Quick update

Visit to Boston, accomplished. (And thoroughly enjoyed!)

Long Overdue UpdateI

Well, soon after my last post I got laid off from my job. All the savings goals are on hold. I've run through most of my savings, and I'm barely staying afloat. But I won''t go into that here.

I'm working on multiple streams of income. I've signed on as a consultant with 3 direct sales companies, I'm actively searching for consulting projects, and I'm experimenting with affiliate marketing links on my blogs.

I feel as though I have mastered crockpot roast beef. Also, I experimented & made a chicken & vegetable stew that was based on the chicken & dumplings recipe. Now I need to find a soup recipe to try.

I've picked out a closet system, which is good because now I have to replace the shelf in the hall closet as well.

I donated to a clothing drive, and I'm preparing a book donation now.

I went to California in March, but I don't think I can count that as I was mostly working.

Status Report: 1 month down, 32 to go

I have mastered a new crockpot recipe (thanks to the crockpot lady): chicken & dumplings.

Netflix queue is down to 91.

Blockbuster queue is down to 417.

I'm planning to split a farm share with two friends. Signup should happen sometime around the beginning of March.

Lesson Learned

So, as you've probably noticed, I wasn't able to post every day. It started with me missing 1 day at which point I realized I still didn't have anything to say. I chose this blog to participate in NaBloPoMo because I thought it would be a good jumpstart to working on my list. However, this is a bad blog to try to post in every day; this blog is about progress and accomplishing things on my list. I don't work on my list every day. So I don't have something to blog every day. I think my next attempt will be with my food blog - because I eat every day :)

first mobile post

I'm on my way to Blockbuster. I've reduced my queue by 7 in the past week. It is a very good thing I have so much time to get through these. However my movie-watching progress seems to have come at the expense of any craft progress.

One week down

I was listening to the radio today and they were talking about how many people have already broken their New Year's Resolutions.

I think there are only two reasons someone would not even last a week on their resolutions. One is if the resolutions were only lip service in the first place; the other is if the resolution is so unrealistic or unattainable that it actually falls apart within 7 days. Things like "I'm going to ___________ every day" are an example.

I tried to avoid that in making my list of 101 things. I did choose to include some "every day for a month" items, but I have 33 chances to complete them.

No list item is an island

Last night I went to the gym, but I did not go to yoga.

It's been long enough since I last went to the gym that I'd forgotten how I need to prepare for it during the day, i.e. what I eat for lunch & when. Due to a near total lack of protein, I was completely wiped out after 20 minutes on the treadmill.

Also, I've been thinking about how my list items relate to one another - how some specific fitness goals support the overall weight-loss goal, how most of my practical goals support the joesgoals.com score goal, how many of the craft goals are inter-related. I did a little of that on purpose, but I'm realizing now how much deeper it goes.

Picking the things on my list

I tried to create a good mix of practical and fun things, as well as ambitious vs. simple. Some of the things are things I've been trying to do for a while, and I used this list as a way to consolidate all my medium-term goals.

*I think I'm going to have to make Joe's Goals my homepage in order to remember to keep it updated.

*Remember the Milk is a good task-manager site, especially since it integrates so well into google.

Brief Updates

* I've added links to relevant entries in the list, so that people can know what I'm talking about.

*Unfortunately, I just *added* 3 movies to my Netflix queue. I logged in to get the link and they were recommending Eddie Izzard DVDs to me.

*At some point, probably over the summer, I'll have to increase my Netflix subscription. Right now I'm at the lowest level - 1 at a time with a maximum of 2 per month. At that rate it will take me 4 years to move through my whole list. I'm also hoping that I can borrow some of those titles from the library.

* I added 17 books to my goodreads.com "read" shelf, bringing my total to 38.

*I'm planning to go back to yoga tomorrow, but I'm pretty nervous. I don't know if I can handle a 90 minute yoga class out of the blue.

*I looked for a spice rack at Target today, but didn't find one. I hope this isn't going to become difficult.

*The craft projects are coming along ok; the scarf for Aunt M is about half done.

*And in keeping with the NaBloPoMo theme, even though I don't really want to go back to work tomorrow, I'm thankful I have a job to go back to.

NaBloPoMo

I'm going to participate in NaBloPoMo with this blog for the month of January. This basically means I'll post every day.

The NaBloPomo theme of the month is thanks, so I'll try to incorporate that when it's relevant. Anyway, that's my post for today. Tomorrow we resume normal programming.

Where it stands now

Here are some starting points, where relevant.

Fitness stuff
I have walked a 5K; I do about an 18-minute mile.
I weigh 188 lbs.
Last time I tried, I could only do the Pilates 100 for about 25 before I had to rest.

Finance stuff
My emergency fund is about $500.
My checking account is 15% of one paycheck ahead.

