It’s supposed to be devo day today. But then, Monday was supposed to be random day. And Wednesday was supposed to be Welcome Mat guest day. None of which actually happened. Monday was more devotional and Wednesday was pure ACFW nostalgia. So today we’re going full out random. I promise to get back on schedule next week. But for now…
It’s my birthday! And I’m going to do something very special today. I’m going to eat this apple:
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| Look, it’s bigger than my coffee cup. And there’s no funky perspective stuff going on here. No Photoshop. Just a really, really huge apple. |
I paid $3.58 for this honey crisp beauty and it’s almost as big as my face. I’m seriously excited about this.
Now, because it’s my birthday and because I’m 31, I thought it might be fun to come up with a list of 31 things I might possibly do in this coming year.
The “might possibly” is very important, though. I sometimes have slight issues with commitment now and then. See, I can’t even commit to being noncommittal—I had to tack on the “sometimes” and “slight” and “now and then.” So I can’t really promise I’ll do all 31. But I’ll maybe probably do most…
1) Buy four new luxurious feather pillows. A birthday gift to myself.
2) Drink a total of 912.5 Diet Cokes with Lime. And no, that number is so not random. I actually did the math. On weekdays, I average 1-2 cans a day. On weekends, 2-4. I settled with a daily average of 2.5. Take that times 365 and viola.
3) Buy an iPad. Or a new Macbook. Or an iMac. Or, pull a bank job and purchase all three.
4) Finally get brave enough to try sushi.
5) Write 2 books. Maybe 3.
6) Unleash my inner marketeer, in prep for my debut novel, but also for the amazing, wonderful, awesome My Book Therapy.
7) Read the Bible.
8) Overcome my fear of Excel spreadsheets.
9) Find the perfect purple boots. I know they exist. Somewhere.
10) Get better at putting others before myself.
11) Re-watch every episode of Dr. Quinn. This seems like a very good use of time. But I might skip the one when Ingrid dies from rabies.
12) Go to Chuck E. Cheese’s at least once in the year…and beat every kid in the joint at skeeball.
13) Exercise. Like, for real.
14) Learn to talk less and listen more.
15) Get the oil changed in my car every three months or 3,000 miles. I figure it’s good practice for one day being a parent. Kinda?
16) Hire a tax guy. It’s time. No more taxact.com.
17) Drink eight glasses of water a day…which is possibly the most laughable item on this list.
18) Extravagant worship. Make it a lifestyle.
19) Practice at the whole public speaking thing.
20) Develop a social media strategy. Totally not joking.
21) Get as good at Dr. Mario as my bro-in-law.
22) Speaking of, convince my sister and brother-in-law to move in next door so I can see them and Ollie every day.
23) Say “I love you” more.
24) Set zero accidental fires.
25) Water my plants before they start dying.
26) Go to the dentist—I owe it to my parents for all the mullah they spent on braces for me.
27) Encourage like it’s second nature until it is second nature.
28) Write a song. It’s been too long.
29) Learn to grill the perfect steak.
30) Take more walks.
31) Find an even bigger honey crisp than the one I’m eating…right…now.
Have a great weekend! Anything special you hope to do in the next year, whether or not you’re 31?
The “might possibly” is very important, though. I sometimes have slight issues with commitment now and then. See, I can’t even commit to being noncommittal—I had to tack on the “sometimes” and “slight” and “now and then.” So I can’t really promise I’ll do all 31. But I’ll maybe probably do most…
1) Buy four new luxurious feather pillows. A birthday gift to myself.
2) Drink a total of 912.5 Diet Cokes with Lime. And no, that number is so not random. I actually did the math. On weekdays, I average 1-2 cans a day. On weekends, 2-4. I settled with a daily average of 2.5. Take that times 365 and viola.
3) Buy an iPad. Or a new Macbook. Or an iMac. Or, pull a bank job and purchase all three.
4) Finally get brave enough to try sushi.
5) Write 2 books. Maybe 3.
6) Unleash my inner marketeer, in prep for my debut novel, but also for the amazing, wonderful, awesome My Book Therapy.
7) Read the Bible.
8) Overcome my fear of Excel spreadsheets.
9) Find the perfect purple boots. I know they exist. Somewhere.
10) Get better at putting others before myself.
11) Re-watch every episode of Dr. Quinn. This seems like a very good use of time. But I might skip the one when Ingrid dies from rabies.
12) Go to Chuck E. Cheese’s at least once in the year…and beat every kid in the joint at skeeball.
13) Exercise. Like, for real.
14) Learn to talk less and listen more.
15) Get the oil changed in my car every three months or 3,000 miles. I figure it’s good practice for one day being a parent. Kinda?
16) Hire a tax guy. It’s time. No more taxact.com.
17) Drink eight glasses of water a day…which is possibly the most laughable item on this list.
18) Extravagant worship. Make it a lifestyle.
19) Practice at the whole public speaking thing.
20) Develop a social media strategy. Totally not joking.
21) Get as good at Dr. Mario as my bro-in-law.
22) Speaking of, convince my sister and brother-in-law to move in next door so I can see them and Ollie every day.
