Saturday, January 31, 2015

Fourth Revisit - 101 Things in 1001 Days

 
Details: Start date: January 20, 2013. End Date: October 19, 2015
               Document each one as a blog post, as applicable (beginning with #1).

Re-visit every 6 months:
January 20, 2015; July 20, 2015  

Third Revisit (8/4/2014)

101 Things in 1001 Days

1) Think of 101 things

2) Average yoga classes 3x a week 
·         If I wasn’t so lazy, I could make this happen. But I find that my mornings and evenings are best used for writing and reading. Sounds like a cop out, sure, but it’s hard to ignore what actually makes me feel calm and collected.

3) Go see Nationals play in Washington, DC  - May 7, 2014

4) Go see Red Sox play in Boston
·         Hoping this one, #6, and, #8 will happen this year. My bucket list of stadiums are almost complete. That’s so very exciting.

5) Go see Phillies play in Philadelphia - August 1, 2013; May 8, 2014

6) Go see Yankees play in New York
·         See #4

7) Go see Mets play in New York  - April 5, 2014

8) Go see Pirates play in Pittsburgh
·          See #4

9) Go see Flyers play
·         Why hasn’t this happened this yet? And Mr. V loves hockey. Must make more effort here.

9a) Go see Orioles play in Baltimore - April 3, 2014

10) Have sit down with closet-Determine true casual and professional style
·         She’s there – I purchased a standing coat rack, and that seems to transform my closet…or the office…or whatever that 2nd room is called.

11) Buy/Invest new camera
·         Nope, not yet

12) Send pitches to 20 agencies for For Blood and Wine
·         Still haven’t done this. Perhaps I will? Perhaps I haven’t yet cared enough about it. This I’m unsure about – I was recently chastised for having a gift, a talent, and not using it the way I should be, that some would give their left arms to be able to say things the way I do. And I don’t know how I feel about that. Would you, really? All the pain and heartbreak that goes into my words – because that’s really what writes the words. Knowing that it’s hard, so very hard, to be able to put into words what my mind thinks? Be careful what you wish for.   

13) Go to Le Bernardin
·         Maybe for my 30th…which is this year. Since I’m not commemorating it on an island – we’re doing that for my mom’s 60th – I figure maybe we could.

14) Raise another pet (fish included) - June 2013
·         Thanks to Mrs. Thomas for Jacque. He’s alive and well in his 3.5 gallon tank

15) Attend Neil Gaiman signing - March 2013
·         And Mr. V bought me a print of his for Christmas. I wept.

16) Host dinner party

17) Read 1 book a month (23/33)
·         Currently re-reading The Sandman – Volume 3. I’ve reread Eragon, Eldest, and on Brisingr. I shall begin on the books I got for Christmas from MC.
·         A fun tidbit about me- I reread my favorite books until I can create inspiration for my own writing

18) Attend a boxing match

19) Host Game of Thrones premiere party
·         Went to a GOT premiere party – April 6, 2014
·         Season 5 starts the week before Mr. V and I go to LA and stay with MC, so we have skirt steaks, roasted potatoes, and mead ready to go 

20) Go to 1/3 restaurants on my list - EDIT: list no longer exists. Went to ink. (click here). Went to Amis (click here). Went to come Vegas places…find the reviews below.
·         Bouchon – Thomas Keller of The French Laundry fame!!
·         Carnevino – Mario Batali’s place
·         RokuOf Anthony Bourdain fame in finding - Yes, I was inspired by this episode of Parts Unknown on CNN. This place should have it's own following. It's absolutely delicious, and one of the best sushi places I've ever been. 

21) Blog once a week per blog
·         I should change this to at least once a month

22) Go camping/glamping
·         Spring and Summer are coming!

23) Try new recipe once a week
·         Mr. V has been doing much of the cooking – though with recipes he is not

24) Finish bedroom redesign

25) Create office
·         Still sitting in the kitchen, doing my writing and blogging (if one can call it that). The room is lopsided and uncomfortable. 

