29 Things to do Before I Turn 29

Written by Bessie about United States. Feelin' excited

I love birthdays. I love everything about being around the people you love and celebrating nothing else than it's the day you were born. And there's cake. I love cake, too.

That's my piece!

Having spent my past 2 birthdays out of the country in Japan and El Salvador, I'm reveling in being being home for this one. My brothers and I all have birthdays in the same 2 week time, and it's been a long time since we've all celebrated together. Today my jam-packed birthday fun day started with breakfast with my dad & stepmom, and will continue with tea with my mom, pie with my Poppa & stepdad, and Mexican at a byob with some of my closest friends. With more cake.

July birthdays rock! We turned 28, 35, and 32.

I'm reveling in being home, and it's gotten me really excited to look ahead to my next year of life. Andi just celebrated her 28th birthday too, and she inspired me to make a list of things to do this year. I don't like a lot of rules and restrictions, but great things to aspire to. Here's my list of goals. I can't wait.

Completed are emboldened! (Updated July 2011)

1. Hug an elephant (changed from ride)
2. Pet a tiger. - Couldn't guarantee the tigers weren't drugged for my petting pleasure, not going to do it.
3. Spend a week in an Ashram. - How about a week in my fav yoga studio?
4. Love on my yoga mat so much it wears out. - Loved it a lot, but my Jade mat is holding up!
5. Do a yoga teacher training. - maybe 2012
6. Visit Angkor Wat. - Oct 2010
7. Climb 2 active volcanoes.
8. Swim under a waterfall.
9. Go to 3 new countries - India!! - Got 2: Cambodia & Myanmar
10. Volunteer 50 hours.
11. Run a business with Kyle.
12. Get running again. Train for a 10k. - not yet
13. Use my neti pot at least once a week.
14. Celebrate 3 yrs of traveling with Kyle in Jan.
15. Hug 10 people on Christmas. - yea Chiang Mai friends!
16. Squeeze all my nieces and nephews again.
17. Take Kyle to a water park.
18. Smile so much my face hurts.
19. Make friends to play Settlers of Catan with on the road.
20. Learn the sanskrit names of all my fav yoga poses.
21. Meet up with 3 friends from TBEX.
22. Make someone laugh while I'm speaking Thai.
23. Live under $40/day for a month - that's for 2 of us.
24. Sing at a noraebang. - yea karaoke!
25. Learn how to make Thai and Indian food.
26. Make another Blurb book.
27. See a whale in the wild.
28. Visit friends in Holland, Sweden, and Vienna.
29. Carve a pumpkin.

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July 27, 2010 Andi: HAPPY BIRTHDAY FELLOW LEO!!! I hope today is filled with nothing but celebration (and lots of champagne). I'm glad that I inspired you and thanks for the shout-out. You know, I thought my list was challenging, yours is WAY harder.

July 29, 2010 Bessie: Oh no, way harder?! I'm up for the challenge! :) Thanks for the inspiration, and here's to us having an awesome year being 28!!

July 27, 2010 Shannon OD: Happy B-Day Bessie!! I am super sure that we can make number 21 happen! :-)

July 29, 2010 Bessie: Thanks, girl! I'm so excited that it will!

July 27, 2010 Cody McKibben: Happy birthday Bessie! Hope you guys are having a good trip back to the States, but it sounds like you need to get your arses back out here to Asia to cross some of these off your list in the next year! Hope to see you both when you return… say hi to Kyle! ;)

July 29, 2010 Bessie: You're spot on, Cody. :) We're back in Thailand on Sunday. Hope to see you!

July 27, 2010 Kate: Happy birthday, fellow July birthday girl! What a fun list for your 28th year. We're headed to New Zealand and Australia next but we'll have to meet up somewhere before next July since we play Settlers of Catan. Maybe we'll see you in India or Thailand since they're on our list for 2011. Cheers!

July 29, 2010 Bessie: Meeting you for Settlers would rock - awesome you guys play too! Have a great time down under! Happy travels & hope we cross paths!

July 28, 2010 Lily: Happy Birthday Bessie = gosh 28 I remember that feeling!....and please, what is a neti pot?

July 29, 2010 Bessie: Thanks, Lily! A neti pot cleans out your sinuses with water. It sounds a bit strange, but it's awesome if you're someone that has the slightest bit of allergies. Here's a great source: http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/netipot/netipotgateway.aspx

July 28, 2010 Wendy: Happy Birthday, Bessie!

July 29, 2010 Anne: I LOVE number 28!!!! PLEASE make that happen!!!

and as for the neti pot---just put it in your shower and clean those sinuses along with everything else. So long as you shower at least once a week, number 13 should be a piece of cake :)! And speaking of cake, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

July 29, 2010 Bessie: Love the neti pot in the shower idea - brilliant! Hope we do come out to see you - would be aweeeeeesome!!

July 30, 2010 Jen: Happy Birthday, Bessie! You share a birthday with my husband Ben. :) Hope it was a great one! I'll look forward to reading the stories as you attain your new goals.

By the way, I just finished reading a book I thought you and Kyle might enjoy- "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Donald Miller. It's about a guy who decides to take his life in a new direction, so it reminded me of your adventures, and it's got a couple of travel stories too.

Best wishes for a great new year!

August 06, 2010 Bessie: Your husband has a great birthday and a great name! My brother and my nephew (no relation) are both named Ben and their birthdays are the 16th and 20th of July oddly enough. :)

I'll definitely pick up that book if I come across it. If nothing else, having a bike tire on the cover would make me want to get it. :) And thanks for the wishes for a good year - I'm ready for it!

July 30, 2010 Earl: Happy Birthday!! Or as they say in Thai I believe, sook sun wan gerd! Just say that when you arrive in Thailand and you'll check off #22 quite quickly. I'm also with Shannon on #21. I have no doubt we can make that happen and I'll be looking forward to it!

And who says you have to stop eating cake once your birthday is over!

August 06, 2010 Bessie: We just got to Chiang Mai, and I'm going to totally try sook san wan gerd out tonight!

I'm excited at the prospect of crossing paths again, and we can have our cake and eat it too! Get it? :)

July 31, 2010 mumsie: In my life, I launched three meaningful adventures. ONE of them began 28 years ago! Hmmmm... :-D LOL xox

August 06, 2010 Bessie: Bravo mommy! And so glad you did!! Thanks for birthing me!!! :) hee hee Love you!

July 31, 2010 Nomadic Matt: I think those are totally possible!!!!

August 06, 2010 Bessie: Right?! I know! I'm on a mission this next year, and I can't wait!

August 08, 2010 alex: Love the list! (and happy birthday too :-p)

August 10, 2010 Linda: We loved having you home for your birthday and having the three "birthdayers" in the same place on the same day! Rare indeed!

August 12, 2010 Bessie: Rare is definitely the word, and it was so wonderful! I can't remember the last time we all did that, it's been quite a while!

March 10, 2011 Claire: Just happened upon your site and this list. I love it! We're on a 6 month trip through Australia and South America; I'll have to come up with a list of my own!

September 30, 2011 Gerard ~ GQ trippin: Cool list! I'd have the toughest time w/ carving a pumpkin. Was never that great in arts & crafts class. =P