November 8, 2011 - August 5, 2014 (I used this link to find the end date)
I'm admittedly a wee bit of an internet lurker, stalking through message boards without actually posting, but occasionally I find something more than just entertaining stories and glimpses at other people's lives. Today I think I found a real gem.
The Day Zero Project challenges participants to complete 101 pre-set tasks in 1001 days. The catch? You pre-set the tasks yourself and it's a lot harder than it looks.
At first, the idea inflamed me. I envisioned myself doing all sorts of wild and crazy things - a la a Bucket List in a 3 year time span. I began looking at other people's lists and was surprised at some of the (in my mind) mundane and ordinary items on them. At first I was slightly taken aback, and then it started to sink in and make sense. The ideas I had in my head - hiking through the Grand Canyon, backpacking across Europe, going on a safari in Africa - those things are all big, expensive, grandoise plans, completely unrealistic for a 3 year time frame (at least on my budget).
I started perusing many lists, stealing ideas from a few, changing some of the tasks that I saw to fit what I'd like to do. It is surprisingly hard to come up with 101 tasks that can be realistically done in this time frame, especially when I'm already often trying new things, throwing myself into experiences and searching for ways to improve myself or my quality of life. I've already done a lot of the items I saw on other people's lists. Singing karaoke in public? Normal Tuesday night for me. Read a book a month? I'm a complete bibliophile, if I haven't read one book in the past week it's extremely out of the ordinary.
It too me awhile to compose my tasks because I wanted my list to have some kind of meaning. I wanted to challenge myself with my list with tasks that would are not already part of my day to day life. Some of the tasks are things I've been wanting to do for a long time but never have. Some of them are difficult challenges (No Facebook for a month? Am I crazy?!). Some of them are things I probably should've been doing all along but haven't. I think all of them will in some way improve me, my quality of life, my relationships, my community or the world in general. I'll be updating this post as I cross items off the list, but I'll also be blogging about my experience of this journey, because I do consider it a journey. I sincerely hope that my daily experience of my life will be changed in a fulfilling way by completing these tasks.
Life so easily becomes mundane, we can forget what an incredible gift it is. I have been unfortunate enough to have many reminders throughout my life, of just how precious a gift life is and how little it should be taken for granted. My friend Chelle died of cancer at age 22, October 20, 2002. Before she died, her last email to me was full of regret for how much time she spent studying and preparing for her future, and how little time she spent living.
I am going to complete this list in memory of her, and as a reminder to myself of how much there is to appreciate about life. Here's to you, Chelle.
2. Find a new primary care physician and get a complete physical
14. Get on DH’s (Dear Hubby's) phone plan and off of my parent’s
19. Write a letter to DH each month and give it to him on our anniversary
20. Sing a duet with DH during Karaoke
I'm admittedly a wee bit of an internet lurker, stalking through message boards without actually posting, but occasionally I find something more than just entertaining stories and glimpses at other people's lives. Today I think I found a real gem.
The Day Zero Project challenges participants to complete 101 pre-set tasks in 1001 days. The catch? You pre-set the tasks yourself and it's a lot harder than it looks.
At first, the idea inflamed me. I envisioned myself doing all sorts of wild and crazy things - a la a Bucket List in a 3 year time span. I began looking at other people's lists and was surprised at some of the (in my mind) mundane and ordinary items on them. At first I was slightly taken aback, and then it started to sink in and make sense. The ideas I had in my head - hiking through the Grand Canyon, backpacking across Europe, going on a safari in Africa - those things are all big, expensive, grandoise plans, completely unrealistic for a 3 year time frame (at least on my budget).
I started perusing many lists, stealing ideas from a few, changing some of the tasks that I saw to fit what I'd like to do. It is surprisingly hard to come up with 101 tasks that can be realistically done in this time frame, especially when I'm already often trying new things, throwing myself into experiences and searching for ways to improve myself or my quality of life. I've already done a lot of the items I saw on other people's lists. Singing karaoke in public? Normal Tuesday night for me. Read a book a month? I'm a complete bibliophile, if I haven't read one book in the past week it's extremely out of the ordinary.
