Inspired by the many bloggers who are participating in the 101 things in 1001 days project (as well as by the late Randy Pausch), I decided why not add another challenge (or 101) to my already busy life?
Thus, the following list…I finished writing this up around July 23rd with the plan of starting it on July 28, 2008…but time got in the way of posting the list online before that date. So, I started it on July 28th as planned…Day 1001 will be Monday, April 25, 2011.
101 Things in 1001 Days
In no particular order beyond as they came to mind, here they are…
1. Get rid of anything I don’t love, need, or use regularly. in progress
2. Read every book I own but haven’t read before buying any more books–check out anything else. (I have well over 50 in my possession currently…)
3. Make five desserts from scratch. one made on Thanksgiving 2008 (cranberry sauce counts, right?), March 2009: strawberry cheesecake pie (recipe in spring issue of Kraft Foods magazine, tweaked a bit).
4. Finish writing both of the books I’ve started.
5. Have a pedicure done three times a year.
6. Pay off all student loans by day 1001.
7. Publish a book of my photography to sell via Esty.
8. Take a belly dancing class.
9. Take a self-defense class.
10. Take shooting lessons–handgun, obviously.
11. Visit London (UK).
12. Take a road trip in a foreign country. Completed 6/21-23/09 (two day stretch in Alberta and Saskatchewan– of an overall 17 day roadtrip through the US & Canada)
13. Travel with a friend for a long weekend.
14. Handmake at least part of all the birthday/Christmas presents for a year.
15. Own an imac/ibook–buy with cash in hand. Considering as of 1.1.2010 I purchased computer #2 since this started and neither was a Mac, I think its safe to scratch this one off the list as a failure!
16. Blog daily on biz and personal sites for three months. I was on my way to this one in August 08, but fell off track trying to post to both blogs. Succeeded in Fall 2009 with the business blog. 17. Reply to all penpal letters within a month of receiving them for six months.
18. Attend a major photography conference (WPPI?) in 2010 or 2011.
19. Attend at least 2 photography workshops a year. 2008: done!… 2009: online/dvd workshops count, right?
20. Take a weekend trip within Texas by myself.
21. Take a long weekend trip out of state to visit a friend. done 8/7-10/09
22. Take a day trip every other month to photograph area towns and communities. working on …
23. Read at least five classics I’ve not already read.
24. Research and buy stock to add to my investment portfolio.
25. Find a full-time teaching position in criminal justice or political science at a junior/community college after April 2010.
26. Find a photography mentor who’ll challenge/encourage me to develop my own style. While I haven’t found a mentor, I have an entire online community/forum of wonderful, supportive photographers who’ve helped me figure out who I am, what I want out of this journey, and not to hesitate implementing it!
27. Find a new location each week I can use for photo sessions. working on all the time …
28. Encourage clients to try something different for part of their photo sessions. done! 11.1.08 and many times afterward!
29. Second shoot a wedding with one of the photographers who inspires me. Did this 4/09, unfortunately I discovered they weren’t quite so inspiring in person.
30. Break-even in 2009 with my business. Didn’t quite succeed, but I did surpass my 1/1/2009 goal income wise.
31. Make a profit in 2010 and 2011.
32. Photograph a destination wedding (in the US). As of 6.1.09, no longer photographing weddings, but if a friend accepts my gifted offer, this could happen in 2010 anyway!
33. See a musical (live).
34. See Trans-Siberian Orchestra live.
35. Attend a cultural event/festival that isn’t a part of my heritage. done! Weihnachten 12.5-7.08
36. Visit Stonehenge (either in the UK or Texas–yes, we have a mini one here!).
37. Hike through Palo Duro Canyon.
38. Go to Dublin (Texas) for St. Patrick’s Day.
39. Visit Timber, April, Bea, and Neva. (April: 6/09; Timber: 6/09)
40. Run three days a week without fail for an entire season.
41. Run a 5K at least twice a year.
42. Visit a major national park. Completed 6/12-28/09: Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Glacier, Waterton (Canada), Theodore Roosevelt + Devils Tower NM, Mt. Rushmore NM, and OKC National Memorial.
43. Go a week without drinking Dr Pepper and Mountain Dew. Done Dec 9-15, 2008. Only gave in to be alert while driving on icy roads early on the 16th …
44. Attend a country music concert. …done August 22, 2008!
45. Play golf on a real course (i.e. not putt putt).
46. Attend two Dallas Mavericks games each season.
47. Develop a website that has nothing to do with me or photography. Done Sept 09 — website for my parents’ farm/hay business.
