Priceless.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
XIII. 101 in 1001 Update
I apparently fail at posting anything else so I decided a update on my 101 in 1001 status was due. I admit, I forgot about the list for awhile. So, I have a lot of "works in progress" and not a lot of completed goals. But, that's the point of the list right...to serve as a reminder!
32. Make a blanket for S.
I made a rag quilt for my nephew for his 1st birthday. I made the mistake of not washing the fabric prior to sewing the quilt so some of the colors bled but apparently he doesn't mind (and I guess no one but me can tell that the blue is a little more purple than it originated :-)). My sister recently sent some pictures of my nephew with the blanket...how cute is that little guy?!
38. Start a recipe blog.
I've been wanting to have a place I could share my favorite recipes and I finally got around to starting a blog for just that purpose. It's definitely an amateur affair but I've really been enjoying the cooking and photographing.
78. Take a MS certification test. (3/3)
I'm officially a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist; certified in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. I suspect that isn't nearly as prestigious as one could hope. But hey, goal accomplished!
101. Visit Grandpa and Grandma M.
In March I headed up to Anchorage, AK, with my parents and youngest sister. It was great to get reacquainted with everyone...it'd been too long since my last visit up north!
32. Make a blanket for S.
I made a rag quilt for my nephew for his 1st birthday. I made the mistake of not washing the fabric prior to sewing the quilt so some of the colors bled but apparently he doesn't mind (and I guess no one but me can tell that the blue is a little more purple than it originated :-)). My sister recently sent some pictures of my nephew with the blanket...how cute is that little guy?!
38. Start a recipe blog.
I've been wanting to have a place I could share my favorite recipes and I finally got around to starting a blog for just that purpose. It's definitely an amateur affair but I've really been enjoying the cooking and photographing.
78. Take a MS certification test. (3/3)
I'm officially a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist; certified in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. I suspect that isn't nearly as prestigious as one could hope. But hey, goal accomplished!
101. Visit Grandpa and Grandma M.
In March I headed up to Anchorage, AK, with my parents and youngest sister. It was great to get reacquainted with everyone...it'd been too long since my last visit up north!
Friday, February 19, 2010
XII. 101 in 1001
That's right, I finally jumped on the bandwagon and started my own Day Zero goal list.
The mission is to complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days. A lot of friends have posted their entire list publicly but I'm going a different route. I wanted to allow for more personal goals so my list is private but I thought I'd choose to share some of my goals as I complete them. I started my list last October and I've found it really helpful to have a large list of more long-term goals in an easily accessible place (I have mine in a Google Document). Seeing items completed inspires me and just having the list is a nice reminder. As an additional incentive, a friend and I have shared our lists with one another so we do have someone to help keep us inspired if we slack for too long...it happens all too often!
My list is categorized. And tasks/goals that are in progress are italicized and completed goals are made bold, dated, and I change the font color to make them stand out more. :D
The following are tasks completed since October 2009 (with the original numbering):
3. Reorganize pantry.
4. Reorganize larder.
5. Reorganize dining room cabinet.
7. Reorganize the 3rd bedroom.
8. Finish organizing the office.
I have a lot of organizing left to do. But, progress is being made! I should have put a task that involved purging things because that is the current active goal at home. More details on the 3rd bedroom reorganization here.
21. Label and sort unorganized digital photos.
I admit that since completing number 21 I have gained some unsorted/unlabeled photo files but they are manageable. This was a goal I'd been meaning to accomplish for years. It felt great to get it done!
34. Create an up-to-date contact list/database.
The contact list is a work in progress but it is created which was the purpose of the task on the list. I now have a place to put updated contact information when I receive it!
37. Reformat my computer.
87. Purchase a 4-wheel/all-wheel drive vehicle.
Last December we "upgraded" to two cars. We'd been talking about getting a all-wheel drive for a long time because our families live on the east side of the state and the passes can be pretty bad around the holidays (not to mention we couldn't get to my family's house if the roads were icy). We did a lot of research and ended up with a new Subaru Outback. The convenience has been great but I do miss the extra time with T.J. (and the time to listen to our audio books). A huge thanks to my dad who helped us look around and played negotiator! (Just don't tell me it looks like a minivan...please.)
91. Add my name to the organ donor registry online.
I confirmed I was an organ donor on my driver's license and signed up on the online registry at Donate Life Today.
95. Research (and possibly purchase) a SLR camera.
I've been interested in photography for a long time. Last summer I took a Digital Photography class at Bellevue College and I have been planning to get a SLR ever since. It was a belated Christmas gift from T.J. (he gave me a tripod on the holiday and I got to choose the camera). I purchased a Nikon D5000 a few weeks ago and I am really excited to delve farther into the hobby!
