I turn 30 next month.
I’ve moved on from childish behavior like eating Cheetos for dinner. Now, I am a sophisticated adult who eats Cheetos for dinner…with a glass of wine. And with better clothes, because I shop at Stitch Fix.
Thanks for the “fashion advice,” Mom. NOT.
I’ve surpassed the emotional roller coaster that this new decade has been inducing. I’ve let go of “do this by the time I’m 30” deadlines. And now, I’m looking forward to it. I think 30 is going to be a great year.
I still feel the need to document my life thus far though. A lot of change and growth, and loss and love, has happened in my 20’s and I want to acknowledge it. I’d been thinking of doing some kind of 30 facts before 30 post, when lo and behold, blogger pal, Liz from Be. Love. Live shared her own 31 Questions theme. And since she invited others to join in, I’m doing just that.
Here’s 30 Questions Answered Before I Turn 30.
- Where’s your cellphone? If not in my hand, then it’s right next to me. I have a problem.
- Where’s your second half? After making us a scrumptious breakfast this morning, he is out for a run, letting me work in peace.
- Your hair? Is messy. I let it air dry. But the color is my natural red.
- Your mood? Excited. It’s going to be a good day.
- Your plan for today? To catch up on writing assignments and then go hiking with my bae.
- What’s the best you know? Best I know of what? I know I like red ales and Leinenkugel’s Red is a great one. I think David Sedaris’ essay Six to Eight Black Men is the funniest thing I’ve ever read. I think sharing that story about that time I pooped my pants has made more people come forward and share their own shitastrophies, and that makes me like each of them a bit more.
- Your dream last night? I didn’t dream last night, or if I did, I don’t remember it. But last weekend after Joe and I binged watched Season Five of The Walking Dead, I dreamed that I was out scavenging for food and shelter all night long. I was exhausted the next morning.
- Your goal in life? To publish my book, and to make people laugh.
- The room you’re in? The kitchen, at the table by the window. The most common space I write in, and where Joe often catches me.
- Your hobby? Blogging, reading, hanging out in coffee shops, doing improv, talking in weird voices, shocking my mother…
Hobbying like a boss. - Your fear? Bugs.
- Where would you like to be in six years? Celebrating the six year anniversary of you asking me that question. 😉
- Where were you yesterday evening? At home with the hubs, watching The Grand Budapest Hotel.
- What are you not? I am not coordinated. Please don’t throw balls at me.
- Something you wish? I wish I had some chocolate. Like now.
- Where did you grow up? In a small town in southeast Wisconsin.
- What was the last thing you did? Watch Hannah Hart’s My Drunk Kitchen: Toad in a Hole. This girl makes me giggle.
- Your clothes? I’m rocking my Dolly Parton tshirt.
- Your TV? Is a host to many epic marathons such as #Keanuthon.
- Your computer? Is a multi-holiday gift from my husband after my old one died. It’s a MacBook Air, and I still don’t really know how to use it. For the love of God, why can’t I just double click on things??!
- The best thing you own? My journals. Those notebooks hold my soul.
- Do you miss anyone? I miss my family. I miss the members that passed on too early. I miss friends that are kindred spirits despite living across the country.
- Your car? Is a 2004 Nissan Sentra, and her name is Dionne.
- Something you’re not wearing? Socks.
- Favorite store? It is quickly becoming Etsy. And does Stitch Fix count? It is a store, but you don’t go to it, it comes to you.
Where my book nerds at? - Your summer? The highlight was our annual summer vacation and road trip to Tennessee where we ate copious amounts of barbecue, listened to lots of live music, and visited with friends and family. Additional highs include storytelling at the Old School Variety Show, co-hosting part of the Film Freaks series with the library, and joining an improv troupe.
- Do you love anyone? Yah, there’s this boy I like.
It’s the one on the left. - Favorite color? Green and turquoise.
- When did you last laugh? I laughed watching that Hannah Hart video. Did you watch it? Go watch it. She’s so silly.
- When did you last cry? I cried watching The Walking Dead because some of my favorite characters were killed off. I won’t say who, but it’s sad.
