I’m pretty good at doing what I say I’m going to do, but a little accountability never hurts, right? So I’m going to keep updating you on my 30 Before 30 progress pretty regularly. If this doesn’t remotely interest you, sorry. Just skip this and come back tomorrow. Please?

So without further ado, here’s my latest progress:

1. Paint a picture. Done! Last Friday we went to Canvas & Cocktails with some friends of ours. We drank good wine and painted semi-good paintings. It was so much fun! My painting was pretty decent, considering it was the first time I’ve ever painted anything real. My friend Cat’s painting was awesome, because she’s like actually an artist. And then there were our husbands… Their paintings were… different. They didn’t take it very seriously, and that’s just fine.

They got there late because they were both stuck at work, and we were a little worried they were going to bring the stress of work to the event. But we got some wine in them asap and things lightened up. When one of them started painting a dude in a loincloth we knew things were going to be ok.

Personally, I loved the experience of expressing myself through art. The Canvas & Cocktails set-up is that there’s one set painting and they show you how to paint it. (Unless you feel like painting something totally random, instead. See above.) That format was a good way to learn about painting, but now I want to strike out on my own. They have open paint times and I’m totally going in and painting some more. Yay!

2. Write a business plan. Done! In connection with my new photography business, I wrote a business plan. I’m having such a great time planning it out, thinking about what needs to be done, and doing it all. I love the photography part, but I also love the business part. It’s a cool thing to learn about myself.

3. Get a facial. Done! My Mother’s Day present from David was a spa day and it was a-maz-ing. It included a facial, which was my first facial ever. It was nice while it was going on, but honestly, I wasn’t as into it as I thought I would be. Now the 90-minute massage, on the other hand? Pure bliss. I’m pretty sure I fell asleep for awhile, but that’s ok, right?

4. Do a cleanse. Done! You guys, this has been such an experience. I started almost three weeks ago with an elimination diet to ease my way in. It was really hard at first: I was hungry all the time and I wanted a cookie or just a piece of bread so. damn. bad. But after a few days the cravings went away. And a few days later, the feeling of hunger subsided.

After a week of the elimination diet (no dairy, no gluten, no refined sugar, no red meat, no soy, no alcohol, no caffeine, etc), I started the actual cleanse. A smoothie in the morning, a solid-food lunch, and soup for dinner.

There were definitely some struggles, mostly related to planning. I’m not great at planning out food, which means that often we just end up ordering out or running to Whole Foods quick for some prepared food. But that wasn’t an option. And even though I tried, I still ended up a bit empty-handed sometimes. The other was just variety. A person can only eat so many raw almonds.

On the whole, though, it was amazing. I know it sounds cheesy, but I really do feel clean! It feels like my body is working the way it’s supposed to work, especially my digestive system. It really feels good.

I did the cleanse for 10 days, which I think was really good for my first time. And I’m not just diving back into old eating habits. I’ve basically gone back to the elimination diet and I’m adding food back slowly. Honestly, I don’t even want a cookie anymore. I really have no cravings for sugar or carbs. And carbs were definitely my weak spot. I’m so happy with this progress!

So, four more down, twenty-two to go. Here’s where I am right now:

1. Fund 30 Kiva loans (In progress)
2. Submit something to be published (Done!)
3. Do 30 Days of Truth (In progress)
4. Learn Photoshop (In progress)
5. Get a new tattoo
6. Write a novel (or participate in NaNoWriMo)
7. Finish Project 52 (In progress)
8. Get something published (Done!)
9. Go somewhere I’ve never been before (Scheduled)
10. Climb a 14K
11. Forgive someone
12. Find my go-to Karaoke song
13. Master one yoga pose
14. Do a cleanse (Done!)
15. Go to an opera
16. Master a difficult song on the piano  (In progress)
17. Find a good place to volunteer and start volunteering
18. Start composting (Done!)
19. Print photo albums
20. Learn how to use camera in manual mode (In progress)
21. Do something that terrifies me
22. Write a business plan (Done!)
23. Do something fun for my 30^th birthday
24. Audit a science class
25. Take a hot air balloon ride
26. Paint a picture (Done!)
27. Watch the Godfather movies
28. Purchase a very expensive, staple item of clothing/accessory
29. Get a facial (Done!)
30. Forgive myself (Done-ish)

Good progress, but I definitely have some work to do. Wish me luck!