"I don't need complications in my life." - Mariah Carey, Stay the Night
A year ago I lost my mind and decided to attempt 101 things in 1001 days. Here's a complete Annual report on my accomplishments so far.
Good Lord. What was I thinking?
1. Attend SXSW (completed!) - And it was well worth it. I plan to return next year. I blogged about exuberantly at the time.
2. Lose 30 pounds - After two unsuccessful attempts with the South Beach Diet, I'm now going to the Tae Bo center every day for an hour of crazy sweatin'. The MVP made me do it. We've joined the cult of Tae Bo and the Blanks family is trying to kill us but we love it. I'm not nearly as addicted as she is, though. I still haven't made it to sunday boot camp. I am 10 pounds lighter today than I was a year ago.
3. Lower my blood pressure - I haven't checked my blood pressure all year so I have nothing to report. I'm reading You: The Owner's Manual now though and they suggest regular blood pressure readings so I think I'm going to start. Isn't it free in the good drug store? I also need to go visit the doctor for some blood tests and such...it is about that time.
4. Make LA Public Transportation my main mode of travel for a month. Haven't even attempted this yet and when I move in the fall it will be even less necessary. Who knows when I will achieve this one. It is going to require some planning and discipline.
5. Run a 5 or 10k race for charity 8 weekends in a row. I thought I was going to do this this summer. Guess not.
6. Listen to every album in Rough Guides 100 Essential Soul Albums. I've listened to 24 albums on the list. I'm currently working on this pretty seriously though by buying one album from the list that I haven't listened to each week. Last album purchased? The Best of Cameo which was an excellent choice as I hadn't put a single Cameo track in my iTunes ever.
7. Attend Michelle & B's Celebration. We're just over two months away now right? I believe I even have Celebration duties. I need to practice my microphone voice and start thinking about a new suit.
8. Take a trip to South America. There isn't anything planned yet but Venezuela or Brazil would be nice.
9. Take a trip to Canada. Same as above. Insert Toronto or Vancouver where appropriate.
10. Start a retirement Fund. I plan to start a Roth IRA in August, actually.
11. See New York in Fall (completed!). I wrote about it. I took my sister to see NYU. She starts there in a few weeks.
12. Play Texas Hold 'Em at a casino table in Vegas. Amazingly enough, I haven't been to Vegas all year.
13. Learn enough Spanish to be able to watch Como Agua Para Chocolate without subtitles. This has gotten even more important as I've been spending a lot of time with Spanish speakers. I hate missing part of the conversation. I believe this will be accomplished in the fall.
14. Start taking ASL classes again. I haven't even thought about this. I think this is going to be a year 3 project.
15. Find a charity to support and volunteer at least 2 hours of my time to it weekly. I read my volunteer match recommendations every week but I haven't stepped up to the plate yet. I'm lame on this one.
16. Write a letter to my local representative to state government about their record. Politically, my head has been much more nationally focused than locally.
17. Write a letter to my federal representative about their record (completed!). Me and Brad Sherman correspond regularly.
18. Write a letter to my state senators about their record (complete!). I sent some good wishes to Sen. Boxer about her increased prominence in politics this year and being a loud, angry Dem...just like she should be.
19. Attend a town hall meeting. I've missed all three.
20. Trace the geneology on my mother's side of the family as far back as I can. I'm debating on whether or not this one is done. I have a pretty solid picture of our family history from my grandmother when she was here in June but it is entirely possible I could do more work to piece it all together. So, yeah...maybe done, maybe not.
21. Find out who my biological father is (complete). Um, yeah, there was a post about it.
22. Get A grades on every song on Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix. Gosh. I haven't played in a very long time. I will have to come back to this soon.
23. Sing Girl, You Know It's True by Milli Vanilli at a Karaoke Bar. I have been to Karaoke exactly once in this time frame and they didn't have it on the system at the Orchid Restaurant in Koreatown. I did sing some Justin Timberlake there, though.
24. Perform comedy at an amateur night. This might be the most ridiculous thing on this list.
25. Bike to and from work. When I move this is so going to happen.
26. Get the Sidekick II when it is released (complete!). I did and I love it even though now I have newfound lust for bluetooth enabled goodies.
27. Get an Apple Cinema Display (complete!). I also got an iPod Mini and a Mac Mini. I went apple crazy this year.
28. Own every Spike Lee film on my top 100 films list on DVD. I own School Daze, Bamboozled and Get On the Bus. Of those, I think Bamboozled is the only one on my list as it currently stands.
29. Watch the entirety of Twin Peaks on DVD. Nope. Nada. Haven't even got started.
30.Watch all available seasons of Homicide: Life On the Street on DVD (Complete!). I was very obsessive about this show for awhile.
31. Take a photography class. I'm thinking next spring is photography class time.
32. Get my story, The Lonely Little Wonton, illustrated. I've totally slacked on this. I should probably do a rewrite.
33. Pursue publishing the story in book form. See above.
34. Write The Lonely Little Wonton and the Church of Chicken. See above.
35. Paint the walls of my apartment. This has to happen in the next two months if only because they need to be nice when I move out.
36. Replace the patio and window screens in my apartment. Oh, this so has to get done.
37. Fix the Toilet Paper Holder in my bathroom (completed!). Why is building or installing something in your home yourself so damn satisfying?
38. Buy more bookcases (completed!). This is so the boring part of the list.
ugh. Work calls. more later.