101 things in 1001 days

I was reading A daily dose of Zen Sarcasm and I came across this great post about trying (and perhaps failing) to make changes. I comes from Day Zero. Here is the explanation, which I stole.


The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.


So here is my list. I reserve the right to change it. I will let you know what I have done or learned each month. I know that some of them will be hard to measure, but I will try.

General

1		Make this list √
2		Do a monthly list evaluation (0/34)

Car

3		Clean the inside of my car (1/30)
4		Drive 5 km/h slower to reduce emissions

Charity

5		Do work for a charity
6		Write to my foster child in Africa
7		Write to my foster child in SA

Family / Personal

8		Ask directly for what I want
9		Believe, think, talk and act positively
10		Decide what to do with my frozen embryos
11		Get closure on evil Uncle K
12		Have a family outing once a month
13		Have more contact with my oldest sister
14		Have my mother over once a month
15		Make birthday dr appointments for boys
16		Plan fun things to do in the summer
17		Say “Please” more
18		Update my medical alert bracelet
19		Wear makeup everyday for 2 weeks

Health and Fitness

20		Buy a new weight scale
21		Do months breast exam
22		Do more yoga (2x week)
23		Drink more water
24		Get a massage once a month
25		Get my eyebrows done 3x
26		Go a week without sugar
27		Go to bed before 11 at least 4x a week
28		Monthly massage
29		Reorganize my weekly schedule
30		Try pilates
31		Work on posture (stretch for 5 min every day)

Food / House

32		Bake once a week
33		Create my own cookbook of things we like to eat.
34		Eat more organic foods
35		Clean kitchen before bed 5x a week
36		Clean out 3 kitchen cupboards
37		Do a clothing purge
38		Do more gardening
39		Finish configuring new laptop
40		Follow cleaning schedule
41		Get dataloc for my laptop
42		Get pda connected to new laptop
43		Get rid of old VCR tapes
44		Go back on cash only for a month
45		Learn how to bake the hearty bread that I like to eat
46		Paint deck
47		Patch holes in family room wall
48		Purge desk
49		Purge furnace room
50		Put up whiteboard
51		Rearrange laundry room
52		Replace downstairs bathroom fan
53		Replace downstairs toilet
54		Replace Master bathroom fan
55		Replace Master toilet
56		Replace toilets
57		Replace weatherstripping on front and side door
58		Stop using plastic grocery bags
59		Touch up paint in hallway

Kids

60		Become a foster parent
61		Open bank accounts for boys
62		Potty train LB
63		Read book on parenting boys
64		Read book on praising boys
65		Sign up kids for swimming
66		Start teaching my youngest french

Leisure

67		Blog once a week (average)
68		Buy a new winter coat (one my size)
69		Create scrapbook for BB
70		Date my husband once a month
71		Donate excess yarn
72		Finish kids journal
73		Finish scrapbook for LB
74		Fix kids journal db
75		Fly both of my new kites
76		Get a dog
77		Get a singing prayer bowl (in C/ root chakra)
78		Get my Irish passport
79		Go to 5 hockey games
80		Go to the Opera
81		Have an outdoor family vacation
82		Learn 2 new Harold Arlen songs
83		Mediate 3 times a week
84		Piano lessons
85		Pick up french again
86		Post 10 books on BookMooch
87		Read a nonfiction book every month
88		Read Reggio Emilia book
89		Register the birth of my sons in Ireland
90		Start having something to do while watching tv
91		Start knitting again
92		Take a pottery class
93		Visit Portland on vacation
94		Work on family tree
95		Write an email to a friend once a week

Work

96		Do certification exam 1 (If I am ever going back to work then I need to keep up.)
97		Do certification exam 2
98		Do certification exam 3
99		Do certification exam 4
100		Learn Java
101		Write Java exam