   Go to Chinatown and eat Dim Sum
18.   Go on vacation somewhere new
19.   Eat at Girl and the Goat, the Publican and GT Oyster (any others Chicagoans?) 
20.   Celebrate my 1 year anniversary with Chad (laaaaaaaaame, but true)
21.   Donate money towards a good cause
22.   Visit at least 1 Chicago museum
23.   Host a downtown Sister’s Weekend….with my sisters.
24.   Pay off my Car Loans
25.   Convince at least one of my friends named Melissa to move to Chicago (come on, girls – pack it up already!)
26.   Play hooky from work and go to the beach
27.   Take Chad to a Gator Game and introduce him to Pita Pit
28.   Earn the respect of my new client and prove myself in my new job
29.   Do 30 random acts of kindness
30.   Stop writing my blog only in moderation
Can’t wait to see what this year has in store for me! It’s good to be back.