Mixed.

Re-read Out of the Silent Planet and wrote up a review for it, and wrote a review for Night; once I write one for Childhood's End (which I think I'll work on after this post), that'll be 3 books towards the 20 Novels Under 200 Pages to read and review for #6.

Started in on #23--doing the legwork for at least 10 articles for When Good Books Go Bad before I set up that section of the site. I took notes for The Catcher in the Rye.

Made a contribution towards #36: build my money market account to $1000. I started out with $132.17 ($2.17 of which is interest), and a couple of minutes ago I scheduled a transfer for $100 into my MMA, which will put me at $232.17. So nearing a 1/4 of the way to that goal.

Also toying with #53--finding some type of exercise that I like and doing it 3 times/week for 3 months--I downloaded StepMania (a Dance Dance Revolution simulator) and I'm considering using the money I got from a book I sold to get a DDR mat and a USB converter off of eBay. I'm still trying to justify the expense to myself, though.

Oh, and by Monday afternoon I'll be done with #92--send out thank-you notes for graduation. I only had six to send out, anyway; I've gotten cards, printed envelopes, and I have one more to write, then I just need to get stamps and mail them out Monday.

Progress is cool.

Mixed.

Last week I read Childhood's End, which qualifies both as part of the shelf of books I already own that I want to read (#8) and a book from Novels Under 200 Pages (#6). Last night/early this morning I read Elie Wiesel's Night, which also falls under #6, and is an autobiography (#10), so yay. Steps towards three more goals. I still need to review both of them.

When I eventually find my camera cord, I'm going to post pictures of the two new dishes I learned to make last week--Rosemary Potatoes and Onions, and Sour Cream Broccoli Casserole. So that's two credits toward #64: Learn to make a new dish every month.

I'm going to try to make a notebook for my 101 Things in 1001 Days so that I can keep track of Things like the ones listed above that are in multiple parts.

#40: Apply to work as a part-time writing tutor.

I just sent in my application to work as a writing tutor part-time...so that's "#40: apply to work as a part-time writing tutor" off my list. I don't know if I'll get a position--I do have a connection to the company, but I don't know how many new tutors they need, or if they need them for the age range I want to work with, or if my qualifications at this stage in my life are appropriate. But I did it.

#28: Learn SQL

I wanted to learn SQL so that I could turn the Novels Under 200 Pages section of my site into a database--making it easier for me to add new books and easier for users to find books on the site. As of right now, all of the genre pages that I had up before are now running off of SQL and PHP, and I've put all the books that were on the site before--plus a few extra--into the database. Much, much easier to update. I'm still working on pagination and setting up a search of the database, but I'm calling #28: Learn SQL done.

101 Things in 1001 Days--Info Post

My 1001 Days started June 5, 2007 and ends on March 2, 2010.

---

The rules, according to Triplux.com:

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.

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 Focussed. 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.

---
And my list of 101 Things in 1001 Days (bold is completed):

