Finally, An Update!

Hi Everyone! I apologize for yesterday's outburst. My heart was in the right place, but that may have not been the most constructive way to deal with my anger. Anyhow! Back on track...

I've decided just to reprint the whole list to get us all back into the swing of things. I've been really good about some things, and completely crappy on others, but I'm still enjoying the idea and the effort involved.

The Key:

Not Started

In Progress

Accomplished

Alrighty! Here's my list.

Overall Health (Mental & Physical):

1. Lose 5lbs. (0/5) Trust me, I need to lose many, many more than 5lbs, but I'm focusing on reaching a goal, not the size of the goal. This is really hard for me. It's especially hard with 3 siblings who are all tall and skinny.

2. Keep weight off for at least 12 months. (0/12) The more important part of the goal!

3. Stand on the dock at Grandma Findlay's house at sunset and yell for any or no reason.

4. Try acupuncture.

5. Use the elliptical at least 3 times a week. (0/429)

6. List 25 things I like about myself. (5/25) My hair; the beauty mark on my right collarbone; 90% of the time, my glass is more than 1/2 full; I never ever stop hoping; that Mamma Mia! makes me so happy I want to cry.

7. Do yoga at least once a week. (2/143)

8. Try the couch to 5k program- start in the spring.

9. Get new glasses.

10. Take a dance class.

11. Ask for help if I need it.

12. Cut out red meat for two weeks. (doesn't have to be consecutive) (0/2)

13. Cut out bread for three weeks. (again, doesn't have to be consecutive) (0/3)

14. Eat only when I'm hungry.

15. Find better birth control. I'm marking this as finished for a couple of reasons. I've looked over all the different options out there, and I always settle on the pill. I'm not interested in any of the implants or shots or anything, and my husband and I have decided that we do want children, and sooner rather than later, so we're just taking things a month at a time.

16. Take a self-defense class.

17. Make a list of 100 things that make me happy. Optional, doodle them onto the craft room walls. (0/100)

Generosity:

18. Donate 1,500,000 grains of rice. (150,720/1,500,000)

19. Help someone cross an item off of their 101 list. (within reason)

20. Donate blood at least three times. (3/3) This one is laughable! As it turns out, I am unable to donate blood. It refuses to leave my body. I will try again, someday, when I weigh a lot less. Maybe that will get the blood flowing again.

21. Be a Salvation Army bell ringer one season.

22. Tip the cost of the meal once. So, the meal only cost $13.00, but still! It was fun to do.

23. Tip 50% of the meal twice. (0/2)

24. Donate at least one scarf a year to Knit Your Bit. (0/3)

25. Donate two Christmas Shoeboxes a year. (0/4)

Spiritual:

26. Complete two Bible/Spiritual book studies with a friend. (5+/2) We've (the hubby and I) have been meeting with some friends every week since July, and we've studied Romans, Joshua, Judges, and more! Matt and I are also starting with a Young Adult group at our new church. Yea!!

27. Read The Love Dare by Stephen Kendrick with Matt. Such a good study! I encourage all married couples to do this!

28. Read the Bible- EXPLORE it.

29. Make finding a church home a priority. We think we found one! More on this as we settle in and try getting involved in different areas of the church.

30. If we find a church, try joining the worship team.

Skills/Education:

31. Take two lifelong learning classes at WTC. (0/2)

32. Enroll in college and complete three semesters. (1/3) I'm going to DePaul University! It's all online, and it's hard, but I love it.

33. Learn to drive a stick shift well... no more bumpy first gear!

34. Learn to shoot a handgun.

35. Learn archery... learn to arch? I'm looking into it, but you apparently can't just rent or borrow a bow, you need to buy one that's your size... $400... YIKES.

36. Become CPR certified.

37. Learn to french braid.

38. Learn to make origami cranes. WOOOOO!!! Thank you Chao at work for spending 3 days teaching me how to do this!

39. Learn to knit. In progress!

40. Make a better effort to learn Russian.

41. Learn to juggle. Oi.

For the Environment:

42. Use only cloth napkins.

43. Buy ten reusable shopping bags. (10/10)

44. Stop buying bagged salads, learn to make my own. Working on it! I really suck at chopping things.

45. Find something better than plastic bottles to keep me hydrated.

Financial:

46. Use all tax returns to pay off credit card debt. (1/3)

47. Save $10 from each of my paychecks, and $20 from each of Matt's. (min. $50/month) Every $100 goes to credit card debt.

