1. Go to the shooting range and fire a gun

I have been wanting to do this for years and this afternoon, I finally did it!  My friend and I went out to the Public Safety Training Center run by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office to complete #1 on my 30 Before 30 list.  After taking a safety course and a sheriff walking me through the rules, I chose my gun, got the ammunition, picked out my targets, put on my eye and ear protection and we headed out to the firing lanes.  Walking through the doors to our firing lane was a reality check.  Guns are very powerful.  Personally, I have never seen a gun fired in person so the loud booms and sparks flying from the other people in the firing lanes was an instant flash of reality.  Not only that, you can also feel the gun fire through your body.  At this point, I became a little nervous but I was determined to follow through.  My friend taught me how to load the bullets, hang the target and fire.  After many rounds, I think I am hooked.  It's a great stress reliever and I plan on going back many times.  I am in no way a supporter of illegal guns or guns being in the hands of our youth but for those who can properly and safely use a firearm and want to go to the shooting range, I highly recommend this place http://www.clackamas.us/sheriff/pstc.jsp .... I believe you have to go with someone who is already in possesion of a legal firearm.  Here are the photos of our adventure:



29. Drive the road to Hana

For the past couple of years, I have vacationed in Mexico during the early part of September.  This year, I was looking to go somewhere different and eventually settled on the Wailea area of Maui.  I have had mixed feelings about being here for vacation; yes, it is very pretty and yes, I have found the sun that was missing back home but being that Hawaii is part of the United States...I don't know how to explain it other than I don't really feel like I am on vacation.  My phone works here, chain restaurants and stores can be found here making me feel at times like I am just at a beach and not on vacation.  Back in January and again in July, I was able to go back to NYC and those trips made a great impact on me.  The feeling I got when visiting NYC, I have not felt here.  Some of that feeling changed when I ventured out of the resort area.
I have found great little beaches, experienced part of the culture and even became very found of the music and of course the POG (Passion fruit, Orange and Guava juice). On Sunday, I decided to make the drive to Hana.  There are several people who have told me not to make the drive - "it's a waste of a whole day" or "that road is dangerous".  I took that advice as a challenge and I am so happy I did.
The drive did take several hours but it was well worth it.  As for the road itself, it was not dangerous.  When driving it, you just need patience.  It is a one way highway with many parts only allowing one car to go over a bridge or make a turn.  When I made the drive, it actually rained half the trip.  Just slow down and take in the smells and enjoy the sticky, humidity of the area because turn after turn reveals nature at it's finest.  I enjoyed it so much that I actually drove past Hana until the road, at the edge of the crashing ocean turned to dirt and potholes.  So my advice, make the drive to Heavenly Hana and beyond because there is something very cool about being in a steamy and humid rainforest, overlooking breathtaking ocean views as the warm Maui rain falls upon you.
The pictures I have posted do not do justice to the views, waterfalls, natural pools and experience. 

10. Learn to make sushi

I have completed my first 30 before 30 item!  Lately, I have been really into cooking - mostly seafood and meat so I wanted to be able to do something a little out of my comfort zone.  I headed to the Asian market on 82nd and after much confusion (most items are not in English), I had all the ingredients needed to make sushi from scratch: seaweed, rice, seasame seeds, bamboo mat, etc.  In the past, I must admit that any rice I cooked, it was the 90 second kind that you can microwave.  But not this time, I even made my own sushi rice.  After four taste testers, one who had never had sushi before, I can say this was a success.  Here are the pictures of the process: