Welcome back to my list of 101 things I want to accomplish in the next 1001 days! You can check out my original list here. And be sure to drop me a line if you decide to write your own list.

If you missed it, here’s what 101 in 1001 is all about, taken from Day Zero Project’s site:

Day Zero started out with the catchy challenge of completing 101 things in 1001 days. This has been enormously popular with tens of thousands of people getting involved and sharing their lists. We now offer many more types of challenges, but here are the original guidelines for the challenge:

The Challenge: 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 your part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple challenges such as New Year’s resolutions or a ‘Bucket List’. 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, study semesters, or outdoor activities.

https://dayzeroproject.com/

Start date: January 1, 2020
End date: September 28, 2022
234 down,
767 to go

strikethrough = goal was accomplished, italics = goal in progress

Personal Development

1/10

1. Read 50 books: Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman, Becoming by Michelle Obama, The Toll by Neal Shusterman, One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline, Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline, After Anna by Lisa Scottoline, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, Defending Jacob by William Landay, Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Expecting Adam by Martha Beck, She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb, I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb, Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

2. Read and get rid of 10 books I own: One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline, Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, Expecting Adam by Martha Beck, I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb

3. Vote in the 2020 elections

4. Don’t move out of the way for a man when out walking

5. Attend a writing/blogging conference ASJA 8/20

6. Do another guest podcast

7. Read Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama

8. Stay in a hotel by myself

9. Participate in NaNoWriMo

10. Start writing a novel

UPDATE: I realize at the rate I’m going, 50 books is going to be nothing. At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t reading all that much because I had a three-month-old who took up, you know, a lot of my time. I’ve been reading a lot at night in bed lately, which is the only real time I have and I’m so glad I’m back in the habit.

I’m also currently attending the virtual ASJA conference, which is the American Society for Journalists and Authors, which has been amazing. Normally, it’s held annually in New York and I knew it wasn’t happening this year. But I also know I’m strapped for cash and have anxiety in crowds and feel dizzy about the thought of flying to New York alone, so would I ever go in person? That’s up for debate. So when I saw it was virtual and I didn’t have to pay the travel/hotel/food expenses, I knew I should get on board and it hasn’t disappointed.

Professional

2/8

11. Get an article published in a top tier publication

12. Interview someone famous

13. Update my LinkedIn account

14. Work at a new-to-me coffee shop

15. Post on Twitter every day for a week

16. Negotiate for more money for three different publications 3/20

17. Find a regular content writing client 3/20

18. Take a Hubspot course for content writing

UPDATE: Well I’ve gotten some rejections from sites like Good Housekeeping and Discover, but I’m still waiting on my name to appear in the New York Times ha. I did ask for more money on three different articles I wrote, and before COVID hit, I had taken on a new client that would have given me steady work until the copywriter was furloughed and things have been pretty up in the air. Boo.

Blog

4/10

19. Start a new series 1/20 Started Forgotten Draft Fridays

20. Write #Microblog Monday posts for two months in a row 3/20

21. Publish my 600th blog post 6/20

22. Do a giveaway on my blog

23. Create a freebie

24. Reach 1,000 followers on Facebook

25. Give my website a refresh 8/20

26. Reach 700 followers on Instagram

27. Update old posts up to 2016

28. Update photos on social media and website

UPDATE: I think I’ve done pretty well here, considering. My biggest thing has been going through old posts and updating them with optimized photos and checking links. The formatting with some of them has been pretty wonky after my migration from Blogger to WordPress.

I also installed a new theme for my website and went through an angsty teenage phase of color schemes, switching through three of them before settling on this one. I’ve also done a ton of work creating a portfolio here and a work with me tab, updating my about me page and contact tab. In the writing world, we call this marketing and I’m doing the shit out of it right now.

I’m feeling pretty confident I’ll make my goal of 700 Instagram followers, but have pretty much stepped back from my Facebook page. Actually, I pretty much am.done with all social media at this current point in time.

Marriage

3/8

29. Do something with my wedding dress

30. Go on an “active” date outside

31. Read a marriage book together

32. Celebrate our 12 year anniversary 7/20

33. Try 5 new-to-us restaurants for dates 1/20 Ichiddo Ramen, 2/20 Tria, 5\20 Osaka

34. Stay in a hotel just the two of us

35. Do one date a month for six months 6\20

36. Put a lock on our bedroom door 4/20

UPDATE: I’ve come up with a few ideas for what I can do with my wedding dress. I wish I could shrink it down to a manageable size for when my girls get old and want to try it on, but it just is taking up so much room. I thought about taking a swatch of it and turning it into something, but then Chris made me feel guilty for that, taking a small piece and then essentially making it unuseable to even donate. I’ve considered donating it, but many places aren’t accepting them, or they make it more difficult to do. If anyone has any ideas, I’m all ears.

