Showing posts with label 101 in 1001. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 101 in 1001. Show all posts

15 July 2013

a 101 update

Last November, I created a 101 in 1001 list. (It's 101 things to accomplish in 1001 days.) You can find it here. It's been a lot of fun to cross things off of the list and work on others that take time. There's such a sense of accomplishment--which is fantastic for this list-maker extraordinaire!

After I hit publish, people in my every day life talked about it. Although mostly forgotten at this point, it was a topic brought up pretty regularly. Most were super supportive of the list. I was shocked, though, by people who were negative about the list, doubting that this list could ever be completed. And maybe it can't, but I've learned a lesson to always be supportive of goals that others have, even if I perceive them as unrealistic.

So here are the things that are completed:

17. Complete a puzzle with the hubs
We did this around the first part of January. We're nerds in many, many ways, including liking puzzles. We just rarely do them. But this year we instituted a no-screen Monday, meaning that we don't watch TV or use computers on Monday nights. Instead we read or play games.


23. Participate in a Turkey Trot
I really wasn't expecting to complete this run so early after forming the list. It's probably best to train for a 5K, or at least have run in the past few months. Or years. But there was no preparation when I received an email from my friend, Stefani, asking if I'd be interested in being the fourth person in a team with two other friends. I agreed, knowing that walking was an option. My only goal was not to be the last person to cross the finish line. And to run across the finish line. Stefani, Lora, Alaina and I were a team for the Turkey Trot. Thankfully, Lora had recently had a baby, so I was able to run slash walk with her. We'd set a point and run, and then walk for a while, and then repeat.

27. Try a new hair color
This one is complete enough for me, even though I'm sure it wasn't super noticeable to others! I mean, really, I don't even have a picture that would show any major difference. In the fall, I decided I go darker. My super stylist put some darker blonde and red in my hair. I liked in the salon and when I got home. But then I saw a picture of myself, and it wasn't me. I was born blonde, and I'll forever be a blonde. (Even though I need a bit of help to be as light as I like.)

34. Wash my face every night for 30 days
Ugh. I did this once. It was painstaking. Here's my confession: I wash my face 4-5 nights a week. The other nights I use a wipe on it, leaving my eye makeup in place. I was hoping to see a huge difference in 30 days, and even continued to about 45 days, but there wasn't one. I'm not convinced it totally necessary. But if you have evidence to the contrary, please feel free to share.

35. Successfully give up something for Lent
Diet Coke. Boom.

38. Order personalized note cards
I designed and ordered these from VistaPrint. They're super cute.

39. Have a blog makeover
I did, and I love it!

42. Develop a budget
We live within our means, but never had a firm budget. Now we do. We don't do an envelope system or determine that only x amount can be spent on groceries/gas/utilities, but we have a maximum amount to spend each month.

43. Stick to budget for 3 months
Done! Yea!

45. Set-up monthly draft for tithe
We support several missionaries, but weren't giving any money to our local church. Supporting both missionaries and the church is important to us. It was something we'd meant to do, but we never remembered at a good time. Now it's done.

46. Insure engagement/wedding ring
Over four years after having a ring put on it, said ring is insured. Finally. I live in a state of anxiety anytime something valuable isn't insured, so this really helps. We certainly can't afford to replace it should something happen. (A diamond did fall out of my wedding band, but my jeweler replaced it at no cost. Hallelu!)

47. Choose an investment
I have a retirement plan that's aggressive. (I really don't know what that means or if I used the correct terminology, but my money is in lots of places: stocks, bonds, other stuff.) Jeremy also has money in various stocks. One wasn't making anything, so we pulled the money and invested it in something of my choosing. I like that we're making a little more money this way!

That's about half of what I've completed. I'll share more next week! Some will take longer to complete, but there's still a steady stream of accomplishment.

12 November 2012

101 in 1001

By design, I am a list maker. Looking at my desk, I see three lists. I love crossing things off, and more so, the feeling of accomplishment! For the past few years, I've seen 101 in 1001 lists on various blogs. I've wanted to create one, but it seemed like such a daunting task. Since I'm working to find me again, I decided to create a pretty exhaustive list of things I'd love to accomplish in the next 2.75 years. Here is my list of 101 things I'd like to accomplish in by August 10, 2015...

