Big news- I’ve purchased Franks Halloween costume. I wasn’t even thinking about his costume yet but then I saw it hanging on a rack at Petco and I knew it was the one. I was praying it would fit his funny little cinderblock body. Luckily, it fit perfectly. I’m not sure Frank enjoys it but I certainly do….and that’s all that matters, right? He’s smart enough to know that if he complies with my wishes there’s really tasty treats in his future.
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Sarah, 30 / from the site Sarah Ann Noel
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What would your 30 something self tell your 20 something self if you could?
I spent the first half of my twenties really looking forward to my thirties. I spent the second half of my twenties reminiscing the first half. The biggest lesson of my life continues to be be present. I wish that 21-year-old would have been solely focused on all the fun she was having, all of the world she was seeing; and that the later-twenties gal would have begun her “aging” process gracefully. Be present! That’s what I would have said to her at any stage!
What do you wish you took more seriously in your 20’s?
I wish that I had taken my creativity more seriously when I was in my twenties. I was a very calculated, forward-thinking person. Of course, some twenty-somethings can sort of laze through the decade, and I’m glad I didn’t do that. But, as it turns out, I’m pursuing creative endeavors professionally now, and I wish that I would have allowed those tendencies to flourish when I was in the decision-making stages instead of just brushing them off as “hobbies.” On that same note, I wish I would have taken “pace” more seriously. Life moves as life moves, but I was definitely of the notion that I could will things into being by sheer force. It was very tiresome, but then I had more energy I guess. 😉
What do you wish you took less seriously in your 20’s?
So many things! I was laughably serious at the beginning of my twenties, when now, I realize how your twenties are such a delicious in-between. But then, it really felt like THE BEGINNING OF THE REST OF LIFE and every decision I had to make was wrought with drama. I think, at the root of that, was still this desire to please people around me—authority figures, family, friends. So more than anything, I wish I had taken those opinions and perceptions less seriously and really honed in on who I was. I think if I had managed that, I might have had a more relaxed attitude toward a lot of other things.
Favorite memory from your 20’s?
I always joke to Trevor, my husband, that I sometimes feel “frozen” at 21. Despite my high-strung personality, that year in particular was a really monumental one for me. I studied abroad in London, which is definitely a most cherished memory. It was such an experience to see the world, and I met a very dear friend who is still a friend to this day. When I returned to the States, I met my husband, right before college ended! It all felt like a sweep of experience, that whole year—traveling, falling in love so young, graduating from school. It was sort of like this sweet, sweet grace period between childhood and adulthood, and I’m quite nostalgic for that time.
In your early 20’s where did you think you would be (work, live etc) by 30?
I think I still expected to be “career woman” at that point. I’d just shifted to creative journalism studies, and so my attitudes toward a professional life were changing a bit; but I still imagined myself in an office, preferably that of a magazine! I seriously considered moving back to London and making a go of being an ex-pat. I also considered New York, and Chicago too, since it was nearby and special to me and Trevor both. I think I envisioned being in a big city and holding down a job that I was happy to dedicate the hours to. I was pretty certain I would marry Trevor, so I assumed we would be wed before I was 30; and I probably anticipated only beginning to entertain the idea of children as I entered my thirties.
And where were you by 30? What did your life look like?
Surprise! I was a mom, not once, but twice! Trevor and I did marry young (I was about 24), and by 26 I was pregnant with our first daughter, Iris. I really wrestled with what to do professionally because I wasn’t particularly happy with my current job, but I wasn’t sure that I was ready to give up working. I had always wanted to give freelance writing more than a part-time shot, so I left my office job and stayed home with my new baby, working when I could. Mostly, I learned to love being a mom, and then the other pieces of me really started to flourish. At 30, I am actually living in New York, and I’m pursuing writing “full-time.” But first and foremost, I’m a mom of the two most beautiful, bubbly, blonde-headed girls and loving what they’re teaching me every day. It’s a privilege I couldn’t have imagined for myself in my twenties, but one that I’m glad happened when it did. It really paved the way for me to 30.
Were you ever worried that it wouldn’t all fall into place?
All the time! I still worry about it! Sometimes being 30 feels young and fresh and vibrant, like I can do anything. Other days, I feel so stinkin’ old, like I’ve missed my chances at everything! Of course, that’s all ridiculous. My twenties brought on so much change, so much that was different from what I had pictured; but it also ushered in this amazing peace and happiness. I started learning to love the things that “happened” to me way more than the things that I’d “made happen.” So while I still wonder if my goals or dreams will fall into place, I also know that the surprises of life can be even better anyway.
What is the greatest gift about being a woman in your 30’s?
I think the best gift is simply a bit of perspective. At 30, we are still so young, with so much to look forward to, so much to learn. But I also feel a bit removed from the hyperactive worry that I feel saturated my twenties. I’ve learned that life has sloping patterns, places that feel up, places that feel down; and I’ve learned that time never feels consistent either—sometimes life moves so slowly, sometimes you just blink and parts are over. While I haven’t mastered being present, my thirties are reminding me of the importance of it. The twenties I lived in the future, mostly, sometimes in the past; and I want my thirties to be about living in my thirties, realizing that everything that has happened is a collective part of who I am now, so that’s what really matters.
When you look out onto the horizon. What do you hope your life looks like at 40?
I hope to age with grace. I’ve surprised myself by not being good at that so far—I had always aspired to, and therefore assumed, that I would. I want to be less consumed with what’s changing on my body or how life feels different from what I pictured, and really just be where I am. So I hope that by 40, I’m just a more peaceful, content version of myself, like that these realizations and desires will mature throughout my thirties to yield someone who truly appreciates life for what it is. By my forties, I want to really be a role model of that for my girls, since they’ll be entering the years of decision-making and figuring out who they are.
What’s a quote/ saying you try to live your life by?
I am a lover of words, and so it’s hard for me to pick just one quote. I grew up in the church. As I’ve grown, my faith has grown and changed, but it has remained an important part of who I am. There is a verse in Colossians (1:17) that says, “He is before all things; and in him all things hold together.” I like the idea of things “meant to be.” I think a lot of us rely on that, whether we believe in a god or not. And so while I always want to be working toward a goal, and while I’ll never stop dreaming, I also like believing there is a plan and my life is following that, even if sometimes I get it wrong. Certainly my life is the picture of the unexpected and surprises; but as I’ve learned to appreciate that rather than fight against it, it sort of makes this verse (and the mentality!) make perfect sense. Whenever I feel out of control, I like to remind myself of these words.
connect with the beautiful Sarah Ann Noel
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(photo taken in Nepal after we finished trekking through the Himalayas)
Brian and I were featured on Misadventures Magazine on Friday! Hope you enjoy my words and Brian’s photographs about our trek through the Himalayas because we loved collaborating on this project together. If we had it our way we would travel the world writing and taking photographs as a full-time job.
Did you hear that universe?
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“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”
Mary Ritter Beard
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find Brian elsewhere
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Carlynn, 33 / from the fabulous blog jjbegonia
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What would your 30 something self tell your 20 something self if you could?
That everything is going to work out for the best, even if it feels like just the opposite sometimes. Keep the faith. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. The heart breaks will heal and give way to new loves, opportunities, and layers of you that never would have been revealed without them. Believe in yourself and the value you bring to this world. You are going to make a lot of mistakes, but you will learn from them, and they will help guide you to where you need to be. Practice gratitude. Be thankful when things have not turned out as planned, because there are so many better, brighter things in store. Tell people you love them, even if you know they might not say it back. And always be nice – to your friends, family, strangers, and most of all to yourself. You deserve to have everything you want in this life.
What do you wish you took more seriously in your 20’s?
I wish I had taken my passions more seriously. I have always loved to “create” through cooking, decorating, photographing, styling, and writing, but it took me a long time to nurture those things. I always saw myself as weird because my interests were so different from most of my friends’ when we were in our early 20s especially, but I wish I could have reframed that or seen it as special, instead.
What do you wish you took less seriously in your 20’s?
Work! Not that you should ever blow off your job, but I treated every one I had as the end-all-be-all and felt burnt out very early on. I missed important events, and time spent with the people I love, in the name of getting things done, which is ridiculous.
Favorite memory from your 20’s?
There are too many memories to choose from, but they all involve travel in some way. A trip to Jordan with one of my best friends that forced me to see so far outside of myself. A cooking class I took in Italy with another BFF, where we ate everything in sight, wandered through cobblestone streets, and shared drinks with dreamy Italian men. A school program in Switzerland that introduced me to the person I think of as my “soul sister” because I have never laughed so hard with or felt so connected to a person as I did/do to her. A camping excursion to Joshua Tree that stands out as being beautiful (I loved looking at the stars!) and funny, and strange in the best way possible. A last-minute weekend in Maine with my Mom and sister that was filled with bike rides, lobster, shopping, and Scrabble games. I could go on and on… !
In your early 20’s where did you think you would be (work, live etc) by 30?
I thought I would be married with children, and living in New York City, working at a magazine. At one point, I think I had said I wanted to be a Sportscaster and live in Paris, too. I mean…that first part makes no sense to me even now – especially since my sports knowledge is pretty limited – but Paris might still be nice!
And where were you by 30? What did your life look like?
Oh gosh, nothing at all like that! I was a mess! I was living in Santa Monica, working a job that was draining me, and feeling very alone. 30 was a hard year for me but I look back on it now, and I am really proud of the person I was then too because that was the point at which I decided I would never live like that again, and that I had to make some changes.
Were you ever worried that it wouldn’t all fall into place?
All of the time!
What is the greatest gift about being a woman in your 30’s?
The greatest gift is in feeling as if I am the most “me” I have ever been. I have such a better understanding of what makes me happy and what I want and need, than I ever had in my 20s. I also feel so much more secure in showing that me to the world.
When you look out onto the horizon. What do you hope your life looks like at 40?
I hope that life is not too different from it is now. I want to “create” forever, in whatever form that takes. My sister and I always reference my “Big. White. Kitchen.” dream. I hope to have a home with a nice place to gather, that my {eventual} husband and I can fill with children, family and friends – and good food. That really is the ultimate for me.
What’s a quote/ saying you try to live your life by?
“Trust the timing of your life”.
This is huge for me because I have zero patience. I want what I want when I want it : ) I have learned though that everything reveals itself at exactly the right time, and that the best thing you can do in any given moment is enjoy what you have in front of you.
XOXO
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connect with carlynn : blog / instagram / facebook / pinterest
I’ve always said that Brian would make a better housewife (man) than I would. Seriously, he’s just better at it most home related things then I am. If he is left alone at our house for the day you can pretty much guarantee you’re coming home to a few loads of laundry done (and folded meticulously. Although he never manages to put any of it away? ), our garden pruned and watered (as well as all the bounty he picked in a big bowl on the kitchen island), Frank walked and bathed & the house straightened.
He’s kinda the perfect husband.
He also happens to be really good in kitchen. He can confidently follow any recipe as well as free style it with random ingredients in the fridge. But he really shines once a year when he pickles. He takes pickling pretty seriously. It all begins in March when he dutifully goes to our local Home Depot and buys a few special pickling cucumber seedlings and then spends many months nurturing them in preparation for his big pickling day in early September.
Sadly, I missed shooting the big day because I was out. He gave me no notice!! I happened to call him to check in and he said he couldn’t talk because he was busy pickling his cucumbers…oh and green beans & okra. Both new additions to his process.
Sure enough when I got home there were eight jars of goodness lined up in our fridge. I was so excited to try them that I quickly reached into one of the jars without thinking. I was reminded by the “pickle man” that I had to wait a week for the magic to happen.
Clearly, I am not a pickler nor am I known for my patience.
