This year I turned 28. Sure, in the developed world of Botox and Viagra, 28 is considered young. Back here in the old country, my face is already sagging and I should be in bed by 9pm – or else I’ll turn into a harlot werewolf. I kid.
In reality, I’m straddling two worlds, begging to be taken in as a full fledged member by one or the other – whichever will have me first. In my latest attempt to court my youth, I decided to reach out to young people in a small city in Uttar Pradesh. Needless to say, I now feel old – very, very old.
So old, in fact, that after two glasses of red wine I’m thinking of how my days to 30 are numbered and few. Before all of my enthusiasm fades and I take to watching old Hitchcock movies while drinking single malts, here’s my list of 30 things I want to do before I’m 30. I solicit my friends, family & strangers to help me make my dreams come true (not in a Robert DeNiro in Great Expectations kinda way, thank you) in the next 23 months. While this list may seem extreme, it’s only because the life I’ve lived ’til now has been effin’ amazing. #realtoppatop #shouldershrug
In no particular order…
1- Go to Trinidad & Tobago Carnival
2- Sponsor a child’s education
5- Own a safe deposit box
6- Fly a plane
9- Attend my best friend’s wedding
10- See my eldest godson go to college
11- See my youngest godson smile from ear to ear
12- Pay off all my credit card debt
13- Buy another house
15- Curate an art show
16- Collect an oral history of my family
17- Drive cross country (USA)
18- Actually learn more about African-American history #dontjudgeme
19- Give a guest lecture at a university
20- Get a grill 
21- Get another tattoo
22- Go on a spiritual retreat/pilgrimage
24- Help an Indian girl to get out of poverty
25- Help a Cape Verdean girl to get out of poverty
26- Help a Brazilian girl to get out of poverty
27- Help a Newark girl to get out of poverty 
28- Go on a girls trip with my mom
29- Buy a collector’s edition purse #dontjudgeme
30- Be genuinely happy
existabovethenoise 
I love this list. I’m inspired to think about my own. Though I’m pretty sure my number one is to graduate from law school; unless things that are guaranteed to happen don’t count. What is the play review call on this one??
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