Happy Comfest weekend, all!  I hope you had a good one.  Mine ended a bit on the rough side – I took my first fall since I learned to clip-in on my bike last summer.  I was riding on the trail with my friend Matt this afternoon.  We were about 12 miles into our ride, the furthest out I have been on the trail and almost to our turn-around point.  The trail was windy (as in lots of turns, not wind) and muddy, and I took a turn took quick (or maybe braked too quick), and BOOM, I was down.  Luckily, I avoided any serious damage – my shoes did clip out of the bike and I landed on my right side.  My brand-new tri-suit took a muddy beating, as did my right arm.  I have minor cuts and some significant bruises that I think will show their ugly faces bigtime this week, and I pulled a muscle in my chest.  But all in all, I came away relatively unscathed, and very grateful that it wasn’t worse.  I was able to ride the full 12 miles home and I have plenty of time (4 weeks!) to bounce back before my big-bad Olympic Triathlon.  For now – ice and heating pad are the name of the game!  I should have asked Matt to take a photo of my beat up self (#rookieblogger), so I’ll leave this topic with a photo of me rocking my new tri suit 🙂

Now on to the title of this post – Comfest!  Comfest stands for “Community Festival” – a long-time Columbus tradition that takes place in Goodale Park, just one block from my apartment.  It’s essentially a “hippie” fest – lots of weed, booze, live music, and topless women.  Not exactly my scene, but it makes for great entertainment and is always worth acknowledging.

I kicked off Comfest week with a visit to The Kitchen.  The Kitchen describes itself as a “a participatory dining experience that blurs the line between patron and chef”.  Their main claim to fame is dinner parties in which the guests cook the meal together.  My first visit this past Tuesday, however, was not for one of these dinner parties (which I’ll have to do in the future!).  It was for “Taco Tuesday”.  Every Tuesday, the chef picks a different theme and creates a menu of tacos highlighting that theme.  Patrons wait in line to order their tacos before taking a seat at large, communal tables.  The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, resembling a cafeteria – if cafeterias were modern and cool.

I attended this week’s Taco Tuesday with my co-worker and friend Jenny, and her friend Sarah – also my friend too!  The theme this week?  Comfest!  Aka, “hippie” tacos.  I’m a bad blogger and didn’t take a photo of the menu until it was too late and just three tacos were left.  I found this photo of the menu on Instagram.

Taco Tuesday!

I had the “Dead Head”, “Janis Joplin”, and “Chong” tacos (left to right in the photo below), along with a nice cold Brooklyn Lager.  Unfortunately, I found the taco names to be better than the tacos themselves.  They were just OK – kind of mushy. After waiting in a 20-minute line to place our order, I asked the waitress if the pork and beef were shredded as opposed to cut into chunks.  I don’t like the texture of most meat unless it’s shredded – and sadly, despite her telling me that it was shredded, the meat was in chunks that were a little too chewy for my taste.  Alas, I still ate every bite of my three tacos.  They weren’t bad – they just weren’t my beloved Bakersfield tacos!

Before dinner, Jenny and I gossiped about work talked shop over drinks at Curio, an adorable little bar featuring interesting cocktails.   I can’t remember what these were, but suffice it to say that they were both tasty and refreshing.

Then, to ring in the official start of Comfest, Johnny, Ashley and I did a once-through of the madness on Friday night.  We walked around the park grounds for about 45 minutes, getting a contact high and taking in all the sites and scenes.  I got one of the those amazing fair lemonades – you know, the kind with a half of lemon in your cup and just the right amount of sugar to tartness.  It was divine.  We also played a game called, “first person to spot boobies wins a drink”.  Despite being notorious for topless women (which is legal in Columbus), it took us almost 30 minutes to spot any!  But spot I did – and they were cute ones, small and perky with ladybugs painted on them.  How adorable.  Ash and Johnny – you owe me a drink!

Comfest 2014!

Here’s to a short week – Happy Fourth of July!  (and 62nd birthday on July 2, Daddy!)

Happy Monday!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Before I get into the big event of mine, I wanted to share an amazing article I found today with the hottest men of the 2014 World Cup.  Ben Foster of England and Juan Mata of Spain get my vote.  Sorry, American boys.

Ben Foster, England

Juan Mata, Spain

OK, enough of that.  I did not play any soccer this weekend (or ever), but I did partake in an athletic endeavor of my own: my third triathlon!  On Sunday morning, I swam 0.45 miles, biked 13, and ran 3.1 (actually more like 3.5 – the course was long) in the Ohio State Ross Tri Fit Challenge!   I competed with a team from work as part of the YMCA Corporate Challenge, and my company sponsored my race – big thanks!