Feel free to copy these questions and share your own responses.
Thanks for tuning in!
*****
BTW
It’s mid-month of #Keanuthon and this week’s classic is Speed. One bus. One bomb. One Keanu to save the day!
Co-starring Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper, and Jeff Daniels, Keanu plays a cop that has to rescue a group of strangers trapped on a bus that can’t go less than 50 mph. If you already feel like one epic joy ride isn’t enough, rest assured, there’s a Speed 2: Cruise Control – which takes place on a boat. Unfortunately, Keanu isn’t in that one.
We’ll be live tweeting the movie once again on Wednesday, September 16th at 8:00pm CST. Join me and friends or follow along using #Keanuthon.
Get ready for rush hour!
Also this happened last night. What. Are. The. Odds?
Now, even KEANU knows about #Keanuthon.
Jess Witkins' Happiness Project 
OMG!!! That’s so freakin’ cool. What was he like in person? Great post – even without Keanu’s surprise visit 😉
He was super nice and friendly with everyone. I told him about #Keanuthon and he said “You’re doing what? That’s crazy.” LOL
Is that a wax figure Keanu? A Flat Daddy Keanu? That cannot possibly be the REAL Keanu… Details please. (Miss you!!)
It IS the real Keanu. Crazy, but true.
That is a bizarre twist of the universe. And DANG, he’s looking good!
I wonder if I should do a post about turning 40 in 6 months when I turn 40. I once saw a meme that said “Every time a woman turns 40, a cougar is born.” My first thought was “Oooo kitty!” but then I realized they meant more like “Cougar Town” cougars and I’ve never watched the show.
I should probably watch the show so I know what I need to do when I become a cougar.
PS – I think it’s awesome that Keanu now knows about Keanuthon. And where in Wisconsin did you run into Keanu Reeves?
If you are happily married, you should probably not become a cougar when you turn 40, as that just means you’re an older woman who seduces younger guys. LOL You should however totally do a 40 and 40 post or something fun to ring in the new decade!
Keanu was in La Crosse for S & S Cycles, there is a conference going on. Pretty crazy how the stars aligned for this to happen. We are still stunned. And he was so so nice. Truly a great guy to everyone he met.
Change of subject – have you and your hubby checked out the Driftless Cafe in Viroqua? We just ate there for the 2nd time on Friday and it was to die for. It’s all locally grown, organic food. Soooo delicious. It’d be right up your ally.
Even if I’m happily married, I can still look and pretend to be a cougar, right?
We’ve not gone to Driftless Cafe yet – but we might have to after your review. We’re planning on getting a LOT of apples this fall for making applesauce, so perhaps we’ll go that direction and have lunch/dinner, too.
I like Cheetos, too 🙂 , but only the puffs, the crunchy ones hurt my sensitive teeth.
I like Leinenkugel’s red, too, but I like Hacker Pschorr Weisse even better! 🙂
Did you see Hannah Hart hosting the Dr Who special?
Dolly Parton is cool! 🙂
OMG, my favorite color is turquoise, too! My second favorite is aqua! 🙂
Well we are clearly twinsies. I need to try that beer. I must find Hannah Hart hosting Dr Who. Dolly Parton is one of my heroes. And turquoise is the greatest color on the planet.
It’s called “The Doctor’s Finest” and it’s on BBC America. 🙂
When I was 29 and 7/8ths, a coworker who had just turned 50 told me that her thirties were the best years of her life–not that her forties were bad, but her thirties were truly awesome. Having now lived a few years into my sixties I can safely say that she was right. One’s thirties are the best years…enjoy!!
Yah, all signs are pointing to some bold and fun stuff. And I’m getting similar advice. That 30s are where it’s at. Bring it!
Great questions, Jess! Bugs scare the shit out of me as well!!! 🙂 I am so pumped for you having that pic taking with HIM!!!! You are so famous now. 🙂 🙂 You seem to be rocking 29 so I am sure 30 will be fantastico! 🙂
I still can’t believe it. What are the odds? So crazy.
