Totally 30

Well, the big day was on the 17th, and I have not had a moment of rest since! Needless to say 30 is going fabulously. I could not feel more celebrated about the whole thing. On the 16th (my last day of being 29), I went to the spa with some very dear friends to ease into 30. We got facials and body scrubs then lounged around having drinks and lunch. It was perfect and girlie :) 

After having a little wine, ran off to get my hair done and last touches before the party "All about A" I showed up as an Apple and could not believe the effort my friends went to. Some of the attendees were: Algebra, ABBA (the whole group with a dance number), Aqua, Anime, Alana (a friend that could not make it) Aviator, Athlete, Aerobics, Angles, Aliens, Army girl, Animal my favorite AMANDA :) and so many more creative things.  The girls that were Amanda (me) had bandages around their ankles, so perfect. I was extremely excited the who party and would scream Happy Birthday when I saw people. Everyone had a great time with the dancing well into the evening. I happy cried for about three days about how many people showed up and put so much effort into making the evening so fantastic.
The next morning two friends flew in from Oslo, Norway to visit so I got to have a relaxed day walking around Shanghai with them and a quiet dinner.

The whole next day (and actually right at midnight of my birthday) I thought, there is nothing I can do to prevent 30. Sounds strange but I really can not believe that I am thirty. I was talking to a friend who just turned 30 and in a way if feels like a wake up call. I find that people are asking my opinion more, or I am just noticing that more and it is a wake up call for me to just evaluate what I want and do it. I am 30 and about to change careers and feel that is what I should be doing, I have already accomplished a lot and feel that if I do not try things, then really what is the point.

So far 30 is great, I feel incredibly loved by my friends and family near and far. I do not think there is any other way to celebrate than being silly and happy with friends, which by far is the best accomplishment that I have made thus far. Thank you all for celebrating.

As mentioned in our blog bio, Manda and I met while in Norway back in 2005.  This picture was taken when I returned a year later over Easter.  The family I nannied for, and miss dearly, flew me back to Norway to take care of their son one last time while they went on a business trip to Turkey.  Of course I jumped at the chance to go back and visit.  Not only was I going to see the kids I took care of, but I was also going to see the friends I made while abroad, including Manda!!  I wish I could remember where we took this picture, Manda, do you remember?  Now that I'm 30, my memory has gone down hill.  Were we down by Akerbryg, you know, Akerbriggey?  Please clarify, young one.  =) 

All about A

Our apologies, readers!  Manda and I took a month-long hiatus.  Imagine two intelligent and stunning women running around working, traveling, playing rugby and volleyball, and spending time with family and friends!  Sound familiar?  I'm sure it does, as you all probably are doing the same thing.  We promise to write more in April than we did in March.


As most of you know, MANDA IS TURNING 30 ON APRIL 17, 2011!  It will be a time to laugh and poke fun at her age....juuuuuust kidding, Manda.  I only say that because I'm already 30.  Speaking from experience, there is no need to fret turning 30.  It has been good to me (minus a few additional laugh lines), and I imagine it's going to be good for Manda, as she will always be smart, beautiful, courageous, and inspirational...no matter what age she is.


To kick off 30 right, there is going to be a 30th birthday bash celebrating her joining the 30 Club.  Unfortunately, I am unable to fly to Shanghai to help celebrate.  Boooooo  But I will be there in spirit!  Check out the invite, I think it's so clever!  If I were attending, I would dress up as Amanda.  It would only make sense, as I'm almost an Amanda anyway.  ;o)     


April will be us catching up with each other, random thoughts by Manda and Mandy, but more importantly, Manda turning 30!  It's time to celebrate an amazing woman who I call a dear friend!  Happy Birthday month Manda!    -Mandy

