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!