30 Days to Turning 30...22 to go

A little adventure last night. I got in the car and started driving when a noise started. Oh dear, I think and look to see a flat tire! Wow, it's a first for me at the age of nearly 30! Had no idea what to do - can I drive, do I call AAA? So typical woman (yeah, definitely typecast here) I call the husband!

"Drive to the gas station and fill with air"

I drive to the gas station....a nervous wreck the whole way with the blinkers on and driving slowly. Can't make the air work....not filling it up. Call the husband again...tried again....you get the picture.

End up calling AAA and what a great service - didn't make me feel stupid that I could not change a tire, and within 30 minutes someone arrived, changed the tire in 5 minutes, and 5 minutes later I was on my way! I was wow'd (and thankful that I pay for AAA). I was also impressed by the phone agent, really how many times do you say this!, with her questions like "are you in a safe place"!

So lesson learned for turning age 30....you still have new life experiences...even some scary ones!

30 Days to Turning 30...23 to go

What a lovely day in California...it's been nearly 100 degrees and I sat in the sun for a little bit and had lunch. It brought me back to yesterdays reflection of enjoying the little things that bring you pleasure and especially as you get older, enjoy then while you can!
So I sat in the lovely sunshine and daydreamed about all those lovely things I could daydream about...people and places.
I'm getting the garden done at the minute and can't wait until it's ready so I can sit outside in my own garden and daydream there. Not sure on the timing, but hope it's done for the 30th birthday...
Other than that, it's work work work, so I think I shall go back to the daydreaming instead!

30 Days of Turning 30...24 to go

The countdown continues...feeling much less cranky than yesterday as I caught up on some sleep. Today I want to embrace turning 30 by being at the stage of life where I can enjoy the simple pleasures of providing a cup of tea to my husband, Dr N.

On most mornings, I wake up before Dr N and depending on what I sense from his grunts and noises, I then make him a cup of tea or stay well away. I proceed to make a cup of tea in a very deliberate manner that has several steps that must be followed to make a cup of tea for an Englishman...I know you want to know so here it is:

• Must be in a china mug...asking why gets you a scientific explanation of the materials


• Must use English breakfast teabag...imported from England (mother-in-law!)


• Must add water immediately after boiling to ensure the infusion of tea


• Leave the tea to infuse for 60 seconds maximum...any longer and it's over brewed


• Add sufficient milk to match the mood of Dr N. Grumpy mornings = extra milk


• Add sugar...sweet and low is preferred by me to prevent the alternative use of 3 spoons of sugar (yes, 3!)


• Stir and bring to Dr N whilst singing a song to signal it's on it's way, allowing him to "prepare" (i.e. wake up!)

This little pleasure has been repeated many times over the years and is something that brings us great pleasure. We get to wake up and spend a few minutes appreciating the little things we do for each other. So, I guess turning 30 is a chance to have perfected the morning cup of tea!

30 Days to Turning 30...25 to go

The opposite of a Friday....Monday! aarghh, the expectation of all those things to do and time lines to match...at least there is the rest of the week to get it done!
In the adventure of turning 30...the lesson today is...I need to sleep better on Sunday! LOL! Yep, really, Monday is better when you are wide awake and not dreaming about climbing back into a warm snuggly bed. Not sure that is a lesson about turning 30 or just the feeling of the day...but it sure does impact everything I've done today.
Cranky Bearded Lady signing off!

30 Days to Turning 30...26 to go

Yeah, I know, I know...I repeated a day. But for marketing reasons I stated 30 when it was really like 33 days, so I'll have to repeat a couple of days...
No life lessons today really to share....but some cool technology I found through Google....it's a video creator called Animoto that creates little videos from your photos...wicked!
Here's a little video homage to me turning 30...so cool I think it might have to come back on the actual Big 3-0 with a new one! Love the music selection as well...
http://animoto.com/play/CkesoTsTHDbI8W42v90P8A

30 Days to Turning 30...26 to Go

It's Friday...Hooray...always a different buzz to the air in the workplace on this day. People are wearing jeans, have a lunch out of the office, and enjoy a drink at the end of the day...aaah Friday.

In the countdown to turning 30 adventure, I attended a "Mentors" seminar last night. All about having people in our life that we can learn from as well as making sure we are also teaching our skills to others. One person asked "what do you do when your mentors start dying?" which caused us to laugh but reminded me of the fact that we all have to go at some point....hopefully many many more years past 30 for me!

I talked with the panel leader at the end and we talked about Millennial / Gen Y attitudes with Mentors and she asked me "are you a Gen Yer or Gen Xer?" This is the dilemma I face as a nearly 30 year old...no longer so identifiable as the "new kid on the block" but not distinguished enough to be "experienced in life"...

So I leave today thinking that 30 is like the "Twix"...the period after Christmas when all the fun of opening presents is over ...and before the New Year with all the new possibilities that may yet become.

30 Days to Turning 30...27 to go

What's new in the life of a nearly 30 year old? I went to a Personal Finance lunch sponsored by our work's women network. We all sat around...and yep I as the youngest by a few years and the biggest topic in the room was retirement planning. What's enough? How do I invest?


I am quite finance savvy (or at least think I am) and also understand the world or mortality...or should I say the longevity of life from my life as an actuary (another time...another place).



The consultant shared pictures about the "old retirement" and "new retirement" model. The picture here is not the same...but good enough. Retirement is no longer stopping work at 65. Else you can never really save enough to live the same for the next 30 years. Yep, I'm expected to live in "retirement" for the same # years I've existed so far! Another "30 year phenomenon"....So I gotta think differently what retirement is and how it happens.

An ideal retirement....

• I'll live on a sunny island (like Hawaii!) with Dr N (Mr Bearded Lady)
• Own and run a business remotely when ever I want to work...and not have to work
• And can afford to spend money as I want

All at Age 30...so only 27 days to go!