30!

I just turned 30 this past weekend.  And while everyone knows that 29 and 30 are objectively not all that different, it certainly feels like a major milestone.  Part of me has been thinking about where I thought I'd be at this age and where I actually am, and all the various paths I've been on - including having lived in somewhere around 11 different places in the 11 years since I finished high school (some more temporary than others).  But the other part thinks of the great mystery and adventure that awaits this next decade!

My 20s were definitely an adventure, moving to places I'd never been and diving into new experiences.  I've made some wonderful friends who I will cherish for the rest of my life.  I've married an amazing man who I am thrilled and even relieved that I am spending the rest of my life with.  And my name has changed, including the addition of a whole bunch of letters I can put after it from the three degrees I earned in my 20s.

So what are my lessons from my 20s?  Here's 10 that come to mind.

1. Try new things.
2. Leave bad things behind (like bad jobs or bad dates).  
3. Don't quit a job before you have something else lined up.
4. It's ok to change your mind about what you want to do with your life.
5. Learn to recognize patterns of behavior you don't like and stop repeating them.
6. Travel.
7. Save your money, but treat yourself to rewards when you accomplish something.  Remember that social security is not something our generation can rely on.
8. Appreciate your health.  It's probably the best it's going to be, so try to keep it that way.
9. Do NOT compare your life course to anyone else's.
10. Good friends are better than gold.  Make an effort to make new friends, especially when you move to a new place, and check in with the old ones regularly even if you live thousands of miles apart.  Not easy when you've moved a lot and your friends are all over the world!

 oh, and get a fantastic cake and OWN your 30th birthday!

29 with cheese and wine

Here's me (and Binsey) with the spread we had for my wine & cheese birthday party a few weeks ago. It was delicious, and we had sooo much good cheese! I finally got to use the cheese dome my friend Holly gave us for our wedding, which was very useful since we got some real stinky cheeses. I also realized we need to have more parties!

The Birthday Dog

Somebody just turned 1! We think Binsey was born around July 4 (the guy we got her from did not remember when the pups were born). It is crazy that the 4.5 pound roly-poly pup we brought home last August is now a 62 pound nearly-grown dog. We've been keeping a chart of her growth. Hopefully the slowdown will continue because I struggle to lift her!


She is getting a bit too large for the dog bed we bought last year (and had to hide from her for a few months because she was eating it). You can see she is unsure of how she feels about it.



In people news, we have been grilling out a lot. Last week, we tried out our new rotisserie with some pork. The rotisserie has a motor on one end, so you just put it in there with the rotisserie burner on, push the button and let it cook. Yum!

Happy 30th Birthday to my Wonderful Husband!

Yup, it's been 3 decades since Mr Paul Simacek was born. I am so blessed to have such a supportive, loving husband with whom I can celebrate in this moment. We've feasted on a wine & cheese dinner, of course, and played with our puppy in our new house. It doesn't get much better than that!

No More Youth Discount!

I turned 26 on March 31, which means I am no longer a "young person" in England, and cannot get the "young person's discount" on the train. However, I had a really nice birthday. Paul took me out to a Thai restaurant that a colleague recommended to me, called Chiang Mai Kitchen, and it was fantastic. The highlight was scallops with some sort of hot sauce - it sounds strange but it was sooo good!

I also got a second birthday celebration when Danalisa and Amanda took me out for dinner and a movie (27 Dresses). It was so nice to have a girls night, as I don't get to see them as much as I'd like to since I've been working full time. Here we are at the Giraffe having dinner: