Turning 30 - top 10 discoveries

So I'm turning 30 in a week and it's not as bad as I thought it would be.

What I've discovered:
(some significant and insignificant discoveries)

1. I've discovered that it is TRUE that you don't really start to feel comfortable with yourself until at least LATE 20s, if you're lucky. I have a lot more self confidence than even a couple of years ago, and I use to believe that it only came from experiences and experiences that matured you but I now believe that age has a bigger part in it.

2. I've discovered that life is LONG. I feel and believe it now rather than just hearing that from people. I guess part of this is that I've only lived a certain amount of years but have been priviledged to experience some tremendous things. And can see in proportion that there are still many years ahead...

3. I've discovered through talking with older coworkers and such that there is hope for the future, that there are still a lot of things I can do that I haven't done yet. I work with a wonderful woman named J. who didn't have kids until after she was 30, and my boss had a major career change at 50 years old.

4. I've discovered that people I went to highschool with look really old. Being back in my home town I haven't really hung out with old highschool classmates but I've seen a few and they just look weird, for one thing a lot of them have partied hard and that aged them and some of them hung out in the sun or got fake tans which age you. But now we're all entering our 30s and I'm not as young as I still think I am.

5. I've discovered that everybody is weird in some way. Everyone is imperfect and has their quirks.

6. I'm discovering things about the adults around me, I've been thinking they have it all together, but they don't.

7. I've discovered I'm not a kid anymore, I've been able to discover things about the adults around me because now I'm seen as one of them. I am one of THEM. yikes.

8. I've discovered that living alone might not be that bad after all (i use to say I would NEVER live alone but now I'm considering it for when I move in a few months).

9. I've discovered there are books for almost everything including organizing your home, living in and decorating a studio apartment, and moving out on your own for the first time.

10. I've discovered that things don't matter, things, objects. All those little things I've held onto over the years (receipts, brochures, mementos, pencils with my name and pencils with my elementary school name on it, etc etc) I am now methodically throwing away. I can survive with the minimum material items and I don't have to, but it's a waste to try and hold onto things. PEOPLE MATTER MOST.

Here's my AMAZON wishlist in case you want to buy me something, (i'm only kidding but I nver say no to a gift)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/219UJOJ3G48VU/ref=cm_wl_rlist_go/102-5147088-5252954

Apartment Search

There's lots of great websites out there with helpful info. for moving and finding an apt. craigslist is just one of them. Another resource is rent.com and there are lots of apartments that are run by management companies and some of those companies have their own websites that list current vacancies, which is helpful, huh?

I have about 30 bookmarks in my aparmtent search folder.
Here are my top 5:

http://rent.apmportland.com/

http://www.portlandbridges.com/portland-neighborhoods/01-find-apartment-or-rental.html

http://www.rent.com/

http://www.move.com/

http://www.forrent.com/

I am moving to Portland in 6 months

So I have decided to move to Portland in January (although I hope I will actually be moving at the end of Decemeber so that I'll have at least a week to get settled before school starts January 7th).

I feel a bit afraid but really excited too.

I will be studying to be a special education teacher in elementary schools. This was a LONG process to come to this point and I had been planning to go to another school for about a year but after talking to a few people, praying, and writing out pro/con lists I QUICKLY came to the decision that my hope to move to the northwest was going to happen sooner than I thought and I feel like I have found what I am supposed to do next and I feel equipped to do it. I also have an interest in teaching kindergarten or first grade and special education teachers tend to burn out quickly due to strain on their time and loads of paper work, among other things.

Some of the things I'll be buying for the move:
1. One of those bright light lamps that helps beat winter depression (about $90)
2. A down vest
3. A GOOD umbrella

One thing I'm not sure if I can afford/or need
1. A Lands end commuter coat (about $80)

Some of the things I wish I could afford to buy:
1. A Treadmill ($500 to $2000)
2. A new car-Toyota Prius or a Honda (about $15,000 to $22,000)

One thing I've been thinking about buying but not sure if I will
1. A cruiser bike