What is 101 in 1001?

Karen Hathaway is on an adventure since her sister started the 101 in 1001 fever. She recently started a venture, creating a list of 101 things that she wants to do in 1001 days and documenting them on a blog. I've decided to join her. We'll see how this goes...

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 organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

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Start Date: July 21, 2008
End Date: April 18, 2011

Family
01. Visit Ohio and see Carl's family once a year.
02. Visit Kansas and see my family once a year.
03. Go on a cruise with Carl.
04. Visit my mom in Laos.
05. Go on a "sisters" mini-vacation with Ranee and Kim.
06. Reconnect with cousins in France.
07. Write a letter to Grandma and Grandpa Schmidt.
08. Have as much family over for a holiday dinner in Texas as I can.
09. Introduce my mom to my mother-in-law before she moves to Laos.
10. Take my step sister out for an entire day to do whatever she wants alone.
11. Go camping with Carl.
12. Go fishing with Alex and Carl at Galveston Bay.
13. Float down the Arkansas River from Wichita to Winfield (KS) with my dad and Carl.
14. Float down the Rio Grande River (NM) with Sue (My mommy-in-law).

Friends
15. Plan a surprise birthday party for a friend.
16. Have dinner with a friend at least once a week until I leave Albuquerque.
17. Invite friends for dinner at least once a month.
18. Start the Amish Friendship Bread starter kit.
19. Bake and deliver Christmas goodies to neighbors.
20. Send a card to an out of town friend once a week.
21. Send a thank you letter to mentors throughout my life every other month.
22. Send a care package to a friend in the military/college.

Spiritual/Service
23. Read the Bible/Book of Mormon all the way through.
24. Get Temple recommends.
25. Be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.
26. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
27. Take discussions with missionaries in Spring Ward.
28. Have missionaries over for dinner once a month for 6 months consecutively.
29. Donate blood.
30. Volunteer for an eye clinic in Texas.
31. Help other members from church by setting up babysitting at my house for date night/moving a family into the ward/moving a family out of a ward.
32. Donate to Goodwill twice a year.
33. Host an enrichment activity for Relief Society.

Work
34. Complete Office Manager Calendar for my successor at work.
35. Revise and Post contact lens price sheet.
36. Relieve Ins. A/R by 10,000.00 before end of August.
37. Train JW on VF and Photos by end of 7/21/08 work week.
38. Hire another Opt Tech by end of Aug.

New Skills
39. Design and put a "California Closet" in our master Bedroom.
40. Mow a "Diamond cut" on our front lawn.
41. Play a song on Alex's guitar (If he'll teach me or buy a guitar and learn)
42. Write in Laos.

Financial
43. Pay off truck.
44. Pay off car.
45. Buy stock.
46. Keep checkbook updated for a month.
47. Set up online billing.
48. Open up a bank account at a local Credit Union in Houston.
49. Open a retirement fund (other than 401k).
50. Make at least 1 extra mortgage payment.

Health
51. Walk 2 loops (1 mile) with Sue twice a week until I move.
52. Park in a parking spot "far away" and walk to stores I go to.
53. Take a spin class at L.A. Fitness.
54. Go get my physical before I leave Albuquerque.
55. Weight lift with Carl once a week.
56. Use mouth wash after lunch at work everyday for a month.
57. Go to the dentist.
58. Take multi-vitamin everyday for 90 days.

Cooking
59. Make my own sweet chili sauce.
60. Send a recipe card to 5 friends.
61. Make a homemade chicken pot pie (crust and everything)!
62. Make and decorate sugar cookies with Carl and take them to new neighbors.
63. Make Ashlie a Cookbook.
64. Make one new entree once a month for 6 months.
65. Give Josh Rowe my BBQ Sauce recipe. (This has been a promise for 2 years running!)
66. Make homemade dinner rolls from scratch.
67. Make "dinner" kits for the boys to take to work.
68. Bake/decorate someone's wedding/birthday/special occasion cake.

Miscellaneous
69. Create a one of a kind Couples Halloween Costume for Trunk or Treat.
70. Finish reading the Work & the Glory series.
71. Scrapbook our wedding.
72. Take a lazy day and read an entire novel under the shade of a tree.
73. Go to the Annual Texas Crawfish and Music Festival Old Town Spring
74. Go to a pro baseball game in Houston.
75. Go to a pro football game in Dallas.
76. Create a LDS 72 Hour Emergency Survival Kit
77. Visit South Padre Island.
78. Ice Skate at the rink in the middle of Galleria Mall.
79. Start a fire in our fireplace and roast marshmallows.
80. Rollerblade around our block.
81. Update my address book. (You can help starting now :)
82. Create a photobook for my dad with all our old photographs.
83. Create a photobook for my mom with all our old photographs.
84. Build a deck in our backyard.
85. Get a massage.
86. Learn to Golf.
87. Get my undergrad.
88. Find a custard place that's better than Colonel Mustard's Custard (If Possible)
89. Complete a triathalon with Tonya.
90. Help a friend quit smoking.
91. Find Thai Hot peppers and plant them in our garden.
92. Make 1 handmade gift for Christmas.
93. Get a real estate license.
94. Spend an entire day in Old Town Spring.
95. Learn how to make more of my mom's authentic recipes.
96. Find a new craft.
97. Buy and use re-useable grocery bags.
98. Write a poem.
99. Leave May baskets at door steps.
100. Start a new family tradition during a holiday.
101. Try to keep one present to Carl for any reason a secret. If you know me and our history...this hasn't happened yet. I always blow it.

Wish me luck and join in if you'd like!