Babs or Maya: Which would you choose?

This is not a post about my 30 Before 30, but it falls along the same lines.  I'm also feeling extremely inspired at the moment, for completely understandable reasons, which is why I feel it is necessary to write of these evenings events.

A few weeks ago I went to choir practice and Checo told us that he recently had a big decision he had to make that he agonized over for a while.  Apparently in one day he was contacted by two separate people, each asking to have the choir perform in a ridiculous epic event. Unfortunately both of the events were taking place on the same night.  Checo was left to make a very difficult decision: Does he sign us up to do sing some back-up for the one and only Barbra Streisand OR does he sign up up to open for the legendary Dr. Maya Angelou.  As he was saying this to us, the decision was clear in mind.  I knew as well as he did that we are a Soul Gospel Choir, which is why it made perfect sense that the next words out of his mouth were "I had to go with my girl, Maya!"

Yes, you did Checo!  And I couldn't be more grateful for your decision.  As awesome as it would have been to sing with Barbra, it would not be the life-changing experience that this evening was.  Doing some Oooooos and Ahhhhhhs with Barbra never would have been as inspirational as singing some true Gospel to open for one of the most influential speakers of our time.

If anyone ever gets the chance to hear Dr. Maya Angelou speak, please do not let the opportunity pass you by. Her words tonight spoke to my soul and I feel truly blessed to have had the ability to meet her.  She is completely right.  I am a human being, and nothing human can be alien to me.  And I also have a hard time trusting people who don't laugh.  As she said, "You might be serious, but you're boring as hell."  And I am both willing and eager to be the rainbow in someone else's cloud.

Thank you Checo for making the right decision!  And thank you for being my rainbow.  I will never forget this evening.

30 Before 30!

Okay okay okay!  I've been horrible in posting about these lessons I'm learning every day.  I'm not going to lie I've really enjoyed just relaxing and living my life as opposed to writing about it.  HOWEVER, now that I'm officially in my 30th year there is something I really want to work on.  Turning 30 is a little scary to me!  When I was younger it was that benchmark age that I set life goals around.  And so far I think I've done a good job of meeting a lot of those goals.

I moved out of the house (to the awesome city of Vancouver - which was not planned).
I have a career in theatre which (somehow) sustains my living in Vancouver.
I have my own one-bedroom apartment.
I have a very active social life which gets me out of the house most nights.
I have traveled to a bunch of really awesome places.
I am in a loving committed relationship with an awesome guy.
I continue to fulfill my own artistic goals of singing, acting, and improvising.

Life is pretty darn good!  That being said, there's still a lot more that I want to accomplish.  So, inspired by one of my oldest and dearest friends, Leah Rosenthal and her 27 Before 27 list - I'm going to take on a 30 before 30 List.  I will complete these 30 things by or before 5:30 Eastern Time on October 26th 2013, when I officially complete my 30th year on earth.

Here's the list (in no particular order):

1. Go to a convention and participate in Cos Play!
2. Sign up and do a 5km fun run.  The goal is the St.Paddy's Day run.  Who wants to sign up with me?
3. Go shooting at the gun range.  
4. Drive a manual car. On the road with other cars and everything.
5. Do a mountain activity and an ocean activity on the same day.
6. Go ocean fishing. Luke - I'm going to need you help with this one.
7. Write and produce musical! ... Don't be nervous about this one.  It's already in the works.
8. Design and make my own dress.
9. Go rockclimbing.  In this case indoor rockclimbing counts as I've never even done that.
10. Plant and tend in a community garden.
11. Learn and play 5 songs on ukulele.  ... Finally!
12. Make my own wine and/or beer.
13. Host a fancy dinner party with a 3 course meal.
14. Go snowshoeing.
15. Learn and memorize the recipes for my favourite dishes as a child: (Mom's Mac and cheese, Mom's Caesar dressing, Mom's hash brown casserole, ... and if I have time Mom's Toad in the hole)
16. Make Frozen Lemon Meringue Tort.
17. Make Kringle by myself. Mom's supervision might be allowed. 
18. Get my First Aid Certification.
19. Give blood.
20. Finally go to Castle Fun Park in Abbotsford.
21. Purchase a meal for one of homeless people I see almost every day and get to know their story.
22. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
23. Bike around the sea wall. ... Bonus points if I can convince Luke to ride tandem with me.
24. Have a well stocked bar. I'm already well on my way after this weekend.
25. Play in a ball pit.  Can you believe that I have never done this? ... Or if I have, I have absolutely no recollection of it.  And that's just sad.
26. Appear in a web series.  I was close on this one, but it never actually aired so it doesn't count.
27. Watch all 3 Godfather movies.  Not necessarily all in one day.
28. Create a one month meal plan and actually stick with it. No eating out of a box!
29. Go ballroom dancing with Luke.
30. GO SKYDIVING!

For obvious reasons I'm looking forward to this next year.  As I complete each activity I'll make sure to report on it so you can track the progress.  I think it's going to be a pretty good year.  I'm looking forward to where I'll be at once I hit the big 3-0!