adazzle,dim

#74: Renew my driver’s license. *sigh*

Done. I did the DMV today with a 2 year-old in tow. Where’s my medal?

#69: Get in touch with Shreveport Library and settle decade-old account. Celebrate by taking AB to the library to check out books.

Almost ten years ago, I had some books out from the Shreveport Library and never returned them. This has grated at me for years. One, I’ve felt guilty for basically having stolen (really, that’s what it boils down to). Two, I’ve missed going to the library! I was at lunch today with my frind DeAnn, and she wanted to stop by the library to pick up some audiobooks. So I sucked it up and did it - walked up to the mean-looking lady at the counter and confessed my sin. Half-expecting a hundreds-of-dollars charge, half-expecting her to call the cops. (Thief! Thief!!!!) So it was pretty anti-climactic when she said, “We have no record of your account with us.” Um, ok. Cool…

I’m counting this task as done because, really, facing it was the hard part, and I did that. I’ll probably make it up to them tenfold in years to come out of sheer guilt, by donated books if nothing else. For now, though, I’m going to take my baby to the library tomorrow. I can’t wait!

#77: Buy a stranger something off their Amazon wish list.

Ok, I actually know the person I gifted, but I haven’t seen her since we were in junior high school, so she is a virtual stranger. I had the darnedest time figuring out how to do this anonymously, since Amazon prints the billing address on the packing slip even if you specify that it’s a gift and choose not to reveal amounts. Finally, after a fruitless call to Amazon’s customer service, I set up a new billing address with the name ‘Anonymous.’ We’ll see if it flies.

If you’re wondering, I sent her this, this, and this, all off her wish list.

This is fun. :)

Note: You can read the entire list here, but I am tracking progress in the sidebar to the right. This post will not change. 

 (It’s ok to jump on the bandwagon if you actually play your instrument!)

101 Things in 1001 Days

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 effort on your part).

Yesterday (2-18-2008) was Day One. My goal date is November 14, 2010.

My List:

Adventures in Parenting

1. Get AB (and us!) in the habit of picking up her toys nightly by doing a nightly cleanup at least 21 days out of 30 for three consecutive months. (0/3)

2. Get AB accepted at Montessori School for Shreveport.

3. Take AB to see the Christmas lights at the American Rose Center.

4. Take AB to six parades. (0/6)

5. Swim in the ocean with AB. Make a sandcastle, pick up shells, and contemplate the horizon together.

6. Play in the rain with AB. Puddle-stomp. Shake a tree. Catch rain in our mouths.

7. Play in the snow with AB, even if we have to drive 1000 miles to do it.

8. Take AB to a really good zoo.

Homemaking

9. Hang original (handmade, not mass-produced) art in every room of the house (except laundry room). (2/8)

10. Find a new dresser for myself - preferably at auction - and revel in kicking the old one to the curb.

11. Buy new living room furniture I really love.

12. Get outlets with reversed polarities fixed.

13. Landscape front and back yards.

14. Bring organ home from Mom’s. Have it thoroughly cleaned, and look into the cost of repair.

15. Go through every room in the house and get rid of anything that is not useful, beautiful or in some way life-enriching. Be seriously ruthless. (0/9 rooms)

16. Have a garage sale. Donate whatever doesn’t sell.

17. Finally get clawfoot tub installed in bathroom.

18. Wash all linens in linen chest and line drawers before returning linens to them.

19. Find and try six new crockpot meals. (0/6)

20. Paint front porch.

21. Paint guest bedroom, dining room, and living room; paint frame on kitchen blackboard. (0/4)

22. Try 50 new recipes. Blog only the good/notable ones. (0/50)

23. Power-wash outside of house (or have it done).

24. Clean out gutters (or have them cleaned out).

25. Repair light fixture in dining room.

26. Put new handles/pulls on kitchen cabinets/drawers and on dresser in living room. (0/2)

27. Clean out closets and donate clothes to Providence House.

28. Open all painted-shut windows – or at least be satisfied that I’ve tried my best. (Don’t want to break them.)

29. Have fireplace inspected before November 2008 so we can use it this winter.

Family and Friends

30. Get Christmas cards out every year before New Year’s Eve. (0/2)

31. Ask XXXXX’s forgiveness and try to be a friend again. Make peace one way or the other.

32. Reestablish communication with my 4^th grade best friend Trina.

33. Send at least 10 handwritten letters (not notes or cards but actual newsy letters). (0/10)

34. Make 2 new friends I can call to hang out. (0/2)

35. Send pictures of AB to Joey’s family 12 times. (Online counts as long as pics are of size and quality to print.) (0/12)

