101 things in 1001 Days

I haven't seen much of this lately, but it was going around all over in January. I made my list and then did my disappearing act. When I came out of hibernation, I went back and found my list. I had to tweak it a little, but here it is now in all its glory. I'm just posting it to have some accountability. Once you say out loud that you are going to do something, there is always someone coming along later asking if you did it. And it would be real nice if I broke my pattern of putting things off until the last minute. I don't want to have to pull an allnighter to do the last 98 things on my list. (I just read where Kelli posted her list--I'm sure she must have been inspired by the magnificence of my progress!!) And She had the rules--so I shamelessly copied them from her blog and pasted them in here.

Here are the rules as stated from triplux:

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 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.



101 Goals in 1001 Days

THE LIST
1. Compile the “101 in 1001” list

BIBLE
2. Read the entire Bible, cover to cover (I'm up to Numbers)
3. Read through Psalms in one month, w/o missing a day (make-ups don't count)
4. Read through Proverbs in one month, w/o missing a day (make-ups don't count)
5. Memorize at least one song off of every DVD of Scripture Memory Songs
6. Listen to 10 sets of Joel Young teaching tapes (0/10)
7. Sign up for the Adult B’Nei Mitzvah program
8. Take the “Prayers and Blessings” class
9. Write a paper on Jamie Cowen’s History class
10. Take Biblical Hebrew 1
11. Take Biblical Hebrew 2
12. Write a paper on Biblical Hebrew studies
13. Memorize Proverbs 31:10-31
14. Take at least 3 more Yeshiva classes at BHS (0/3)
15. Learn to cant
16. Make aliyah to the Torah

MOVING
17. Finish moving out of the old house
18. Finish unpacking at the new house
19. Get the old house repaired
20. Get the old house sold Actually, we rented it out, but that's just as good

HUBBY
21. Give CG 10 oil-massage back rubs
22. Rub CG’s shoulders every day
23. Learn to close the cabinet doors after I open them (because it drives him crazy)
24. Plan a surprise evening for CG
25. Another special project for the love of my life

FAMILY/FRIENDS
26. Go to the zoo, collectively or individually, with all the grandkids
27. Take each of the grandkids, individually, for the day to do something special
28. Block out a weekend to go see Mark/Lucy
29. Send out Holiday cards with a newsletter
30. Get in touch with my ex-college-roommate who is so good about writing me every Christmas
31. Plan another complete family vacation
32. Spend the weekend with the children of Daughter#1 so she and her husband can get away (they went to Vegas for 4 days!)
33. Spend the weekend with the children of Daughter#2 so she and her husband can get away (they went to Houston for a wedding)
34. Something special

HEALTH
35. Develop the daily discipline of drinking 8 glasses of water
36. Eat no sugar for one week every other month. (0/6)
37. Get my hair highlighted (not “healthy” but definitely a stretch!)
38. Get a massage~~twice (0/2)
39. Use my Central Market gift certificate YUM!
40. Eat 5 servings of fruits/veggies every day for one month (for the purpose of developing the ongoing habit)
41. Take a complete day off—no work, no errands, no responsibilities (0/3)


ORGANIZATION/CLEANING
42. Do a closet purge
43. Get the “rogue’s gallery” hung in our bedroom
44. Clean out the car and keep it clean for a month

COOKING
45. Learn to make a decent loaf of GF Challah
46. Develop 10 weeks of menus, including grocery lists, for doing recycle menus
47. Do a session of Once-A-Month-Cooking
48. Go through my stack of printed out, never tried recipes. Try one a week to either save or throw away (0/10)
49. Make a GF cheesecake

GARDENING
50. Plant and maintain a container garden: Tomatoes
51. Plant and maintain an herb garden

BOOKS
52. Read 10 classic books that I’ve never read before (0/10)
53. Read 10 biographies that I’ve never read before (1/10)
1. The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C.S. Lewis

MOVIES
54. Sit and watch a movie with CG w/o squirming or multi-tasking (0/10)

TRAVEL/SIGHTSEEING/ACTIVITIES
55. Get my passport
56. Go to Six Flags with grandkids
57. Go to St. Louis to visit the family
58. Take a 3 or 4 day get-away weekend, just the two of us (likely to the GF Bed & Breakfast in San Antonio)
59. Take a tour of City Park (not necessarily at Christmas)
60. Save $1000 toward our trip to Israel
61. Visit the aquarium at West End
62. Visit a state I haven’t been to (I had 31 when I was 9 and haven’t added one since then)
63. Spend a whole day at the Canton flea market
64. Spend a whole day at the McKinney flea market
65. Hang the hammock out at the land and spend the afternoon in it

SCRAPBOOK/MEMORY STUFF
66. Finish Katie’s graduation scrapbook
67. Scrapbook the Colorado vacation pictures
68. Scrapbook the Arkansas vacation pictures
69. Do one double-spread page per month in a scrapbook for us (0/20)
70. Start a scrapbook for Kelli
71. Get 10 double-spread pages done in Kelli’s book
72. Get 10 more double-spread pages done for Kelli
73. Sort through old family pictures
74. Get our 8mm movies converted to DVD
75. Make a special project, using the stamping stuff I have

CRAFTS/SEWING
76. Finish quilt top
77. Finish cross-stitch project
78. Make Gillian a plaid nightgown like her mother’s
79. Finish tapestry fabric vest
80. Finish pink/white flannel nightgown
81. Repair the beading on the red top I bought in Missouri
82. Mend the rip in my red tiered skirt
83. Alter my two denim vests myself (instead of sending them out)
84. Make a piece of bead jewelry
85. Get 3 pairs of jeans that really fit (0/3)

WRITING
86. Finalize the stories for the One-a-Day book
87. Write out 20 of the stories for the One-a Day book
88. Write out 20 more stories
89. Finish the “Grandmother’s Memories” book that Gillian gave me for Christmas several years ago
90. Blog at least once a week (I’ll check this off when I’ve done it 20x)

MINISTRY
91. Attend the orientation to qualify to rock babies in the nursery at Parkland Hospital
92. Get set up to go to Parkland once a month to rock babies
93. Mission trip to Hooper to work with Bill/Lisa
94. Mission trip to another place

WORK
95. Get a job in a school district

FINANCES
96. Pay off 4 credit cards and close the accounts (0/4)

MISC

97. Get my mother’s watch resized to fit me
98. Donate blood
99. Get a penny whistle and learn to play two songs

FINALE--Sunday, February 21, 2010
100. Do something major to celebrate the completion of my list


Make another list for the next 1001 days

...and then there was dancing...