The 90s dream

So since I have been away I have tapped into NPR so much more than I ever did when in the USA. I listen to the shuffle each day of All things Considered, weekly catch up on This American Life,  so I can feel closer to home. I think my favorite show is All Songs Considered hosted by Bob Boilen who I absolutely adore!
This past week the show's title was So the 90's are back, or whatever... they did a review of the 90s going over the best albums and most influential. I listened to it last night while marking papers and walking to a facial. I had a massive grin on while walking down the street thinking of all these songs I have not heard for ages and reminded me of growing up and being in High School and College.
I know that this month we are going over love and relationships and this might be a little far fetched, but music really does take me back to different times and periods of my life reminding me of people that I love in a different time frame of my life. I will not go through all the songs and memories but those that stick out in my mind.
The first song they start with is Nirvana Smells Like Teen spirit. I remember when this came out in the 5th grade. I bought the tape for my first boyfriend Jeff's birthday. I had no clue what to get him and my brother suggested (the wise 7th grader he was) that I should get that tape and I have been taking his advice on music and boys since. There are so many other memories about that song and that area and what it did for music and the indie scene.
They then go onto Radiohead's No Surprises on the OK Computer album. Though I still really enjoy Radiohead and Tom York; though that was the song I listened to after my first kiss. I went home, straight into my bedroom but on the album and sat in my papazan chair contemplating what just happened.
Other songs included in the mix were Lauren Hills That thing which I listened to while driving around trying to decide on which university I wanted to go to. When LEM's If you steal my sunshine came on I almost fell off the sidewalk, followed by Sound garden, reminding me of Chris Cornell's amazing eyes in the Blackhole Sun video and summer school for theatre.
Another favorite was Smashing Pumpkins 1979, which screams church camps and retreats to me for some reason. I remember going up to Pine Top to .... Pine Summit, year after year with flannel and trying to play the guitar.

Music and lyrics contain so many memories for me it was fun to be taken back to the 90s for an afternoon walking around in Shanghai thinking about the people that were dear to me over a decade ago.  I am luckily enough to have most of those people still in my life and still dear.

If you like music I really can not recommend All Songs Considered enough.
http://www.npr.org/programs/all-songs-considered/

Manda

My Momma

My post will be quick today, as I'm not feeling well and am home from work.  As my head pounds and as my throat throbs, I can't help but wish my mom was here to take care of me, just like she did when I was a kid.  My mom was always prepared to take care of my siblings and I when we weren't feeling well.  As I laid on the couch with 6 or 7 blankets piled on top of me, mom made sure I had everything I needed:

• Puke bucket
• Warm wash cloth for my forehead
• Soda crackers
• 7-Up
• Baby Tylenol (I couldn't swallow pills for the life of me)
• And a warm hug

As my head pounds and as my throat throbs today, I wish I was a kid again and that my mom was coming around the corner with a warm wash cloth for my forehead.  Instead, I am lying here with my computer on my lap, dirty tissue paper crumpled next to me, and tea with honey in what should be, my coffee cup.  Today is not one of those days, but there have been times when I feel so sorry for myself that I actually tear up wishing mom was taking care of me.

Finally to my point, a mother's love for their child is probably the strongest love imaginable.  My mom cleaned up spilt milk at least 200 times, listened to us complain about tomatoes in the hot dish, broke up numerous fights between my siblings and I, and even cleaned up our throw up!  Despite all that, she still loved and cared for us when we were sick!  

Thank you mom for everything you did for me as a kid.  Especially when I was sick!  I realize now how thoughtful and selfless your actions really were.  I love you!

Now, can you come over and make me feel better?   -Mandy

Speed Dating

This Valentine’s Day was the first time in a while that I had a date, and I actually had 14 dates! The Shanghai Sharks (the women’s rugby team in Shanghai that I am involved with, more social right now) had an event: Speed Dating at our Sponsor bar.  I arrived and was immediately sent out to recruit more men for the evening. We hit a few other bars in the area and were able to recruit 5 guys.

I participated in the second round. Each date was 4 minutes. The first guy was one of my recruits, he was French (there were a lot of French men there that night for some reason).  We talked for a while and he was a student at the end of the date he asked my age. I said 29. His response was a dropped jaw and a hand-over-mouth-laugh. I was amazed, then found out he was 21. Haha!!! The next 6 people I knew from rugby or I had brought along. We all had a good laugh, talked about dates, pretended we did not know each other and said silly things that made the people on either side look at us strangely. Towards the end I was getting rather tired (the previous day I got back from Australia and it was my first day back at work). 

The last date was another French guy that worked on a boat. After only exchanging a few sentences he asked me if I was strict.  That is first time that I ever have been asked that.  When I tell people I am a strict teacher they rarely believe me and when I say that students have a healthy fear of me, they laugh. Here is a guy that I met for only 2 minutes after I had been talking for over an hour tell me that I am strict.  He then went on to ask my age. Another dropped jaw.  He did not say he was 21 but asked “But why are you single?”.  Now when people say this to me I am not sure if it is a compliment… or just rude. So my response was “I am not sure but you could ask the guy that dumped me last month.”  I thought it was funny, but he just gave a blank French stare.  Thankfully the whistle blew. 