48. Don’t buy anything new personally (excluding business-related expenses) for three months–food and meds obviously excluded.
49. Take a self-portrait monthly. July 08-check! Aug 08 – check! Sept 08 – check! Oct 08 — check! Nov 08 — check! Dec 08 – check! Jan 09 — check! Feb 09 — check! March 09 — check! April 2009 — check! May 2009 — check! June 09- check! July 09 — missed. August 09 — missed. September 09 – check! October 09- check!
50. Create an inspiration board. Done Feb 09! Picture coming soon!
51. Volunteer my photography services for local servicemen/women and NILMDS. 8/31/09: Approved Photographer for Think Pink Photography; 11.09: set up my own program to provide photog services for area servicemen/women and their families.
52. Find a church home.
53. Save up a sizable down payment for a home.
54. Read the Bible from cover to cover.
55. Start a small book club.
56. Adopt a rescued/shelter dog and/or cat. Does ‘adopting’ a stray that just showed up count? April 2009!
57. Start a memorial scholarship for my high school in memory of classmates that have passed on.
58. Attend high school class reunion in 2008. done Sept 27, 2008!
59. Keep a plant alive–on my own–for an entire season.
60. If its something I can make instead of buying, make it (at least 5 things). Aug 08: made a prop setup for a contest idea I photographed; Summer 2009: created postcard sets for friends and family rather than buying them generic ones on vacation.
61. Photograph the campuses of Baylor, UT-Austin, SMU, TCU, OU, Oral Roberts, Trinity University, Austin College–and go back and finish photographing A&M and Southwestern (Southwestern: 11.10.08).
62. Set up at an art/craft fair or festival and sell prints/advertise business. 11.09: Local holiday expo, advertised portrait biz, sold postcard sets.
63. Take a photography class.
64. Write a travel article and have it published–online or in print.
65. Say no to school fundraisers I’m hit up for stuff I don’t need. Done a few times so far …
66. Do something anonymously for someone in need.
67. Revive my family genealogy research site.
68. Learn how to design a flash website.
69. Own a piece a jewelry from Tiffany & Co.
70. Take a basic yoga class.
71. Cancel all catalogs I receive currently.
72. Spend one evening every other week editing my personal photos–no client photo editing. working on …
73. Come up with a business name for my fine art/travel photos – done! Although as of 1.1.2010, reconsolidated this into my main business.
74. Develop a slideshow displaying a sample of all my work for both biz websites. Completed 1.1.2010
75. Spend an afternoon reading a book in a hammock or on a blanket.
76. Try a Jamba Juice.
77. Volunteer at the local humane society.
78. Draft a will, power of attorney, and medical power of attorney.
79. Post a recipe a week to my recipe blog.
80. Send a care package to a solider each Christmas. 2008 — done! 2009 — contributed to one via work.
81. Submit a secret to Post Secret.
82. See the King Tut exhibit while it is in Dallas. May 16, 2009!
83. Participate in Nanowrimo again.
84. Finish all of the audio classes I bought in July 08 by the end of July 09. Didn’t complete by July 09.
85. Run a mile in 8 minutes or less.
86. Watch the BBC Planet Earth series.
87. Ride the Texas State Railroad from Palestine to Rusk & back and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad from Ft Worth to Grapevine and back.
88. Stay a night at an expensive hotel with room service. Done! June 14-16, 2009 at Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole, Wyoming!
89. Visit the Thanksgiving Square Chapel in Dallas (my stepgrandfather helped build it). May 16, 2009!
90. Attend a Flickr photog meetup.
91. Go camping–cabin or a tent!
92. Go thru all of my Christmas decorations–donate the ones I no longer use that don’t have a ’special memory.’
93. Create a list of account information/critical information for my family (in the event something happens to me). working on Aug & Sept/09
94. Wear a cute dress for no particular reason.
95. Build the knock-off version of the Pottery Barn bed I want (the bed ‘base’ not the headboard).
96. Research and purchase a point and shoot camera. done 7.30.08
97. Start and maintain a travel and an emergency savings account with ING. started 7.28.08!
98. Maintain a gratitude journal daily for at least six months.
99. Join PPA. Done March 09!
100. Visit San Francisco, Sausalito, Catalina Island, and Big Sur.
101. Meet or discover a man with whom I would like to spend the rest of my life with.
