1001 tasks update: Week 3

In brief, I did five of the six things I'd planned for this week, and the missing sixth was because I forgot it was on the list. :)

Completed as planned:

• Task #12, hobby/creative night: another one's done! That's 3 of 8 with no weeks missed.
  
• Task #58, "Body Worlds" exhibit: I have two people willing to go with me and if we can get the time coordinated we're all set!
• Task #87, turn dog fur into garments for my mother: I mailed off the sample of fur to the spinner. When I get anything back, I will report!
  
• Task #101, New York Times bestseller: I dug deeper into Aardvark's story this week, and have just under 11,000 new words to show for it.

NOT completed as planned:

• Task #45, organizing jewelry: I didn't add it to my weekly list of things to do, and therefore I forgot all about it. Will add it to this week.

Ongoing task updates and other news:

• I filled in two of the eight tasks I hadn't yet discovered. #1 is a secret project, and #2 is making a case for my Palm.
• Task #77, Run 1001 miles/1611 km: up to 50.3km.
• Task #94, 5 creative hours/day: the last 4-week period's average is 2:35. I am aiming for 3 in the next 4-week period. (Rest assured I'm not sitting around watching soap operas with the rest of my days... I am also the maid/cook/laundry service. :) But I do still want to see this number higher.) The next update on this will be in four weeks.

Planned for this week:

• #2: I will make a case for my Palm.
  
• #12: Another hobby/creative night with Mr. W. This time, I plan to work on #89, attempting to invent a shawl pattern.
• #45: I'll put an hour into organizing my jewelry.
• #58: I will get the Body Worlds trip booked.
• #76-78: I will run three times this week.
• #101: continue working on Aardvark. The new material is written, now I "just" have to go through the entire book and reassemble it properly. :)

It doesn't sound like a lot, but I think it's enough.

Have a great week!

1001 tasks update: Week 2

I'm a day late, but oh well. I'm still counting it. :)

Here's what I've been up to on my 101 tasks list.

• Task #12: Mr W and I did our second "hobby-creative" night.
  
• Task #16: I gave a stranger a compliment during the 10km race I ran yesterday... she ran by in a pink knitted hat with a pig face on the front and I couldn't help yelling out, "I like your hat!"
• Task #44: Posting this update now. :)
• Task #77: I have run 42.3km of the planned 1611km since October 21st. 1001 miles seemed like it'd be a huge number but maybe it won't be that hard to get there? We shall see.
• Task #84: The Glorious Violence shawl continues to progress. I won't update its yarn usage every time, since the balls of yarn weigh 25 grams and have 500 yards of yarn in them so I'd need a way more accurate scale than I have to report the yarn. But I'm moving along toward the 500 yard first ball mark!
• Task #94: I am actively focusing on increasing the hours I spend in creative writing-related work. I track them with my Palm and update a spreadsheet every 4 weeks, so I won't be updating this task except as the spreadsheet's updated. But it's definitely a focus for me.
• Task #101: To move closer to being a New York Times Number One Bestseller, I have worked hard this week on Aardvark, and have accepted that what I have is good but good isn't enough and I need to go deeper and work harder to get at the true heart of the story.
  

Here's what I plan to be up to this week:

• Task #12: Do a "hobby-creative night" with Mr W if I can. This week MIGHT not happen, because our cat Sapphire is having her teeth cleaned tomorrow and we might not be able to focus tomorrow night, which is when we usually do these things, but if not, next week for sure.
• Task #45: Spend at least an hour working on purging/organizing my jewelry.
  
• Task #58: The "Body Worlds" exhibit - I will look into when it is and check whether some likely suspects would want to go with me. If not, I'll decide when I'm going on my own!
• Task #76/77/78: Follow my running program so I get faster AND get closer to the 1611 km goal.
• Task #87: I collected a sample of golden retriever fur from my mother weeks ago and haven't mailed it to the potential spinner. I WILL do that this week!
• Task #101: Keep working on Aardvark and let the story unfold the way it wants to.

All right! I will report back at the end of this week (which means Sunday, but after the aforementioned 10km race I didn't have the oomph last night to post) on how I've done this week.

If any of you are doing 101 lists of your own please let me know - I'd love to follow your progress! :)

1001 days until I'm 40

Yeesh. How did that happen? And it's even less now, because that was Saturday!

A little background is in order. I recently set a goal that I want to achieve by the time I turn 40. To keep the goal in my mind, I added a gadget to my Windows Vista sidebar that kept count of how many days I had to achieve the goal. On Saturday the gadget informed me I had 1001 days, which of course made me think of my "101 tasks in 1001 days" list.

The list which I've been ignoring.