It definitely was a memorable Valentine’s day and the most dates I have had for ages.  Match or no match, I spent the night giggling with dear friends that I love.  

Manda

For the Love of a Country

Mandy thanks for the intro to the month. I do want to add not only the love for family friends and romance but places. I just got back from Australia and seriously I am love with that country. This was the first time that I have cried when leaving a country that I have never lived in!  It was an amazing two weeks and made me think about why we love certain places, and people. I think some of the reason that I loved Australia so much is the people there and that it possesses so many ingredients that I miss in Shanghai. I do like living in Shanghai but there are certain things I miss or would like to be here.

1. The sun. Growing up in the desert I am used to having so much light and when that is lacking it can be difficult. While it was cloudy some while I was in OZ overall the weather was great and the air was clean.

2. I also felt short! This does not happen in China often at all. I felt that I was listened to and people have manners and were really welcoming.

3. It is a beautiful country. The beach is great and the views are fantastic. I have not seen all that OZ has to offer and know that I will be heading back again and again.  

4. People compliment others around them (ie I felt noticed by the opposite sex), and are super laid back. It was my first time traveling to a city completely by myself, while I met up with friends of friends there I was on my own often but was able to talk to so many people and was refreshing to be hit on. I now firmly believe that foreign women in Asia should get a trip to OZ for just resetting.  

I have now added Australia to my list of loves of countries, right after my first love: Norway. 
--Manda

A dreamy wedding proposal.

While in college I met a boy who was a pastry chef at the St. Paul Hotel.  I sat next to him every day in class until finally one day I told him I was thinking about marry him.  Tilting his head and smiling kindly, he told me his soon-to-be fiance may have a problem with that.  It was actually the upcoming weekend that he was going to propose to her.  So of course I had to ask how he was going to propose.  As I sat with my chin in my hand, staring at the pastry chef he excitingly told me his plan.  


The pastry chef explained his fiance was a chocolateaholic (what woman isn't), so he was going to bake her her favorite dark chocolate truffles and place them inside a fancy decorative box with a beautiful ribbon securing it closed.  When she opens up the box, the truffles will have the words, Will You Marry Me, delicately written on top of the truffles.  I threw my arms are the pastry chef's neck and screamed, yes!  Just kidding, I didn't.  But what a dreamy and amazing proposal!  And so thoughtful - baking her favorite truffles!  It still gives me the goosebumps thinking about it.  I haven't seen him since in college, but I imagine they had a magical wedding and hope they are still together!


Readers, if you had an amazing proposal or have a friend who did, please share it here!  -Mandy

February is Love

It only seems natural to write about love in the month of February.  With Valentine's Day, all the candy hearts, chocolate hearts, flowers, and cards all over the place, it's hard to not think about love.  Although I think Valentine's Day is a bit overrated, I have to admit that it's nice to receive a card and/or chocolate shaped heart from someone you love.  

Most of our blogs this month may indeed be about when we've fallen in and out of love, but we're also going to blog about love in friendships and love in our families.

One of my favorite movies is Love Actually.  Not only does it have an amazing soundtrack, but it's message really holds true - despite the hatred and greed we constantly are reminded of, love actually is all around us.  A quote from the movie, "Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.  It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around."   - Mandy

Number 1

My New Years Resolution this year was to have a better attitude.  29 stunk, but I think it stunk because I let it stink.  I can be pretty cynical at times and it really doesn't do me any good.  I think we have a choice every day to either make it a good day or make it a bad day.  And I'm really trying to make a conscience effort to look at my life, my work, my family, etc, in a more positive lite.  I have so much to be thankful for, that I really have no reason to start the day in a crabby mood.

