The Eat.Live.Blog 101 in 1001 List

The great Jimmy Buffett. Some like him, some don’t, but I was raised in Florida and the Buffett classics hold a very close place to my heart, and possibly run through my blood. Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes is one of those classics that brings new meaning every time I listen.

Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude by Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy says it best that “there’s just too much to see, waiting in front of me, and I know that I just can’t go wrong.”

I am in my prime, so they say. These are the years when a person can choose to be content with everything they have, and coast through their remaining years, not worrying about enhancing their mind, or experiencing anything new. I have a beautiful home, the best boyfriend I could have dreamed of, and a dog I would give my leg to if she needed it. But with those things at my side, I have so much more to do and to see and to be!

When you are happy in your life, it is easy to not push yourself. Enter the 101 in 1001 (www.dayzeroproject.com). In April 2010, a friend sent me her blog about her adventure with the 101. I was instantly inspired! The premise is that you make a list of 101 things you would like to accomplish in 1001 days. I looked at many other people’s lists. Some had things that were unrealistic to accomplish in 1001 days (ie: get married. Come on now! If you are going to make that happen in 1001 days, I am guessing your marriage won’t last another 1001!) or things that were completely out of budget (ie: Visit every continent. Now that would be nice but…). There were also tasks that were just ridiculous (ie: kiss in the rain). I decided I would take a much more logical approach to my list. I wanted only items that actually could be accomplished with a little dedication, and mean something to me once they are completed. I did not want a task that an outside force (money, time, other people) would hold me back from accomplishing.

So here it is, my 101! May 16, 2010 is my start day. 1001 days from now, February 11, 2013, is my end date. It is going to take a lot of dedication from me, and the BF, to get this accomplished. Thank you for joining me on this journey. I welcome your comments, and any help you may be able to give me along the way!

“Let the winds of change blow over my head
I’d rather die while I’m living then live while I’m dead” -Jimmy Buffett

Below is my complete 101 in 1001 list! To be completed after 1001 days (aka 2/11/2013).  Click on each completed item to read how I did.

Fun 

1. Attend trivia night at a bar/ restaurant
2. Go camping
3. Go sledding
4. Go cross country skiing
5. Go to a Celtics game
6. Go to a Bruins game
7. Go to a NE Revolutions game
8. Snowboard down a blue trail
9. Kayak or canoe the Charles River – Did this 8/13/11 (Need to blog)
10. Bowl over a 220 on Wii Bowling
11. Go to the Big E
12. Visit at least 2 haunted houses each Halloween
13. Ice skate on a natural pond/lake
14. Attend a multi-day music festival for multiple days
15. See James Taylor in concert
16. Snowboard/ski on 3 mountains I have never been to
17. Picnic in the Boston Common
18. Organize a kickball or wiffle ball game
19. Organize a pet first aid class
20. Create a dance routine with the BF for our first dance when we get married
21. Write a letter to the BF and myself to open in 2020
22. Take the bf on a weekend somewhere he has never been.

Food

23. Produce a custom recipe book
24. Host a tea party
25. Enter my chili in a contest
26. Yelp about a local restaurant an average of once per month (33 reviews)
    • I have been blogging instead of Yelping, that counts!
27. Cook with 7 vegetables I have never used before
28. Eat with only chopsticks for one week
29. Grow a vegetable and eat it

Health

30. Find out my blood type
31. Donate blood
32. Become certified in first aid
33. Become certified in CPR
34. Take vitamins for one month straight
35. Have my teeth cleaned – Done! Not really blog-worthy!
36. Drink only water for one month
37. Reach and maintain my goal weight
38. Complete a spinning class
39. Run 10 miles in one session
    • Update 5/17/10
    • Update: I completed the 5 mile “Run to Remember” in May 2010
    • Update: I completed the “Tufts Health Care 10k for Women” in October 2010
40. Be able to complete 30 push-ups in a row
41. Use only stairs, no elevator or escalator, for one week