23) Say “I love you” more.
24) Set zero accidental fires.
25) Water my plants before they start dying.
26) Go to the dentist—I owe it to my parents for all the mullah they spent on braces for me.
27) Encourage like it’s second nature until it is second nature.
28) Write a song. It’s been too long.
29) Learn to grill the perfect steak.
30) Take more walks.
31) Find an even bigger honey crisp than the one I’m eating…right…now.
Have a great weekend! Anything special you hope to do in the next year, whether or not you’re 31?
And once again, I promise, blog order returns on Monday. 🙂
Comments 45
Happy Birthday!
Feliz cumpleanos!!
Boone fete a tois!
The third one was me signing ‘happy birthday’ in ASL.
You just can’t type that.
I’m turning 50, ( cough, hack, puke, cough) in May. In June my Mom is taking me on a 12 days cruise through the Mediterranean.
Before ANYONE gets all “well, just go ahead and brag” on me, this is the same woman who was abandoned at 22 with 2 kids and was 7 months pregnant. We’ve lived in roach infested tenements and HORRIBLE housing projects. We’ve been shunned because she was divorced and then married an ARAB???
God is GOOD. His mercies are new every morning.
She is saving up her money and we are going to celebrate the women we’ve become and what we survived.
I will never have a trip like that again and we are enjoying the anticipation of memories that will last the rest of our lives.
SO go ahead and eat that Honey Crisp the size of your head!! BTW, I LOVE those apples!! Good choice!!
You forgot #32-Marry Tim Tebow.
Jennifer — Now I want to meet you more than ever!I like the way you celebrate — and how you focus on who you’ve become, not who you were.
And thanks for tacking on #32 for Melissa. Why wait until her next birthday?
I’m with Beth, Jennifer–pretty sure I need to meet you. 🙂 Wow, that sounds like an amazing trip–and for seriously good reasons. I bet you’ll love it.
Ahhh, how could I leave Tim off the list. Well, I suppose I don’t want people to get Tebow fatigue here at Tag(g)lines…I know I never will, but just looking out for visitors. Haha!
Happiest of birthdays, Melissa, you young woman! I like your list ideas. That apple is the size of an elephant!
I think you and Tim would be a cute couple!
That makes three agreeing with Beth Vogt!
Hope your day is wonderful!
Miriam D.
I know! It’s the hugest apple ever! My mom asked me if I was sure it was an apple and not a watermelon. For the record, I ate the thing (and it IS indeed an apple) and felt like I’d downed two meals. Good stuff.
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Miriam!
Happy Birthday, Melissa!!!!
You go, Girl! but I’d take #17 off the board. With 2.5 cans of Diet Coke with Lime, 8 glasses of water is, like, not happening. lol nd so agree with #32.
Me, I’m going to write 2.5 books…maybe…this year. (you’re not the only one with commitment issues) And I love Honey Crips apples. They’re $2.29 a pound here in Mississippi, so I don’t get them often.
Haha, yes, if I fit in both the pop and the water, it will be a bodily feat. Ha!
Yeah, I rarely buy honey crisps–they’re so expensive. But I just couldn’t resist this one. The novelty of its hugeness was too tempting.
Happy birthday. What a great list! I want to do several of those things too.
Thanks, Julie!
Happy Birthday!!! I love sushi, as long as it California rolls with everything cooked inside, no big lumps of raw meat for me…is that still sushi?:)
This year I want to:
~balance my time correctly
~learn to plot just a tad-bit more
~be obedient in everything God asks me to be…the FIRST time around!
Have an AWESOME birthday, Melissa!!
I have never had sushi because the raw meat thing freaks me out–so yeah, is it still sushi if the fish is cooked?? 🙂
Balancing time…that’s a good one. I should add that to the list!
Happy birthday Melissa! After reading your list…I’m convinced we’re twins. I could have penned an identical list…seriously not even joking…right down to Dr. Quinn! 🙂 Plus we both turned 31 in Sept this year! How cool is that?
Thanks, Lacie! Yay for being twins. It’s funny…I keep meeting people who love Dr. Quinn. And you turned 31 this month, too? Sweet!! Happy birthday!!
Happy birthday, Melissa!!! May your year be filled with everything you wish for, including meeting Tim Tebow!
For me, my hope for the next year is to live each day with a spirit of joy. I had a couple of epiphanies at the conference, and I want to find the joy in the mundane just as I find the joy in the amazing. And I want to make my weight loss goals. And write more books.
Haha…yes, I’m so surprised at myself that I left Tim off. I hope he’s not offended. 🙂
Joy! Yes! And that weight loss goal…I will join you there…(she says after eating a huge lunch!)
Happy Birthday! Love your list. I want to live a contented life that pleases the Lord and to be more obedient. I can’t drink the 8 glasses of water. I feel sloshy and that’s just wrong.
Thanks for the birthday wishes. Your Tebow photo on my facebook wall totally made my morning–as I texted you earlier. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Happy Birthday to my wonderfully creative friend! I love your list. Love you more. Come to Colorado and I’ll ask my daughter-in-love to teach you to make sushi. Best-ever!!!
