kidchamp dot net: cautionary tales

:: 101 in 1001: the revenge ::

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

start date: 18 february 2009
end date: 16 november 2011

items completed: 043
items remaining: 058

items completed have bracketed numbers; i'll alter stats and supply completion details as appropriate. without further ado and in no particular order, once again...

the list

[001] visit iceland [see 04.15.11]
002 write (publish) another mcsweeney’s list
003 donate platelets at least 12 times [05/12 as of 12.27.10]
[004] work out at a gym at least 200 times [completed 04.30.11]
005 take a foreign language class
006 attend shabbat service at a synagogue
007 reach a balance of at least $5000 in original ‘101 in 1001’ savings account
[008] see elvis costello in concert [see 06.11.09]
[009] visit an acupuncturist [see 07.20.11]
[010] buy an apartment [see 10.18.09]
[011] contribute work to a gallery show [see 09.01.10]
[012] watch duck soup [see 07.17.10]
013 attend mass at saint patrick’s cathedral
014 tour an abandoned subway tunnel
015 frame my college diploma
016 go birdwatching
[017] make a blurb-ish photo book [completed 12.20.09]
018 have 3 photos featured on flickr’s explore page
019 print, mat, and frame one of my photos
[020] take another class at the astor center [completed 04.29.09]
[021] visit canada [see 10.26.10, 10.28.10, 11.04.10]
[022] walk across the brooklyn bridge [completed 03.22.09; see photo set]
023 have pizza at grimaldi’s
[024] get another tattoo [see 04.19.11]
025 take a martial arts class
026 complete and frame another needlepoint project
[027] invent a bitchin’ cupcake recipe [see 06.06.09]
028 attempt a gozer costume for halloween
029 visit the new york city tenement museum
[030] buy a bikini (and wear it in public) [completed 04.06.10]
[031] go to an MLS game [see 07.17.09]
032 go to the opera
[033] make pickles from scratch [see 04.27.09]
034 take an etsy labs class
035 write (publish) three ‘letters to the editor’
[036] buy a pair of hot shit designer shoes [see 05.03.09]
037 volunteer at a soup kitchen
[038] cook with 12 ingredients I’ve never used before [see 07.05.11]
039 run 8 miles in less than an hour [distance/hr to date: 6.99 mi]
040 make a blanket
[041] get a bikini wax [see 11.15.11]
042 read gravity’s rainbow (thomas pynchon)
043 enter a cooking or baking contest
044 get my name printed in the new york times
045 get a shout-out at design*sponge
046 score at least 3 new bylines
047 learn to identify at least 12 constellations
048 donate whole blood at least 12 times [06/12 as of 11.08.10]
049 watch three kubrick films i haven't seen
[050] read the big sleep (raymond chandler)
[051] read neuromancer (william gibson)
052 visit at least 3 cemeteries in the new york area
053 attend tea ceremony or a cooking lesson at cha-an in the east village
[054] have dinner at sripraphai in queens [see 04.13.09]
[055] subscribe to another literary magazine [granta, subscribed 10.22.09]
056 write a fan letter
057 go skydiving
058 dip my toe in the atlantic and pacific oceans on the same day
059 see the northern lights
060 take a class at mud, sweat & tears
[061] make a terrarium [see 10.10.11]
063 watch a video at the paley center for media
[064] visit the russian tea room [see 11.16.09]
[065] have a drink at a sneaky-sneaky hipster bar [completed 11.06.09]
[066] take a photo every day for a year [see 08.06.10; photos here]
067 visit the new york botanical garden
068 go without restaurant meals and takeout for a month
069 drink nothing but water for a fortnight
070 sell something on etsy
071 visit (non-tijuana) mexico
072 throw a round nine
073 take a copyediting class
074 see david bowie in concert
[075] read a john updike novel [rabbit, run]
[076] follow an amy’s bread recipe [see 02.20.09]
[077] make ramen or pho from scratch [see 02.23.09]
078 volunteer at an animal shelter
[079] see david beckham play soccer [see 07.17.09]
[080] see a show at joe’s pub [see 11.06.11]
081 go to coney island
082 join a new CSA
083 spend the night in a lodge
084 go to the bronx zoo
[085] buy and start using vacuum storage bags [completed 03.07.09]
086 read 3 library books
[087] raise my credit score [completed 07.28.09]
[088] meet with a personal trainer [see 05.08.09]
[089] attend a screening at the tribeca film festival [see 04.29.10]
090 buy a laptop
[091] make granola [see 02.27.09]
[092] watch taxi driver [see 12.16.10]
[093] watch raging bull
094 submit at least 3 nonfiction pieces for publication
095 take trapeze lessons
[096] ride the subway on staten island [see 11.18.11]
[097] attend an event at the prospect park bandshell [see 07.28.10]
098 see a summer movie at bryant park
[099] eat at a top chef alum’s restaurant [completed 05.17.10]
[100] make a linoleum block print [completed 03.30.09; see 03.31.09]
101 make a magnetic chalkboard
Labels: 101 in 1001 {II}, craft, movies, new york, operation infinite pulchritude, photography

:: 101 in 1001 ::

the premise, per triplux (a fine source for tips, scripts, and links to other lists):
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 organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

start date: 19 august 2005
end date: 16 may 2008

items completed: 036
items remaining: 065

items completed have bracketed numbers; i'll alter stats and supply completion details as appropriate. without further ado and in no particular order...

