31

1. Happy birthday from Danni at 12 midnight
2. Long chat into the night about high school and boys
3. Enough sleep
4. A beautiful summer day
5. A nice relaxing facial the day before :) 
6. Studio Calico order for this,
7. this,
8. and this.
9. Great church worship and service
10. Let your glory fall in this place, let it go forth from here to the nations. Let your spirit come to this place, as we gather to seek your face.
11. Awesome birthday greetings from friends old and new, near and far
12. Good Chinese food for lunch
13. This sweet face                                                
14. This                                                                   
15. And this                                                        
16. Drove with Danni around the neighborhood. She tried parking. Still lots of room for improvement but she's definitely getting the hang of it!
17. A nap! 
18. Want to learn more about economics, politics and finance after watching Collapse with Michael Ruppert.
19. Yummy pasta dish for dinner. Thanks Ma!
20. Homemade Swiss roll for birthday cake.      
21. Topped with peaches and vanilla ice cream. So good!                                                                                                          
22. A red envie from my dad!                                                     
23. Washed the car. Inside and out. Thanks Dan!
24. Gilmore Girls 
25. The Big Bang Theory
26. Quality time with K - Mikimoto and Montecristo
27. Spilled the beans to Danni about Taylor Swift concert tickets
28. A good hair day                                                
29. A good fun birthday all in all. :)                   
30. To be alive and well
31. This one is just the icing on the cake!

These days...

...I'm taking a class from Simplify 101 called "It's About Time."

...I'm using my planner again.

...I'm addicted to Brandi Carlile. I keep playing this one.

...I'm planning to reread the Harry Potter series.

...I'm enjoying the down time from being off residency.

...I'm getting into the habit of waking up at 6 am everyday. How brave, right?

...I'm going to be spending some time in the studio. :)

...I'm starting to exercise again.

...I'm thankful for a lot of things -- Las Vegas trip recently where we spent a day at the Grand Canyon.

...I'm soaking in the written Word.

I have always written. Ever since I was a kid, I liked the act of writing. My teenage years provided the perfect backdrop for inspiration for poetry, short stories, and musings. All that angst. I have always kept a journal. Even in my adult years, I have found its company soothing -- a safe haven that's my own. I haven't written in a while. I would say ever since I stopped blogging. Out of curiosity, I came here, and checked on past posts. What a delightful surprise -- seeing the change, where I was, to where I am now. What gift. Again, perfect timing. It never fails to amaze me.

When I wrote last time, I said that I would post my List. Well, here it is:
29 Things Before I Turn 30
1. Submit research paper. - done 15/9 :)
2. Apply to residency program. - 16/10 :)
3. Read 10 chapters in Koda Kimble.
4. Finish 3 modules (HTN, Dyslipidemia, Metabolic Syndrome). - done Feb 2010 :)
5. Learn 1st aid, CPR. - 3/10 :)
6. Finish Europe album.
7. Finish Alaska album.
8. Make 25 LO's.
9. Join church small group.
10. Read the Bible in a year.
11. Be baptized.
12. Swim once a week. - Jan 2010 - present :) :)
13. Join Toastmasters - Oct 2009 :)
14. Join Mensa.
15. Make canvas for wall.
16. Paint table.
17. Hang frames in house.
18. Watch Mary Poppins.
19. Travel.
20. Read 15 books.
21. Read 1 classic --> Great Expectations.
22. Make a budget. - Feb 2010 :)
23. Get back into the exercise habit.
24. Make a will.
25. Experience being drunk.
26. Finish CC manual.
27. Finish CL manual.
28. Give a nursing inservice.
29. Memorize 5 Bible verses.

Back

I'm back. Back to everyday life. Also back to blogging. I took some time off away from here. I just couldn't be bothered to sit down and compose my thoughts into something intelligible. Everything has just been a mish mash of sorts...

Coming back from a week-long cruise is giving me some energy + focus though. Plus the fact that it's September and I can feel fall in the air. :) Speaking of the cruise, it was a great adventure! I want to go on another one next year. It was pure fun, sitting around + eating + just letting things be. I really enjoyed this trip. Every time I go on a trip, it's usually go-go-go. Itineraries packed to the brim. But cruising is a totally different way of traveling. Will definitely look into going on another one...:) What a great way to celebrate my birthday. Well, technically I had my birthday before I left for the trip, but I always said that I'd celebrate my day on the ship. Since Sis #4's birthday is 5 days after mine, we've often celebrated them at the same time. I have a video of when I had my 16th, and her 2nd, at Jollibee. Fun times. Anyway, this year, we got cake and were sung to by the whole dinner restaurant and staff. It was special.

First day back at work today. Swamped with emails and catching up with stuff. It feels good to be back though. Slowly getting into the groove of things. Looking forward to finishing up things I left hanging before my trip...

And since it's over, I'd like to post my list of things to do before turning 29. I made this list in early June, so my excuse for not accomplishing everything on this list is that I only had around 3 months to finish them instead of a full year. :) Will post my new list in the next day or so...

1. Submit research paper.
2. Finish my Europe album.
3. Travel. -done
4. Submit a LO for a challenge. -done
5. Submit a LO for a contest. -done
6. Submit a LO for a guest designer call. -done
7. Join a Bible/church group.
8. Get a wall mirror. -done
9. Bake something. -done
10. Organize my craft room. -done
11. Read 5 books of the Bible. -done
12. Swim once a week.
13. Paint table.
14. Watch a movie in the cinema. -done
15. Read chapter on UTI in Koda-Kimble.
16. Read chapter on Osteomyelitis in Koda-Kimble.
17. Hang frames in house.
18. Read 3 books. -done
19. Get a camera! -done
20. Walk across Golden Gate Bridge. -done
21. Watch Mary Poppins.
22. Learn to change my tires. -done
23. Start a blog. -done
24. Reconnect with old friends. -done
25. Visit Mary Ann. -done
26. Join Mensa.
27. Join Toastmasters.
28. Make something for my wall and hang it.