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January 101 in 1001 Update

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Welcome to the Ignorant Historian! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

I’ve now completed the first full month of my 101 in 1001 list. I’m still excited to work on it, and am ahead of schedule, having completed 8 goals, and at 13.23% total. Specifically, here’s what I’ve been working on:

7. Watch 10 movies I’ve wanted to see. 1/10

I saw Tomorrow, When the War Began on Netflix this month. I enjoyed it and felt it was pretty true to the book that I enjoyed so much as a teen.

8. Complete a 1000-piece puzzle. - Completed 1/8/2013

I had about 1/3 of this completed before I started this list, but it still counts!

12. Stay in my pajamas for at least 24 hours. – Completed 1/1/2013

This was an easy and fun thing to do.

13. Wear earrings at least 20 days in a month. – Completed 1/14/2013

This had the desired affect of making me feel not quite fully dressed without jewelry now.

14. Reread (or listen to the audio of) 20 books. 3/20

Listened to Rebecca and The Kiterunner.

16. Say “yes” to 10 things I would have said “no” to. 2/10

I forgot to mention it, but last month I went with my brother and sister-in-law to give blood. my iron was uncharacteristically low so I was not able to give, but I went and would have if I hadn’t been turned down, so I count this!

This month I went to my work’s holiday party that I wasn’t looking forward to. It turns out that I had a good time, so I’m glad that I went!

20. Ask 5 friends to suggest a book, and read them. 2/5

I now have all my suggestions and have finished 2 (reviews coming).

27. Hike 101 miles. 7.1/101

I’m trying to hike at least once a month. I chose a warm, slightly-wet Monday to hike and ended up wearing a poncho for about a mile.

28. Swim 303 miles. 10.96/303

SO glad to be back in the pool. I know that’s a random number, but I’m actually counting laps, not miles. I’ve gotten a bit of a slow start, but I hope to catch up to wear I should be in February.

36. Get to my goal weight. 5%

I’ve lost 5% of what I need to in order to get to my goal. This is one of the hugest goals on my list (pun intended) and will take a lot of self-control.

39. Floss everyday for a month. - Completed 1/16/2013

41. Eat no fast food for a month. – Started 1/15/2013

This has been SO good for me, particularly since it’s been a stressful few weeks at work. If I hadn’t been working on this goal, I would likely have stopped for junk many an evening. I realize that I don’t really need fast food like I think I do. I’ve only had one day that I didn’t have time to go home for dinner, and on that day I got by with a peanut butter and honey sandwich on the way to my meeting.

45. Journal 500 times. 46/500

I’m journaling almost daily and am so glad that I’ve built this habit back into my life.

46. Write an “if anything happens to me” letter. - Completed 1/1/2013

Of course I cried when writing this. Glad to have it in case.

47. Blog 303 times. 25/303

Some of these are future posts, that you will see someday.

48. Read the Bible through in 5 different versions. 339/5945 chapters

49. Memorize 101 verses. 4/101

52. Make a list of 101 things I’m thankful for. 37/101

53. Give up non-sports TV for a month. – Completed 1/30/2013

This has been really good for me as well. I’ve totally reworked my evening routine around swimming, preparing my meals, and reading.

55. Write 101 letters or encouraging emails. 47/101

58. Donate $1001 (above what I give to the church). 180/1001

60. Throw out/recycle/donate 50 other things. 4/50

63. Volunteer 101 hours. 14.5/101

72. Have  $X in savings. 20.69%

74. Pay down student loan to below $X. 4.91%

78. Wear a skirt or dress to work 50 times. 6/50

79. Read 3 business/productivity books. 1/3

Read First, Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham.

82. Read 250 books. 23/250

84. Visit a national news site 101 times. 10/101

85. Visit a local news site 101 times. 4/101

87. Memorize a poem.

I’ve memorized 3 stanzas of “Mortality.”

