101 in 1001
Here’s how it works:
The challenge, straight from the geniuses at the Day Zero Project, is to “complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.”
It’s that simple.
The rules? Each task must be specific, with clearly defined or measurable results. Tasks must also be realistic — something I believe I can accomplish within 1001 days — and stretching; I can’t add things I already do or which don’t require any effort.
Why 1001 days? Day Zero says, “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…because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks.”
So, without further ado, here is my list!
Official Start Date: November 11, 2009
1001 Days Later: August 8, 2012 (my third wedding anniversary!)
Key:
Not started
In Progress
Completed
# Complete: 29
# In Progress: 23
FYI: If a goal has a specific measure or count to reach, I will note the progress like this: (#completed/total goal)
So, an example would be: Watch the sun rise ten times. (2/10)
Here we go!
SIMPLIFYING & DECLUTTERING
001. Watch the sun rise ten times. (4/10)
11/28/09 in Woodland Hills, CA
08/21/10 in Goleta, CA
01/09/12 in Santa Barbara, CA (boot camp!)
01/25/12 in Santa Barbara, CA (boot camp!)
002. Go through my closet every 6 months (at least four times) and get rid of clothes that haven’t been worn. (4/4)
01/09/10 — {related post}
07/20-ish/10 — Gave away about 30 items!
01/15/11 — Got rid of another trash bag full of stuff (mostly clothes that are now too big! Yay!).
06/11 — I got rid of even more stuff that’s too big on me!
{related post to come}
003. Get ALL of my stuff out of my parents’ house and organized/thrown away!
06/04/10 — Went through everything in the back room; left only two small boxes and took the rest back or threw it away. Now I just have to do the stuff in the garage!
004. Take a walk on the beach at least four times in one year (as long as we are living in SB). (4/4)
05/01/11 — Had brunch at the Boathouse and enjoyed some sun and a short walk (would’ve been longer, but THE TAR!).
2012 — Walked on the beach at least a few times when I came down to study for my NASM exam.
005. Spend an entire day away from the computer at least once every three months for a year. (4/4)
12/25/09 and a couple more days in the week that followed — {related post}
04/05/10 — Didn’t get on the computer once on my lovely birthday!
07/10/10 — My cousin’s wedding in Riverside.
10/10/10 — Was at the Scottish Festival!
006. Organize my photos on my hard drive. Maybe even print some!
007. Look through my collection of books and get rid of at least 20 that I know I’ll never read again. (~30/20)
01/09/10 — {related post}
008. Keep my desk at work tidy and uncluttered for two consecutive weeks. (2/2)
08/31/11 — I compleeeeetely cleaned my cubicle the first week in August, and I’ve done a pretty good job keeping it neat! Yay! {related post to come}
MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT
009. Go to a musical.
010. Go to a concert.
08/26/10 — Joe’s Uncle Steve and his country band at a local park (Lyons, CO)
09/04/10 — Todd Carey at SOHO (Santa Barbara, CA)
011. Watch a silent film.
012. Read a book by an author whose last name begins with A, B, C… (one for each letter of the alphabet). (18/26)
A — The Summer We Fell Apart, by Robin Antalek (6)
B — The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley (7)
C — Little Bee, by Chris Cleave (11)
D — Sarah’s Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay (8)
E — A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan (17)
F — Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!, by Richard Feynman (4)
G — The Magicians, by Lev Grossman (14)
H — Between Sisters, by Kristin Hannah (3)
I — Angry Conversations with God, by Susan Isaacs (to-read)
J – The Name of the Star, by Maureen Johnson (to-read)
K — On Writing, by Stephen King (to-read)
L — Grace [Eventually]: Thoughts on Faith, by Anne Lamott (5)
M — The Forgotten Garden, by Kate Morton (12)
N – One Day, by David Nicholls (18)
O — Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver (9)
P — Keeping Faith, by Jodi Picoult (2)
Q — Every Last One, by Anna Quindlen (to-read)
R — Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling (15)
S — The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer (1)
T — The End of Mr. Y, by Scarlett Thomas (16)
U — The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint, by Brady Udall (in-progress)
V — Timequake, by Kurt Vonnegut (to-read)
W — I Am Not a Serial Killer, by Dan Wells (10)
X –Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother, by Xinran Xue (to-read)
Y — The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors, by Michele Young-Stone (to-read)
Z – The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (13)
013. Go to a taping of a talk show or other live-audience TV show.
01/15/12 — Mythbusters Live (this only kind of counts)
014. Write (and send) a letter to a favorite author.
015. Read an entire book (minimum of 200 pages) in one day.
07/11/10 — I read Pretty Little Liars (the first book) straight through, only stopping for a little nap and some food in between!
