101 Things in 1,001 Days

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 (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 organizing 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.

Start Date: October 11, 2008

Completion Date: July 9, 2011

Key
Not started yet
In Progress
Completed

1. Start sketching again
2. Earn my B. A. degrees in Elementary Education and English
3. Accumulate at least $3,000 in my savings account
4. Visit Disney World again
5. Go to Ft. Lauderdale
6. Complete NaNoWriMo at least once
7. Visit Nashville, Tennessee
8. Work on learning a third language conversationally; probably either French or Italian
9. Work up the nerve to actually record a CD with Pippi
10. Have a piece published on the Huffington Post in honour of my journalism days from high school
11. Read all of Stephen King's works (12/70)
12. Read all of Nicholas Spark's works (1/14)
13. Apply to Teach For America
14. Take a trip back to California and just explore
15. Make significant headway on planning a trip back to Europe
16. Go a month without dropping the F-bomb and continue to significantly cut down my use of it afterward
17. Do the following with Eva and Dawn; carving a jack-o-lantern, making a gingerbread house, bake cookies for Christmas and Halloween, go trick-or-treating, and riding in a hot air balloon
18. Kiss Eva in the rain (Oct. 17, 2008)
19. Spend more time with The Godmother as she gets older
20. Get my time on the 40 yard dash down to under 10 seconds
21. Volunteer at NC State's wrestling camp
22. Eat at least two square meals every day for 30 days consecutively without vomiting and then do all I can to keep that up (3/60)
23. Get Confirmed
24. Volunteer at a blood drive since I can't give blood (Anemia)
25. Read all the way through my Bible
26. Try out as a walk-on for UNC's wrestling team if my knee allows it
27. Learn to whistle
28. Make at least one new friend a month
29. Go scuba diving
30. Receive First Aid Certification
31. Send Eva flowers randomly with a little note attached for no reason other than I can
32. Start meeting my little sister for lunch at least once every other week
33. Volunteer in the Chapel Hill soup kitchen
34. Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity again
35. Volunteer to read to kids at the library in town
36. Make at least three people smile every day
37. Learn how to do web design
38. Make a scrap book
39. Get dressed up and go dancing with Eva at least once a month, whether it's salsa, meringue, or ballroom.
40. Start playing the piano and trombone again and stick with them
41. Teach Daybreak how to ride a bike
42. Teach Eva and Daybreak how to Rollerblade.
43. Private
44. Go to a drive-in movie (Oct 13, 2008)
45. Perform one act of kindness for someone I don't know at least once a day
46. Join Big Brothers, Big Sisters
47. Forgive and learn to trust in myself
48. Apply to graduate school
49. Leave people notes, messages, and call them randomly just to say hello and not feel awkward for not having a specific reason.
50. Take more culinary courses. At least five and at least one should be on how to decorate a cake.
51. Apply for a Teaching Internship for my senior year
52. Attend a UNC basketball game in the Alumni section
53. Get my mom and Aunt K tickets to at least five basketball games while I'm here
54. Spend a whole day doing nothing but exploring Raleigh
55. Take Faith for long walks at least twice a week.
56. Submit at least one Op-Ed to the Daily Tar Heel before graduation.
57. Start gardening again.
58. Make $150 waiting tables at work. (Oct 14, 2008 - $219!)
59. Go to Boston and visit Mami and Los Gemelos Nuevos for their birthdays and at least one holiday every year.
60. Get a tattoo (one that won't get me in trouble as a teacher)
61. Tie-dye at least one t-shirt and one sheet (Nov. 8, 2008)
62. Once every other week, go outside with no shoes, find a nice spot in the grass, and just relax
63. Participate in an amateur improv comedy night
64. Be the one to finally recreate my Grandma's homemade biscuits
65. Take a photography class
66. Take Aunt Ty up on her offer at least once and visit her in Miami
67. See at least one play or musical every 3 months
68. Make a kite from scratch and fly it (Oct. 25, 2008)
69. Learn to box
70. Go back to Nashville (NC, my hometown) and let my Uncle Gook cut my hair for old time's sake
71. Teach Daybreak how to care for flowers
72. Go on a camping/hiking trip with my friends
73. Make each of my friends a homemade cake for their birthday at least once
74. Compile a list of 101 things that make me happy
75. Go to a Gay Pride parade
76. Write a letter to myself to read at the completion of this list
77. Sing at least once a day every day
78. Beat my claustrophobia
79. Start saving the essays I write (Oct 12, 2008)
80. Help the Pop Queen start up her literary magazine
81. Participate in a surfing contest
82. See every film on IMDB's Top 250 Movies list (74/250)
83. Buy and read at least one book a month
84. Buy an iPhone
85. Buy a new laptop (a Mac)
86. Convince someone else to do a 101 Things in 1,001 Days list (Oct. 29, 2008 - Good luck Ben!)
87. Knit a scarf or hat for someone (Oct 22, 2008)
88. Start playing chess again and compete in a tournament
89. Write a children's book
90. Get my teeth whitened
91. Write a piece of short fiction and get it published
92. Start a cookbook (Oct 12 2008)
93. Make the Dean's List at least two semesters
94. Attend a Bible study regularly
95. Vote in the 2008 Presidential Election (Nov. 4, 2008 - GOBAMA!)
96. Dress up as Hellboy for Halloween
97. Have a picnic in the park
98. Go back to Washington D. C. and explore the city.
99. Go to a film and music festival
100. Write by hand 15 letters to people I love and send them
101. Celebrate completing this list with something GRAND and make a new one


Looking at my list now is really really daunting. But by the time this is over I'll have been out of college for over a year and out in the real world. It may seem impossible to complete all of these in 2.75 years but I will have to "stay the course". Wow, I just quoted Baby Bush in a non-derogatory way. Maybe this is a sign that I'm falling ill...