This year, instead of making New Year's resolutions, I came up with 101 in 1001. As described by Triplux,
The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (i.e., no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e., 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.
My deadline is Wednesday, September 17, 2008. This list is below.
Travel & Education
1. Go to the National Portrait Gallery once it opens
2. Take a course to learn Russian
3. Visit the Udvar Hazy branch of the Air & Space Museum
4. See the Spruce Goose when I’m in Oregon
5. Visit Independence Hall in Philadelphia
6. Go to the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia
7. See what the FDR house/museum in Olney is all about
8. Go to Russia
9. Go to Charleston
10. Visit the Antietam Battlefield
11. Go to an exhibition at the Corcoran
Stuff For Me
12. Grow my bangs out
13. Get a mani-pedi
14. Go to a Clinique counter and get a make-up demo
15. Lose at least 20 pounds
16. Have a professional massage
17. Wake up when the alarm goes off without hitting snooze, every day for a week
18. Kiss a boy on New Year’s Eve
19. Go on one real date
20. Move on to "Advanced" in tap
21. Audition for at least one community theatre production
22. Visit the fitness room 10 days over a 2-week period
Grown-Up Stuff
23. Pay off credit card debt
24. Actually examine mutual fund and determine if my money would be better off somewhere else
25. Draft a will
26. And a living will
27. Balance checkbook--totally, so there’s no difference between the bank and what my register says
Things to Buy
28. Sneakers to work out in
29. Shoes at a store other than Target, Payless, or DSW
30. Baseball glove
31. Red dress
32. Wear it somewhere
33. A ring that I will actually wear
34. Nice earrings that I will actually wear
35. A jewelry case for my nice jewelry
36. A cell phone with cool ring-tones
37. A headboard or frame for my bed so it looks more grown-up
38. New sofa and chair (when move into different apartment)
Entertainment-Type Things
39. Visit at least one of the DC “establishment” restaurants (e.g., 1789, Old Ebbitt Grill, Inn at Little Washington, Ben’s Chili Bowl, Tabard Inn)
40. Go to plays at the following local theatres: Arena Stage, Studio Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre, Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre
41. Go to a concert at Merriweather, Nissan, or Strathmore
42. Go to something at Wolf Trap (again)
43. Drag Becca to an Orioles game
44. Go ice skating
45. Go snow tubing again
46. Go river tubing
47. Go camping again
48. Attend a professional game of one of the following sports: hockey, basketball, football
49. Visit the Oregon Shakespeare Festival
50. Go to a bar that isn’t in Gettysburg
51. At night
52. Attend a taping of The Daily Show or The Colbert Report
53. Attend the kite festival downtown
54. Take Gram to a baseball game
55. See Casablanca
56. Read Catch-22
57. Have the Ewan McGregor-fest we’ve talked about having
58. See A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre
59. Look at list of books to read and get those books from the library instead of random ones
60. Read books I’ve already bought instead of borrowing from the library
61. Go to a game at Wrigley Field
62. Attend a baseball play-off game (preferably World Series)
63. Go to the Improv, or some other stand-up venue
64. Go to a water park
65. Visit a batting cage
66. Attend a happy hour
67. Attend the National Book Festival on the mall
68. Reread one book I had to read for college, kept, and haven’t touched since
69. See all the movies that are nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in a year
70. Watch at least 5 movies with the commentary
71. Throw a party in which more than just the same usual people are invited (not that I don’t love them…)
72. Go golfing--or hit golf balls--with Dad
73. Swim in the ocean (doesn’t matter which)
74. Have pajama day
Other
75. Get at least one freelance job
76. Wash the inside windows of my car
77. Make New England clam chowder from scratch
78. Come up with a week’s worth of dinners in advance--and stick to it
79. Find and frame poster of St. Paul’s Cathedral during the Blitz (if this involves actually going back to London, so be it)
80. See a famous person in DC
81. Actually go to the farmer’s market in Rockville instead of passing it each week and thinking it looks cute
82. Actually wear those brown shoes I bought
83. Ride a bicycle
84. Do something about that weird line on the side of my car
85. Get rid of the mildew or whatever that is in the shower—it should be white
86. Update my photo album more than once every couple of years
87. Get an orange kitty to keep Colin company
88. Either replace the glass in the print over my bed, or get rid of the print
89. Drive a convertible
90. Visit Pop-Pop’s grave
91. Create more iTunes playlists
92. Reply to e-mail from Andrea (it’s been in my in-box since 01/05)
93. Write in diary at times other than when I’m really upset and need to vent
94. Write a fan letter to an author
95. Rip all my CDs onto my computer
96. Get my picture taken with someone famous (at least, famous to me)
97. Find a map of the United States and color in the states I’ve actually been to (driving through doesn’t count)
98. Play blackjack for money
99. Sell box of Sweet Valley High book on eBay
100. Fly first class
101. Get a tan