Just as Promised... More details!

I'm back, 30 seconds after my last post!

January 2nd started the 2nd year of my 101 list. Looking over the last year (which for some reason, I've had a bugger of a time remembering), I feel pretty good. I've finished 24 of the 101 goals, and have made progress on another 32. For those of you counting, that's more than half the list! I have a ways to go yet, but the beauty of the list is that it isn't about knocking off as many items as you can. It's about the journey, and adapting, and discovering things about yourself.

Technically, because I haven't started some of these things, I won't be able to finish them. Yeah, that bums me out a bit, but I'm doing so many new things that I'm not obsessed with what I'm not going to finish. And not just things on the list! Things that I'm no longer afraid to try. As it turns out, most of me doesn't give a crap about what other people think. Also fun: because of the different things I spend my time on, I'm getting quite an eclectic reputation. WOOO! Thought I'd have to go many more years before that happened.

Anyhow. Here's a few of the things I'm really going to be working on this year:

Numbers 1, 2, 5, 7, and 14. Health! Fitness! 2010 is going to be a year to find my shape again, and then try to get back into it. I'm so tired of not having energy, of feeling so BIG, of being uncomfortable in my own skin. That pretty much says it all.

#18- Donating rice! I'm just over 1/10 of the way to my goal... need to STEP.IT.UP.

We have found a wonderful church home at Hope Community Church. Since the first time we stepped into the building, we've been welcomed with open arms. Everyone is kind, and we've met a lot of people our age. It's really cool. And that leads us to number 30, attempting to join the worship team. Hold on to your underwear- I sing in church on the team for the first time on January 31st. AHHHHHH! Am I nervous? Yep. Very? Yep.

Feeling really good about how school is going so far. I'm in my second quarter at DePaul, and I'm going to school full time for the first time ever! I expect it to be difficult, but I'm looking ahead to the eventual rewards.

Anything financial- paying down debt and working on saving!!!!

Travel: I would love nothing more than to accomplish numbers 59 & 60. I hope to, by the end of this year, visit my brother in D.C. and take a day trip to New York City while there.

I'm less than 60 books away from finishing number 78. When I've read all 286, I'll be doing a post on just what I've read, and what is good, and what you should skip. Teaser: Don't bother reading the new Cloris Leachman autobiography. She's funny in movies and such, but a total drag to read. Plus, I don't want to know who she's slept with. Sadly, I do know now.

#83 Finish watching the movies we have that I haven't seen yet!!! 16 to go.

One my husband and I have been working a lot on is number 87: refurbishing my dollhouse. We've re-shingled (except that we ran out of them when we only needed about 15 more... working on that), and put in two new windows and a new door! I also have my first piece of furniture; a little turquoise chair that I painted, which will eventually go in the craft room of the dollhouse.

Finally, I'm going to be attempting to limit my computer time and make more of an effort to reach out to my cousins.

So there you go! A look ahead at what I'll be trying in the new year. I encourage all of you to embrace whatever goals you have and be a little fearless this year as well. God bless!

Laura

New Year, New Post!

I'm gonna do 2 different posts, one just a quick recap of the list, and then another, more detailed post, about how I feel I'm doing so far, and what my goals for this year are. Here we go!

The Key:

Not Started

In Progress

Accomplished

Alrighty! Here's my list.

Overall Health (Mental & Physical):

1. Lose 5lbs. (0/5) New Year, let's try this again!

2. Keep weight off for at least 12 months. (0/12)

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

4. Try acupuncture.

5. Work out at least 3 times a week. (2/429)

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. (6/143)

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.

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. (159,680/1,500,000)

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

20. Donate blood at least three times. (3/3)

21. Be a Salvation Army bell ringer one season.

22. Tip the cost of the meal once.

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

24. Donate at least one scarf a year to Knit Your Bit. (1/3)

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

Spiritual:

26. Complete two Bible/Spiritual book studies with a friend. (5+/2)

27. Read The Love Dare by Stephen Kendrick with Matt.

29. Make finding a church home a priority.

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/quarters. (1/3)

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?

36. Become CPR certified.

37. Learn to french braid.

38. Learn to make origami cranes.

39. Learn to knit.

40. Make a better effort to learn Russian.

41. Learn to juggle.

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.

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! (2/30+)

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

50. Have 501 No Spending Days! (150/501)

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)

55. Journal at least once a week. (53/143)

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!

71. Get rid of all VHSs, replace with DVDs.

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.) (7/15) The Call, Regina Spektor; Baba O'Riley, The Who; Dust in the Wind, Kansas, Defying Gravity, Kerry Ellis; Petra Haden; Whatever It Takes, The Faders; Many the Miles, Sara Bareilles .

78. Read at least two new-to-me books a week from the library. (229/286)

79. Read Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.

80. See the musical Wicked.

81. Read the Twilight series.

82. Make and keep a movie for insurance purposes. Started 1/23/09 Last Updated 12/09

83. Watch all the movies we have that I haven't seen yet. Only 16 left!

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.