Culture

42. See 10 classic movies I have never seen
43. Renew my passport
44. Learn about food & wine pairings
45. Become familiar with all politicians running in major elections
46. Volunteer in the town I live in
47. Attend a Unitarian ceremony
48. Attend Sabbath service at 3 different synagogues

Education / Career

49. Learn how to change the oil in my car
50. Learn how to change a car tire
51. Complete the GRE
52. Join a professional organization
53. Submit something to be published
54. Write an average of one blog per week (143 blog entrees)
    • I am well on my way, and if you are reading this you probably are aware of that!
55. Volunteer once per month (33 times)
56. Learn 10 phrases in German
57. Subscribe to 2 professional journals and read them
58. Find a mentor within my Masters program
59. Write a business plan for a tea house and show it to some one for advice

Mental

60. Spend a day in silence
61. Read a book by some one I disagree with
62. Don’t gossip for one full week
63. Apply to Mensa
64. Read 3 non-fiction history books
65. Pick up one piece of litter per day
66. Get pictures for my office and hang them

Financial

67. Open a savings account
68. Talk to a financial planner
69. Start an account with a consignment store
70. Do not spend any money, outside of bills, for one week
71. Put $10 per completed task into my savings account
72. Start a retirement account
    • Done! I started my 401k at work back in October 2010. Also not blog-worthy!
73. Create a budget and stick to it
    • Update August 2011: I have been doing this for over a year now, and it has been a life saver! I will blog about it soon!
74. Buy at least one stock
75. Transfer my old 401k
    • Update August 2011: I have started the wheels rolling on this. I got through some red tape, and just need to finish the process.
76. Work on getting all the negatives off of my credit report
    • The budget has helped with this tremendously! We were even able to buy a car with a fabulous interest rate!

Purchase

77. Replace my broken digital camera
    • Done! I bought a Sony Steady Shot (point & shoot) and cannot be happier with it. I am not, however, happy with the fact that I did not document my new camera purchase ANYwhere on this blog! I don’t even remember when I bought it!
78. Buy a complete outfit from a thrift store
    • My sister was here in August 2011 and we hit every Second Time Around store in Boston! I scored some VERY cute dresses, but no complete outfit yet!
79. Buy a pair of jeans I fall in love with
80. Buy a new set of pots and pans
81. Buy new running shoes
    • I bought a couple new pairs that just haven’t worked out. I think I need  to have my gait evaluated.

Home

82. Make a blanket
83. Learn to hem my own pants
84. Throw a themed dinner party
85. Throw away all socks that don’t have a match
    • Done once in 2010, TOTALLY un-blogworthy!
    • Update August 2011: Apparently this one needs to be done every 6 months. Where are all these socks coming from?!
86. Clean out our “Monica Closet”. (See “Friends” season 8 episode 14 if you have no idea what I am talking about)
87. Scrub my bathroom every weekend, unless on vacation
88. Get my Bachelor’s Degree framed
    • I have put in a request to get this for my EdM graduation. I have also, pre-emptively, put in a request to have my EdM framed as a graduation gift as well.
89. Have Sunday dinner, at the table, with candles, at least once per month
90. Paint a picture for the house and hang it
91. Take a photograph, blow it up and hang it in the house

Family

92. Research and draw my family tree
    • I started working on this and it will take WAY longer than expected
93. Research and draw the bf’s family tree
94. Write a letter to my mom about how much I enjoyed my childhood
    • I completed this for my mom’s 60th birthday in August 2010
95. Write a letter to my dad about how much I enjoyed my childhood
96. Write a short story about my family childhood road trips and submit it to be published
97. Get all the writings of my Oma and Opa
98. Type up all of Oma and Opa’s writings and send copies to the family
99. Get my dad to come visit me again
100. Take Chad to a concert or sporting event
101. Take Emily to a live show