Sunday, June 30, 2013

#81 - 10 new musical artists

I am lazy in my musical listening habits.  Although I have a huge variety on my iTunes library, I generally only listen to a couple of different playlists regularly.  Also, I stopped listening to the radio while I was in college - too busy and generally spending loads time in libraries as I finished getting my MLIS and started my career.

Last summer, I realized at the weddings that I attended that I only knew the songs being played if they were ones from the 1980s and before.  And, that some of the new things I was hearing were interesting.  I've noticed this lately with movie soundtracks as well.  So, because I still don't have the time to listen to the radio much, I asked for assistance in finding something new.  And, I quickly got responses (gotta say that I LOVE having my first goal completed for this round in a week)!  Friends from Facebook, friends I see regularly, my sisters, and even a fellow PostCrosser all gave me ideas - about 30 new artists to listen to in a wide variety of styles.  It was fascinating to see how the songs meshed with what I knew of personalities (especially from the people that I didn't know as well).

This afternoon, I added 17 new songs to my iTunes library.  There is one more that I can't add to iTunes yet ... a new group that, ironically, started me on this goal ... because the album hasn't been released yet.  When my nephew Dan married last summer, his new brother-in-law sang during the ceremony ... and I was astounded by his gorgeous voice.  This isn't what he sang for the ceremony (obviously, if you listen to the words), but here's my recommendation to all of you ...
foxandcoyote.com

Saturday, June 22, 2013

New goals, or 101 take 2!

I finally told myself 5 minutes ago that I need to stop adding goals to my new list (because I was starting to think about bending the rules around to make it 111 goals in 1111 days) and decide just what made the cut.  So, here it goes ... I challenge myself to ...



101 Things in 1001 days – Take 2

1.     Make a will and get it notarized
2.     Lose 25 pounds ($5 for the fun jar for each 5 pounds I lose)
3.     Finish the online Latin course I started
4.     Take a trip in the US
5.     Visit Canada (more than just past the border)
6.     Visit a country I haven’t seen before
7.     Do something nice without being asked for someone each day for a month
8.     Make and mail care packages to each of my siblings
9.     Finish reading the “essential” section of Proulx’s “Books for a Well Educated Adult” list
10.                        Finish my Christmas stocking that was supposed  to be done several years ago
11.                        Visit each of my siblings and invite them to visit me
12.                        Host a wine tasting party
13.                        Finish my Dewey classification reading goal
14.                        Read 10 popular authors (new to me) that I normally wouldn’t to keep up with trends
15.                        Make myself three new costumes for fun
16.                        Cook an ethnic meal from each continent (excluding Antarctica)
17.                        Use each herb in my garden in a different dish over the course of a summer
18.                        Start writing poetry again – at least 10 new poems
19.                        Memorize 5 more poems to add to my “library in my head”
20.                        Attempt to become better at drawing by completely filling the pages of a sketchbook with my own efforts
21.                        Finish the photo course I’m taking
22.                        Learn how to do video editing
23.                        Write to 3 people who’ve changed my life to thank them
24.                        Take Mom and Dad on a vacation
25.                        Take a First Aid/CPR refresher course
26.                        Geocache at least 25 finds
27.                        Repaint the porch trim and garage
28.                        Go berry or fruit picking at least 5 times
29.                        Invite friends over for 10 game nights
30.                        Take 10 new frame worthy photos to display in my home
31.                        Visit 5 new places in Minnesota
32.                        See 10 live theater productions
33.                        Reduce my morning walk time to 35 minutes without losing distance
34.                        Don’t complain about anything for one week ($5 for the fun jar for each time I have to restart this goal!)
35.                        Watch 10 movies from my “someday” list
36.                        Write a murder mystery dinner party
37.                        Convert 2 reels of Mom & Dad’s slides to digital files
38.                        Learn to identify 5 new constellations
39.                        Go to 10 different museums
40.                        Finish my Kickstarter wheel by making a pledge in every category
41.                        Play my harp at least 40 times
42.                        Play my keyboard at least 20 times
43.                        Play my flute at least 10 times
44.                        Make a life soundtrack playlist
45.                        Try 3 new photography techniques / equipment items
46.                        Make 10 new recipes (not baked goods)
47.                        Make family traditions book
48.                        Make a project with one of the specialty yarns I have
49.                        Finish the Renaissance cross-stich project
50.                        Spend a night sleeping in my hammock (can be inside in front of the fire during the winter)
51.                        Identify 100 things that make me happy
52.                        Leave 10 operation beautiful notes
53.                        Take a picture for each letter of the alphabet
54.                        Attend the midnight premiere of a movie
55.                        Go to a baseball game
56.                        Write a fan letter
57.                        Send someone flowers anonymously
58.                        Purge 25 items from my wardrobe that I no longer wear
59.                        Hike on five trails that are new to me or I haven’t been on in over 20 years
60.                        Get a henna tattoo
61.                        Spend a night stargazing / watch a meteor shower / watch a lunar eclipse
62.                        Have my palm read / tarot cards read
63.                        Enter a photography contest
64.                        Make 5 microloans on kiva.org
65.                        Release 10 books through bookcrossing.com
66.                        Finish Eowyn’s Challenge
67.                        Work up to doing 100 consecutive sit-ups
68.                        Host a Mardi Gras party
69.                        Make 5 recipes that were sent to me through PostCrossing
70.                        Choose 10 countries and watch a movie from each
71.                        Go to a roller derby match
72.                        Answer the “50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind”
73.                        Reread the first books and complete reading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
74.                        Read the Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. Martin
75.                        Learn to say “hello”, “goodbye”, “yes”, “no”, and “where’s the bathroom” in 10 languages
76.                        Write a letter to myself to be opened in 10 years
77.                        Buy a piece of original art
78.                        Compliment at least five people in one week
79.                        Go to a Renaissance Fair ($5 extra for the fun jar if one or both of my sisters goes with me)
80.                        Learn how to maintain my bike
81.                        Listen to 10 new musical artists ($5extra for the fun jar for each of these who is recommended to me by a niece or nephew)
82.                        Host a menu mystery party
83.                        Do the 30 Day Photo Challenge on Facebook
84.                        Color at least 5 pages from one of my upscale coloring books
85.                        Go horseback riding or ride in a horsedrawn carriage
86.                        Do something from my bucket list
87.                        Make a pie on pi day
88.                        Taste 10 new types of tea
89.                        Take a 2 week Facebook break
90.                        Wear every piece of jewelry I own at least once
91.                        Drop my body fat % by at least 5 points
92.                        Have a face to face visit with at least five friends that are no longer part of my daily life
93.                        Redo my “why I do this” photos in my office
94.                        Do the 5K training part of ZombiesRun! App while running or walking (not on the exercise bike)
95.                        Learn a new method of braiding my hair
96.                        Take a staycation with at least 3 consecutive days of not doing any chores
97.                        Buy a little black dress
98.                        Do The Pocket Scavenger book
99.                        Have a contest on my blog with a prize of something that I’ve made
100.                   Donate 1 million grains of rice to freerice.com
101.                   Save $10 in cash for each goal I complete – use this money for something fun (aka “the fun jar”).  Plus, donate $10 to charity for each item that I don’t accomplish by the last day – March 19th, 2016

