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).

Inspiration: The 101/1001 challenge was created by triplux. Since I’ve reached a point where I’d like to make some changes to my life, I like the idea of having a list of goals to pursue steadily over the next 1001 days.

I’m starting on Thursday (August 10, 2006) and I have until Thursday, May 7, 2009 to complete all 101 tasks. I will, of course, be giving regular updates on my progress

Personal Improvement

1. Keep my weight under 145 for more than a month.
2. Take Breezy out for a walk every day or night for 2 weeks.
3. Try 5 new vegetables. Asparagus – 08/19/06, Cauliflower 10/05/06, Summer Squash (07/25/07)
4. See at least 10 movies at the movie theaters including one midnight movie opening. Meet the Robinsons, Zodiac, Bridge to Teribithia, Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix, Stardust
5. Get a mammogram. Done! 05/02/07. Thank GOD I don’t have to do it again anytime soon – that was painful!
6. Get boobs
7. Take a class on wine tasting.
8. Learn to speak Spanish.
9. Update my wardrobe including getting a really good pair of jeans.
10. Take at least one college class (hopefully Spanish with the girls).
11. Go to the cabin at least once a month for 4 months.
12. Take a multi-vitamin and calcium supplement every day for a month.
13. Make the bed every day when John is gone on a business trip. Done! 09/06
14. Log all my nutrition information at Sparkpeople for two weeks.
15. Renew my CPR certification.
16. Learn to ride a motorcycle.
17. Learn how to do 5 poker chip tricks.
18. Get that ugly brown spot on my face lightened. Thank goodness it’s not skin cancer, just from being pregnant – see what you guys do to me
19. Get lazer hair removal.
20. Get regular haircuts to keep the same style instead of letting it grow out and get all shaggy until I can’t stand it any more. Done! I’ve been seeing Brenda for over a year now!

Home Improvement

21. Get rid of the junk drawer in the kitchen. Ok, not get rid of the drawer itself, but get rid of or file the contents of the drawer.
22. Go through everything in our storage and get rid of all the junk.
23. Clean out the garage so we can park at least one car in it! Ok, we used to and this is totally my fault because I wanted to get new bedroom furniture, so… Done! We can park a car and a motorcycle!
24. Sell or get rid of the old bedroom furniture in the garage.
25. Get new curtains for the master bedroom. Done! 02/07
26. Remove still old curtain rod holders, patch and paint walls.
27. Rebuild the deck at the cabin.
28. Replace the carpet at the cabin.
29. Plant a vegetable garden (at least 3 veggies).
30. Install closet organizers in all our closets.
31. Clear off the scrapbooking table and get rid of all unused stuff. Turn it into a computer table for John-John and get rid of his computer desk. Done 06/07
32. Get new every day dishes.
33. Clean out all the drawers and cabinets in the laundry room.
34. Find someplace to store the central vacuum hose – make a shelf for it in the closet or something. Done 06/07
35. Organize and properly store our wine collection.
36. Pull out the refrigerator and clean under it.
37. Pull out the washer and dry and clean under them. Done 03/07
Adventures

38. Attend my 20 year high school reunion. Coming up on 09/30 – I’ve already bought the tickets! Done!
39. Spend an entire day at a day spa (see # 46 also).
40. Pack a picnic lunch and spend the day at the park or the beach with the family.
41. Visit New York.
42. Attend a Broadway play.
43. Visit Europe.
44. Play a round of golf (not minature).
45. Visit Washington DC and surrounding area.
46. Take a trip to the hot springs in Calistoga (see # 39 also).
47. Stop at at least 10 kids cool-aid/lemonade stands.
48. See Beach Blanket Babalon.
49. Eat at a fondue restaurant.
50. Have a garage sale. Done! 09/16/06 & 09/17/06
51. Visit Catalina Island.
52. Visit the Grand Canyon.
53. Visit Mt. Rushmore.
54. Visit Alcatraz Island.
55. Visit the Mystery Spot. Completed 08/20/06!
56. Double our current Geocaching finds.
57. Visit at least three museums.
58. Spend a night on the Queen Mary.
59. Go on an overnight train ride.

Financial Goals

60. Pay off all our credit cards.
61. Contribute at least $5000 to the kids college fund.
62. Update our wills and who will take care of our children.
63. Complete our taxes on-time without an extension.
64. Clip coupons from the Sunday paper every week for 3 months & join a coupon exchange. Done! I can’t begin to tell you how much $$ I’ve saved!

Creativity

65.Write at least one blog a day for 30 days.
66. Frame the watercolor of the kids from our 2002 Disneyland trip.
67. Update JBs recipe book with actual measurements for the kids.
68. Create hand-written recipe cards from the computer generated recipies.
69. Learn to juggle.
70. Take a cooking class.
71. Learn a Steak Dianne recipe that John loves. Done 05/07
72. Learn how to knit.
73. Replace the wax on my didgeridoo and learn how to play it.
74. Learn enough HTML to make my own blog skin.
75. Have mom teach me to make chicken & dumplings.
76. Have mil teach me to make lumpia and chicken adobo.

Friends and Family

77. Actually get together with Aimee in person! Done! Lunch on 09/22/06!
78. Actually get together with Adrienne in person!
79. Send out Christmas cards on time. Done 12/06
80. Send birthday and anniversary cards to everyone in the family for a year (that’s gonna be a tough one!).
81. Have a family game night once a month for 6 months.
82. Spend an anniversary with my husband away from the kids (sorry kiddos).
83. Take my kids roller skating.
84. Take my kids bowling.
85. Visit my fathers grave site. Done 06/07
86. Take the kids strawberry (or something similar) picking.
87. Visit at Yosemite again and stay at preferably at the Ahwahnee, but not in a tent cabin.
88. Take my mom to a movie.
89. Visit Mickey in San Antonio or meet somewhere else for a vacation together (just us girls!).
90. See at least two Matt Nathanson shows.
91. Take the kids to feed the ducks at the duck pond.
92. Enroll John-John in preschool. Application turned in 08/22/06. Done! Preschool started 09/07/06
93. Teach John-John to swim. He took 2 swimming classes summer 2007!

Miscellaneous

94. Buy a new/used car (or a mini-van…ok there I said it). Done! New mini-van (can you believe it!) 09/04/06
95. Get rid of any shoes I haven’t worn for at least 12 months (yes, that includes the new ones too).
96. Make and take my lunch to work for 2 weeks straight.
97. Keep my car clean (interior and exterior) for at least 4 months.
98. Have my wedding dress cleaned and preserved.
99. Get our wedding album completed. Done 05/07!
100. Watch the entire Friends series from start to finish.
101. Watch all 6 star wars movies in the order they should be in.