the list

001 write (publish) 3 'letters to the editor'
002 publish in 3 new (to me) literary journals
003 take trapeze lessons
004 visit iceland
[005] sell handmade (by me) goods at a craft show [see 08.26.05, 12.06.05]
006 crochet or hand-quilt a blanket [see 10.09.05]
[007] go vegan for at least 1 month [completed 02.01.06 - see 01.03.06, 01.10.06, 01.23.06, 02.01.06]
008 volunteer at an animal shelter for at least 1 month
[009] attend a taping of the late show with david letterman [see 10.19.05]
[010] attend a taping of (jon stewart's) the daily show [see 03.13.08]
[011] watch all of krzysztof kieslowski's dekalog [completed 01.27.08]
[012] write (publish) a mcsweeney's list [see 03.23.06]
[013] donate platelets at least 12 times [completed 03.26.08]
014 read gravity's rainbow (thomas pynchon)
[015] drink a pint of ale in oxford for my grandfather [see 08.20.06]
016 make felt out of cat hair
[017] work out at a gym at least 100 times [completed 03.30.08]
018 swim with the coney island polar bear club
[019] leave a casino with more money than i had when i entered [see 12.27.05]
020 take a road trip long enough to require a motel
021 take a foreign language class
[022] read the catcher in the rye (j.d. salinger) [see 10.04.05]
[023] read the grapes of wrath (john steinbeck) [see 10.20.05]
[024] grow kitchen-worthy herbs from seeds [photo set]
025 become certified to perform CPR
[026] quit smoking [last cigarette: 11.23.07]
027 sponsor an endangered animal
028 attend shabbat service at a synagogue
[029] visit jen and tom in chicago [photo set]
030 open a long-term savings account and reach a balance of at least $1000 [opened account 08.22.05] [current balance: $243]
[031] visit the cloisters [see 08.27.05]
032 read the book of mormon
033 read dianetics (l. ron hubbard)
034 learn to make swanky candles
035 see elvis costello in concert
[036] have a meal at a 'raw food' restaurant [see 10.16.06]
037 go one week without wearing black (including accessories and underwear)
[038] participate in a charity walk [see 03.09.08]
039 visit an acupuncturist
[040] have my palm read in a psychic's parlor [see 05.15.08]
[041] watch das kabinett des doktor caligari
[042] watch the terror of tiny town
043 sew an article of clothing
044 wear said article of clothing to the office
[045] earn (and get) a raise at work [see 04.12.06]
046 buy an apartment
047 get my initials on the galaga high scores list at crif dogs
048 contribute work to a gallery show
[049] get my damn wisdom tooth removed [see 01.07.08]
[050] complete at least 3 more learning to love you more assignments [completed 03.27.07]
[051] watch the godfather (parts I-III)
052 pet a skunk
053 visit a nudist colony
054 write a decent short story
[055] walk through a corn maze [see 09.16.07]
056 develop a kick-ass tofu recipe
057 get my name printed in the new york times
058 play 18 holes of golf
[059] score at least 3 bylines in national magazines (mine counts) [see 09.22.06, 02.07.07]
060 learn to drive stick
061 visit at least 3 cemeteries in the new york area
062 visit jake at penn state
063 attend mass at st. patrick's cathedral
064 participate in a parade
[065] (re)visit 221b baker street [see 03.23.06]
066 write in wet concrete
[067] find, purchase, and wear a decent pair of sunglasses [completed 04.17.08]
068 read a book assigned by paul [tristram shandy, laurence sterne]
069 take a computer-related class
070 clean the apartment within an inch of its life without help from joe
071 go to a fetish club
072 participate in a political campaign
073 visit utah for the sundance film festival
[074] tour the winchester mystery house [see 04.22.08]
075 spend the day at coney island
076 learn to read music
[077] visit a working farm [photo set]
078 design and print a (non-company) business card
079 learn to make preserves
080 send at least 12 homemade gifts for non-holidays [1/12 as of 09.16.05]
081 tour an abandoned subway tunnel
[082] become an ordained minister [see 08.22.05]
083 go on a hayride
084 submit a crossword puzzle for publication
085 perfect an oxford-worthy pudding recipe
[086] tour arizona mining towns with joe [photo set]
087 win a costume contest
088 volunteer at a community garden
089 frame my college diploma
[090] walk the length of manhattan [see 05.14.07, photo set]
091 play chess with a stranger
092 buy a jaw-dropping gown
[093] attend a lecture at the 92nd street Y [see 09.06.07]
[094] win at least $10 with a lottery ticket [see 12.27.05]
095 learn to identify at least 12 constellations
096 go birdwatching
097 take a martial arts class
098 finish watching all leprechaun movies
099 take joe to disneyland
100 make a rag rug
101 get a 'sister tattoo' with em and jo

{champ status log, via twitter}

and you will know us by the stuff we've read (the recent dozen, plus a few stragglers):

faithful place (tana french) :: super sad true love story (gary shteyngart) :: the drowned library (paul kerschen) :: travels in siberia (ian frazier) :: death be not proud (john gunther) :: the magician king (lev grossman) :: mockingjay (suzanne collins) :: catching fire (suzanne collins) :: the hunger games (suzanne collins) :: the silver swan (benjamin black) :: life (keith richards) :: the magicians (lev grossman) :: the pale king (david foster wallace) :: villette (charlotte brontë) :: homer's odyssey (gwen cooper) :: christine falls (benjamin black) :: cloud atlas (david mitchell) :: ghostwritten (david mitchell) :: a visit from the goon squad (jennifer egan) :: neon angel: a memoir of a runaway (cherie currie with tony o'neill) :: the ask (sam lipsyte) :: coco chanel (justine picardie)