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Finishing up and starting anew ...

Today, I sent out the last of my charity donations for the items that I did not complete on my first round.  Since I decided to split the money ($760 is a lot for me to donate in one chunk) between organizations, it took me a little longer to make choices on who was going to get how much.  (And phasing it over multiple paychecks helped my budget too).  Along the way, I made a cool discovery ... my old high school has a giving program where you can give a general gift to their foundation as a "gratitude" for a teacher/staff member; they will send that person a thank you (anonymously if preferred) for making a difference in your life.  What a great way to make giving a little more special!

Now that I feel like I've fulfilled my obligations under the first list I made, I am working on another DayZero goal list!  I am hoping to post it and start on my second 1,001 days this Saturday.  I am having a hard time in cutting the list down to 101 items; there are so many things that I want to do!  Plus, I want to either repeat some successful goals or take another shot at most of the uncompleted ones from the first list.  And, I am trying to take into consideration some time commitments that I can potentially see on my horizon for work ... I really lost momentum last time when there were changes in this area of my life.  But I also want to really have to work to achieve the goals; it's hard to find a balancing point of the easily achievable vs. the big stretch goals.

So, a new list in the next post ...

And, since the old side list will be replaced, here's the record of where I ended on the first list:
  1. Make a will and get it notarized
  2. Make a living will and get it notarized - completed 4/23/13
  3. Lose xx pounds (you don't need to know the actual number)
  4. Practice my harp at least once a week for a year - completed 7/29/12
  5. Finish the online Latin course that I started
  6. Solo trip to England - completed 10/13/10 (the day I got there)
  7. Solo trip in the US
  8. Visit Canada (more than just past the border)
  9. Visit Mexico (more than just past the border) - completed 2/14/12
  10. Visit a European country I haven't seen before
  11. Solo kayak - no one following, at least around one island from Nina & Peter's, no help getting in or out of the kayak - to help get over my fear of water (onshore cheering is allowed) - completed 8/19/10
  12. Visit all my grandparents' graves - completed 11/9/11
  13. Redecorate the bathroom - completed 8/17/11
  14. Put tile in under the woodstove - completed 11/12/10
  15. Do something nice - without being asked - for someone each day for a month - completed 12/12/10
  16. Revisit 23 things on a stick and finish the second round
  17. Make and mail care packages to each of my nephews and nieces - completed 3/20/13
  18. Try out for a community theater part (on stage, not behind the scenes) - completed 8/29/11
  19. Finish reading the "essential" section of Proulx's "Books for a Well Educated Adult" list
  20. Spend an afternoon writing "why you're fabulous" notes for 10 people that I'm close to and then give them out - completed 1/9/11
  21. Actually celebrate my 40th birthday rather than pretending it doesn't exist - 5/17/11
  22. Make a new recipe (not baked goods) each month for a year - completed 4/28/13
  23. Finish my Christmas stocking that was supposed to be done several years ago
  24. Visit each of my siblings and invite them to visit me
  25. Learn to make fortune cookies and have a party where they are part of the menu
  26. Host a wine tasting party
  27. Listen to ALL of the songs I own at least once - completed 1/15/12
  28. Beat all the levels on Zoo Tycoon - completed with an alternate game 7/12/12
  29. Finish my Dewey classification reading goal
  30. Read 10 popular authors (new to me) that I normally wouldn't to keep up with trends - completed 11/3/11
  31. Make myself three new costumes for fun
  32. Cook an ethnic meal from each continent (excluding Antartica)
  33. Use each herb in my garden in a different dish over the course of a summer
  34. Learn to make 15 different cocktails from memory - completed 4/13/11
  35. Go to a vineyard and taste - buy a bottle of my favorite - completed 9/7/11
  36. Start writing poetry again - at least 20 new poems