Top Ten Book Settings

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This week’s topic from The Broke and the Bookish asks for a list of settings I want to see more of. When I think of my favorite book settings, I realize that there already exists a ton of books written in that setting: it’s about finding the best and reading them! So instead, I’ll just list my favorite settings. For sanity’s sake, I did not try to rank them.

Feel free to give book suggestions based on this list!

1. Boarding school

I don’t know what it is, but I love the idea of boarding school. Somehow I picture myself holed up in an institution where I have no outside cares and just can study and hang out with friends all the time. I guess college was a bit like this, which is why I loved it so much.

This was the root of my original interest in the Harry Potter books.

2. Foreign planets

I love books set on other worlds. A good example of this is Xenocide by Orson Scott Card. I so need to re-read that series.

3. Alternative history (that’s a setting, right?)

I love alternative history. I love any “what ifs” when well done. How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove is an example of one I really liked.

4. Spaceships

Okay, so I like sci fi. So? This is not the first clue to my nerdiness…I am writing a list of my favorite book settings.

A good example is A Million Suns by Beth Revis. And I just realized Ender’s Game fits this and #1. I was bound to like the book, even if the story was only so so (and it’s not!).

5. Rural prairie settings

I suppose this comes from being a Kansas girl at heart. Thinking of endless wheat fields, ripe for the harvest, at sunset fills me with a lot of warmth. I can’t say that I’ve read a lot of books like this, but my favorite is Little House on the Prairie. I don’t really like historical fiction, so any pioneer books have to have been written in that time period (or much more closer than time than books written now, in the case of the Little House books).

6. The 19th Century

Okay, I just really like books written in the 19th Century, which isn’t a setting thing. But it’s hard to come up with that many settings, okay? Let’s say that Sense and Sensibility is a good example.

7. On the Trail

I’ve been daydreaming about hiking lately, so I’ve been attracted to books about journeys. Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods is my favorite so far (and read before I was interested in hiking myself).

8. Australia

Because it’s where everyone wants to go on a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. And it’s the setting of Tomorrow, When the World Began.

9. Any other foreign country

I just love to read books set in other places. One that comes to mind right away is Sister of My Heart by Chitra Divakaruni (set in India).

10. Dystopias

I love a good dystopian read. I’d go for Jasper Fforde’s Shades of Grey as my favorite.

How about you?

Top Ten Bookish Goals of 2013

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You know that I have a good list of goals that I want to get at least 1/3 of the way through this year. Here are 10 particularly bookish goals that I have for 2013 (all directly derived from my 101 for 1001 list…I don’t need to make any more goals!):

1. Read about 100 books.

Notice I didn’t say *at least* 100 books. I’m actually trying to put the brakes on my reading. Crazy, right? In order to make room for the good things I want to do (exercise, making more of my own food, helping others), I have to find time somewhere. The easiest and best place to cut is from watching TV, but I think I’ll need to “rob” some reading time, too. Not that reading 100 books is by any way shabby! Just trying to add a little moderation.

2. Read the 5 books that my friends recommended to me.

Recently, I asked 5 friends to recommend books to me. I’m working to get my hands on them now. I put no conditions on what they recommended to me, allowing them to choose any book. This is what was recommended to me:

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper – recommended by my mother

Not My Will by Francena Arnold – recommended by my friend, Jessica

Loving Well Even When You Haven’t Been by William P. Smith – recommended by my friend, Lauren

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce – recommended by my SIL

The Biblical Counseling Movement after Adams by Heath Lambert – recommended by our children’s minister

3. Reread at least 10 books.

On my 101 in 1001 list, I have the goal of re-reading 20 books. Really, that’s a pretty low goal. I love to re-read a good book. I think that we need to do this. I’m thankful for audiobooks, as they allow me to guiltless re-read books.

4. Listen to the Harry Potter series (again) starting in March.

This is becoming an annual tradition. Why March? Well, I first listened to Harry Potter starting in March 2011. That’s the only reason. I try to wait a year between re-reads.

