On February 7th I will be 30 and 1/2 years old, and I’m proud to say I’ll be marking that milestone half birthday just a little bit wiser. Here is the impressive list of things I’ve mastered since turning the big 3-0.

1. How to take care of my skin

I’ve had a face for 30 years, and yet I’ve only learned how to properly wash, tone, exfoliate and moisturize is within the past six months. For that I’d like to thank two Janna’s (Jana at Ruth’s Skincare on Melrose and Janna of My Beauty Binge) and the three samples per visit policy at Sephora.

2. How to get from Pacific Palisades to Echo Park in 35 minutes or less.

One canyon road, the PCH, three freeways and a left on Sunset. Boom.

3. What work-out will make my whole body hurt the most (but somehow feel the best, maybe?)

The answer is Pilates, specifically reformer machine Pilates. I’m doing a one month exclusive package at Touch on Robertson, and it’s killing me. That means it’s working, right?

4. How to motivate myself to write when I really don’t want to write.

My parents got me The MOST of Nora Ephron for Christmas, and I have been devouring it perfect piece by perfect piece. Every time I want to close the laptop and sit down for another episode of GETTING ON (my current HBO On Demand of choice) I open up that book, read a few pages and remember that the only way I’m ever going to come close to being as good as Nora is if I KEEP WRITING.

5. How to make the awful smell in the garbage disposal go away. 

You put lemon rinds down there. So genius.

6. How to be forward but not pushy 

I have this consuming fear of annoying people with requests, favors and plain old inquiries, but I’m trying really, really hard to get over that because it’s sure to take me straight to the bottom – especially of the L.A. pile. So now I’m trying to be more direct and clear without apologizing along the way. It’s awkward, but I’m trying.

7. How to make the perfect Pandora writing station

Base of Paul Simon then add in The XX, Ellie Goulding, Cat Power, Van Morrison, and – get this – TINA TURNER. It’s most easy listening with some nice rock, but then every once in awhile you get to JAM.

8. How to not have a stomach ache all the time

One word: Probiotics

Two words: Almond Milk.

Three words: I miss cheese…

9. How to de-stress about wedding planning

I tell trusted friends and family what I’m stressing about, they say, “no one is going to care about that, so don’t worry,” and then I feel better! Then, for added support, I one of my two best friends (hi Katie and Mike!) and/or my also-engaged sister (yay Dani!) and commiserate about how expensive everything is until we all decide we’re doing the best we can under the circumstances and therefore nothing is our fault.

10. How to be there for a friend

One of my closest friends is hurting right now, and so-so-sad as I am for her, it’s giving me the chance to actively show her I love her in as many ways as I can come up with. I think she’d appreciate being my silver lining in a dark cloud at the exact same time that I’m trying to serve as hers.

Happy Friday guys!