101 Things in 1001 Days

101 Things in 1001 Days is the brainchild of Michael Green, a blogger and developer from NZ. He created a list of tasks to achieve within a defined period, and the idea quickly spread around the web as a tool for helping people accomplish their goals.

This is the third time that I have begun the project, although I have never seen it through to completion. I found that without a clear idea of my medium-term plans it was difficult to stick with a list that no longer suited my vision. With that in mind I have modified the “rules” a little to help me see this through, and will replace any task that no longer interests me with something more relevant.

Although I have never completed the full 1001 day project, participating even halfway through has been thoroughly beneficial. It has encouraged me to see and do things that I would have otherwise put off until “one day”, and many of the items on my lists would still be untackled without it.

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

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 and stretching (ie. 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 organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

I began this challenge on January 1st 2008. This means that my finishing date will be Tuesday, September 28, 2010.

19 Not yet started
22 In progress
60 Completed

60/ 101 complete.

SELF IMPROVEMENT
001
Weight loss goal #1 (50%)
In Progress: since September 2009
This task will be complete when I am halfway towards my goal weight.
002
Weight loss goal #2 (75%)
This task will be complete when I am 3/4 of the way towards my goal weight.
003
Weight loss goal #3 (100%)
This task will be complete when I reach my goal weight.
004
Complete the Couch to 5k running program (27/27 sessions)
Completed: December 2009
Couch to 5k
is a 9-week program, which promises to have you running 5km without stopping by the end. Easy, right?! I have a nifty iPhone app to help me get through this, plus a running buddy to keep me focused.
005
Learn 15 new vegetarian recipes (12/15)
In Progress: Ratatouille, Mushroom Ragoƻt with Goat Cheese, Mixed leaf salad with mango/lime juice/roasted pine nuts, tofu satay stir-fry, Potato and leek soup, Hummus, Thai pumpkin soup, Spinach fettucini with roasted vegetables, Grilled haloumi salad, Chinese broccoli & almonds with noodles, Miso soup, lentil/coriander/sweet potato burgers
I am aiming to reduce the amount of meat that I consume, and would like to replace a couple of meat meals each week with vegetarian dishes. Sometimes I end up cooking meat just because I can’t think of anything else interesting to make, so I need to expand my repertoire.
006
No red meat or poultry for 14 days
Completed: January 2010
I’ll be honest: I’m a carnivore. I love meat in all its forms and would be a miserable vegetarian. On the other hand, sometimes I just eat meat because it’s habit. I’m challenging myself to a fortnight without it.
007
No chocolate for a month
Completed: February 2008
If you thought #006 was going to be hard… this one may actually kill me.
008
Learn to cook a recipe from 30 different countries (12/30)
I want to include a healthy number of fairly obscure countries too. It’s so easy to find unusual ingredients in Melbourne, so this should be a really inspiring exercise.
009
Learn something about wine
Completed: March 2008 and August 2009
I will consider this task successfully completed when I can walk into a liquor store and choose a few bottles on the basis of something other than who has the prettiest labels.
010
Walk to the city and back 8 times in one month
Completed: February 2008 (100km/62 miles)
This is about a 2 hour round trip, at an easy pace. I am hoping that this inspires me to walk more regularly.
011
Walk my dog 5 days/week for 1 month (0/20)
Harry will think that he has died and gone to doggy heaven.
012
Go for three 2-hour bike rides (2/3)
It’s been forever since my bike has seen the outside of the shed.
013
Renew my first aid certificate
Completed: July 2008Senior First Aid (and renewed my CPR in April 2009)
I volunteered to be a First Aid Officer at my previous workplace, so they sent me off to do the course. And, um… then I quit!
014
Give blood
Completed: September 2008. I have now registered as a regular donor.
015
Find permanent fulltime work
Completed: March 2008
After 5 years of self-employment and temping, it’s time to get a regular salary.
016
Write a budget
Because my track record is abysmal.
017
Set a savings target, meet it, and maintain it for 6 months.
In Progress: January 2010
See #16.
018
Teach myself to use Excel
Completed: February 2008
It’s one of those dumb applications that everybody should know, but I’ve never had reason to learn.
019
Figure out 5 ways to reduce my impact on the environment, and act on them (5/5)
Completed: June 2009
I expect bigger things from my politicians, so it’s time I did my part.