Yet again, I've got things on my list that don't matter to me. At all. And I want them all to matter. I don't want the list to be stuff like 'clean under the bed'! Who cares? I want it to be full of things that make me a better and more interesting person or a better and more interesting writer. (And of course, if something can do both that's fantastic.) I want the items to be fun for me to do, or challenging, or a little strange. I want them to help me live a more exciting life.

So I am re-creating my list. Item #101 is the above-mentioned goal. (Don't skip to the bottom! Read 'em all. :) (Except maybe the first eight- I haven't figured out what they are yet!)

Items in progress are in bold print. When I finish one, it'll be crossed out.

101 TASKS IN 1001 DAYS: October 17, 2009 - July 14, 2012

1. Put at least 10 hours into the secret project I thought of last week. Nobody on the planet knows what this project is but me and that amuses me. It's NOT writing-related, though, I'll give you that much. :) (0/10)
   
2. Make a case for my Palm that holds both the device and the phone headset so I don't keep misplacing the headset.
   
3. Coming soon!
4. Coming soon!
5. Coming soon!
6. Coming soon!
7. Coming soon!
8. Coming soon!
   
   Experiences
   
   
9. Buy nothing but essential groceries for one full month. Keep track of the value of what I do not buy.
10. Celebrate July as my birthmonth each year by doing at least one fun/unusual activity each July.
11. Create three playlists in iTunes and on the Palm: one to pump me up, one to relax me, and one for when I'm feeling doubtful about my ability to carry on. (0/3)
12. Do at least eight weekly "hobby/creative" nights with Mr. W, in which we each work on a work- or home-related project that's new and a bit different for us. (If we have to miss a week that's fine, but missing two means the count starts over.) (Begun October 20th, now 3/8, #1: I read a writing book, he did research into new cars, #2: I researched planning and organizational methods, he did work-related research, #3: I built a spreadsheet tracking prices in our favorite online fighting game, Atlantica Online, and he did work-related research)
13. Each January, rearrange all the pictures in our picture frames and refresh my digital frame.
14. Find/make an excuse to rent a car for at least a day, and choose something different or fun to drive.
15. Fly first-class.
16. Give 20 strangers a compliment. (1/20 - at a running race, )
17. Give five "I saw this and thought of you" gifts. (0/5)
18. Go an entire day, including at least some time in public, without speaking, (Writing notes is acceptable if necessary.) See how it feels to be completely silent.
19. Go back to New York. Stay more than two nights. (Avoid LaGuardia if possible. :)
20. Go back to the beach near our old house where I fell in love with Harry Potter book 1. Read the last chapters of book 7.
21. Go through my makeup and throw out everything I haven't used in the last month. No "I might use it someday." You won't. We know this. (This is insanely hard for me... I'm convinced I'll want that lipstick someday!)
22. Go to a ballet.
23. Go to a drive-in movie.
24. Go to a Leafs game, either at home or elsewhere.
25. Go to a performance of "The Messiah" at Christmas.
26. Go to a rock concert.
27. Go to an aquarium. (The one in the living room does not count :)
28. Go to an opera.
29. Go to Kuwait to visit Tanya. Try everything, even things I think I won't like. (booked for January 2010! :)
30. Go to Ste. Annes spa at least three times. (0/3)
31. Go to the train station with Mr. W or a friend, pick any random train that is leaving within 10 minutes, buy a ticket and go discover the city where the train is going.
32. Go to three new-to-me restaurants (chain restaurants do NOT count). (0/3)
33. If the UFC or another mixed martial arts organization comes to Toronto, do everything legally possible to get tickets.
34. Learn one magic trick with which to entertain people. It must be simple to set up. Show it to at least three groups of people. Never tell how it's done. (0/3)
35. Leave a ridiculously generous tip for great service. (0/3)
36. Make a $25 loan at www.kiva.org.
37. Make croissants. The recipe I have takes three days but I bet they're worth the effort. Maybe at Christmas?
38. Make something weird (jam?) in the breadmaker.
39. Next time I see them at the grocery store, buy Grapples. They're apples with grape flavouring added, and they smell amazing. (They're also $5 for 4, which is why I haven't bought them previously.)
40. No swearing for 28 full days. (I've done two weeks… can I handle 28 days?)
41. Pay for someone behind me at a drive-thru. (0/3)
42. Pick a Guitar Hero song and learn to drum it on Expert.
43. Play laser tag.
44. Post weekly status updates on this list's progress. (3/143 - I'm counting this initial post)
45. Purge my jewelry so I keep only the pieces I adore.
46. Read "Life of Pi".
47. Read "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.
48. Read a book on Canadian history (non-fiction).
49. Read a novel a day for one full week. (0/7) (These novels can help fulfill other tasks if I want.)
50. Read the 11 paper books I currently have in my 'to be read' collection. Review them on my blog, and release at least six of them to bookcrossing.com.
51. Read two Pulitzer Prize-winning novels. (0/2)
52. Replace as many of these as I want with new items on or around the 500 day mark, which is March 1, 2011. (Items can be replaced only if I no longer feel they matter, not if I just can't be bothered.)
53. Reread "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand.
54. Roll a 6-sided die 1001 times and see whether the results are random or not. If not, use whatever number comes up most often in some way to pick a lottery ticket.
55. See at least one Fringe Festival play each summer. (0/3)
56. See every movie that's released in March 2011 (randomly selected month), regardless of whether I think I'll like it.
57. See Meat Loaf in concert if he's anywhere near us.
58. See the "Body Worlds" exhibit at the Science Centre. (real body parts!) Take Mr. W if he'll go, or find some other sucker... err... buddy, or go alone if need be.
59. See the Arrogant Worms in concert if they're anywhere near us.
60. Send an anonymous Valentine's Day card.
61. Send someone an anonymous gift, something they really need or want.
62. Sleep out on the balcony for one night.
63. Spend a day at the Royal Ontario Museum.
64. Spend a rainy or snowy day doing nothing but reading and drinking tea (and maybe eating a bit too).
65. Take a spur of the moment road trip (one Friday evening, just take off!).
66. Take at least one "we do nothing but hang out and be together" vacation with Mr. W each year. (0/3)
67. Take my camera to three separate family/friend occasions. Take at least one picture and be IN at least one picture at each event. (0/3)
68. Try ten new recipes. (0/10)
69. Visit 7 cities so their initials make up the word Heather. (0/7) (need two different ones for E and T!)
70. Watch all six Rocky movies over a weekend. (long weekend? :) (0/6)
71. Watch the polar bears at the zoo on a particularly cold day.
72. Write 10 encouraging notes and leave them out somewhere in public.(0/10)
73. Write and mail a fan letter to Forrest Griffin, referencing that I named the male lead in "Go Small or Go Home" Forrest and that my sister named her cat Griffin. See if he responds.
74. Write my autobiography, just for my own reference and not for public consumption. Update annually on or around my birthday.
75. Write my parents a gratitude letter.
    