26) Go to Dewey Beach in summer - Went to Ocean City, Maryland – August 2013, Dewey/Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - August 8-11, 2014

27) Master Crock-pot skills

28) Go international
·         Turks and Caicos is coming this year! Staying in mid-August at the Alexandra Resort

29) Go on international cruise (Caribbean cruise with mom – October 2014)

30) See Minnesota friends April 2014


32) Get glasses (July 2013)

33) Get a massage (February 2013)

34) Try acupuncture

35) Send handmade birthday cards

36) Collect all Neil Gaiman works

37) See the ballet (December 19th, 2014 – The Nutcracker, Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA)
·         See post here

38) See the opera

39) Find 10 vegetarian recipes [that Mr. V will eat]

40) Perfect No. 39 recipes

41) Go hiking for the day

42) Get a raise - August 2013; February 2014; October 2014

43) Get debt to half - $13,567 as of January 31st, 2013

44) Buy new computer (or help buy new computer for Mr. V)

45) Learn to skate backwards

46) Attend MJ’s wedding (this may seem like a given, but anything can happen, so I want to make it a priority) - October 23-28, 2013
·         See posts here and here

47) Visit LA 3x in 2013 (2 out of 3, March 6-9 and Oct 23-28 – I went to Santa Rosa in June 2013)

48) Visit California 2x in 2014
·         This was too ambitious and just didn't happen. However, it did make me make more of an effort…so…

49) Visit California 2x in 2015
·         Going to LA in April!

50) Organize books (in preparation for Bucket List item of Build a Library) (July 2013)

51) Attend a football game (college OR pro)  Eagles vs Jets Preseason (August 2013)

52) Have Maine lobster in Maine

53) Have Maryland soft shell crab in Maryland

54) Have New England clam chowder in New England

55) Learn to roast pork
·         Yes! For Mr. V’s birthday this month

56) Find way to harass Republicans (emails/letters). Repeat. Often.

57) Visit the 9/11 Memorial

58) Go to the White House

59) Write President Obama a handwritten letter

60) Write Margaret Atwood a handwritten inspiration letter

61) Give up sweets for Lent – March/April 2014
·         Did this, gave up Facebook instead for a friend’s support

62) Do cleanse
·         Does getting sick on New Years and having it last a week count? I’m pretty sure I detoxed myself…

63) Buy a house (this will probably be more closely to end of 2015, but I was very inspired by a friend’s birthday party last night)
·         Probably not going to happen for awhile. Though, we ARE moving this year, and probably within the next six months. 
·         There is just too much wrong with this place - the radiators make noise and the heater shuts off randomly. Pipes break. The ceiling was leaking, though I don't know why it's stopped suddenly. We probably have block mold and/or asbestos, which I was naively unaware still existed in real life. I thought it was some sort of myth..

64) Volunteer at a soup kitchen [on a non-Thanksgiving Day, and non-work function]

65) Get promoted - July 18, 2013 & October 24, 2014

66) Understand my spirituality
·         At least I know I have a spirit. And possibly a soul.

67) Finish Luca 
·         She’s coming along. I've written some good chapters and excerpts. And have made my weekend mornings specifically for writing

68) Turn finished Luca into graphic novel

69) Get paid for freelance
·         Slacked on the applying…but will get back into it.

70) Take nude [art] photos

71) Learn Excel
·         Getting a whole lot better. Still so much to learn. Oy.

72) Learn Photoshop  
·         Learning slowly how to edit my pictures. Most of them just need brightening and cropping. 

73) Give up soda (regular AND diet) for one month - July 2013

74) Read Autobiography: Volume 1 of Mark Twain

75) Make a recipe from Julia Child’s cookbook (Bonus for a special occasion)

76) Be leveled to advanced yoga master

77) Complete a Mud Run

78) Write a love letter once a month for Mr. V

79) Visit an apple orchard

80) Build bar cart with premium whiskey/scotch/brandy
·         I have the bar cart, good wine, some craft beers, and tequila.
·         Need scotch and/or brandy

81) Learn to make an over easy egg by flipping

82) Begin running once a week

83) Maintain once a week running

84) Move to 2x a week running

85) Have a friend visit and stay in Delaware  - April 2014
·         Brandon!! This was kind of two-fold with the MN one up a bit
·        See posts here and here

86) Go to Atlantic City
·         Part of me just doesn’t really want to go here. I would rather spend money and lose a day to go to Vegas

87) Beat Mr. V at a video game (Do the Christmas games count??)

88) Have picnic in Central Park

89) Shoot a gun at a range

90) Learn to make [perfect] apple pie

91) Write a letter to my 30yr year self to open on my 30th birthday  - July 16, 2013

92) Wear a pink/silver wig

93) Find perfect lip color (and wear it!) August 2013
·         Tom Ford Bruised Plum

94) Own one Tom Ford piece

95) Make signature cocktail

96) Go one month (or 30 days) without eating takeout (include Mr. V as much as possible)

97) Spend one weekend unplugged

98) Finish Emma

99) Watch meteor shower (or spend a night watching for shooting stars)

100) Compile book of essays/poems

101) $10 for every goal/item accomplished (26/101)