Meg's 101 in 1001

What can I say? Karen inspires me...

Start Day: 10 March 2011
End Day: 5 December 2013

1. Go to a drag show
2. Visit 12 museums (0/12)
3. Write a poem once a week (0/143)
4. Go on a volunteer vacation
5. Exercise an average of 3 times per week (0/429)
6. Run a half-marathon
7. Apply for the NYCTF Teaching Award
8. Get another teaching certification (special ed HS, math, english)
9. Hang out with a friend once a week (0/143)
10. Finish the entire Rosetta Stone program for Portuguese
11. Take a Portuguese class (at least 6 weeks)
12. Go to a dance class once a month (0/33)
13. Try a black diamond ski slope
14. Attend/host a game night once a month (0/33)
15. Make 1 positive phone call to a student's home each week (0/143)
16. Figure out my Roth IRA investment plan
17. Put 10% of each paycheck into savings (0/66)
18. Try 3 new sports (i.e. snowboarding)
19. Brush my teeth 3 times a day for a month (0/30)
20. Have a Portuguese-only hour at least once a week (0/143)
21. Travel to at least 4 new countries (0/4)
22. Print pictures for picture frames
23. Hang art and other wall hangings
24. Attend at least 3 Mensa events (0/3)
25. See a movie in a movie theater once a month (0/33)
26. Watch 2 Netflix DVDs a month (0/66)
27. Post a Go Make That Face! picture once a week (0/143)
28. Attend 6 different (professional) sports games (0/6)
29. Go to 12 plays/shows/musicals (0/12)
30. Call on people's birthdays (0/50)
31. Write and send a handwritten letter once a month (0/33)
32. Learn to drive stick shift/manual
33. Go scuba diving
34. Go to Six Flags once a year (0/3)
35. Go on 2 road trips with Rafa (0/2)
36. Donate blood once every 10 weeks (0/14)
37. Donate platelets
38. Build a snowman with someone
39. Take a "virgin" to the Rocky Horror Picture Show
40. Write a book (with Lacey)
41. Write 5 short stories (0/5)
42. Hear live music once a month (0/33)
43. Pay for a stranger's "something" 10 times (0/10)
44. Host 3 couchsurfers (0/3)
45. Couchsurf 3 times (0/3)
46. Spend 20 minutes filing paperwork each week (0/33)
47. Send out my new address
48. Get London pictures developed
49. Visit 3 new Botanical Gardens (0/3)
50. Host/participate in a clothing swap
51. Use trapeze Groupon
52. Try out one new recipe each month (0/33)
53. Back up computer regularly, once every 2 months (0/17)
54. Buy new computer
55. Meditate for 20 minutes once a week (0/143)
56. Get in touch (contact more than 3 times) with 5 old friends (0/5)
57. Get, water, and learn to take care of 4 new plants (0/4)
58. Upload songs to my ipod
59. Listen to NPR once a month (0/33)
60. Go to 10 doctors' appointments (0/3 gynecologist, 0/3 dentist, 0/1 optometrist, 0/3 physician)
61. Get hair cut/trimmed once every 3 months (0/11)
62. Get a pet (dog???)
63. Do something with old computer
64. Use earring making kit
65. Carve 3 pumpkins
66. Host a pumpkin carving party
67. Go to a Farmer's Market 12 times (0/12)
68. Learn to knit more than a scarf
69. Contact a family member (not immediate family) each week (0/143)
70. Find out names of all the doormen
71. Create and fund a Donors Choose project
72. Learn to play a new instrument/practice 20 hours (0/20)
73. Bring Dad to an Our Time Gala
74. Take 20 yoga classes (0/20)
75. Spend a whole day just listening
76. Take photos in a photo booth with someone
77. Have 10 photo adventures (0/10)
78. Read 10 nonfiction books (0/10)
79. Put $10 in a jar every time I complete a goal
80. Buy superglue to fix headphones
81. Invite our time volunteers over
82. Take a bubble bath
83. Ride a motorcycle
84. Donate hair
85. Make another pair of pajama pants
86. Do something romantic once a month (0/33)
87. Find a pair of jeans that fit really well
88. Carry extra food (fruit) with me and give to someone in need (0/10)
89. Get a pedicure each month over the summer (0/7)
90. Go karaoke-ing
91. Plan all lessons for entire week in advance (0/10)
92. Renew driver's license before it expires
93. Go to a midnight movie screening (Harry Potter??)
94. Join the library
95. Give Rafa 1 kiss a hour on average (guess who decided that one :) (0/24,024)
96. Buy a new suit
97. No internet/e-mail for one whole day
98. Watch all 6 Star Wars films
99. Attend a Burning Man event
100. Bring students on a trip 4 times a year (0/10)
101. Schedule celebration of completed list with Karen

More meat than you can shake a stick at!

I never understood that phrase, and in fact, I still don't. You can shake a stick at anything, right?

But if there was one place that prevented stick-shaking, it would be Famous Dave's, a delicious barbecue chain restaurant that I tried for the first time Tuesday the 8th. Fat Tuesday might I add. And I sure ate enough to give it that name.

The waitress came with chips and five different kinds of barbecue sauce ranging from sweet to spicy! SH stayed on her side of the plate, while I dabbled in all five.

This clever and unique art display was hanging on the wall when we walked in. I want one for all the states I've lived in!

The work of the devil?

I've started numbers 6 and 66 on my list. If I believed in signs, I'd be mildly concerned. Lucky for me, I don't!

6. Watch an average of one movie a month at the theater. (1/33)

1. 127 Hours - 3/4/11

I saw 127 Hours at the $2 theater on Friday. One word to describe it - awesome. Not in the "Dude, that's awesome" sense, but in the can't-catch-your-breath, beautiful landscapes, amazing cinematography awesome. James Franco did a fantastic job, and although I have some minor complaints, overall, I was very pleased.