A few days ago it was finally time to try the pickles and let me tell you they were SO good. Although, I am warning you now that he calls his recipe “Brian’s Atomic Pickle Recipe”. They are spicy as shit! We love them but I realize not everyone has a death wish so if you do indeed use his recipe, feel free to tone it down.
ps...Brian was very reluctant to share “his” special atomic pickle recipe. HA. He made me agree last night that if he gave me the recipe I would promise to ask readers to share any pickle recipes they might have. He’s clearly trying to start a pickling movement and community!! So, if any of you have one…please share! Although, he also wanted me to make it very clear that he does not like sweet pickle recipes. So, there you have it folks.
(photo taken last year on pickling day when I was actually present)
Brians Atomic Pickle Recipe
Ingredients
8 cloves garlic peeled
1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh dill still on the stem
8 cups water
3/4 cups cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 to 1/3 cup kosher salt
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon peppercorns
2 pounds pickling cucumbers, quartered or sliced in rounds
Hot peppers to taste (I use 4 halved cayenne peppers per jar)
Instructions
Combine the water, vinegar, salt, mustard seed, and dried dill in a large pot and bring to a boil and cook until the salt dissolves.
Meanwhile, place peeled garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, peppercorn and 1/2 of the dill on the bottom of a 1 gallon jar or two 1/2 gallon jars (divide ingredients evenly if using 2 jars). Pack cucumbers in jar(s) and put remaining dill on top.
Pour the brine over the cucumbers and cover the jar(s). Let the jars sit on your counter, but not in direct sunlight until cooled, about an hour, and then put them in the fridge. The cucumbers will have begun pickling after 24 hours, but wait a full week if you want them to be fully pickled.
Brian and I are a little over a month away from celebrating our first wedding anniversary. I cannot believe it’s been a year!? I’m not sure where the time has gone. Considering our 1st anniversary is nearing I thought it was about time I went through the tedious process of changing my last name. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to become Kate Glodney. I’ve unofficially been “Kate Glodney” since the day we got married. I was, instead, overwhelmed by all the paperwork and various government offices I would have to visit to make it official. I mean who elects to go to the DMV, right?
Lucky for lazy people like me, places like Kleinfeld exist and for a fee of fifty dollars they send you a packet in the mail with all the various government paperwork filled out for you. Well, minus sensitive info such as social security numbers. The packet also comes with very detailed step by step instructions on how to do it all. Perfect for people like me.
When I received the package in the mail….I thought…it would be pretty hard for me to F this up!…Glodney here I come!
First up, changing my name with the Social Security office. I didn’t make an appointment and instead went on a whim after a meeting with a client finished early. Let’s just say I’ve had better ideas. The wait time was 3 1/2 hours. To make matters worse my cell phone was dead and I didn’t have a book with me. Lesson learned…planning ahead can be beneficial! I was about to turn around and leave but part of me knew that if I did, there was a very good chance I wasn’t coming back.
So I waited.
Lucky for me the West LA Social Security office brings out some truly interesting people so, I survived the wait time by people watching and making up elaborate stories about their lives. I especially enjoyed the angry Russian woman who stood up every five minutes and announced to the obviously uninterested room that the wait time at this office was INSANE.
After many hours of this, my number was finally called. Once I sat down with an actual person the process was very fast and ten minutes later I was walking out of the Social Security Administration as….Kate Glodney.
WOOT!
The next stop on the name changing tour was The Department Of Motor Vehicles. This time I wised up and made an appointment before going. Equipped with my shiny new Social Security Card, our marriage license & all the finished DMV paperwork (typed rather than written, no less) I confidently walked in and got into the “appointment” line, which was two deep rather than fifty deep like the “no appointment” line. Clearly, I was on my game that day. I even managed to blow my hair out and wear a cute dress (rather than my normal jeans, t-shirt and messy hair in bun look) knowing I would be taking a new license photo that day.
This time I barely had a moment to sit down before my number was called. Winning! I walked up to the window with my handy-dandy name change folder and a big smile spread across my face. Lydia, the rather gruff lady behind the counter, dressed in a bright purple dress and wearing sparkly big earrings, that swung back and forth as she spoke, grabbed my paperwork and began working on entering my information.