08/16/10 — I read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants from cover to cover on the drive home from Vegas!
016. Read three autobiographies. (2/3)
1. Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! (by Richard Feynman)
2. My Lucky Life in Show Business (by Dick van Dyke)
3. Stories I Only Tell My Friends (by Rob Lowe – to-read)
017. Go to an opera (and try to like it).
11/28/09 — San Francisco Opera {related post}
DOMESTICATION
018. Try 15 healthy recipes from SparkPeople. (10/15)
(Note: I was originally going to try recipes from Tasty Kitchen, but I decided to change it to SparkPeople, because their recipe database is focused on more healthy options, and each recipe provides nutrition information.)
04/29/10 — Oregano Lemon Chicken
04/30/10 — Flat Out Pepperoni Pizza (I used whole wheat tortillas and added garlic and onions – yum!)
05/15/10 — Roasted Broccoli and Feta Turkey Burgers (original recipe was for chicken…also? Kind of a fail. I put it on the Foreman and it was dryyy…)
05/25/10 — White Bean Dip and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
06/14/10 — Lemon Bread
09/15/10 — Tex Mex Calzones
09/21/10 — Boneless Hot Wings (holy cow, TOO HOT!)
09/23/10 — Baked Lemon Chicken
019. Set a cleaning schedule and stick to it for six consecutive weeks. (0/6)
020. Go one month (30 days) without leaving dishes in the sink before bed. (0/30)
021. Crochet a blanket (using an actual pattern).
022. Learn to make stuffed bell peppers.
02/09/10 — I did it! {related post}
023. Make our home look more “homey” by putting up photos/art and other pretty things.
January to June ’10 — Done-ish. {related post}
024. Get a Maltese (or other hypoallergenic) dog (assuming we live in a place that’ll allow pets before 08/08/12).
025. Make one dish out of every cookbook I own. (1/10?)
Jan ’11 — Slow Cooker Recipes for Two – Salsa Chicken (pg 94)
026. Successfully cook one Thanksgiving turkey.
COMMUNICATION & RELATIONSHIPS
027. Write and send at least two snail mail letters per month; at least 12 months total. (2/12)
*August 2010 — Started my project and sent a whole mess of letters!
*September 2010 — Sent out another batch of letters for my Snail Mail project (at least nine so far…)
028. Create a calendar to keep track of family and friends’ birthdays and send a card for each birthday (at least family); keep it up for a year.
Jan. 2011 — Working on filling in a “Birthdays & Anniversaries” book with all family/friend info!
029. Give Joe one “love note” every day for two consecutive weeks. (14/14)
Feb. 1-14, 2011 — Every day leading up to Valentine’s Day!
030. Call someone I haven’t talked to in ages.
Talked with my maid of honor for a good while over the summer (2011); we hadn’t really caught up for at least a year.
031. Start a monthly game night; keep it up for at least six months. (0/6)
032. Host a themed party (‘50s, famous couples, etc.) for a holiday or special event, or just because.
033. Cook ten romantic meals for Joe. (2/10)
02/09/10 — Six-month-iversary Stuffed Bell Peppers {related post}
05/01/11 — A spur-of-the-moment dinner of paprika-parmesan chicken with whole wheat penne pasta and jarred garlic-herb tomato sauce. Not bad!
034. Bake a loaf of bread from scratch.
12/08/09 — Pumpkin bread. Mostly a success.
12/24/09 — Pumpkin bread, round 2. Complete success!