66. Try a new restaurant an average of once a month. (1/33)

1. Tribes; Mokena, IL - 3/5/11

Edit to add:

Actually, the numbers are 7 and 67. The list on the right hand side has two number 1s. Phew, now I can sleep at night. (Except I'll be awake trying to figure out how to get rid of that other number 1...)

101 in 1001

It's day two of my 1,001 days - a life goal project I first read about at Day Zero Project. I'm very excited. I came up with 101 things I want to complete in the next 1,001 days. The list is varied, disorganized, and so long. But it's definitely something I want to tackle. So now I'll post photos, completed list items, recipes, movies I saw, trips I went on, etc. Basically, I want to document these 1,001 days on top of completing all my 101 goals!

Coming up with 101 things to do should have been the first thing on the list. It was so difficult to get past 55. I know there are a lot of things I want to do, but putting 30 travel items in 1,001 days isn't very plausible. I'm trying to do things I can actually complete in the allotted time. And a lot of things are based on averages. Saying I'll post three photos a week is all well and good, but maybe I'll have camera issues and be short; maybe I'll go on a trip and have a ton of photos. Either way, the average covers all my basis.

Without further ado... my list.

First day: 3/4/2011.

Last day: 11/29/2013.

1. Hang doors in my bedroom.
2. Hang art work in my bedroom.
3. Clean up garage to park my car inside.
4. Read an average of a book a month. (0/33)
5. Finish reading/writing about Radical Acceptance.
6. Finish watching IMDB Top 250 list. (0/146)
7. Watch an average of one movie a month at the theater. (0/33)
8. Watch two Netflix films a month. (0/66)
9. Finish watching Star Wars film series (cheers from the crowd).
10. Finish watching Twilight films series (groans from the crowd).
11. Go to 12 museums. (0/12)
12. Attend both a Cubs and White Sox game (at each stadium).
13. Go to top of Willis Tower/Sears Tower.
14. Weight 150 lbs again.
15. Spend a weekend on Mackinac Island.
16. Go abroad twice.
17. Go skiing again.
18. Go horseback riding not on a trail again.
19. Complete P90X.
20. Go see 10 plays/musicals. (0/10)
21. Have high tea in Chicago.
22. Read a book in one day.
23. Write friend appreciation letters.
24. Ride in a convertible again.
25. Ride a motorcycle.
26. Make an average of one meal a week. (0/143)
27. Start an address book.
28. Send out Christmas cards.
29. Have a Spa Day.
30. Visit 5 national parks. (0/5)
31. Go camping 5 times. (0/5)
32. Kayak/Canoe 10 miles. (0/10)
33. Go caving.
34. Climb a rock wall.
35. Run a half marathon.
36. Run a marathon.
37. Visit a state I've never been to, discounting Drum Corps states.
38. Post an average of two photos a week.
39. Upload all my music to iTunes.
40. No television for an entire day an average of one day a month. (0/33)
41. Host a holiday party.
42. Finish photo cubes.
43. Swing dancing 10 times at Estebans. (0/10)
44. Watch all the Oscar films for the Oscars before the Oscars.
45. Bake bread.
46. Have a picnic with all homemade food.
47. Become bartending certified.
48. See the Northern Lights.
49. Eat vegetarian for one week.
50. Watch 10 foreign films. (0/10)
51. Learn 5 new boardgames. (0/5)
52. Find a place to consistently volunteer.
53. The ubiquitous skinny dip.
54. Attend a film festival.
55. Skydive again.
56. Do an average of 1 craft a month. (0/33)
57. Have a foreign pen pal (of the French speaking persuasion).
58. Begin meditating.
59. Get a fortune telling/palm reading.
60. Put $10 in a jar every time I finish a task.
61. Go a week with only email.
62. Use photography groupon.
63. Knit/crochet a blanket.
64. Do a charity walk.
65. Send a postcard from every destination I visit.
66. Whiten my teeth using whole whitening pack.
67. Try a new restaurant an average of once a month. (0/33)
68. Build a giant sandcastle.
69. Take a belly dancing class.
70. Take a cake decorating class.
71. Send 5 books to friends after I finish reading them. (0/5)
72. Donate blood every 10ish weeks. (0/14)
73. Write thank you notes for every gift I receive.
74. Take the Mensa test.
75. Grill entire dinner.
76. Get my furniture from apartment in NYC.
77. Do a Critical Mass bike ride.
78. No soda for a month. (0/31)
79. Send a care package to a soldier.
80. Buy a bra/underwear lingerie set just because.
81. Visit all my family members.
82. Go to the beach in winter.
83. Do a polar bear swim.
84. Pick apples and bake a pie with them.
85. Learn to drive stick shift.
86. Complete a Flickr photo project.
87. Host a self-written/planned Murder Mystery dinner.
88. Buy 2 new charms for bracelet.
89. Wake up at the first alarm, i.e. no snooze, for 28 days. (0/28)
90. Take a 4 week (or so) dance class.
91. Sell my car.
92. Sell the chair in the garage.
93. Make sushi at home.
94. Take a multivitamin everyday for a month. (0/31)
95. Buy a Flip camera.
96. Buy and do a "Wreck This" journal.
97. Get one paid party planning gig.
98. Visit my nephews (non-holiday) an average of once a month. (0/33)
99. Use kayak Groupon.
100. Be alone for 48 hours.
101. Celebrate finishing this list with a trip or party.

11.28.2010

As Piglet would say, "Oh, d-de-de-dear!!

11.27.2010

The Hole-in-the-Wall Gang

Mug Shots

11.26.2010

The CD Cover and inside photos