Musings on October

I thought I'd take the opportunity to update a few of my goals from last month, and my progress on them. 

#2:  Spend no more than one hour each day on the internet: I'm happy to report that I'm making progress on this item.  Certain goals (such as blogging about tasks, freerice.com, etc.) are in direct opposition. 

#5:  Spend five minutes each week taking clutter out of the cars.  I've discovered that there's a lot more than five minutes worth of clutter... it's more like 60 minutes worth. 

#12:  I've been working on the laundry room for the last month.  It's not quite to where I want it to be, but it's much improved.  I've excavated the back corner and have found many things (rocks. old gym shorts, etc.). 

#23-33:  Doing things for entirely selfish reasons:  I'm really bad at these.  I think I almost should have added more of them to the list, because I simply never find time for a pedicure, a community class, or an indulgence.  I did manage to go see a movie (with my family), and attended a wine tasting. 

#37:  Floss every day.  There's no doubt about it; I'm a very indifferent flosser. 

#40:  Run an 8-minute mile.  This is definitely one of the hardest goals for me.  Sabrina can run an 8:06 mile.  Fiona ran her half mile in 4:30.  I'm struggling to run my mile in 9:17 and have a long way to go. 

#43:  Read a new, non-fiction book each month.  I've started both Deluxe (how luxury lost its luster) and The Wordy Shipmates, by Sarah Vowell.  Both are interesting, and I feel like I'm getting out of a rut.  Now I just need to actually finish both of these books.  But it's a start...

I replaced a few items on the list.  Apparently I'm just not very interested in the idea of a "Stressed-Out" money jar, because I couldn't even get myself to start one. 

So what did I actually accomplish? 
48. Register in the National Bone Marrow Donor program

56. Volunteer as an Educational Counselor for MIT
96. Keep adding to the list as I find out what’s really important to me.

99. Inspire one person to make a list of their own. (1/1)

101. Create an Excel chart for tracking my list activity!

Apparently I love charts.  Mine is color-coded, cross-referenced, and well-updated!

Diane's 101 list: A work in progress

My List:
Completed
In Progress
Not yet started


For the Sake of being a Responsible Adult

1. Spend a few minutes at the start of each month to plan out tasks
2. Spend no more than one hour each day on the internet
3. Review progress each month on the 101 goals
4. Be on time for meetings
5. Spend five minutes each week taking out the clutter from the cars
6. Update all of my contacts into Yahoo Contacts
7. Make an informed vote in all local, state, and federal elections
8. Download and upload pictures from my Blackberry every month

For the Sake of the House

9. Clean and maintain the beach every spring and fall
10. Scrub and repair the paddleboat
11. Work with our neighbors to build a new retaining wall
12. Pick one room every month and focus on making that room a better place
13. Do an inventory of the wine cellar each year
14. Reclaim the storage room
15. Clean out one cupboard each month
16. Make the bed at least once each week

For Money's Sake

17. Track expenses every day
18. Set a weekly budget for food, including restaurants and groceries
19. Reduce it by 5% every month
20. Limit personal Starbucks expenditures to once per week.
21. Review 401k and stock portfolio quarterly and make changes as needed.
22. Start a savings account for Brianna

For 100% Selfish Reasons
23. Buy a small indulgence for myself once every month.
24. Take a fun and adventurous trip within six months of my fortieth birthday
25. Buy a good pair of sunglasses.
26. Get a pedicure
27. Sign up for a class or activity through the community
28. Go rock-climbing
29. Go to a movie
30. Load CDs into computer and into iTunes.
31. Shift my wine collection to 50% US / 50% world (90%/10%)
32. Go on a kid-free vacation with Derek
33. Go away on a moms’ weekend every year

For Health's Sake
34. Exercise 3x per week
35. Lose 12 pounds (0/12)
36. Take a daily vitamin and calcium pill
37. Floss every night
38. Row 1 million meters (2000/1,000,000)
39. Take a mental health day
40. Run an 8-minute mile
41. Do the Wine Country Half-Marathon

For Mental Growth
42. Write one poem every month and publish the results at the end of 1001 days
43. Read a new non-fiction book every month
44. Subscribe to (and read) a French-language magazine
45. Take a course through MIT Open Courseware
46. Attend an MIT Alumni leadership session
47. Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!

