Happy New Year!

I have never ever kept a New Year's Resolution. Most of them were impossible to keep. (No sinning for one year! Lose 75 pounds! Never get angry at anyone!)

The unintended consequence is that when I break a resolution, instead of saying to myself "that's ok, I'll start over tomorrow" I say "HA! I failed! So I should REALLY FAIL now! Instead of losing 75 pounds, I'll gain 30! Instead of never being angry, I'll start hating people!"

Counterproductive, no?

So, instead, I am following many bloggers and coming up with 101 things to do in 1001 days. These are (mostly) proactive (i.e. do this, rather than refrain from doing this). I also think I can accomplish these. And if I don't? Not the end of the world. It'll just make #101 easier.

So... starting Jan. 1, 2009 I have until September 29, 2011 to accomplish these things. I will mark them off as I accomplish them.

Which of these would be on your list? Which do you think are crazy? Which do you already do?

Health/Food
1. Go vegan for a whole week
2. Eat at least 3 (raw) fruits or vegetables every day for a week
3. Do 50 push in a row
4. Run another half-marathon
5. Eat only raw foods for an entire day
6. Get a full physical March 2009
7. Get back to my pre-baby weight
8. Do one unassisted pull/chin up
9. Go to the dentist
10. Work out at least three times a week for a month

Giving to Others
11. Do the Komen 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk October 2009
12. Smile at every person I make eye contact with for a day
13. Donate blood March 2009
14. Make a $100 donation to a local charity
15. Tip someone 100%
16. Cook a meal for a new mom June 2009
17. Give someone a “just because” gift
18. Write a letter to a grandparent
19. Volunteer at a soup kitchen / shelter
20. Translate for someone who needs it

Writing/Blogging
21. Post at least 3 book reviews (0/3)
22. Post an entry in Spanish (and its translation)
23. Post seven entries about being an attorney (1/7) January 2009
24. Write a letter to each family member telling them why I love them
25. Posts about M.P.’s namesakes
26. Publish an entry on my blog every day for 1 month (NaBloPoMo)
27. Handwrite a blog entry and scan it to the blog
28. Post an entry titled “Dear Body”
29. Post seven childhood memories that I want M.P. to know about (1/7) April 2009
30. Post about my journey of faith

Local To Huntsville/Northern Alabama
31. Attend a performance at the Flying Monkey
32. Go to Big Spring Jam
33. Feed the ducks at Big Spring Park with M.P.
34. Go to a free outdoor community event
35. Go to Early Works museum June 2009
36. Attend a non-mandatory lecture or seminar
37. See an exhibit at the art museum
38. Hike at Monte Sano
39. Hike in the Walls of Jericho
40. Go to a wine tasting

Travel / Vacation / Adventure
41. Travel out of the United States
42. Take another beach vacation
43. Go on a trip with girlfriends from high school
44. Ride a roller coaster
45. Travel by train in the United States
46. Travel somewhere I do not speak the language
47. Go to a museum outside of Huntsville
48. Ride a bike somewhere
49. Visit a national park
50. Visit out of state relatives

Trying New Things
51. Learn at least 50 (new) ASL signs January 2009
52. Bake bread
53. See my friend Susanna in an opera March 2009
54. Plant something in our flower beds

55. Sew something with my sewing machine June 2009
56. Do one thing that scares me January 2009
57. Build and launch a rocket with my husband
58. Fly a kite
59. Build a sandcastle
60. Join a club or civic organization

Home/Family Life
61. Frame and hang at least 10 family photos
62. Finish stripping the wallpaper in the master bathroom*January 2009
63. Paint master bathroom March 2009
64. Paint the dining room
65. Compile emergency supplies for home
66. Spend 24 hours alone with my husband
67. Wash the blinds/curtains
68. See all of IMDB.com’s top 100 movies (34/100)
69. See 5 foreign language films
70. Dance with my husband

Arts, Crafts, and Music
71. Obtain a piece of original art for my home June 2009
72. Draw something
73. Sing somewhere other than church March 2009
74. Buy something handmade
75. See an author read from his or her work
76. Lean to play Claire de lune
77. Document a “day in my life” with photos August 2009
78. Play Fur Elise from memory
79. Join the church choir August 2009
80. Read a book on music

Monthly Challenges
81. One month without diet coke (holy cow, I can’t believe I wrote that)
82. Take a picture of M.P. every day and post it every day
83. Floss every day
84. Record total amount of money spent on food
85. One month without sweets/desserts
86. Photograph (and post) my outfits everyday
87. Take a picture of Dad every day and post it every day (if he’ll let me)
88. Spend at least 20 minutes outside every day
89. No gossip
90. Make my bed every day

Miscellaneous
91. Have no debt other than the mortgage February 2008
92. Read 3 books in Spanish
93. Vote in a local election
94. Read a book on special relativity
95. Plant something from seed
96. Attend a Book Club/ Readers Group
97. Read at least 3 non-fiction books
98. Eliminate plastic grocery bags
99. Have a conversation in Spanish
100. Try to pray without ceasing for one day

Last but not least
101. Make a new list of 101 Things by the time my 1001 days are done