30 before 30

My good friend, RdR, has inspired me to create my very own 30-things-I-want-to-do-before-I-turn-30-years-old list. If I can't cross-off all of these things from this list by Oct. 29th, well, I'll give myself an extension: Dec. 31st.

1. Apply to graduate schools!!!!
2. Celebrate my double-15th birthday with a quinceañera themed party.
3. Travel to NY with the bf and experience his NYC.
4. Lose those pesky 5 lbs.
5. Get a job in the mental health industry (or at least get a good job if I'm volunteering in the mental health sector.)
6. Join a dance class. Jazz please!
7. Reorganize and de-clutter the home office.
8. Host a nice party at my home with good friends.
9. Go out clubbing with my girls once a month! (This does not happen as often as I want)
   
10. Cut down on my TV addiction.
11. Introduce Mike to Nana.
12. Make a skirt from scratch.
13. Get better about managing my investments.
14. Start carrying my mobile on me again.
    
15. If I can afford it, either take more spin classes or pilates.
16. Find a great indoor hanging potter for our plants.
17. Be better about talking regularly to friends and family, near and far.
18. Get stuff out of my AZ storage.
19. Organize our magazines, cds, and dvds.
20. Draw or paint a picture for the apt. and hang it.
    
21. Do laundry more often (before I get down to my last pair of undies).
22. Get my CA driver's license. (breakin' the law, breakin' the law).
23. Organize online photos.
24. Fix my computer (or at least get a new one).
25. When said computer is fixed, make a cd for Mike's dad.
26. Backup files on external hard drive.
27. Take public transportation more often.
    
28. Hang out with my siblings in SD and get to know sister-in-law better. (I just visited with my Chi sib).
29. Go through a week without mentioning anything negative about my mind, body, or abilities.
30. Find a local coffee shop/library with comfortable furniture and work from there.
    
    

is life really what you make it?

I have a theory on life. Yes, I'm about "get all meta" on you, as my boyfriend would say.

The theory is best described through the example of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" (CYOA) books that were popular with pre-adolescent boys in the 1980s. These books began like any other book, giving the reader a buildup to a story. When the plot starts to form, the reader "creates their own tale" by choosing an option of how they would like to proceed in the novel. For example, if the protagonist comes to a fork in the road, the reader is given the choice to go left or go right. If they want to go left, then turn to page 99; if you choose to turn right, turn to page 74. From there, the reader will continue a storyline and proceed like this throughout the book until they either end up happily ever after, or die. More often than not they die. But the point is that the reader actively creates their own fate and discovers the consequences already predetermined by the text.

Like the CYOA books, I believe that we all have the choice and act of free will to do anything in our lives, however there are predetermined outcomes for these actions. an endless variety of fates, if you will.

I came to this hypothesis when I was the most hyper-aware and happy in my life. I started to notice that there were several small reoccurring coincidences. This I found to be almost like "markers" letting me know that I was on the right track to live out a "happily ever after" destiny instead of winding up miserable or dead.

I bring this up because my friend has a new man in her life. Not that's huge news for those who don't know her, but there might be a reason outside of her own control on why this happened and here's the coincidence to explain:

My friend's mother bought my friend some peonies the other day, just because. sweet huh? well, a few days later my friend tells me the news that she and this new guy are on a good track. So far, no coincidence to speak of. Then today, I happened upon this article about how Peonies are the flower that will bring you love. I don't want to say that this is her future husband, but I think she is on the right track right now for a relaxed and enjoyable romance that will make her happy.

What do you think? Is there some truth to my CYOA theory?