Day 19

41) Set up a weekly cleaning schedule for the apartment 4/23/07

I've been meaning for years to do this. I'm super organized but not so good with the dusting and sweeping etc. A) because I have allergies, and B) I get overwhelmed (and, ok, lazy). So now I've compacted the house work into frequent bite sized pieces. Last night was clean the bathroom night, and I dutifully did.

80) Stay a size four (or less)

This article presents a healthy approach to maintaining your natural weight. I've done all of these things at one time or another (spare the soup), but I aim to do them more often than not because I feel better in every aspect of life when I eat well. I also have a tendency to overdo it with exercise if I eat too much junk. The idea is to compensate, but I just end up with irritated muscles.

Natural Weight Loss
Posted by Dr. Maoshing Ni

Here is what you can do to achieve a healthy weight:

1. First of all, avoid any fad diets and fast-acting solutions that guarantee incredible weight loss while you watch television and eat deserts.

2. Focus on being fit rather than being thin. Aiming to be thin often means restricted eating, over-exercising, and anxious obsessing about weight - there is nothing healthy about this mindset.

3. Eat five small meals per day. Find a small bowl the size of your two palms when they are placed next to each other - this should be the size of each meal. Eating throughout the day keeps you from becoming famished and overeating at your next meal.

4. Your last meal of the day should be no later than 7 p.m.

5. Eliminate candy, sugar, and soda from your diet. Instead of candy, chew on some fresh peppermint leaves or cinnamon sticks. Use honey sparingly as a replacement for sugar.

6. Eat more complex carbohydrates and ample quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. Keep dairy to a minimum because most dairy products are high in saturated fat, which is not healthy for your cardiovascular system when consumed in larger amounts. Opt for the lower fat dairy products such as low-fat or non-fat milks, cheeses, and yogurt. Avoid fatty foods, processed or fried foods.

7. Drink plenty of water - at least 60 ounces a day. It is especially beneficial to drink plain hot water, as if you are drinking tea without the tea or sugar. Also, drink a tea made from boiling a lemon (with the peel).

8. Eat soup at least once a day. A low-salt nutritious soup rehydrates the body while also nourishing and flushing waste from the body. It has been found that people who eat one or more soups each day lose more weight than those who eat the same number of calories but don't eat soup. (Seek out homemade soup, because canned soups are filled with salt and chemicals.)

9. A 30-minute daily walk can do wonders for your metabolism. Try taking a walk 30 minutes in the morning or 30 minutes in the evening, two hours before bed. For toning you might replace one of the walks with some stretching activities such as tai chi or a mild form of yoga.

Day 16

5) Write Raphael at least 4 letters while he’s in Honduras (1/4) 4/21/07

I did write Raph a letter last night and this morning. And before going to mail it I did think, "hmm, does it cost more to travel to Honduras?" And I did phone Roger to check, but he didn't answer, so against my better judgment I sent the letter off. I expect it to return Mon requesting a higher postage stamp.

Day 13

53) Volunteer 50hrs (2/50) Food Bank 4/18/07

So between the hours of 6-8 tonight I made roughly 325 boxes that were then filled with 30lbs of food. Together we 22 volunteers packed a little under 20,000 lbs of food. To my surprise I learned the majority of this food is not going to the homeless, but to senior citizens given a mere $1100 a month from social security (a ridiculous amount to expect an SF resident to survive on). Futhermore I learned that the goverment abandoned the feeding of it's malnurished citizens 20 years ago, and the Food Bank has been handling the mess solo. It's really sparked an interest in me to learn more.

Day 11

24) Get your bowling ball drilled 4/14/07

I don't think much more has to be said about this goal then my ball was given to me in 1999.

It wasn't easy as pie to get it done either. I called them two Saturdays ago and was told the ball driller would be in Mon & Tues from 5-8pm. So after work Mon I traveled from Petrero Hill to the Presidio only to find the guy not there but in Florida (for Easter). I was told that he'd be home that night and to come back the next day, which I did, and again, no guy. This time his plane has been delayed due to a storm. I was really irritated and hinted I best be compensated for misguided treks back and forth. This Saturday I called right before drving over and spoke directly to Eric (the drill guy) to ensure he could to it that day. He could, and gave me $5 off and a pass for a free game. I also learned that I have a bad habit of bending my thumb due to all the foreign balls I've used over the years.

55) Take Moira out 20 times (1/20) 4/13/07

When Moira, my 7-year-old niece, was born, I was really good about visiting her around every other week. Then my visits with her slowed significantly, only picking up slightly when Maggie and Randy lived with her parents. This has sent periotic twinges of guilt through me, since I really want to be a pressence in her life. This goal is designed to make time with Moira habitual.

This past Friday I took the day off to hang with her, Mag, Ran, and Lucy. We had a fun time dancin' & singin' though not so much with games. She confided to Maggie and I that she's laughed at in school when she loses them. Kids are cruel, and this really solidifies why I want to be around, so she doesn't lose her self or her way. Granted it's not just school she's vulnerable to, but that's another story.