Start date: November 12, 2013
End date: August 10, 2015

FOR OTHERS
1. Send 40 handwritten notes (0/50)
2. Donate 500 items (0/500)
3. Christmas goodies to neighbors
4. Send happies in the mail to 10 friends (0/10)
5. Write a monthly letter to our Compassion kids
6. Volunteer with Children's Miracle Network
7. Go on a mission trip

FOR US
8. Watch all Star Wars movies (0/6)
9. Watch all Harry Potter movies (0/7)
10. Attend a haunted house
11. Take a cooking class together
12. Go to a movie at Liberty Hall
13. Expand our family
14. Start adoption process
15. Go on a spontaneous road trip
16. Go geocaching
17. Complete a puzzle
18. Go to three movies with Jeremy (that I don’t want to see) (0/3)
19. Create a Jesus Tree to use at Christmas

FOR MYSELF
20. Attend BSF (Bible Study Fellowship)
21. Memorize 20 scriptures (0/20)
22. Participate in a 5K Color Run
23. Participate in a Turkey Trot
24. Participate in a Jingle Bell Run
25. Make bed every day for 30 days (0/30)
26. Lose 50 pounds (0/50)
27. Try a new hair color
28. Get a shellac manicure
29. Drink only water and coffee for 30 days
30. Eat paleo for 30 days
31. Become CPR certified
32. Don’t hit the snooze button for 7 days
33. Attend 3 book events (book signing, author q & a, etc) (0/3)
34. Wash my face every night for 30 days (0/30)
35. Successfully give up something for Lent (no cheating!)
36. Have family pictures made
37. Frame my degree
38. Purchase personalized notecards
39. Have a blog makeover
40. Be in a flash mob

FINANCES
41. Pay off car
42. Develop a budget
43. Stick to budget for 90 days (0/90)
44. Save $100 per month for one year (0/12)
45. Set-up monthly draft for tithe
46. Insure engagement/wedding ring
47. Choose a stock & invest
48. Have a no-spend month (only necessities—food & gas)

CREATE & LEARN
49. Take a calligraphy class
50. Take a craft class
51. Read 30 books (0/30)
52. Learn 2 songs on my oboe (0/2)
53. Learn to ice cookies with royal icing
54. Sew something
55. Make a mobile for nursery
56. Visit Tyler Museum of Art

FOOD
57. Buy a freezer for the garage to store food
58. Buy beef from a local, organic farmer
59. Make a soufflé
60. Make chicken liver pâté
61. Make a flourless chocolate cake
62. Make homemade mozzarella
63. Learn to make tamales with Delia & Sarah
64. No eating out for a month (0/30)
65. No fast food for 60 days (0/60)
66. Make a reproducible recipe book from my grandmother’s handwritten spiral
67. Enter a recipe contest
68. Take lunch to work 4 times per week for a month (0/28)

ENTERTAINMENT & TRAVEL
69. Attend a taping of Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!
70. Go to a midnight showing of a movie
71. Attend The Book of Mormon
72. Attend Wicked
73. Attend a sing-a-long movie
74. Visit NYC
75. Visit the Northwest
76. Visit New Orleans

SOCIAL
77. Celebrate 12.12.12
78. Host a game night
79. Throw an Eggnog & Appetizers Christmas Party
80. Have a fondue party
81. Start a girls supper club; meet monthly for six months (0/6)

ORGANIZE
82. Organize every cabinet; then start over
83. Organize every drawer; then start over
84. Organize every closet; then start over
85. Organize garage
86. Organize photos in matching albums
87. Print honeymoon photos for album
88. Make J’s closet a safe place during emergency (stock with flashlights, water, pillows)

HOME LIFE
89. Finish master bedroom
90. Decorate a nursery
91. New flooring in house
92. New light fixture in dining room
93. Remove chair rail from dining & entry
94. Paint entry
95. Paint dining room
96. Change light fixtures in halls
97. Unpack extra room
98. Paint/finish nightstands
99. Sell couch & chairs in living room
100. Print, frame, & hang a wedding picture
101. Plant a magnolia tree