I avoided this blog the entire month of May. I really need to get better at this thing. There were multiple mornings that I thought "I need to update my blog today." And then nada - I avoided it like the plague. It's not that I haven't been checking things off my list - its just the lack of motivation to start writing something. But now, here I am and I'm actually writing! Let's see what I've been able to check off my list over the last month:
2. Keep my car clean for a whole month
Last Saturday (May 22th) I cleaned out my car. Here's hoping I can keep it clean until June 22nd. It's been a week and so far, so good. I can do this!
11. Watch all the Star Wars movies.
I mentioned to my father-in-law last weekend that I had watching all the Star Wars movies on my list of things to do before I die - I have all the newer Star Wars movies checked off and luckily, he has a box set of the originals. He brought them over the other day (Old school VHS, hah!). So, that will help me to check that one off. I'm hoping to bust at least one of them off my list next weekend.
14. Go to DisneyWorld.
So excited about this one! Doug and I booked a trip to Disney for our 1 year wedding anniversary! We're driving down since Mr. Doug is afraid of flying. We're going to leave Boston wee early morning of September 4th - drive the 14 hours to South Carolina and crash with friends for the night. Then we'll have an additional 9 hours to drive on the 5th before we reach Disney. I'm super excited!!! And, other friends booked a trip as well. They'll over lap our trip for a couple of days, so we've made reservations together to have breakfast with the characters.
24. Write 3 more chapters of the book I started to write high school.
I haven't started this yet - but I've been itching to get writing again, so I'm determined to start working on it soon. My newest guilty pleasure has been reading Twilight Fan Fictions (thanks, Michelle! :-P) and reading some of them just reminded me of how much I love writing and how I haven't done it in so long. It's always been very theraputic to me. I think tonight I'm going to pull out my portfolio from my college writing class to get my brain started. I'm hoping to be able to block off at least 30 minutes a night to be able to write.
Hopefully this will help me check off number 108, Free write daily for one week, too.
47. Clean out and redecorate the office.
A couple weeks ago, Doug and I tackled some of the office. It still has a lot of work that needs to be done to clean it out completely, but I started to sort through some of my wedding stuff and we assembled the bookcase we purchased, so that eliminated a lot of the clutter. The geek in me is so excited to see a 5 shelf bookcase filled with books.
68. Make plans with a new friend.
This may be a cop out but I'm using RachMezz for this one! hah...my friend Rachael, AKA my sanity at work and her boyfriend, Pat, AKA Peanut Butter stopped by a cookout Doug and I had over the weekend. Would I call Rachael a new friend? No, not so much since we've been co-workers for over a year, but this was the first time we hung out outside of the TLB. So - it works - and, if I can't use RachMezz for the check mark, then I can certainly use Pat since I just met him at the cookout. So, HAH!
80. Go Whale Watching.
I have been super antsy to check this one off my list! I researched and researched to find a place to go and most Whale Watching things were ridiculously over priced. However, the fabulous Groupon had a 50% off promo going for Whale Watching in Gloucester, so I ordered 2 tickets. Now, Doug and I just need to find a weekend we can take advantage of it. I'm so excited!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Where was I?
I really suck at this blog thing - which, I was completing expecting so suck at it and I wanted to prove to myself I didn't suck at it - but I'm not proving myself wrong so well. BUT - here are some updates:
#3 Listen to 10 classic albums all the way through
Done! This was one of the easiest and funnest tasks! Thanks to Chris telling me about Grooveshark, I was able to listen to these albums while at work. I will say that Miles Davis was such a snoozefest! And obviously, I love The Beatles, Elvis and Rolling Stones so those were fun to listen to.
#7 Find a personally inspirational quote and work it into a piece of art or home decor
This is a work in progress. My all time favorite quote is by Eleanor Roosevelt and it is "The Future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." So, finding the inspirational quote was the easy part - now, how to work that into a piece of art or home decor for someone that doesn't have a creative bone in her body? That's the tough part. BUT, my boss does needlepoint crafts - and after the wedding I told her I'd need a new hobby - so, I approached her to see if she thought a needlepoint newbie could do needle point letters and work it into a piece of art. We talked about it, she knows an artist that can create a needle point pattern and I think it's going to look a little like this:
#3 Listen to 10 classic albums all the way through
Done! This was one of the easiest and funnest tasks! Thanks to Chris telling me about Grooveshark, I was able to listen to these albums while at work. I will say that Miles Davis was such a snoozefest! And obviously, I love The Beatles, Elvis and Rolling Stones so those were fun to listen to.