1. Wash my clothes with cold water only
2. Use my KeepCup whenever I buy a coffee
3. Choose products with less packaging
4. Continue to use public transport to get to work, even though driving is faster and cheaper
5. Turn off lights and the TV whenever they’re not in use

020
See 25 movies of Tim’s choosing (18/25)

In Progress: Secretary, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Cloverfield, Batman Begins, The Corpse Bride, Tropic Thunder, Be Kind Rewind, Spiderman, The Thing, The Wrestler, Bottle Rocket, Akira, The Watchmen, Star Trek, Moon, District 9, Up, No Country for Old Men, Shimotsuma Monogatari (Kamikaze Girls)

Getting pretty tired of hearing “No way! What do you mean you haven’t seen that movie!”. I am ignorant and uncultured and Tim is apparently the only person who can rehabilitate me and turn me into a functioning member of society.

021
Keep a movie/dvd list throughout 2008
Completed: I listed every movie I watched in 2008 over here. Unfortunately, it’s a sad-looking little list – I guess 2008 wasn’t much of a movie-watching year.
022
List 101 things that make me happy (101/101)
Completed: April 2009
A list to refer to when I’m feeling blah.
023
Build a time capsule
This is something that I have already started, but didn’t quite get around to sealing up. I’d like to get a few more letters from people before doing so, and then I’ll lock it away for 10 years. Or 5. I’m not sure yet.
024
Read the dictionary from beginning to end (Now Reading: “M”)
In Progress: February 2009 – I have bought a new little dictionary to work from, and this – a book about a guy who read the entire Oxford English Dictionary in a year! Very inspiring, and very appropriate.
For two reasons: a) to increase my vocabulary; and b) so I can say I did.
025
Keep a swear jar for two weeks
Completed: April 2009
I don’t really hate the fact that I swear, but I do care that I sometimes do it without thinking or without realising. So for two weeks I will keep a swear jar, and donate the money that it collects. Sweet mother of crap that’s gonna be hard!
026
Learn the US state capitals
Completed: April 2009.
027
Learn the names of every country, and identify them on a map
In Progress: This task used to be “Learn all the world capitals”, but it proved to be a bit too ambitious. I’m more of a visual person anyway!
028
Learn to sign the alphabet

Completed: December 2009
I know absolutely no sign language, and that’s bad. I’ll start by learning the alphabet, and some common words.

029
Sponsor a child, or volunteer.
Completed: Tim and I have sponsored a 5yo girl from Ecuador, named Domenica.
030
Learn to identify 5 constellations (3/5)
In Progress: Crux, Orion, Canis Major
Because they’re pretty, and in case I am ever lost at sea. What? It could happen…
EXPERIENCES
031
Travel to New England (or at least have the trip planned)
Tim’s family are all in Connecticut and New York, and we plan to be back there in a couple of years. The plan is to see New England in Spring or Summer, see Boston and NYC and visit his family’s places in Maine and Vermont. I’d really like a day or two in San Francisco on the way home, too.
032
Go to Luna Park
Completed: 10th February 2008
Any excuse to be a big kid.
033
Go to Philip Island
Fairy penguins rule.
034
Spend a day or two on the Great Ocean Road
In Progress (update): I’ve been asked to do a bit of work at Apollo Bay, accommodation provided. Excellent!
In Progress:
The accommodation was booked, the car was hired… but I ended up having to miss the trip.
If you’ve never heard of the Great Ocean Road, you’re missing out. I want to see and photograph the Apostles at different times of day, and maybe stay at a B&B somewhere along the road.
035
See the snow
I’ve lived my entire life in a state that never sees snow, and now that I’m in Victoria I want to build a snowman without getting on a plane first! I’d also love to show my dog snow for the first time.
036
Visit 5 different Melbourne markets (5/5)
Completed: November 2008. QV Markets, Richmond Markets, Camberwell Markets, Prahran Markets, St Kilda Markets
Melbourne seems to be full of markets for fresh produce and crafts. I can think of a few that are within a few km’s of my house, and I want to find more!
037
Visit 50 Melbourne Suburbs (50/50)
Completed: January 2009
This is part of an effort to get to know my new city better, and to just explore.
038
Visit 10 local art galleries (4/10)
In Progress: National Gallery of Victoria, Art of Australia, Mia Mia, Queensland Gallery of Modern Art
039
Visit 25 different restaurants/cafes (25/25)
Completed: Shanghai Dumpling House, Flora, Ajisen Ramen, Ocha 2 Go, College Lawn Hotel, Caboose, Seoul House, La Spaghetteria, Cervo, Boheme, Grace, Universita Ristorante, Alpino, Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder, Cafe Vamp, Vietnam Town, Palm Sugar, Cafe Era, Curry Club, Maedaya, Cafe Andiamo, Yellow Bird, Ghurkas, Sweetwater Cafe (Chateau Yering), Old Rangoon
To help me seek out new places, when I might be tempted to stick with what I know.
040
Read 10 novels by Melbourne authors (8/10) Now Reading: “Things We Didn’t See Coming” – Steven Amsterdam

