101 in 1001

I’ve decided to take up the “Day Zero Project“. I am the list queen. I make lists for everything. I have lists of things I need to do each day, lists of things I want to accomplish in the next six months and lists of things that I want to accomplish in the next year, and so on. And I am a fan of putting the most mundane things on a list just so I can cross it off later. My husband says “do you really need to put “take a shower” on your list? Do you need to be reminded?” No, I don’t need to be reminded to take a shower but it does give me a sense of accomplishment to cross things off.

So, this is the perfect challenge for me.

I like the idea of this challenge because it gives you a set time period to do things instead of just an ambiguous “I want to get this done someday” time frame. My plan is to try to blog about things on the list as I get them done. So, in the spirit of that, things on the list that are:

In the same, normal type as the rest of the website are things that I haven’t started. 

Items in this color have been completed.   

Items in this color are in progress.  

If an item is crossed out, I am no longer attempting it or using an alternate.
If there is a link, I have written a post about it. Follow the link to read about it.
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 organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.

Start date: October 7, 2012
End date: July 5, 2015

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Creativity  (13 items)

• (#1) Make a wreath
• (#2) Learn how to do art journaling
• (#3) Learn to knit or crochet
• (#4) Make 25 things from Pinterest (0/25)
• (#5) Make a beaded bracelet (pandora style)
• (#6) Complete a “Wreck This Journal”
• (#7) Make a “fairy” garden
• (#8) Make a ribbon bulletin board
• (#9) Do something with all the business cards we’ve collected over the years
• (#10) Make a shadow box with the kids baby stuff (from pinterest – can count as one of #4) (0/2)
• (#11) Make a scrapbook with the postcards I receive from Postcrossing
• (#12) Finish the “52 reasons” project and give to husband for anniversary
• (#13) Collect 101 quotes that inspire me (idea stolen from a list I found on google) (0/101)

Health & Fitness  (10 items)

• (#14) Go to bed by midnight every night for one month (Tuesdays are a freebie for work if needed) (0/30)
• (#15) Get up no later than 9am every day for a month (0/30)
• (#16) Walk at least 30 minutes each day, twice per day, 5 days per week for a month regardless of weather . (0/20)
• (#17) Lose 40 pounds (0/40)
• (#18) Drink at least 32 oz. of water every day for a month (0/30)
• (#19) Eat 3 meals a day every day for a month (0/30)
• (#20) Do cardio 3 days per week for a month (0/12)
• (#21) Quit smoking
• (#22) Stop drinking pop/soda completely for a month (0/30)
• (#23) Find one healthy recipe per week for 6 months (0/26)
• (#24) Eat two servings (recommended daily serving) of fruit every day for a month (0/30)
• (#25) Eat five servings of veggies every day for a month (0/30)
• (#26) Eat/drink two servings of dairy every day for a month (0/30)

Responsibility (5 items)

• (#27) Write a will (both of us or one together)
• (#28) Invest in something
• (#29) Create a binder of important papers/info

Reading & Writing (13 items)

• (#30) Blog at least once a week on both blogs (personal and writing) for a year (personal – 0/52; writing – 0/52)
• (#31) Blog twice per week on the review blog (as long as I have books to review) for a year (0/104)
• (#32) Buy a moleskine journal and fill it for art journaling
• (#33) Journal every day for at least a month (0/30)
• (#34) Do morning pages every day for a month (0/30)
• (#35) Do “Thankful Thursday” (3-13 things) each week for a month (1/4) (Week 1)
• (#36) Finish at least one of my books
• (#37) Read 100 classic books (list?) (0/100)
• (#38) Find and join a local writing group
• (#39) Read (and catch up on) popular book series: 50 Shades of Grey, The Black Dagger Brotherhood series, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Hollows series, The Otherworld series, The Iron Fey series and the Stephanie Plum series.
• (#40) Write a page a day for a month (0/30)
• (#41) Enter a writing contest
• (#42) Spend 30 minutes a day and get my emails cleaned out (hotmail/gmail/yahoo) (0/3)

Photo (5 items)

• (#43) Complete a 365 photo project
• (#44) Learn to use photo software
• (#45) Take a photography class
• (#46) Go to a state park and take pictures (Mohican/Hocking Hills?)
• (#47) Complete a “photo a day” project at least one month

Culture (8 items)

• (#48) Visit NYC
• (#49) Attend a ballet. Preferably “The Nutcracker”
• (#50) Go to a midnight showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”
• (#51) Go to 5 different festivals/events/etc around the city or the State
• (#52) Get postcards from 50 different countries (postcrossing.com) (15/50)
• (#53) Listen to Rolling Stone’s top 500 songs (92/500) You can see my list HERE.
• (#54) Learn French

For Others (8 items)

• (#55) Participate in “Operation Beautiful” by writing 50 random notes
• (#56) Raise money for Pine Ridge Reservation (Goal: $1,000)
• (#57) Adopt a family/person at Christmas
• (#58) Send a care package to a soldier overseas
• (#59) Create emergency kits for each car
• (#60) Make paracord bracelets to send to military
• (#61) Do a shoebox

Around the House (14 items)

• (#62) Create and maintain a cleaning schedule
• (#63) Finish decorating the den
• (#64) Finish decorating the bathroom
• (#65) Make a binder of healthy recipes
• (#66) Make a monthly schedule for “spring cleaning” type things (closets, woodwork, etc.)
• (#67) Get frames for pictures by the door in the den and get them hung
• (#68) Digitize photos
• (#69) Get the “bridges” pictures framed
• (#70) Buy a new filing cabinet and organize all the files
• (#71) Clean out the file drawer in my desk
• (#72) Clean out the linen closet and get rid of all the old linens
• (#73) Clean out our closet and donate/rag bag old clothing
• (#74) Do one load of laundry from start to finish each day, as needed

Food & Drink (14 items)

• (#75) Make my own sangria
• (#76) Bake bread from scratch
• (#77) Make fry bread
• (#78) Make a rainbow cake/cupcake
• (#79) Try to find a local farmers coop (read about one in an article that delivers fresh veggies every couple of months but can’t find the article)
• (#80) Make homemade, organic dog treats and see if they like them
• (#81) Make at least one recipe from the recipe file each month so we can either keep it or throw it out.
• (#82) Try five new fruits
• (#83) Make beef wellington

Personal and/or Relationship (4 items)

• (#84) Get a 2^nd tattoo
• (#85) Learn/read/watch/do one new (educational) thing each month for a year. (0/12)
• (#86) Try to get work routine established where I’m working Sunday through Thursday during the day so I can spend my husband’s days off with him.
• (#87) Work on genealogy again.

For Fun or For Me

• (#88) Make a gingerbread house
• (#89) Buy five things from Etsy
• (#90) Buy five things from my Amazon wish list
• (#91) A to Z challenge (at least around Ohio)
• (#92) Get a pedicure or buy the things needed to do my own
• (#93) Complete a coloring book
• (#94) Go zip-lining
• (#95) Go to Halloweekends at Cedar Point for the weekend
• (#96) Buy a pair of cowboy boots
• (#97) Save $10 for each item completed and do or buy something fun
• (#98) Try geo-caching
• (#99) Try five new restaurants. (0/5)
• (#100) Complete a “100 Things About Me” page. (0/100)
• (#101) Complete 101 things that make me happy page. (0/101)

Alternate

• Go to a Mars concert (if they are touring again during this time)
• Complete a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle (and frame it?) (Don’t really have anywhere to do this)
• Create an item to sell on etsy
• Take a class on jewelry making
• Learn couponing
• Stockpile six months worth of <list of items TBD>