101 in 1001

I first read about the 1001 Days Project on Sherry's blog. The idea is simple -- come up with a list of 101 things you want to accomplish in 1001 days (roughly 2.75 years). I intended to start my list on my 25th birthday, but things were busy and hectic in June, and my list was stuck around 50. Time passed, and I forgot about it altogether... and last night, at a New Year's party, discussions of resolutions reminded me about the list. So while in lab today, I finished it up, and I'm officially starting today.


I'm bending the rules a bit -- not all of my tasks have a result that is clearly measurable for success. I'm not looking to do things short term (i.e., drink 8 glasses of water everyday for 2 months), but rather to do things frequently enough that by the time the 1001 days rolls around, they have become part of my daily routine and are normal for me. But hey, this is my list for myself, so I'm going to do it how I please.

I'll update on this page as tasks are completed -- follow along with my success [link on blog navigation bar].

Between January 1, 2009 and September 29, 2011, I will...

Professional:

1. Learn to love science again.
2. Write up experiment protocols and results for each experiment within 48 hours of completion.
3. Attend seminars on a regular basis (even if it means working 15 hour days to fit seminars around experiments).
4. Do an out-of-the-box, crazy experiment -- logical experiments aren't working, so maybe something crazy will!
   
5. Present a poster at a conference.
6. Submit a paper as a first author and have paper accepted.
7. Clean chemical bench every Friday.
8. Successfully defend thesis -- become Disgruntled Julie, Ph.D.
9. Regardless of when I defend, return to D.C. for graduation ceremonies.
   
10. Figure out what I want to do post-graduate school.
11. Find a job in desired field in Philadelphia area.
    
    Relationships:
    
12. Host a girls' night once a year.
13. Host a Game-a-thon.
14. Host a Dessert-a-thon.
15. Host an old-fashioned sleepover.
    
16. Mail a card or letter to a friend once a month.
17. Learn how to make the most of a long-distance marriage.
    
18. [personal]
    
    Growing Up:
    
19. Remake larger wedding album.
    
20. Move to Philadelphia to live with Husband.
21. Buy a house or condo.
22. Buy/lease/inherit (from Husband) a car if we are not living in a public transportation friendly neighborhood.
23. Find a synagogue we like and become members.
24. Actually drag Husband to services at said synagogue.
    
25. Establish long-term primary care physician in Philadelphia.
26. Make new friends in Philadelphia, but...
27. Keep in touch with old friends and visit as often as possible.
    
28. Purchase remaining items from our wedding registry.
29. Apply for passport with hyphenated last name.
30. Sign up for life insurance with Husband.
31. Draft a living will.
    
    Financial:
    
32. Take spare change to bank.
33. Transfer money to ING savings account on the first of each month.
34. Continue to track all finances in Microsoft Money, and make a better effort to stick to my budget.
    
35. Increase savings account by $10,000.
36. Pay off interest each month on Husband's medical school loans.
37. Have at least 15 "no spend" days per month -- spend absolutely no money at all.
    
    Domestication:
    
38. Bake the perfect challah.
39. Bake the perfect cherry pie.
    
40. Host major holiday dinner at our new abode in Philadelphia.
41. Host a formal dinner party (for no specific reason).
42. Take a cake decorating class.
43. Shampoo carpets in current condo.
44. Send cookie packages to soldiers through Operation Baking GALS.
45. Create a cookbook with favorite recipes.
46. Cook something different each night for a month.
    
    Crafting:
    
47. Use up yarn in stash.
48. Open Etsy shop.
49. Sell something from Etsy shop.
50. Learn to needlepoint.
51. Master knitting in the round.
52. Make blanket for Project Linus.
53. Make blanket for Spirit Jump (and hopefully make a new friend in the process).
    
54. Learn how to quilt.
55. Knit or crochet something for myself -- I've given away everything I've ever made to other people.
56. Hand make holiday cards and send to family and friends every year.
    
57. Create yearly photo books.
    
    Organizing:
58. Clean out closet and donate old clothes.
59. Organize bathroom storage under sink.
60. Organize recipes in Evernote.
61. Print copy of all recipes on recipe cards and store in binders (less potential for disaster than dragging laptop to kitchen every time I cook something new).
    
62. Organize magazines -- scan in articles of interest and recycle remaining magazines.
63. Organize bills from past year.
64. Organize health care paperwork from past year.
65. Organize bank statements.
66. Collect all old cards and mail to St. Jude's Ranch for Children Card Recycling Program.
    
    Health, Fitness, and Appearance:
    
67. Drink 8 glasses of water per day.
68. Floss every day, not just when I have extra time.
69. Take vitamins appropriately -- i.e., split up calcium pills morning and night, not both at the same time.
70. Find a weekday when I can return "home" to central PA to see my family dentist.
    
71. Lose 20 pounds.
72. Work out three times per week.
73. Track what I eat every day.
74. Do not eat after 8pm on weekdays.
    
75. Complete Couch to 5K program.
76. Stretch daily -- make physical therapist proud!
77. [personal]
    
78. Develop a skin care routine to ward off wrinkles.
79. Get over fear of dying hair, and cover up all the incoming grey hairs rather than pluck them until I am bald.
80. Get a fantastic haircut.
81. Donate blood.
    
    Hobbies & Skills:
    
82. Start playing piano again.
83. Complete Project 365.
84. Blog at least once per week.
85. Take a photography course.
86. Learn and feel comfortable using all features on my current dSLR camera.
    
87. Read 100 books.
88. Win my fantasy football league.
    
89. Take golf lessons.
90. Go scuba diving and pursue further advanced certification.
91. Go skiing with my father.
    
92. Learn conversational Hebrew.
93. Re-read the Tanakh, cover-to-cover, in order, on my own time.
    
94. Attend Screen on the Green and picnic with friends.
95. Eat at 15 new restaurants.
    
96. Re-learn how to parallel park -- haven't owned a car in seven years!
97. Back up computer every 2 weeks.
98. Take a real vacation with just Husband to someplace wonderful.
99. Take a family cruise with our parents.
100. Go camping.
     
     
101. Be happy with who I am and the direction my life has taken.