To fill the time, I made small talk with the nice gentleman next to me about the heat wave we had been having in Los Angeles, all while listening to Lydia’s long nails clack against the keyboard.
Suddenly, Lydia’s nails came to a halt.
Oh, done already! I thought! Pays to be on top of things!
I turned towards Lydia and watched as her eyes narrowed at the computer screen.
Never a good sign.
“I’m sorry ma’am but I can’t put your paper work through at this time.” Lydia announced
“And why is that?” I asked
“Well, because you have a failure to appear and a warrant out for your arrest in Georgia, ma’am.” Lydia said loudly (and a bit too loudly if you ask me)
I glanced over at the kind gentleman I was speaking to with a moment prior. His gregarious smile had faded and had been replaced with…well, judgement….with maybe a sprinkle of intrigue?
I was about to dramatically yell…”that’s impossible…I’ve never even been to Georgia!!” when suddenly it all came back to me…oh yes…I most certainly have been to Georgia. Three years ago when I was driving across the country with Rachel during my 365 til 30 year and I did in fact get a speeding ticket…in Georgia.
One in which I ignored because well, it was very expensive and I stupidly thought…when am I ever going to be driving in Georgia again???
I guess I never thought about what happens when you don’t pay speeding tickets in other states.
Fail.
I glanced back at the man next to me and then back to Lydia, deciding it was the perfect time to put my big sunglasses back on.
I leaned into the window and causally asked, “Ok, so Lydia, now what???“
“Well, you’re going to have to clear this up with Georgia, Ma’am. Lucky for you this ticket only affects you in Georgia. There is nothing I can do for you here. I can’t even tell you how much you owe at this point. But I’m sorry but there is NO way you are changing your last name to Glodney today.”
Damn you, past!
When I got in the car I decided it was best to text Brian at work with the news rather than come clean about it over dinner. I mean who wants to have the “I have a warrant for my arrest in Georgia” conversation with their husband over a roast chicken, you know?
me:
So, I couldn’t change my name with the DMV today because of my failure to appear for a speeding ticket in Georgia. Kinda funny but NOT.
brian:
Does that mean you have a warrant????
me:
Well yeah, but only in Georgia…I just need to pay the ticket for it all to get cleared.
brian:
How much is the ticket now???
me:
I don’t know. I have to call Georgia. Any interest in a road trip to Georgia??
brian:
hahahahah. no not anymore. I don’t need you being arrested.
The text admission went well don’t you think?
Top of my to-do list this week….clear name in Georgia. Le sigh
* this post was clearly not sponsored by Kleinfeld name change *
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One of my goals this year is to finish decorating our loft. We bought and moved into our place shortly after getting engaged, which was the start to a truly crazy year. Planning our wedding definitely took center stage as well as got first dibs on any extra funds. Weddings have a way sucking all the energy out of other parts of your life. We have done a few things since moving in…we bought a new sectional couch for the living room, a new bookcase for the office, Brian bought three pieces of vintage furniture while I was away on my bachelorette (thankfully, I liked them. Well, the vintage theatre chairs are still growing on me) & we replaced the small marble slab on the kitchen island with a custom-built much larger wood top to accommodate more people.
Other than that we’ve done very little- we haven’t even painted the walls or hung all our art yet! It’s time to give our home a little love. Each week I will show you the current state of each room in our house, as well as inspiration photos for what I want for the space. Our home is not terribly large so the “unveiling” will move rather quick. I thought I’d start with our office space because it makes me the most crazy. It has become the room where all the crap we don’t know what to do with ends up. Doesn’t everybody have one of these rooms? In preparation for taking photos of the office for this post I was about to clean & organize (kinda like everyone does before their housekeeper comes to clean) in fear of judgement. But then I realized I would be giving a very inaccurate view of our office space. So I decided to shoot it (Brian obviously shot these photos:) just the way it is.
my current work space…
Brian (and Franks- HA!) current work space…
bookshelf wall…
overview…
Things we want to do…
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365til30.com 