In Progress: The Time We Have Taken – Steven Carroll, Seven Types of Ambiguity – Elliot Perlman, The Boat – Nam Le, Monkey Grip – Helen Garner, The Book of Emmett – Deborah Forster, Romulus My Father – Raimond Gaita, The Slap – Christos Tsiolkas, SOLD – Brendan Gullifer
I think locally-written fiction is a great way to learn about a new place, so I would like some of these books to also be set in Melbourne.

041
Visit Werribee Zoo
Completed: January 2009
I would absolutely love to do their Slumber Safari sleepover, but I’d settle for a day trip.
042
Go on a cruise down the Yarra
Completed: Jan 28th, 2008
The $450 gondola option might be a bit much, I’d just like to see the sights.
043
Go on a ghost tour
If you believe the stories, Melbourne is full of ghosts. I want to research which of the ghost tours is best, and then go and have the crap scared out of me. (Note to self: Bring boyfriend.)
044
Organise with my brother to secretly fly into Brisbane
Completed: August, 2009
… and surprise Mum on her birthday or Christmas.
045
Go to an AFL game
Completed: June 2008
I barely understand AFL, but I do know they wear those little shorts…
046
Eat on the Restaurant Tram
Completed: August 2009
The tram rides around the city for a couple of hours, and has a great menu and full bar. I’m really looking forward to doing this!
047
Go on the Neighbours tour
Don’t judge me, it’s just something I have to do! I will take my little cousin with me, so that I am not that sad and lonely Neighbours fan on the tour bus. Expect photos.
048
Take a flight in a hot air balloon
The expense of doing this is one of the reasons why it’s on my list – otherwise I’d never find the money to do it, and it would end up being put off until I was too old and cranky. I think an hour long flight over the city at dawn is worth a few hundred dollars, so sometime in the next 1001 days I’ll be doing it!
049
See a Gold Class movie
Completed: Feb 6th, 2008
The idea of sharing a cinema with just a handful of people, and watching a great movie from a recliner sounds perfect to me. And if somebody wants to bring me food and wine I will not stand in their way.
050
Go to an outdoor movie
Completed: Feb 14th, 2008 and Feb 14th, 2009
I want to pack a bag with wine and cheese, and see a movie under the stars. There’s apparently a rooftop cinema that’s worth checking out, and another in the Botanic Gardens.
051
Sleep under the stars
Completed: Jan 28th, 2008
I don’t know how or where, but I’d love to do this for a night. Even if it’s in my own backyard.
052
Watch the sun rise from a beach
Completed: December 2009
I don’t think I’ve done this since highschool.
053
Go horseriding
Completed: December 2009
I love horseriding, but only do it every few years. I’d like to find somewhere that does night rides, but I’d settle for a place where they give you the reins and a time limit. Trail horses aren’t so fun.
054
Be part of a live audience for a TV show
Completed: We actually did attend a pilot taping in 2008, but the show never aired. Properly completed in January 2009!
I saw a filming of Rove in 2006, and I liked seeing what happened on the other side of the cameras.
055
Have the pickup in my guitar repaired
Reasons To Not Date Boys #13908: If they don’t break your heart, they’ll break your guitar.
056
Catch up on Lost so that I’m not the last person on Earth to see it (71/71 episodes)

Completed: Jan 12th, 2008
I watched the first episode in late November of 2007. I’ll mark this one complete once I have caught up to the end of Season 3, as Season 4 hasn’t aired yet. Thank God there’s a writer’s strike right now that is preventing them from making any more until I’m done!