5. Read 3 scholarly works.

I love to read, and I love to read “smartly,” but sometimes the junkier stuff is just easier. I want to consciously read more intellectual reading on any of a number of topics. I’m starting with a book about the French Revolution…as a history major I know way too little about this important part of history.

How am I defining scholarly works? I’m not. I’ll have the final say as to what is “scholarly” for this goal. But if you press me, an easy definition would be something I would have had to read in school.

6. Read 5 articles from a national news site at least 52 times.

Really 52 is only once a week, which is not as often as I’d like, but I’m giving myself grace. For the past year (or more), I’ve paid very little attention to the news. I see stuff on Twitter and hear things here and there, but that’s not excusable. I need to know what’s going on in the world around me.

I’ve been working this into my life and have appreciated knowing more about what is going on. So far, I haven’t committed to any one news site, and I probably won’t.

7. Memorize William Knox’s “Mortality.”

I’ve already memorized the first stanza of this 14-stanza poem. I appreciate it’s message and it’s rhythm.

8. Blog 156 times (or 3 times a week).

I want to blog more. I like blogging and writing is good for me. I would like to incorporate more book reviews into my blog, as they’ve been missing for a while. Sadly, this has mostly to do with the fact that I’m not reading as much that I would want to spend the time writing a review about.

9. Read the Bible twice through.

I’ve begun reading the New International Version, and I hope to have most/all of the New Living Translation read this year, too.

 10. Spend an afternoon reading outside.

Looking forward to doing this the first available spring afternoon!

For more bookish goal lists, check out The Broke and the Bookish. 

First 101 in 1001 Update

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If you were paying attention to my 101 in 1001 list, you would remember that one of those goals was to blog an update monthly. While I started and will end my list mid-month, I will be blogging updates at the beginning of each month about the previous month’s progress. It’s just how I think.

Overall, by the end of December, I had completed 2 goals. With partial progress on a number of other goals, I am 5.17% done with my list, which is awesome. I know that I’ll reach goal fatigue at some point, so it’s good to have some breathing room.

I’ll just be mentioning goals that I’ve been working on. So here’s what I’ve been up to.

7. Watch 10 movies I’ve wanted to see. 1/10

Went to see Les Miserables with my parents while I was home over Christmas. So good!

10. Host a game night. – Completed 12/15/2012

The first goal I ever completed, as I hosted a game night for my birthday!

13. Wear earrings at least 20 days in a month. 10/20

Working on it, and am halfway there. I’ve been wanting to get back into the habit of wearing earrings, and this has definitely been helping.

14. Reread (or listen to the audio of) 20 books. 1/20

I finished reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe for my niece, which is a reread for me.

29. Walk 10,000 steps/day for a week. - Completed 12/28/2012

It was such a good idea to do this while I was home in Kansas. Of course, I didn’t quite think that at the time when I was walking out in the single digit windchills, but it was good to get moving again.

39. Floss everyday for a month. 13/30

Hopefully I’ll make this a habit as well.

45. Journal 500 times. 22/500

You may notice that journaling 22 times in 17 days means that I journaled more than once a day. I was just in a journaling mood. I won’t be keeping up this pace, though, which is fine.

47. Blog 303 times. 12/303

This includes a couple of scheduled posts.

48. Read the Bible through in 5 different versions. 173/5945

I started with the NIV which has been good. It has been really good to shake things up a bit.

49. Memorize 101 verses. 2/101

52. Make a list of 101 things I’m thankful for. 27/101

This has been harder than I thought, which means I’m out of practice.

55. Write 101 letters or encouraging emails. 43/101

Christmas cards have given me a great start.

58. Donate $1001 (above what I give to the church). 90/1001

I feel really awkward posting about this. I should have thought about that before.

59. Donate 101 things. 4/101

Funny story, this. All evidence points to the fact that I donated a few Christmas presents accidentally. I re-bought new stuff, but you bet I’m counted those items as donated.

