25. Run a half marathon.

This goal was edited - it had been to attend a Gotham Girls roller derby practice, but since I quit roller derby, I needed to replace it. A half marathon seemed lofty enough, an in the same vein as my previous goal. And it just so happens on that on October 17 of 2009, I successfully completed my half! You can read a recap at The New Me. 

On a side note, I feel a little silly about the fact that my 101 list is a separate blog, especially since I just kind of direct y'all to my main blog. Oh, well and please don't hate me. Thanks!

16. Visit New Orleans.

Check this one off the list! Last weekend Nathan, our friend Amy and I traveled to New Orleans to take part in an urban adventure race. You can read the whole recap at The New Me. Suffice to say, I love that city and can't wait to go back! 

14. Attend a Writer’s Retreat.

I have 162 days to finish this list. I'm not sure how successful I'll be, but considering I haven't looked at this blog in months, at least I'm heading in the right direction by making an update.

Number 14 on my list is to "attend a writer's retreat." Despite not having attended such a retreat, I am going to consider this goal achieved. Why? you may ask. How? I will tell you. The idea behind this goal was to pursue an experience that would allow me to concentrate on my writing while connecting with a community of other writers. I thought a writer's retreat was my best path to this goal, but I was wrong. I have found something better, right here in town. Last semester, I finally took advantage of the employee scholarship program and signed up for a graduate fiction workshop at the university where I work. This semester, I'm taking creative nonfiction. Through these classes, I've met some amazing people, studied with talented writers, and found the community I was dreaming of. And best of all? The community is here, in Nacogdoches, and not a one time event in a remote location to which I will most likely never return.

I think this is a fair trade off. Don't you?

35. Go one month without drinking any alcohol.

This month of sobriety began on March 22, and ends today, on April 22. I thought this would be one of the hardest goals that I set for myself, and while there were moments when I really wanted a cold beer or a glass of wine, I found that I didn't really miss drinking all that month. Don't get me wrong - I'm still a huge fan of expensive beers, microbreweries and Pinot Noir. But I also like the way I feel when I wake up early for a run, headache free; the knowledge that I can hang with a group of people at the bar and happily sip glasses of water; the fact that I can trade in hundreds of empty calories for extra healthy snacks. While I don't really see myself ever voluntarily going a whole month without a drink again, I can see myself cutting back a whole lot. One glass of wine with dinner, two beers on a Saturday night. Everything in moderation, even - especially - the things I love most.

I feel accomplished. Now who wants to go to the bar tonight?

95. Get my ears re-pierced.

While in Houston for a conference and killing time before our meeting, I was walking around town with my co-workers. When I mentioned all the earrings I had at home but could not wear due to my closed-up holes, Rachel said I should walk into the adjacent Claire's and get them done now.

"Well, it is on my 101 list..." I said.
" Do it!"
"I don't know."
"Do it!"
"But I'm not prepared. I can't just do it. I need to think about it, plan for it, write it down and look forward to it, be emotionally ready to receive it. Spontaneity is not my strong suit."
"Do it!"
"Okay."

And I did. No photos right now, but after 8 weeks, when I can take out the pair of earrings they pierced me with, you can be sure I'll be rocking my awesome earring collection in all future photos. (Also: thanks Rachel!)

100. Teach Seamus a new trick.

Recently, we taught Seamus how to "sing." This is not his best performance - he's better when he's just woken up and feeling especially mournful. You'll just have to take my word for it.

(Also, he sings most effectively when we sing with him. Listen, you can't question a dog's artistic genius. I know - I've tried.)

27. Give up dairy products for good.

Last October, I quietly rededicated myself to veganism. Since I'm basically lactose-intolerant, this should have been easy for me. It wasn't. Or at least, it hadn't been in the past. I would announce to the world that I was a vegan - again! for real! - and then a few weeks later, I'd be stuffing my face with cheese, wondering what happened to all my good intentions.

Last October, something shifted. I don't know if it was because I gave up dairy and didn't tell anyone right away - not even Nathan - or if I'd just reached a point in my life where veganism finally felt natural, easy, healthy. I do know that since October, I have been the best vegan I could have been in every situation. This doesn't mean that I've been consistently flawless - I don't quiz the waitstaff in restaurants about traces of casein in bread and if my pasta is sprinkled with cheese, I just scrape it off rather than wasting a whole dish - but I feel good about my decisions. I think my outlook on veganism is healthier than ever - I no longer thing it's necessarily the best choice for everyone, or the most humane choice in every situation. I recognize that life is complicated, that food choices are tied to many things including culture and privilege, and that I am lucky to be able to make such choices for myself. I'm the best vegan I can be because it is best for me. And that feels good!

It also feels good to cross something off this long neglected list. Time's ticking, after all!

progress?

I have just over a year left to finish this list. Time flies when you're busy doing other things...

