Apologies to the Stitch Witch; but I think she'd be okay with this theft. In the spirit of continuing to better myself, I give you 101 things in 1001 days. And I link to day zero, a great way to get inspired to self-betterment. I honestly believe self improvement to be the goal of every human existence. If you're too lazy to click the link, the purpose is to accomplish 101 specific things, in 1001 days. As I started this blog with a reading challenge (which I didn't quite accomplish) it is a natural evolution for it to turn into a me challenge, as it is easier to challenge me with my readers ( all seven of you) paying attention. So here are the rules:
Creating your own 1001 Day Project
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 organizing and
timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.
Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture
that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the
opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.
And Here Are The 101:
When I complete one I will cross if off. If I am the process of completing one I will italicize it.
1. get a job in a field that I love (honestly if it takes me a full 1001 days for this the rest of the list may be moot as I'll undoubtedly be institutionalized when I get the job)
2. make at least $50,000 a year. When I get there I'll probably want more, but it's a start.
3. be in charge of a bookstore, including everything, the buck will stop with me.
4. read 100 more books in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. Mostly the classics. I think I've read 47 so far, so that will bring the total to 147.
5. move out of my parents house. That's more at the sooner end of the 1001 days spectrum, that the later end.
6. buy a house. I think I'm more realistic about this now. Thanks to some people who know more about home buying than I do. And thank you to those who have told me their horror stories. They are appreciated. I did listen, but I think I'm going to do it anyway.
7. buy a dog, or two. The second one to keep the first one company while I'm at work.
8. learn Spanish. I don't know why, but learning languages has become more appealing lately. Even though the older I get the more unlikely it is that I will be able to learn one. I think that perhaps there is nothing wrong with my brain, but the methodology of every teacher who has ever attempted to teach me French.
9. learn photography, and how to develop my own photographs. I think Anne would probably teach me if I asked.
10. lose 10 more pounds. This is more of in the next 30 days sort of thing, but I might as well put it here too. Keep it off.
11. get into shape. The sort of shape where you can bounce a quarter off my abs.
12. exercise regularly. At least 5 days a week, for at least 30 minutes a day. Similar to 10 but not quite the same
13. go back to the martial arts. I know I've been saying this for years, but not studying martial arts is like ignoring the most important part of myself. There was a time when I wanted the martial arts to be my life. Now I'd just be happy to have it back in my life. Again similar to 11 and 12, but not quite the same.
14. get a tattoo of a phoenix on my upper back. The two things holding me back right now: I'm penniless, and I can't find the right design. But those two things will change eventually and the tattoo will be mine.
15. figure out my relationship with God (god?). Lately I've been saying I'm agnostic, but I'm not sure that covers it. Perhaps I won't know in 1001 days, perhaps I will. Oh, and I've been told that saying you're spiritual without being religious is a cop out. I tend to agree.
16. learn to meditate. Do it at least once a week. Okay, everyone know how, but the problem is actually doing it. My meditation bench is beginning to question it's reason for being. This will help me with my wandering brain undoubtedly.
17. have 10 months of emergency money saved up. Suze Orman is right. That includes money for all expenses. Just in case of a bad emergency.
18. be totally credit card debt free.
19. buy a car that goes zoom. Currently I'm fixated on the Mini Cooper, but I'm not sure how it will do in the snow. One of the models has a six speed transmission. A sixth gear, that kicks ass. It'll probably be used, but the payments will be lower that way, and I really don't have to have a new one.
20. have enough collateral to get a loan to open a bookstore. That would be about $300,000, worth of collateral for those keeping score.
21. invest in real estate. Right now that looks like buying something and then renting it to someone else. I think that's the most financially viable way to go. Plus it helps with number 20.
22. cook an authentic dish from around the world at least once a week. This will work better when I have my own place. That way i can have friends over and cook for them. I will be able to maintain my weightloss that way.
23. learn how to pair beer with food. For help see Beer For Chicks. Christina Perozzi, beer sommelier; one of the best jobs ever. Pair beer from around the world, with food from around the world. Perfect.