60. Throw out/recycle/donate 50 other things. 1/50

Got rid of an old unmentionable.

61. See my niece 6 times. 1/6

Yay!

63. Volunteer 101 hours. 1.5/101

72. Have  $X in savings. 10.7%

I did not save 10.7% of my goal, but I’m 10.7% of the way to it from where I was December 15th. If that makes any sense.

74. Pay down student loan to below $X. 2.68%

78. Wear a skirt or dress to work 50 times. 1/50

I really love doing it, so glad to have this incentive.

82. Read 250 books. 10/250

The readathon helped.

84. Visit a national news site 101 times. 6/101

85. Visit a local news site 101 times. 2/101

87. Memorize a poem.

Decided to memorize William Knox’s “Mortality” and have started to memorize the first stanza.

92. Save $10 for every task completed.

Saved an extra $20 for the 2 tasks already completed.

Top 10 Books of 2012

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I don’t often read books when they come out, so this list is a list of the top books that I read, not the top books published this year. For fairness, I do not consider books that I’ve read previously (otherwise the same books might make the list each year!).

That said, here’s my favorite 10:

10. Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris

This the only book on the list that didn’t get 5 stars. A couple of months later, I don’t remember why it only got 4 stars…it’s stuck with me. I love books that do that.

The image that has stuck with me is the idea of a bunch of believers sitting around telling our stories of God’s work in our lives, and the idea that we all are going to be amazed at how much we got wrong. There are issues of doctrine I will die for, and there are other issues–while important–aren’t issues to die for.

9. The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper

I got this back when the movie of similar name came out, so it’s been on my shelf for quite a while. It’s a very simple book full of profound truths. Things we all need to be reminded of.

8. Broken-Down House by Paul David Tripp

The overriding metaphor that is the premise of this book is that life is like living in a old, broken house that is in the process of being remodeled. Sometimes before things are fixed, they’re broken even further. And the whole thing is a big mess. We know that one day the house will be completely restored to its original beauty, but in the meantime, there’s work to do.

7. Earthen Vessels by Matthew Lee Anderson

I really liked this book. In fact, I liked it so much that I broke the binding writing and highlighting so much! For anyone who struggles with sins against the body (for me, overeating), I highly recommend this book.

 

6. 11/22/63 by Stephen King

I was burned with my first Stephen King being the mess in need of editing, Under the Dome. It’s been a couple of years, so I thought I’d give King a second chance. I was impressed at how well thought out this book was and how time travel (and its numerous consequences) was presented. I’ve always loved time traveling books: it’s such a fascinating concept, full of “what ifs.”

5. A Faith of Our Own by Jonathan Merritt

I’m so thankful for Jonathan Merritt, someone who speaks for my generation of evangelicals. While I appreciate the stand for truth of past generations in the church, I have also seen how the occasionally obsessive interest in being right has erected unnecessary walls between believers and nonbelievers, and between Christians of different stripes.

4. Surprised by Grace by Tullian Tchividjian

I’ve always loved the book of Jonah, but this helped me bring fresh eyes to the book. How great a God we serve that he doesn’t give up on us (though we repeatedly turn from Him)!

3. Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson

This was one of the books from my sci-fi kick that I’m still kinda in. I appreciate science fiction because it helps us discuss real issues by putting them in a different context. In the case of Red Mars: do we have the right to recreate the environment (in this case, of Mars) if it’s for the good of the human race? Or is it good for the human race? Very fascinating! I wish I enjoyed the sequel as much, but I just didn’t.

2. A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Maybe this is what got me  in such a science fiction frenzy. This is actually a sequel to a book that I thought was good, but not great. But this is the rare case where the sequel is much better than the first book. In a world of dystopian-esque books, this one stands out.

1. Beauty Will Save the World by Brian Zahnd

This is the kind of book that I finish and think “I need to read this again.”   It has changed how I view the world around me, and that’s a lot to get from a book.

