Sunday, November 15, 2015

2nd Installment of 101 Things in 1001 Days


Details: Start date: November 15, 2015 End Date: August 11, 2018
               Document each one as a blog post, as applicable (beginning with #1).

Re-visit every 6 months

101 Things in 1001 Days

1) Think of 101 things
·        This was HARD
2) Send pitches to 20 agencies for For Blood and Wine
3) Show appreciation once a month for Mr. V (in whatever means)
4) Play cards with Mr. V once a week
5) Have date night once a month (and review it)
6) Write 5x weekly (in some way)
7) Write and finish Luca 
8) Write and turn finished Luca into graphic novel
9) Write and get paid for freelance
10) Write and compile book of essays/poem
11) Write and finish screenplay
12) Write President Obama a handwritten letter
13) Write Margaret Atwood a handwritten inspiration letter
14) Write and send handmade birthday cards
15) Write my 35 yr old self a letter (open on 35th birthday – 8/5/2020)
16) Build a library/office
17) Read 4 books a month (0/132)
18) Read Autobiography: Volume 1 of Mark Twain
19) Read and finish Emma – perhaps even start over, as I may have lost my desire for it
20) Read  more comic books
21) Watch Red Sox play in Boston
22) Watch Yankees play in New York
23) Watch Pirates play in Pittsburgh
24) Watch Flyers play in Philadelphia
25) Watch boxing match live
26) Watch meteor shower (or spend a night watching for shooting stars)
27) Attend an opera
28) Attend a symphony
29) Attend a play
30) Attend a ballet
31) Yoga/Barre classes 2x a week 
32) Begin running once a week
33) Compete in Mud Run
34) Volunteer at a soup kitchen [on a non-Thanksgiving Day, and non-work function]
35) Travel to Mexico – Planned for April 2016
36) Travel to Europe – Not otherwise stated below
37)  Austria
38)  Croatia
39)  Czech Republic
40)  France
41)  Germany
42)  Iceland
43)  Ireland
44)  Italy
45)  Spain
46)  Scotland
47) Travel to Japan - Tokyo and Kyoto (planned for 2016)
48) Travel to Africa - Not otherwise stated below (preferably 2018)
49)  Egypt
50)  Kenya
51)  Morocco
52)  Tanzania
53) Travel to China - Shanghai (preferably 2017)
54) Travel to Canada - Not otherwise stated below  (preferably 2017)
55) Alberta
56) British Colombia
57) Travel via a road trip – Western United States
58) Travel to the 9/11 Memorial
59) Travel to the White House
60) Travel to San Diego Comi-Con
61) Visit 5 museums
62) Visit an apple orchard
63) Visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum – Cooperstown, New York
64) Go camping/glamping
65) Go hiking for the day
66) Eat at Le Bernardin
67) Eat at Morimoto’s
68) Eat and host dinner party
69) Eat and make a recipe from Julia Child’s cookbook (Bonus for a special occasion)
70) Eat and make dinner at least 3x weekly
71) Eat and make breakfast each weekend
72) Find 10 vegetarian recipes [that Mr. V will eat]
73) Eat Maine lobster in Maine
74) Eat Maryland soft shell crab in Maryland
75) Eat New England clam chowder in New England
76) Eat no sugar for 1 month (or for as long as possible)
77) Eat no meat for 1 month
78) Learn to subsist on less sleep  (no curfew, but an alarm in the morning)
79) Learn to sketch
80) Learn and make signature cocktail
81) Learn and master Crock-pot skills
82) Learn to skate backwards
83) Learn to make an over easy egg by flipping
84) Learn and beat Mr. V at a video game
85) Learn to not be timid of voicing my political stances
86) Learn to have a green thumb – have more plants in apartment
87) Own all Neil Gaiman works
88) Own a new camera 
89) Take more photos – learn the ways of photography on a deeper level
90) Wear a pink/silver wig – or perhaps have pink hair?
91) Disconnect from society for weekend (Bonus for holiday weekend)
92) Adopt an animal
93) Try acupuncture
94) Spending freeze for 90 days
95) Get *quod me nutrit me destruit * tattooed
96) Get the Deathly Hallows tattooed
97) Get Angie’s birthday tattooed
98) Get *in vino vertias* tattooed
99) Remove KHLIL
100) Pay off debt
101) $10 for every goal/item accomplished (1/101)






Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Final Revisit of 101 Things in 1001 Days


So what I discovered was that I am very ambitious in what I want to do, but not nearly as good on the execution. I can be creative within my own mind, but the actual work of putting pen to paper and making it happen are ultimately two very different things for me. And while I want to make them happen, I noticed that I have to be overly aggressive about planning them out, and then twist my fingers to make sure I follow through on them.