GO MT!

The prep for this triathlon actually started the day before, when I drove to the starting location to drop of my bike.  This triathlon, like the other two I’ve completed, was a point-to-point course – meaning the swim-to-bike transition is in a different location than the bike-to-run transition.  Point-to-point courses are really fun, because you actually go somewhere instead of stick around the same area.  But they are also more complicated, in that you finish the race in a different place from where you started.  The swim for this race was in Antrim Park Lake, the bike course took us through Worthington and down High St. to Ohio Stadium (home of the Buckeyes!), and the run around Ohio State’s campus, right past my dorm and through The Oval, finishing on the 50-yard line of the ‘Shoe.  One hell of a course!

My alarm went off just as the Gay Pride supporters outside my window were calling it a night, at 4:15 AM!  I packed my standard pre-race breakfast of a PB&J sammy and banana and poured myself a mug full of coffee before heading out the door.  I was at the Stadium by 5, where I was treated to the coolest part of the entire day: an empty Ohio Stadium in the wee hours of the morning.  #worthit.

Ohio Stadium at 5AM!

I dropped of my run gear (running shoes, hat, race belt), met my co-workers, and hopped on a shuttle bus that took us to the start (that way, our cars were at the finish).  We then went to check out our bikes, which had been sitting overnight (with overnight security) and had collected plenty of dew.  I laid out my swim-to-bike transition stuff:  towel, water bottle to rinse off feet, socks, bike shoes, tank top, long-sleeve top (it was a cool morning and I get cold biking), helmet, sunglasses, race fuel, and my Garmin.  That’s when I discovered that my beloved Garmin watch decided to stop working.  Despite having charged it fully, it would not turn on – and still won’t now.  I mildly freaked out, then decided that I would just bike my hardest and run my fastest, and I didn’t need to see my pace to do that.

We made our way down to the swim start, and finally, at 6:30 AM, the first swimmers hit the water.  They released swimmers in small groups – maybe 3-5 at a time – every 5 seconds, which was a nice way to control overcrowding.  After another 30 minutes or so, it was finally my turn to enter the water.  Here goes nothing!

The water was just 74 degrees, as opposed to the high 70s/low 80s water of my previous races.   It was also wetsuit legal (below 78), but I had no desire to wear a wetsuit (and don’t own one), so I was really nervous about being freezing during the swim.  Turns out, the water felt great.  The swim was in a triangle shape, and was surprisingly crowded at times despite the wave start.  I got in my groove pretty quickly and stayed there for the most part, switching to breast stroke a few times to control my breathing and get my whereabouts.  I also REALLY had to pee before the swim, so I figured I would just pee while swimming.  Easier said than done!  Peeing takes concentration, and it’s very difficult to do while also swimming a race!  But I was determined not to get on the bike with a full bladder, so I multi-tasked and made it work.  Whew.  And not a minute too soon, the swim was over.  I knew I had done well – I swam as hard as I could.

After a barefoot run under a bridge and up a slippery hill, I transitioned from swim to bike, hopped on the bike, and started pedaling.  I quickly discovered that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore – this course was MUCH hillier than my previous two triathlons.  It was also narrow and crowded at times, especially towards the end.  I can’t say I enjoyed it – despite being a spin instructor, biking is by far my hardest event, and every pedal stroke takes effort.  But I made it through, and even had a spectator cheering me on!  The course went right past the home of my second mother, Karen, and she was out there cheering me on as I “whizzed” past.  Seeing her was wonderful.  I also ate a date stuffed with peanut butter and sprinkled with sea salt – a race fuel idea I stole from one my favorite blogs, fANNEtastic food.  I hate gels, and although I wasn’t really hungry I knew I needed a little extra boost to get me through the run.

The bike-to-run transition was tricky.  We were required to remove our bike shoes before entering the Stadium, and had to run our bikes down a steep slope (the same one TBDBITL uses to enter the field!).  The momentum built running down the entrance caused me to drop my bike at the bottom, knocking my shin and making me flustured for a minute.  But I got a hold of myself, racked my bike, switched shoes, and off I went.

The very first part of the run?  STAIRS!  Not a lot, but enough to get that heart rate up right off the bat.  I struggled initially on the run.  My right shin and calf were really bothering me, as they had been the days leading up to the race.  But I eventually got into a rhythm, and even ran into my friend EB on the course!  It was so great to see her in those last few miles of the race.  This was her first triathlon, and despite having the flu, she rocked it!

Triathletes!

