Widdy's List

Poster: Widdy

Miami, Florida, Summer 2009: I was sitting by the pool at the Delano Hotel, sipping on a cocktail and looked down at my pair of 34B's. I sighed, sat up, and said, "Girls, mark my words. By my 30th birthday, I am buying myself a boob job." The "stacked" ones told me I was crazy, the "flat" ones asked if they could join me. But overall, they all thought I was joking, but I wasn't. I really wanted a boob job, and I was serious! Three months later, I turned 29 and suddenly I began to panic. I thought to myself, "F...I only have a year??? How can I possibly manage to save enough money for this? Can I really go through with it?" I decided to tell my mom the plan, and to no surprise she was appalled, even teared up. Although I am still on the fence with the pending breast augmentation, it got me thinking. I am one of the oldest girls out of my friends. I will be the first to turn 30. I need to do something...

I've spent all of my 20's living with girlfriends, whether it was college or in the city. I can honestly say, I've had a damn good life. I have a group of girlfriends that roll about 12 or so deep that all remain fairly close. Being in our late 20's, I am sometimes surprised by how well we've all stuck together. We've had weekly dinner nights, vacations to Vegas and Miami, ski trips, parties, and every year we celebrate each others birthday with a BYOB dinner followed by drinks later at a bar. We've done this every single year since we graduated college in 2003. That's impressive! We look forward to these times, I look forward to them. Because let's face it, life changes when you get older. Between our social lives, work, family, and God forbid some personal time, it's so easy to get consumed by our everyday schedules. Sometimes we let it get the best of us, and we put those things we "wish we did" aside.

Today I am 29 years old, have a great job, amazing family, and a fantastic group of friends. However somewhere along the way these past few months, I lost track of that independent girl I once was, the one who was not afraid of trying, the one that made her own life a priority, and the other night I proposed "The Bucket List" to my girlfriends. So here we are, only days later, and we're doing it. :)

So did the boob job make my top 10? No, unfortunately it did not and that's not to say it will never happen. But until then, my cutlets will just have to do.

1. Plan to do as much traveling as I can these next 9 months. San Fran in March, Austin, TX later this spring, Hilton Head, NC in September, and who knows where else. We'll just have to see because according to # 4, I need to start saving more. :)

2. Run a half marathon. With all the running I have done, I still seem to believe that 8 miles is my personal limit. Well, that's BS, I know I can do it. So on August 1st, 2010, I will run the Rock & Roll Chicago Half Marathon (hopefully with friends by my side).

3. Renew a relationship with my childhood best friend. After college, I lost touch with a girlfriend of mine that I've known for 26 years. I once read a quote that said, "A friend is one of the best things you can have, and one of the best things to be." I plan on making sure I am there for her.

4. Put savings away on a regular basis. I could blame the prior six months of unemployment, but I won't. It's time to step it up, and I will.

5. Develop a training program for my department. I was given a wonderful opportunity to establish, develop, and grow the recruiting department for my company. With the amount of growth we're anticipating, I plan on expanding my department within this next year. I want to make sure whomever I take under my wing will have all the tools they need to be successful. (Side note: Things happen for a reason!)

6. Sing Karaoke at a bar by myself in front of all of my friends. I am dreading this. I have no problem standing up and giving a presentation in front of a large audience, however singing??? Sheesh, keep those vodka sodas a comin.'

7. Help my dad focus on his health. In the summer of 2001, my family and I were on our way home from boating on Lake Michigan when my dad began having a severe heart attack while driving on Lake Shore Drive. It was the worst day of my life, and while I was sitting there in the emergency room, holding the chaplain's hand, praying for my father's heart to start beating again, I thought of all the things I wanted him to be there for in the future. Today, I know he's not as active and healthy as he should be, so I plan on making sure I do my part in helping him be there for my family and myself down the line.

8. Go skydiving with a friend. I hate roller coasters, escalators, and mostly this idea. But F it, I'll do it.


9. Sew a complete outfit for myself and wear it. Totally random, but if you knew me, you wouldn't think that. I've been sewing since I was in elementary school and have many unfinished projects I need to tend to. I made a dress once and plan on doing something like that again.

10. List all 44 U.S. Presidents in order by memory. I can name the first nine by singing the President's song, and as for anyone else before Carter, I'm screwed. Hopefully there's a song out there for all 44.