    Fitness-Related
    
    
76. Run a sub-30 minute 5km. (Best time: 35:19)
77. Run at least 1001 miles (1611 km). (50.3/1611, last update Nov 8/09)
78. Run a half marathon in less than 2.5 hours. (Current best: 2:40)
79. Complete 100 pushups in one go. (This will likely necessitate at least two trips through the 6-week pushup challenge, as my current trip won't get me much higher than 50.)
80. Eat an apple a day for 28 days.
81. Do NOT begin any weight loss program during these 1001 days. DO continue running and exercising and eating healthy food, but there will be no weight loss focus unless at a doctor's command. Write a blog post explaining my reasoning.
82. Do 5-10 minutes daily of posture-correcting exercises for 28 days.
83. Eat only raw food for two consecutive days.
    
    Crafting-Related
    
    
84. Put at least 1000 yards of yarn into the Glorious Violence shawl (this is made of lavender cashmere lace yarn and is being made only at/while watching hockey games and mixed martial arts). (300/1000+, depending on the shawl's size)
85. Make Glorious Violence mitts if there's any cashmere lace yarn left over.
86. Hand-dye either yarn or a finished project, possibly the Glorious Violence shawl and/or mitts. Accept and even enjoy the no-doubt-imperfect results.
87. Have my mother's bag of golden retriever fur spun then crochet her a hat/mitts/scarf set with fur trim. (Sample of fur sent to spinner Nov 5/09)
    
88. Knit the "Hand like a Hole" fingerless mitts. Relax and enjoy it so the finished mitts won't be tainted by "knitting makes me tense" vibes.
89. Put at least five hours into inventing a shawl pattern. I keep insisting that I'm not creative in that way, but maybe I am and I'm just not letting it out. (0/5)
90. Sew myself a skirt.
91. Sew myself an infinity dress (http://www.rostitchery.com/infinity-dress.html) from the pink fabric in my cupboard that I don't remember why I bought.
92. Turn the Christmas pillow front Mr. W latch-hooked into an actual pillow by Christmas 2009.
    
    Writing-Related
    
    
93. Spend at least three half-hour sessions working on my signature so I have a classy one instead of the childish scribble I have now. (0/3)
94. Reach an average of five hours of creative work per day. If I can't reach five without negatively affecting my work, be happy with wherever I get. (Current: 3)
95. Turn three of my book ideas into short stories. If I feel like it, they can be posted here or I can try to sell them but that is absolutely not a requirement.
96. Write "morning pages" (three handwritten stream-of-consciousness pages) for 28 days straight. (0/28)
97. Write a screenplay, of whatever length feels right, after doing some research into screenplay conventions. No need to do anything with it unless I feel like it.
98. Write at least three flash horror stories and submit at least one to the Twitter horror stories thing.
99. Do Julia Cameron's "Walking in this World" program in a 4-week-on-4-week off pattern (the program takes 12 weeks total, so this way will take me 20.) In the off weeks, continue to think about what I've learned.
100. Do Julia Cameron's "other" program, either in the same way or straight through depending on how I think it'll work best.
101. Have at least one of my books reach the number one spot on the New York Times bestseller list. This is the goal I mentioned at the beginning. By the time I turn 40, I will have had at least one book reach this lofty height. I am determined. I AM a New York Times bestseller. They just don't know it yet. :)

So there's the list. I like it. A lot. And I think I'll be quite a different person by the time I turn 40!