61) Visit your grandparents' graves (1/2) 4/13/07

All of my grandparents are now gone, and I miss them terribly. They're a huge reason for my new take on life because I truly regret not spending more time with them while they were here, particularly my Grandad, as he was the most open. But on the other hand, spending time with a person can open them up to you.

This Friday the above group mentioned took a drive over to Grandmother and Grandad's ashes. They're mixed together in a golden box sitting behind glass, their picture and a teddy bear, holding a fake rose, on either side. I realize now that I should have snapped a picture... so I'll probably be going back in the next two years.

62) Take a vocal coaching class 4/15/07

I love to sing. I'll admit I'm pretty intimitated by knowing so many trained singers, and this goal is designed to make me more confident in my instrument.

I found a free two hour group vocal class at the Voice Studio. These two beautiful German women instructed us on a technique called Voice Level Singing. Both of them left their homes in Germany to become certified VLS teachers here in the states, the only place the method is taught. It's been developed so singers won't strain their voices and lose full force over time. I was the first volunteer and did hear an immediate improvement doing the excercises, which I can only describe as whinning. I took a picture of the outside of the studio. Oh, and I actually knew one of the women there. She'd been in my acting class last fall. I might have signed on for an extended course this summer had they accepted credit cards, but it's probably better that they didn't. I do plan to take some sort of ongoing instruction though.

Day 3

It's as if I'm stuck dumb founded at the center of a multi-forked road, bewildered about which one to embark on, certain I can only choose one, then, like Neo bending the Matrix to his will, I decide to weave them all together to form a single path.

At one point while making this list I stopped to ponder my greatest fear. I thought conquering it should be listed, but though I had a good deal of fears on the list, I felt equally fearful of each. Then that night it dawned on me. I am my greatest fear. I am this delicately balanced being whose best quailites are teetering toward greatest faults. Examples:

impulsive = rash
honest = blunt
confident = vain
observant = obsessive
giving = relinquishing
independant = rebellious

I realize these aren't exact synonyms, but you get my drift. I often don't know what to expect from myself. I've been known to drop classes, buy things I can't afford, say hurtful things without thinking, give way too much of myself, spend hours on a minute detail, arrive late to places or not shown up at all due to insecurities over my apperance, and worst, sit paralyzed in front of a TV screen for hours. These behaviors, though seemingly harmless compared to some, don't make me proud or happy, and a good deal of the time I can bypass them all together, but other times they hold me in their grip, not relenting until I've done their bidding. But now I've made this list, confronting those tendancies, determined to stifle them once and for all.


This weekend I got the ball rolling on several goals:

76) Weed out clothing 4 times (1/4) 4/7/07

I have too many clothes. I buy too many clothes, though significantly discounted. Going through them, asking myself to be honest about whether I'll ever wear them again or if they even fit me right, is essential to curbing my desire for more. Once I've given away a bunch, I'm much more critical about what pieces I let into my wardrobe. This goal combined with #79 encourage quality, not quantity, in what I wear. This Sat I put a bunch of articles in a bag and gave Serena first pick, the rest I'll first try to sell, then donate.

93) Take a photo a week (1/143) 4/8/07

I love pictures. I used to take them everywhere I went until I lost my camera in a bowling alley back in 2002. Now in the digital age and with all the interesting material I'll be encountering there's no reason not to document it in this unparalled medium. This week the recipitent of my lens is my adorable 11 week old niece, Lucy Anabelle.

99) Call Dad once a month (1/33) 4/8/07

As my sister pointed out, this should be bumped up to once a week, but though I'm sure I'll call more than the set amount, I intend to get very busy and could easily miss a week or two straight. One of my dad and I's favorite songs on the radio as I was growing up was Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin. Having lost all my grandparents now, and realizing I didn't take full advantage of them while they were here, it's extremely important to keep in close contact with my parents (mom doesn't get a mention on the list because she lives above me and I check in with her just about every day). I called my dad Sat but we played phone tag until he reached me at Mag & Ran's Sun. Suprisingly enough we got to talking about me getting back into art and he commisioned me to do a South Western painting for him and Joan's house in Arizona, touching on goal's #19 and #49.

66) Perform 5 acts from this site (or something like them): Good Deed Ideas(1/5) 4/8/07

I enjoy making people happy. I especially enjoy exceeding people's expectations of humanity. Helping people for no reason other than to help them also confirms my own humanity. My first good deed was paying the bridge toll for the car behind me. It left me with a big sneaky smile on my face, and I felt pretty good the rest of the way home.

Day 1

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. 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.

Goal setting tips
• Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
• Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
• Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
• Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
• Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

In making this list I tried to challenge without overwhelming myself. What I've compiled here is ambitious and will take extreme discipline for me, but when discouraged I will think of what my grandfather said on his deathbed:
"It goes by so fast".