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it."  - Mary Engelbreit

Number 2

2.  In November, I finally joined Life Time Fitness.  Not only has the gym done wonders for my health, but it also has done wonders for my social life.  Since joining, my friends and co-workers, who have been long time members to the club, now ask me foreign things like, "will you be at CRT tonite?", "going to cardio kickboxing at 6?", "can I be your spotter?", and "can I sit next to you in the steam room?"  Well, I may have made up a couple of them, but the gym has really become a great place to meet up with friends.  Whether it's at Yoga or on the stair master, I seem to run into friends, family, Emilie's friends, Molly's friends, Laura's friends, my co-workers, and even ex-boyfriends whom I'd rather not run into.  We catch up for a few minutes, they say, "have a good work out", and I say, "I hope so, I ate 4 chocolate chip cookies today." and then I hit the Octane Fitness elliptical for 50 minutes.  Just kidding, I have never worked out that long.  Anyway, I'm glad I joined.  I can say I am now almost as strong as my nephews and have gained friends instead of pounds these past few months.  If you belong to Life Time, we should meet up!  I'd love to "save you a spot in class" sometime.  -Mandy


p.s.  The picture is from this summer.  We are Bill's M&Ms.  Molly and I's first team triathlon!

Number 3

Music of 2010: I LOVE me some good music! There isn't a lot I can't listen to. I may not choose to listen to Britney Spears or Bieber, but I appreciate their stuff....well, sorta.

I've been a faithful listener of The Current from MPR (89.3 for those of you not familiar) for a few years now and am so thankful for its existence! In 2010, the station introduced me to some of my latest obsessions including: Mumford and Sons, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, The Temper Trap, The Avett Brothers, David Bazan! The Current also continues to play my old favorites including: Adele, John Legend, Dan Wilson, Ben Folds, Brandi Carlile! I highly recommend tuning into the station either on your radio or streaming it on your PC. You'll be thanking me, I promise.

Without music life would be a mistake. ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Music's the medicine of the mind. ~John A. Logan

5 and 4

5.  Chi Town Adventures:  To finish last summer right, three of my best friends and I took a weekend trip to Chicago.  Arriving on a Thursday evening with our Chi Town T-Shirts (thanks again, Molly), a friend of mine picked us up at the airport and immediately ordered us Chicago style pizza from the BEST pizza place in Chicago, Pequod's Pizza!  After that, we don't remember much about the trip, but from the looks of our pictures, we had a blast!  We took a walking food tour through the Wicker Park/Buck Town neighborhood that was simply amazing!  We tasted so many delicious foods from local deli's, bakeries, ice cream shops, pizza parlors, and hot dog stands!  I was in Heaven!!  My favorite?  Definitely the iced hot chocolate from Mindy's Hot Chocolate!  To.  Die.  For.  Another highlight of the trip was going to the same bar two nites in a row and not realizing it until 2 drinks in.  A big shout out to a friend in Chi-Town for being our personal chauffeur!

4.  Idaho:  (No, you Udaho.)  I know, but it makes me laugh every time.  Over Labor Day, my mom, sister Sally, and I took a road trip to Priest River, Idaho to visit my aunt Rose, uncle Kevin, and cousin Phoebe.  Although my mom was a trooper and drove 95% of the way, I will have to say it was the first and last time that I'll ever drive straight through to Idaho. Going on 1.5 hours of sleep over a period of 2 days is miserable.  Miserable.  Once we arrived at destination, however, we had a great time.  Rose's house is beautifully nestled in the mountains.  We ate well and laughed often.  Sally and I made fun of our mom and Rose most of the trip, as they have very strong Norwegian accents, especially when they get together.  Made for a funny trip.  Thank goodness Sally is as funny as I am.

Number 1

The Shanghai Sharks. They are a fantastic group of girls that I played contact rugby with for a short time. They are a wonderful support group that I could not imagine Shanghai without. I had the pleasure to play in my first contact rugby tournament (I was scared but super fun and did not get hurt). I am grateful for their friendships they are an amazing group of women here in Shanghai.  

Number 2

Was home for a total of 9 weeks this year! I went home for Christmas and Kath, traveled from Atlanta and Charlotte traveled from Germany to come and spend Christmas with me and my family in Arizona. It was an amazing time in the desert reconnecting and feeling like we were in High School again. 

Number 3

I am really thankful that I get to travel so much and have that opportunity. I do still miss my family and friends back home in the USA. This past summer I traveled to the Midwest to visit my mom’s side of the family in Minot, North Dakota.  Dontchaknow it was great to see the fam. I stayed with my Aunt Kay, Grandma made buns and then went to a Twins game with my Aunt Karen and Uncle Bill. In Northfield I visited my lovely Godmother Margaret where we just laughed for 3 days straight. Another highlight was visiting friends from Norway in Minneapolis (Mandy included). 