If you have any suggestions for the missing first eight, I'd love to hear 'em! :)

My winter preparations are complete

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Let the table come to you

Yesterday afternoon I went to Starbucks to work. I go about once a week or so - more often, I'd be broke and twice my weight. :) I like to save it for when I am feeling particularly lacking in motivation, or when there's construction in my condo building and the noise is distracting. Yesterday was a bit of both.

When I got there, no tables were empty. Most of the tables are two-person, but the four-person one by the window had one woman at it. I could have gone there, in a pinch, but I don't like to share tables and I didn't know if she would either.

Worry rose in me as I waited for my drink (peppermint white chocolate mocha, in case you were wondering) but I told myself, "You will find a table. It will work out." I repeated this to myself as I took my drink and began walking toward the four-person table. "It will work out. You'll find a spot."

When I drew level with the last table before the four-person, the man at that table stood up. I asked if he was done, and he was, and I got my own table. And I got tons of work done.

Did believing I'd find a spot make it happen? I don't know. But it's sure a lot less stressful than telling myself, "You're crazy to think there'll be any space for you. Look at how busy this place is" like I used to do.

You may notice (if I've done it right) that I've turned the comments back on. To be frank, I had them off because I feel uncomfortable when a post doesn't get comments. I feel like I failed to interest anyone enough to comment. But I have missed reading your comments, and while several people took the time to email me directly, it's not the same and I know it. So, they're back on. Comment away! :)

How I feel about Wal-Mart

I wear my heart on my... loaf?

I decided to make bread this morning. It did not go as planned.

I put all the ingredients for my current favourite loaf (Light Oat Bread using 1 tbsp of olive oil instead of 2 tbsp of margarine) into the breadmaker. We've had a bit of trouble with said machine (the base of the pan kind of rusted because someone kind of left it in the sink sitting in water instead of washing it like she kind of meant to do) but Mr. W had oiled it and all seemed to be well.

Today, instead of its usual few half turns and then an energetic spinning away at the dough, the breakmaker made a few pathetic half-turn attempts and then a faint whining sound but no spinning. So I dumped all the (unmixed) ingredients into a bowl and decided to try out being my own breadmaker.

This was at about 9:30 this morning. It's now 6 pm and the heels of my hands are STILL sore from kneading the dough. (I am a delicate one at times... my favourite story about this is the time I was assisting the school's (really good former national team member) volleyball coach in serving to the kids and having them return my serves, and I couldn't bring myself to tell him I had to quit because my hand hurt, so I kept going and and ended up with the heel of my hand seriously bruised as a result. He was impressed and a bit pitying at the same time. :)

The dough, theoretically, was supposed to get smooth and elastic. I have no idea how this is supposed to look, so I kneaded until I lost interest (about 6 minutes, I'd say) and then let it rise for an hour.

It got HUGE, which seemed like a good sign, so I kneaded it again and then put it in a loaf pan to rise again. It did, as the picture shows, but it was already thinking about overflowing and I was afraid it'd get too big for the pan when I baked it so I cooked it on a cookie sheet instead.

Not sure why, frankly, since now that I think about it it makes sense for it to spill out a little bit to make that nice bread shape.

But oh well. Here's what I got.

In the first picture you can see the dough looks vaguely jellyroll-ish. The instructions I found online said to fold it like a business letter into three parts. Why a business letter and not some other letter, I know not, but I envisioned a query letter and folded 'er up.

Only to have 'er unfold in the oven.


While I doubt it's exactly going to set the world on fire for sandwiches, it was kind of nice having two hearts with peanut butter and strawberry jam for lunch. :)

In other news, I was cleaning the house (no, that's not the news, I do it pretty often) and singing along to The Dana Owens Album (Queen Latifah doing jazz and R&B classics - link goes to Amazon where you can hear some clips) - I am no singer but I like to belt stuff out when there's nobody but the cat to hear me.

And as I was singing I realized what the new book, Blueberry, was missing. I felt like the main character needed something, another interest or subplot... and now I know. She's a jazz singer. Not as a career, just for fun. And someone'll push her to go further with it.

I love when my random stuff actually clicks for a book. :)