101 in 1001

The Challenge:
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 your part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple challenges such as New Year’s resolutions or a ‘Bucket List’. 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, study semesters, or outdoor activities.

With today being my start date, I have until May 30, 2013 to complete the following goals…

  • Send someone flowers for no reason – Completed 1/11/12…sent flowers to my cousin Marybeth just because she’s awesome.
  • Pay for a strangers meal at a drive-through - Completed 9/3/10…read about it here.
  • Give a microloan through kiva.org – Completed 9/3/10 and it’s been fully repaid! I think I am on my third round of loans now. 
  • Find out my blood type and donate blood – Completed 1/11/12…I’m anemic so I wasn’t able to donate…but I donated some cash instead and I will try again.
  • Travel to 5 places I’ve never been - 4 down…Savannah, GA…Edmonton, AB, Canada…Lexington KY…and Macon, GA…1 more to go and I have a really good idea of who I want to go see…
  • Take a road trip alone
  • Take a walking tour of NYC
  • Visit the Statue of Liberty – Done during the Shana/Ally NYC extravaganza.
  • Spend a weekend in Atlantic City
  • Go on vacation with my sister-in-law
  • Travel somewhere by train
  • Go to Disney World
  • Write a novel
  • Participate in NaNoWriMo
  • Participate in NaBloPoMo – Done!  Finished on 11/30/11
  • Redesign my blog – The new design went live on 11/6/11!
  • Comment on every blog post I read for one week – Completed on 3/27/11
  • Crochet an afghan using the yarn I’ve had in the closet for a year – In progress…I was about halfway done, but I hated it, so I took it all out and started over.
  • Refinish a piece of furniture – In progress…working on re-doing my kitchen set…pictures to follow.
  • Use my sewing machine…finally
  • Take a photography class – Completed…I finished the class on December 21st and I can’t wait to sign up for the next one.
  • Take 48 pictures in 1 day and create a photo book of a day in my life
  • Do a 365 day photo project – I started this on April 1st.  It’s been more work than I thought it would be, but I have some really great shots.
  • Create a monthly scrapbook every month for 1 year
  • Make a calendar to give as a Christmas gift – This was a goal for this Christmas…but it was an epic fail.  Next year for sure.
  • Buy a Flip camera and make 1 home movie per week for 1 year – Well…I got the camera for Christmas last year…now I just need to start using it.
  • Create a journal of clippings, photos, quotes and other things I love – I bought a SmashBook and I started this project…so far I love it.
  • Create an emergency kit for both houses
  • Drink 64 ounces of water every day for 64 days straight
  • Complete the Couch to 5K program
  • Reach my goal weight and stay there – In progress…joined Jenny Craig in Feb 2011 and after a brief hiatus, I’m back on the program.
  • Take the dogs on a walk for at least 30 minutes every day for 1 month
  • Take a yoga class
  • Save $10,000 – I’m making great progress on this.  I managed to put a huge chunk of my bonus into savings.  I have a way to go, but I’m getting there.
  • Pay off all my credit cards in full each month for 1 year – I’ve managed to keep all my balances at zero since January!
  • Go 1 month without making a non-essential purchase - March was my month and it was pretty successful.
  • Sell 5 things on Ebay
  • Sell something I make on Etsy
  • Study something entirely new
  • Conquer a fear
  • Go to 5 different museums - 4 down…The Ellis Island Museum, The Discovery Times Square Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Sex (which was so interesting…next week I’m going to The American Museum of Natural History and I’ll cross this item off the list!
  • Create a house cleaning schedule and stick to it
  • Go to bed at 9PM every night for 1 week
  • Wake up at 5AM every morning for 1 week
  • Keep my inbox empty for 1 month – I started this back in April and it’s lasted much longer than a month.
  • Write a will and advanced medical directive
  • Write “in case of death” letters
  • Pick a day to perform random acts of kindness
  • Watch the sunrise and sunset on the same day
  • Watch the sunset and the sunrise without going to bed
  • Get a library card – Completed 1/11/12
  • Answer the “50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind” – Done…you can read the answers here.
  • Go to the zoo in the spring to see the baby animals – Completed on 5/31/11 with a trip to The Bronx Zoo
  • Eat a meal alone in a restaurant
  • Go to the movies alone 10 times
  • Get a henna “tatoo” on my hands
  • Get properly measured and buy 3 really good bras once per year – I actually went twice this year.
  • Go to mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral
  • Give everyone on my Christmas list a handmade gift – Completed on 12/25/11.  Everyone got at least one handmade item this year and it was a huge success.  I will be doing this in the future as much as possible.
  • Get a bikini wax
  • Purchase a 1 year subscription to the NY Lottery – Completed 11/22/10…I’ll let you know if I win!
  • Reach 500 blog posts – Today’s post marks #483
  • Do three more blog giveaways – 1st (apron), 2nd (12 days of Christmas, which I’m counting as one) and 3rd (Kiva card).
  • Order room service
  • Write a love letter – Done on 8/26/11…I gave it to J for his birthday.
  • Organize every room of my house – I’m almost there.  The kitchen, both bathrooms, our bedroom and the linen closet are done.  I just have the guest room and den…which, unfortunately, have the most junk.
  • Buy myself a diamond ring (like Oprah’s pinky ring)
  • Watch every movie currently on my Netflix queue – In progress…after a cleaning of my list and watching tons of movies I’ve gone from over 400 to just under 200!
  • Watch all the movies we own on DVD…even the stupid ones
  • Meet a blog friend in person - Completed on 10/29/10 when I met the fabulous Ally.
  • Go snorkeling
  • Read 100 books – In progress…72 down.
  • Have a girls night once per month
  • Do a boudoir photo shoot – I did this in February…the results weren’t exactly what I’d hoped for, but it was still a great experience.
  • Visit a psychic
  • Spend a day lying in a hammock reading and napping
  • Take a walk in the rain
  • Ride in a hot air balloon
  • Build a snowman
  • Color an entire coloring book – I got an awesome coloring book and a huge box of crayons and colored pencils for my birthday, so this will be finished soon.
  • Carve a pumpkin
  • Go on a date with J once per month
  • See 3 Broadway shows - I saw Elf on 12/4/10, The Motherfucker in the Hat on 5/31/11 and Wicked on 11/15/11
  • Go to 5 concerts - 2down…Jay-Z and Eminem on 9/14/10, Sarah McLachlan on 1/12/11, 3 to go
  • Dress up for Halloween – Completed 10/31/10
  • Buy a completely impractical dress just because I love it
  • Throw a party
  • Go out dancing
  • Watch season 1 of Mad Men, Glee and Arrested Development – Done!  Finished Glee last week.  I’ve already discussed my love of Mad Men…and this week I’m going to tell you just why I love Glee so much.
  • Go to a midnight movie premiere – Completed 11/19/10 when I went to the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  • Celebrate Champagne Friday every week for 1 month
  • Shoot a gun at a shooting range
  • Play hooky from work one day for no reason – Did this at the beginning of September…it was fabulous.
  • Attend a taping of a TV show
  • Take the pastry class at ICE – Completed 10/8/10…which you can read about here or here or here
  • Cook my way through a cookbook
  • Create a signature cupcake
  • Put together a recipe book from all the random recipes in the kitchen
  • Give a copy of that recipe book to someone as a gift
  • Write a blog post about each item I complete on the list
  • Write a new 101 list

There you have it.  I am determined to do every last item on the list.  I have a feeling that some are going to be really hard for me…like #40 and #60 (man I hate those!).  But I’m going to finish it.   I will update you guys whenever I finish an item and I think there will be a few good stories that come out of it…because #11 and #92 have disaster written all over them.