Elizabeth May 25th, 2010

This will be the longest post I’ve written in a while…

It’s been a long time since I’ve written an update on my list of 101 Things in 1001 Days and I desperately need to get cracking on some of the remaining items.  My finishing date is 28 September this year and I have so much to do!

I have made peace with the fact that I will most likely not cross off every single item on my list, for various reasons.  The old me would have been a bit OCD about it all (I’m a liiiiitle bit of a perfectionist) and so I’m actually kind of proud of myself that I’m acknowledging it out loud!  There are just a few items that I can’t possibly complete by September, so I’ve spent some time shifting the goal posts and working out what is achievable in the remaining time.

I figure it’s better to make something from my original goals, rather than write them off altogether.

So here is my remaining to-do list…

	Completed: 63/101

011 – Walk my dog 5 days/week for 1 month (0/20)
Changed to: Walk my dog 3 days/week for 1 month (0/12)
We’ve begun this task a few times lately, but my pup has two weak back legs that seem to suffer when we hit the pavement.  He doesn’t seem to have any control over his energy and excitement when we go out and only feels the pain later on.  So, I’ve decided to alter this task to protect his silly little stems.

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033 – Go to Philip Island
We haven’t picked a date for this, but luckily it’s just a day trip!

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035 – See the snow
We’re just approaching snow season, so this will happen soon!  I really want to take my dog to see the snow, so we’ll need to make sure his little legs are up to the challenge!

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055 – Have the pickup in my guitar repaired
There’s a great little guitar workshop near my house, so I can say that I’ve chosen her transplant surgeon.

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058 – Do an anonymous favour
I’m sure I could cross this off if I thought back, but I haven’t actively sought out an opportunity to do an anonymous favour for somebody.

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074 – Revive my online recipe book
I could do this in an afternoon (so why haven’t I?!)

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081 – Sell some photos
Hey, do you want to buy some photos so that I can cross this off?  Make me your best offer!

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083 – Photograph a day in my life, and blog it
I’m waiting for a day worthy enough of being recorded!  Actually, that’s just a cop-out.

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099 – Participate in mailart.org
Hey, where did mailart.org disappear to?  Can anyone suggest a similar arty challenge to replace this one?

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101 – Plan and execute an online crafty collaboration, swap or competition
I had great big plans for this one, but it all seems a bit overwhelming right now.  Time for a new (simpler) idea.

001 – Weight loss goal #1 (50%)
002 – Weight loss goal #2 (75%)
003 – Weight loss goal #3 (100%)
I’ll  be honest here – my weight has been up and down during the “101 Things” mission and so it’s hard to know where I stand with this task.  I have decided to assign new weight goals to these three tasks which are achievable over the next four months.  I have given things a good kick-start by joining a gym and arranging for some personal training sessions, plus Tim has decided to join me.  Or, in other words, I’m now accountable to two people!

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005 – Learn 15 new vegetarian recipes (13/15)
Only two more to go! I’m sure I’ve actually completed this task without realising it, but I haven’t actively set out to cook vegetarian meals in a while.

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008 – Learn to cook a recipe from 30 different countries (12/30)
It’s been a loooong time since I’ve actively looked at this task.  I have some friends who want to help inspire me again with this task, so it’s back on my radar.

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012 – Go for three 2-hour bike rides (2/3)
Only one to go!  I plan to spend this last ride getting to know my new neighbourhood a bit better.

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016 – Write a budget; and
017 – Set a savings target, meet it, and maintain it for 6 months.
Tim and I sat down at the beginning of the year and looked at this pretty seriously.  Then we moved house and our expenses changed a lot.  We need to adjust some figures based on our first sets of bills.

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020 – See 25 movies of Tim’s choosing (20/25)
I’ve been very careful to only list movies that truly came from Tim, so this task has crawled along over time.  He’s really looking forward to a few upcoming movies, so the last 5 will be knocked over very easily.

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023 – Build a time capsule
Some of my friends have been good enough to write me a letter for my time capsule, and I have a couple more to add shortly (including one from my Mum).  I’ve put together a box of keepsakes that I intend to seal up as soon as I complete an art journal that I’m making, and then I just need to decide on a grand opening date!

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024 – Read the dictionary from beginning to end (Now Reading: “M”)
I stopped reading a while ago because it was getting a bit dry! (I know, right?)  Time to break out the old lexicon again so that I can cross this off.

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027 – Learn the names of every country, and identify them on a map
I can totally p0int to Australia on a map.  Also, Kiribati.  I am so great.

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030 – Learn to identify 5 constellations (3/5)
I’ve recently discovered a great iPhone app that will help me finish this one!  These clear Winter skies will make it nice and easy.

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031 – Travel to New England (or at least have the trip planned)
We don’t have anything booked yet, but we have decided to take our trip in September 2011.  I’ll happily cross this one off when we have specific dates in mind, and a puppy-sitter.

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034 – Spend a day or two on the Great Ocean Road
Only 3 weeks to go!  Tim and I are taking three of our good friends to an awesome villa in Apollo Bay over the June long weekend.  We’re packing lots of great food and wine (and the dog!) and will hit up the 12 Apostles at some stage.  I can’t wait to photograph them.

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038 – Visit 10 local art galleries (4/10)
Can you believe I haven’t done this yet?  I seem to find myself at the NGV regularly but really need to expand my horizons.

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040 – Read 10 novels by Melbourne authors (9.5/10)
Only one to go!  I’m halfway through my final book – hooray!

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043 – Go on a ghost tour
We’re all booked, and ready to roll at The Old Melbourne Gaol.

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047 – Go on the Neighbours tour
I can report, with a healthy dose of embarrassment, that I have booked and paid for this tour.  Sally is joining me.  She is either really lame (unlikely) or somebody that I could call on to help me hide a body if circumstances required it.

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057 – Read the last Harry Potter book
Does buying a copy of the book count as progress?  I can’t even remember what happened in the last book…

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077 – Make a Will
You might remember that my friend Sally bought me a Will Kit for my 30th birthday.  Cold, hey?  But at least it means I can count this one as “in progress”!  Next, to remove the shrink wrapping.  Baby steps.

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079 – Secret Task
Shhhhhh.

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084 – Participate in 100 Snapshots (79/100)
I said from the start that completing this wasn’t necessarily my goal.  However, I have enjoyed it so much that I really want to try and take all 100 photos!  I’m making great progress with this one, and have solid ideas for the remaining shots.

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087 – Make a photography book
I’m halfway through making a little book of photos through Blurb.

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089 – Draw 5 hands (3/5); and
090 – Draw 10 people (7/10)
I haven’t drawn anything in a long time!  I just need to set aside a couple of hours to complete these two.

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092 – Keep a paper journal for a year
Changed to: Complete a class in art journaling
I  have kept a haphazard journal during my 101 Things challenge, but can’t say that I have kept a year’s worth of journaling with a clear conscience.  So, I have decided to replace this task with one I can achieve by September.  I am halfway through a 6-week art journaling class, and I’m religiously completing all the assignments.  The finished product will be going into my time capsule.

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096 – Release 20 books via BookCrossing (0/20)
I’ve set aside some books for this task, but am yet to “drop” them.

So, there we have it.  It’s still a mighty big list, but when I set it out this way at least it will help me break it down into achievable bites.  I’d still be pretty proud of myself if I stopped right now, but I’m really eager to find out what I can accomplish in four short months.

If you have expertise or enthusiasm for any of the items on my list, and you think you can give me a helping hand… now would be a great time to say hi!

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