A couple of interesting things are coming to fruition though – things I’ve always kind of known about myself are coming more to light. I’m always very aware of my surroundings, and even as a child, if I’m uncomfortable, I’ve very reluctant and I fade into myself, withdraw so to speak from society, until I feel comfortable enough again. They say you should be uncomfortable to grow who you are because it build character – but that means taking risks, that means doing something you wouldn’t normally do, facing your fear (swimming with sharks) - and that’s not quite what I’m talking about. It’s more that something doesn’t feel right – like there is innately something broken or coming undone – that I’m referring to. Risk taking I’ll do, and have before, and will always again.


Trying to remember to just be, and let it happen, breathe and let go, has been hard, but it’s worth it in the long run. I am who I am, and I’m becoming more and more aware of it – not fighting it like I used to. Which, in some senses, isn’t a good thing, because it makes me feel very alone – but as my motto, which is layered within my novel drafts and my poems – It’s what you do with what you have that determines what kind of person you are.

And so I will create another list, and begin it on 11/15/2015.

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  

101 Things in 1001 Days

1) Think of 101 things
2) Average yoga classes 3x a week 
3) Go see Nationals play in Washington, DC  - May 7, 2014
4) Go see Red Sox play in Boston
5) Go see Phillies play in Philadelphia - August 1, 2013; May 8, 2014
6) Go see Yankees play in New York 
7) Go see Mets play in New York  - April 5, 2014 
8) Go see Pirates play in Pittsburgh 
9) Go see Flyers play 
9a) Go see Orioles play in Baltimore - April 3, 2014
10) Have sit down with closet-Determine true casual and professional style
11) Buy/Invest new camera
12) Send pitches to 20 agencies for For Blood and Wine
13) Go to Le Bernardin
14) Raise another pet (fish included) - June 2013 
15) Attend Neil Gaiman signing - March 2013 
16) Host dinner party 
17) Read 1 book a month (33/33) 
18) Attend a boxing match 
19) Host Game of Thrones premiere party 
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 some Vegas places.
·         Bouchon – Thomas Keller of The French Laundry fame!!
·         Carnevino – Mario Batali’s place
·         Roku – Of Anthony Bourdain fame in finding
21) Blog once a week per blog
22) Go camping/glamping 
23) Try new recipe once a week 
24) Finish bedroom redesign 
25) Create office 
26) Go to Dewey Beach in summer 
·         Went to Ocean City, Maryland – August 2013
·         Dewey/Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - August 8-11, 2014
·         Bethany Beach, Delaware – August 7-9, 2015
27) Master Crock-pot skills 
28) Go international
·         So Turks and Caicos isn’t happening this year. We were to be leaving tomorrow, August 11th, but familial health issues have come about. While hindsight is 20/20 and Turks could’ve happened if we waited, it was the best decision at the time to cancel it. And I got a full refund – and with that refund came time and money for me to visit LA one more time this year to see my mother on her 60th. It also allows for 36 hrs in Vegas.
·         However, that same issue that caused us to cancel may allow Mr. V and I to travel to Paris, France in July of 2016. We’re also planning on Mexico in April 2016 and Japan in October 2016.
29) Go on international cruise (Caribbean cruise with mom – October 2014)
·         See posts herehere, here, and here
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
·         We also saw Swan Lake, the Lion King, a burlesque show, and The Piano Guys in concert.
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 – NOPE 
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
·        March 6-9 a
·        Oct 23-28
·        I went to Santa Rosa in June 2013 
48) Visit California 2x in 2014
49) Visit California 2x in 2015
·         Went to LA in April!
·         Here is a review of my 2nd visit in August 
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 2014) 
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 
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 
62) Do cleanse – February 11-15, 2015
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) 
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 
67) Finish Luca  
68) Turn finished Luca into graphic novel
69) Get paid for freelance 
70) Take nude [art] photos 
71) Learn Excel 
72) Learn Photoshop
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
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
86) Go to Atlantic City
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
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 (36/101)