#7 Find a personally inspirational quote and work it into a piece of art or home decor
This is a work in progress. My all time favorite quote is by Eleanor Roosevelt and it is "The Future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." So, finding the inspirational quote was the easy part - now, how to work that into a piece of art or home decor for someone that doesn't have a creative bone in her body? That's the tough part. BUT, my boss does needlepoint crafts - and after the wedding I told her I'd need a new hobby - so, I approached her to see if she thought a needlepoint newbie could do needle point letters and work it into a piece of art. We talked about it, she knows an artist that can create a needle point pattern and I think it's going to look a little like this:
Much less detail - because I'm a newbie, but that's pretty much the idea, a landscape background with flowers to symbolize flowers and clouds to symbolize dreams. Now the question is, do I make it a pillow or a framed piece of art?
#69 Send 12 cards or letters for no reason at all. (3/12)
So, I mentioned the fact that I mailed a letter to my "Dawson"...I guess he shipped out to Afghanistan before the letter reached him - because it came back to me. I know I should forward it to his Afghanistan address, but I'm sort of slacking on it - I don't know why....I really need to get it done.
However, I did mail out 2 just because letters today! Big M's aunt died a few weeks ago...at the wake, her brother (Big M's uncle) and sister-in-law (Big M's aunt by marriage) mentioned to him that they wanted a copy of the big group family shot taken at my wedding. So, I made a copy of those pictures, bought cute thinking of you cards and mailed them out today! I gave Uncle Russell some special treatment and framed his picture. It really felt kind of good inside to send a little package to him, just because.
Since I was heading to the Post Office, I made sure I completed everything that needed to be completed to get my name changed on my passport. There are still a few things that have my maiden name on them....but, I changed my name with all of my banks, credit cards, social security office, RMV and now passport, so I think I can finally check #59 Change my name with several places I haven't changed with, off the list!
I have 14% of my list checked off - and I still have 885 days left!!! Woot!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Dear Blog, Sorry I've been avoiding you....
I feel like I haven't posted in ages. It's not that I have nothing to say - its that I'm too damn lazy. Anyway.....I have been working on my list. Here are some things in the works:
11. Watch all the Star Wars movies.
This is currently a work in progress. Spike had a marathon on a few weeks ago of Episodes 1-3. So, I watched them. For the most part, I fell asleep for a little bit in the middle of Episode 1, but by Episode 3 I was definitely hooked. Doug now refuses to answer any questions I ask about Star Wars (I've asked him a billion). He's making me watch the movies to figure it out for myself.
22. Have a trash the dress photo shoot done.
This is semi in the works. I currently don't fit into my wedding dress. *sadface* but I talked to my photographer and we have a game plan of what the shoot is going to be. So, I just need to get my ass in gear to fit back into my dress, then we'll schedule the shoot and it'll be a done deal! :-) THEN, I can check off #6, Get Wedding Dress Cleaned, after the shoot!
25. Go to the gym a minimum of twice a week for a month straight.
CHECK! I can't believe I accomplished this goal!! Really, for me - this is such a big deal. I switched back to my old gym and I've really be doing a great job at going. There was only one week that I only went to the gym twice. Most of the time, I went 3 times a week. I had my monthly check in with my trainer - unfortunetly, there's been no real progress with weight loss. My weight has gone up - my BMI is the same, and all of my measurements are the same except for losing an inch off my hips and a 1/2 inch off my thighs. So, I guess that's something. I'm a little bummed that my trainer won't be around next month and he's going to set me up with someone else. I feel like that may make me lose some motivation. Starting Monday, I'm going to change up my gym routine a little bit to go 5 times a week and take the weekends off.
Part of my routine has also been to do a buttload of crunches - its been tough, but in no time - I should be able to check off task number 31, Complete 100 crunches with ease. Now, I'll just have to stick with keeping the goal instead of checking it off and moving on.
26. Lose 30 pounds by June 1, 2010.
Unfortunetly, realistically - this is just not going to happen. June 1st is 2 months away...there's no way I can lose 30lbs in 2 months. I haven't lost anything since I started that goal. However - I'm still working towards the goal of losing the weight - I'm just not going to make the deadline I set for myself.
Wow. That was a big update. There's more to say - but I don't want to bore anyone with my useless ramblings anymore. haha
11. Watch all the Star Wars movies.
This is currently a work in progress. Spike had a marathon on a few weeks ago of Episodes 1-3. So, I watched them. For the most part, I fell asleep for a little bit in the middle of Episode 1, but by Episode 3 I was definitely hooked. Doug now refuses to answer any questions I ask about Star Wars (I've asked him a billion). He's making me watch the movies to figure it out for myself.