06/14/10 — Lemon bread {related post}
035. Host a potluck.
10/22/10 — Success! {related post}
036. Visit my grandmother once a month for six months. (6/6)
12/22/09 — Visited with Joe
01/01/10 — Visited with my mom {related post for Dec and Jan visits}
02/23/10 — Visited with Joe, helped Grandma with computer stuff
03/12/10 — Visited with Joe and my parents, had a “garage sale” with Grandma
04/22/10 — Visited at the hospital with Joe (she had pneumonia)
05/20/10 — Visited with my mom
037. Send and receive a total of 100 postcards through Postcrossing (39 sent, 41 received = 80/100)
FAITH, SPIRITUAL LIFE & SELF-DISCOVERY
038. Keep a prayer journal; write in it at least once every week for a year. (0/52)
039. Memorize one scripture verse every month for a year. (0/12)
040. Take a class at the community college just for fun (I’m thinking cooking or maybe art?).
Fall ’11 — Took a health class and a running class!
041. Write a letter to myself, to be opened on my 30th birthday.
042. Read through three of Catherine Martin’s 30-day devotional books (in three separate months). (0/3)
*Set My Heart on Fire — In progress, starting October 2010
HEALTH & WELL-BEING
043. Get down to 145 lbs. and stay there!
Starting weight: 167.8 lbs…
Check out Weigh-In Wednesdays to find out my current weight!
044. Get braces.
02/11/11 — Braces are on! {related post}
045. Drink eight glasses of water daily for three weeks. (3/3)
04/28/10 to 05/18/10 {related post}
046. Work out three times a week for 12 weeks. (12/12)
Week 1: 4/20, 4/21, 4/22
Week 2: 4/27, 4/28, 4/30
Week 3: 5/3, 5/4, 5/5, 5/6 (four times!)
Week 4: 5/10, 5/11, 5/13
Week 5: 5/17, 5/18, 5/19
Week 6: 5/24, 5/25, 5/26, 5/27, 5/28 (HOLLA!)
Week 7: 5/31, 6/1, 6/2, 6/4
Week 8: 6/7, 6/8, 6/9, 6/12
Week 9: 6/14, 6/15, 6/16
Week 10: 6/21, 6/22, 6/23, 6/25
Week 11: 6/28, 6/29, 6/30, 7/1, 7/2 (HOLLA!)
Week 12: 7/5, 7/6, 7/7, 7/9
047. Meet with a nutritionist/dietitian to sort out my food allergies and how to proceed with a smart diet.
048. Wear my hair down (ie. NOT in a ponytail) every day for a week. (0/7)
049. Run a full mile without stopping to walk (first on a treadmill, then outside).
03/04/10 — Skipped right over the treadmill and ran a full mile on the track in 11 and a half minutes! {related post}
03/13/10 — Participated in my first 5K! I ran almost 2 full miles without stopping to walk… {related post}
050. Run three full miles without stopping to walk (treadmill is okay).
06/25/10 — I’m getting close! I ran 2.5 miles at 5 mph on the treadmill!
10/14/10 — DONE on the treadmill in 38:24 (12.8-minute miles, on average)
051. Run/walk a 10K (6.2 miles). {related post} {another related post}
052. Go one week without hitting the snooze button. (0/1)
053. Floss my teeth every day for a month. (0/30)
EDUCATION, WORK & PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT
054. Get Wearable Joy running with at least two posts per week.
055. Stock up my Etsy shop with at least 20 items.
I’ve got eight items listed! (end of March 2011)
056. Sell ten items on Etsy. (2/10)
02/10/10 — Sold to Katie! {related tweet}
06/2011 — Sold to Mandy!
057. Take two writing and/or editing courses at a local university or community college. (1/2)
October 2010 — Technical Writing (taken through my work, by a professor from UCSB)
058. Take two courses I wouldn’t normally have thought to take (such as an engineering class, business, or computer science). (1/2)
July 2010 — Completed an online Tech Writing course
059. Complete a crossword puzzle in its entirety without cheating (consulting a friend is okay).
December ’09 — Almost finished a People Magazine crossword! {related post}
12/15/10 — I completed the Newsday Crossword for today (on my phone’s crossword app)! Here’s the puzzle.
060. Learn how to drive stick shift.
061. Learn how to mix three really tasty cocktail drinks. (0/3)
062. Get a job I love and LOVE it.
In progress! I’m studying for my NASM personal training certification. Will take the exam no later than April 9th, and then it’s just a matter of getting hired at a gym.
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
063. Travel to Scotland with Joe.
Planned for August 2012!!
064. Visit three local wineries. (3/3)
01/22/11 — We went to a party at the Oreana Winery in SB!