For Others

48. Register in the National Bone Marrow Donor program
49. Donate blood at least 2x per year
50. Listen to my friends and offer to help even when they don’t need it.
51. Save box-tops for Education and remember to shop online
52. Donate to anyone who is raising money through Team in Training
53. Donate 500,000 grains of rice through freerice.com (1700/500,000)
54. Patronize local and family-owned businesses when possible
55. Invite friends over at least once each month
56. Volunteer as an Educational Counselor for MIT
57. Write thank-you notes without begrudging the time

For the Love of Family

58. Teach Brianna to read
59. Eat lunch with Sabrina and Fiona once each month at school
60. Have a ‘date’ lunch with my husband every week
61. Volunteer at Sabrina and Fiona’s school
62. Make a “Stressed-Out” money jar ($0.25)
63. Use the jar for fun family trips
64. Meet Grandma for lunch once a month
65. Read to Brianna’s class
66. Go to school assemblies every month
67. Plan a vacation with Grandma
68. Buy and install fire escape ladders for the second floor windows
69. Help my children to succeed at the things that are the most important to them
70. Work with Grandma on a family history
71. Remember to tell Derek how much I love and appreciate him

For the Sake of Making Things

72. Make a book of takeout options for each car
73. Try one new recipe each month
74. Attend at least one Paint& Wine night every year
75. Finish the photo book of our entire summer 2009 trip

For Fun
76. Write one song every two months
77. Create a lyrics library for favorite songs
78. Memorize the lyrics to ten songs for a performance
79. Host a wine dinner every year for friends
80. Find a way to sing in public more often
81. Learn to play golf
82. Join a rowing club
83. Dress up for Halloween
84. Write a children’s book
85. Rework “Terry the Tractor” and give it to Dad as a present
86. Listen to 1 podcast every month
87. Have bubble tea and cream puffs
88. Order omakase at a sushi restaurant, without any restrictions
89. Try a new restaurant every month
90. Buy season tickets to a theater
91. Wear vivid colors
92. Buy fun shoes
93. Bake cookies with my daughters
94. Try a completely new hairstyle
95. Visit the library every month

For the List

96. Keep adding to the list as I find out what’s really important to me.
97. Blog about each task as it is completed. (0/101)
98. Write a letter to myself on Day 1 to be opened on Day 1001.
99. Inspire one person to make a list of their own. (1/1)
100. Donate $5 for every task not completed.
101. Create an Excel chart for tracking my list activity!

Who's Who?

Name Screen name Goal Week 1 Diane perky_r 125 lbs 24% body fat Allison Mom&Designer Lynn LMMME C-girl thehopps Below 145 lbs and lose the muffin top

Virtual Challenge - Week 1

I'll use this page as a back-up to our normal thread - I'll keep daily ideas, prizes, challenges for our virtual contest.

Tasks for today:
1. Set a 12-week goal for yourself, and email it to me at perky_r@yahoo.com.
2. Stretch. Take a walk. Drink some water. Just do it!

Virtual Challenge

1. A weekly thread, hosted each week by one of us (rotating). I'll start it - on my week it's my responsibility to bump it each day, to give you my successes, and to send positive ideas to all of you. At the end of the week, I'll announce a prize (at random)... the prizewinner hosts the thread for the next week (and so on for twelve weeks).
2. Prizes... I'll sponsor a $10 prize each week - winner to be picked at random (not tied to goals, achievements, etc). Helps to keep us motivated.... maybe a big prize at the end, to the one who has achieved the most...
3. Email buddy system - each of us will have two email buddies - your only responsibility is to email them once a week to ask how they're doing and offer support.
   

Visibility:

1. Set your long term goal and communicate it - say, lose ten pounds in twelve weeks.
2. Set some short-term goals (every 2-3 weeks) to get you there
3. Figure out how to measure it. Scale? Tape measure? getting a pair of pants to fit?
   Every Wednesday, tell us about your progress - have something positive to say about yourself and your effort every week.

All is chaos, but nothing is happening...

I was trying to figure out what - of significance - had happened over the last week. We had a houseful of people over for the Twin Cities Marathon, which has turned into an Event for our family. Heidi is the only one who ran this year, but Derek and I finished the 10-mile run together. I never imagined that I'd be able to do a run that long. The best part about it was running with Derek - who plays remarkably well to a crowd! He was running ahead of me, getting the spectators all fired up, and cheering. Then he'd run back, grin, and join me for the next few yards. It was fun.

