I am finished! 365 days ago I started the task of completing 60 random tasks and today its finished!
To start with I can not begin to explain how glad I am that I took this on and how much more exciting the last 12 months have been for it. I really stress to everyone that they should create a list, it not only kicks your arse into gear to do things that you wouldn't usually do but it also makes you feel like you have accomplished something, even if its as small as a trip to the fruit markets!
I started off by printing my list out on nice pink paper, folding it up and putting it into my diary so I could keep it on me every day. I didn't start this with the idea that I HAD to complete EVERYTHING on the list, just to give them a shot and try some new things. And I admit, I haven't completed it. I am a little let down in my self for that but more so I am so excited/proud/happy that I completed the things that I have!
I didn't tell any of my real life friends or family about this for about the first 6 months (with the exception to Boy and Rumbles) not because I was embarrassed but more because I was scared I would fail it like I usually do. I'm like a fish in that way. Ohh something shiny!
So tomorrow I will be starting my new list, I wont post it until then. For now I will give you a recap of what I have (and haven't) done in the last 365 days!! :D
Health/Food
1. Try 10 new fruits/vegetables I’ve never tried before or thought I didn’t like Durian - this was pretty awesome, I will be eating them again in the future!
Butternut Pumpkin - nothing overly exciting but I did quite like it!
Tomato - I used to HATE tomato (but love tomato sauce... go figure!) But now I will eat it raw, I'm not going to be having tomato slices on my sandwich tomorrow but I will eat it on brushetta and things like that.
Celery - Now this one I'm still on the fence with, I will eat it when its mushy in a soup but NOT raw! EW!
Pomegranate - I really wanted to be impressed by this but sadly I wasn't. It didn't taste to bad but it was a pain to eat!
Beetroot - still a big NO
Squash - I like!
Mangosteen - YUM!
Date - OMG I threw up! It was just WRONG!
Fig - I liked this, I will be having it again. I want to try it with a desert next time!
2. Buy proper cupcake making things and make fancy cupcakes
Boy bought me this stuff for Valentines and I made some lovely cupcakes. They were delish and I will be making them again soon!
3. Do 50 push ups (boy style) in a row
Yeh... This one didn't happen! I got up to 40 at one stage but sadly, no go :(
4. Do 50 sit-ups/crunches in a row
DONE! I actually did 100 which I totally think makes up for not doing the push ups... right? RIGHT?
5. Hike 6 mountains (can repeat if necessary) in 12 months
Flinders Peak, Mt Barney, Eungella x2 ... Ok so I didn't complete it, But I was close.
6. Eat only raw foods for an entire day
Done! It was very painful though. There was one failed attempt. When I did succeed I cheated a little, I had balsamic vinegar on my salads. Lemon juice just wasn't enough for me!
7. Buy a piece of exercise equipment and use it properly
Boy bought me sneakers for my birthday, I had only had hand me down ones before that so it is so good having sneakers that fit me and aren't warn out! I love them!
Giving to Others
8. Make a decent donation to a charity
$20/mth gets transferred to Amnesty International... Its not massive but it helps
9. Send my mum flowers
Done, with the help of Rumbles I got a bunch of Sunflowers (her favorite kind) delivered to her apartment. She was very happy with that.
10. Donate blood every 3 months for a year
I have attempted and attempted this one... the first half of the year I was still anemic. I then got to give blood (yay!) but when I went back the next time I didn't weigh enough... More reason to eat a big dinner! YAY!
11. Make a donation to a local charity
Guide Dogs Queensland
12. Write a letter to both grand mums
Done! Even if one of them can barely see it let alone read it!
13. Spend one day being a “servant” to Boy
Done! Hehe I kind of cheated on this one though... I didn't actually tell him that I was doing it until midnight. But he still got everything he wanted that day!
14. Send a small gift or letter to some of my favorite flickrites/bloggers
DONE! Muirnait got a CD, Becca got some sockies for her beautiful little girl, Germ got a card, GeekBrat got a lip gloss and a bunch of you got Christmas Cards
15. Buy birthday presents for everybody in both families
DONE! Nearly... Big Bro 12.03.08 Boys Mummy 15.03.08 Boys Lil' Sis 11.04.08 Big Sis 29.04.08, The champ 11.06.08, big big sis 13.07.08, Mim 15.07.08, Gral 18.08.08,Potato Head 19.08.08, Daddyo 25.08.08, AH 22.10.08, Lil' Miss PBB, Trevor, the Dominator and Mummy... I still owe Boys Step Dad a present from his birthday last weekend but with the move and everything it hasn't gotten to his hands yet. It is here and waiting though!
Writing/Blogging
16. Post a real blog (not just from Flickr) on ChickenTherapy at least once a week
Yeh... this lasted 4 weeks.... I suck
17. Write a short piece of fiction
Its better that I didn't...
18. Write a letter to each family member (who can read)
Presents we rent enough?? Honestly! Some People!