Number 4

One of my goals is to be in as many countries as years I have been alive so I added Vietnam (where I fractured my right ankle for the first time) and Singapore (where I got to meet up with dear friends from Germany), to the country count in 2010. FYI, my count is ready for me to turn 30.  I am heading to Australia today to start celebrating 30 J

Number 5

After Shanghai I am planning on getting back into USA culture and society. I will be going back to school for Fashion Design in NYC and I took my first class last semester, Color Theory. Though it was a lot of work, I really loved it and was fun playing with colors in a variety of ways and making things sparkle. 

Number 6

I wish I could start my sentence with, "I moved into French concession..."  But I cannot.  I can, however, start with this, "I moved into Holmgren Court where Sir Kade, Duke Pierce, and Maid Maya reside.  With hugs from the kids to fresh coffee in the morning, I couldn't have asked for a better residence this year.  It's close to work, but I think everyone in MN lives in Maple Grove, so traffic is horrendous, and it was a much needed move for me last year.  I am, however, finally renting a one bedroom come March.  I will break my streak of moving every. single. year.  Unless, I move to NY with Manda......  =)


In August I Moved into French concession in Shanghai and just love the area I am in, walking distance to the metro and cute cafes. I have even ventured to ride my bike in the neighborhood. I am close to a metro which is fab since sometimes it is impossible to get a cab. especially around 7pm as all drivers change shift at the same time to eat. Just an example of thinking and practicalities are different here.  

Number 7

I love funny quotes/stories, so I'm going to list a couple of my favorites from past dates.  After just a couple weeks of hanging out, an intoxicated boy said to me "Mandy, I think I love you."  Then expressed his love later by pissing himself and crapping in my closet.  True love.
After my bumper fell off in a boys parking lot, I called and told him (assuming he'd come and help me out).  He replied, "Good luck with that."  Needless to say, it was our last date.
Even if my relationships have "failed" (a little harsh, isn't it?), they have created some really funny stories to tell.   -Mandy 


Since Mandy posted something about dudes I think I will have to follow suit. For those of you have known my strings of bad dates in the past years... or decade I suppose.  On one date wandering the streets of Koln, Germany my date turned to me and said "I would like to have something salty to chew on ... that or to kiss you." My response... "Right, lets get you a hotdog", this past year was not as strange.  While this year romantically was not filled with finding a LTR, I was still encouraged. As Dan Savage says, “All relationships fail until you find the one that doesn't.”  I met and connected with a couple of fellas this year and though all is ended, that served as pleasant reminder that there are men out there that are not completely scared away by an accident prone, loud laughing lady and it was fun to have the butterfly feeling for a period of time.-- Manda

Number 9

Ok, ok.  I'm a little behind.  I went up north and was without internet access for a couple days...

I don't have a cool number 9.  I didn't travel, didn't break anything, and nobody shaved my body parts for me...  Last spring however, I did decide to join Match.  Went on one terrible date with a guy who was skinnier than me AND had larger breasts than I did.  Think about that one.  He also said the F word numerous times throughout the very short date.  Had a really nice date with a Ben Stiller look-a-like named Randy, but I couldn't get past Randy&Mandy, so it was the first and the last date with him.  My third and best date was with a tall musician.  I'm gonna stop right there though, he may read this blog.  ;)     Mandy

Number 8

Right, so Mandy will catch up, in her old age she has slacked on 9, but 8 is a better number, at least according to the Chinese. 

Visitors:  I am completely spoiled by my friends, which I am very thankful for; Kath, Tonn Tonn (while 6 months pregnant) and Derick came to visit me in Shanghai and then we went to Hong Kong together.  It was a great 2 weeks of laughter, silly silly conversations, more laughter and a lot of good food. My parents also visited in the fall and it was fantastic to show them around Shanghai and walk/hobble (well I had my moon boot on from my fracture) on the Great Wall of China together. 

Summer 2010, I bought a sleeping bag and went camping twice.  Once with family for Kade's 8th birthday and once with great friends in Decora, IA.  We ate and drank well both trips, and suprisingly didn't get eaten alive by mosquitos.  If we would have finished the tournement, my brother Chris and I would have been Bean Bag Champions.  Not only was tubing a highlight of the Decora camping trip, but also was driving through town with a car full of people very carefully holding on to the tubes!  Both trips were so hot though, that I didn't even unroll my sleeping bag.  I may looking into fall camping. 