24. learn how to pair wine with food. Develop a more sophisticated palate. Learn how to order wine from a restaurant. Win friends and influence people.
25. take up some sort of holistic healing. Something like massage, but more so. I'll let you know when I get there.
26. learn to truly listen. I've been told I'm pretty good at it, but I'd like to be a totally unselfish listener. To be able to listen without ever having the sensation of just waiting for your chance to talk. To listen as an end in and of itself, not as a means to an end. Pretty non-specific, but I'll know when I get there.
27. blog at least twice a month. There is little point in having band-width if you are not actually using it. And I'm tired of apologizing to my blog. It's starting to feel like an abused spouse.
28. make peace with my mistakes. I used to think this was an act akin to epiphany. But the older I get, the more I realize it's more of waking up and forgiving yourself on a daily basis. I believe this will be a great step towards peace of mind. Making sure I have learned from my mistakes of course, but not beating the dead Vickie, so to speak.
29. learn to cook a vegetarian meal that is phenomenal. Test on friends.
30. try yoga. This may or may not contribute to the fitness, weight loss and meditation goals.
31. figure out the difference between accept and except, so I don't have to avoid using them in type. I have several other word usage issues as well, but none come to mind immediately. Improve my English usage, and works choice overall.
32. learn to make furniture. Be able to make at least one usable piece.
33. learn how cars work, on a more intricate level than the gas pedal makes it go. Be able to do my own rudimentary maintenance and repair. Maybe simple body work? Maybe not.
34. plant a vegetable and herb garden. Size and selection not particularly important.
35. landscape a yard. The yard at my home. Not my parents. Notice the distinction.
36. read at least 175 books. This includes those from number 4. As a result of this I will undoubtedly watch much less television; how tragic.
37. have my own library. Have one room of my house devoted entirely to books.
38. start a cookbook collection. Have cookbooks from at least 30 countries. This will help with numbers 22 and 29 undoubtedly.
39. learn how to make really good barbeque. The sort a barbeque that one tastes, and then feels it's okay to die, as no other experience could come close. This includes all the fixins: cornbread, mac and cheese, potato salad. Sorry I don't like baked beans, and I'm not a big fan of coleslaw.
40. drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. I try, but I'm not consistent.
41. buy/make a bar. Learn how to make 10 decent drinks without using recipes.
42. become flexible enough to touch my toes. You laugh, but at present I can't do this. And further, even if I could, I wouldn't be able to maintain it without working at it.
43. learn to love my body. I'm sure this will be easy if I lose a few pounds and get back in shape.
44. give up TV for a week.
45. give up the computer for a week. This will probably not be the same week as number 44.
46. inspire at least two other people to make one of these lists.
47. go to the doctor and have a physical. I don't even want to guess at how long it's been. I'd have to find a doctor too, as mine has retired. That's fine I didn't like him anyway. But I'll have to get insurance first. For all I know, I may not have 1001 days to live, thus making this list impractical, but i doubt it.
48. eat vegetarian for a week. See how it makes me feel. More physically than emotionally, but that enters into it too.
49. buy really good tea. Stop drinking the crap that comes in bags. Admittedly there is some good bagged tea, but life is too short for mediocre tea. Brew tea in metal pot. A pretty metal pot.
50. find decent green tea. Drink one cup a day, from a pretty metal pot.
51. buy an iPod. Fill it with a wide variety of enriching music, including: rock, jazz, blues, r & b, rap, classical and world. No country.
52. bench press 100 pounds. I have no idea what I can bench press now, so that's a pretty interesting goal. I'm pretty sure it's more than 50 and I know it's less than 100 though.
53. buy a share in a local farm.
54. watch a sunrise on purpose. Not because I'm still up and could use a break from working, and not because I'm on the way to work. Make the sunrise the only purpose of being up, not a break from something else.