Start date 4/6/07

Physical (0/8)

1) Go swimming once a week for 3 months (0/12)
3) Start a membership at The Mission Cliffs
22) Do 30 min of Yoga every morning for a week
31) Take a yoga class
40) Take a self defense class
77) Walk on the beach 2 times a week for a month (0/8)
80) Stay a size four (or less)
84) Take a dance class

Hobbies/Art (0/13)

15) Finish the koi fish table
19) Paint five oil on canvas; one must be a self portrait (0/5) SIGN THEM!
26) Write and illustrate a children’s book (with or without Maggie)
48) Make holiday themed arts and crafts
50) Spend 150hrs drawing (0/150)
57) Paint zebra stripes on your mirror
63) Photograph at least 50 of the items on this list (0/50)
86) Color an entire coloring book
93) Take a photo a week (0/143)
97) Paint the chest the action figures are in
24) Get your bowling ball drilled
27) Complete the Artist’s Way
74) Participate: http://www.sh1ft.org/26things/

Money/Financial (0/6)

29) Pay off car loan early
30) Have $6000 saved
49) Sell something you made
67) Make a budget
68) Save $10 for every item completed on your 101 list to be spent as you choose but subtract from this $25 towards a charity for every uncompleted task (hold money in a “piggy” bank) ($0/$1010)
96) Put loose change into rolls every 6 months (0/5)

Travel/Outings (0/15)

6) Visit Italy
7) Visit the SF Academy of Science
9) Visit New York
23) Swim with a dolphin
25) Take a road trip
28) Visit Vegas (and preset gambling amount)
36) Visit Disneyland
37) See a show on Broadway
47) Visit Anna in Michigan
61) Visit your grandparents' graves
65) Go camping
82) Watch the sun rise
83) Drive to Tahoe to visit Dad and Joan
92) Attend 10 live performances (0/10)
98) Go horseback riding

Literary (0/5)

13) Either read or donate all the unread books you own
33) Complete 35 books: 5 must be from www.banned-books.com (0/5); 5 must be from http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1061037,00.html (0/5); 5 you must already own (0/5); Total - (0/35)
43) Keep a journal documenting the progress of this list; 4/6/07
44) Visit the library and check out 5 books
78) Collect in a book 50 quotes that inspire you (0/50)

Home Improvement (0/9)

4) Paint your room
41) Set up a weekly cleaning schedule for the apartment
46) Create filing system for all your papers
70) Spackle and touch-up apartment
71) Re-design main room, bedroom, and kitchen of apartment
75) Make curtains for your bedroom
56) Find a home/homes for all your action figures
69) Frame “toilet paper rolls” and display
76) Weed out clothing 4 times (0/4)

Diet/Food (0/5)

20) Plant a vegetable garden
10) Master 10 dinner recipes (0/10)
11) Master 10 breakfast recipes (0/10)
12) Master 10 lunch recipes (0/10)
89) Eat at ten top SF restaurants you’ve never been to

Purchases (0/6)

51) Buy a reading chair
58) Buy furniture for the deck
42) Copy all your CD’s to your computer or blank CD’s and buy an I-POD
45) Buy a red dress that looks fabulous on you and wear it out
52) Buy a comfortable, stylish, and affordable couch
79) Determine what key clothing pieces you’re missing from your wardrobe and make or buy them

Things to learn/Skills to perfect (0/8)

2) Increase typing speed to 40wpm
14) Learn to sew
17) Take Acting for Camera class
18) Take a wood shop class
32) Learn to make your own website
62) Take a vocal coaching class
85) Take an Excel/Word class
87) Join a chess club

Self (0/11)

8) Eliminate acne
35) Attend 10 sessions of therapy (0/10)
39) Receive acupuncture
54) Go for a manicure
59) See school counselor and decide on a degree
60) Move out
64) Schedule appointment to see if you qualify for Laser Eye Surgery; if yes, begin saving for and have procedure; if no, contacts
72) Get a bikini wax
90) Get diagnosed for a learning disability
91) Do a cleanse
100) Purchase or borrow and complete The Hard Questions for an Authentic Life: 100 Essential Questions for Tapping into Your Inner Wisdom

Others (0/9)

5) Write Raphael at least 4 letters while he’s in Honduras (0/4)
16) Complete and send out “memories” holiday cards
53) Volunteer 50hrs (0/50)
55) Take Moira out 20 times (0/20)
81) Create a list of family and friend birthdays, phone numbers, and addresses
95) Throw a surprise party for someone
99) Call Dad once a month (0/33)
21) Run a charity race
73) Start dating
66) Perform 5 acts from this site (or something like them): http://home.hiram.edu/hal/good%20deed%20ideas.htm

Social (0/4)

34) Have a game night every other week for 3 months (0/6)
94) Host a theme party
38) Get cast in a musical or play
88) Attend 10 year high school reunion

Finished?

101) Complete another list and start again (transfer any uncompleted tasks)