The updated list

In progress

Completed

Home life -
1. Leave the TV off for a whole 24 hours (0/10)
2. Get a portrait painted of Arthur (0/1)
3. Get a cleaner (0/1)
4. Ebay spare wedding bits and pieces (0/1)
5. Cook a 3 course candlelit meal for me and Nick (0/3)
6. Put a new hedge/fence in the front garden (1/1)
7. Fix the back fence and gate (0/1)
8. Get a new door for the small bedroom and hang it (0/1)
9. Get to know our neighbours (0/2)
10. Read the books that have been waiting, instead of buying more. Clear some space on my bedside bookcase (0/1)
11. Have a vase of fresh flowers (1/25)

Me, me, me, me, me -
12. Change my name on my passport and driving lisence (0/2)
13. Get my teeth whitened (0/1)
14. Get a new job (1/1)
15. Volunteer somewhere (0/1)
16. Get a very different haircut (1/1)
17. Write a lifetime list (0/1)
18. Forgive Mum and be nicer about her (not quite sure how to measure this, but it is important)
19. Overcome my phobias (0/2)
20. Get something waxed (0/1)

Health -
21. Loose 49lbs (0/49)
22. Go to the gym (0/30)
23. Be able to do 5k on the treadmill (0/1)
24. Have a chocolate free week (0/3)
25. Eat breakfast every day for a week (0/1)
26. Do a charity walk/run (0/1)
27. Grow my nails (0/1)
28. Do a 24 hour fast (0/1)
29. Be milk free for a fortnight (0/1)

Money -
30. Buy nothing for a whole day (1/30)
31. Put at least £20 a month into savings (0/12)
32. Put £5 into savings for each task I complete, and £10 for each incomplete task (0/101)
33. Use up all of my shampoo before buying more (0/1)
34. Overpay the mortgage by any amount for 6 months (0/6)

Learning -
35. Learn Spanish (0/1)
36. Read 10 non fiction books (3/10)
37. Learn how to eat with chopsticks (0/1)
38. Learn sign language (0/1)
39. Learn the location, capital city and flag of every country in Europe (0/58)
40. Study a map of the world to learn more about where all countries are (0/1)
41. Do another evening class (0/1)
42. Learn more about WW1 (0/1)
43. Learn more about WW2 (0/1)
44. Learn 3 new recipes (0/3)
45. Learn to play chess (0/1)

Travel -
46. Go to a spa (0/1)
47. Ride the London Eye (0/1)
48. Go to Rome (0/1)
49. Go to EuroDisney (0/1)
50. See the Northern Lights (0/1)
51. Go to Venice (0/1)
52. See The Phantom of the Opera, in London's West End (0/1)
53. Go back to Durham with Nick (0/1)
54. Go snorkelling (0/1)
55. Go away somewhere by myself (0/1)

Everything else (AKA "the fun stuff") -
56. Write the plot outline for my book (0/1)
57. Finish writing my book (0/1)
58. Enter 3 writing competitions (1/3)
59. Watch a foreign film (0/1)
60. Go to a wine tasting (0/1)
61. Send a message in a bottle (0/2)
62. Get something published, even if it is just a letter (0/1)
63. Read a book of poetry (0/1)
64. Go to the opera (0/1)
65. Go to the ballet (0/1)
66. Read all of the Patricia Cornwall Scarpetta books in order (0/16)
67. Skinny dip (0/1)
68. Go on a picnic (0/3)
69. Get an item of clothing custom made (0/1)
70. Say yes to 10 things I'd normally say no to (0/10)
71. Visit an art gallery (0/1)
72. Write and send a fan letter (0/2)
73. Send a postcard with postcrossing (3/3)
74. Go to a sporting event (0/1)
75. Have a pychic reading (0/1)
76. Go to a ball (0/1)
77. Go to a fireworks display (0/1)
78. Take a picture of me and Nick once a month (0/12)
79. Get better at scrabble (play 10 games) (0/10)
80. Listen to classical music by 10 compossers (0/10)
81. Pick a favourite piece of classical music (0/1)
82. Paint a picture (0/2)
83. Get abbcfn (I know what this means, but I have to keep it a secret) (0/1)
84. Try belly dancing/ another form of dancing (0/1)
85. Use my Davina workout DVD (0/9)
86. Sign up to be a bone marrow donor (0/1)
87. Get a corset (0/1)
88. Listen to an audio book (0/1)
89. Drive a convertable (0/1)
90. Go to the cinema by myself (0/1)
91. Get on TV (0/1)
92. Enter free competitions (2/20)
93. Make an item of clothing (0/1)
94. Go to book stores, find books I love, write notes to the person who will buy it, and stick them in the books (0/1)
95. Climb a tree (0/1)
96. Make a time capsule including a letter to myself and seal it for 10 years (0/1)
97. Buy an original piece of art from a gallery (0/1)
98. Go to a murder mystery (0/1)
99. Ride a horse (0/1)
100. Write everyones birthdays and addresses in one place (0/1)
101. Take a photo of each 101 achievement (0/50)

