101 Things to do

I'm a list maker. It's how I get things done and organize my thoughts. I came across this idea of making a list of 101 things that you want to do. The challenge is to complete the list in about 1001 days. I don't know where I first heard about this idea, but here is a site that keeps track of participants and their lists.
My start date is Saturday April 28, 2007.
My finish date is Saturday January 23, 2010.

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.

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.

My 101 Things To Do

1. Read the Bible in a year - started January 1, 2009
   
2. Memorize Psalm 19
3. Memorize Psalm 8
4. Decide about cremation vs burial
5. Research traveling to Ireland with Surferman
6. Travel with Surferman to Australia
7. Family Trip to Maui
   
8. Research trip to Costa Rica with Surferman
9. Take Duke and Surferman to Disneyland We went Sept 2008. Wish I had blogged about it.
   
10. Visit Jennie in Massachusetts
11. Visit Surferman's parents in Washington State It was a great trip! May 2008
12. Renew Passports
13. Get passport for Grom
14. Take a weekend camping trip- completed 6/3/2007
15. Finish "Color Block" quilt
16. Finish "VW Bus" quilt
17. Finish "Progressive" quilt
18. Finish "Mykonos" quilt
19. Finish Grom's First Year scrapbook
20. Give away my knitted washcloths I passed them out to my quilting friends. Someday I'll have to blog about those wonderful ladies. We've been meeting forever.
    
21. Digiscrap 2007 Jeep Jamboree pictures unable to complete - the guys didn't take pictures
22. Make felt baby booties
23. Make headband
24. Do something with an empty Altoid's box
25. Sell a quilt
26. Celebrate a Christmas with all homemade gifts
27. Sell a "Cozy Cart Cootie Catcher"
28. Learn how to crochet
29. Knit a sweater
30. Digiscrap the things I'm grateful for - count my blessings -make a book to remember and review
31. Nanowrimo GeMoOrgNo completed 11/30/2007
32. Get to know Kelsey
33. Get to know Nicole
34. Set up 5 Fat Files
35. Blog daily for one month see #31
36. Write a "Letter to the Editor" about something I'm passionate about
37. Find out the name of the Fedex Ground Guy- completed 6/6/2007 His name is Tom.
38. Send ten encouraging anonymous postcards So much fun, I'm going to keep doing it.
    
39. Read 5 C.S. Lewis books
40. Read 10 fiction novels completed 4/22/2008
41. Read 3 biographies or autobiographies
42. Make a lifestyle change that is better for the environment - Reusable grocery bags!
    
43. Make another lifestyle change that is better for the environment - CF light bulb all through the house!
    
44. Get to work somehow other than driving my car
45. Save all $5 bills for a month and do something fun with Grom
46. Stay on budget for a month
47. Stay on budget for a quarter
48. Stay on budget for a year
49. Pay off the house
50. Make a will
51. Get life insurance
52. One month without eating out
53. Take Grom to a park every day of a week
54. Read to Grom until he tells me to stop
55. Build a huge fort with Grom
56. Do an activity from Family Fun Magazine
57. Make the cupcake of the month from Family Fun Magazine
58. Sleep in a tent with Grom in the front yard - Done! I can't remember when, but I remember it was during a heat wave. It was over 100F at 9 pm. Still fun.
    
59. Find a letterbox
60. Family trip to the Drive In movie - Horton Hears a Who. Grom was scared.
    
61. Get an external hard drive and keep computer backed upMac's Rock! Woo Hoo for Time Machine!
62. Change my blog template completed 5/3/2007
63. Customize my blog template (myself)
64. Create 3 iTunes playlists
65. Get a Maccompleted 11/19/2007
66. Learn how to transfer and edit video on computer
67. Transfer all CDs to iTunes
68. Set up monster multi CD playerSold it!
69. Go a whole day unplugged - no computer, no music, no news, etc.
70. Make Tom Kha Gai Soup
71. Complete Organizing Junkie's Organization Challenge - completed 5/2/2007
72. Really de-clutter closet
73. Plant a lettuce garden - planned 2009
74. Get a facial
75. Wash my face every night for a month - completed 6/16/2007
    
76. Wear makeup every day for a month - started 6/23/2007
    
77. Wear earrings every day for a month - started 6/23/2007
    
78. Nap in a hammock
    
79. Pierce my tragus
80. Go to a Dodger game
81. Go to a Blues game - completed 6/23/2007
    
82. Go to a play - We went to the wonderful Great American Melodrama last week. Might not be as cultured as a play, but we had a great time. 12/14/2008
    
83. Weigh 175
84. Complete the Rock to Pier Run
85. Climb Bishop's Peak
86. Eat breakfast daily for two weeks - started 6/18/2007 4/23/2008 12/21/08
    
87. Stop drinking soda (100 days) - started 6/18/2007 6/21/2007 4/23/2008 12/21/08
    
88. Walk on the beach once a week all summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) planned start 5/2009
89. Play a season of softball with Surferman on church team
90. Plan and execute the best 4WD Club Christmas Party ever!
91. Find out about "Synchro De Maio"
    
92. Take a ballroom dancing lesson
93. Romantic getaway with Surferman - I believe Maui would count.
    
94. Sunset Picnic on the beach - completed 6/21/2007
    
95. Don't say no, even if I'm tired, don't want to, or "have a headache"
96. Throw a Tea Party with women I barely know, but would like to know better
97. Send a care package to a soldier in Iraq completed 5/29/2007
98. Say no to something that I'd usually say yes to - I DID NOT help with a major event at church. We went as a participant. It was weird.
99. Say yes to something that I'd usually say no to -
    
100. Write another 101 Things to dolist

I tried to group my list into similar things. Things on my list fall into categories like... God, Travel, Creativity, Parenting, Marriage. Hey, those are a lot like the categories of the labels for my blog posts. Watch for updates as I cross things off my list.