Modified Day Zero Project

*1/25/10 note - Well, my 101 days are done! Take a look below for the results of my goals. I added in some notes after the goals for your enjoyment.

I'm putting my own little touch on something I've seen this around the blogging community. A bunch of girls on a message board I go toare doing it, and it's called the Day Zero Project. It's where you are challenged to complete 101 tasks in 1001 days. Well, I'm a procrastinator, and if I give myself 1001 days (roughly 2.75 years), I just won't feel the pressure to get them done. So I created my own version with a shorter list and a shorter set amount of time so I can focus on the few goals I have that are most important to me. In the next 101 days, I will complete these 11 tasks:

1. Write 10,000 words for my two stories I’m working on (total number, not 10,000 each) Check out my blog post about it here.
2. Do something sweet/above-and-beyond for Michael every week to show him how much I love him - can be something small (14/14 weeks completed) Even though some of these were pretty small, I did it and am glad I did. Some of my favorites: home made chocolate-covered strawberries and buying him sexy new underwear then demanding, "MODEL! MODEL!" :)
3. Do every single workout for the half marathon training manual (64/67 Completed) *I know it says that I missed three workouts. It's true, I missed one because I was sick, and I missed two because of arctic temperatures and snow on the ground. I might have still gone out, but the roads in Danville were a little dangerous with the ice and lack of sidewalks. Point is, I didn't miss a workout simply because I didn't feel like it or some other made-up excuse. I did every workout that I could, even on the days that I truly did not want to and ached to stay in bed. So I'm giving myself this one.
4. Run half marathon in under 2 hours, 15 min. (Roughly 10 minute miles) *Finished in 1:58, roughly 9 minute miles!)
5. Send out Christmas Cards
6. Move into the new house and have everything unpacked and put away. *We have everything unpacked that we can unpack right now. We still have a couple boxes of books, but that's because we haven't bought bookcases for the office yet. When we finally get all the furniture for the office that we want, then we'll officially be all unpacked. I'm still giving myself this one though.
7. Lose 10 lbs *I lost 8 lbs. Close, but no cigar. I'm going to try to continue working out and eating healthy to get those last two lbs!
8. Write at least two blog entries a week (14/14 weeks Completed)
9. Start planning a European trip for Summer ‘10
10. Get wedding gown cleaned…donate it to Brides Against Breast Cancer *I'll admit that it was a little sad giving this beauty up. I tried it on one last time (still fit - barely!) and had a funny little dance with Michael in his rubber duckie pajama bottoms. I loved that dress. Now someone else will get the chance to, too. All proceeds go to breast cancer research.
11. Make Photo Wall project for new home

If tomorrow is my official start date, then January 24, 2010 will be my completion date. I'll keep this entry updated when a task gets completed. Once one is done, it will appear in bold italicized. Wish me luck!

*1/25/10 note: Ah, well. As the old song goes, "10 out of 11 ain't bad," or something like that. And by the way, even though this goal is complete, I'm going to try to continue blogging at least twice a week. It's been fun!

#11 on My List Completed!

# 11 on my list of 11 Goals in 101 Days was to create a Photo Wall for our living room. And here I am at the very end of my set amount of time, but I finally finished it! I've spent a few months accumulating picture frames. I bought some at Goodwill and reused other ones that I had around the house or in the office. A few of them were other colors, so I had an afternoon of spray painting them so they all match. The result is a collection of different frames that are all the same glossy black. I really like the effect!

I had a few ideas on how I wanted them hung on the wall, but I ended up going with this one:

They are all black and white pictures of the two of us and our families. There are also a few mirrors in their to give it an artsy feel.

Here's a look at the whole wall. Keep in mind that we plan on putting a table under the pictures (an entry/sofa table) with some kind of decoration on it on the side where the frames are higher.

#1 on my list completed!

*Note: This post was actually written on 11/24. I'm late on posting because of a combination of indecision, laziness and mixed feelings on whether I should post it at all*

YOU GUYS!

Something big just happened. I just completed a story!!! (That deserves a triple exclamation point!) You know, my hobby of creative writing? I just finished a project, I can't believe it!

I've had the very last chapter written for quite some time now, but in the past few days I've been able to work in those tricky and not as exciting in-between scenes. And then...finally...when the moment was right, I could cut and paste that final chapter into place. Then I sat back in my chair and giggled soundlessly at the screen. I looked around, bobbing my head up and down, looking for someone to celebrate with, but I was alone.

It's okay, I guess right now is not the time for the ULTIMATE CELEBRATION. Don't worry, there will certainly be a time for this. The ULTIMATE CELEBRATION will occur when I am done going back and rewriting all those scenes I wrote when I was in high school and overused SAT vocabulary words. (i.e. "'Look, a conflagration, otherwise known as a widespread fire!' she said.")

Now before you (read: I) get too excited, I think we all need to calm down just a little bit. Because I don't even know what this means. Will I ever be happy with the finished product? Will I get done rewriting all the old stuff just in time to want to rewrite all the new stuff, which will have (by then) become the old stuff? Will I ever get the courage to show this to an agent or editor, or even enough courage to let Michael read it?! (One time I let Michael look over a cover letter I'd written and it came back all covered in red ink. My self-esteem felt this small) (Plus, Michael doesn't even like the type of writing I do...he's not really into the whole sci-fi/fantasy/all things make believe/romance genre)

The only things for certain are that:

1. I have months upon months of editing and rewriting ahead of me, and even then I will likely never be confident enough in the story to let anyone other than my mom read it


2. I can check off one of the things on my Bucket List! Woot!


3. I can cross of an item on my 11 Tasks in 101 Days (I've written over 15,000 words since 10/15/09)


4. If (despite item #1 on this list) I ever get published, you all know what you're getting for Christmas that year

I don't think I mind putting this out there. I realize that by simply posting this blog entry I'm setting myself up for disappointment. That you all will think I'm very creative and expect me to announce my book signing dates on Christmas. I think I will be okay if nothing ever comes of this story. If no one else ever reads the thing, or even if people do read it and just go, "Eh," while one side of their lips pinches upward in the universal gesture of disapproval, I'll be okay. I can say that I did it. I had a thing that I loved and I finished it.

Thank you for being here for my special moment. I feel very good right now.