Think Negative Thoughts

Konnichiwa-t’s up?

So it’s time for another 30 before 30 update! I’ve got two more things to cross off. 

As you can see from the picture above, I completed my scarf! It took me FOREVER and I had to restart it three times. I am not a natural knitter. It’s the longest scarf I’ve ever owned (or seen) and I made it into an infinity scarf. I’m super proud of it and it’s not so terrible that I am ashamed to wear it out of the house. Yay!

I also made it safely to Japan, almost losing the scarf in the process. Jack and I are living in a flat in Funabashi, which is only a twenty minute train/tube ride from central Tokyo. We’ve been here about a week and a half so far and are sort of getting used to the way things work! Jack started work this week and I don’t start until Friday so I’ve been spending the last few days drawing, learning Japanese and researching ideas for a book that I will undoubtedly never actually write.  

1) Own a dog 2) Shoot a gun 3) Skydive 4) See the Northern Lights in Iceland  6) Sing on stage   7) Drive a motorbike  9) Visit China   10) Spend a day at a theme park 11) Eat at Dans le Noir 12) Join a choir/ sports team/ acting club  13) Pay off student loan 14) Get a tattoo   15) Get our own place  16) Start a blog 17) Go paintballing 18) Do a ouija board 19) Send out helium balloons with my email address attached  20) Be an extra 21) Get published in a magazine  22) Participate in a flash mob    23) Visit a wonder 24) Go to La Tomatina 25) Dye hair a crazy colour 26) Visit Japan  27) Go inside The Gherkin 28) Visit India  29) Knit a scarf  30) Ride a Boris Bike

It’s been a long time since I posted an update about my 30 before 30. I haven’t forgotten about it or given up. However, I have changed a few things on it, since I’ve changed a bit since I first made it about three years ago. So here is the revamped version. Bold marks the ones I’ve changed and italics gives details of recently completed ones.

1) Own a dog 2) Shoot a gun 3) Skydive 4) See the Northern Lights in Iceland (changed from Live in France because I’ll have lived in two other foreign countries by the end of this year. Maybe at some point in the future, but it’s not going to happen before I’m 30!) 5) Read a book in a foreign language 6) Sing on stage  My parents, aunt, and uncle frequent a karaoke bar near where they live and this Christmas period I’ve been up on stage multiple times. It’s terrifying the first time but, unsurprisingly, a lot easier after a few pints. 7) Drive a motorbike (changed from Drive in London because I must have been mental to have wanted to do that in the first place. I do miss my VN motorbike.)  8) Ride in a helicopter 9) Visit China   On our travels we went to the Vietnam/China border up in Ha Giang. So *technically* I’ve visited China. A bit cheaty, but whatever.  10) Spend a day at a theme park 11) Eat at Dans le Noir 12) Join a choir/ sports team/ acting club (changed from Have laser eye surgery because I don’t know if spending the money on LES is worth it at this age.) 13) Pay off student loan 14) Get a tattoo  I got a henna tattoo in early December and I think that might be as far as I’m willing to go on this one. I’m just too fickle. 15) Get our own place (changed from Get married because I’d rather spend money on a house than have a wedding and have nowhere to go home to!) 16) Start a blog 17) Go paintballing 18) Do a ouija board 19) Send out helium balloons with my email address attached (I want to do this with one of my classes as a fun project.) 20) Be an extra 21) Get published in a magazine (changed from Go on a scavenger hunt around London because I realised I already kind of did that when I went Geocaching. I’d still like to go on a real organised one though, but since I’m not going to be in London for a long time, it’s been bumped. I’ve taken literally thousands of travel photos over the past year and I’m sure I’ll be taking a load more in 2016 so maybe I’ll find the time to submit something to someone somewhere.)  22) Participate in a flash mob   I went to Sanatacon 2015 and since flash mobs aren’t really a thing any more, I’m counting it.  23) Visit a wonder   I went to Angkor Wat this year and it was incredible, especially the sunrise.  24) Go to La Tomatina 25) Dye hair a crazy colour 26) Visit Japan (I’m moving there in February for a year so this will be crossed off soon!) 27) Go inside The Gherkin 28) Visit India (changed from Visit Australia because India seems more exciting and different. Sorry, Oz. Plus India is Jack’s favourite country in the world so he’s desperate to show me the sights.) 29) Knit a scarf (I’m in the process of doing this right now. My first attempt went horribly wrong so this is my second go. My grandma said my stitches were too tight yesterday, so I’m not exactly off to a flying start.)  30) Ride a Boris Bike

Why can’t a girl be both smart and pretty?

My friend asked me to do a “30 days of photography” challenge with her, and this is from day 1: Self portrait.