My 30 x 30 List

Almost a year and a half ago, I was inspired to start a 30 x 30 list by Elizabeth.  I originally created my list as a document, printed it off and hung it on our refrigerator, but with the creation of The Purple Front Door I've add a tab for it here too!  The list is broke down into multiple categories: Personal, Travel, Health and Fitness, Financial, Creativity, Smarts and Make a House a Home.  Since starting, I've accomplished a respectable number, in my opinion anyways!  Here are the one's I have successfully completed, as well as the date.

1. Mail Christmas Cards, CHECK! 12-18-11

8. Take a honeymoon with Matt, CHECK! 4-4-12 thru 4-9-12

15. Run a 5K, CHECK! 4-29-11

19. Sew on a button, CHECK! 12-16-11

23. Learn how to knit, CHECK!  

25. Start a book club, CHECK! 2-20-11  

26. Learn how to drive a stick shift, CHECK! 5-6-12

29. Get horses to the farm, CHECK! 5-7-11

This weekend I accomplished #26, Learn how to drive a stick shift!  As a kid growing up on the farm I never learned how to drive a stick, nope never did!  Once or twice my dad tried to teach both my sister and I and it usually ended up with someone upset, crying or walking home instead of getting back in the truck... sometimes a combination of the three!  Anytime learning got brought back up my anxiety would rise and I'd come up with ANY excuse not to learn.  

Fast forward to March 2012, I had just turned in my leased Pontiac G6 and was left to drive our GMC Sierra.  Well gas prices what they are, Matt and I began exploring options for a work car for me.  Our friends, have a 2002 VW Jetta sitting in their garage that doesn't get driven... perfect solution to the problem of the gas guzzling truck, right?  

 Wrong!  It has a manual transmission! Houston we have a problem.... I didn't immediately recognize the transmission issue, Matt actually called me and said, "That Jetta is a stick.  Are you going to be able to drive it?"  Ugh.  I had no idea!  

 I went back and forth with this in my head, do we keep looking?  Do I buck up and try to learn?  

This past Saturday before the Cinco de Mayo/Kentucky Derby party I went out with Dennis, the current owner, and had a lesson.  Things went surprisingly well!  I only managed to kill it a few times and more importantly no tears or angry outbursts.  It was actually kind of fun!  So that night I drove the car to our party and then from there back to our house, all by myself!  Winning!  

Yesterday, Matt and I went out for a drive in it and he had me practicing hill starts and other tricky situations I might get myself in...  Amazingly enough, we didn't get in one fight the whole time! 

Okay, so what about you?  Do you know how to drive a stick shift?  Are you terrified to learn or are you a seasoned professional?