"The List"

2 things. First, an announcement. Erica’s "30th Birthday Happy Hour" will be taking place on Monday, April 26th at Cava on 8th Street. Please mark your calendars and cross your fingers for good weather so we can use their roof deck.

In preparation for her birthday, I’m posting "The List". Officially called, “30 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do Before Turning 30”. Remember, for an action to actually count towards your quota, at least 2 other Pages must be present to witness the action.

And now, "The List":

How to…
1. Wrap a Present
2. Start a Successful Fire
3. Finish a Piece of Furniture
4. Get a Raise
5. Order Wine at a Restaurant without Getting Stiffed
6. Parallel Park in Three Breathtakingly Beautiful Movements
7. Dance a Slow Dance without Looking Like an Idiot
8. Use a Full Place Setting Properly
9. Clean Your Place in Under 45 Minutes, if Friends, Relatives, or Prospective Lovers are Coming Unexpectedly and Soon
10. Hold Your Liquor
11. Cure a Hangover
12. Do the Heimlich Maneuver
13. Use a Compass
14. Change a Flat Tire
15. Jump Start a Car
16. Open a Champagne Bottle
17. Send a Drink to Someone’s Table
18. Cook One “Signature Meal”
19. Whistle with Your Fingers
20. Take Good Pictures – my addition, Be able to Hang a Picture
21. Fold a Fitted Sheet
22. Remove Common Stains
23. Sew on a Button
24. Carve Turkey, Lasagna, and Birthday Cake
25. Hold a Baby
26. Change a Diaper
27. Keep a Plant Alive for More Than a Year
28. Make Dogs and Cats Love You
29. Help Someone Out of a Car
30. Write Superior Thank-You Notes

Quoted from Siobhan Adcock’s book that I found in the now defunct Common Reader, under "Guides for the Perplexed".