27 at 27

27 is my lucky number. I can't remember exactly how it got started, but my friend Lesley and I have been semi-obsessed with this number since high school.

Anyway... I'm a a few weeks away from turning 27 and thought it would be appropriate (and fun) to make a list of 27 things to do whilst I'm 27. This is also a way to accomplish a few goals. I do much better when I have deadlines. I've searched the internet and my own brain for ideas of what to include on this list and this is what I came up with:

1. Visit a place I've never been. In my case this will be Hawaii. I have been planning this trip in my mind for years and it is finally in motion. This, at least as of now, is the most exciting event happening in my life next year.

2. Take a Class. I'm not sure what kind of class. Maybe painting or cooking.

3. Write a rough draft of a novel or short story. I'll never reach my goal of publishing a novel if I never finish the rough draft.

4. Get in the shape I want to be in. Some people would argue that I'm already in shape just because I weigh less than a certain amount...but to me being in shape isn't about a number. I want to be stronger, more toned and a little thinner. I hope to have this accomplished before my Hawaii trip in May.

5. Eat healthier. I know this is a goal one should always have, and I've been doing better lately. But I would like next year to be about eating more veggies and less Hamburger Helper.

6. Try a new vegetable. There are so many vegetables out there and I'm sure I've only tried a handful of them. I've met many a vegetable I didn't like, but in order to complete goal 5, it would be helpful to find more that I did like.

7. Go to a concert. The last few years I've been an avid concert-goer. I feel like I should carry this on into next year. 

8. Save more money than I did this year. I've managed to save around $1,400 this year, which is pretty good. But I'd like to save even more next year. After all, one does not want to live with one's parents forever.

9. See a play. Another recent obsession of mine. I love plays, high school and professional. My goal is to see at least one if not more next year.

10. Try my hand at photography. I bought myself an expensive camera last Christmas ($450 = expensive to me!) and haven't used it that much this year. Whether I decide to photograph scenery or people or objects, I hope to take more pictures than ever.

11. Do a wine tasting. I've tried a few wine samples at wineries in TN before, but never gone to an official wine tasting. I'm not a big drinker but when I do, I prefer wine. Or margaritas!

12. Eat at a restaurant I've never eaten at before. About a month ago, I went with my cousins and their boyfriends (yes, I am often a 5th wheel) to a Korean Bar-B-Q restaurant. I wasn't even aware such a place existed and no, they do not have what Americans consider BBQ. It had hints of hibachi (they cooked the food in front of you) but was unlike any food I've ever eaten. We had pork, chicken and steak marinated in an assortment of spices, spicy cabbage, bean sprouts, all on either rice paper or large radish slices. Plus we were given several sauces to dip our meat in. The food was really good and I've been dying to take my other friends there. Basically, I want to try a restaurant with food I've never eaten.

13. Along the same lines as 12, try new kinds of sushi. I've had sushi at a Japanese restaurant, a bar a grill (Drake's in Florence, KY) and once from Kroger, but I usually stick to the same kind (shrimp, crab and cream cheese). I want to branch out and try something new. Maybe I can find a good sushi bar to go to.

14. Run a 5K. My friends and I ran in the Color Run this year and had a great time. I'd like to find a new 5K to run in next year. Something fun. Maybe a mud run!

15. Watch Breaking Bad. I've heard this is an awesome show but I've never seen it. I think next year will be an excellent time to do that very thing. Netflix marathon!

16. Make a craft and attempt to sell it on Etsy. I love Etsy and have probably spent too much money on neat things I've found on there. The next step is to sell something myself. I'm not the most crafty or artistic person, but maybe I have an undiscovered talent for jewelry making.

17. Make a T-shirt quilt. I have a collection of T-shirts from back in the day that I do not wear but kind of want to keep. The solution: T-shirt quilt! I could send them off and let someone make the quilt for me (easy way) or I could purchase fabric, dig out my mom's old sewing machine and try to make it myself (possibly disastrous but more fun way). As I get older, I feel like I should really learn to sew. The only thing I've ever sewn in my life was a small pillow in an interior design class in high school.

18. Attempt a new activity. I have a few things in mind that all relate to Hawaii.

19. Have at least one themed party. I love themed parties! My biggest problem is I often spend too much on said parties. We may have to cut back next year, but I still intend to have at least one! (For party themes and ideas, see my other co-blog ourmcworld.blogspot.com.)

20. Bake a new kind of pie. So far in life, I have only attempted two homemade pies, blueberry and sweet potato. Yeah, I know, healthy eating and all that, but I love pie. And everything is okay in moderation...

21. Make a crafty map of the United States. Since one of my bucket list items is to visit all 50 states, I've always wanted a map that I can put push pins or photos of my visits on.

22. Learn how to curl my hair. I am terrible at styling my hair, which is why it is straight most of the time. I bought myself a styling wand on Black Friday so my goal is to learn to use it correctly.

23. Go to a drag queen show. I love watching Rupaul's Drag Race and think it would be awesome to see a drag show in real life.

24. Go glamping. I haven't been camping since I was a teenager and none of my friends want to venture into the woods. The compromise is glamping, or camping with style.

25. Do something that scares me. It doesn't really matter what exactly.

26. Re-organize my closet area. I say area because I don't actually have a shut in closet. It's more of a racks hanging on the wall kind of thing. I'm not sure exactly how I want to re-do it, but I know I want more hanging space for my bags (I have a bag problem!) and a bigger rack for my shoes (I also have a boot problem!).

27. Blog more! I've started a few blogs before and quit them before a year had even passed. And I haven't posted as much on my co-blog this year as I had planned. So next year I vow to try and update my blogs at least once a week.

So there you go. 27 at 27. Can I do it? Stick around to find out!