THE LIST

Here's my list. If it goes into effect on 1/1/2010, it must be complete by 9/27/2012. Let the journey begin...

Health/Fitness/Beauty
1. Drink only water for a whole week
2. Run a mile
3. THEN run 2 miles – without walking!
4. Have my makeup done professionally at a makeup counter in the mall
5. Eat nothing fried for 30 days
6. Go for a 30 minute walk every single day for 30 days
7. Bring my lunch to work every day for a month
8. Attend one Healthy Living In the Park event at Discovery Green
9. Lower my BMI by 4 points
-1 pt achieved on 2/4/10
-2 pts achieved on 3/11/10
-Fell off the wagon and started back at zero on June 1, 2010
10. Work out with weights 3 days a week for 6 straight weeks
11. Remove facial moles and gain 5 years on my appearance, hehe
-Removed one mole March 12, 2010
12. See the dentist twice in the same year
13. Get a consult for my TMJ
-Done 4/28/2010
14. Spend at least 3 hours at the Houstonian’s Trellis Spa
15. Go to bed every night at 9:00 for 5 straight days

Intellectual/Cultural/Historical
16. Do the Houston Museum District walking tour
17. Visit the Holocaust Museum in Houston
18. Write at least 20 stories of vacations or crazy family moments for a future novel
19. Read a book by someone with whom I disagree
20. Watch 3 foreign films with subtitles
21. Take “Bunny” to see the Nutcracker
22. Write and illustrate a children’s book and publish it on Blurb.com
23. Go to Dim Sum with BFF-R and at least try every food she asks me to try (as long as she is eating it too).
24. Write a book about “Real Stories from HR” and publish it on blurb.com
25. See a play at Alley Theater
26. Take “Bunny” to see a show at the Hobby Center
27. Read a novel from the Modern Library Best 100 Novels list that I’ve never read before
28. Read a classic that I own but have never bothered reading
29. Read 5 books from Oprah’s list that I’ve never read before. (1/5 completed as of 2/8/10)
(2/5 completed as of 4/30/10)
30. Go see a performance at Miller Outdoor Theater
31. Get a library card
32. Take “Bunny” to at least one children’s event at the Public Library

Financial/Organization/Responsibilities
33. Pay off THE loan
34. Pay off my credit card
35. Pay off both car loans
36. Clean out and reorganize every closet in my house at least once
37. Get an official will on file with an attorney
38. Write a letter to my congressman/woman
39. Get to work before 7:30 every morning for a whole week
40. Have my car windows tinted
41. Actually complete every chore on my chore list in the same week at least once
42. Pick up my bedroom every night for a whole month (sad, but this is the messiest room in our house)
43. Clean out my work email inbox so there are no more than 25 emails in the inbox for a whole day

Entertaining/Hobbies
44. Go to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant recommended by the Houston Press - completed 1/15/2010
45. Spend a day at the movie theater. See whatever is starting when I arrive and then theater hop seeing whatever is starting next.
46. Host a game night with at least 3 other couples
47. Scrapbook each of “Bunny’s” birthday parties either digitally or traditionally
Completed 3/14/10
48. Go camping in my backyard
49. Play a round of disc golf with “JP”
50. Go to target/shooting practice
51. Take “Bunny” to go pick her own strawberries
52. Take pictures of “Bunny” on the beach
53. Watch at least 5 Academy Award “Best Pictures” I’ve never seen before.
Slumdog Millionnaire - 3/20/10
Avatar - blog post pending
Additional contenders: The Hurt Locker, Million Dollar Baby, and Chariots of Fire to start.
54. Go tailgating at a Houston Texans game
55. Make cake balls and let “Red” taste test them
56. Go camping at enchanted rock
57. Spend a morning or evening in a deer stand with “JP” (no hunting required or allowed)
58. Have dinner with “JP” at The Grove
59. Go out dancing with my husband at least 3 times over the 1001 days
60. Camp at Rock Springs with “JP” and the F’s
61. Finish crocheting at least one of the 2 blankets I started for “bunny”
62. Watch the Sacha Baron Cohen movies Borat and Bruno
63. Go to a concert
Completed 03/06/2010
64. Go to the Japanese Tea Garden in Hermann Park