Craft stuff
I'm currently working on 6 scarves for gifts.
The quilt is about 20% done.
My ravelry queue has 21 projects on it

Other stuff
My Netflix queue is at 91.
My Blockbuster queue is at 428. (The problem is all the TV series.)
My goodreads.com read shelf has 21 books on it.

My 101 Things

Fitness stuff
1. Run a 5K,
2. Run a 10K
3. Complete a 10-Miler
4. Complete a half-marathon
5. Run a 12-minute mile
6. Weigh 165 lbs.
7. Be able to bench press 100 lbs.
8. Actually complete the Pilates 100
9. Do a sun salutation every day for a month
10. Go to hip-hop class 12 times

Health Stuff
11. Floss daily for a month
12. Complete phase 1 of SBD
13. Complete 3 consecutive weeks of SBD phase 2
14. Get at least 8.5 hours of sleep per night for 24 days out of the month, 6 times

Finance stuff
15. Have emergency fund of $1,500
16. Get 1 full paycheck ahead in checking overdraft account
17. Consolidate credit card debt & reduce by 75%
18. Open a CD Ladder with a minimum of $500
19. Develop a consistent fourth stream of income. (2 consistent, 3 inconsistent)

Career stuff
20. Get a certification (CFRE, Fundraising School or Georgetown CPNL Certificate)

Blogs/Freelancing stuff
21. Write at least 4 features for On Tap
22. Tag all my lj entries for the past 2 years
23. Participate in NaBloPomo at least 12 months
24. Write & self-publish something
25. Submit 6 pieces to a medium other than On Tap
26. Promote my blogs in at least 5 places
27. Bid on at least 9 projects (guru.com, elance.com)

Craft stuff
28. Learn to sew
29. Tailor something that I actually wear
30. Sew something that I actually wear
31. Crochet 3 afghans
32. Crochet something from a pattern
33. Scrapbook my SAI pics
34. Scrapbook my JMU pics
35. Crochet 20 scarves as gifts
36. Learn to make a hat
37. Make a hat for my father
38. Knit 5 gift-quality scarves
39. Learn to use circular needles
40. Finish my quilt
41. Learn to make wire jewelry
42. Do at least 6 projects off my ravelry queue
43. Crochet a table set (table runner & placemats)
44. Learn how to use crimping beads
45. Make 3 gift-quality jewelry sets

Uncluttering Stuff
46. Have a successful Yard Sale
47. File all my loose papers
48. Organize all my fitness stuff
49. Consolidate all my VCR tapes

Home Improvement Stuff
50. Buy a new stove
51. Replace bathroom fixtures
52. Buy & install new closet system
53. Put up new curtain rod & curtains
54. Install Automatic Ice Maker
55. Install spice rack(s) in cupboard
56. Rent out condo

Volunteering/Community Service Stuff
57. Volunteer at a Food bank
58. Volunteer for on an election day (mid-term: 2010)
59. Volunteer for a race
60. Donate to a book drive 6 times
61. Donate to a food bank 6 times
62. Donate to a clothing drive 6 times (1 down)

Dating Stuff
63. Go to a speed-dating event
64. Go to an SVDC event

Family Stuff
65. Take (or get) photos of all my family members
66. See at least one member of my family every month

Entertainment Stuff
67. Get & keep Netflix queue under 25 & Blockbuster queue under 150
68. Add 75 books to my goodreads.com “read” shelf
69. Go on a road trip based around a show or concert
70. Go to each of the Smithsonian museums
71. Go to at least 5 Millennium Stage performances
72. See at least 5 local live other (not Millennium Stage) performances
73. See 3 shows on Broadway
74. Go to 3 live sporting events

Travel stuff
75. Visit Boston (DONE!)
76. Visit Chicago
77. Visit Seattle
78. Visit California (L.A., S.D., S.F.)

Other Stuff
79. Go to a wine-tasting (Since I've conducted a few this year, I'll count this as done!)
80. Commit 15 acts of random kindness
81. Shop at the Farmer’s Market at least once a month for 6 consecutive months
82. Plant a tree.
83. Have a garden.
84. Learn CPR & Basic First Aid
85. Make a list of 100 things that make me happy
86. Take a ballroom dance class
87. Take a self-defense class
88. Take a cooking class
89. Get a farm share
90. Master 6 crockpot recipes – including at least one soup and granola (3 down)
91. Learn to play poker
92. Keep Joe's Goals score above 10 for a solid month
93. Attend at least 3 meetups.
94. Go to the library at least once a month for 8 consecutive months
95. Bring my lunch to work every day for a month
96. Ride a horse
97. Ride a mechanical bull
98. Complete nightly routine for 30 consecutive nights
99. Complete morning routine for 30 consecutive mornings
100. Visit the science center, zoo & aquarium in Baltimore
101. Learn how to drive a stick-shift