I really picked up my pace towards the end.  The course was annoyingly mis-marked, and there was at least an additional quarter mile – not 0.1 – after the three-mile mark.  But I pushed through, and finished with a smile on my face!  The first thing I noticed afterwards was how NOT tapped-out I felt.  I honestly felt fine, and like I could do more.  That’s the great part about triathlons – as soon as you are feeling tapped out of one event, it’s on to the next, using different muscles and mentally changing the game.

I finished the race in 1:42:37 – a time I am very happy with!   I was in the top 20% of all swimmers (men included!) and the top 40% of all runners (men included!).  The bike…well, that’s another story.  Although my average MPH were quite slow at just 13.6, I felt good on the bike, like I was working hard – and I even passed some people!  Everyone has their weak event, and for this spin instructor, the bike is most definitely mine.  Weak legs, heavier bike, inexperience – whatever the reason, I know it’s something to work on.  But I’m a big believer in focusing on strengths, not weaknesses (in the workplace, too!), so I’m not going to get down on myself for a slower-than-average bike.  I’m a great swimmer and a good runner!  And most importantly – and I mean this – I had FUN!  Unlike after my last half-marathon in 2009, when I finish triathlons, the first thing I think is, “when can I do another one?!”.  They are just FUN!

And do another I will – in exactly five weeks from yesterday, in fact.  On July 27, I’ll be competing in my first Olympic distance triathlon – exactly TWICE the distance of yesterday’s.  That’s a 0.9 mile swim, 40K bike (~25 miles), and 10K (6.2 mile) run.  Eeeek.  It won’t be easy, and I have my work cut out for me these next five weeks.  My goal is not simply to finish – I know I can finish – but to finish not feeling like I have been run over by a truck.  I don’t have to feel as great as I felt yesterday, but I don’t want to be miserable either.  Because remember, triathlons are supposed to be fun!

Let the countdown begin!

It’s Sunday, September 13, 2009.  I’m 25 years old.  Yesterday was my best friend’s annual tailgate – typically my favorite day of the year.  But instead of reminiscing on how much fun I had with my friends, I’m thinking about how I didn’t meet a single guy at the tailgate.  Not one.  Yes, I know that things “happen when you least expect it”, and that I “should” focus on all my great friendships.  But the fact is, I’m tired of being single.  More accurately, I’m tired of not meeting anyone.  Of going out to the bars, weekend after weekend, hoping to meet a cute guy and coming home numberless.

But then, while on my bike on the Olentangy Trail, I have an epiphany.  Instead of expecting to meet someone organically, why not take matters into my own hands and step into the 21st century?  Why not try online dating?!  And so I hurriedly bike home, hop on my computer, and sign up for match.com.  I instantly feel better.  After all, I’m very Type-A, and being “in control” of my situation is paramount to my well-being.  The fact that I am taking my fate into my own hands is more powerful and uplifting than any guy asking for my number at the tailgate would have been.

Fast-forward five years later, and I’m still that same girl, trying to meet “that guy”.  But this time, I’m an seasoned online dater (what every girl dreams of being at age 30).  I’ve had an off-again, on-again relationship with match.com, as well as JDate, OKCupid, and Tinder.  And while I have yet to meet my husband on any of these sites, I’ve had a lot of adventures.  Some good, some not-so-good, all making life my life more colorful.   Nora Ephron once famously said, “everything is copy”, and I couldn’t agree more.  By looking at my online dating experiences through this lens, I can avoid taking myself too seriously, in favor of finding the humor and richness these experiences bring to my life.

With that, I bring you my multi-post series on online dating.  Part I:  Quantity vs. Quality.  I should preface this by saying that my understanding of the online marketplace is limited by my experiences on the four aforementioned dating sites.  There are many more out there, but at this point in my life I’ve been an active participant in *just* these four.  Who knows how much my perspective will widen with more years of dating ahead of me!

The online dating marketplace can be summed up in one simple relationship:   Quantity vs. Quality.  The quantity of the men on a dating site (or mobile app, in the case of Tinder) is inversely related to the quality of those men, as shown in the graph below:

For example, match.com, my introduction to online dating, is at the origin.  The quantity of men is average, as is the quality of those men.  JDate, a site designed exclusively for “The Chosen People”, has very few men (shockingly) – but I found those men to be relatively high-caliber.  On the other extreme, OKCupid and Tinder are both teeming with men, but very few of those men are worth a reply, let alone a date.

Note that the top right quadrant of the graph is empty.  There are no sites that are full of high-quality men just waiting to find their perfect woman and vice-versa.  But the good news is, we (both women and men) are not restricted to dating online only.  We are still allowed to meet people at coffee shops and through friends and at tailgates.   But when those traditional methods fall short, striking up an email conversation with a cute guy and then meeting him for a drink can remind you that you’re still out there.  And even if Mr. Online doesn’t turn out to be Mr. Right or even Mr. Right Now, those adventures make life more colorful – and even serve as copy for your blog.