Relationship-building/Travel
65. Travel to Florida to meet my niece J - completed 01/06/2010
66. Go on a trip alone with my husband for at least 4 days
67. Go to GNO at least 6 times per year
(2010 - Jan, Mar, May...)
68. Visit J&J in Minnesota
69. Visit Canton and Mrs. P
70. Visit my dad and step-mom in AZ
71. Call someone I haven’t talked to in at least a year
72. Start recording your memories of your life for “Bunny” and future kids
73. Start journaling in the book of memories of raising “Bunny”
74. Write a letter to “Bunny” on her birthday this year and every year forward.
75. Visit the closest national park to me
76. Go on a girl’s trip without “JP” or “Bunny”
77. Go on a picnic with BFF-K and our kids
78. Visit BFF-M in Oklahoma
79. Have a second child
80. Bring my husband lunch one day for no special reason
81. Take the trash out for my husband before he gets home one night
82. Go to a baseball game or other event with BFF-K and our kids
83. Send a letter to someone I’ve neglected and let them know how important and wonderful they are.

Personal/Balance/Spiritual/Introspective
84. Stay off Facebook for a whole week.
85. Stay off the Houston site (you know which one) for a whole week.
86. Write down every dream I have for a week
87. Take a day off from work and live in solitude for 6 hours. Meditate. The only external communication allowed is to journal any notable thoughts
88. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years with a copy of this list, any hopes and dreams, and any challenges I hope to have overcome by then.
89. Take 5 photos a day for a month a create a book about them – chronicle it as “a day in the life of Action Jackson”
90. Go to church at least 4 times – Easter and Christmas do not count

Community/Doing for Others
91. Make someone a birthday cake from scratch
92. Donate blood at least 4 times in 1001 days
(Donated on 2/16/2009, ...)
93. Bake a treat for a neighbor
94. Crochet a scarf for someone at an old folks’ home who doesn’t get visitors.
95. Join the Christmas Caroling at the hospital
96. Do Christmas Caroling around the neighborhood and/or in an old folks’ home – include “Bunny”
97. Support http://BatterUpForALS.org through at least 2 fundraising events
98. Babysit a friend’s kid(s) for free
99. Help my mom organize and run her garage sale
100. Give my mom some hard labor by either cleaning her house or yard.
101. Donate $5 to ALS Research for each task I don’t complete at the end of 1001 days

"Action Jackson reporting for duty!"

This used to be a silly way I’d answer my phone, only when I knew who was calling, of course. I remember a time when I was full of enthusiasm and energy. I haven’t felt that way in a long time, at least not on a consistent basis, and certainly not since a couple years after my name stopped being Jackson. I had set goals as a kid and ambitious as I was, I accomplished them before I was 30. I also had a baby, so my career ambitions took a sharp right turn. I found myself not feeling like I had much to offer in small talk, unless I was at a play date or a mom’s night out. I have a great husband, so no dating or anti-spouse talk; I have a stable job and good boss but most people aren’t interested in my profession, so no career talk. My family is my world but that isn’t juicy enough for most small talk.

I have been feeling downright B-O-R-I-N-G. Then I heard about the lists people were making – 101 things to do in 1001 days. I read the creative and simple things people put on their lists as well as the stretch goals. I started my own list and suddenly I feel much more alive! I have something to work toward!

That is what this blog is all about. I need some accountability – that is where you come in. Read my stories as I check things off my list. Give me feedback – especially good stuff. ;-)

But here’s my introductory disclaimer: I’m posting my list on here as I build it. Once I reach 101 I’m not taking anything off (I reserve the right to mix things around a bit or swap goals as the list is developing, hehe).

I’ll blog as I go so I have some accountability in making some progress. And MAYBE I’ll inspire another mom/wife-in-a-slump to add some spice to her life too!