02/12/11 — We visited FOUR wineries in the area (Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang)! {related post to come}
065. Take a completely impulsive, spur of the moment road trip.
066. Meet two out-of-state bloggers. (I’m thinking of you Nora, Cari, Kyla…) (2/2)
08/29/10 — Met Ashalah in Boulder, CO (with a cameo from ChelseaTalksSmack!)
07/28/11 — Met Pham in LA when he was in CA for VidCon!
{related post to come}
067. Go to a drive-in movie. {related post}
068. Try ten local restaurants. (10/10)
01/03/10 — Your Choice Thai Restaurant {related post}
01/07/10 — Brummis German Restaurant {related post}
02/14/10 — Pacific Crepes {related post}
03/15/10 — Hollister Brewing Co.
03/17/10 — Palace Grill
04/09/10 — The Natural Cafe
04/22/10 — Holdren’s
06/28/10 — Cody’s Cafe
09/24/10 — Dutch Garden Restaurant
09/30/10 — Brophy Bros.
069. Visit four of the major tourist attractions in Santa Barbara. (3/4)
02/14/10 — The Courthouse and the Sunken Gardens (2) {related post}
01/22/12 — Inspiration Point (a four-mile hike!)
070. Go on five picnics. (1/5)
07/15/10 — Concert at Chase Palm Park; I made egg salad sandwiches!
071. Do something death-defying or “extreme” (ie: bungee jumping, skydiving, etc.).
Does paragliding off a tiny hill count? If so: 07/11/11 with Megan!
072. Go on a cruise.
073. Go on a weekend road trip with Megan.
11/28/09 – 11/29/09 — from Los Angeles to San Francisco {related post}
FINANCIAL
074. Eliminate my school loans.
06/13/11 — IT’S DONE!!! {related post to come}
075. Pay off credit card.
11/16/09 – $3,842.81 remaining
12/04/09 - $3,000.00 remaining
02/10/10 – $2,000.00 remaining
03/04/10 - $1,300.00 remaining
04/12/10 – IT’S DONE! {related post}
076. Save money by not going out for fast food (or buying junk from work vending machines) for one month. (0/30)
077. Save $1,000 exclusively for our (future) children’s college funds.
JUST FOR ME / TRYING NEW THINGS
078. Get a full-body massage.
05/15/10 — At “The Massage Place” in Santa Barbara: Gloooorious! {related post}
079. Sing Karaoke.
05/01/10 — With Helly at Zodo’s! {related post}
080. Go ice skating.
081. Finish a 1,000-piece (or more) jigsaw puzzle.
1/30/11 — Started (and made considerable progress) on a puzzle!
2/5/11 — Finished! {related post}
082. Color every page in a coloring book.
083. Ride in a hot air balloon.
084. Go to “Color Me Mine” and make something neat.
085. Go to the Dickens Christmas Fair in full Victorian costume.
02/08/10 — Got my corset!
086. Sing backup vocals with a band/artist for a real performance (can be low-key, local, etc.).
GIVING TO OTHERS
087. Send someone a care package.
088. Give a gift “just because.”
089. Volunteer for an event or organization.
04/20/10 — Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic Record-a-Thon {related post}
090. Donate blood four times. (1/4)
07/21/10 — First time donating under my married name!
091. Write a sympathy card to someone on the church prayer list.
12/04/09 — To RL in Arcadia {related post}
092. Bake a cake from scratch for a friend’s (non-relative’s) birthday.
093. Tip 100% to an exceptional server at a restaurant.
08/21/10 — At Domingo’s Cafe in Goleta, CA {related post}
094. Send flowers to someone anonymously, just because.
WRITING & BLOGGING
095. Document every goal completed. (29/101)
{Link to all posts documenting completed goals}
096. Blog every day in November each year (NaBloPoMo). (3/3)
11/30/09 – {Link to all NaBlo posts}
11/30/10 – {Link to all NaBlo posts}
11/30/11 – {Link to all NaBlo posts}
097. Comment on at least five blog posts (by different people) per week for a month (four weeks). (0/4)
098. Attend two blogger meet-ups. (2/2)
08/22/10 — VEDA Southern California Meetup!
07/28/11 — Met up in LA with a bunch of VidConners!
