The Much Anticipated (well to me) New Year's Post

Welcome, 2010! I hope you are as good to me as 2009 was. With the coming of the New Year, its only appropriate to make resolutions to make this year even better. However, like most people, I always find myself making lofty promises to myself, usually involving losing X amount of pounds this year or reducing spending habits, etc. Very vague resolutions that are usually broken within a few weeks or months. Then, at the end of said year, I have really accomplished none of the goals I put forth for myself. This is because its fun to say and think what you will accomplish but its completely different to actually do the work needed to reach those goals. Its easier to find excuses as to why you could not keep those resolutions. So, instead of citing a list of resolutions, I have decided to take on a much larger, but more manageable, project I stumbled across while reading The Knot community boards a few months ago while still wedding planning. A young lady on one of the boards listed her blog and a new project she was trying out. I read through her plan and researched the original idea and really liked what I saw. So, here is my plan in its entirety.

I'm beginning a journey to becoming a better person. I've got from now until September 28, 2012 to achieve the 101 things on my To-Do List. I plan to document my attempts to complete this list.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic. I adapted my list to follow the example I found on this site 101in1001.blogspot.com and used categories to organize the tasks.

Why 1001 Days? Rather than give myself ambiguity with my resolutions that would allow me to possibly break those resolutions, I have compiled this list with a realistic deadline. Yes, it is a LONG time from now, but by breaking down my tasks into small steps, I can hopefully complete this list and reach the end of my journey as a more thoughtful, well rounded person. In short, I am trying to make myself a better person.

Tasks to be completed.
Italics = Tasks that are in the process of being completed.
Bold = Tasks that are finished!! :)


Family
1. Visit my grandmother at least once every three months. (0/7)
2. Make a family recipe book
3. Send mom flowers for no special reason. (0/1)
4. Send Kara flowers for no special reason. (0/1)
5. Give Dad a very special gift. (0/1)
6. Send birthday cards to everyone in my immediate family.
7. Take my mom on a mother/daughter trip.

Friends
8. Make a point to meet friends out for dinner at least twenty-four times. (0/24)
9. Send Christmas cards to friends every holiday season. (0/2)
10. Send a birthday or anniversary card to one friend each month (0/33).
11. Make at least one new friend in 2010 in Lubbock.
12. Plan a girls trip once a year. (0/3)
13. Have girls night once every month until I leave for Lubbock. (0/6)
14. Call or email a friend once a week. (0/144)
15. Make a new "couples" friend.

Relationship
16. Watch a sports game with Colton at least twice a month. (0/66)
17. Go to a play or musical with Colton.
18. Create a bucket list with Colton of things we want to do or places we want to go in our life together.
19. Get a "family" portrait taken.
20. Have a real date night with Colton once a month. Not just dinner. (0/33)
21. Take a picture of us every month and place in an album. (0/33)
22. Spend one day and one night in a fancy hotel. (0/1)

Spiritual
23. Volunteer at church events at least twice a year. (0/6)
24. Read the Bible from cover to cover.
25. Set aside 10 minutes a day for quiet time, and reflection.
26. Attend church at least twice a month. (0/60)
27. Join a Sunday school class or group at church.

Career
28. Find a job in Lubbock as a geography teacher.
29. Develop curriculum on Holocaust studies for use in high school classrooms.

Education
30. Complete a masters degree program in history or interdisciplinary studies at TTU.
31. Attend one workshop per year for professional development.

Personal Goals
32. Go a whole day only saying positive things. (0/1)
33. Update my blog at least once a week. (0/140)
34. Write a list of 50 things that I like about myself. Save it.
35. Draft, notarize and finalize a living will.
36. Get a dog.
37. Practice decorating cakes twice a month. (0/60)
38. Learn how to quilt, evidenced by making a quilt all by myself. (0/1)
39. Complete a draft for a novel idea.

Health & Fitness
40. Eat queso only once every other week. (I have to be realistic J)
41. Lose 1 lb per week until I reach my goal weight.
42. Be able to run two miles without stopping.
43. Be able to run three miles without stopping.
44. Be able to run four miles without stopping.
45. Run a 10K.
46. Run a half marathon.

Finances
47. Put away 10% of my income per month into my personal saving account.
48. Put away 10% of our income per month into our joint savings account.
49. Pay off all credit card purchases each month.

Home
50. Clean the house once a week. (0/144)
51. Keep a “home fund” for buying new house items when needed.
52. Collect 2 new items each year for decorating for the holidays. (0/6)
53. Purchase a home.
54. Document all my possessions for insurance purposes.

Food
55. Make Christmas cookies each year. (0/3)
56. Try five new restaurants each year (0/15).
57. Find and try twelve new recipes per year. (0/33)

Travel
58. Go to Banff, Canada with Colton.
59. Go snow skiing.
60. Go on a beach vacation.
61. Visit Shelley and Adam in Japan.
62. Visit three new states (0/3).

Books/Movies
63. Pick up and read a book I would not normally read.
64. Read ten of the New York Best Sellers in the year 2010.
65. Read ten books of my own choosing (0/10).
66. Watch ten movies I’ve never seen before (0/10).
67. Read one memoir/biography each year. (0/3)
68. Watch one documentary each year. (0/3)

Fun Activities
69. Go to the river.
70. Go to the lake.
71. Take dancing lessons with Colton.
72. Go to Canton for First Monday.
73. Go to Highland Park, ride in a carriage, and look at Christmas lights.
74. Go to a professional sporting event.
75. Go to a concert.
76. Organize/attend a girl’s day or night with the women of my family once per year. (0/3)
77. Go on a trip with my sister.

Random Acts of Kindness
78. Donate money to a charity.
79. Volunteer somewhere 5 times (0/5).
80. Send a positive note home with a different student each month. (0/18)
81. Donate clothes/shoes I don’t need or wear.
82. Send 6 random "thinking of you" cards to unsuspecting friends. (0/6)
83. Bake an unexpected treat for someone once per month. (0/33)
84. Write three letters praising good service (0/3).
85. Cook Colton a candlelight meal once per month. (0/33)

Expand my Knowledge/Culture
86. Read a book or take a course on Islamic studies for understanding.
87. Read a book or take a course on Jewish studies for understanding.
88. Learn another language.
89. Purchase and read an educational magazine, like the Economist, once per month. (0/33)

Purchases
90. Purchase a new washer/dryer.
91. Purchase a new bedroom suite.
92. Purchase something Colton has been wanting and surprise him with it.

Miscellaneous
93. Host a recipe exchange party.
94. Host a holiday party
95. Host a tailgate party twice per football season at our house.
96. Complete the photo365 project in 2010.
97. Compile and complete a wedding scrapbook in 2010.
98. Compile and complete a honeymoon scrapbook in 2010.
99. Host a New Year’s Eve Party.
100. Create a new 101 things to do in 1001 days list.
101. Celebrate finishing the list on the 1001st day!

For more information on the original website where I got this idea, please visit dayzeroproject.com. Happy New Year!