Thank-you TIME Magazine

Love this article...getting super excited for my flirty thirties!

Survey: People Aren’t Happiest Until They Reach Age 33

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/29/survey-people-arent-happiest-until-they-reach-age-33/#ixzz1tBvsoftK 

"It’s true: 30 really is the new 20. A study by Friends Reunited, a British social-networking site, found that 70% of respondents over the age of 40 claimed they were not truly happy until they reached 33.

“The age of 33 is enough time to have shaken off childhood naiveté and the wild scheming of teenaged years without losing the energy and enthusiasm of youth,” psychologist Donna Dawson said in the survey’s findings. “By this age innocence has been lost, but our sense of reality is mixed with a strong sense of hope, a ‘can do’ spirit, and a healthy belief in our own talents and abilities.”

Conversely, only 16% of the survey’s respondents pined for their childhood, while 6% said they were happiest while in college.

Many respondents claimed that their happiness at 33 came from fulfillment in their professional lives, as well as having a support system of family and friends. Not surprisingly, 36% said they were happiest when they had children.

Additionally, more than half of survey takers who chose 33 as the magic number said they did so because life at that age was more fun — probably because they had more money to enjoy it."

Masters. Epic. (#9)

I’m not sure if it was the perfectly manicured grass, the feel of exclusivity, the sheer natural beauty, the history or the sum of those parts – but the experience was on different level to anything I’ve previously experienced. The course was hillier, the greens a lot smaller and the 18th much more daunting than we had expected. Dad also noted uncluttered the course was with only golfers and caddies versus the UK where there is an entourage of officiators and press.

The day started out cold, overcast and windy. We settled down with a fantastic view of the green on the 2nd and watched the first ten pairings come through including Sandy Lyle (Scotland), Ian Woosnam (Wales), Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland), Ian Poulter (England), Paul Casey (England), Jason Dufner, Vijay Singh (Fiji), Jim Furyk and Lee Westwood (England). After we saw Westwood’s group come through we decided it was a respectable time (10am) to go and find a beer so we made our way up the hill towards the clubhouse.

We walked up the 18th and lingered on the bend to take in the view of the famous and formidable hole. Then we parked at the tee on the 1st in time to see, among others, Angel Cabrerra (Argentina), Rory McIilory (Northern Ireland), Bubba Watson, three time Masters winner Phil Mickelson , Peter Hansen (Sweden)and Paul Lawrie (Scotland) drive. I was really cold at this point so we went via the main scoreboard to the shop to get me an extra layer and some souvenirs. The shopping expedition was promptly followed by a bbq pork sandwich and a cold beer. As we were eating, the clouds started to break; it got considerably warmer and by the time we walked back over to the 1st layers were coming off.

We walked the full length of the 1st and 2nd and decided to sit in the stands at the 4th. The 4th is a par 3 - from the stands at the 4thh we could see them drive down, putt and then tee off on the 5th. It was relaxing and warm sitting in the stand as we watched the back ten pairings come through including Ricky Fowler, Trevor Immelman (South Africa), Justin Rose (England), two time Masters winner Tom Watson, Jeff Ogilvy (Australia), Matt Kuchar, Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Alvaro Quiros (Spain), reigning Champion Charl Schwartzel (South Africa), Luke Donald (England), Miguel Angel Jiminez (Spain) and “the” Tiger Woods. The circus that follows Woods around the course is quite a sight. We followed Luke Donald’s or the length of the 5th and then stopped to get another beverage en route to Amen Corner.

We drank our beer basking in perfect sunshine on the stands overlooking the green of the 13th and tee of the 14th and then proceeded to settle in a great spot on a hill behind the tee of the12th with views to the green of the 11th and tee of the 13th. We watched the back ten pairings drive over Raes Creek on the par 3 12th. With the sun setting and shadows appearing we walked back up the 11th and 10th to a nice spot behind the bunker to the left of green on the 18th to watch everyone finish.

We were moved back twice as Ricky Fowler and Sang-Moon Bae sent their second shots to the left of the green and into the crowd so close to us I could have picked up the ball. We saw a few birdie finishes and Tom Watson got a standing ovation as he walked in for the day. Tired but happy, we walked back towards the car and saw the course being lovingly primped by hundreds of groundsmen and teams of synchronized mowers – it is quite the production to keep it looking so pristine.

Overall the experience was unreal. I had to pinch myself throughout the day and now watching on TV I’m finding it hard to believe we were actually there. As Oosthuizen pulls ahead after an albatross on the 2nd and Westwood continues to see the chance of victory slipping away I can’t help but feel that watching the final round on TV is such a better experience when you have been several feet away from the players and walked all of the holes. Going to the Maters was on my bucket list but now it’s over, rather than checking it off and moving onto the next adventure, ALL I can think about is finding a way to get back next year.  Judging by the look on Dad's face, I think it is safe to say he had quite a good day too! 

Obama’s House (#19)

U.S. Rep. Robert Hurt (VA-05) was kind enough to overlook the fact that the British burnt the White House to the ground in 1814 and grant me a tour this past weekend.  It was just phenomenal to be in a place so steeped in history.  I stood in the East Room where the bodies of Lincoln and Kennedy lay after their assassination, peeked into the Rose Garden where Thatcher and Regan conversed, strolled through the entrance hall where John Travolta danced with Princess Diana at a gala dinner in 1985 and was looked down on by life size portraits of the 43 former Presidents of the United States.  Oh, and Obama lives there.