Kids

5/10

37. Read The 5 Love Languages for Children

38. Put up the wall art in Emelia’s room 5\20

39. Have Olivia mail out a card to a friend 2/20

40. Write a donor conception book on Shutterfly for the kids

41. Play in the rain with Olivia 3/20

42. Get a Pandora bead for Emelia for my necklace 7/20

43. Print Shutterfly books for 2016, 2017, and 2018

44. Get pedicures with Olivia

45. Get Olivia nighttime potty-trained 3/20

46. Put Olivia in swim lessons

UPDATE: Emelia came early, so I didn’t have her nursery finished. It’s still not what I would call “complete” but I did hang up the stuff I had, including a Harry Potter Patronus that I’m in love with.

Chris bought me a Pandora bead of Emelia’s birthstone for a Mother’s Day present. He always comes through. Next on my list is getting Olivia in swim lessons and taking her for a pedicure. I think I found a company where she can do lessons, but COVID is just making all this harder. I think it’s going to be something to look into next spring/summer.

Family + Friends

1/7

47. Mail out a care package

48. Send a card to someone “just because”

49. Have coffee and catch up with someone I haven’t seen in awhile

50. Send a letter to someone

51. Pay for 5 friends’ meals 1/20, 2/20

52. Take a walk with a friend 2/20

53. Mail someone a birthday card

UPDATE: These are so easy to do and you’d think I would have done most of these already. Especially the coffee one, but COVID hit right when I was gearing up to leave Emelia for a few hours and that didn’t happen. I’ve done some dinners with friends, but, you know, it wasn’t coffee.

Home

5/10

54. Have a no-spend month

55. Organize the linen closet 1/20

56. Meal prep for a week 2/20

57. Re-do my office workspace 6\20

58. Clean out bedroom closet 2x a year 1/20 and 6\20

59. Get Facebook “saves” to zero

60. Make pho

61. Bake bread

62. Have a bonfire 5\20

63. Roast a turkey

UPDATE: A lot of these happened during the shelter in place orders. And I have to say, while Chris has baked bread, several times in fact, I have yet to do it too. I mean, why would I do it when I have this guy that will make it for me?

Health

5/11

64. Drink eight glasses of water every day for at least one week 5\20

65. Go for a run

66. Go for a run without swearing

67. Hit my healthy BMI

68. Do yoga every day for a week 1/20

69. No unhealthy fast food for 1 month 5\20

70. Rollerblade

71. Do 10 pushups in a row

72. Work up to a 2-minute wall sit 6\20

73. Do a 1-minute plank 6\20

74. See a pelvic floor specialist

UPDATE: Still haven’t gone for a run. But in my defense, my knees are still bugging me. And I was all set to see a pelvic floor specialist, but, you know COVID. And I’m so freaking tired of talking about COVID.

Entertainment

0/8

75. Go strawberry picking

76. Go to the apple orchard

77. Visit the farmer’s market

78. Visit a museum

79. Visit the Art Institute

80. Drink wine at a winery

81. Buy something from a flea market

82. Go ice skating

UPDATE: Nothing to report here.

Travel

0/8

83. Take a trip with another couple

84. Take an annual girls vacation

85. Experience the ocean with the kids

86. Stay at an Airbnb in Galveston, TX

87. Travel to three states

88. Go camping

89. Hike somewhere new

90. Go to the North Shore

UPDATE: Nothing to report. COVID is an asshole.

Just for fun

5/12

91. Take a community education class

92. Leave a 100% tip for great service 3/20

93. Watch 5 new TV series 3/20 Love is Blind, Schitt’s Creek 6\20, Private Practice 8/20, Married at First Sight 8/20

94. Watch 10 documentaries: The Pharmacist, Miss Americana: Taylor Swift, The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, Tiger King, McMillions, 13th

94. Actually sleep all night 5\20

95. Spend a weekend off social media

96. Whiten my teeth

97. Buy my breastmilk jewelry

98. Try a Stitch Fix box for one month 1/20

99. Learn the dance to Footloose

100. Get a massage 7/20

101. Inspire someone else to write their own list 1/20

UPDATE: Back when the shelter in place order first hit, I drove over to my favorite local coffee shop to pick up coffees for Chris and I and cocoa for Olivia. I got to talking with the owner, and tipped her 100%. We both cried. She’s then since had to close the store, only to be able to open it again a few weeks later. Life is just really weird right now. Let’s see, Emelia gave me my first all night sleep in May…seven months after she came home to us. It’s about time, baby girl. I’ve been since obsessed with subscription box services which you can read all the reviews here.

Oh, and I finally got a massage. I may have had to wear a mask the whole time, but it was still worth it. I actually signed up for their rewards program to get a discount of massages, so I’m going to be going monthly now.