Okay.....

Okay so that's 5 completed and at least 2 in progress. I'm going to change some of the numbers on the list, as I think I may have been a bit unrealistic about how many times I'd be able to do things, and I think I'm more likely to be sucessful if I'm realistic.

Number 83 was to get a badger birthday cake custom made for Nick's birthday by the woman who did our wedding cake. Unfortunately she wanted far too much money. Maybe I could make one myself? (If I do I'll give lots of people a good laugh, I'm not a great baker).

Progress Report

Ok, so I haven't updated this for ages, but I have been working on items in the list. In the last three months I have achieved:

6. Put a new hedge/fence in the front garden (1/1) - In fact I have put a new fence along the side, a hedge at the front and sown a lawn! When the grass has grown properly I'll take a picture.

14. Get a new job (1/1) - In less than two weeks I start my new job as and Immigration Case Owner HEO. Getting into the civil service seems to involve jumping through a lot of hoops, but I'm looking forward to having a proper longterm career path now.

16. Get a very different haircut (1/1) - My long dark chesnut hair is now a short blonde bob. It's been two months and I still have days when I question the wisdom of it, but I have more day when I love it.
It's gone from (rather dodgy picture):




To this:



18. Forgive Mum and be nicer about her (not quite sure how to measure this, but it is important) - Well, my Mum has gotten engaged and I have been so nice, I'm being matron of honour and even travelled to stay with her for 5 days to go wedding dress shopping.

55. Go away somewhere by myself (0/1) - I'm not going to mark this one off as completed yet, but I have booked myself a place on a writers holiday in July. A trip away by myself for a whole week!

58. Enter 3 writing competitions (1/3) - I have entered a fish publishing competition, now I just have to do some more.

73. Send a postcard with postcrossing (3/3) - I've sent 3 postcards and had 2 in return.

The List

Okay, so I'm about to set out in cyber space my hopes/dreams/challenges for the next 2 years and 9 months.
The project becomes live on 18th January 2009, giving me until Sunday 16th October 2011 to achieve everything on the list. It sounds easy enough, but I'm not convinced.

For ease of reading I've broken down my list into a few different sections, but I'm going to tackle the challenges in any order.
Are you ready?:

Home life -
1. Leave the TV off for a whole 24 hours (0/100)
2. Get a portrait painted of Arthur (0/1)
3. Get a cleaner (0/1)
4. Ebay spare wedding bits and pieces (0/1)
5. Cook a 3 course candlelit meal for me and Nick (0/3)
6. Put a new hedge/fence in the front garden (0/1)
7. Fix the back fence and gate (0/1)
8. Get a new door for the small bedroom and hang it (0/1)
9. Get to know our neighbours (0/2)
10. Read the books that have been waiting, instead of buying more. Clear some space on my bedside bookcase (0/1)
11. Have a vase of fresh flowers (0/25)

Me, me, me, me, me -
12. Change my name on my passport and driving lisence (0/2)
13. Get my teeth whitened (0/1)
14. Get a new job (0/1)
15. Volunteer somewhere (0/1)
16. Get a very different haircut (0/1)
17. Write a lifetime list (0/1)
18. Forgive Mum and be nicer about her (not quite sure how to measure this, but it is important)
19. Overcome my phobias (0/2)
20. Get something waxed (0/1)