[…] was only able to spend an hour with the effervescent Jess Witkins, but she fed me for the entire rest of the road trip. She’s so much […]
For me personally, it’s been my 40s that have rocked. Then again, I often say I have lived my life in reverse.
I love how you relegated meeting Keanu to a simple tiny paragraph at the end of your post. Hell, I sat 5 or 6 spaces down from Hilary Swank and wrote a 1,000-word post all about it!
LOL. This might be my favorite comment yet. Plus remember that time you met the Crosby look-a-like?
LOL. I almost mentioned that!
I feel it is time to log a complaint.
We are friends on Facebook, where I saw a picture of you, your husband, and a certain “celebrity” I will not name. I read every single comment, searching with longing for the certainly awesome yarn you were going to weave, sharing with the world this moment of incredible serendipity. I was left unsatisfied.
So, I thought, she must be trying to drive traffic to another platform; hoping to log more retweets, favorites, views, etc. I get it. Writers need to monetize. Luckily, I follow you on twitter, and as of 15 minutes ago, also on Instagram. I have your blog in my Feedly. I have lots of ways to silently stalk you!
So, I went to twitter and instagram, and then waited 3 looong days for this blog post to come out. NOTHING! As my good friend Romeo once said, “Wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?”
So, I thought, No, no, Jess would not do this. She is not this cruel; not this arbitrary in her sharing. Her life is darn near and open book. It makes NO SENSE that this event, of all events, would be so guarded.
So I went back over all streams with a close read. Parsing each word and hashtag. And deeply embedded in instagram is found, “No one’s going to believe me, but we seriously just met Keanu Reeves and I told him we’ve been hosting #Keanuthon. True story. Details on my blog in my bio. ”
Details on my blog in my bio? Praise be, said I, finally, I will read the truth behind this chance encounter.
NOTHING.
What are you doing to me, oracle? I have to know! Please tell me the story of your Ke….celebrity I will not name meeting! Please?!?
PS – I was always very nice to you. Kind even. Why would you torment me so?
PSS – If craziness were measured in the number of times a person used “so” in one communication, what would I score?
My bad, Chad. I told the story in person so many times, I did neglect to write it down for the cyber world.
Fear not, I will not leave you unsatisfied and drafted the whole thing for you this morning. https://jesswitkins.wordpress.com/2015/09/20/my-serendipitous-run-in-with-keanu-reeves/
Now, every gory detail of my serendipitous celebrity sighting is yours for amusement.
P.S. I also used the word “so” a lot.
So, yeah, you probably so picked up using “so” from like a high school English teacher or something.
You’re a good writer. You make me feel pride. That’s cool emotion. 😉
Awww I feel like you just gave me an A. Thanks! I’m slowly working on the first book. If I ever get ‘er published, you’ll be one of the teachers I thank for encouraging me. Honest to goodness.
PS I miss poetry readings at Cafe Carp. I still have my copy of Peggy Hong’s work from that reading we did. #PrizePossession Have you ever checked out Stacey Ann Chin? Heard her speak this year. Epic.
Oh, I remember when. I thought I was on the hill looking down! Actually, I think I was. Not really. Just hold on to your hat Jess, because the next thirty will go really fast. I’m about to hit that landmark and it ain’t lookin’ pretty. lol. But I do hear ya on the computer. “Your computer? Is a multi-holiday gift from my husband after my old one died. It’s a MacBook Air, and I still don’t really know how to use it. For the love of God, why can’t I just double click on things??!” I just switched over to a Mac at the beginning of the year. I wanted to throw it out the window. It’s a whole other language. Hang in there girl, because thank God it does get better. ((Hugs)) 🙂
Oh man, I hope so. And happy early birthday!!! What are you doing to celebrate?
I’m finally catching up on blog posts! This was a lot of fun to read. I’m not sure I can use this on my blog. You know, because I’m WAY past thirty. *snicker*
Well I won’t tell. 😉
[…] I’d like to thank Jess Witkins over at Jess Witkins Happiness Project for this post which inspired the following. Also, I stole the first 30 questions from […]