On the grand highway of life, DH and I found an unexpected detour about 10 years ago when we went with some friends to a worship service at a Messianic congregation. (I fell in love instantly. It took DH a lot longer to get on board, but he did finally come around.) Our getting involved in this lifestyle has been a real gear-stripping experience for our extended family. I have frequently made the mistake of sharing what I'm learning with a little too much gusto, which has caused some folks to stick their fingers in their ears and sing, "LA LA LA!" at the top of their voices.

One of the things I love. Love. LOVE. about Messianic worship is the dancing. Worshiping the Lord with movement just reaches into the deepest part of my soul. And it's fun. And for someone who works at long hours at home and doesn't get out much, it's also really good exercise. I've started putting on some of the praise music in the playroom and dancing with the kids. They love it and it uses up some of their very high levels of manic energy.

Kelli and I both are trying to be more healthy and one of the things she read about recently was making sure you take 10,000 steps in the course of your day. She got out a pedometer that she had and started wearing it. She wasn't logging enough steps so.....she started coming in for the dancing. I've known for awhile that she was actually paying attention, but neither of us had said a word about her hidden interest. This week she started dancing with us. A few days ago, she asked about some of the steps. And tonight, oh the wonder of it all! She and Gilly and I went into the playroom and just danced and danced for the glorious fun of it.

After we'd danced for about half an hour, Kelli started laughing. "You're just about to explode, aren't you. You just want so bad to say, 'Ha, Ha, I got you!!' " (And I did want to say, "Holy cow! Isn't this great! Don't you just love it!")

But see how much I've learned. I make no loud noises or sudden movements, no big "HA HA" so no one is scared away. And we just keep dancing, 3 generations of dancers. And it is so good.

another reason I was too busy to blog...

I borrowed my husband's cell phone last night to call my brother. Mine wasn't charged up enough and his was and he's really nice about letting me use his phone whenever I need to, despite the fact that he knows for sure that I can't be trusted with it.

By the time I finished my conversation, he'd gone to sleep. So when I came to bed, he wasn't awake to say, "Could I have my phone back, please?" (And he would have been sweet enough not to add, "before you lose it like you usually do!")

So when we woke up this morning and got ready for work, he picked up his EMPTY phone holster and asked the reasonable question, "Where's my phone?" Well, no problem! I have this system down pat. I don't even waste my time looking. I just find my cell phone and call his cell phone. Sometimes I can't find either cell phone and I have to use the land line to call them both, but that wasn't necessary this morning because my phone was on the charger. (Remember? I had to borrow his because mine had no energy...)

So I called and...we can't hear it. So I call again and it goes straight to the voice mail. So I find the house phone and call again. No ring. He goes in the bedroom, I go in the kitchen so we can hear. I call again. No ring. He has to go to work. I give him my phone with promises to look all day and relay all his messages. And I pray.

I say, "Lord, you must be tired of this prayer, 'cause you've heard it so many times. But, uh, I can't find DH's phone. Please help me remember where I put it." And I keep looking. I've already looked in the freezer. I look again. I sort through the laundry that was sitting on my bed. I check the carry-all I use to schlep my stuff to the shower. And then I check the frig. In the butter compartment in the door. Where I put the phone. When I went to put the milk away and needed two hands so I stuck the phone there out of my way.

And that's why I haven't blogged in 4 months.

Not really lying, just really wrong...

Yeah, I thought I was going to start over back there in January when I said I was going to start over...back there in January... And oops, I didn't. It was not a deliberate effort to mislead. I just didn't follow through. (I'd be lying if I said that isn't an issue in other areas of my life!) But in the last few weeks, I've had two people who are not related to me! tell me that I need to get off my duff and post again. Well, heck yeah! That's twice as many people as I thought were reading my ramblings. I have a public! So here I am. Active again.

I'm going to dig out my now 5 month old list and see how much progress I've made. BWAHAHAHAH! Haven't looked at it since I finished it so I've even forgotten what I said I was going to do. The things I do remember, like grow a tomato and sell my house, haven't happened. Hopefully, the house selling thing will happen soon. The tomato growing thing is probably a next year thing...or the year after that. ( After all, I have 1001 days! And I'm going to reset the starting date since I've already used up 150 of my days doing diddly squat.)

On to other things...speaking of granddaughters...oh, mine are quite fine. If you haven't read about Miss Creampuff's new state of being, you need to check this out . Hilarious...and very scary :-)

And Miss G is also in a new stage of life. I walked behind her as we shopped at Target last night and saw very clearly that she is not a soft, tender, pink little girly any more. She is a preschooler with skinned knees and long, lanky bug-bit legs and scruffy hair and...um...opinions. Lots of opinions. Reminds me somewhat of Ramona Quimby (who I like very much, so the comparison is not insulting.) It's just amazing to me that a human being can go from that fresh pink baby stage to the scruffy child stage so quickly. Luke is still a fresh pink baby. I have a feeling that won't last nearly as long as we would like.