#30before31 Charity Idea

One of my #30before31 challenges was to "Write 10 things I'm thankful for every day for one month." After a bit of contemplation, I've decided that while that's important for me to be thankful, that could come off as a bit selfish and not as interesting to read (or write about). And honestly over the past year, I've spent a lot of timing realizing the good in my life. 

So instead, I've changed my challenge to "Every day for 30 days, write about an idea. One that 1) I think would make a positive impact or could be successful, 2) one that I think has been successful, 3) someone I know who has turned an idea into a success." This was inspired by Imitation Game, a movie about Alan Turing genius mathematician and scientist who helped crack the Enigma code during World War II. Not I think I can do something as big as cracking a code that would save millions of people and end a war, but that movie really started me to think about how much one person or one idea can make an impact and be a "success". Which got me thinking about how many people I know who are successful and how many things can be impacted with one idea.

There are a lot of things I want to do, or I wish I could do, or I think would be good to do to solve a problem, but somehow I always find an excuse about why I can't. When I was married, all decisions were joint decisions. But now I can make my own decisions. I don't a family holding me back. I have a great education. I have support from my friends and family. So maybe one of these solutions. 

I figure to make this possible, the ideas or problems can be simple or broad. Something impacting my everyday life, something I observe happening or something that I have to do some research on. 

So, for my first post: 

Idea Post 1: 
What if there was an app or resource that would somehow connect charities/auctions with people or companies who were willing to donate auction items or money?  

I've very involved in the American Cancer Society events that raise money through silent auctions. And sometimes the events would be lacking key auction items or we weren't able to get as many as we'd liked. Most of the securing of the auction items would fall on the committee members, who if they didn't have the means or connections, were at a disadvantage. 

So what if there was a tool that 

1) listed all the local charity events, what they supported, what the charity was looking for and 

2) allowed individuals and companies to list what they were willing to donate and (if they'd like) select the charity or organization they would like to donate to. 

There are companies who are offering services to help make this happen, like Like Charity Connect in the UK. But what if your charity can't afford that type of support? What if there was something open source by area? 

This is an idea that I'd like to think about a little more. Does anyone know something like this out there? 

#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.