98. Buy a couch or come up with a better-than-current seating arrangement for guests.
We purchased a couch from some friends to provide more seating in our main living area. Previously, we only had our (beloved) 8-foot Love Sac bean bag. It is nice to have extra seating.
The mission is to complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days. A lot of friends have posted their entire list publicly but I'm going a different route. I wanted to allow for more personal goals so my list is private but I thought I'd choose to share some of my goals as I complete them. I started my list last October and I've found it really helpful to have a large list of more long-term goals in an easily accessible place (I have mine in a Google Document). Seeing items completed inspires me and just having the list is a nice reminder. As an additional incentive, a friend and I have shared our lists with one another so we do have someone to help keep us inspired if we slack for too long...it happens all too often!
My list is categorized. And tasks/goals that are in progress are italicized and completed goals are made bold, dated, and I change the font color to make them stand out more. :D
The following are tasks completed since October 2009 (with the original numbering):
3. Reorganize pantry.
4. Reorganize larder.
5. Reorganize dining room cabinet.
7. Reorganize the 3rd bedroom.
8. Finish organizing the office.
I have a lot of organizing left to do. But, progress is being made! I should have put a task that involved purging things because that is the current active goal at home. More details on the 3rd bedroom reorganization here.
21. Label and sort unorganized digital photos.
I admit that since completing number 21 I have gained some unsorted/unlabeled photo files but they are manageable. This was a goal I'd been meaning to accomplish for years. It felt great to get it done!
34. Create an up-to-date contact list/database.
The contact list is a work in progress but it is created which was the purpose of the task on the list. I now have a place to put updated contact information when I receive it!
37. Reformat my computer.
87. Purchase a 4-wheel/all-wheel drive vehicle.
Last December we "upgraded" to two cars. We'd been talking about getting a all-wheel drive for a long time because our families live on the east side of the state and the passes can be pretty bad around the holidays (not to mention we couldn't get to my family's house if the roads were icy). We did a lot of research and ended up with a new Subaru Outback. The convenience has been great but I do miss the extra time with T.J. (and the time to listen to our audio books). A huge thanks to my dad who helped us look around and played negotiator! (Just don't tell me it looks like a minivan...please.)
91. Add my name to the organ donor registry online.
I confirmed I was an organ donor on my driver's license and signed up on the online registry at Donate Life Today.
95. Research (and possibly purchase) a SLR camera.
I've been interested in photography for a long time. Last summer I took a Digital Photography class at Bellevue College and I have been planning to get a SLR ever since. It was a belated Christmas gift from T.J. (he gave me a tripod on the holiday and I got to choose the camera). I purchased a Nikon D5000 a few weeks ago and I am really excited to delve farther into the hobby!
98. Buy a couch or come up with a better-than-current seating arrangement for guests.
We purchased a couch from some friends to provide more seating in our main living area. Previously, we only had our (beloved) 8-foot Love Sac bean bag. It is nice to have extra seating.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
X. Things I've Done
Snagged from Ms. Brown.
Things I have done during my lifetime are in bold.
1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. No, but I went past it on the Statten Island ferry.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitchhiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held an alligator.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie. Not as such...but I've been on TV.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check. Not on purpose, of course!
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar.
72. Been to Canada.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Seen Bon Jovi in concert.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read Gone With The Wind.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own.
Things I have done during my lifetime are in bold.
1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. No, but I went past it on the Statten Island ferry.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitchhiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held an alligator.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie. Not as such...but I've been on TV.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check. Not on purpose, of course!
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar.
72. Been to Canada.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Seen Bon Jovi in concert.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read Gone With The Wind.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
IX. Electing a US President
A few months ago my company (Wadeware) did a project for Common Craft, a company that creates easy-to-understand videos about "stuff". The videos are really clever and definitely easy to understand.
They have one about the U.S. presidential process that caught my eye. I think now would be a particularly appropriate time to post it! It explains our electoral system quite well. Maybe we all know this...but a refresher is always good!
And spend some time checking out other videos by Common Craft like RSS in Plain English, Twitter in Plain English, and Social Bookmarking in Plain English.
They have one about the U.S. presidential process that caught my eye. I think now would be a particularly appropriate time to post it! It explains our electoral system quite well. Maybe we all know this...but a refresher is always good!
And spend some time checking out other videos by Common Craft like RSS in Plain English, Twitter in Plain English, and Social Bookmarking in Plain English.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
VIII. Unremarkable
The last couple of months have been very busy and yet remarkably, well, remarkably unremarkable. Or at least is seems that way right now as I wrack my brain for interesting tidbits. :)
I posted awhile back on Martin Miscellany about T.J.'s game. It has been fun to hear him talk about the game from conception and see it come together into a soon-to-be-published game. I've played versions along the way but I'm eager to play the completed version!
