101 Things in 1001 Days
I finally finished my list!End date: September 5, 2010143 weeks, 33 monthsI’ve got a few TBDs in there, because I haven’t figured out how to define a measurable goal out of a general sense of something I know I want to do. Gnome sane?Because it’s good for my health:1. Follow and complete a sprinting program as a part of my distance running plans, either independently, or through CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association, cararuns.org)2. Run a marathon in less than 5 hours (my first marathon was 6 hrs 14 mins)3. Run a half marathon in less than 2 ½ hours (my PR is 2:38)4. Get certified to teach Pilates mat classes5. Take swimming lessons6. Learn to do that flip off the pool wall when doing laps in a pool7. Get a triathlon bike8. Complete a century ride9. Finish the Steelhead Triathlon (http://www.steelheadtriathlon.com/)10. Attain goal weight, as prescribed by the doc11. Be able to do 50 push-ups in a row12. Be able to do three sets of 10 chin-ups13. Follow one of those eating plans in Runners World for the prescribed amount of time14. Properly outfit a commuter bike (lights, baskets, etc.)15. Run the NYC Marathon (Respect the Distance!)16. Complete a trail marathon17. Maintain my running log18. Earn all the incentives at Fleet Feet’s Women’s Running Nights19. Set a daily alarm for late afternoon green tea and oil supplements break20. Raise HDL (good cholesterol) levels, as recommended by the doc21. Drink more red wine: one glass at breakfast, lunch and dinnerBecause it’s fun:22. Take a trip someplace I’ve never been before23. Try kitesurfing24. Try snowboarding25. Go camping26. See an opera at the Met in NYC (get decent seats)27. Host a board game night28. When I do a race for breast cancer, which seems inevitable, I want to dye my hair pink29. Go to the Grand Canyon30. Revisit the Boundary Waters, kayaking again?31. Learn to surf with Surf Diva, because surfing is a very useful skill in Chicago32. Use more swear words in general, as they add color and emphasis to any conversation33. Watch five movies from Ebert’s Must-See Movie ListBecause I like learning:34. Take a German class35. Take a cooking class36. Take a drawing class37. Take a grantwriting class38. Buy a digital cameraI got a nice, used digital camera for free!39. Take a photography class40. Learn opera to understand and appreciate it41. Complete a Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle (as of this writing 12/3/2007, I can finish a Monday puzzle-I gotta go start this one asap)12/27/07—I bought a few NY Times puzzle books organized by day, which makes them progressively harder. I still can’t finish a Tuesday without consulting the dictionary.42. Select and participate in different Reading Challenges (Russian Reading Challenge, and the Shakespeare Challenge) (http://www.exlibris.typepad.com/)43. Tell everyone I know how great the Ex Libris blog is (http://www.exlibris.typepad.com/)44. Complete the Icelandic language program on my bookshelf45. Take a Spanish class46. Complete the 2008 Russian Reading Challenge47. Complete the Man Booker Chalenge48. Notable Books Reading Challenge49. Back to History Challenge50. Do the Jane Austen mini-challenge51. Read four Tolkien books for the Inklings ChallengeBecause I need a sense of community:52. Exact goal here is TBD, but I want to do something related to regularly having people over for dinner53. Volunteer for a specific number of hours each month, TBD54. Find another way to work towards developing a sense of community55. Need to find or develop a book clubBecause I really need to get over myself:56. Participate in the 365 days of self-portraits challenge/project (this sounded hideous, so I think I need to do it and get over myself)57. Do one thing that terrifies me, like, skydivingBecause I want to be a better human being:58. Read one book per week (each 500 pages = 1 book, i.e. 1300 pages = 3 books); although I have a degree in English, there are still gaps in my readings, and “classics,” however you define them, should be read multiple times. I’m going to follow the recommended readings of Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose, as well as other reading lists.59. Expand my charitable giving (details to follow)60. Complete the taxes project61. Make regular contributions to my Roth IRA62. Check credit report and create a plan to make it all perfect and sparkling clean63. Develop a financial plan, with help as needed, for efficient monthly budgeting and saving64. Create a will and establish a trust if I precede my parents in death65. Submit for publication (details to be fleshed out)66. Seriously consider and at least attempt the concept of early rising (zenhabits.com)67. Figure out a way to make the recycled dog bed project work (I sew dog beds, and 100% of the proceeds go to an animal shelter)68. Pick a no-spending month: only groceries!69. Care packages to anysoldier.com70. DIY projects: the precise scope of this task is TBD (sew curtains, sew new duvet cover, something along those lines)71. Take a trip to Washington and meet Jessica72. Write to Grandma once/week73. Dawn simulator, get oneI bought a timer for the UV light, so we’ll see how that works in lieu of the actual “dawn simulator.”74. Use the theater benefits on my NPR Membership card75. Train Ruby for Sit, Stay, Read program76. Read and implement Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (I think there’s an 8th habit by now . . . if so, throw that one in, too)77. Clean off the kitchen table and maintain a clean surface. Eat sitting down at the table, like civilized people are supposed to.Because I need to make a cursory effort at organization:78. Clean out my crazy closets79. Sell my perfectly good stuff that I’m not using on ebay80. Go home and clean all my stuff out of my parents’ house12/31/2007—I made great progress on this goal over the past week. I literally have maybe five or six boxes left there. Just one second while I pat myself on the back for this one since I thought for sure that I’d leave this for 2009.81. Buy a shredder and use it82. Read and employ the methods of the Apartment Therapy Cure.83. Clean off the hard drive of my old laptop, create a backup system for the new laptop, and recycle the old one84. After collecting all my books from various locations, seriously evaluate my “library” and prune mercilesslyThanks to Paperback Book Swap (www.paperbackswap.com) and a few other sources, I’m well on my way here. Because I love to write:85. Sit down four times a week, for 30 min. at a time, and write86. To prep for each year’s NaNoWriMo, spend October writing every day87. For NaNoWriMo 2008, create an idea map88. Create a writing space within my apartment89. Blog a minimum of 4x/week90. Nun-A-Wri-Mo91. NaNoWriMo in a day (January 5, 2008)92. Find a Chicago writing group93. Read Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way94. Follow 12 week program95. Finish the 30 Poems in 30 Days project once per year, three years running (http://www.poewar.com/category/30-poems-in-30-days/)96. Do the writing exercises on To Boldly NaNo (http://toboldlynano.com/blog1)Because I am a woman:97. Purchase one (1) little black dress (heretofore referred to as LBD), and rock it98. See a dermatologist99. Get a professional bra fitting100. Get rings resized101. Drop some coin on a forever suit and have it tailored to fit me precisely102. Two words: Manolo Blahniks