Number 9

In February I fractured my right foot for the first time in 2010 on the first day of vacation in Vietnam, (I fractured my left ankle in 2009). In September I fractured my right ankle AGAIN!  After the second fracture (playing touch rugby) on my right ankle I got to see Yao Ming’s doctor, who told me why this was happening. I have hyper mobility in my ligaments. Good to know that I do not have bone issues and now a goal is just to strengthen my legs and joints and hopefully it will never happen again!

Number 10

10.  I'd like to forget January 2010, so I'll skip to February.  I took my first tropical vacation to Puerto Rico for my sister's wedding!  She had a beautiful wedding right on the beach, surrounded by her family and closest friends.  Besides the wedding itself, the highlight of the trip was hiking through the rain forest to see one of the largest waterfalls in the world (I may have made that up).  Yes, we jumped in.  And yes, it was freeeeeezing cold!  -Mandy

10. I spent the first day of 2010 in Christchurch New Zealand with my dear friend Charlotte and it was summer! We had a great vacation exploring and traveling around. I drove on the right side of the road and survived, which was amazing. It was incredibly refreshing to be out of the massive concrete jungle of Shanghai for a short period of time. Manda

January Theme

So we have decided to do a theme each month. So this month we are going to do a year in review and a top 10 list, can be good things, or memorable things. 


We will post one each day and see how it goes : )  
Enjoy!

At 30, I stood firm.

I couldn't have written a better introduction.  The first time I met Manda, I sat next to her at the movies and learned immediately that she LOVED to laugh!  What better friend to have than one who loves to laugh?  After all, laughter is the best medicine.  Mandas laugh is contagious, her mind is open, and her heart is warm.  For me, Mandas life experiences are inspiring and exciting!  I cannot imagine doing Project 30 with anyone else.

Thank you Manda, for pointing out that I am indeed already 30.  ;)  I think just now is actually the first time I wrote it out or even said it in my head.  I'm 30.  I'm 30.  (By the way, I said it twice in my head with a long thoughtful pause.)  And it's really not that bad, it's just a number in a new era.  My attitude at the beginning of 29 about turning 30 was super negative.  I was consumed with thoughts like, "I'm almost 30 and I haven't done...", "I'm almost 30 and I can't...", and "I'm almost 30 and I'm still...!"  However, now that I am now older and much wiser, I would have to agree with my friends who have already joined the 30 Club that 30 "is going to be the best year yet', and "is the new 20", and my absolute favorite, "You've been making the world a better place for 30 years now.  And just think-you're only getting started."


Manda and I have done some pretty amazing things in our 20s.  I trust that Project 30 is going to be awesome is so many ways, will help us to learn to stand firm in everything we do, and bring even more amazing things into the first year of our 30s.  


So, Cheers Manda, to our very first posts on Project 30.

Welcome!

Hello Hello and welcome to our blog. Yes we are doing a little thing to figure out and comment on how it is to be 30. For the record I just want to say I (Manda) am NOT 30 just yet. I still have 3 more months of being 29 till I celebrate 30. : )  April 17th is the date, just in case anyone wants to send flowers, chocolates, their undying affection my way.  Mandy is already 30, so you can still send your flowers, chocolates and undying affection her way post dated.


Just to give a little background on how Mandy and Manda met. We were both living in Norway in 2004-2005. I met Hayley, Mandy's cousin when studying in Norway in 2001. So when we both moved there in August 2004 Hayley got us in contact. Since then Mandy moved back to the USA in 2005 and we have kept in contact meeting up in Norway, Germany and the USA about every other year.


Mandy is living in the Minneapolis and working. Manda is living in Shanghai, China and working as a math teacher. We thought it would be fun to record our experiences for the 30th year and see what we learn from this year, and have a laugh.


I wanted to start off with a quote from Confucius:
"At fifteen my heart was set on learning; at thirty I stood firm; at forty I had no more doubts; at fifty I knew the mandate of heaven; at sixty my ear was obedient; at seventy I could follow my heart's desire without transgressing the norm."


So I guess in our 30th year we will learn to stand firm. Looking forward to the journey to solid ground. Here we go!