Lessons Learned in Chicago

Fact: don't wear a fitted skirt if you are walking to work in the winter... unless you want to end up wearing it like a backward-fitting tube top. 

Well Hello, Monday...

...whatever I did to piss you off, I'm sorry, please forgive me. 

What happened, you ask? 

Well let's just say if you had seen me on the corner of Huron & State you would have had a good chuckle. That's where I lost an umbrella (after it got caught in my hat), the curl in my hair, [almost] my phone and my dignity. 

The struggle is alive & well. 

Day 1: NO M&M Challenge #30before31

Well let's just be thankful that I didn't challenge myself to 1) stop complaining about the weather or, 2) stop drinking wine for a month. Because I would have already failed...  

Anyway, for my first challenge, I've decided to test myself to a month of NO M&M's. That's right, that includes any of the peanut, almond, peanut butter (need I go on?) varietal. 

You may laugh, but I don't think you know how hard of a challenge this will be for me. Especially if you consider my co-workers made about 6 jokes this evening alone regarding my habit of frequenting the candy drawer at work. [I mean who doesn't love the luxurious taste of milk chocolate and the satisfying crunch of almonds - all wrapped into one delightful bite?].

But I'm going to do it. And I've successfully made it through Day 1. Only 29 days to go. 

Unfortunately - much to my chagrin - I don't think this will actually help me lose 5 lbs. as I originally projected. You see, this cold weather here is Chicago is driving me to find refuge at local waterholes on the route home from the office. Where the thought of dropping a pretty penny for a glass of wine & eating fried pickles is ten times more appetizing than going back out into the winter tundra. 

Regardless, stay tuned for the next episode of this epic battle between MEM (these are my initials) and the M&M's. 

#30before31

Now that I'm 30 (and single), I can't think of a better time to challenge myself to do something new. Or 30 new things. All to be completed before I turn 31 (#30before31). 

My stipulation for these 30 things is that they need to 1) challenge me, 2) put me out of comfort zone and 3) are overall positive in nature (ex. taking 30 shots in 24 hours would not be a good example of this).  

And - because of the nature of these challenges - I could really benefit from a successful challenge. Or crash and burn (literally or figuratively) from a not-so-successful one. But regardless, I hope to have fun, learn a lot from these challenges and get some good content to post about from these challenges. NOTE: I'll do my best to use pseudonyms if you are a part of the documentation if it might compromise your reputation. ;) 

I debated whether or not to document the list on this blog (because it could be very obvious what I am doing if people know) but decided to go for it. 

So here's officially the #30before31 list: 
1. Take someone "important" to lunch/happy hour/dinner and listen a lot (this makes me so nervous)
2. Publish a piece of content (book, poem, article)
3. Actually date someone for real - this one's going to be interesting to document & actually do if anyone knows my track record lately 
4. Go skiing or rock climbing - Denver
5. Apply for a job that would be "so cool" but is a "stretch" (shhh keep this one on the DL)
6. Go to an event where I know no one and leave with at least one contact
7. Get out of credit card debt by end of 2014 (if possible or if not by end of 2014, ASAP)
8. Run a 10k
9. Give someone a heart-felt surprise 
10. Start a business, or co-start a business, or help someone else start a business 
11. Travel to a place I haven't been - Seattle
12. Buy someone else's drink or lunch that I don't even know because it looks like they are having a hard day
13. Set someone up with someone else (be a matchmaker)
14. Unplug for 48 hours (note: I'll have to #laterblog for this one)
15. Create something (art or poem) and hang it in my kitchen or living room (main area) 
16. Get a tattoo (OMG I can't believe I'm actually putting this one down because I am so terrified of needles!)
17. Go to a wedding as someone else's guest (I'm a really good date, I promise!)
18. Write about a new idea or solution to a challenge/problem for 30 days. 
19. Write a love letter (and give it to the person) - yikes, I better work on #3
20. Enter a piece of art into an exhibit or a contest 
21. Join a yoga or workout class in Chicago 
22. Go on a brewery tour in Chicago 
23. Change my stock portfolio - either buy or sell
24. Read 5 books
25. Try something I've never eaten before 
26. Smoke a cigar (okay, I know this one isn't super positive, but I got to do it once)
27. Golf 18 holes (could be best ball) 
28. Go one month without eating M&M's - you might laugh now but you try to go that long in the Chicago office. 
29. Lose 5 lbs. (likely this will occur following the month without eating M&M's)
30. Do something impactful in Chicago.

Also I'm open to suggestions if you have better ideas.