Thirtysomethings...accomplishments and joys.

I will be 30 years old in two months and three days.  As I begin the last phase of the "I'm turning 30 freak out", I can't help but think of all the things I thought I would have by now.  I recently read a blog post on stumbleupon.com (if you haven't seen this site, it is a must!) written by a young man who had just turned 25 and was trying to make himself feel better about it.  I couldn't help but laugh, because 25 seems so far behind me now, even though it was just five years ago.  He wrote that he thought the blog post would be depressing, but it turned out he had a lot to show for his quarter of a century on Earth.  I was inspired to write my own, to try to convince myself that maybe 30 isn't so bad; and that even though there are so many things I'd like to have, I need to remember to be thankful for the things I do have.  So here goes...I am going to try to write 30 things I have done and seen.  I think I will do a series of posts on this...one of 30 regrets, one of 30 things I'd like to do before I die, etc.  This one is 30 things I am proud to have done and seen in my life.

1.  I have seen the sun set over the beautiful San Fernando Valley in Mexico.
2.  I have flown on an airplane, twice, by myself.
3.  I have carried a life within my body and felt that life moving inside me.
4.  I have given birth to a beautiful, healthy child...even though there were times I wasn't sure I could do it.
5.  I've had a one night stand...more than once.
6.  I've been drunker than I ever thought humanly possible and insanely hungover the next day...but I lived through it, and learned my lesson the hard way.
7.  I bought a car all by myself, with no cosigner, and have never missed or been late on a payment.  I plan to pay the loan off early.
8.  I know how to cook pretty well, if I do say so myself...and I enjoy it.
9.  So far, I've never applied for a job that I didn't end up getting.  That may change soon, as I am in the application process now.
10. I potty trained myself at 18 months.  Yes, I know I don't remember it, but being the parent of a toddler makes me proud of myself for that and appreciate how easy my 18 month old self makes it look.
11. I've been camping and know how to set up a tent, start a fire, and cook dinner over it.
12. I made it through when the only guy I've ever loved left me...even though at times it felt like my entire world was in pieces at my feet.  My heart was broken, but I came out the other side stronger and smarter.
13. I know all the words to nearly every song Garth Brooks has ever sung.
14. I completed my alternative teaching certification and jumped into teaching with absolutely no experience.  So far I've made it through two years...I've made mistakes, but I'm still here.
15. I floated the Illinois River and had an amazing time.  I plan to go back as soon as possible.
16. I have come out of my shell and met new people.  I still don't have a lot of self-confidence, but that is for another post.
17. I have raised my son for almost four years all by myself.  I am the only parent he has:  financially, emotionally, and physically.  I'm not a perfect parent, but he knows he is loved and that I will always take care of him.
18. I have lived in three different cities.
19. I went to college and graduated...even though it took nearly ten years from start to finish.
20. I moved back in with my parents when my son was born.  To some, this may not be considered an accomplishment or a "good thing".  To me, it shows that I was responsible and mature enough to know that I needed help financially, emotionally, and physically.  My son has had a much better life with us living with my parents than I ever could have given him alone at that time.  Now that he is almost four years old, I am finally at a place where I can seriously consider moving out and giving him the same quality of life...well, close anyway.
21. I have made many friends, and been strong enough to know when some of them were not friends anymore.  It took a lot of courage to cut those people out of my life, but I am much happier without them than I ever was with them.
22. I have, several times, read over 100 books in the course of one calendar year.
23. I have been to the ocean.
24. I have been out of the United States...to only one country so far, but that will change.
25. I have sat in the back of a pickup until 4 a.m. watching a full lunar eclipse...possibly the only one I will ever see in my lifetime.
26. I have stayed up for more than 48 hours at a time.
27. I kissed a girl...and I liked it.  :)
28. I decided to go back to school and get my master's degree.  I start in the fall.
29. I made it to 29 years old.
30. I have an amazing family and equally amazing friends.  Each one of them has supported me through so many things.  They know I love them and they know how much they mean to me.  I read a quote once that something about being lucky if you can count your true friends on only one hand.  I have about four friends who love me unconditionally and would do anything for me...that's plenty for me.  The rest is just gravy.

T minus 10 days and counting...

Today is the 10th to last day of school.  Every hour I am reminded of how much I will NOT miss about this place.  I pray that these kids learn what it means to be courteous and respectful so they can go out into the world and be productive citizens when they leave high school.  There are so many of them who just have no idea how people should be treated.  Not just teachers, but any human being.  They expect privileges and nice things from me, but in return they don't listen to a word I say, or deliberately disobey my orders.  This I have trouble understanding.  From the time I was young, my parents instilled in me the importance of treating others as you would like to be treated.  Everybody's heard The Golden Rule, right?  So why do so many parents refuse to teach their children this these days?  Even the Bible says, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."  I will be the first to admit I am not always a pro at following these rules, but I have never in my life treated anyone the way some of these students treat me.  It is appalling.  If I were ever to hear that my child had spoken to someone the way I have been spoken to here, he would not leave the house for a long time.  He would also not have any privileges like TV, phone, Internet, etc., for a very long time.  My parents would have been horrified had I ever spoken to anyone that way.  Kids these days are total pansies, and their parents let them get away with anything and everything.  They don't have curfews or punishments, they don't have to work for anything they have, and they are not taught to act like decent human beings.  I guess it's a generational thing.  I have several job prospects, and I hope and pray one of them pans out.  I don't think I will survive another year at this school.