Stay tuned for Part II of my online dating series!

Long time no blog!  I’m sure you’ve all be checking O-HI-30 daily, wondering where the heck Sarah is and assuming I already gave up this whole writing thing.  But give up I have not – I was simply enjoying a week+ in beautiful Anna Maria Island, FL, largely disconnected from technology and connected to sun, sand, and shrimp.

Having been away from this space for almost two weeks, I have all sorts of random things to share.  Adventures, you might call them.  So  I’ve decided that on occasion, I’ll write an “Adventures” post featuring whatever my fingers long to type.  I hope you enjoy this first installment!

Vacation

I spent the last 9 days in total bliss, also known as Anna Maria Island, FL, where my family has been fortunate enough to vacation for the majority of my 30 years.  We’ve been staying in the same house thanks to our dear family friend Karen, eating at the same restaurants (with some new ones in the mix), and walking the same pictureesque path to the beach for as long as I can remember.  Every time we go, we fall even quicker into our respective routines of doing very little, and this year was no exception.  My days looked a little like this:  wake up, drink coffee, do something physical (run, walk on the beach, do some outdoor yoga (the real hot yoga), do a workout my trainer gave me (he would be proud!) etc.), eat some lunch (can you say fried shrimp at the Starfish?!), lather on sunscreen for the 8th millionth time, put on swimsuit, drag chairs down to beach, swim, read, swim, head home, shower, play rummy tile, eat dinner, eat Publix key lime pie, go to bed.  Repeat.  Not on the agenda?  Blow dry hair, do makeup.  It was exceptionally relaxing, and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my family, as I always do.  I’m a lucky gal.

The Best Crab Cakes in the World

Perfection

Read

I spent the first half of my vacation obsessively reading the latest from my favorite author, Emily Giffin.  I’m a slow reader.  Both in speed and stamina.  But just like her other books, I devoured “The One and Only” in just a few days, savoring her words and addictive story-telling ability every chance I got.  It was not her best – that was her first, “Something Borrowed”, but nonetheless, I was hooked from page one.  I like to think of myself as a bit of a chick-lit “snob” – I do love chick-lit, but I love well-written chick-lit.  I definitely discriminate, and Emily Giffin never disappoints.  I was sad when the book was finished.  I did manage to finish another book (that I had already started months before and gave up on for some reason) and enjoyed it too – The Engagements – but not as much as my beloved Emily Giffin.  I only hope she’s writing her next!

Watch

I’m six (or is it 5?) episodes into the second season of Orange is the New Black, released two weekends ago from Netflix.  Talk about an awkward show to watch with your parents!  Fortunately, it takes more than some lesbian sex to make me uncomfortable.  And man is there a lot of it – a little too much, in my opinion.  Aside from the gratuitous almost-porn scenes, this season is as good if not better than the first.  I loved getting to know the back stories of some of the women in season one, and I’m happy to see that continue in season two.  Less Piper, more everyone else (Tastee is my favorite!). And have I mentioned that I want to marry Jason Biggs?

Compete

Did I also forget to mention that I’m competing in my third Triathlon this Sunday?  That’s because I haven’t given it much thought – until now.  I realized this morning that, OH SHIT, i’m doing a triathlon on Sunday!  It’s not that I’m not properly trained for it – I am – but I’ve been mentally blowing it off as “just a quick tri”, when in actuality it’s the same distance as my previous two, less 6 miles on the bike.  Still no walk in the park, especially given the frigid water temps (72 degrees!) and quarter-mile gap between the swim and the bike (that’s a long transition).  And let’s face it, no matter how many times I swam 2400 meters at a time this past year, swimming 750 in a foreign lake with a bunch of people kicking makes it feel like zero.  And I still get a little nervous everytime I clip into my bike pedals.  Perhaps the only part of the tri I’m not worried about is the run.  But hey, it’s supposed to be fun, right?!  And it will be!  Even better?  The post-750 meter swim, 12 mile bike, 5K  run-brunch, mani/pedi, and massage I have planned!  I promise a full race recap!

Steam

After using one to erase the sand and dirt coating the floors of the Florida house, I borrowed Karen’s floor steamer to clean my own floors yesterday afternoon.  Many years of pushing dirty mop water around my beautiful wood floors and tricking myself into believing they were actually clean got me curious.  The results?  I’m buying my own immediately!  These are the things that make me happy at age 30 (ok, they made me happy at age 23 too.  #cleanfreak).