Thanks, Beth! Can I come to Colorado even if I don’t get brave enough to try sushi?? 🙂
Happy birthday, from one Melissa to another! Pro tips: Sushi is WONDERFUL, and Excel spreadsheets are not. Just my take on things. Hope you have a GREAT day, and enjoy that apple!
Haha, glad we agree on Excel. It’s the bane of my existence. 🙂
Happy birthday, girl! I have an equally impressive honey crisp awaiting me for breakfast! Great list, I added with so many. But I just say, I don’t think your public speaking needs any more work!
Yay for honey crisp apples! Thanks for the public speaking notes…haha! I feel like I get so stiff in front of people. I also should probably work on not mentioning Tim Tebow so many times in one talk. Ha!
Happy Birthday!!!!!!!! You’re going to rock 31 – you forgot to add Tim Tebow to this list and I was totally expecting it! I have to take exception to a handful of these things, because I know you’re already doing them really well – like encouraging others, listening, public speaking (ACFW was just last week, remember?!?!), and putting others before yourself. I know we can always get better, but I want to let you know that these are things I can see you are already good at. By the way, I LOVE Skeeball!!!! I wish we could find a Chuck E. Cheese in Minnesota in October! 🙂
Happy Birthday, again! God has some amazing blessings in store for you this year.
You are too kind, Gabe! 🙂 Thank you for the encouragement. Just FYI, I’m totally going to be reading your MS over the weekend. Woohoo!
OH, we should totally scope out a Chuck E. Cheese when I’m up in the Twin Cities. I bet we could find one… 🙂
Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Happy Birthday, Melissa!
Yeah – what everyone else said! Amazing things ahead for you, my friend. Excited to watch this year unfold.
Offering up a special birthday prayer for you today,
Becky
Thanks a bunch for the birthday wishes and prayers, Becky!
Happy birthday!!!! Yay!!
In 2013, I plan to celebrate big time, because a certain CP of mine will have her first book released. Hey, any excuse to party, right? And that’s a HUGE reason!!
And I have something you need to add to your list for the next year: visit Arizona!!!!
Dude, I totally should’ve added my Arizona visit to the list!! Yayyyyy!!!
Happy birthday, Melissa!! I turned 40 (FORTY.) on Sunday, so I’m loving your list!!
I’m going to start taking Geriatric vitamins. And stocking up on Depends undergarments. 🙂
This post reminds me of one of my favorite songs–“Next Year” by Jamie Cullum. Go check it out if you haven’t! And happy birthday!!
Haaaappy late birthday, Jill!! My friend, you are nowhere near needing geriatric vitamins and depends. You are going to rock 40!!
Happy Birthday Melissa! Great list. I especially love #17, which I don’t think I’ll ever been able to do either. I’m doing good if I actually drink one glass of water a day! : )
I’m so glad I’m not alone in my water drinking struggles, Cathy! Possibly I wouldn’t have so much trouble drinking water if I didn’t drink so much pop and coffee. Ha!
Happy birthday, Melissa!!! Enjoy that honey-crisp. 😉
Thanks, Sarah! I did enjoy the apple…felt like I’d eaten two meals!
Happy birthday, Melissa! I hope you have tonz of fun celebrating your 31-derful years. Loved your list.
Thank you, Keli! If today is any indication, 31 is going to be pretty darn good. 🙂
Happiest of birthdays to you. I so love your list. I’m sitting here reading it in a public coffee shop just giggling away. That’s such a good thing. May you accomplish your list, and may that bring you great joy and even more to others (especially since you’re trying to put them before yourself…) 🙂
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Tina! Glad you got a giggle–and a public one, at that!–out of it. 🙂
What do you mean you don’t encourage?? Girl, you keep me going more than once by just being YOU!
Happy, Happy Birthday! That’s a pretty awesome list. 😀
Ahh, thank you, Casey. You’re too sweet. You know, in some ways, it’s easier to encourage others when I’m happy or when things are looking up in life. But when I’m in the midst of not getting my way–haha!–I can get pretty self-focused. And that’s just…blah. So, I want to be an encourager–and others-focused person–always. 🙂
Awwwww, I missed your birthday! Happy Birthday!!!
I soooooo love your list! Seriously, I think I should have a list like yours…some of your things would definitely be on my list. Honey Crisp, dentist (I went for the first time in 12 years a couple of months ago!), drinking water…bleh…
Love it!
Hope your day was extra special.
It was definitely an extra-special day. Thanks a bunch, Sherrinda. And congrats on the going-to-the-dentist accomplishment. Oh man, I just can’t stand having my teeth scraped. 🙂
OHHHHH! We’re the same age! I turned 31 this year too!!
I LOVE your list… many of them I currently can/do do. Many others I’m adding to my own list!
Um, what is honey crisp? is that bad to ask????
Oh, and hope your birthday was fabulous!
Yay for being the same age. Woohoo!
Okay, honey crisp apples are like the best thing in the world. True to their name, they’re sweet like honey and so, so crunchy and crisp. Appley perfection. 🙂 They’re also ridiculously expensive.