22. Have a trash the dress photo shoot done.
This is semi in the works. I currently don't fit into my wedding dress. *sadface* but I talked to my photographer and we have a game plan of what the shoot is going to be. So, I just need to get my ass in gear to fit back into my dress, then we'll schedule the shoot and it'll be a done deal! :-) THEN, I can check off #6, Get Wedding Dress Cleaned, after the shoot!
25. Go to the gym a minimum of twice a week for a month straight.
CHECK! I can't believe I accomplished this goal!! Really, for me - this is such a big deal. I switched back to my old gym and I've really be doing a great job at going. There was only one week that I only went to the gym twice. Most of the time, I went 3 times a week. I had my monthly check in with my trainer - unfortunetly, there's been no real progress with weight loss. My weight has gone up - my BMI is the same, and all of my measurements are the same except for losing an inch off my hips and a 1/2 inch off my thighs. So, I guess that's something. I'm a little bummed that my trainer won't be around next month and he's going to set me up with someone else. I feel like that may make me lose some motivation. Starting Monday, I'm going to change up my gym routine a little bit to go 5 times a week and take the weekends off.
Part of my routine has also been to do a buttload of crunches - its been tough, but in no time - I should be able to check off task number 31, Complete 100 crunches with ease. Now, I'll just have to stick with keeping the goal instead of checking it off and moving on.
26. Lose 30 pounds by June 1, 2010.
Unfortunetly, realistically - this is just not going to happen. June 1st is 2 months away...there's no way I can lose 30lbs in 2 months. I haven't lost anything since I started that goal. However - I'm still working towards the goal of losing the weight - I'm just not going to make the deadline I set for myself.
Wow. That was a big update. There's more to say - but I don't want to bore anyone with my useless ramblings anymore. haha
Monday, March 8, 2010
Letter writing...
I have two goals that involve letter/card writing....
70. Send 12 cards or letters for no reason at all, and
84. Write letters to the people that molded me into who I am today and thank them for it.
Last night, I took out my stationary and wrote out a card to a very special friend. He was my best friend growing up, we were the real life Dawson and Joey, I swear..which is probably why I enjoyed watching Dawson's Creek so much. haha
Anyway - as with most young friendships, especially when it is between a girl and a boy, once the friends start to grow up and date the friendship changes as much as you don't want it to. It doesn't help when one of them moves away. However, no matter how many new friends you meet along the way - no one can quite replace your childhood best friends. Not new friends, not boyfriends, not husbands.
I haven't seen "Dawson" since we were Juniors in high school....he moved the summer going into our Senior year. We rarely speak anymore. There will be an occasional, how are you on facebook and that's usually the extent of it - typically, those how are you's are one sided....with no response - but I get it - he's busy.
In less than a month he is heading to Afghanistan until Christmas time. So, I felt the need to just let him know one last time how much our friendship meant to me growing up and how as the years pass and we grow further and further apart...no one can replace the best friend I always found in him. I kept putting this letter off, not knowing exactly what to say - but I knew I needed to write it before he headed off to Afghanistan. So, last night - I consumed the biggest glass of wine I think I've ever consumed...and sat down and wrote. Before I could change my mind, I sealed the envelope.
The letter is in the mail, I've done something I've been wanting to do for a long time now...and I have a little in progress for goal number 84.
70. Send 12 cards or letters for no reason at all, and
84. Write letters to the people that molded me into who I am today and thank them for it.
Last night, I took out my stationary and wrote out a card to a very special friend. He was my best friend growing up, we were the real life Dawson and Joey, I swear..which is probably why I enjoyed watching Dawson's Creek so much. haha
Anyway - as with most young friendships, especially when it is between a girl and a boy, once the friends start to grow up and date the friendship changes as much as you don't want it to. It doesn't help when one of them moves away. However, no matter how many new friends you meet along the way - no one can quite replace your childhood best friends. Not new friends, not boyfriends, not husbands.
I haven't seen "Dawson" since we were Juniors in high school....he moved the summer going into our Senior year. We rarely speak anymore. There will be an occasional, how are you on facebook and that's usually the extent of it - typically, those how are you's are one sided....with no response - but I get it - he's busy.
In less than a month he is heading to Afghanistan until Christmas time. So, I felt the need to just let him know one last time how much our friendship meant to me growing up and how as the years pass and we grow further and further apart...no one can replace the best friend I always found in him. I kept putting this letter off, not knowing exactly what to say - but I knew I needed to write it before he headed off to Afghanistan. So, last night - I consumed the biggest glass of wine I think I've ever consumed...and sat down and wrote. Before I could change my mind, I sealed the envelope.