77. Be an active supporter of my presidential candidate of choice in the 2008 election.

In the 2008 election, I supported Barack Obama. Obama was the first candidate that I really, truly felt good about, and his win was an amazing achievement, a moment that gave me hope, and filled me with pride, and helped me to feel like maybe this country isn't going to hell in a hand basket after all. When I first decided that I would be an active supporter, I envisioned myself phone banking, or going door to door and asking people to vote. While I didn't do those things, I do feel like I fulfilled this goal in other ways.

I donated money to Barack Obama's campaign. A lot of money. Throughout the campaign, I probably donated over 100 dollars (that's a lot for me). I watched all the debates, I stayed informed and up-to-date, I talked to people about the election and spoke my mind, and while I may or may not have changed other peoples' minds, I think that I was a good supporter. I love politics, and I'm looking forward to staying informed and holding the new president accountable in the coming years. I feel good about the future of the country, and I feel good about Barack Obama as my president!

62. Bake a pie from scratch.

I made this apple pie for Thanksgiving. I used three kinds of apples, whole wheat pastry crust, and Earth Balance vegan buttery spread. Yum! The crust came out a bit wonky (it feel apart post-rolling and pre-placement) but I didn't mind because the pie was delicious - especially warmed up and with a dollop of vanilla Tofutti on top! Yay, pies. I think I have a new best friend.

15. Take a road trip to the Texas Hill Country.

For our 6 year anniversary (wow!), Nathan and I spent this past weekend in the Hill Country, driving out to Fredericksburg, Texas for German beer gardens, wineries, and mountain biking. It was a lovely time and effectively allows me to cross off number 15 on my 101 list.

For a full write up, visit The New Me, and for pictures check out my Flickr set from the trip!

4. Find three new zines I really love (1/3)

I found a zine that I really love! It is called "List" and it's written by a girl named Ramsey. I just got issue number 12 (or was it 13?) in the mail which, for one zine, is a hell of a lot of issues. The zine is in three parts - lists by Ramsey, found lists, and lists contributed by other people. The whole thing is illustrated by Ramsey in a really lovely, cartoon-y kind of way, and her lists were by far my favorite. It's amazing you much you can learn about a person by reading a run down of what they'll miss about Baltimore or their major character flaws. At any rate, it is a really awesome zine and I highly recommend it!

General Update

I thought I'd take stock of this project, seeing as I am now a little over halfway through it (having started with 1001 days and having only 489 days left!).

So far, I'm completed 33 things on my list. I edited the first goal because I lost interest in the novel that I was so gung-ho about last year. Instead, I'm aiming to write a portfolio of shorter works that'll get me into an MFA program. Much better. I have not written hardly any letters. I'm finally started to produce short stories on a regular basis.

Travel goals are going pretty well. I don't know if I'll get around to the Amtrak ride, but Nathan and I are plotting a trip to Fredricksburg, Texas for our six year anniversary. Hello, Hill Country!

I'm working on the 100 push up challenge, and even if I only make it half way to that goal, I'll still fulfill number 32 on my list. How to Practice by the Dalai Lama is boring. I might try and read one of his other books instead. One month without drinking any alcohol - haven't even attempted that one yet. That will be really hard. I no longer play roller derby, so I'll have to rethink those goals. Editing is allowed, as long as it's comparable. At least, that's what I think.

God. My credit card will probably haunt me forever. And I can't really save money until I pay it off. Stupid laptop. My wardrobe is getting slightly more professional. That's good.

Crafting and cooking goals are going well, and I'm sure I'll finish them up in time. Whee! Activism will be a little harder, at least while I'm living in Texas, but I'm doing the best I can. And my fun goals are the ones I need to work on the most, which is ironic. What kind of tattoo will I get? Who knows???

So. Over a year into this project, and I'm still feeling pretty ambitious about everything. That's good. And this concludes your mid-year update. Thanks for reading!

33. Go on a long bike ride (20 miles, minimum).

I completed this goal this past Saturday, October 4th. A few weeks ago, Mary asked me if I wanted to do the Pineywoods Purgatory, an organized ride through Lufkin. I said of course - and that was before I remembered that a long bike ride was one of my goals! We chose to do the 25 mile route (the guys did the 53 mile route - wow!) and I finished fresh and strong in just over three hours. Woot! Here's the update I wrote about the ride on dailymile.com.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This was my first official long distance ride, and my longest ride on my bicycle ever. The PWP was a really great experience - I took the 25 mile route with two of my girlfriends. I have a mountain bike (Trek 4500) but I put slick tires on it to make the ride a little less impossible. Overall, I did really well. We paced ourselves, we got to stop at two really great rest areas for food and drinks, and even though the terrain was quite hilly at some points, I didn't have to get off my bike once. All in all, a great first ride and I'm really happy with and excited about my performance.

