About

Let’s face it, no one here is getting any younger.

Don’t worry. This isn’t some pre-mid-life-crisis rant, I promise. It’s all about perspective. While “36″ sounds mature to a 19-year-old, it sounds youthful to a retiree. To me, a happily married suburban career woman and mother of two small boys, it sounds like the tick of a slightly broken clock: fast on some days, slow on others, with only the softest hint of passing time.

Even so, I don’t want to miss a moment. That’s why I decided to kick off this project—“36 X 37.” I’ve given myself 365 days to do 36 things I’ve never done, all before my 37th birthday. My first post–Maura Starts a Blog–will explain it best.

Here are some of the things I’ve accomplished so far:

• 1: Start a blog (April 17 ~ Here’s the post)
• 2: Give my compliments to the chef (April 24 ~ Here’s the post)
• 3: Let my kids call the shots for one day (May 3 ~ Here’s the post)
• 4: Join the Race for the Cure (May 15 ~ Here’s the post)
• 5: Visit Randyland (May 30-31 – Here’s Part I, and here’s Part II)
• 6: Test-drive a Maserati (July 14 ~ Here’s the post)
• 7: Take a ride in a helicopter (July 18 ~ Here’s the post)
• 8: Be published (August 24 ~ Here’s the post)
• 9: Meet someone famous (August 21 ~ Here’s the post)
• 10: Take my son to his first day of kindergarten (August 24 ~ Here’s the post)
• 11: Spa day! (August 28 ~ Here’s the post)
• 12: Rough it (September 3-5 ~ Here’s Part I and here’s Part II) (P.S., I’ve tried this before. Read failed attempts #1 and #2)
• 13: Get BBQ in Nashville (September 17-19 ~ Part I and Part II)
• 14: Co-chair a fundraiser (October 8 ~ Here’s the post)
• 15: Watch the sun rise in the desert (October 11 ~ Here’s the post)
• 16: Double down in Las Vegas (October 10 ~ Here’s the post)
• 17: Live it up in Las Vegas (October 10-12 ~ Here’s the post)
• 18: Swear off swearing for a week (October 6-17 ~ Here’s the post)
• 19: Tell off someone who really deserves it (November 4 ~ Here’s the post)
• 20: Surprise my husband with a weekend getaway (November 19 ~ Here’s the post)
• 21: Stand on the state line (November 29 ~ Here’s the post)
• 22: Take my boys to the ballet (December 14 ~ Here’s the post)
• 23: Cook Christmas dinner totally solo (December 25 ~ Here’s the post)
• 24: Go “off-grid” for a week (January 17 ~ Here’s the post)
• 25: Take a hot air balloon ride (January 19 ~ Here’s the post)
• 26: Take my family to Disney (January 24 ~ Here’s the post)
• 27: Take trapeze lessons (February 12 ~ Here’s the post)
• 28: Take flying lessons (March 4 ~ Here’s the post)
• 29: Learn to play Chess (February 25 ~ Here’s the post)
• 30: Attend the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade (March 12 ~ Here’s the post)
• 31: …but even more than that, introduce my sons to the best city in America (March 13 ~ Here’s the post)
  
• 32: Take a spontaneous road trip (April 9 ~ Part I: What Up, Sandusky? and Part II: Freak Show Carousel)
• 33: Play Tooth Fairy (April 13 ~ Here’s the post)
• 34: Bury a time capsule (April 15 ~ Here’s the post)
• 35: Plant a tree (April 15 ~ Here’s the post)
• 36: Give up sweets for Lent (April 17 ~ the lead-up and the final post)

I’ll also post about small firsts (here’s my favorite so far), other noteworthy “days in the life” (like this one), first listens, etc, etc. You get the idea. And I’d love to hear your suggestions for more…

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