30 Days of Turning 30 Recap

It's not easy celebrating a birthday for a whole month.  I think it falls under the category of "too much of a good thing."  I do, however, think it was good for me and Tommie to push ourselves to get out more, keep track of local events, try new things, and to be more conscious of how we spend our days--before we're so old we can't remember anymore.

It's no surprise that a lot of what we do involves eating.  At least half of our 30 posts included some kind of food.  It's also promising to see that the majority of things we did cost little to no money--even some of the events we attended were free.  There are a lot of cool free things to do around Durham if you look.  Our most expensive days were spent at big events like a concert and the state fair.  

I'm sad October is over, but we can't force ourselves to have fun forever--it's tiring.  This was good practice for the upcoming months when we have a couple weeks around the holidays to do fun things with guests, and now we know a little bit more about the place we live.

30/30: Blinded by the Light

October 21st

We saw Tommie's favorite band/idol/hero/man-crush, NIN, play at the PNC arena in Raleigh.

Trent puts on a concert with a light show attached (I keep telling Tommie it's the same as what Moby used to do, but apparently it's a little more involved than that).  

There were lots of lights--I'm not sure how the band has not gone blind playing all these shows.  At times, I put on my sunglasses and closed my eyes and it was still too bright.  Then again, I have large sensitive eyes...and I'm old.

NIN puts on a good show as far as entertainment goes.  Tommie, of course, loved it even if Trent forgot to give him a 3oth birthday shout-out.

30/30: Masquerading

October 19th

Tonight was our birthday milestone masquerade.  It was also our first occasion hosting a group of people in our new house!

I set up different "stations" for mask-making, cupcake decorating, eating, and hanging out.  We were turning 30, but I basically wanted to throw myself a kid's party--I'm pretty sure that's a sign of some kind of crisis, but I'm okay with it.  

Our guests were kind enough not to make fun of me, even getting into the spirit themselves, and we enjoyed a nice night of conversation in between crafting and food eating (Tommie's "famous" buffalo chicken pizza was a hit).

Thanks for being a part of our 30th!

30/30: Art and Baking

October 18th

On the third Friday of every month, Golden Belt downtown has open art studios.  We also stopped by a gallery on Foster Street that was promoting a new documentary about Patrick Dougherty--he creates the coolest art from sticks.  He had an installation at our old college campus (Wheaton College in Massachusetts) several years ago which we saw with my cousin.

 (Below: Patrick Dougherty's work at Wheaton.)

The rest of the night was spent party prepping.  I got a jumpstart on my baking.  The cupcake-to-person ratio will be about 4-1, so according to my standards, just right.

30/30: Happy New Era!

October 16th

For my last photos in my twenties, I wanted to pay homage to my running status as the world’s last young, old person.  Though, if it wasn’t a Wednesday night in North Carolina (and probably if my sister was around)…I’d prefer to be spending my last hour watching the Thunder Down Under.

I tried to think of something ceremonious I could do.  People like to plant trees.  I recalled a seedling packet for a Japanese Red Maple (I love those trees) that we received as a favor during a wedding we attended when we first moved to San Diego.  I have no idea if the seeds will still sprout, but I planted it right before midnight and made a wish.

Of course, I had to stay up until midnight of my birthday just like you do on New Year’s.  Only I’m the only person cheering, “Happy new era!” like the crazy old lady I now am.

30/30: A Poetic Evening

October 13th 

After some light house projects and a couple rounds of bowling for Tommie with his guy friends, we spent the evening at a free poetry reading by Richard Blanco (Obama's inaugural poet) at The Carolina Theatre.  

I always enjoy poetry readings because you get to learn about the backstory of the poet and it givers greater depth to their poems.  Blanco's poems (and stories) were very entertaining and funny, and explored concepts of culture, identity, and family, which are universal themes, therefore, easy to relate to.  It's great to see a poet like him gaining traction and interest.

After the reading, I had my book signed and told him that he ironically lives in the same small town in Maine as my parents (I did tell him, Dad, that you two have yet to meet.  He said that eventually it seems everyone there does end up meeting, so don't worry there's still time.)

30/30: Night at the Museum

October 10th

Since it was free admission night at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University and we hadn't been since last spring, we thought we'd check out what kind of new exhibits were cooking. 

I liked everything, but I really enjoyed Doris Duke's Shangri La exhibit.  I had no idea about her private collection of Islamic art and the five-acre estate in Hawaii (now a cultural center) where she housed it.  

Several beautiful photographs of the estate were lit up in large light boxes.  The 3D effect made me feel like wish I was there.  I really appreciate the style and the architecture--maybe because it reminds me of our honeymoon in Turkey, or because it involves a lot of pretty lanterns, and you know I'm a sucker for that.

30/30: Party Planning

October 4th 

We're officially throwing ourselves a 30th Milestone Birthday Masquerade.  For some reason, I've always wanted to have a masquerade ball and I feel like I'm getting a little old for it--this could be my last shot.  I envisioned having it in a dark hall with spiral stairs and balconies, but since we bought a house and spent all our money on that, we're having it in our living room.   

Today, I printed the invites which I created using this super easy (and free!) template from Greetings Island.  

Tonight we took advantage of this warm October weather (mid-80's which still takes some getting used to when you're from the north), and ate Chipotle on the deck with Maya.

30/30: The Elves

October 3rd 

We took Maya for a walk in Forest Hills tonight.  This is a historic neighborhood with really pretty houses and nice open fields.

Ironically, earlier in the day, I came across this article from USA Today about The Tiny Door Project.  Inspired by those "evil" little elves from Keebler, itty-bitty doors are popping up on trees across the country. They list one in Elmira Park in Durham, but it's not a park we frequent.  With elves on the brain, I was excited when I spotted this tiny door tucked into a tree in Forest Hills.  

Of course, I would have been more excited if it was filled with cookies, 

30 Days of Turning 30 Kick Off

October is my birthday month and this month I'm turning 30.  It's impossible, but apparently true.

My late twenties were not easy on me, so in a way, that's the silver lining--I'm not dreading the milestone of entering a new era.  Still, I feel like I should be doing something to commemorate the moment.

I wish I came up with the idea sooner, but last night (September 30th) at 11 p.m.  I decided my husband and I (he is turing 30 this month too) should challenge ourselves to "30 Days of Turning 30."  I don't know exactly what this means, but it currently means thinking of something fun and creative to do each day of our birthday month.  Some days it can be as simple as taking a good walk or cooking a good meal, other days it should be more elaborate.  If my sister were here, she'd call it her "30-Day Shit Show."  We're a little more sophisticated (and lame) than that.

October 1st

Seafood sales at Harris Teeter prompted us to cook a fish dinner with a "side" of baked lobster tails.  Fish is a rarity of us nowadays because it's hard to get wild caught, fresh(ish), affordable fish in the middle of the state.  

Lobster is always a good way to kick off a birthday month.

Crazy in North Cackalacky

If I had blogged this past month, each post would have been titled "Why I Hate Doctors."  After seeing numerous doctors and specialists for chronic abdominal pain, having complications with a small procedure, and ending up in the ER, I realized that I was right all these years not to trust doctors.  I'm going with my gut, literally, and switching to an integrative health practice, and I feel better about it already.

Ironically, I have lived in three major medical/research areas in the country (San Diego, Boston, and now Raleigh/Durham)--surrounded by my medical mortal enemies (only a slight exaggeration).  Taking a more holistic/creative approach sometimes makes me feel like I'm the odd girl out...especially in the south.  I'm not sure where my quirky views and lifestyle fit here in north cackalacky, and I definitely find myself holding back for fear of saying/doing something too off-color.

I'm not used to being the craziest person around.  I've always been weird, no doubt, but (aside from my opinion that childbirth is actually the most unnatural thing in the world) I don't think I'd win the prize for crazy...until now.  People here don't talk about going to hippy doctors; they don't believe in astrology more than God; they don't use adjectives like "shitty"; and in reference to The Bachelor, they claim they would never kiss someone on national television.  Pa-lease.  They'd be lucky if I stopped there (again, only a slight exaggeration).

Maybe I need to meet weirder friends; maybe I need to accept that until more northerners keep moving down here, I'll be one of the pioneer weirdos in the south.  Onward!

Christmas Tree Alternatives

Downtown Durham lights the Lucky Strike water tower for Christmas, though if you ask me it could use a little more "oomph." I was more impressed by the luminaries lining the waterway.

Also, Tommie's work decorated a tree for charity along with lots of other Durham non-profits.

We don't do trees in our house, so the closest I get is decorating the mantle and putting up our little tin tree. 

While part of it is just to avoid the hassle, the other part is because real and artificial trees are not environmentally friendly. My husband is a real Grinch about it, but it does make sense when you think about every household in America that has to cut down a tree, or buy a plastic tree from China.

While I do miss the smell of fresh pine, I'm definitely willing to try some of the interesting tree alternatives out there.

Like making a tree from branches or driftwood:

Found here.

Getting a reusable wooden tree from Possibilitree or Jubilieetree:

Hanging ornaments on branches in a vase:

Found here.

Or going with a living tree we could plant afterwards:

Found here.

Booger Table Makeover

I'm not sure where the time is going, but it's going. Before it gets too cold to sand and paint outside, I've been trying to finish up some DIY projects, like redoing this $50 drop-leaf dining table we Craigslisted from a woman we are pretty sure was on drugs (more reason to Craigslist in two's). 

It was used as a kid's drawing table and had marker smudges and, I think, boogers stuck to it. First, I gave it a light sanding, and primed the dark green legs. 

I knew I wanted to paint some portion of the table orange after being inspired by these refurbished orange tables on Pinterest:

Found here

Found here

I had some leftover pumpkin-colored sample paint which I used for the legs, and gave the top a crisp white coating for contrast.

After a couple coats of polyurethane on top and some wax finish on the legs, I think it's ready to host meals just in time for Tommie's parents to visit us during Thanksgiving week.

Before

After

The once dark dining nook when we first moved here is looking a lot brighter.