Eat

After a week+ of indulging in a lot of fried shrimp and very few vegetables, I was craving something light but filling last night.  I also was really craving some eggs.  Enter this frittata, courtesy of The Pioneer Woman!  In true Sarah style, I really didnt’ follow her recipe at all – just used it for the technique.  My frittata contained a whole onion, zucchini, spinach, and the star of the show, bacon!  And don’t forget the cheese – I’m currently obsessed with Trader Joe’s caramelized onion and cheddar.  Served with a nice crunchy salad.  I ate leftovers for dinner tonight, and will for lunch tomorrow and a fourth meal still!  Great for single gals – or a single gal dinner party!

Feeds One, Four Times!

So there you have it – my very first “Adventures” post.  Up next:  the wonderful world of online dating!

Throughout my childhood, my mother cooked fresh, homemade meals almost every night.  Dinner was the highlight of my day, and the question, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” was uttered before breakfast had even been consumed.  You see, I love food, and have since I was a wee one.  Aside from a brief stint as a baby when I couldn’t gain weight, I’ve always been ready for seconds or a fourth cookie.  Fortunately, I was also a thin girl and no one was concerned when I could finish an entire adult perch dinner (two fried fillets).  While I attribute some of this to my fairly stellar metabolism I inherited from my mom, I also attribute it to the healthy, balanced meals she fed my brother and me.  Dinner always included a protein (chicken), a starch (potatoes or rice), a vegetable (yes, I ate them as a kid.  In fact, “beets” was one of my first words!), and possibly a salad and/or some nice crusty bread.  No frozen fish sticks or KFC buckets on our dinner table.

When I moved out of the dorms and into my first college apartment, dinner continued to include multiple components.  The difference was, instead of those components being family-friendly, they were catered towards the cheap, busy college student.  On any given evening, “dinner” might consist of a can of green beans, an english muffin, and a yogurt.  Maybe throw a piece of chicken on the george forman grill if it was a good night.  Not exactly what I’d call an appetizing meal.  Fortunately, things took a turn for the better when I graduated and started working an 8-5 job.  With more built-in structure, I started cooking real meals – ones that slightly resembled the coveted ones of my childhood.

Cooking for one is a tricky thing.  You don’t want to overbuy at the grocery store  for fear of having to throw away food, but if you buy too little, you end up eating out because your fridge is bare.  For the same reason, it’s tough to have a wide variety of foods. But after seven years of cooking for one, I’ve gotten pretty good at knowing what I will and won’t eat.  I’ve also gotten pretty good at knowing how to whip up a tasty meal in a hurry.  For 2.5 years, I worked full-time and went to grad school at night, which didn’t leave me with a lot of time for leisurely culinary adventures.  And although I’m now back to my pre-grad school lifestyle, I haven’t found myself wanting to cook elaborate meals quite as much as I used to.  I eat out more than I’d like to admit as a way of socializing, but I very rarely get takeout.  Instead, those nights that I do eat dinner at home, I prefer to make a simple, healthy dinner that can maybe double as lunch the next day.  But one thing for sure hasn’t changed – I’ll still spend an entire yoga class thinking about what I’m going to have for dinner.  What can I say – old habits die hard.

So what are some of my go-to dinners?

• Salads with interesting protein:  Think an over-easy egg, veggie burger, or my current favorite – meatballs in spaghetti sauce.  Yep, you read that right.  I always like to have meatballs in the freezer (homemade – they freeze well).  I’ll take out a few, heat them on the stove in some sauce, and in the meantime build the rest of the salad.  I like to massage the lettuce in a little EVOO and balsamic, then add whatever veg I have on hand, some blue cheese, and banana pepper rings.  They just go well with the meatballs.  Serve with a nice piece of crusty bread (some things never change).

Meatballs on Salad. Try it!

• Mac and Cheese:  Oddly enough, I was not a fan of mac and cheese as I kid.  I was a bit of a food snob at a young age, and turned my nose up at anything that belonged on the kid table.  But as an adult, I’ve discovered the amazing-ness of boxed mac and cheese.  Of course, I’m still a food snob so I purchase the organic kind, then add some cooked chicken sausage and frozen peas to the mix.  Add some hot sauce and you’ve got a well-rounded meal.