057
Which reminds me…
I suppose I should get around to reading that last Harry Potter book too.
058
Do an anonymous favour
I have some ideas in mind for this, but I can’t exactly write them down can I?
059
Execute a premeditated prank

Completed: 2009. It was fun, harmless and totally anonymous.
I give with one hand, and take with the other…

LIFESTYLE
060
Get rid of 101 material items (176/101)
Completed: November 2008. Had a garage sale.
Some of them will be a challenge to say goodbye to, and others are just sitting around collecting dust.
061
Organise my filing cabinet
Completed: July 2008
I tackled this in a fairly large way when I moved to Melbourne, but I still need to set up a new filing system for household-related stuff.
062
Buy a new computer (or upgrade what I’ve got)
Completed: October 2008 – We bought an iMac!!
A Mac is looking more and more likely, considering the stuff I use my machine for. Getting really sick of buggy operating systems and BSOD. I just want something that works, and a beautiful monitor that I can use for working on my photos.
063
Organise my music
Completed: October 2008
I want to have my massive mp3 collection organised completely by album and genre, and I want to delete the huge amount of stuff that I don’t even like anymore. This will be a huge job.
064
Organise my photos, and back them up

In Progress: Backing them up to an external drive, ready to be transferred to (and organised on) the new computer.
I am incredibly stupid for not having backups of most of my photos. Right now there are just way too many to burn to DVD (as a single Nikon RAW file can be 12-15mb), so I need to start by culling. This will be a really big project that will be done over a long period of time, but it will feel great to have it done.