36. Take Mom for a spa day for Mother’s Day or her birthday.

37. Find Grandma’s high school grad pic, make a copy, and frame it in guest bedroom.

Being healthy

38. Meet weight loss goal #1 (25%)

39. Meet weight loss goal #2 (50%)

40. Meet weight loss goal #3 (75%)

41. Meet weight loss goal #4 (100%)

42. Maintain goal weight for remainder of 1001 days.

43. Go for three consecutive months with no fast food - not even a french fry! (Salad, broiled chicken, and the like are ok if forced to eat at a fast food restaurant.) (0/3)

44. Participate in the Komen Race for the Cure twice - even if I just walk. (0/2)

45. Follow a workout routine for three months, adhering to schedule at least 80% of each week. (0/3)

46. Grow hair out to at least between shoulder blades, with no layers left.

47. Go to bed by 9:30 weekdays and 10:00 weekends every night for a month. (0/30)

48. Get two teeth capped as recommended by dentist - after new insurance kicks in in July 2008.

49. Drink only water for three consecutive weeks , twice during 1001 days. (1: 0/3, 2: 0/3)

Pushing Boundaries

50. Get over my baseless fear of needles and give blood at least three times. (0/3)

51. Dye my hair an outrageous color - even if just for the weekend. Remember what it feels like.

52. Sing in front of at least ten people, with a microphone. Karaoke counts.

53. Release 25 books on BookCrossing. (0/25)

54. Try geocaching. Hide something and find something.

55. Visit another country. Mexico and Canada count.

56. Try twenty new foods. (0/20)

57. Remove poem from wall at XXXXX.

58. See Ani Difranco live!

59. Be more than halfway done with Master’s degree.

60. Get CPR certified.

61. Research and understand the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Manifesting my soul

62. Write/illustrate three books for AB. (0/3)

63. Figure out how to sew AB a decent pettiskirt. And do it!

64. Photograph a day in my life and blog it.

65. Write a short story and give it to someone whose opinion I value to read.

66. Make jelly or can vegetables with Mom.

67. Pick three songs and learn or re-learn to play them beautifully on my flute. (0/3)

68. Make thoughtfully-crafted mix CDs for ten different friends or family members. (0/10)

Stuff I’ve gotta do whether I want to or not

69. Get in touch with Shreveport Library and settle decade-old account. Celebrate by taking AB to the library to check out books.

70. Cull recipes and etc from full drawer of magazines in living room and recycle them. Celebrate by selectively renewing subscriptions - and don’t renew any until this is done.

71. Make a final decision about who will keep AB if something happens to us. Get his/her consent.

72. Compose my will and have it notarized.

73. Write a living will and have it notarized.

74. Renew my driver’s license. *sigh*

75. Buy emergency supplies and store them in the house.

76. Buy a gun, learn to shoot it, and pray I never have to.

Spirituality and Random Kindness

77. Buy a stranger something off their Amazon wish list.

78. Attend the local Unitarian Universalist church for four (preferably consecutive) Sundays, and decide if we can grow there. (0/4)

79. Make cookies for Daddy at least twice. (0/2)

80. Get in the habit of meditating - at least four times a week for 12 consecutive weeks. (0/12)

81. Leave a $20 tip.

82. Send three deep, dark secrets to postsecret. Make the creation of the cards truly cathartic. (0/3)

83. Establish a (paper) dream diary and make at least 20 entries. (0/20)

84. Send an email to XXXXX, telling her how much her brother meant to me.

Treats

85. Stay in 5 nice and/or unique hotels. Blog them. (0/5)

86. See 10 plays, musicals, ballets or operas. (0/10)

87. Get a full-body massage.

88. Visit three art galleries alone. (0/3)

89. Attend 12 auctions. (0/12)

90. Have a bonfire. Toast hot dogs and marshmallows. Teach AB about s’mores.

Career Development

91. Get comfortable with presenting to committees, councils, and other professional gatherings. (No objective measure, but I will know when this happens.)

92. Present a paper at a professional conference.

93. Teach a Continuing Ed class or a University 100 class.

94. Enter a formal mentoring relationship.

95. Make 15 new professional contacts in my field. (0/15) (Defined: Someone I can call with a question, who will immediately know who I am and who also knows that they can call me.)

96. Post my CV online. Update at least 4 times within this 1001 days. (0/5)

97. Earn a raise and a new title.

Finances

98. Refinance the house for a better rate.

99. Make three double payments on our mortgage. (0/3)

100. Pay off accidental bill with dentist, incrementally if necessary.

101. Pay off $10,000 of non-student-loan, non-mortgage debt. (But wait, there’s more!)

Meta

102. Get someone else to do 101 in 1001 with me.

103. Make progress on at least one task every week.

104. Blog tasks where appropriate, and always note completion.

105. After 1001 days, donate $5 to Montessori School for Shreveport for each incomplete task.