100 in 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.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. 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.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Start Date : January 1, 2010

End Date : September 28, 2012

I have items in italics as works in progress.  Crossed off items are completed.

Craft and Hobby Goals

1. Choose projects that require me to knit from my stash before I buy more yarn, for a full year.
2. Knit three sweaters for myself.
3. For every two projects I knit for other people, I have to knit one for myself, for a full year.
4. Knit one hat for Warm Up Winchester each month for a full year.
5. Challenge myself.  Choose patterns that I would otherwise overlook due to lack of experience (ie. color work,  bobbles, nupps, etc.)
6. Find a comfortable chair so that I can spin indoors.
7. Spin for at least an hour each week.
8. Sew a new dress for Civil War re-enactment by my first event of 2010 (which should be in March.)
9. Set up my spinning wheel with a hemp drive band by my first event of 2010, so I can take it to Civil War re-enactments
10. Organize all Civil War re-enactment gear and clothing.
11. Host a Knit Night at my house.
12. Host a knitting pot luck at my house.
13. Stay the entire two hours of Knit Night for three months.
14. Buy a dress form
15. Dye my own yarn.
16. Sew a dress that is NOT for re-enactment.
17. Sew three scrub tops
18. Make felted catnip toys for my cats
19. Attend the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival
20. Write and publish a pattern of my own on Ravelry
21. Learn to cable without a cable needle.
22. Sew curtains for my living room
23. Sew curtains for the master bedroom.

Household Goals

1. Plant a vegetable garden in the spring and harvest in the fall.
2. Plant a herb garden.
3. Can vegetables that are harvested from the garden.
4. Get an estimate on how much it will cost to finish the basement.
5. Build my craft closet in the guest bedroom (a place to sew and storage.)
6. Keep my desk clean and clutter free (for at least 6 months.)
7. Keep all bills, stamps, checkbooks, etc on the desk where they can be easily found.
8. Keep up with housework (and use the Fly Lady system) on a weekly basis.
9. Cook more meals at home.
10. Buy a new couch and love seat for the living room.
11. Buy a new coffee table and end table for the living room.
12. Buy a new rug for the kitchen.
13. Make bi-weekly menus and stick to them.
14. Put up a bird house in the back yard.
15. Set up at least two bird feeders in the back yard.
16. Organize the basement.
17. Set up shelves and storage for John’s brewing area.
18. Organize and use a Home Management Notebook.
19. Keep up with once-a-year household tasks.
20. Cook one new meal each week.
21. Frame and hang family photos
22. Hang shadow box from my wedding

Personal Goals

1. Walk 3x a week (when not at work,) for 30 mins each time for a full month.
2. Repeat above goal for 2 more months.
3. Drink only one regular soda a day.
4. Quit smoking.
5. Get pregnant.
6. Edit the first draft of my novel.
7. Have the 2nd draft of my novel professional edited.
8. Submit my novel to publishers.
9. Have a date night with my husband once a month that is not at home.
10. See a stage play.
11. See an opera.
12. See a Caps hockey game.
13. See a concert at Wolfe Trap
14. Have a game night once a month with my husband (board games, cards, etc.)
15. Have ‘calling cards’ made for me with my name, Ravelry ID, blog address, and email address.
16. Have a weekend getaway with my Mom
17. Spend less time on my laptop when I wake up on days that I have to work.
18. Eat a healthy breakfast (no mass amounts of sugar, no soda, etc.)
19. Find a sedation dentist that accepts my health insurance.
20. Set up an appointment with said dentist.
21. Make an effort to listen more when someone is talking to me, not just wait for my turn to talk.
22. Take a yoga class.
23. Keep in touch with people by writing letters in addition to email.
24. Take the time to make healthier choices, despite what I really want at the time.  In other words … eat the sandwich I packed for lunch instead of going to McDonald’s.
25. Try a new wine every month for a year.
26. Volunteer at the Senior Center once a month for six months.
27. Don’t miss any work for six months (unless I am infectious/contagious.)
28. Complete the Script Frenzy Challenge in April
29. Complete NaNoWriMo 2010
30. Finish one Harry Potter Fan Fiction Story
31. Submit/publish above story at Fiction Alley
32. Take a trip to upstate NY with John and visit his Grammie
33. Finish the 1st draft of my second novel.
34. Finish an outline for my 3rd novel (3 novels in the series.)
35. Buy a Moleskin journal and keep it with me at all times, for spur of the moment writing ideas.
36. Spend a weekend in silence at the retreat center at Holy Cross Abbey
37. Find time each week to have a time for meditation and reflections.
38. Continue the above goal for three more months.
39. Make a MD appointment to discuss options to quit smoking. I got some advice free advice from medical people I work with.
40. Take a trip with my husband to historic Williamsburg
41. Tour Monticello
42. Tour the Shenandoah Valley history museum.
43. Read one new book each month
44. Work to strengthen relationships with the people in my life who I may not be as close to as I want to be.

Financial Goals

1. Set up my direct deposit at work to set aside $25/paycheck into my saving account.
2. Cut costs at the grocery store.
3. Put at least $100 of what is left after each paycheck into the saving account for 6 months.
4. Repeat the above goal for 6 more months.
5. Pay off the credit card.
6. Do not use credit card after it is paid off, save for emergencies.
7. Pay off John’s car.
8. Set up a ‘long-term’ savings account, in which we do not touch save for emergencies.
9. Keep a ‘short-term’ saving account that is used to vacations, Christmas, etc.
10. Save enough money so that both my husband and I can buy new cell phones.
11. Merge our cell phone plans to one family plan.