101 in 1001

On Tuesday August 14, I started what many know as 101 in 1001. Please click the link if you want to start your own list, or if you just want to find out more.

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The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. 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 organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Start: Tuesday August 14, 2007
Finish: Tuesday May 11, 2010

Strikethrough = Finished
Italics = in progress
Bold = Comments

1. Read A Clockwork Orange.
2. Buy a nice camera of my own, with my own money.
3. Move to Marquette.
4. Get a job.
5. Watch and buy every season of Doctor Who.
6. Eat, or at least try, real lobster.
7. Get a vampire-bite tattoo.
8. Buy all of Eddie Izzard’s stand up specials.
9. Learn to play piano/keyboard.
10. Get a labret.
11. Visit an art museum.
12. Buy an item of clothing from a vintage clothing store or thrift shop.
13. Lose 75 lbs.
14. Do some sort of exercise every day.
15. Eat less carbs; one slice of bread a day and that’s it.
16. Eat at least three different fruits a day.
17. Send a secret to PostSecret.
18. Sell/give away any clothes and shoes not worn in the past year.
19. Have a professional bra-fitting.
20. Dress as Alex DeLarge for Halloween.
21. Wear less makeup.
22. And be comfortable about it.
23. Get a very short hair cut.
24. Buy a pair of square-rimmed glasses.
25. Drink more water (at least three full glasses a day).
26. Give someone I don’t know/wouldn’t normally talk to a compliment.
27. Buy or receive a cell phone.
28. Wear something other than band tees and jeans on a daily basis.
29. Get an internship at a local hospital.
30. Overcome my fear of talking on the phone.
31. Watch the news at least three times a week.
32. Make finishing my assignments my first priority.
33. Run a mile without stopping.
34. Floss every day.
35. Brush my teeth twice a day, every day.
36. Participate in NaNoWriMo.
37. Go on a hike.
38. Participate in a run/walk for charity.
39. Make my bed every morning for — ever.
40. Do not be afraid to do anything on this list.
41. Procrastinate less.
42. Don’t watch TV instead of doing chores/homework.
43. Read Slaughter House V.
44. Buy a manga book and read it cover-to-cover.
45. Take a yoga class.
46. Stop biting my lips.
47. Go to a real play.
48. Frame my painting.
49. Frame the Art Club group photo in Times Square.
50. Buy appliances and supplies for my dorm.
51. Give blood as often as I can.
52. Get a matching tattoo with someone close to me.
53. Read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
54. Have mom teach me how to crochet.
55. Crochet myself a scarf and matching hat.
56. Write down one meaningful thought a day for three months.
57. Watch all of James Stewart’s films.
58. Buy a Tool poster.
59. Get a boyfriend.
60. Have my first kiss.
61. Write everyone important in my life a letter.
62. Give them the letters for Christmas.
63. Learn Italian.
64. Go to the Cinema more than once a year.
65. Walk or bike to class when the weather permits.
66. For every one task I complete on this list, I will think of something to take its place.
67. Make another 101 list after I finish this one.
68. Gain the Superior Edge:
69. Citizenship,
70. Diversity,
71. Leadership, and
72. Real World
73. Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine.
74. Buy a pair of high heels.
75. Vote for President.
76. Spend less time on the computer.
77. And more time outside.
78. Buy a shirt from dirtymicrobe.com.
79. Do the crossword in ink.
80. Shave my legs every other day for a month.
81. Drive somewhere alone. Completed: 8/16/07 (to the library)
82. Buy a random book I’ve never heard of, and would never read, and read it.
83. Wake up early enough to watch the sun rise.
84. Read 52 books in 52 weeks. (37/52 read)
85. Recycle.
86. Create a scrapbook to remember the 2006 NYC trip.
87. Read Wicked.
88. Put all my music on my laptop (in iTunes).
89. Listen to all my mixed-song CDs and list each song on each CD, so I remember.
90. Get eight hours of sleep a night for a whole month.
91. Not be afraid to talk to someone.
92. Swim in Lake Superior.
93. Join at least three clubs at NMU.
94. Talk to my future roommate. Completed: 8/16/07
95. Read something by Neil Gaiman. Completed: 8/16/07 -Endless Nights Special
96. Make a chart of my class schedules for every week.
97. Not be so judgmental of others.
98. Even if they like different music and books than I do.
99. Apply for as many scholarships and grants as I can.
100. No matter what happens, enjoy this new chapter of my life.
101. Finish every last task on this list by Tuesday May 11, 2010.

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I will not update this list here on OD. Instead, I have posted this list, and all updates, here. Whenever I finish a task, I will update there, so please, check it out about once a week. This is very important to me, and I hope anyone who reads this can understand that, and will support me throughout this new chapter of my life.The reason I chose a different blog than OD to host my list was this: I plan on having only one entry on my 101 blog, therefore it will be easier to find, update, and keep track of my progress.

Well, that’s all I have to say for today! I hope everyone that is capable of doing this does just that. Make the goals attainable, yet difficult. It is better to struggle to obtain your goals that to just pass through them. Like the introduction said, “Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.”

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Now, I am off to eat my birthday dinner — shrimp! I know my birthday isn’t until next Saturday (one week!), but my parents wanted to give me a more intimate birthday dinner. Dad’s boiling the shrimp as I speak write. Tomorrow we are having my family over to celebrate my niece (Katie)’s 12th birthday and mine in one day. The plan is to have a pizza party, and even try to cook some pizzas on the grill. Yumm! My cake and my niece’s won’t actually be cakes. They will be more of like… brownies.About five years ago my mom told me about blonde brownies, or white chocolate brownies. The recipe in the link is a bit different that the one my mom has, instead of chocolate chips, she is using white chocolate chips. I hope the “cake” turns out good!

Well, I’m going to go eat some shrimp now!

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