Classic, Revisited

• Lazy-Woman’s Stir Fry: This is what I had for dinner on Sunday and lunch today (leftovers).  I’m not a vegetarian by any means (hello, bacon?), but I LOVE tofu.  Especially when it’s cooked well – in big cubes, a little chewy but not overdone.  I’ll stir-fry some tofu cubes (drained and pressed all day in the fridge using the fifth Harry Potter book, my least favorite) in a pan with some coconut oil (my new favorite trader joes discovery), then add some broccoli, peppers, onions, shaved carrots – whatever I have on hand.  I’ll add some trader joes red curry sauce from a bottle, cook up some trader joes frozen brown rice in the micro, and viola – a stir-fry is born.  Thanks, Trader Joes.  Top with bean sprouts, lime, and peanuts.

I Love Tofu!

• Veggie Burger & Fries:  One of my longest lasting go-tos.  You just can’t go wrong with a Morningstar Farms black bean burger with avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickle.  Pair it with some oven baked sweet potato or regular fries, and you’re good to go!

• Beans and Rice:  Courtesy of my favorite blogger, this beans and rice meal is one of my favorites.  My version is slightly different – I use yellow rice (the cooking time doesn’t bother me – I use the time to unload the dishes, prepare the rest of the meal, etc.).  I chop some garlic and an onion, throw it in the skillet, maybe add some sliced pepper, then add a can of red kidney beans (rinsed), a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, some jarred jalapenos, and a pinch or two of cumin and cayenne (to taste).  I usually add some spinach at the last minute for good measure.  Serve the bean mixture over the rice, and top with sour cream (I like Daisy Light), avocado, and pepperjack cheese.  If you have tortilla chips, add them for some crunch.

• And When All Else Fails:  There is always Northstar Cafe!

What are some of your go-to dinners?

Happy Sunday, all!   I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  Mine was very “summer”, complete with a hotdog and beers at a minor league baseball game (don’t worry, I didn’t watch a single play), lounging by the pool, the debut of my trendy new jumpsuit on the Columbus bar scene, a 19-mile ride (tri training is in full force!), as well as other summery adventures.

Nice Backdrop for Hotdogs and Beer

Worth the $6

Jumpsuit!

Being out and about this weekend got me thinking about dating (ok, I’m always thinking about dating).  More specifically, how to MEET people.    As a 30-year old in Midwest, it’s comes as no surprise to me that most people I meet are in relationships (if not married).  What continues to elude me, however, is how all these people managed to meet their significant others in the first place, let alone fall in love and spend a life together.  Because in my experience (and I have many years of it), meeting people is not easy.

Columbus is a great place to live – rents are reasonable (especially mine!), people are nice, the food is good.  But Columbus, like much of the Midwest, is not necessarily an easy place to live if you are single and above the age of 27.  You see, by the time most Midwesterners are in their late 20’s, they’ve already met the person they intend on spending their life with.  Whereas in large metropolitan areas it’s uncommon for a 27-year-old to be married, in the Midwest it’s entirely too common.  Which leaves those of us who did not get our MRS degree in college or the few years that followed in a bit of a pickle.

The situation is complicated by the fact that we are living in a crazy technological world.  Back when my parents were dating (many a year ago), people met organically – at the bar on a Friday night, at the grocery store on a Sunday afternoon.  If a man was interested in a woman, the only way to ensure he would see her again was to ask for her number and subsequently use it.  But in today’s information-overloaded world, people don’t have to meet in line at the dry cleaner.  They can meet on dating sites.  I rarely see strangers chatting each other up in bars – I see groups of friends huddled together, barely acknowledging the other bar-goers.  Dining alone while traveling for business, I see other lonely travelers also dining alone – buried into their iPhones and not making small talk with the cute stranger next to them.  And even if two strangers do manage to meet, the guys don’t have to call – they can text, or send you a Facebook message, or just figure they’ll see you again sometime.

Depressed yet?  I wouldn’t blame you.  But I’m a glass-half-full kinda girl.  I like to believe that it IS possible to meet someone, even if you are 30 and living in Columbus, Ohio.   And living the O-HI-30 life means that I refuse to sit back and wait for my dream man to find me.  I can find him!

Ways to Meet Men:

• Online Dating:  I’ve been a 5+ year subscriber to various dating sites, off and on.  Match.com, OKCupid, JDate (yep, for the Jews).  I’m a big believer in that online dating is just another way to meet someone, and that once you do indeed meet, the fact that you met online becomes a moot point.  Future post!
• Tinder:  “I’m yellin’ Tinder”.  Hot-or-Not dating app for your phone.  It gets to the root of meeting people right off the bat – swipe right if you’re interested, left if you’re not.  If it’s a mutual match, you get to text.  A great way to entertain a group of married men and women – give them your phone and you might not get it back.
• “Drive-By Shooting”:  A guy I did this to once compared my tactic to a drive-by shooting.  You write your name and number on a napkin, preferably accompanied by a clever and breezy tagline like, “call me, maybe?”.  You place it on cute guy’s table, and then promptly turn around and run out of coffee shop/bar.  Trust me, it works – I have an 80% success rate.
• “Blind” Dates:  Blind in quotations because with Facebook, dates are never blind.  Not being shy about my single status, I tell everyone and anyone who’s willing to listen that I’ll gladly go on a blind date with their niece’s friend’s roommate.  It’s only a drink, and you never know!
• Wingman:  I don’t mean this in the traditional sense of a wingman – having a friend be the intermediary between me and cute guy at a bar.  I’ll do that myself.  What I mean by wingman is asking my hairdresser to fix me up with the cute guy who’s hair she was cutting before mine.  Or asking my best friend to give the Jewish doctor she’s sharing night-shift with my number.  Gotta be your own advocate!
• Being Friendly:  And last, but definitely not least – just being friendly.  Part of my O-HI-30 mantra is to be open to meeting men anytime, anywhere.  My mom always says to keep my eyes – and heart – open, and cheesy as it may be, it’s sound advice.  I’ve found that in keeping my eyes and heart open makes it easier to be friendly and chatty.  Most friendly encounters will stay just that.  But some may turn into a series of texts.  And maybe – believe it or not – an actual date!

Call Me Maybe?

Greetings from La Crosse, Wisconsin!  Where the heck is La Crosse, you ask?  A four-hour drive west of Green Bay, Wisconsin, which, turns out, is also relatively in the middle-of-nowhere.  Adventures of a Midwestern 30-something, indeed.  Last night, I ate dinner at a place that serves burgers wrapped in parchment paper and water in those tiny OJ-sized cafeteria cups.  Tonight’s dinner was a step-up at the local Grizzly’s.  Yep, I’m in the Midwest.

The Stony Creek Inn – Notice the Bears

And yes, I had cheese curds with dinner last night.

But I digress.  The actual subject of this post is, once again, my 30th birthday!  I would be remiss if I didn’t dedicate a post to the perfection that was my 30th birthday celebration.  It started around 6 PM on “birthday eve”, as my mother would say, when my freshman year roommate and bff Nash arrived at my apartment from Cincinnati for the celebration.  We then met up with friends and family at Bareburger, a NYC burger chain that has happily made its way to the Midwest.  One of those friends was a surprise – my dear friend Cullen, who lives in Charleston, WV and whom I thought was at a wedding and therefore unable to make it.  What a pleasant surprise! 

My main cbus crew plus my parents and two like-family friends all piled around a big table and proceeded to gorge in glorious burgers and to-die-for french fries, washed down with fancy cocktails (Bareburger will only make cocktails off their menu – no dirty martini for the birthday girl).  But even better than the food (and you know how much I love food) was how special everyone made me feel.  My mom read aloud a poem she wrote about me (strikingly accurate and tear-jerking), and my friends all wrote haikus.  It was a poem-filled night!  Topped with tasty cupcakes and dancing the night away. 

Great Friends!

Perhaps the funniest part of the evening where these ridiculous signs that Ashley made of my face on a wooden stick.  These signs kept popping up all night – in the center of the dinner table, in my friends’ back pockets, in inappropriate places (yep, they went there).  They even ended up dancing with strangers.  One couple told me that dancing with my face was “the most excitement [her] marriage has had in years”.  No comment.    

Sarah, Multiplied!

So, you see, it was the best 30th birthday celebration a girl could ask for.  Great food, great friends, great family, great feelings.   My actual birthday was spent running the Girls on the Run 5K, eating another burger on Karen’s back patio, and writing my first blog post.  I’m a lucky gal! 

Today is the first day of my 30’s.  Many older, wiser people (mostly women) have told me that their 30’s were the best years of their life.  The insecurities experienced as 20-somethings turn into a true sense-of-self, freeing one up to fully experience life’s joys.  If I’m still writing this blog in ten years (that is, if  I make it ten months /weeks / days), hopefully I’ll look back fondly at this first post, in full agreement that indeed, my 30’s were fabulous.

But with less than 24 hours as a 30-something, I thought I’d take this first post to reflect on the last ~two years of my 20’s.  Over the course of Memorial Day weekend 2012, my dear friend Ashley and I made “30 before 30” lists – 3o goals/experiences to complete before our 30th birthdays.  It actually took the greater part of my 28th year to add all 30 items to this list.  The question is, did I complete all 30 before May 18, 2014?