There's another ride in Nacogdoches at the end of November, and it's 53 miles long. I'm going to attempt that one too, but not until I get some padded bike shorts. ;-)

99. Get a Purchase College hooded sweatshirt.

Despite the fact that I loved Purchase College with every fiber of my being (in retrospect, of course. During my four years there, I loved complaining about it even more) I never thought to buy any Purchase College gear. Purchase just wasn't the kind of school that you dressed yourself in. People were too INDIVIDUAL there to risk wearing the same thing as 1,000 other students. But since I've been working at SFA, I've come to appreciate a whole different kind of college student. The kind of student that joins fraternities or sororities, goes to football games, and knows their school colors/school song/school mascot by heart. (Purchase's official school colors were heliotrope and puce, which says something.) At any rate, being overrun in a sea of purple (SFA's school color) has made me wish I had something Purchase-y to set me apart. Yes, I see the irony in that statement. No, it doesn't change my animal urges. Ella, one of my best friends and one time college roommate, sent me a Purchase hoodie for my birthday, because she reads this blog and is hard at work at her own 101 list. So thanks, Ella! You're a doll and those SFA kids better check themselves.

88. Take my mom out to lunch.

I accomplished this goal while visiting my family in New York last month. My mom and I went shopping a bunch (there's not much to do on Long Island) and one afternoon we had lunch at Friendly's. (I think they're only in the Northeast, but they used to have really good veggie burgers. Now all their meatless options are doused in cheese, which was a big disappointment. But anyway...) At the end of our meal, I told my mom I would be picking up the check. She tried to fight me on it, but I fought harder. It took explaining this whole 101 in 1001 thing to her, and even then she was skeptical, but it didn't matter, because I won!

Also, I took my mom out to lunch. Does this mean I'm officially a grown-up? If so, EEK!

41. Purchase my own laptop.

A few weeks ago, I semi-impulsively bought a Macbook. Well, my credit card bought it. I simply reaped the rewards and the debt. So far, I really love having my own computer. For the girl who didn't have an email address until she was a freshman in college, who grew up in a home devoid of gadgets, whose parents still have a phone with a cord - this is quite the accomplishment. I've already downloaded the latest Firefox, scored the Adobe's creative suite, had hours of hilarity with the Photobooth program, and worked on a whole bunch of stories, both old and new. I know it's silly to credit my newfound discipline in creating and sticking to a writing schedule, but the Mac is so pretty and welcoming (and expensive) that not writing on it whenever I can feels tragic. This was one of the goals I was most looking forward to accomplishing, and I'm super excited to cross it off the list.

60. Purchase three pieces of original artwork (4/3).

Update: When I was in Mexico, we visited many artisans, which means that I now possess many pieces of original artwork. I bought a small alebrije of a black dog painted with flowery designs (it made me think of Seamus); a bark painting from the market; and a large and gorgeous rug from the Women's Cooperative, which is my new favorite thing, ever. I don't have pictures of everything because my camera is kind of messed up, but you can see the bark painting on my Flickr. Also on Flickr - a print that Nathan and I bought from a graduation SFA student. She had her final show in the yoga studio, we were on the prowl for free wine, and we ended up contacting her and purchasing a piece. So this goal is done, and done well!

I have been reading the blog(s) of this very talented and amazing woman lately. I don't even really remember how I stumbled across her, but now I can't get enough. She had an Etsy shop where she sells some of her original artwork. I'd been looking and looking at this one piece all week, and today I finally decided to go ahead and buy it. I told Rachel about it and she said, "Cross it off the list!" I had nearly forgotten about this goal and here I am, one third of the way through it. Go me! And thanks, Rachel!

The art:

47. Make the ReadyMade dog bed for Seamus.

I really tried to make the Readymade dog bed for Seamus. The plan was to construct it out of old pairs of jeans, which I diligently saved up and then started cutting and sewing. Then pulling out stitches and sewing again. Then turning the pattern upside down, because maybe it was printed wrong? And then realizing that this bed was dumb, and taking too long, and didn't even really look like a bed anyway, and I gave up. But I still really wanted to fix up Seamus' old and ratty bed, so instead I decided to buy some nice, comfy fabric and simply recover it. This took me about one evening and three episodes of This American Life, but at the end of the project we (me and the dog) were both pretty pleased with what I accomplished.

I am too lazy to post pictures here, but you can check out the dog bed on over at The New Me.

21. Leave the country (returning is optional).

Me, standing at Monte Alban in Oaxaca, Mexico.

I left the country! From July 9th until July 14th, I was in Mexico. It was a trip for work, which has it's positive and negatives. Negatives are that I don't exactly get to do whatever I want, since we have a lengthy itinerary and are there to visit with and film specific things. But this is barely a negative, because I am lucky enough to travel with co-workers who are really fun and cool, and our destinations are interesting and fascinating, and I do get a fair amount of free time in the evenings to drink cerveza and indulge in the local flavors. Plus the whole thing is pretty much paid for, and who can complain about a free week in Mexico? For a complete visual tour, check out my Oaxaca Flickr album.

Also, while I did return to the USA this time, it was only because my dog was waiting for me at home. Next time, America may not be so lucky!