Eighteen Completed Goals

Happy March First! :) I just crossed off number 86 - as that plant is still kickin'. I've done good.

I also updated a few little building block goals; I'm on book 8 of 100 now, I posted at least twice on my main blog in February, we did a date night, I made a meal no matter how simple it may have been... and so on. I also finished one of the four (but maybe 6!) blankets I need to make by Christmas this year! This one is for one of my nieces who answered the all important "What's your favorite color" question with "Orange".

It's a about twice as long as shown, and really not quite THAT bright in person. Though it is definitely pretty bright. Also, I taught myself a fancy ruffle edge crochet stitch for this one, I like it. You probably can't even tell it's there from the picture though. Next up is a blanket in all different flavors of pink!

Everybody's Talking About Change

I just did a little list updating. For now I've italicized a couple that will need changing, but I'll have to think on them (like - #30: Chewy goal, and #39: Dale goal). A few others changed completely, and SOME have even been crossed out! WOO! Progress is awesome.

I now have SEVENTEEN completed goals! And a few straggler halves. We won't discuss those. Matter of fact, I could probably stop adding "halves" now that I have a real whole number to brag about... but the halves kind of remind me that I should finish those at some point. Sort of. I don't DO it, but they remind me that I should... yeah.

First up... #55. I got a Wii! It was part my birthday present, and part money from Christmas. It is wicked fun and I like it more than I thought I would even! I've only had it a week though.

I know what you're thinking... if I got a Wii one of my halves should have disappeared, right? You don't miss anything! But... check out # 86. I got a plant! Two actually, from work for my birthday. So all I have to do is keep one (or both) alive long enough to feel like I've succeeded, and that baby will get crossed off too! (That probably won't take long. I've had them a week and am starting to get a bit cocky.)

What else is different?! .... I changed my crocheting goals around. I think I mentioned that I didn't really care about trying all those patterns once I knew I could figure it out. So... I left #3 (the roly-poly pig) the same since it's for my mom (who likes pigs). I can probably give that a shot sometime in the next 800 and some days. I changed #4 to crocheting 4 (or more if it goes well!) blankets as Christmas gifts this year. I started a bright orange one last night. A certain niece of mine chose orange as her favorite color - I'm thinking it will be mostly orange (well the yarn calls itself "pumpkin"), with a touch of bright pink and green, and maybe white. Four (maybe six!) blankets in this year alone is a pretty big goal, so I forgive myself for this next indiscretion. I changed #5 to "crochet a snowman and a santa for my mom for Christmas." Then I crossed it out, since I already did that. See the snowman! See the Santa... I still need to suck it up and finish #6! That second stinking bootie. This is pretty lame of me since it's even started. It would maybe take and hour or two.

#36 - Cleaning my car inside and out twice a year? I've pathetically changed that to simply cleaning out the trash once in a blue moon. Don't judge me!

I changed #37 to set up somewhat of a home binder. But I don't plan to get all complicated like some I've seen! I'll be happy with just having somewhere to put receipts and manuals - maybe with a phone number list. That sounds fancy to me.

I tried my new food for 2009! (#40) It was tomato bisque with mushrooms. (Yes, soup. Shut up.) Words like "bisque" would normally put me off, but yesterday? I TRIED IT. And it was good. But apparently bisque is normally creamier than that was. I probably wouldn't have liked it that way, so I'm glad.

I changed #81 from "keep reading, and keep track of what I read" to Read 100 books! WOO! I have been trying to read 50 books in one year the last few years, but I don't really come close. So I figured 100 books in 1001 days might be doable! And I can still keep track using my 50 books set-up: which is this list here. Counting from my first Jane Austen book (which I started right about the same time I started this list) I'm at six total so far. I better get trucking!

I think those are the only major changes/updates. Though I did update #99 to show just '09 and '10... since I never got to do it this year! That makes me sad actually. At first I kept forgetting to look, and then I think it was maybe too close to Christmas once I did remember - because I didn't find a drop box. Next year (this year!) I will be more pro-active about it. Seriously! I will! Because I do feel bad that it didn't happen this year. Sigh.

Overdue Update

I really let this go too long without an update. I didn't forget, I just kept saying to myself "I'll get to it soon." Which obviously didn't work out so well. So I have a few updates, I've now completed fourteen total items!

• I completed both Nablopomo and Holidailies this year, so I got to cross off numbers 88 and 90 (they also counted as parts of 89 and 91).
• I started taking a multivitamin, so there's number 43.
• I also crossed off finishing the staining of the picnic table, number 19. Which I didn't technically have to do anything for. I thought it would need another coat when I added it to the list, but I never did that and I think it's going to be fine. It seems to be handling this winter pretty awesomely. Maybe that's cheating, but I don't think so.
• I just crossed off number 85: Win some money! Anything over $20 counts. We won a total of $21 from scratchy tickets this Christmas. That was a shared win, but I think it still counts. Especially because I also won a hooded sweatshirt as a "door prize" from a benefits fair at work about a month or two ago. Those are usually about $30, so I'd say that counts too!

• I don't get to cross this off yet, but I finished Pride & Prejudice awhile ago also (I blogged about it here), so that brings me up to 2/7 for number 82.

I think I'll be doing some maintenance to my list soonish. Reading through it just now I found a few things that I really don't even want to do anymore. So I should change those to something more worthwhile. Like... I don't particularly care about making the roly-poly crochet things from patterns anymore. Once I learned how to follow a pattern I felt complete in that area. lol! At Christmas I made a snowman and a santa without a pattern and those made me feel better than the turtle from a pattern, so I really think I've moved past that. I still haven't finished that second bootie either. D'oh!