19. Hand write a blog entry and scan it to the blog
I FAIL OK! I KNOW THIS! WRITING AND BLOGGING IS NOT MY FORTE! I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF FORTE IS THE RIGHT WORD! OR IF THAT'S THE SPELLING! BAH
Arts/Theatre
20. Attend a Concert
Millencolin 5.4.08
21. Attend a play
The Anatomy of Titus 25.08.08
22. Attend a musical
We have two booked for when we are in London! I havent seen one no... but I think it counts!
23. Attend a non-mandatory lecture or seminar
I attended two! One was a marketing seminar run by the local paper and another was a AXA Admin thing
24. See an exhibit at the art gallery or museum
Mackay gallery... Not very interesting...
25. Go to a wine tasting
At the Ginger Bread Factory! Plus we have a wine tour booked for when we are in Florence
Travel and Vacation
26. Travel out of Australia
LONDON! Its booked and paid for! We leave in 10 days! WOOO
27. Go camping for more then 1 night
This didnt happen :( I booked it in a dozen times but something kept coming up. I am actually really sad this one didnt happen...
28. Ride a roller coaster
Mackay Show!
29. Visit one of the Islands in the Whitsundays
HAMO!!
30. Stay 1 night at the Harbor and have dinner at one of the good restaurants
This one was half done... We went to the nice restaurant but we didnt get to stay there as it turned out there was only one hotel and it was booked out on the night we were going out for dinner :(
Trying New Things
32. Wear a skirt/dress every day for a week
DONE! This was actually one of the hardest tasks! I tried it a dozen times but I just couldnt go a whole week. The only way I got around it was by wearing stockings most of the days!
33. Build something
Boy and I built my bike but I also built a TV cabinete
34. Sew something
I fixed the bed sheets and all of boys work clothes!
35. Wear fingernail polish for a whole week
Done!
36. Help Boy out at work for a day
Done!
37. Get my boat license
Done!
38. Get a new piercing or a small tattoo
Done! Nope I'm not telling!
Arts, Crafts, and Photography
39. Attend one of those pottery classes/days
I'm anti social... Didn't happen...
40. Support a craftsperson—buy something handmade (either in person or online)
I just bought this beautiful Necklace of Etsy! I TRIED to get hold of the awesome Artsy T to buy one of her prints but she didnt reply to my comments :(
41. Document a “day in my life” with photosDone!
42. Do a photo essay of some of my most sentimental possessionsDone!
43. Find a local photography group/class and go to at least 1 sessionAgain with the anti social...
44. Learn more about the DSLR
I read a dozen books and feel I know a fair bit more. I'm not going to be quitting my day job anytime soon but I can have heaps of fun and now end up with some really nice photos out of it :)
4 5. Learn a craft
I made mosaic photo frames for the fam for Christmas and I taught myself to knit! Thank you Internet!
Monthly Challenges
46. Work out 3 times a week for 1 month
Done!
47. Walk every day for 1 month
start 21.03.08 finish 21.04.08
48. One month without TV
I LOVED this one! I have always had the TV on as background or watched TV while eating breakfast and dinner so a month was pretty crazy but now I do NOT like TV! I HATE the ads! I still watch a couple of shows when I am really bored or watch the news when something big happens but I have lost nearly all interest in TV and I am SO glad about it!
49. Record total amount of money spent on food for a month
Done! We spent $480. I really dont know what happens to the rest of our money! I blame drugs.
50. One month without sweets/desserts
This was painful. I got two weeks through then a charity person came around selling chocolates and I was a good person and bought one COMPLETELY forgetting about the no sweets thing.. I had to start again! But its DONE!
51. Photograph my outfits everyday for a month
Done!
52. Have a dinner containing atleast 3 vegetables atleast 6 days a week for a month
Done! This was really good. We are eating so many more and so many different types of vegies because of this!
Miscellaneous
53. Learn a language – even if just basics
Gemacht! Ich habe ein kleines Deutsch gelernt!
54. Go to the Saturday fruit markets
Done! I totally want to keep this one up!
55. Buy a piece of Victoria Secrets anything
Done! I got pants, a couple of singlets, some girlie things and some socks!
56. Subscribe to a photographic or nature magazine
Nat Geo!
57. Plant a herb garden
Ok... It may be dead now but I did plant one! Plus I now have a big basil plant so that still counts!
58. Read at least 1 book per month
I didnt do this per month. But I read twelve so I think that counts. Life of Pi, Annakarenina, Angel, Christopher, the Bronze Horseman (x 2), Twilight, Tully, New Moon, the Alchemist, Red Leaves, Life of Reptiles
59. Rent and boat for a day and take Boy on a cruise (after I get my boat license)
This didnt happen :(
60. Set up Make-up Company and begin trading again
Done and thriving! WOOOOOOO
So thats the 08/09 list done. Now onto the new! Thanks to everyone for your help and support I had so much fun with this and cant wait to keep going with next years!!
