Thursday, January 22, 2009

The 109 in 2009 is HERE!

In 2008, I attempted to do 108 new things in a year. Well, I did 45. Not bad but not great, and this year I hope to accomplish even more. And I also hope to document my progress more at The 109 in 2009. I did a very poor job of taking photos as evidence of my endeavors. So, as a general rule I shall take more photos of day-to-day items/events.

Please check The 109 in 2009 often to see my progress - and there will be a permanent home for the link in the top right corner of this blog.

Some of these are items I moved over from 'The 108 in 2008' list, some are completely new and some are slightly modified versions of last year's goals. Cam suggested I organize the lists into different categories and I really like the layout. I'll cross items off the sidebars as they happen. And as always, your encouragement is most appreciated.

Just for Fun (17)
- Have a Jane Austen Day that includes watching the entire 1995 A&E version of Pride and Prejudice.
- Go on a picnic.
- Read outside.
- Watch a sunrise.
- Watch a sunset.
- Buy a cookie cake for no reason at all (and of course share with friends).
- Send an overseas friend snail mail.
- Finish a crossword puzzle.
- Finish a jigsaw puzzle.
- Send my nana a card.
- Spend a whole (non-sick) day lounging around the house with movies, books, etc.
- Go out on a boat.
- Become SCUBA certified.
- Win a radio station contest.
- Have afternoon tea with my mom and sisters.
- Beat my dad at gin rummy.
- Go shooting.

Travels & Destinations (15)
- Go on a vacation.
- Go back to my college town for a visit, see Meaghan and meet her new son.
- Visit a park I have never been to before.
- Got to a state I have never visited.
- Visit a new foreign destination.
- Go to a fair.
- Go to an art museum.
- Stay at a nice bed and breakfast.
- Take an unplanned trip.
- Visit my high school alma mater.
- Go to the beach.
- Go camping.
- Visit a historical site.
- Visit Savannah.
- Visit Washington D.C.

Food & Cooking or 'The Making of a Domestic Goddess' (16)
- Cook at least once a week (starting now!).
- Take a cooking class.
- Make homemade pizza.
- Make homemade ice cream.
- Have a fajita night.
- Have a bacon, avocado, lettuce sandwich.
- Make biscuits from scratch.
- Bake a cake from scratch.
- Make homemade bread.
- Make S’mores.
- Cook and serve a four-course meal.
- Cook mama's recipe for pulled pork.
- Contribute at least one dish to Thanksgiving dinner.
- Make homemade lasagna.
- Cook Cam his favorite meal of country fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, fried okra and pecan pie.
- Fix a meal for either my family or Cam's family.

Go Out on the Town (12)
- Go see Cirque du Soleil.
- Have a girls' night out.
- Visit the New World of Coca-Cola.
- Visit the Georgia Aquarium.
- Try a new restaurant in Marietta.
- Eat at Bacchanalia - consistently considered one of Atlanta's best restaurants.
- Eat at Crepe Revolution.
- Be a tourist in my own town, including taking lots of photos.
- See Bodies: The Exhibition.
- Tour one of North Georgia's vineyards & wineries.
- See a play.
- Try a new type of cuisine.

Be a Bookworm (17)
- Read The Shack by William P. Young.
- Read Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller.
- Read The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Neiffenegger.
- Read The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer in its entirety.
- Read Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister: A Novel by Gregory Maguire.
-Read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
- Read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.
- Read Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer.
- Read Persuasion by Jane Austen.
- Read Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche.
- Read Wild Swans : Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang.
- Read The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards.
- Read The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller.
- Read Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott.
- Read The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch.
- Read American Gods: A Novel by Neil Gaiman.
- Read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

Let's Get Physical! (11)
- Get back to a size 4 and maintain it.
- Stick to the BeachBody Slim in Six and post about my experience.
- Run a race.
- Learn to rollerblade
- Go bike riding.
- Go fishing.
- Participate in a team sport.
- Go skydiving (this will depend on funds).
- Go horseback riding.
- Do 100 consecutive push-ups.
- Go on a hike.

Be Creative (16)
- Create a tangible scrapbook.
- Create a handmade card and send it.
- Decorate my office.
- Write a short story.
- Knit a scarf.
- Knit an item for Nola.
- Design and create new seasonal headers for my other blog, A Different Bird.
- Draw a picture and frame it.
- Design stationary.
- Finish knitting Ava's baby blanket.
- Send out Christmas cards with a personal note in each.
- Get published under my name.
- Document a “day in my life” with photos.
- Throw a party.
- Plan & implement an entire date day.
- Create a series of graphic prints and have them framed.

Benefit Others (5)
- Baby-sit my niece, Ava.
- Baby-sit my niece, Nola.
- Leave a server a 100% tip.
- Volunteer for a worthy cause.
- Donate blood.

7 comments:

[F]oxymoron said...

Cool list...

I haven't used my rollerblades in a LONG time... but it is a blast (it is generally illegal, or strongly frowned upon, but if you get the chance, do it on a tennis court! After a bit of practice)

I fully endorse the 100 push ups... I'm shooting for 125. In a few years :)

Senegal Daily said...

Yay! Looks like a great year ahead.

Your book list makes me happy/sad. Happy that you're planning to read some of my favrotes, but so sad you haven't had a chance to yet! You've got some fantastic reading ahead in 2009.

Bodies: The Exhibition was awesome. Highly recommend it.

And may I offer my services as consultant to the Domestic Goddess?

Anonymous said...

I'm excited that you are doing this again. I look forward to being with you and helping you (if possible) complete your list, with the exception of reading the books, of course. 109 items in 365 days? No problem.

Dolce said...

You're so motivated! I feel like such a lazy ass reading your blog.

Good luck with everything.

Anonymous said...

I totally need to start blogging! inspirational my dear! I can help with the shooting thing...whenever you want to do it. 3 to choose from. I agree with Kari...Bodies is totally kewl. Saw it in Milwaukee!

Abby said...

I love it! I can't wait to see you squeeze it all in!

Peggy said...

Okay, I had several thoughts as I was reading...

The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Blue Like Jazz, and Bird by Bird are all great. The Reason for God was not a difficult read despite being philosophical in its approach, much to my relief.

As a fellow non-cooker, I am in awe of your Food & Cooking list. I wish you all the best.

I spend loads of non-sick days lounging w/movies & books, so I'll help you out on that one. It's nearly a weekly event.

100 consecutive push-ups...are you NUTS?! I can do 10. Girl push-ups that is. You didn't specify if yours will be boy or girl push-ups.

For your tangible scrapbook, have you considered digital scrapbooking? Go check my friend Marie's blog...I just referenced her on my most recent post.

Good luck & Godspeed!