Nine and Three Halves!

D'oh, with the halves! I just crossed off get more work clothes. Since I just ordered some new work pants, and I got a few sweaters not too long ago! It's a step in the right direction.

Then I also half crossed off throw away (or give away) things we don't use/need. I have filled a couple bags with clothes to take to the Salvation Army box, but I can probably fill a couple more once Jeff goes through his stuff too. We haven't made a delivery yet. And I gave away a dresser to friends. So that totally counts! I'll cross it off the rest of the way when we actually take the bags to the collection box.

I cooked tonight. Shake N Bake, but it counts! It was really good too. I updated a couple other monthly things I think but now I can't remember specifically. Tomorrow is supposed to be date day, I think we're going to a movie. Not sure what we're seeing, but my guess is Role Models. Possibly the new Madagascar movie.

The Monthly Wrap-Up

Here's the update you've all been hanging on the edge of your seats for. I'm so sure. :)

25. Save $1 a day so I will have $1,001 at the end of this challenge! Still going.
28. Maintain the illusion of cleanliness a little each month. (3/33) I bought a Swiffer Duster, and was actually disappointed that it didn't do the dusting for you. Like, the commercials kind of made it sound like my dust would just jump off the shelves onto the fluffy rag thing. That did not happen.
36. Keep car at least MOSTLY cleaned out. It’s not a junk drawer. Clean it inside and out once every 6 months (0/5) Yeah I kind of planned to do this in October, didn't I? Heh. Well now I will shoot for November.
44. Spend some time outdoors at least one weekend each month. Even in winter ones. Even if it’s only 15 minutes and I’m shoveling.(3/33)
54. Cook more: 1 real (my version of “effort somewhat required”) meal a month (3/33) Shake N' Bake counts.
57. Date more: at least one outing (or possibly in-ing) that counts as a date every month. (3/33) I almost didn't count it at first since we argued the whole time. lol! But we went and saw Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.
81. Keep reading, and keep track of what you read! I updated my list in the sidebar of my other blog. I think that's the only realistic way to do this, maybe.
87. Blog at least once every other week. Two in a row to make up for missed posts is totally allowed. (5/72) November is totally taken care of, considering it's NaBloPoMo! Look over here: http://sarahthings.wordpress.com/

88. Successfully finish NaBloPoMo (blog every day in November) once.
89. Try every year (1/3)
90. Successfully complete Holidailies (blog every day in December) once.
91. Try every year (0/3)

99. Buy and donate gifts for the (is it Toys for Tots?) tree things at a store each Christmas. (’08, ’09, ’10) (0/3) Soon! I can't wait, this is actually pretty fun.
100. Celebrate this lists’ milestones! Do something special after you complete a total of 25, 50, 75, and the final item(s)! (0/4) I think I'm still hovering at 8 and 2 halves.
101. Check off items on this list as I complete them, and blog about it! Or at least blog the bigger items. Of course.

Eight Completed Goals!

I just crossed off #65... start a Christmas Village. I won two pieces on eBay and have them both in my possession. I chose a Norman Rockwell village. I'm now the proud owner of...

Rockwell's Studio:And the Williams & Son Country Store:

I also updated my list a little here and there. I decided I don't have to ride my bike in September or October after all. =D October is apparently much colder than I remember it being. It sucks. And September just fell through the cracks, so in order to make myself feel better I made it officially disappear.
I finished The Assistant by Bernard Malamud the other night - it was my choice from that list I wanted to pick from once a year (#84). And I started my next Jane Austen (#82) Pride & Prejudice... it's already more promising than Sense & Sensibility! Or maybe I'm primed for the writing style now? Who knows.
There are a few other monthly ones in there, but nothing very interesting. I'm working on a painting right now - but I can't post it just yet in case the person it's intended for finds his or her way here. That's #14. And hey - does carving a pumpkin count for "sculpt something" ? Because I'll be doing that tomorrow or Sunday. You should do it too. I had something else in mind for that, but it flopped. No you may not see it. It has long since been destroyed.
Coming up really quick here are #'s 88 and 89! I'm all signed up to post everyday in November for NaBloPoMo... that will happen here. Please stop in and leave me ideas for future posts. I will need all the help I can get!

Numbers 27 and 56... DONE!

I love being able to update the number of goals completed! I have now done SEVEN full goals! And those two halves are still waiting on me to finish them up. Heh...
#27: On Monday (I know I said Friday... but I ended up leaving work sick. :( Obviously I was able to reschedule though...) an HR person came and helped me set up my 401k. Where I work they contribute 5%, then will match up to another 4%, so I just set it up with that 4% for now, and will figure out how I might want to change it as I go. I was told that with each raise I get I should add another 1%, and then I won't even miss that money... that seems pretty genius. I will plan on at least doing that!
#56: I totally bought this game for myself:

And it arrived yesterday! And I spent all last night singing my little heart out! Jeff won't play my new game with me. What a jerk! I think he thinks it matters how your voice sounds? And it so does NOT. That's the whole point of living room karaoke. You can sing as horribly as you want! Woo! Good thing too, 'cause I'm pretty horrible. Though I did sing Bohemian Rhapsody on MEDIUM and I didn't get boo-ed off stage! Randy and Paula even liked me! Simon said it was "just okay" though. Jerk.