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 19^th, 2016

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

Where does time go?

Today is day 1,000 in my Day Zero project.  I can hardly believe that it went by so fast.  I've finished over half of my list of goals and will be making a hefty charity donation tomorrow for the ones I did not.  I am so glad that I choose to do this - so much so that in a few weeks I plan to start over with DayZero part II - it pushed me to take time in my life to do things that I see as important rather than just letting one mundane day follow another.

I've written about goals as I accomplish them, so here's a little bit about what the goals I had started but not completed.

• #1 - making a will was harder than I blithely imagined ... so many decisions to make and only me to make them.  I have the form, the executor, and most of the major things decided, but I still need to work out some of the details (one of which is how detailed I want to be about physical possessions!).
• #3 - I originally planned to lose 40 pounds; I'm down 22.  During the first two years of this project, I either held steady (or gained).  In the last few months, I discovered two things that are really working for me (I've lost all my extra plus the aforementioned 22 pounds from my starting date), and I expect to be at or below my goal by the end of the year.  What are those two things you ask?  First, an online site (with a mobile app) called MyFitnessPal that is a calorie counter program; it's not glamorous, but it works for me.  Second, a mobile app called Zombies, Run! that I've been using for exercise - the sounds of those zombies gaining on me is a huge motivator to keep moving and this is the only time in my life I can remember actually looking forward to exercise.  The program is a mix of audiobook, low level game, and my own music designed for runners (though I am using it mostly with my exercise bike).
• #5 - someday I WILL learn Latin.  I have lost count of how many times I have done the first few lessons in this course online ... too many things competing for my attention to allow me to give a lot of attention to foreign vocabulary flashcards.
• #19 - Plutarch is kicking my butt.  I'm about halfway through the Lives of Noble Grecians and Romans, and I've been picking at it since last July.  This is exceptionally slow going for me.  However, there's only 7 more titles in this section after I finish this one, so I expect this goal will reappear on my next list.
• #23 - the sad truth about craft projects is that there are always more to do than time to do them.  Because a new Christmas stocking was the idea of another family member and because I'm not really into the Christmas year-round concept and because I chose a really difficult-to-work-with thread to use with a currently half-competed cross-stitch pattern, I am not particularly motivated to work on this much of the time.  I did make progress ... slow, agonizing progress while I wished I was doing a different project.
• #24 - I visited two of my four siblings (the ones that I live closest to) and would have loved to have made it to the others as well but didn't manage to find the time for an extended trip.  Most family visiting (and there has been lots with two family weddings in the last year) has occurred on my parent's farm.
• #29 - I got through about half of the Dewey numbers I had left to do and have entire "hundreds" sections that I have completed now.  Still lots of 400s and 800s to go.
• #32 - I did an Asian meal (Sri Lanka) and a North American one (Mexico)
• #36 & 37 - Wrote 3 and memorized two.  All three that I wrote were on vacations - guess seeing new things really does get the creative juices going.
• #41 - this one suffered when work got nuts.  I'm taking a professional level photography course where you work at your own pace.  The classroom portion of the learning I can squeeze into a weekend.   Finding time to take the assignment photos under the correct conditions is harder.  My final course work is due in January, and I'm about halfway through.
• #59 - I was so close ... just needed one more afternoon out picking something.  If I would have counted picking berries in my backyard, I would have easily made it.
• #74 - I wobbled about whether I've achieved this one or not.  I have made my walk in under 35 minutes a couple of times, but the purpose was to be able to do it consistently - which I can't.
• #87 - I have everything but the time.
• #90 - I learned three new ones.  In a strange quirk, one of my new constellations to identify was Delphinus, and, shortly after I learned to find it, I helped make a theater backdrop of stars.  I did not plan where to put the lights - just stuck them in randomly from the back.  When I went around for a final look, I saw Delphinus near the top center.
• #93 - again, so close ... I went to eight.  Mostly in London when I visited on my solo trip.  I guess I got over-confident having so many done early that I thought I would have plenty of time to make it to a few more.
• #96 - ummm, I guess my keyboard is more decorative than useful lately.

 I plan to give myself a break of a couple of weeks and then come back with a new list of goals to start on for another run of 1,001 days.  Some of the items above will be included; I think that I may put some of the goals that I did accomplish back on as well (it's good to remember not to complain, for example).  And, I've also been thinking about some bright fresh things to try as well.

One thing that I did realize in doing this list is that the "once a month/week" goals become frustrating for me if life gets crazy because I feel like it's just one more thing that needs to go on my chore list.  And, the object of doing this, for me, was not to give myself more chores ... rather to expand my life in positive ways.  So, I expect to structure my goals in a way to avoid this.  Also, I feel like I was ambitious in how much I could accomplish in some areas on the first go around ... it's nice to shoot high (and I don't know if I ever would have gone to London alone without this project), but it's also great to feel that sense of "I've accomplished something".  So, there may be a better balance of huge projects that take time for weeks (photography class, I'm looking at you) to smaller things that I can finish in a single weekend.

Above all ... I have loved working on this during the last 1,000 days.  I started it as a whim and am so glad I did.  If you have wandered onto my page from PostCrossing or another site that I'm connected to, I would encourage anyone to try it.  Remember the goals are yours ... how do you want to change your life?