It too me awhile to compose my tasks because I wanted my list to have some kind of meaning. I wanted to challenge myself with my list with tasks that would are not already part of my day to day life. Some of the tasks are things I've been wanting to do for a long time but never have. Some of them are difficult challenges (No Facebook for a month? Am I crazy?!). Some of them are things I probably should've been doing all along but haven't. I think all of them will in some way improve me, my quality of life, my relationships, my community or the world in general. I'll be updating this post as I cross items off the list, but I'll also be blogging about my experience of this journey, because I do consider it a journey. I sincerely hope that my daily experience of my life will be changed in a fulfilling way by completing these tasks.
Life so easily becomes mundane, we can forget what an incredible gift it is. I have been unfortunate enough to have many reminders throughout my life, of just how precious a gift life is and how little it should be taken for granted. My friend Chelle died of cancer at age 22, October 20, 2002. Before she died, her last email to me was full of regret for how much time she spent studying and preparing for her future, and how little time she spent living.
I am going to complete this list in memory of her, and as a reminder to myself of how much there is to appreciate about life. Here's to you, Chelle.
Health, Fitness, Sports:
1. Go to the dermatologist for a full skin cancer check-up
3. Floss every day for 1 month (0/31)
4. Go to the gym 3x a week for one month (0/12)
6. Do 50 consecutive push-ups (15/50)
7. Take a yoga class
8. Go to a zumba class at least once a week for a month (0/4)
9. Run in a 5k
Finances:
10. Don’t eat out for a month (0/31)
12. Pay off all credit card debt
13. Write a will
16. Go one month without spending money on anything other than necessities
Relationship
17. Give DH a goodnight kiss every night (Started 11/8/11)
18. Go on an outdoor picnic with DH
Family Time / Bonding:
22. Arrange a game night with my family
24. Take Papa to one of the MET’s live feeds
25. Call my brother once a month for a year just to chat (0/12)
26. Visit my grandparents 10x each (P&G: 0/10) (G&G: 6/10)
27. Write a brief biography about each of my grandparents (0/10)
28. Call DH’s mom just to have a chat
29. Go on a girl’s vacation with my Mom
Friends:
30. Throw a murder mystery dinner
33. Ask 10 friends to recommend a book and read them (7/10)
1. The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson - Recommended by Phil
2. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Friend by Christopher Moore -Recommended by Kelly & Andrew
3. The Fallen by Tom Sniegoski - Recommended by Jimmy
4. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer - Recommended by Ameliah
5. Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind - Recommended by Patrick
6. Darkfever by Karen Marie Morning - Recommended by Courtney
7. Soulless by Gail Carriger - Recommended by Katie & Laura
8. Divergent - Dru Harwood
1. The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson - Recommended by Phil
2. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Friend by Christopher Moore -Recommended by Kelly & Andrew
3. The Fallen by Tom Sniegoski - Recommended by Jimmy
4. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer - Recommended by Ameliah
5. Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind - Recommended by Patrick
6. Darkfever by Karen Marie Morning - Recommended by Courtney
7. Soulless by Gail Carriger - Recommended by Katie & Laura
8. Divergent - Dru Harwood
34. Attend a Knottie G2G
35. Text one person every day for a month to say that I’m thinking of them (0/31)
36. Complete the Month of Letters Challenge (0/31)
36. Complete the Month of Letters Challenge (0/31)
Travel, Vacations, Trips:
37. Go on a cruise to the Caribbean
39. Stay at a B&B
40.Swim with dolphins
41. Go on a Ski Trip
40.
41. Go on a Ski Trip
42. Go camping
43. Go on a segway tour of Washington DC
44. Spend the night in a Washington DC
46. Go to the beach in the winter
47.Visit a state I've never been to before
47.