Last week marked one of the more successful meetings of Pemberley Library, a book group I started earlier this year. This was really exciting because our numbers had dramatically fallen over the summer and I was beginning to wonder if the group wasn't going to work out. We've been reading all of Jane Austen's books in order of publication and our October gathering will be our last Jane Austen discussion. I'm looking forward to choosing new books and to accomplishing my personal goal of reading all of Jane Austen's books this year. Thank you everyone for making our September gathering a success!
I've been playing more World of Warcraft with T.J. lately and my second character finally reached the level cap! This is very exciting because Blizzard just announced the release date of the next WoW expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, so now I can feel prepared. (Ha! That last statement is sort of WoW humorous on its own. You'd have to watch the cinematic intro for the last WoW expansion, Burning Crusade, to understand.) For me, WoW is a social event. I very rarely play on my own. It is a way for T.J. and I to keep in touch with friends that we wouldn't otherwise get to frequently hang out with (Hannah!) and we've met some pretty cool people online too. Playing WoW has netted a number of online friends and a few have even turned into real life friends (it also got us a very memorable private tour of the USS Nebraska, a Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine). You hear a lot of negative feedback about World of Warcraft and that does make sense in some respects. People overdo it. And WoW does have an addictive element. But, in our situation it has just led to a lot of fun. We're not neglecting kids or spouse so it works for us!
Last Friday I took half the day off (well, kinda, unfortunately I still put in more than 40 hours last week) to hang out with a friend on her birthday. We've both been so busy that we hadn't hung out in awhile so it was great to get together and talk and go to a movie and just spend some time together. Happy birthday again Tressa!
I've been looking for something to challenge me and restart my creative talents. In an effort to kick start this I've signed up for a couple of night classes at BCC this fall. I'll be taking a class on using Adobe Photoshop (yay! photo editing!) and a class on "Composition and Typography" (this class has a delicious list of required supplies...I love an excuse to buy office supplies). I'm taking the latter class with my friend Laura so it'll be a great way to spend some time with her--don't get to see her enough since she and her husband and baby moved out-of-town! I'm also planning to attend a writer's retreat with the wifes of two of my cousins. I'm hoping it'll inspire me to get back into creative writing.
I really need to find my SD card reader. Or just go buy a new one. Posts without pictures aren't nearly as fun as posts with pictures!
P.S. My sister, Kimberly, has started her own blog! Hooray!
I posted awhile back on Martin Miscellany about T.J.'s game. It has been fun to hear him talk about the game from conception and see it come together into a soon-to-be-published game. I've played versions along the way but I'm eager to play the completed version!
Last week marked one of the more successful meetings of Pemberley Library, a book group I started earlier this year. This was really exciting because our numbers had dramatically fallen over the summer and I was beginning to wonder if the group wasn't going to work out. We've been reading all of Jane Austen's books in order of publication and our October gathering will be our last Jane Austen discussion. I'm looking forward to choosing new books and to accomplishing my personal goal of reading all of Jane Austen's books this year. Thank you everyone for making our September gathering a success!
I've been playing more World of Warcraft with T.J. lately and my second character finally reached the level cap! This is very exciting because Blizzard just announced the release date of the next WoW expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, so now I can feel prepared. (Ha! That last statement is sort of WoW humorous on its own. You'd have to watch the cinematic intro for the last WoW expansion, Burning Crusade, to understand.) For me, WoW is a social event. I very rarely play on my own. It is a way for T.J. and I to keep in touch with friends that we wouldn't otherwise get to frequently hang out with (Hannah!) and we've met some pretty cool people online too. Playing WoW has netted a number of online friends and a few have even turned into real life friends (it also got us a very memorable private tour of the USS Nebraska, a Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine). You hear a lot of negative feedback about World of Warcraft and that does make sense in some respects. People overdo it. And WoW does have an addictive element. But, in our situation it has just led to a lot of fun. We're not neglecting kids or spouse so it works for us!
Last Friday I took half the day off (well, kinda, unfortunately I still put in more than 40 hours last week) to hang out with a friend on her birthday. We've both been so busy that we hadn't hung out in awhile so it was great to get together and talk and go to a movie and just spend some time together. Happy birthday again Tressa!
I've been looking for something to challenge me and restart my creative talents. In an effort to kick start this I've signed up for a couple of night classes at BCC this fall. I'll be taking a class on using Adobe Photoshop (yay! photo editing!) and a class on "Composition and Typography" (this class has a delicious list of required supplies...I love an excuse to buy office supplies). I'm taking the latter class with my friend Laura so it'll be a great way to spend some time with her--don't get to see her enough since she and her husband and baby moved out-of-town! I'm also planning to attend a writer's retreat with the wifes of two of my cousins. I'm hoping it'll inspire me to get back into creative writing.
I really need to find my SD card reader. Or just go buy a new one. Posts without pictures aren't nearly as fun as posts with pictures!
P.S. My sister, Kimberly, has started her own blog! Hooray!
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