#81 - Bagels

I have been baking since I was old enough to help my mom roll out cookie dough and shape bread rolls.  However, my first real experience with bagels didn't happen until I was in graduate school.  I was working in a small editorial office for a major medical journal as the lone student intern, and the office manager would bring in fresh bagels once a week or so from the local Bruegger's bakery.  They tasted great, but the whole boil and bake method sounded a little odd to me.  So, I never tried to make them on my own and sort of forgot that good bagels existed after I moved on to the next stage of my life.

boiling bagels with some draining in the background

Then, a few years ago, my friend Amanda gave me some bagels that she had made - wow! ... yummy and chewy just like I remembered!  And I got the recipe from her to try myself ... but, again, I was just mentally thrown by the fact that you boil them before they went in the oven.  I'm not sure why this was such a mental block for me as I've made doughnuts many times and used to help my mom make other fried cookies like rosettes.  Plus, I've made cookies and bars where part of the ingredients needed to be cooked before adding them to the dough.  Regardless, the recipe just sat in my file.  And, since I'm not fond of commercial bread products, I basically just didn't eat bagels for several more years.

pre-boiled and ready to go into the oven

Today, I found the recipe again.  (And heaved a sigh of relief that it didn't require eggs since I was hoping not to have to go to the store).  Actually, I was fairly surprised at how simple it was ... water, sugar, salt, flour, more yeast than usual for bread, and a little bit of corn meal to bake them on.  There was an optional suggestion of malt syrup to make the browning color more appealing, but I left that out since I didn't have any on hand.  My bread machine did all of the work with the dough, and the boiling stage was very quick.  I was amazed ... bagels within half an hour of the dough cycle finishing in the bread machine.  Yummy, chewy, hot-from-the-oven bagels ... excuse me, I think I need to go have another one. ;)

out of the oven and cooling

#2, #22, #68 (part 4) - Three in a weekend

I have resigned myself to the fact that I will not, at this point, even come close to finishing all 101 goals in my final two weeks.  However, I have been trying to wrap up those goals that I can in my limited time and have completed 3 in the last week.

First, I finished making out a living will.  I found it took a considerable amount of thought to get my wishes down on paper in a way that would be clear for someone else to understand.  I used a form called Five Wishes which goes past the normal health care directives and includes items like funeral planning and how you might want to be treated in a nursing home.  I was surprised at how emotional I felt while trying to work out things even though I already had a sense of what I wanted to say when I began.

The second goal I finished was reading book #80 for this year.  I have posted end-of-the-year updates on the other parts of this goal, and, since I plan to do a second round of the Day Zero Project, I will wait to discuss the books I've read this year until December.

The third goal is in the oven right now! :)  For a year, I have been trying new recipes every month in hopes of finding some new yummy additions to the dishes that I already make.  The list was:

• May - Fiesta Dip ... Brought on by my sister Diana bringing it to a shower we were co-hosting.  Very good - a new party staple.
• June - Strawberry Fool ... I had fresh strawberries and always wanted to try making a "fool" recipe just because it sounds fun.  Perfect for those moments when I have just picked several flats of berries!

  

  Some (but not all) of the flats of strawberries I picked in June

• July - Blueberry Super Salad ... I read something about "power" foods and decided to put them all together into a recipe of my own.  It was pretty good.

  

  Blueberry Super Salad

• August - Filler-up Hotdish ... This was something that is in our family cookbook by a different name.  As you might guess, it's very filling; however, it's also very high in carbs, so I don't see myself making it often.
• September - Tacos ... Don't laugh, but this was not something my family ate and my early taco experiences were of the really disgusting school cafeteria variety!  Homemade was much better.
• October - Baked Lemon Chicken ... The biggest success of this goal; I am now making this dish regularly (2 or 3 times a month) for myself - and it's on the menu for supper tonight!
• November - Chocolate Caramel Truffles ... I was trying to stay away from sweets for this goal, but I couldn't resist trying a new candy for my Christmas trays.  I know I'll be making this one again!
• December - Chicken a la Paiva with Ceylonese Hot Rice ... These dishes were recipes from family friends (named Paiva) from Sri Lanka many years ago, but I couldn't really remember what they tasted like.  I liked them but expected the hot rice to be more pepper hot and not just spicy flavored.

  

  Chicken a la Paiva with Ceylonese Hot Rice

• January - Homemade Mac & Cheese with Ham ... Another recipe from Diana ... I had never tried making mac and cheese from scratch before.  Good, but not something I expect to make often.
• February - Green Bean Casserole ... Again you may be laughing, but another standard I hadn't made myself ... easier to make than I thought, but probably won't make it again unless for company.
• March - Cochinita Pibil ... I fell in love with this Mayan dish last year while I was on vacation.  This was the most labor-intensive recipe I tried.  It didn't taste quite like what I remembered, but was pretty close.  Definitely something to make again when I have the time.
• April - Spinach Phyllo Tartlets ... I like spanokopita, and these are pretty close.  I had forgotten how much fun I have working with phyllo dough and had to restrain myself from making baklava!  This recipe made LOTS, so I hope they freeze well.

  

  The Spinach Phyllo Tartlets just out of the oven