  37. Memorize 10 more poems to add to my "library in my head"
  38. Read a daily newspaper every day for 3 months (can be online subscription) - completed 8/19/12
  39. Make 1000 paper cranes and a wish - completed 2/27/11
  40. Attempt to become better at drawing by completely filling the pages of a sketchbook with my own efforts
  41. Take a community education or college continuing education course
  42. Learn how to do video editing
  43. Write to 3 people who've changed my life to thank them
  44. Break out the jingles and belly dance at least once a week for 4 months
  45. Host a "make music" night for all my talented friends
  46. Donate to a different charity each month for a year - completed 7/21/11
  47. Start a blueberry patch in the backyard - completed 5/31/11
  48. Take Mom and Dad on a vacation
  49. Spend an entire weekend in my pajamas - completed 1/2/11
  50. Try growing lettuce inside in the winter - completed 3/2/12
  51. Take a First Aid/CPR refresher course
  52. Actually write down a life bucket list of at least 10 items - completed (added item #10) 9/23/10
  53. Try geocaching - completed 9/19/10
  54. Include a vegetable side dish at supper every night for 2 months - to get back in the habit of eating more veggies - completed 2/24/11
  55. Donate blood - completed 2/15/11
  56. Take one of the Duluth train trips - completed 7/22/12
  57. Repaint the porch trim and garage
  58. Send at least 15 Operation Baking Gals boxes - completed 12/6/12
  59. Go berry picking at least 5 times
  60. Read at least 15 of my "reserve" books to get the stack size down - completed 7/15/11
  61. Invite friends over for 10 game nights - completed 3/10/12
  62. Try canning a new type of preserves - completed 9/4/10
  63. See Wicked - completed 10/15/10
  64. Meet savings goal #1 - completed 9/2/11
  65. Meet savings goal #2 - completed 3/18/11
  66. Meet savings goal #3
  67. Complete perennial bed along east fence in back yard - completed 6/20/11
  68. Read at least 200 books per calendar year (should be at or past #80 by ending date for 2013) - completed 4/28/13
  69. Restart blogging as a way to document doing this list (this goal can be considered complete after 20 posts) - completed 11/7/10
  70. Take 10 frame-worthy photos to display in my home - completed 3/18/12
  71. Pack a work lunch every day for a month - completed 1/14/12
  72. Visit 5 new places in Minnesota
  73. See 10 live theater productions - completed 3/13/11
  74. Reduce my morning walk time to 35 minutes without losing distance
  75. Plant a boulevard tree in front of my house - completed 5/13/12
  76. Find out my blood type - completed 3/31/11
  77. Don't complain about anything for a week - completed 11/6/10
  78. Send a secret to PostSecret - completed 7/20/11
  79. Watch 10 movies from my "someday" list - completed 12/8/12
  80. Ride in a taxi
  81. Learn how to make bagels - completed 5/5/13
  82. Finally do the Australia photo party
  83. Find a spot in a different room to put some of the kitchen stuff I rarely use (canning equipment, roaster, etc), so I have more room to work - completed 9/16/10
  84. Throw a murder mystery dinner party - completed 5/17/11
  85. Throw a menu mystery dinner party - completed 10/29/11
  86. Try absinthe - completed 10/18/10
  87. Get a slide to digital photo machine and use it on Mom & Dad's slides
  88. See an opera - completed 7/8/11
  89. Rewire my reading lamp that Dad made - completed 8/17/10
  90. Learn to identify 5 new constellations
  91. Say no to 5 requests that I really don't want to do - completed 5/6/11
  92. Make a list of 25 things that I do well - completed 10/10/10
  93. Go to 10 different museums
  94. Memorize what all the icons on my digital camera stand for - completed 3/16/13
  95. Make 5 new jewelry pieces - completed 3/30/13
  96. Play my keyboard at least 30 times
  97. Participate in PostCrossing.com - completed 8/4/11
  98. Send 3 people who aren't related to me a surprise ... just because - completed 9/19/12
  99. Take a lunch break at work every day for two weeks straight
  100. Attend 5 local performing arts events that I'm tempted to skip because I'm tired - dessert theater in the light booth is allowed - 10/15/12
  101. Donate $20 to charity for each item that I don't accomplish by the last day - May 13th, 2013