101 in 1001, part 4

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The last of my list contains a few miscellaneous categories: Financial, Work, Learning, List, and *redacted.* Here’s the end of my 101 things:

Financial

71. Leave a $20 tip.

I’ve so abundantly blessed…why wouldn’t I want to share and bless someone else’s day?

72. Have $X in savings.

Of course, this is an actual number, and one much larger than I have ever aimed at before.

73. *redacted*

74. Pay down student loan to below $X.

I would love to put “Completely pay off student loan” on this list, but sadly that’s not particularly realistic in the next 2.75 years. Boo.

75. Replace/remove 3 personal care or household items with cheaper alternatives.

I’ve already replaced/removed a good number of things, but I’m sure there are other things that I go cheaper/minimalist on.

Work

76. Get a raise.

Hey, who doesn’t want one? I earn my keep.

77. Get new responsibility at work.

I’ve been very blessed with the opportunities I’ve already had after working less than a year at this job, but I would like to continue to grow.

78. Wear a skirt or dress to work 50 times.

Because I want to, and it looks good.

79. Read 3 business/productivity books.

Because I love to learn.

80. Take alternative transportation to work.

I’d love to do this everyday, but it’s just not realistic given how expensive/inconvenient public transportation is (would turn out to cost as much–or more–as I currently pay in gas, but take me 3 times as long).

Learning

81. Take a class.

I have no idea what I’ll take a class in, but I’ll find something.

82. Read 250 books.

Self-explanatory.

83. Read 5 scholarly works.

Because I could use the challenge.

84. Visit a national news site 101 times.

I rarely read the news these days (except for what I catch from social media), so I want to be more intentional.

85. Visit a local news site 101 times.

Ditto.

86. Try 10 new recipes.

Because food is good.

87. Memorize a poem.

Because memorization is good for the brain.

List

The list inspired a few things on this list. A bit circular, eh?

88. Make another 101 in 1001 list.

Because really, I want to keep the momentum going.

89. Review the list after 333 days and replace up to 5 goals.

As much care as I’ve taken to compose this list, things change. Some things will become unrealistic, while others I just may lose interest in. This is my “Get out of jail free” card.

90. Review the list after 667 days and replace up to 10 goals.

As is this.

91. Blog updates monthly.

92. Save $10 for every task completed.

This will be done as they are completed.

93. Donate $10 for every task left undone.

This will be done at the end, or when I’ve given up on the item.

*redacted*

94. – 101.

Sorry, but there is a category of 8 items I can’t reveal at this time. One day!

101 in 1001, part 3

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Time to continue with my 101 in 1001 list. Today’s goals fall into the categories of Spiritual, Others, Travel, and Home.

Spiritual

48. Read the Bible through in 5 different versions.

I really liked my personal challenge to read the Bible twice through during my last goal cycle. Why wouldn’t I want to saturate myself in God’s Word if he’s taken the time to speak to us?

This time through, I’m going to mix it up by reading 5 versions I’m not as familiar with as I am with my trust New American Standard. I still love the NASU, but I don’t want my familiarity with it cause me to take it for granted. I will be reading through (in order): the New International Version, the New Living Translation, the English Standard Version, The Message (yes, not a true translation), and the Holman Christian Standard.

Given the way I read the Bible, I will likely be reading in at least 2 versions of the Bible (or up to all 5!) on any given day as I will read through the various sections at different paces.

49. Memorize 101 verses.

I’ve sadly let my memorization go, though I know it’s important.

50. Start the day in prayer everyday for a month.

I don’t take the time for a “quiet time” in the morning with my early schedule (and lack of morning-person-ness), but I still want to start my day off right.

51. *redacted*

52. Make a list of 101 things I’m thankful for.

I’ll probably do this as part of my journaling.

53. Give up non-sports TV for a month.

I watch too much TV and it becomes my default background activity while I do other things.

54. Get away on a overnight personal retreat.

May seem a little silly for someone who lives alone to need to “get away”, but a new setting is good to remove everyday distractions.