(as an aside, I have a pair of Ben and Jerry's running socks with an ice cream cone on them - they're great! the real reason that I run...)

Sabrina has a field trip to an apple orchard tomorrow! I get to join her (and 21 other kindergarteners) as a chaperone. Should be interesting - and I'm glad I finally get to see her class.

Fiona is obsessed with the State Fair. We're having trouble explaining to her that it only comes once a year (and not for another 11 months). She asks, every morning, if we're going back to the State Fair to see animals. And every morning, she looks disappointed at the answer! Poor kid.

As for me? I'm basking in my accomplishment. I've allotted the next six minutes for basking - alas, that's all I can spare before the chaos overtakes me.

An accidental eavesdropper

I learned a lot today.

I discovered that there is a US Open Pheasant Championship. Apparently, there's still time to find a good litter of dogs, and get a special deal on pheasant-training. I heard about a nine-year-old computer (do any of those still work?) and how any idiot can access Morningstar stock reports (hmm, I think I know one). I even heard about the 'deal of a lifetime'.

My new acquaintance with these things came from some lunch conversation ... a stubborn, opinionated, narrow-minded, and above all LOUD man at a neighboring table.

My sympathy is sent out to his lunch companion, who (as far as I could tell) couldn't get a word in edgewise. Likewise to his server... given his opinions on money management, I suspect she got stiffed in the tip, unless his friend was paying.

So what - aside from some useless trivia - did I really learn? that a fool will seize the opportunity, again and again, to prove his folly. And that it is unwise to hold a private conversation in a restaurant!

The most embarrassing moment...

Everyone has a secret fear of being caught unprepared. In my case, a series of unfortunate events (pun intended) culminated in a truly ridiculous moment... and one that is too funny not to share.

From the beginning...

Friday was Purple Day at school for Sabrina... which means she gets to wear something purple and bring in something interesting for discussion. On that morning, I woke up a little late, and took a quick shower. Just as I was wrapping myself in a towel, Sabrina wanders in and asks about the purple Chinese lantern I brought back from Singapore. No problem... we track down the lantern, but the trim is falling off. No problem, again... I take it downstairs to glue it back on, leaving the towel behind - I figure I'll only be down there for a few seconds.

As I'm heading downstairs, I realize that the painter is supposed to come to the house to finish the trim, so I take a quick, modest peek outside - good - no painter. I get the glue out, refasten the trim, dab a bit of glue on to the lantern.... DING-DONG!

In horror, I realize that I am twenty feet from the door (with glass side windows) and am stark naked. I panic and race into the laundry room, out of sight, and realize that there is nothing in there but a large folded pink fuzzy blanket with teddy bears on it. Gathering the remnants of my dignity, I wrap myself in the blanket, and head for the door with every appearance of nonchalance. I let the painter in, and suggest that he go ahead and get started - I'll just head upstairs to help the girls (AND ME) get dressed.

I can't help but laugh at it - I was utterly mortified and yet couldn't help but see the humor in the situation! I'm never leaving the bathroom without my robe again... I swear...

An Iron Girl?

What do most people do on a Saturday morning? Sleep in. Watch cartoons. Eat pancakes.

Not me - I signed up for the Iron Girl Duathlon in Bloomington, which includes a 5K run, an 18 mile bike, and another 3K run. Crazy? yes, without a doubt... but there were 499 other crazy women there with me. If you're going to be crazy, you might as well have company, right?

I noticed that before the race, many of the women were joking about how hard it was, how much they hated running (ME), how they hoped they'd finish... contrast to a similar group of men, who would be one-upping on how long they trained, how they are in much better shape than last year, and how they just finished a half-marathon last weekend. Not that the women weren't competitive... but apparently it's better form to pretend that you're not ready.

I completed the race in 2:01:04, a wholly respectable time - enough to earn me a 31st place out of 45 in my age group (!) but it doesn't matter - I finished! Derek, my two girls, and Ann and Emma (visiting from Michigan) were there to cheer me to the finish, and to help me eat my celebratory breakfast.

But the true measure of an Iron Girl is not the finish.... not the medal... not even the feeling of victory. An Iron Girl is never done... there is always more to do. In my case, I washed, folded, and put away three loads of laundry when I came home, settled the girls down for a nap, and then climbed into bed myself. The race was only the beginning.

The true measure of the Iron Girl is her fortitude... for the race is never done.