88. Brush Varmit once a week. (30/143)

89. Make someone's day.

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.

Numbers 24, 39, and 93- Check!

Good morning everyone! It's a lovely Saturday in November, no sign of snow, and temps are still in the 50s. Bleh. It should be colder, people! And we should get at least a little snow. This is Wisconsin. Anyways. It's been a big couple of weeks. I've completed, or nearly completed, three more items on my 101 list! Yea me!

First off- my hair is red again. A little back story: I used to do all sorts of weird things to my hair- it's been purple, green, blue, pink, red, it's been cut short, cut badly, and I once had the world's most unfortunate perm. But somewhere along the lines, I think about 5 years ago, I went to donate 10 inches of my hair to Locks of Love. The hairdresser was new (read: completely inexperienced), and she took 18 inches. It was a shock, because I really like my hair, love it in fact. Since it's mostly grown back, I've been really cautious about who does what to my hair. It hasn't had more than a trim in 5 years. So, here we are, a week ago, and I impulsively grab a box of the most red and vibrant color off the shelf at Wal-Mart and I went home and dyed it. Honestly, I was horrified for the first 3 days until I realized that I really didn't give a crap what other people thought, and have now come to really love my red, fading to pink hair. (Even though the dye said permanent, it keeps washing out... hmmm.) So, here you go-

That's me in my fiery glory. Me-ow. #93 is officially done.

What's next? Oh yes, it's a two-parter! Numbers 24 and 39. I have to give a big shout out to Abby G who I work with. For the cost of a medium hot chocolate, she taught me to knit and purl, increase and decrease. I've only had one lesson so far, but I've completed my first and second projects. The first was a ribbed hat, in a lovely olive green wool that brings out my eyes.

I call it the green bell. Not really, but it's fun to name things. It came out a little smaller than it was supposed to; I don't think I knitted enough length, but it fits and it's adorable! You doubt me? Check it out:

I'm precious. It's nice and warm too. I will definitely need more practice sewing seams together, and more practice knitting in general, but I'm very proud of this hat! Number 24 on my list is about giving back to people who have given so much to us, and this country. Knit Your Bit is an organization that was started in 2006. They accept scarves and blankets, and then donate the items to veterans around the country. So far, they have handed out almost 10,000 scarves from knitters worldwide. And I'm just really excited to be a part of the program! My Grandpa K was in WWII. He saw a lot of action, and was always in the thick of things. Knowing that there might be other brave soldiers out there, who aren't as fortunate as my grandpa, makes me want to help. Go to this website for more information: http://www.nationalww2museum.org/calendar/knit-your-bit.html. Here is the scarf that I made-

I couldn't get the best detail shots, but it's very soft, and about 90 inches long. It's important to the program that the scarves are gender neutral, and washable. They have a new pattern every year that they like you to use, but the also accept any appropriate scarf. I felt that since this was only my second knitting project, I should play it safe. I used size 17 needles and a bulky yarn, so it knit up very quickly (like how I'm throwing knitting terms around?). Here's an action shot:

I look warm, right? The scarf was made with much love, and will be headed towards Knit Your Bit headquarters later today in the mail.

As it turns out, I love knitting. I love the feeling that I am creating something that is beautiful and functional. I'm making something warm. And passing that warmth on makes me feel wonderful. I encourage all of you knitters or crocheters out there to donate as well, if they feel called to this cool program. So, numbers 24 and 39 are well on their way to completion. Technically, number 39 is done, because I know how to knit, but I'm still new, and there are a lot of techniques I haven't tried yet.

All right, I think that's enough for today! Keep your feet warm, and your hands busy. God bless.

Laura

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!

Just Because You Say You're Sorry...

ATTENTION ALL BULLIES!

You know who you are. Most of you would never admit to anyone that you are a cruel person, who has said many mean things meant to hurt people. I have done this in the past, but thankfully, God has come into my life, and shown me how wrong I was.

Many of you have not had this same epiphany. I'm thinking of one teen girl in particular. You know who you are. You go to church, and Youth Group, and then you get on Facebook and rip apart other people who you think have wronged you. Have you heard of turning the other cheek? Have you heard of forgiveness, or rising above it? How about ignoring it?

To me, you are the worst sort of person. Someone who claims to be a Christian, and then goes on with your life like nothing has changed. Acting the same, thinking the same, talking the same. You should be different; you should be better.

Your words mean something. Once they leave your mouth, you can never take them back. Apologize all you want. Say you "hate yourself for what you did". Say you are a bad person. It DOES NOT MATTER. Words hurt. Words kill. Make it right by changing everything about yourself. Stop being a hypocrite.

I apologize to whoever reads this thing... not many, I know. But I am disgusted by the behaviors I witness in most people. There is no excuse for cruelty. I felt the need to say it.

Hopefully, once my temper cools, I'll be back with a 101 update. Until then- try kindness.