Others

55. Write 101 letters or encouraging emails.

I like to receive these, so why shouldn’t I send them?

56. Proactively offer help 10 times.

I hope most people in my life know they can ask when they need help, but honestly, most of us struggle with asking. So I want to be intentional with offering when I think help may be needed.

57. Donate 101 items to the food pantry.

Just writing this seems so small, given the number of food items I’ll be eating over the next 1001 days.

58. Donate $1001 (above what I give to the church).

Again, this seems so small.

59. Donate 101 things.

We all have so much more than we need. I want to continue in my minimalistic journey.

60. Throw out/recycle/donate 50 other things.

Again with the minimalism.

61. See my niece 6 times.

Of course, I’d like to see her more, but this is a minimum.

62. Send an international care package.

Excited to do this one.

63. Volunteer 101 hours.

Again, I give so little.

64. Invite friend(s) to dinner 33 times.

I want to open up my home more often.

Travel

65. Go to the beach.

This is obvious. How can you live less than 3 hours away from the beach and not go?

66. See some real mountains.

No offense, North Carolina, but I want to see white-capped mountains.

67. Visit a state I’ve never been to.

There’s actually quite a few to choose from, as I think I’ve only been to 22.

Home

68. Get a big girl bed.

I’ve been (mostly) happily sleeping on a single bed all my life. I primarily want to upgrade so that I have a place for my parents or brother/sister-in-law to sleep when they visit me.

69. Make an Easter wreath.

I have a wreath for every season/holiday except Easter. I even bought the supplies to make it, I just didn’t get around to it this past spring.

70. *redacted*

Well, there are just a few more to reveal…come back tomorrow!

101 in 1001, part 2

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Yesterday I spelled out the first 24 of my goals. Today I’ll list goals in three more categories: Physical Activity, Health, and Writing.

Physical Activity

25. Go camping.

It’s been a really long time since I’ve camped, but I want to do it again. Goes along well with my recently developed love of hiking.

26. Hike (a part of!) the Appalachian Trail.

See comments in #25. I’m thinking of doing a long weekend of it with a friend, but we have some preparation to do! And we’re totally going in the fall, not the spring. I have no desire to meet a hungry bear (or a full one, really).

27. Hike 101 miles.

Total, not at once. I think I’ll likely hike more than this, but I don’t want to set my goals too ridiculous high in case my interests change (again).

28. Swim 303 miles.

Same here.

29. Walk 10,000 steps/day for a week.

This isn’t a difficult goal, but something I’d have to be conscientious about.

30. Do an open water swim.

This is like a swimmer’s version of a 5 or 10K. I have plans on doing this locally this coming summer. If I like it, I foresee open water swims in more exotic locations in my future. But since I’ve never done it, I’m not sure I’ll like it or not.

31. Stretch every night for a month.

I have a few things on my list to do every day for a month. Really, all these are all habits I’d like to build into my life.

32. Take a walk in the snow.

Given my dislike of the sound that snows makes under my shoes, this is actually stepping out of my comfort zone a bit.

33. Take an exercise class.

I used to water aerobics and liked it. I’m not going to be too picky about what type of exercise class.

34. Bike again.

I rode a bike a couple of years ago, for the first time since I was a teen. Hurt more than I remembered, if you know what I’m talking about. I would like to build biking into my regular life, *perhaps* as a means of transportation.

35. Play tennis.

I like playing tennis, but I’m horrible at it. It’s hard to find people at my skill level (who know the rules, but are otherwise at a beginner’s level).

Health

36. Get to my goal weight.

This is huge (pun intended). I’ve made some good progress on slimming down, but I have a long way to go. Realistically, I still have a year and a half of hard work ahead of me.

37. Stay at my goal weight for 3 months.

Once I get there, I don’t want healthy eating and exercise to be something I let go of.