Projects
48. Make three costume pieces for hubby (0/3)
49. Complete a book and mail it out to be published.
50. Make three costume pieces for myself (0/3)
51. Make 30 recipes I’ve never made before (30/30)
1. Red Lobster Biscuits
2. Filet Mignon with Butter, Sherry, Orange sauce
3. Shepherd's Pie
4. Tzatziki
5. French Chicken Broccoli Supreme
6. Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread
7. Crockpot Roast
8. Brown Butter Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
9. Cider-Cinnamon Brussels Sprouts
10. Artichoke Crusted Chicken Breasts
11. Meatball Surprise Bubble Biscuits
12. Salted Caramel Butter Bars
13. Bourbon Cream Cheese Brownies
14. Zucchini Cakes
15. Awesome Steak Marinade
16. Asian Garlic Green Beans
17. Soy Sauce Eggs
18. Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake
19. Garlic Honey Balsamic Chicken
20. Hasselback Potatoes
21. Oven Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts
22. Slow Cooker Lasagna
23. Oven roasted Broccoli
24. Green Bean Bundles
25. Bacon Brownies with a Bourbon Caramel Sauce
26. Lightened Loaded Potato Soup
27. Cookie'n'Oreo'n'Brownie
28. Bailey's Brownies
29. Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes
30. Twice Baked Cauliflower
1. Red Lobster Biscuits
2. Filet Mignon with Butter, Sherry, Orange sauce
3. Shepherd's Pie
4. Tzatziki
5. French Chicken Broccoli Supreme
6. Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread
7. Crockpot Roast
8. Brown Butter Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
9. Cider-Cinnamon Brussels Sprouts
10. Artichoke Crusted Chicken Breasts
11. Meatball Surprise Bubble Biscuits
12. Salted Caramel Butter Bars
13. Bourbon Cream Cheese Brownies
14. Zucchini Cakes
15. Awesome Steak Marinade
16. Asian Garlic Green Beans
17. Soy Sauce Eggs
18. Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake
19. Garlic Honey Balsamic Chicken
20. Hasselback Potatoes
21. Oven Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts
22. Slow Cooker Lasagna
23. Oven roasted Broccoli
24. Green Bean Bundles
25. Bacon Brownies with a Bourbon Caramel Sauce
26. Lightened Loaded Potato Soup
27. Cookie'n'Oreo'n'Brownie
28. Bailey's Brownies
29. Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes
30. Twice Baked Cauliflower
52. Write a poem
Self-Improvement
53. Don’t complain about anything for a week (0/7)
54. Ask DH to teach me guitar
55. Take a Spanish Class
56. Learn to identify 10 constellations (0/10)
56. Learn to identify 10 constellations (0/10)
57. Learn 25 phrases in sign language (4/25)
1. Awkward
2. Penis
3. Bitch
4. Please (my first useful sign!)
1. Awkward
2. Penis
3. Bitch
4. Please (my first useful sign!)
58. Become certified in CPR
59. Learn how to play Moonlight Sonata on the piano
60. Learn how to change a tire
61. Take one month off of Facebook
62. Go to church 10 times on days that are NOT on a major religious holiday (0/10)
62. Go to church 10 times on days that are NOT on a major religious holiday (0/10)
64. Do a programs or camping weekend with MAPS
65. Read 10 books by authors I’ve never read before (10/10)
1. Home by Marilynne Robinson
2. Pavanne by Keith Roberts
3. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
4. The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Pray for Reign by Thea Atkinson
7. Le Morte d'Arthur - Sir Thomas Malory, transl. by Keith Baines
8. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
9. Fifty Shades of Grey - E.L. James
10. Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
2. Pavanne by Keith Roberts
3. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
4. The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Pray for Reign by Thea Atkinson
7. Le Morte d'Arthur - Sir Thomas Malory, transl. by Keith Baines
8. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
9. Fifty Shades of Grey - E.L. James
10. Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
Entertainment / Arts / Culture:
66. Go to a concert
67. See 10 Classic movies I’ve never seen before (0/10)
68. Go to 5 museums I’ve never been to before (3/5)
1. The National Museum of Crime & Punishment
2. Newseum
3. Madame Tussauds
1. The National Museum of Crime & Punishment
2. Newseum
3. Madame Tussauds
69. Go to a professional football game
70. Watch all movies on the AFI 100 Years Movie List. Re-watch the ones I've already seen. (10/100)
#4. Gone With the Wind
#6. The Wizard of Oz
#8. On The Waterfront
#16. All About Eve
#33. High Noon
#35. It Happened One Night
#63. Stagecoach
#85. Duck Soup
#94 Goodfellas
#100. Yankee Doodle Dandy
***AFI's 10th Anniversary Top 100 Movies*** (only movies that aren't on the original list)
#83. Titanic
#4. Gone With the Wind
#6. The Wizard of Oz
#8. On The Waterfront
#16. All About Eve
#33. High Noon
#35. It Happened One Night
#63. Stagecoach
#85. Duck Soup
#94 Goodfellas
#100. Yankee Doodle Dandy
***AFI's 10th Anniversary Top 100 Movies*** (only movies that aren't on the original list)
#83. Titanic
71. Attend a book reading
72. Attend a professional live theater performance to a show I've never seen before - You're a Good Man Charlie Brown at Olney Theater
73.Attend a live comedy show - Laugh Factory in Baltimore
73.
74. Go to a Monster Truck Rally
75. Take a West-Coast Swing class
General Happiness/ Life Experiences / Well-Being
76. Watch the sunrise and sunset in the same day.
79. Photograph a landscape from the same location, capturing all four seasons (4/4)
1. Fall
2. Winter
3. Spring
4. Summer
1. Fall
2. Winter
3. Spring
4. Summer
80. Kiss in the rain
81. Watch the Perseids meteor shower for my birthday
82. Audition for a community theater show
Good Karma / Community:
83. Mail hair to Locks for love
83. Mail hair to Locks for love
84. Leave an inspirational note inside a book for someone to find.
85. Write a letter to someone who inspired me
87. Leave 5 Operation Beautiful notes (2/5)
89. Join a volunteer group on Earth Day
90. Send a Christmas card to 3 soldiers
91. Buy groceries from a farmer’s market at least once a month for a year
Misc.:
92. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.
93. Complete a 365 day photo challenge.
94. Send a secret to PostSecret
95. Enter a costume contest
97. Eat at 10 restaurants I’ve never eaten at before in our city (7/10)
1. Raku
2. Annie's Bistro Francais
3. Cesco Osteria
4. Shangri-la
5. Parva
6. Tandoori Nights
7. Maki Maki
1. Raku
2. Annie's Bistro Francais
3. Cesco Osteria
4. Shangri-la
5. Parva
6. Tandoori Nights
7. Maki Maki
98. Buy a laptop
100. Buy a lottery ticket once a month for a year (0/12)
101. Make a new list
I LOVE this! Now to make one for myself...
ReplyDeletethis is REALLY awesome. I, as a lover of lists, will have to think about this.
ReplyDeletequick things: what are your color codes?
love: #33. I'm not a strong reader and think it would be awesome.
#65, i have some awesome ones to suggest, if you're still looking. i think we have different tastes and it would be interesting. i'll read one of your taste --it'll be fun!
#84, one of my good friends just posted a thing where you slip a $20 in your favorite book at the library with the note "This is my favorite part! If you love this book as much as I do, get yourself a copy!"
Yellow are the ones I'm planning on finishing in 2012, purple are the ones I'll be working on but that I probably won't finish =)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to hear your thoughts for #65! I mostly read Sci-Fi and Fantasy and it's been really interesting branching out.
I LOVE the library book idea!