The letter is in the mail, I've done something I've been wanting to do for a long time now...and I have a little in progress for goal number 84.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Theme Parties
My friend's are whining that we need a get together. I agree - a get together is in order. However, we don't really have a real reason to get together for none other than to see each other. Typically - Doug and I host events such as the superbowl, Colts/Pats game, Christmas party....but it's not Christmas time, and it's not football season - so, what's the excuse we can use to host a get together??
Item number 15 on my list is to Host a Theme party! That's the excuse I'm going with. However - what theme should I go with?? I really have no clue. Suggestions?
Item number 15 on my list is to Host a Theme party! That's the excuse I'm going with. However - what theme should I go with?? I really have no clue. Suggestions?
Monday, March 1, 2010
Christmas, already??
No - not quite. BUT - I did tell myself in an effort to save money this holiday season, I was going to spread out my Christmas shopping for the whole year and buy one gift each month (goal #55). Unfortunetly, I didn't get to place an order in February because I just couldn't figure out what to buy for people. It's actually a lot harder than you would think to spread your shopping out over the course of one year. So many people I shop for are the type of people that buy themselves stuff whenever they need it - so, trying to think of something they're not going to buy isn't easy.
Lakeside Collection is just about my favorite thing in the entire world. I just placed an order for a few gifts for people, including 2 Christmas gifts. So, since February only has 28 days and *technically* if it was any other month - we'd still be in the month of February - I'm going to cheat a little and say that I've succeeded in my task. :-)
First - My brother collects shot glasses. He usually displays them on his bureau. Personally - I hate clutter and that's exactly what his bureau looks like with all the shot glasses lined up. So, I bought him this:
Lakeside Collection is just about my favorite thing in the entire world. I just placed an order for a few gifts for people, including 2 Christmas gifts. So, since February only has 28 days and *technically* if it was any other month - we'd still be in the month of February - I'm going to cheat a little and say that I've succeeded in my task. :-)
First - My brother collects shot glasses. He usually displays them on his bureau. Personally - I hate clutter and that's exactly what his bureau looks like with all the shot glasses lined up. So, I bought him this:
Best part is - It only cost $8.95!!!
Then, Big M is such a landscaping buff. He has trickets and stuff all over the yard. He ALSO collects clocks. So, I thought this gift would be perfect for him:
It's an outdoor clock and the other side is a thermometer. It cost $19.95!!!
I also purchased this new bedset for my sister.
She loves butterflies. I was going to tuck it away for Christmas, but Ma Duke made the good point that it would be great for the spring/summer. So, since my sister's birthday is in May - she'll get it then. For a full size bed the entire set only cost me $39.95.
I've been hunting for a Beauty and the Beast snow globe the past few years for my sister for a Christmas gift. Unfortunetly - they are ridiculously expensive. I got something in the mail last week about getting a new Disney Credit Card (which gives GREAT Disney benefits!) and Doug and I are hoping to make it to Disney for our one year anniversary (goal #14) - so, hopefully I'll be able to get her that snow globe for Christmas this year.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Can I add this one to the list??
For Christmas - Doug maxed out his credit card to get me this amazing Thomas Kinkade lithograph:
I saw in the weekend flyers that Michael's was having a 50% off custom framing sale, so we decided to finally bring it in to get framed. $300 later we're getting it framed!! Yes, the $300 is AFTER the 50% off sale! Ouch.
We bought a ton of artwork on our honeymoon, so we decided to buy frames for most of the other pieces as well. So, that ran us another $50. So, we kept Michael's in business this weekend, that's for sure. Now, to find places to hang all this art. Now that we have all the art framed, I'm getting more antsy about remodeling. So, we really need to get the ball rolling on buying the house.
This has been a task that I've been meaning to accomplish - however, I never put it on the Day Zero list. I can add it now just to get a green check mark, right?
At least I have one check mark to report, or rather, an "In Progress" to report. Doug and I had our friend's Kevin and Shannon over for a game night on Friday night. We played Apples to Apples. It was my first time playing this game, but I've heard a lot of great reviews about it. Unfortunetly, the Helen Keller card was never thrown down, but we did learn that no matter what the adjective is - Flying Monkey's will ALWAYS win. Kevvy Kev and Shan Shan also brought over Wii Scene It - so, Doug and I have added that to our list of must have Wii games!! So, let's just put a nice little gears symbol on #75, Host a game night once every other month.
Then, randomly on Saturday night Doug and I decided to go to his aunt's house for a game night. We spent the whole night playing Pass the Popcorn...which ended up turning into Jack's an Asshole after his cousin knocked all the cards all over the place and screwed up the game a bit. This game isn't as popular as Apples to Apples, but if you're a movie buff - you're sure to have fun! Hell, I'm not even a movie buff and I have a blast every time we play it!! Any movie you could ever imagine is included in this game:
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