Month Three Round-up

So it’s been busy around here, and while I’ve been working through some of my 101 Things, my attentions have been elsewhere for the most part. I’ll make this update quick, because I’ve got some writing to do.

The Dailies:

#77 – Participate in and successfully complete Project 365. I might as well stop tracking this one for now. I’ll try again soon, but it’s just not happening right now.

The Weeklies:

#5 – Practice yoga 3 times per week for 8 weeks in a row. I’m still working on this, starting again with week 1 of 8 this week because I’m having difficulty getting three practices a week in. I know I can do it…I just don’t seem to be motivated. This week is a new week and I’m going to get through it with three yoga sessions for sure.

#44 – Turn off the TV at least one evening a week. This is another goal I’m doing pretty well with. At least one night a week I manage to shut off the boob tube and read, relax or get some writing done.

#78 – Take a weekly self-portrait. I’m still not managing to do this. This week I’m going to start again and try to get back in the swing of things.

Monthly Things:

#12 – Do my self-breast exam every month. Done.

#63 – Save monthly in a long-term savings account. Auto-withdrawals save the month!

#64 – Pay off my car. This isn’t technically a monthly thing, but I’m making monthly payments in excess of the required payment to reach this goal, so I’m tracking it with the monthly things.

#65 – Pay off my credit card every month. I made a major payment on my credit card, but due to a few unexpected expenses, I wasn’t able to pay it off completely. I’ll make up the difference and will have a zero balance again after my April payment.

#76 – Plan a “me” day at least once a month. I spent a couple of days on me this month…OK, maybe more like a few hours here and there. But I did spend a couple of days away from home with My Love doing nothing but what I wanted to do and relaxing. I’d say that counts.

#80 – Send 33 cards or letters. I sent my sister a card to congratulate her for passing The Big Tests!

#87 – Buy myself a gift or flowers on the 5th of every month. I bought myself prints from Shutterfly and framed a few to hang up as soon as I get up the courage to pound a few holes in my walls.

#90 – Compliment a stranger 33 times. I’m always complimenting strangers these days. It’s amazing how much a tiny little compliment can mean to someone you don’t even know.

#100 – Track my 101 progress monthly.

Other Things:

#8 – Give up caffeine. With a workload from hell over the last month, giving up caffeine was the last thing on my mind.

#19 – Review and update my website at least once every three months. I’m planning to post an update by tomorrow night.

#34 – Read 50 books. I’ve read six so far and I’m working on number seven.

#83 – Send a surprise care package to three friends or family members. Along with that card I sent my sister was a surprise package with a special gift in it.

#34 – Read 50 books.

After a weekend of not feeling that great, I finished two more books: The Glen Rock Book of the Dead and First Break All the Rules. That puts me at six books read.

I’m planning to start Nourishing Wisdom next, but I think I’ll take a bit of a book break and work through some of these magazines that have been piling up on my coffee table.

#34 – Read 50 books.

I finished my fourth book, Girls’ Night In, yesterday. It’s a collection of short stories by “chick-lit” authors. Some were very good, some were bad, and some were just “meh”.

I’m almost done with First Break All the Rules, and I just started The Glen Rock Book of the Dead, which will be a very quick read. And next on my list for the TBR Challenge is Nourishing Wisdom.

If I keep this up, I might have to increase that number to 100 books…but we’ll cross that bridge if we come to it. I don’t want this to be too easy, but I don’t want to set myself up for failure either.

#4 – Complete the Couch to 5K Program.

I tried this program once before, about three years ago, but ended up getting sidetracked by an illness and then never got back into it. I’ve been needing something new to keep my exercise routine exciting. Couch to 5K is a program for beginning runners that takes you from short walk/run intervals to running 30 minutes (or 5K) straight in nine weeks.

Each week will be a new challenge, which will keep things fresh. And I’ll have an end goal of being able to run 5K. I started today with Day 1 of Week 1, and I’m really excited to complete this program. It felt great to complete the 30 minute interval workout. I remembered that feeling of excitement I got the last time I tried the program.

I’ve never been a runner, never thought I could be. Running never came naturally to me. When I completed my first 20 minute run three years ago, though, I realized what it is that people like so much about running. I had such a feeling of accomplishment and release. I found myself slipping into a “zone” after the first few minutes. I’m looking forward to going through that process again and, this time, going even further.

#87 – Buy myself a gift or flowers on the 5th of every month.

This month, my gift to myself was an order of prints from Shutterfly. I purchased several prints of pictures I took while I was in Arizona: pictures of the Grand Canyon, red rock formations in Sedona, and a couple of my sister and I, too. I’m planning to frame and hang them to finally dress up my walls. I’ve been in this house for two years and have yet to hang a single picture.

I can’t wait to get them so that I can find the perfect frames and put them where I can see them everyday–for inspiration and a wonderful reminder of the beauty that exists in this world.

#34 – Read 30 books.

I finished book number 3: Mercy by Jodi Picoult. I read this one with a couple of girlfriends for an impromptu and rather informal book club. Which reminds me–we need to schedule a meeting to discuss.

As I’ve mentioned a million times or more in various places, I’m a huge Picoult fan. Her newest book, was just released. I will say, however, that after reading two of her books in a row, I’m going to have to take a break from her books and read something light and fluffy. Thankfully, I’m working on a couple other books right now that are nothing like her stuff. Handle with Care will just have to wait.

With all this reading lately, I’m starting to think I might have undershot with this goal. I’m plugging away at about a one book per month rate. If I can keep that up, I should be able to easily finish 33 books by the time this little project is over. And if things go as planned this month that average will increase slightly as I finish the two I’m currently working on. Maybe I should have made this goal “Read 50 books” instead. That would have been a bit more of a challenge. In fact, I’m making an executive decision right now to do just that. It’s my 101 Things, after all.

And so it shall be. Goal #34 is now “Read 50 books.”

Week 8 – Another Week of Progress

I’ve been very high-energy this week and have been checking things off my to-do list like mad.

The Dailies:

#77 – Participate in and successfully complete Project 365. Again, I’m not doing well on this one.

The Weeklies:

#5 – Practice yoga 3 times per week for 8 weeks in a row. I started this last week, but didn’t end up getting all three sessions in. So my 8 weeks started again on Monday and I’ve managed to finish my first week with three sessions.

#44 – Turn off the TV at least one evening a week. I had a couple of no-TV nights this week. With all the energy I’ve had, I’ve been cleaning and working like crazy this week, which as meant little time for TV.

#78 – Take a weekly self-portrait. Not getting this done. It shouldn’t be as hard as I’m making it, but I’ve missed a couple of weeks. I’ll have to write myself a note in my calendar as a reminder.

Other Things:

#8 – Give up caffeine. I had a little trouble avoiding coffee this week. My high-energy has meant several late nights and really early mornings.

#47 – Buy a dining set. My Love and I visited IKEA yesterday and I bought an inexpensive set that I can spruce up with some nice decorative touches. I’m looking forward to using it for a dinner party (#88) or to play games during a girls’ night (#89).