38. Give up Diet Dr Pepper for month.

I may have been unwilling to give the juice up for my last set of goals, but regardless, I want to give it up at least temporarily. I don’t see myself drinking it like I do now for the rest of my life, but I’ve also not made this a priority in the scheme of things.

39. Floss everyday for a month.

I’ve actually been a pretty good flosser for limited times in my life. But it’s a healthy habit that I need to build back in.

40. Get annual physicals.

Because it’s healthy, yo.

41. Eat no fast food for a month.

I like fast food, but it’s not like I like it better than home-cooked food. It’s just the convenience thing.

42. Be able to walk up two flights of stairs without getting out of breath.

This is probably the least measurable goal on my list. But I know when I’ve reached it. Specifically, the two flights of stairs are the two flights up to my 3rd floor office, so it’s more steps than would be in a home. Right now, it’s ridiculous how out-of-breath I am after those 48 steps.

43. *redacted*

Writing

This category doesn’t really fit with the other two I’ve mentioned today, but I’ve organized them more by how they fit size-wise than anything else.

44. Write a poem.

I don’t write poetry a lot (maybe once a year), but sometimes the inspiration hits me.

45. Journal 500 times.

I have been picking up my journaling. I’d love to blog everyday, but I know that’s not a realistic goal. I do find it a great practice and something that helps me grow and process.

46. Write an “if anything happens to me” letter.

I originally had on my list to write a will, but without dependents (or really much to give away), this is a much more important thing to write.

47. Blog 303 times.

Hey, this one is for you!

Well, now I’ve revealed (about) the first half off my list. Ready to see what else will is on it? Sorry, you have to wait until tomorrow!

101 in 1001, Part 1

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Two days ago I started my 101 in 1001 goal list. Basically, this is a list of 101 goals to aim to complete in 1001 days. For me, that puts my end date at September 12, 2015. Over the next couple of days, I’m going to discuss what is my list. There are a few things that I won’t be able to list publicly at this point, but I will reveal them when I complete them.

My list is organized by category:

Go back to things I enjoy
Trying new things
Physical Activity
Health
Writing
Spiritual
Others
Travel
Financial
Work
Learning
List
*redacted*

I’ll be covering a couple of categories each day. Today, let’s talk about the first two categories.

Go Back to Things I Enjoy

This is my largest category, probably because it’s so broad. Here’s the 15 things under this category.

1. Stargaze.

I really enjoy looking at the stars, but this is something I’ve missed living in an urban area. I want to take some evening and enjoy the stars that God has created.

2. Kayak or canoe.

It’s been a few years since I’ve been in a personal-sized boat (is that an appropriate name?). I’ve done it a few times and have always really enjoyed it, even when I capsized (well, maybe not in the very moment I capsized).

3. Go to a live sporting event.

While I’d love this to be an OU bowl game, I’d settle for pretty much anything.

4. Successfully grow cilantro and eat some.

Hmm, I suppose this should go under the “try new things,” except this is not a new thing to try. I’m a pretty good gardener, but cilantro has fooled me twice. It’s so fickle!

5. Watch a sunrise.

I actually am blessed with watching the sunrise on most working days, since my desk faces the east-facing windows. But for this goal, I want to intentionally watch the sunrise *not* while I’m otherwise distracted.

6. Watch a sunset.

Sunsets are more my things than sunrises, given the time of day they occur.

7. Watch 10 movies I’ve wanted to see.

Mostly out of laziness, I watch TV a lot, but rarely watch movies. I don’t really care if these 10 movies are brand new (and certainly don’t care if they’re in the theatre), but just want to be intentional in occasionally seeing a movie that I’ve said “Ooh, I want to see that.”

8. Complete a 1000-piece puzzle.

I like putting together puzzles. But, of course, it takes a lot of time. I’ve found this to be a good activity while I’m listening to an audiobook. Perhaps it’s cheating, but I already have a puzzle that’s partially completed, which will totally count (once I complete it!).

9. See a play.

I like plays, particularly Shakespeare. But I haven’t really seen one in a really long time.