065
Improve my photography workflow
Completed: I am using Lightroom as a library for my photos, and for some basic RAW adjustments. Final editing in Photoshop, with refined keyboard shortcuts and actions.
066
Make a vegetable and herb garden
Completed: March 2008
We’re a bit limited in what we can do, since we’ll have to grow everything in pots, but there’s still plenty of stuff that will grow. In particular I love having fresh herbs on hand when I’m cooking, and food just tastes better when you’ve made it all yourself.
067
Buy a BBQ
Completed: 20th Jan 2008 – with 6 days to spare!
… hopefully in time for Tim’s first Australia Day.
068
Buy a new microwave
Completed: October 2008
I have inherited the world’s smallest, cruddiest microwave ever. I plan to upgrade to something with (gasp!) a digital display!
069
Buy a new set of knives
Completed: Jan 25th, 2008 – with the help of my brother.
We are currently operating with a $4.95 IKEA knife block, which holds 4 serrated knives. If we last another month without accidentally amputating a digit it will be a miracle. This one is a priority.
070
Buy a bed for the spare room
Completed: January 2009
So our friends and family have a place to stay in Melbourne
071
Buy a coffee table
Completed: September 2008
Because my blanket box looks funny in the living room
072
Have my couches dry-cleaned
Completed: September 2009
I have a few watermarks on my couches that make them look crappy, when they’re really not.
073
Have my dog’s teeth cleaned
Completed: March 13th, 2009
My pup needs to have his hips x-rayed in the near future, so his teeth will be cleaned while he’s under anaesthetic. He’ll be coming back with a $700 smile.
074
Revive my online recipe book
scarletwords.com used to have a great recipe section, which fell apart when I had to change blogging platforms. With all my food-related tasks over the next 1001 days, I’d like to have my recipe blog up and running again.
075
Blow a stack of money on a really good hair cut and colour
Completed: August 2008
I’ve been living on a budget for so long that I’ve always skimped on my hair. I dye it with something that comes from a packet at the supermarket, and don’t go anywhere too flash for a cut. Just once, I want to spend whatever it takes to have incredible hair.
076
Rearrange the furniture in my study
Completed: Jan 4th, 2008
Because it looks like I closed my eyes and sort of threw everything in.
077
Make a Will
Just in case.
078
Buy a car
Completed: March 2009(photos)
We’ve been lucky enough to live in an area with great public transport, but it’s time to get a set of wheels and explore what’s beyond the tram tracks. We intend to continue catching public transport to work, but it will be so nice to be able to see new places on weekends (and buy more than 3 bags of groceries in one hit)!
079
Secret Task
It’s a secret.
CREATIVITY
080
Build a photography portfolio at scarletarts.com
Completed: June 2009 – Decided to outsource the design and do it properly.
That site has been ‘under construction’ for so long that it’s not funny – and mostly because I’ve been trying to do something far more complicated than is needed.
081
Sell some photos
In Progress: April 2009 – My website has a built-in cart, but I think it’s a bit too overbearing so I’ve disabled it for now. With my site finally built, I can work towards promoting myself a little more.
My first step is to get my new website built, and then offer some prints for sale. I can also sell some of my work through deviantART and RedBubble, and maybe submit some of my shots to publications and competitions.
082
Blog a photo/day for 1 month (30/30)
Completed: November 2008
An exercise to help bring the camera out more regularly, and to dig through old undiscovered shots.
083
Photograph a day in my life, and blog it
Because I’m sure you want to know what I put on my toast each morning. Sure you do. I’ll also post the results at A Day In My Life.
084
Participate in 100 Snapshots (62/100)
In Progress: See all my photographs here.
In an effort to drag the camera out more regularly. Success is not necessarily completing all 100 themes, however.
085
Buy a new lens
Completed: September 2008 – a beautiful 70-300mm VR f/4.5-5.6, followed by a Lensbaby Composer in April 2009
086
Make some jewellery
Completed: 5 April 2009
I used to do this all the time, but I didn’t bring much equipment with me to Melbourne.
087
Make a photography book
In Progress: Building my online portfolio has made it easier to select shots for print. I’m making my book with Blurb.
There are plenty of websites popping up that offer the software and services to help you design your own book. I’d like to make a book of my photography with Blurb or Lulu, and give a couple of copies to family. It would be very satisfying to hold a bound book containing my own work.
088
Draw every day for one month (31/31)
Completed: May 2009
I really can’t draw. I’ve drawn a few things in the past, but it’s always really really hard work and it doesn’t come naturally to me at all. What I really need to do is draw regularly, instead of trying to tackle one huge project every couple of years.
089
Draw 5 hands (3/5)
In Progress: 2009
Because they’re so expressive, but so hard to get right.
090
Draw 10 people (7/10)
In Progress: 2009
Because I find it intimidating, and usually avoid it.
091
Draw everything I eat for one week (7/7)
Completed: April 2009
Something tells me that this might help to curb snacking, too!
092
Keep a paper journal for a year
In Progress: August 2009
In an effort to curb my perfectionistic tendencies, I am not committing to writing every single day. This is about writing on a regular basis without getting all OCD about it.
093
Buy a new scanner
Completed: October 2009
As mine has apparently not survived the interstate move.
094
Record a song on guitar
Completed: December 2009
My dedication towards learning the guitar has been very haphazard. My goal is to be able to play a song at recording standard, and maybe add vocals and piano.
095
Knit or sew something
Completed: September 2009 I made a sock monkey and a doll.
My original plan was to teach myself to knit something new, but I admit that my interest in knitting has worn off for now. Instead, I’ll find a project that I’m more excited about.
096
Release 20 books via BookCrossing (0/20)
BookCrossing is a community of people who send their pre-loved or unwanted books out into the world, for others to find. You can track the book’s progress on the website and watch as it works its way around the world.
097
Buy or make a flower press
Completed: September 2008
I used to have a little one, but some of the pieces went missing and I started using paper towelling and heavy books. I’d like to have a proper flower press again, perhaps one of the microwaveable types.
098
Mail a secret to PostSecret
I put this under “Art / Craft” because it’s a creative project, as much as a confession
099
Participate in mailart.org
Looks like lots of fun, and people of all ability levels seem to join in.
100
Carve a pumpkin for Halloween
Completed: October 2008
Because I’ve never done it, and I live with an American boy who will start to miss this holiday soon.
101
Plan and execute an online crafty collaboration, swap or competition
In Progress: I have an idea that I love, and picked a domain to run it on. Now I just need to build the site and figure out how to promote it!





This page has the following sub pages.