1. Write 5 short stories.
2. Sell 1 piece of writing.
3. Write 5 book reviews or articles for submission to other review/book sites.
4. Create an outline for a novel.
5. Write and mail a letter to 5 authors whose books I’ve enjoyed.
6. Read and review 20 books from "Novels Under 200 Pages."
7. Read How to Win Friends and Influence People.
8. Pick 1 shelf of books that I already own and read and review each of them.
9. For every book I buy new, donate/swap/sell 2 books I already own.
10. Read 20 biographies or autobiographies.
11. Read the entire King James Bible.
12. Read Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass in its entirety.
13. Read 25 of the Modern Library’s 100 Best Fiction Books (that I haven’t read already).
14. Read 25 of the Modern Library’s 100 Best Non-Fiction Books (that I haven’t read already).
15. Catalog all the books I own.
16. Blog my way through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
17. Find a new-to-me author whose works I really like and read all of them.
18. Review each reviewable book I read before moving on to the next book for 10 consecutive books.
19. Watch 10 foreign films.
20. Watch and recap every movie in the 50 SciFi Classics DVD collection.
21. Watch every episode of M*A*S*H in order (The Martinis & Medicine Collection).
22. Watch all the movies on Ebert’s 102 Movies You Must See Before You Die list.
23. Research/outline/write at least 10 articles for “When Good Books Go Bad” before I start putting that section of Starlight Fading online.
24. Make $25 a month for 3 consecutive months through [Program 1].
25. Make $25 a month for 3 consecutive months through [Program 2].
26. Send out an average of 1 e-mail a week asking for a backlink to Starlight Fading.
27. Get 20 backlinks to Starlight Fading.
28. Learn SQL.
29. Learn to use Photoshop properly.
30. Find an entertaining podcast to listen to.
31. Clean out my gmail inbox.
32. Clean off my harddrive.
33. Post to my LiveJournal at least once a week for the entire 1001 days.
34. Find an online community, join it, and participate regularly for at least 3 months.
35. Comment at least 2 times a week on someone else’s blog for at least 3 months.
36. Build my money market account to $1000.
37. Collect my loose change daily and add it to my money market account periodically.
38. Pay 150% of the amount due on my student loans at least 3 times.
39. Get a full-time job.
40. Apply to work part-time as a writing tutor.
41. For as long as I have a job and live in my parents’ house, pay the money I would pay in rent towards my student loans.
42. Shoot the rolls of black & white film I have for my 35mm camera.
43. Finish my freshman year scrapbook.
44. Finish my cruise scrapbook.
45. Finish my dog scrapbook.
46. Create scrapbooks for my remaining photos and keepsakes.
47. Make a quilt out of my Salem College t-shirts.
48. Complete the wolf dreamcatcher cross-stitch thing that’s been in my closet for years.
49. Learn to knit and make at least 1 wearable/presentable item.
50. Compile my favorite recipes into a recipe book.
51. Eat breakfast every morning for 1 month.
52. Drink water with 1 meal a day for 1 month.
53. Find some sort of exercise that I enjoy doing and do it 3 times a week for 3 months.
54. Get up before 8 AM every morning for a month.
55. Go to bed at 11 PM every night for a month.
56. For 2 weeks, do not use my laptop in bed.
57. Keep a (private) journal for 1 year and write down 1 thing each day that either I did that made a positive impact on someone/something or that made me happy.
58. Create a morning ritual and stick to it for 2 weeks.
59. For 1 month, turn off the TV at 9 and read until bedtime.
60. Grow and successfully harvest a tomato plant.
61. Visit a Farmer’s Market.
62. Spend a day hiking.
63. Spend a significant amount of time in a state I haven’t previously visited.
64. Learn to cook a new dish every month.
65. Attend a sporting event.
66. Learn to play chess properly.
67. Go hardcore stargazing.
68. Go hardcore birdwatching.
69. Make homemade ice cream.
70. Make homemade hot cocoa.
71. Go geocaching.
72. See a play.
73. Go to a concert.
74. Order 5 things off a restaurant menu that I haven’t tried before.
75. Chat with someone who is looking at a book I like in a store.
76. Go to a movie by myself.
77. Go to a local community event (fair, gallery hop, etc.).
78. Learn to make 3 breakfast meals that I like.
79. Spend a weekend at the beach by myself.
80. Keep a dream journal for 30 days straight.
81. Research local ghosthunting organizations and possibly join one.
82. Learn to identify 20 local plants.
83. Write 1 letter to myself to read when I turn 30.
84. Make and keep up with (for a year) a networking planner.
85. Make and keep up with (for a year) an address book.
86. Go through the notebook referred to as “My Life on Paper” and organize it.
87. Notebook anything academic from my 4 years at Salem (papers, etc.) that I want to keep and get rid of the rest.
88. Convert all my CDs/MP3s to WMAs and put them all on my Microphoto.
89. Wash my car and re-bumper-sticker it.
90. Educate myself about 3 “litmus test” political issues that I don’t know much about.
91. Have my diplomas framed.
92. Send out thank-you cards for graduation.
93. Return to Salem College for Reunion Weekend 2008.
94. Go through all of my belongings and donate what I don’t want/need to charity.
95. Donate blood 2 times.
96. Volunteer during the 2008 elections.
97. Participate in some sort of Christmas charity program using entirely my own funds.
98. Give a present to a friend for no reason at all.
99. Write 5 letters to local politicians about issues I feel need addressing.
100. Keep an online journal and an offline scrapbook for each of the 101 things.
101. Donate $5 to charity for each item I haven't completed after 1001 days.