An invisible procession going by - 101 in 1001

So I've had this sitting, in draft version, in a private entry since October. And I just think that if I'm ever going to actually do these things, I need to get started NOW. Not "when it's a better time"... but NOW. Even if I fail at some of them, it's better to at least try, right?

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.

More info on 101 in 1001 here.



Start Date: May 9, 2008
End Date: February 3, 2011

101 in 1001

Food & drink
1. Go 30 days w/o soda
2. Eat vegan for 1 week
3. Eat 30 completely local, organic, sustainable meals
4. Learn how to make cheese.
5. Bake a pie.
6. Go grocery shopping at least once a week. Exceptions allowed for extended vacations.
7. Start a meal-planning system that leads me to eat more mindfully.
8. Make enchiladas from scratch.

Goodwill
9. Donate blood
10. Vote
11. Volunteer 10 hours for a political campaign
12. Donate unwanted clothing to charity 3 times.
13. Sign up to be an organ donor.
14. Commit one grand anonymous act of kindness.
15. Volunteer for a community organization for 10 hours.
16. Write a letter to my congresswoman.
17. Patronize 5 local businesses I haven't been to before.

Health & Fitness
18. See a doctor or trainer about my knee.
19. Start weightlifting again.
20. Work out for at least 30 minutes on 3/days week out of the 1001 days.
21. Work out for at least 60 minutes on 2 days/week out of the 1001 days.

* 20 and 21 are kind of hard to quantify... obviously there will be some weeks where it's not possible, i.e. vacations/conferences/crazy weeks at work. But I want this to be my gold standard, anyway.

22. Participate in Race for the Cure or another 5k for a cause.
23. Quit smoking.
24. Make and keep regular checkup appointments with various doctors.

Finances
25. Get out of debt.
26. Create a monthly budget, and an annual budget.
27. Go to the library instead of the bookstore 3 times.
28. Save $3,000.
29. Spend money austerely--no eating out, books, magazines, movies, clothes, extravagant groceries--for 30 straight days. At the end of the 30 days, write about what I learned.
30. Buy a new car.

High Culture
31. Visit the Modern to see an exhibit.
32. See 1 play each at Casa, Hip Pocket, Circle, and Jubilee.
33. Go to the Main Street Arts Festival.
34. Read Macbeth.
35. Eat at a French restaurant that isn't La Madeleine.

Low Culture
36. Watch all the movies on the AFI 100 Years... 100 Movies list.
37. Meet a FAMOUS PERSON.
38. Get a new iPod.
39. Attend Portus.

Vanity
40. Get a tattoo.
41. Buy new glasses.
42. Get a professional bra fitting.
43. Wear some crazy socks visibly, and not on Crazy Sock or Tacky Day.
44. Get something waxed.

Reading & Writing
45. Get 1 book recommendation from 10 different people and read each.

*anyone want to help with #45? I'm open to suggestions!!!*

46. Write 3 500-word book reviews.
47. Read La casa de los espiritus in the original Spanish.
48. Read the Lord of the Rings again in a one-week sitting.
49. Start a blog in Spanish to practice Spanish writing.
50. Collect every book in the Baby-Sitters Club, Friends Forever, and California Diaries series. Special editions and unusual items such as the graphic novels and chain letters included. Little Sister books excluded.
51. Read 10 of the books I've purchased but haven't gotten around to reading yet.
52. Read 1,001 poems (one a day).

Home
53. Decorate and organize each room of the house--doesn't have to be perfect/expensively done, just nicely, and in a style that's "me."
54. Plant a tree in the backyard.
55. Print photos of family and friends and put up on fridge and at work.
56. Plant tomatoes.
57. Get a filing cabinet and create a system of organization.

Relationships
58. Host a theme dinner party.
59. Send 25 postcards to 25 different friends or family members who live outside of Fort Worth.
60. Be less picky about men. Specifically: Date at least one person whom I would normally not consider.
61. Make one brand-new real friendship.
62. Visit Tami in Chicago.
63. Reconnect with a friend from college.
64. Surprise 5 friends with un-birthday gifts.

Travel
65. Visit Seattle.
66. Visit Washington, D.C.
67. Go to Mexico.
68. Visit at least one other foreign country.
69. Visit California.
70. See the Grand Canyon.
71. Fill the tank with gas, drive till it's half gone, take pictures, eat a meal, and come back.

Professional
72. Get myself promoted (to a position that doesn't exist yet).
73. Take at least one graduate course.
74. Join a professional organization.
75. Attend a social event with people from work.
76. Speak to an audience of 1000 or more.
77. Sponsor a school club or organization.
78. Write a letter to Jonathan Kozol and send it.
79. Spend a whole day at work without using the computer.

Skills
80. Learn how to do something completely new on the computer... edit video, graphic design, something.
81. Take a cooking class.
82. Fill sketch book with drawings.
83. Make a Snape doll.
84. Learn how to say five basic phrases in ten different languages, not counting English or Spanish.

Outdoors
85. Go camping. In a tent.
86. Visit the Botanic Gardens for recreation.
87. Go tubing.
88. Hike in 3 state parks.

Serenity
89. Take an unplanned "mental health day" and spend it outside the house.
90. Go to a non-Western religious service, ceremony, celebration, or festival.
91. Check out 3 churches.
92. Make a sincere effort to do and enjoy yoga.
93. Give something up for Lent.
94. Experiment with strategies to deal with stress, loneliness, boredom, and sadness that are not compulsive or addictive. Have at least 3 positive, proven strategies to use at the end of 1001.

Professor
95. Teach Professor 10 new tricks.
96. Train Professor to stay in her crate.
97. Train Professor to heel and not to bark at strangers while on a walk.

101
98. Post a Livejournal entry on every 101 item.
99. Recruit 1 other person to do 101 in 1001.
100. Accept that I will abandon or fail at some of these goals, that failure doesn't mean I'm a weak person. Enjoy failure. Learn from it and try again.
101. Make a new 101 in 1001 list.