10 To 30

With 10 days to go before my 30th birthday, I read with interest this list of 30 Skills Every Woman Should Have Before Turning 30, according to thefrisky.com.

Let's see if the frisky folks would think I'm ready. Here are the skills I either have or need to acquire in the next 10 days.

1. Hard boil an egg
I know how to do this, but I never eat hard-boiled eggs, so I have only ever used this skill when making Easter eggs to color or potato salad for my mom.

2. Diplomatically tell Mom to butt-out
My mom doesn't really butt in too much, but if she did, I would use the same policy for her as I use for others who do butt in: I just wouldn't tell her things.

3. Ace a job interview
I need to work on that one. I'm much better on paper than in person.

4. Ask a man out
I wouldn't say I've ever been good at this, but now that I'm married, it's easy: "Honey, should we go to the movies Saturday? Yeah? Cool."

5. Send a thoughtful thank you note
I don't write thank you notes as often as I maybe should, but I do write them, and I think I do a decent job.

6. Listen to a friend in need
This is tricky. I'm not really the shoulder-to-cry-on friend. I'm the already-cried-and-now-I-need-a-sarcastic-comment friend. But if all of the friend's shoulder-to-cry-on friends are all busy that day, I do alright as long as I don't have to say anything caring and supportive.

7. Ask for help
I'm about 50/50 on this one. Sometimes I ask for help on things I could really do myself, but then other times, I refuse to ask when I should. But I'd say I get it right about half the time.

8. Effectively end an unhealthy relationship (romantic or platonic in nature)
This is a skill I only recently picked up in the past few years. I still don't find it easy, but luckily, I don't have to do it very often.

9. Beautifully wrap a gift
Hmm. I might be able to do this if I actually tried. I can wrap OK if I take the time and effort, but I've never really done the curly ribbon and all that jazz.

10. Say “no” gracefully
Sadly, this is one skill I have not yet learned at all. Guess I've got 10 days to pick it up.

11. Whip up a great dinner with the five items in her fridge
I guess I could do this. I don't know if I'd want to have company over that night, though.

12. Forget pleasing him, by 30 a woman should be able to tell her man exactly how to please her
Um, my mom reads this blog, so I'm just gonna ignore this one.

13. Sew a button
Learned this at age 10.

14. Mix a kick-ass cocktail
This is along the lines the cooking with five items thing. I could probably make a cocktail I like, but I don't know if anyone else would like it.

15. Take off her bra without removing her shirt
Yeah, I can do this.

16. Apply lip gloss in the dark
I guess I could do this, but I don't know why I ever would.

17. Balance her checkbook
Yeah, I can do this too.

18. Create a budget
Can I? Yes. Do I? Not so much. At least, not in written form.

19. Find the best deal
I'm insanely cheap, so yes, this is a skill I have. For me, the bigger lesson was knowing that "deal" doesn't always mean cheaper, that sometimes, paying more actually gets you more.

20. Negotiate a salary and/or pay raise
I can't do this, but then again, I've never really felt the need.

21. Read a map
I have a terrible sense of direction, so this is something I can and must definitely do.

22. Hail a cab
I don't think I've ever had to do this, but I could, I guess.

23. Say something in French just for the hell of it
Voulez-vous du beurre?

24. Apologize when she’s wrong
I'm not sure I spelled that French thing right. If I didn't, I'm sorry. Does that count?

25. Dress for her body type
Eh. I don't do great, but I think I avoid the worst pitfalls most of the time. I do this by dressing boring.

26. Change a flat (or know who to call to come change it)
In theory, I know how to change a flat, but I haven't ever done it when not under the watchful eye of my dad. But in case it's ever an issue, I have my husband on speed dial.

27. Spot a fake (handbag, diamond, potential friend…)
Handbag? Possibly. Diamond? Maybe. Potential friend? Absolutely.

28. Feign interest
Are you kidding? My entire professional life is based on this skill.

29. Know what to tip on a $25 dinner bill
Yes, and if I ever forget, some lady once gave me a little wallet card with a chart on it.

30. Hold a baby
I can do this, but don't tell my mother-in-law.