48. Make a budget with Matt, and stick to it! (0/30+)

49. Pay back J & K. ($500/$500)

50. Have 501 No Spending Days! (6/501)

Writing:

51. Write a letter to my future firstborn. Started 2/1/09

52. Write a poem.

53. Send a secret to Postsecret.

54. Send five letters/postcards/care packages for no reason each year. (5/15) I've been sending funny postcards to my friends... I think they like them.

55. Journal at least once a week. (14/143)

56. Send Ella and Eli a letter once a month. (3/30+)

57. Write better descriptions for all my Etsy listings.

58. Keep a dream journal.

Travel:

59. Visit Jeremy in D.C.

60. Take a picture of myself on the Brooklyn Bridge, holding a copy of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

61. Take a road trip with no destination.

62. Ride a train somewhere.

63. Go on a hot air balloon ride.

64. Visit Betty Smith's grave with mom.

65. Go to Six Flags with a group of friends for my 26th birthday.

66. Visit five new states. (0/5)

67. Mule the Grand Canyon.

68. Chase a storm.

69. Visit Anna in London, and go to at least two other countries while there. Part done, part still working on it!

Music, Movies, & Books:

70. Clean up my Ipod- remove every song I don't like! Done! I've got almost 3,000 songs on there, and I like them all!

71. Get rid of all VHSs, replace with DVDs. We sold all the VHSs, we are still working on replacing them, but I think it counts because they're gone.

72. Get new trivia books for both bathrooms. (0/2)

73. Watch every episode of Freaks & Geeks. (18/18)

74. See The Weepies in concert.

75. Find a hardcover copy of Joy in the Morning in an antique store.

76. Convince someone of the awesomeness that is Abba.

77. Find five new songs/musicians/groups each year that affect me (i.e. make me so happy or so sad or so etc... perhaps something I can listen to over and over again.) (4/15) The Call, Regina Spektor; Baba O'Riley, The Who; Dust in the Wind, Kansas, Defying Gravity; Kerry Ellis.

78. Read at least two new-to-me books a week from the library. (174/286) Can you believe this? I never really realized how fast and how much I read until I started keeping track. Best books so far? Hunger Games and Catching Fire, The Heroin Diaries... many more!

79. Read Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.

80. See the musical Wicked.

81. Read the Twilight series.

82. Make and keep a movie and book inventory for insurance purposes. Started 1/23/09 Last Updated 10/09

83. Watch all the movies we have that I haven't seen yet. Only 30 left! And I plan to watch at least four of the older horror movies in a spectacular Halloween movie marathon.

Misc.:

84. Complete (with no outside help) fifteen crossword puzzles. Can be any level, but one must be hard. (4/15) 3 Easy, 1 Medium

85. Complete (finally!!!) my hot air balloon puzzle.

86. Organize childhood photographs with mom.

87. Finish refurbishing dollhouse- including furniture. Still working on re-painting, and then we need to find new shingles. It's going to be beautiful!

88. Brush Varmit once a week. (14/143)

89. Make someone's day. (they have to say something like "you really made my day" in connection with this item, and no fishin' around for them to say it...) This one was great! Thank you Cindi!

90. Limit computer time to two hours a day, four out of seven days a week. (10/572)

91. Complete Keri Smith's 100 ideas. (0/100)

92. Buy big happy rain boots and go puddle jumping.

93. Dye my hair red.

94. Wear false eyelashes on a regular day... extra points if they're sparkly.

95. Scrapbook at least five hours a month. (0/175)

96. Try eggplant.

97. Buy a new nude bra.

98. Submit a photo to bestkisses.com.

99. High-five five strangers in non-athletic venues. (1/5) 1/28/09 High-fived a guy at the counter at the Barnes & Noble Cafe... he was quoting my favorite poem!

100. Reconnect with my Kolosovsky family. Working on it... Facebook helps!

101. Find the best tattoo artist in the state (or tri-state area) and have them do my little red dragon.

So, there you go! Things have been moving along pretty quickly, but I'm feeling really good about most of the choices we're making these days. If you haven't started a 101 list yet, give it a try! It helps you discover a lot of things about yourself and what your real dreams are. Enjoy!