30-before-30

1. Makeout with two guys in the same night:  Confession:  I had already completed this noble task prior to making this list.  But only two weeks prior, and it was such a feat that it had to be added.  It was the night of my 28^th birthday, at my MBA “prom” – two guys within two minutes.  Check, check.
2. (Private):  Sadly, this has not yet been accomplished.  But that’s what my 30s are for!
3. Take a trip to San Francisco:  Fail.  Hopefully soon!
4. Make Mom’s almond cake:  Fail.  I hate baking.  I was actually going to do this in the last few weeks, but then my Mom made the cake for my graduation – ruining all chances of me actually making it.  And it’s not even hard.
5. Finish a triathlon:  Check!  Two times over.  Next up – #’s 3 and 4 this summer – one of them an Olympic distance!
6. See a good comedian live:  Fail.  Any suggestions?
7. Loosen hamstrings – more flexibility:  Difficult to measure, but I think I’ve done this – thanks to many of Sally’s hot yoga classes at Grow Yoga and V Power (future post)
8. Go to the farmer’s market once a month (May-Nov):  Fail.  Sounds like such a good idea, but shortly after making this list I started teaching my Spin class on Saturday mornings.  Maybe one day.
9. Buy something fabulous and unique at a boutique:  Not sure about unique, but I did buy fabulous $200 jeans at High Street Denim.  Also purchased my Hanukkah Party dress at the same time – definitely unique and fabulous.  Check.
10. Keep seeing Brianna:  Brianna is a girl I met volunteering with an organization called Girls on the Run.  She is awesome, and I decided to informally take her under my wing – kind of like a big sisters thing.  I’ve taken her on afternoon outings a few times, but not enough.  Half Check? 
11. Start volunteering again after graduation:  Check!  As soon as I graduated I started volunteering again with GOTR.  We just had our end-of-season 5K today.  Great way to start year 30!
12. Go back to Keeneland:  We went to Keeneland for my bff Ashley’s Bachelorette Party in the spring of 2012.  $2 bets?  Yes, please.  Unfortunately, couldn’t get this together – 40 before 40?
13. Do an arm balance and/or headstand in yoga: Almost check.  Working on it!
14. Go to one new restaurant or bar per month:  I didn’t really get serious about this until about 2 months ago.  But when I got serious, I got serious!  I went to three new places on a Tuesday night, for instance.  Future blog post, most definitely.
15. Update my resume and start job hunting:  I did update my resume, but I didn’t’ start job hunting – because I got promoted at my current job post-MBA.  Check!
16. Stop f-ing biting my nails:  Fail.  But, instead I get manicures every other week or so – so at least my nails are presentable half of the time.  #badhabit
17. Replace TV stand and night stand:  Check.  When you’ve lived in the same apartment for five years, you need to find ways to make it feel new.
18. Revisit back solutions:  My back reminds me that I’m 30-going-on-80 every.  single.  day.  Needless to say, it’s not any better than it was when I started this list.  But maybe I’m better at coping with it?  Icy Hot Patches.
19. Organize and print photos:  Major fail.  I’d rather watch The Good Wife.
20. Go apple picking in Columbus:  Fail – but this was a stupid addition to the list.  I go apple picking almost every year with my parents at home.
21. Learn how to curl my hair using a straightener:  Fail, sadly.  Straighteners make the best curls!  I’m just not good at fancy hair.
22. PR in a 5K:  Check!  Ashley and I rocked it out this past fall: 27.01.  Beat my previous PR by 30 seconds!
23. Learn how to clip in outdoors:  Huge Check!  This was a big one for me – I was VERY nervous – but now that I have the hang of it, “clipping in” while riding my bike is almost second nature.  Almost.
24. See President Obama speak in person:  Check!  Confession:  I had already done this when I added it to the list.  But I went out of my way to hear him speak at Ohio State’s Spring Commencement last year, and it was well worth it.
25. Listen to NPR every weekday:  Does 10 minutes count?  If so, then check.
26. Do 50 pushups in a row:  Eh.  Fail.  But 50 is a lot.  I did start seeing a personal trainer, though, and I am getting strong!
27. Send Devon and Dylan gifts twice a year (birthdays and one other time):  Check!  I want to be a cool cousin to my little cousins (second or third cousins?) that live in North Carolina.  They are really great girls and they deserve some extra love!
28. Start a face skin care routine:  Check.  I’m 30 now – I have to moisturize.
29. Watch The Godfather:  Fail.  See #19.
30. Read two “business” books:  Half check.  I read “Lean In” and have been a promoter of it ever since.  Need to get on that second book.

Total complete?  Let’s go with 17.  Not so hot.  But you know what?  I had fun just knowing the list existed.  So I didn’t organize my photos or watch The Godfather.  Maybe instead I went to dinner with friends (see #14) or watched my current TV show obsession instead.  And that’s OK.

31 before 31?