101 Things in 1,001 Days

Start Date: June 6, 2011

A while back, I saw that my sister Hilary had compiled a “101 things in 1,001 days” list. Since then, I have seen it on many blogs across the Internet. My husband David and I have been working on a goals list for ourselves – things we want to accomplish in the next 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years and 10 years. I’ve married our shorter-term goals to my own personal ones for this life list.

End Date: March 4, 2014
Last updated: March 3, 2013

Currently: 34/101 things completed

Things Involving Money…

• Replace my station wagon’s alternator (sold car – July 2011)
• Buy new vehicle to replace Saturn (done, replaced with PT Cruiser – July 2012)
• Move to a larger home. (done, moved into 2 bedroom apartment – August 2012)
• Save (at least) $1000 in an emergency fund. ($700 towards this goal – February 2013)
• File to have child support through the court. (done – November 2012)
• Sell something on Craigslist. (done, sold futon – July 2011)
• Buy a sofa. (done, though we inherited a sofa, rather than buying one – August 2012)
• Buy a washer/dryer. (no need at the moment – no W/D hook-ups in our apartment)
• Buy a new TV (current one is very old). (done – February 2013)
• Upgrade/replace computer. (done – January 2012)
• Buy a great camera. (done – January 2012)
• Pay off 50% of past debts.
• Have a live Christmas tree instead of a plastic one.
• Replace our mattress. (done – March 2012)

Things Involving Health (Physical & Mental)…

• Stay sober & stable. (Completely sober since February 2010!)
• No cutting or self-harm. (with much effort, since January 2011!)
• Quit smoking, permanently. (This one always calls me back, when things get stressful.)
• Lose 50 lbs. (not counting baby weight).
• Stop drinking soda for 30 days.
• Eat a salad from our garden.
• Ride bike (at least) 1 mile per week.
• Buy personal medical insurance for David & I.
• Dance in public. (done – many times)
• Buy a blender to make smoothies.
• Cook holiday turkey at home.
• Organize pantry. (done – August 2012)
• Plant a fruit tree.
• Re-plant garden (had to leave ours behind when we moved).

Things Involving Others…

• Participate in Greenville’s Zombie Walk
• Go to Artisphere
• Make more real-life friends. (done, but more would be even better – September 2012)
• Attend Indie Craft Parade.
• Participate in Relay for Life.
• Attend a Counting Crows concert. (done – June 2012)
• Attend a Cowboy Mouth concert.
• Take the girls to their first live concert. (done – June 2012)
• Have girls’ friends over for a sleepover party.

Things Involving Creativity…

• Knit a pair of socks for each of us before it gets cold. (done – December 2012)
• Knit cardigan sweater for David
• Frame David’s original artwork. (done – August 2012)
• Do (at least) 1 art show with David. (done – October 2012)
• Frame our original Ruth Thompson artwork.
• Go to the Renaissance Faire in costume.
• Attend a Halloween costume party. (done – October 2010)
• Rebuild aquarium.
• Plant roses.
• Build a chicken coop & raise chickens.
• Build a bunny hutch.
• Buy/pick fresh flowers for the house at least once a month. (done, starting July 2012)
• Bury a time capsule.

Things Involving Adventure…

• Take a family vacation to Washington, DC
• Take the girls to a theme park
• Visit Patsy’s grave again.
• Visit Biltmore House
• Wiggle my toes in the Atlantic Ocean
• Visit an aquarium.
• Go to the zoo. (done – October 2011)
• Take a ghost tour.
• Take the girls to MagiQuest.
• Go to Charleston, SC.
• Go to DragonCon in Atlanta, GA.
• Play putt-putt golf.
• Take a boat ride.
• Fly a kite.
• Family go-karts!
• Go fishing.
• Shoot fireworks. (done – January 2012)
• Play laser tag with David.
• Go tubing on the Green River in North Carolina.
• Ride a roller coaster.
• Sing karaoke.
• Go hiking.
• Go on a picnic. (done – May 2012)
• Chase fireflies with the girls.
• Watch all 8 Harry Potter movies. (done – November 2011)
• Feed the ducks at Furman University.
• Feed the koi at Clemson Botanical Gardens. (done – 6/15/2011)
• Vote in presidential election – 2012. (done – November 2012)

Things Involving Learning…

• Teach Lakin to ride a bike.
• Teach the girls to crochet/knit. (done – February 2012)
• Read at least 6 books/year with David.
• Buy/build a set of dining room chairs. (done – September 2012)
• Build an art desk for David.
• Learn to play guitar.

Personal Things…

• Meet my new nephew Avery. (done – 7/2/2011)
• Lose 50 lbs. permanently.
• Give birth to a third child. (done – 7/1/2012, though she was born still.)
• Give birth to a fourth child, our rainbow baby.
• Have a wedding ceremony.
• Dance at our wedding ceremony.
• Swim naked.
• Stop biting my fingernails.
• Get another tattoo.
• Buy (and wear) a red dress.
• Dye my hair a crazy color (again). (done – 6/10/2011)
• Welcome my brother Zeb home from Afghanistan. (done – 9/9/2012)
• Go hear Handel’s Messiah with Mama at Christmas.
• Buy new jeans. (done, October 2011)
• Taste absinthe.
• Eat watermelon. (done, September 2012)
• Meet a real-life superhero.

Have you participated in a challenge like this? If so, how did it work out for you? I’m hoping it helps us really re-focus on our goals and stay on target to reach them. Wish me luck!