14 October 2008

.101 in 1001.

.and so it begins.

i have caved in to the blogging frenzy that is 101 in 1001 - essentially, i must complete the below 101 tasks in 1001 days. should be fun!

go ahead, create your own list. and check in periodically, as i blog about my completed tasks, and check them off the list - just click the number to go to the relevant post (only on completed items, that is)


The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.




start: 14 october 2008
end: 12 july 2011


body and soul

1. drink nothing but water for 2 weeks
2. drink no alcoholic beverages for 2 months
3. get a professional massage
4. be in bed by 10pm every day for a week
5. eat 100% vegan for an entire day
6. fast for an entire day
7. go to a religious service for a faith other than catholic
8. do not use a computer for 48 hours
9. floss every night for 2 months
10. go to the gym 5x a week for a month
11. read the bible every night for two weeks
12. take a yoga class
13. find a good catholic church in cambridge
14. take 2-minute, cold showers for a month
15. turn off my cell phone for a day
16. do a run/walk for a cause
17. donate blood
18. stop pulling out my eyebrows. seriously. stop (keep them patch-free for 2 months)

all about the brains
19. read 8 books in 5 months - DONE! (completed 2 feb. 09)
20. finish anna karenina
21. read another jeannette winterson novel
22. read 3 books from the banned books list
23. become proficient in japanese
24. take a swedish language class
25. take a photography class
26. take a cooking class

finances
27. go one week without spending any money at all
28. bring a packed lunch to work every day for 1 month (excluding work lunches) - DONE (completed 17 nov. 08)
29. buy a blender - DONE (completed 19 jan. 09)
30. buy nice leather boots
31. buy a nice winter over-coat - DONE (completed 1 dec. 08)
32. buy a quilted barn jacket - DONE (completed 18 oct. 08)
33. donate $100 to world wildlife foundation
34. buy a nice work bag
35. upgrade our loveseat to a nice couch
36. buy a bike
37. get a promotion, or find a new, higher-paying job
38. put aside $20 from each paycheck, just for me, for 1 year - in progress

oh so cultured
39. go to a musical - DONE (completed 3 jan. 09)
40. go to a play
41. go to an outdoor concert or play
42. watch 5 “classic” movies in 5 months - in progress

out and about, or around the house
43. go to the lilac festival
44. go apple-picking
45. go to a cranberry bog
46. make cupcakes from scratch
47. make sushi
48. make an ice-cream cake
49. go skiing
50. go camping
51. go wine tasting
52. make 2 new recipes a week for 2 months
53. make homemade jam
54. bake bread
55. make another bouche de noël
56. go out to high tea - DONE! (completed aug. 09)
57. do an overnight hike of at least 2 nights
58. host a dinner party
59. host a wine and cheese party
60. throw a surprise party for someone
61. use at least 1 different spice in a meal each day for a month
62. organize my recipes - DONE (completed 8 mar. 09)
63. recycle old/unused magazines
64. clean out my room at mom’s house
65. make all of my christmas gifts and cards 1 year
66. get prints made of some of my photos and have them framed

jet set
67. visit a continent that i haven’t been to yet
68. visit 3 of the 21 us states that i haven’t been to yet - DONE! (completed aug. '10)
69. visit kristin and kyle in hawaii
70. bake with kristin
71. visit claire in santa clara
72. go on an scu alumni trip
74. go to a world cup game, a world series game, or an olympic game
75. go to a pro-football game, a baseball game, and a basketball game in one year
76. continue the fall foliagefest tradition each year

people who matter most
77. contact an old high school or grade school friend
78. write 10 personal letters – mail, not email
79. force Mary to visit - DONE! (completed jul. 09)
80. fly my mom out to visit me in boston - DONE! (completed 10-19 jul. 09)
81. take a vacation with just claire - DONE! (completed 18 - 22 dec. 09) (part 1, and part 2)
82. walk around greenlake with mom
83. walk around discovery park with dad
84. write a letter to each of my cousins (maternal and fraternal)
85. make j a 3 course dinner
86. babysit maia and torin (before they get too old!)

just for fun
87. play poker and win (not online)
88. climb a tree
89. have a candlelit dinner
90. blog every day for a month
91. take at least 1 photo of something that interests me every day for a month
92. grow a plant that actually bears fruit/vegetables - DONE (completed 1 jun. 09)
93. watch the sun rise
94. photograph a barn. don’t ask. i just love barns
95. photograph the moon
96. get a dog
97. paint 5 watercolors
98. meet someone famous
99. finish the quilt i started at dad’s a long time ago
100. go on a picnic
101. have a glass of wine with one of my santa clara professors - DONE (completed 26 mar. 09)


we'll see how this goes...

.cheers.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is an awesome list!! I am totally inspired.

Seattle Swift said...

I like number 79. That one is the best. :)

Unknown said...

Hey G,

Just noticed that you're blogging again -- well, I guess the only other time I saw it, it had been many months since you posted, so I guess it was during a lull.

Anyway, I like the idea of your goals and just wanted to add my support. I wanted to comment on the not drinking for 2 months thing; you should combine it with a run for a cause.

When I was training for a big bike ride, I decided it made sense to cut out excess calories because every ounce of weight I lost would make it that much easier to make it up the hills. It only made sense to stop drinking at home. But then I realized I rarely go out, and only have drinks at lunch maybe once a week, so I decided to stop drinking alcohol and soda entirely until the ride. It was somewhere on the order of 6-7 weeks and was really no problem at all. I think I overrationalize things, so if I just told myself I'd stop drinking at home, I'd find an excuse to cut corners. But since I stopped drinking entirely, there was no way to justify even one drink to myself. It was remarkably easy, even considering that I probably have at least one drink 4-5 days a week normally. It was only remotely hard when we went out for Mexican and I couldn't have a margarita, and at a wine party that Maxwell had.

Anyway, good luck on your goals!

- reid

galen said...

thanks reid! good to hear from you.

it's a bit of a cop-out on the list, as i rarely drink anyway (probably less than 3x a month on average), but i figure it doesn't hurt to cut it out completely for a while!