55. give blood. Once or more than once. It doesn't really matter. But I can only commit to once, because I pass out easily. That and I like tattoos, and you can't give for 6 months (I think) after getting a tattoo. Oh and if I pass out I'll be disinclined to repeat the process. i know, I'm a wimp. I'll live with it.
56. read a great religious book from at least 4 religions. Christian fiction does not count. Good thing too, I'd rather be tortured.
57. donate to three different charities. The amount does not matter. The research and discovering a charity and causes to support do matter.
58. save at least $100 per month. Save at least $100 a week if living with parents. This will begin once number 1 has been realized.
59. start another retirement account.
60. go back to library. Visit it at least once per month (more often if I want to avoid late fees).
61. abstain from alcohol for 2 weeks.
62. fill a recipe book. Okay just make one, and compile at least 100 recipes.
63. drive to a state I've never been to. Vacation there for at least 4 days.
64. go to a foreign country. Stay for at least a week.
65. actually learn to speak French. I'm not sure if I'd just be beating a dead horse, but why not try. I'm thinking Rosetta Stone. If that can't teach me nothing will.
66. donate my hair to Locks of Love; again.
67. spend a day at a spa with a friend. Perhaps several friends. Now to find an acceptable spa.
68. read a Harry Potter book in French.
69. read a Harry Potter book in Spanish.
70. start learning Latin. Three languages in less than three years would be a bit much. As for starting, buying a book and reading one chapter should cover it. Or if there's a program for the computer one chapter there.
71. buy a kick ass mattress and new bedroom set. Partially stolen from Erica, and because the sleep number bed commercial is on again.
72. buy 2 new pairs of Doc Martens, in a color other than black. Inevitable yes, but some of these have to be give me's. It's not learning a language, but it'll have to do.
73. take a flying lesson. Just one. When I get a job, I'm not going to have time for all this stuff. Geez.
74. go skydiving. Again just once.
75. learn to go to sleep before 4 am, without sleeping pills. This shouldn't be a problem after i get a job.
76. try 10 new restaurants.
77. see 15 movies in the theater.
78. clean out car, and learn to keep it clean. Once it has been cleaned this shouldn't be a problem. The same applies to any future car.
79. rewrite business plan. This applies to end of project, as I want it to be current then.
80. go to another Red Sox game. I used to go once a year when I was a kid, but haven't been in probably 18 years.
81. go with my family to a Patriots game. This would literally be the highlight of my dad's life.
82. write a living will and discuss it with my loved ones.
83. cull my clothes, boots, old borders tee shirts, and give things I don't need to charity.
84. give 5 simple gifts to friends for no reason.
85. make one new close friend.
86. learn the 50 states. I have most of them down, but not all of them. I guess most 3rd graders are probably smarter than me, let alone 5th graders.
87. learn rudimentary speed reading. Increase reading speed from 40 pages a minute to 60 pages a minute. Only continue to read this fast if it makes me happy.
88. fly a kite on a breezy day.
89. take one college course. It can be physically at a school or on line.
90. volunteer at a charity for at least one full work day (8 hours for normal humans).
91. climb 3 mountains. Or climb the same mountain 3 times.
92. buy a bike. Go on one 20 mile bike trip.
93. buy the Godfather trilogy on DVD. Watch it in one day while eating Italian food. Invite friends.
94. play in the rain on a summer day.
95. find three occasions to wear a dress.
96. donate my current car to charity.
97. go one month without purchasing any non-necessities. This includes books, and eating out. This does not include paying bills, buying gas, or getting food to prepare for myself.
98. read a book to a child. Preferably a child I know, otherwise it could be weird. Or I could gueststar at a storytime. hmmm...
99. go see an author speak. Purchase the book and have it signed. I've never done all three. I've been too busy working the events to enjoy them.
100. buy a beautiful, handmade leather bag. Did I mention expensive?
101. rewrite another list on the 1001st day, rolling over everything I could not finish.
So that's it. Now I'm going to bed. I'll start actualizing this list later. I promise. Oh and the final date for this project is: Thursday, November 10, 2011. Countdown clock forthcoming.