Health -
21. Loose 49lbs (0/49)
22. Go to the gym (0/101)
23. Be able to do 5k on the treadmill (0/1)
24. Have a chocolate free week (0/3)
25. Eat breakfast every day for a week (0/1)
26. Do a charity walk/run (0/1)
27. Grow my nails (0/1)
28. Do a 24 hour fast (0/1)
29. Be milk free for a fortnight (0/1)

Money -
30. Buy nothing for a whole day (0/30)
31. Put at least £20 a month into savings (0/30)
32. Put £5 into savings for each task I complete, and £10 for each incomplete task (0/101)
33. Use up all of my shampoo before buying more (0/1)
34. Overpay the mortgage by any amount for 6 months (0/6)

Learning -
35. Learn Spanish (0/1)
36. Read 10 non fiction books (0/10)
37. Learn how to eat with chopsticks (0/1)
38. Learn sign language (0/1)
39. Learn the location, capital city and flag of every country in Europe (0/58)
40. Study a map of the world to learn more about where all countries are (0/1)
41. Do another evening class (0/1)
42. Learn more about WW1 (0/1)
43. Learn more about WW2 (0/1)
44. Learn 3 new recipes (0/3)
45. Learn to play chess (0/1)

Travel -
46. Go to a spa (0/1)
47. Ride the London Eye (0/1)
48. Go to Rome (0/1)
49. Go to EuroDisney (0/1)
50. See the Northern Lights (0/1)
51. Go to Venice (0/1)
52. See The Phantom of the Opera, in London's West End (0/1)
53. Go back to Durham with Nick (0/1)
54. Go snorkelling (0/1)
55. Go away somewhere by myself (0/1)

Everything else (AKA "the fun stuff") -
56. Write the plot outline for my book (0/1)
57. Finish writing my book (0/1)
58. Enter 3 writing competitions (0/3)
59. Watch a foreign film (0/1)
60. Go to a wine tasting (0/1)
61. Send a message in a bottle (0/2)
62. Get something published, even if it is just a letter (0/1)
63. Read a book of poetry (0/1)
64. Go to the opera (0/1)
65. Go to the ballet (0/1)
66. Read all of the Patricia Cornwall Scarpetta books in order (0/16)
67. Skinny dip (0/1)
68. Go on a picnic (0/3)
69. Get an item of clothing custom made (0/1)
70. Say yes to 10 things I'd normally say no to (0/10)
71. Visit an art gallery (0/1)
72. Write and send a fan letter (0/2)
73. Send a postcard with postcrossing (0/3)
74. Go to a sporting event (0/1)
75. Have a pychic reading (0/1)
76. Go to a ball (0/1)
77. Go to a fireworks display (0/1)
78. Take a picture of me and Nick once a month (0/30)
79. Get better at scrabble (play 10 games) (0/10)
80. Listen to classical music by 10 compossers (0/10)
81. Pick a favourite piece of classical music (0/1)
82. Paint a picture (0/2)
83. Get abbcfn (I know what this means, but I have to keep it a secret) (0/1)
84. Try belly dancing/ another form of dancing (0/1)
85. Use my Davina workout DVD (0/9)
86. Sign up to be a bone marrow donor (0/1)
87. Get a corset (0/1)
88. Listen to an audio book (0/1)
89. Drive a convertable (0/1)
90. Go to the cinema by myself (0/1)
91. Get on TV (0/1)
92. Enter free competitions (0/50)
93. Make an item of clothing (0/1)
94. Go to book stores, find books I love, write notes to the person who will buy it, and stick them in the books (0/1)
95. Climb a tree (0/1)
96. Make a time capsule including a letter to myself and seal it for 10 years (0/1)
97. Buy an original piece of art from a gallery (0/1)
98. Go to a murder mystery (0/1)
99. Ride a horse (0/1)
100. Write everyones birthdays and addresses in one place (0/1)
101. Take a photo of each 101 achievement (0/101)

Day 0 of 1001

Welcome to my day zero! Tomorrow I start day 1 of 1001.
For anyone who isn't aware of the concept, the "101 things to do in 1001 days project" is about setting yourself 101 challanges that you want to achieve in the next 1001 days.

I decided that I wanted to take part to try and get myself out of a rut. I love my life, but it is not very exciting and although none of my choices for my list are hugely life changing, they should liven it up a bit! I'm keeping this blog to remind myself of everything that I may (or may not) achieve.

The following is copied direct from the website-
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.