099. Write one post which receives comments from 50 different people.
100. Post ten video blogs. (10/10)
01/21/10 – {Awkward Vlog Day!}
02/04/10 – {Blogoversary Winners!}
05/17/10 – {Q&A Vlog – Parts 1 and 2} (2 vlogs)
05/18/10 – {Q&A Vlog – Parts 3 and 4} (2 vlogs)
05/20/10 – {Q&A Vlog – Part 5}
05/21/10 – {Q&A Vlog – Part 6}
08/23/10 – {VEDA Meetup!}
09/02/10 – {Colorado Recap}
101. Write a final recap post about the 101 in 1001 experience (whether I succeeded or not).
LOVE the list.
I will join you in the get down to 145 pounds and stay there task as that is my very best goal weight. 150 is ideal, 145 is super goal. We can do it, I know we can =)
I’m a huge fan of you visiting me at some point too.
Great list; can’t wait to see the progress!
To tag onto that note, 145 is my goal weight too! I’m almost there, and I say that not to brag but to tell you what’s working for me. I started the Couch to 5K program (which takes you slow from walking to running 3 miles). I’ve never been able to dip below 150, and when I started the program it worked. So it will help you with #43, #49 and #50. Just an idea.
#2 hint: One easy way to tell if you’ve worn your clothes, is to start with all of the hangers turned the wrong direction. When it’s time to clean out your closet, you can easily tell which ones should go (although sometimes there are exceptions because there are things you’ll want to keep even though you haven’t worn them in that amount of time). Then, of course, you have to turn them all back around to start over again. Hope that makes sense.
#7 is not measurable, is it? Or will that be a whole separate list that will be measurable?
I love #10…write AND SEND…That’s great!
I love #35, too!
Great beginning on your list. Are you going to add anything adventurous/dangerous like skydiving? It’ll be fun to watch your progress.
#7′s measurable…get rid of 20 books… the rest is just description of the books
Oh cool! I think one of those was a suggestion I made.
Good Luck with it. I’ll keep watching how you are doing.
Yay Tabs!! Hey you can send me a care package
its always nice to get one while in college ha ha.
this is cool, and props to your dedication!
I especially like 36 and 41! You have lots of great ideas.
Won’t you only have one Thanksgiving to accomplish 26? You won’t be cooking the turkey this year, will you? Maybe you should make it just a turkey. Or…I guess you could have a Thanksgiving turkey any day, if you make it a day of giving thanks.
Gotta admit that a lot of these were stolen/modified from other people’s 101 lists.
And I’ll have two Thanksgivings to make #26 happen — 2010 and 2011, since the 1,001 days are up in August 2012. But, I figure if I make a Thanksgiving-STYLE turkey, it doesn’t necessarily have to be on Thanksgiving day.
I think you can only donate blood every 90 days, anyway, soo… yeah. Good luck! Very inspiring
At the Community Blood Bank, you can donate red blood every 8 weeks. The requirements are longer for plasma though.
I like your goal about having time away from the computer. I have a similar goal “no computer or internet for 48 hours”… I haven’t done it yet though
But as a self-confessed internet addict, it’s a great idea.
This 101 thing is a great idea, and I’m glad I’ve come across it. Of course, my first item might have to be gettig around to making a list, but worth it.
I also like your list. Lots of really good ideas that I _will_ pinch. I like the little counters at the end of items too.
You’re doing great on paying down your loans. Keep up the great work!
I think we could/should make Christmas Eve a computer free day. Do you think the men in the family would cooperate?
041. Write a letter to myself, to be opened on my 30th birthday.
check out futureme.com
Good luck!!
Looks like you’re making some good progress on your list. We haven’t talked in ages…you could wipe out #30 with a call to your Mom.
Miss you. Love you!
I love your list – it’s really organised. Dickens Christmas Fair sounds fun!
Regarding #32- We have 2 annual theme parties a year. The first is in the early fall. We have a hoedown. The rules are you have to come dressed as something “country” (ie-hillbilly, cowboy, redneck…) and the second rule is that we will provide a keg of beer for all those that bring canned goods to donate to our local food bank.
Our 2nd annual party is a “Tacky Christmas Sweater Party” – prizes for the best sweaters in 2 catagories. Tackiest MADE sweater and tackiet BOUGHT sweater.
This is an absolutely brilliant idea! Much better than New Year’s resolutions.