10. Host a game night.

I enjoy playing games and laughing with friends. I want to be more intentionally in facilitating this.

11. Spend an afternoon reading outside.

Reading is probably my favorite thing to do outside (well, inside, too).

12. Stay in my pajamas for at least 24 hours.

I love living in my pajamas, so this isn’t much of a challenge.

13. Wear earrings at least 20 days in a month.

I’ve gotten lazy about not wearing jewelry. Sometimes it’s the little things that help you look put together.

14. Reread (or listen to the audio of) 20 books.

Some books are just too good to be read once.

15. Go bowling.

Note that I didn’t put anything about what score I want to get…

Try New Things

These are primarily things that I’ve wanted to do for a while, but just haven’t. Here’s my chance to do them.

16. Say “yes” to 10 things I would have said “no” to.

You better not use this to blackmail me. I’m not saying “yes” to everything.

17. Stay off Facebook and Twitter for a week.

We all need to unplug from social media sometimes.

18. *redacted*

19. Try sushi.

I find it embarrassing that I’ve not tried it. I’ve had a couple of opportunities, but it just wasn’t the right time. I want to try it, but I want to do so with someone who actually knows sushi.

20. Ask 5 friends to suggest a book, and read them.

I love reading, and I like reading suggested books from those I trust.

21. Learn to ski.

Why not? This could go under #16, as this is something I have said “no” to before. I just hope my body isn’t too old to learn.

22. Visit a farmers’ market.

I love the idea of farmers’ markets and think it’d be a great place to a bulk of your shopping.

23. Play Settlers of Catan.

Never played it, but it seems like a kind of game that I’d enjoy (AKA a bit on the nerdy side).

24. Eat vegetarian for a week.

I’m far from committing to a vegetarian lifestyle, but I’ve never been much of a meat-lover. I hope that this will help me find even more vegetarian dishes to love.

Well, that’s the first 1/4 of my list. I’ll be spelling out the rest of my list over the next 3 days. I’m excited to share them with you all!

29 Things at 29

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I always enjoy reviewing the year, though they’re getting more difficult as they get longer. Here’s past lists:  25 things, 26 things, 27 things, and 28 things.

1. I published my novel.

2. My niece was born.

3. I got a new job (and oh yeah, these first 3 items happened in the same week).

4. I completed my 30 before 30 list (or, you know 22 things on it).

5. I learned I really like hiking.

6. I started volunteering in the youth group.

7. Stayed in Kansas for the longest time since college (a niece is quite the draw).

8. I voted for a Libertarian.

9. I worked my first presidential election.

10. I wrote a 101 in 1001 list (to be started tomorrow!).

11. I went to my first North Carolina state fair.

12. I stopped using shampoo (haven’t touched the stuff in 6 weeks…and no one has noticed).

13. I used my A/C for only one week.

14. Freezer-canned tomatoes for the first time.

15. Made pickles (so good!) for the first time.

16. Gave up television for a month (and probably should do it again).

17. Drove my car its 100,000 mile.

18. I started my new job.

19. I’ve had 4 desks (in 3 different offices) at this new job.

20. I jumped back into the pool.

21. I read 130 books.

22. I broke my nose.

23. I started working on Saturdays for the first time since I was at Walmart. Discovered I actually really like my schedule.

24. I also started working earlier than I have in a long time. I now think of waking up at 8 AM “sleeping in.”

25. Bought a TV for the first time (my first I won at after-prom), HD and all.

26. Made homemade dishwasher detergent and laundry detergent. Very happy with it.

27. Enjoyed routing for Team USA during the summer Olympics. I must admit I’m most patriotic at Olympics time.

28. Prayed desperately as I watched on TV that a tornado was passing very close to my parents house. Technology is great, but it can add to your anxiety.

29. Babysat my niece while my brother and sister-in-law went to the movies. She cried half the time, in large part because my brother’s ornery dog woke her up.