Progress is Progress

Seeing as I have failed at my "Update every 45 days" goal, I'm starting now. These are the things I've started/completed:

 7. Pay off my computer.—Done! 3/19/2012
I couldn't believe I did it, but it was even a couple months earlier than scheduled.  It's the first time I've made a big purchase and paid it off all on my own!  Definitely makes you feel a little more financially independent, plus I love my MacBook Pro!

Me and Trixie, taken my MacBook Pro with Photo Booth

 14. Start saving for a “big kid” camera.—Started 5/12/2012
I was lucky enough to get a few gifts for graduation, even though I'm not technically done yet.  I decided that day that I was going to save it and put it towards my "big kid" camera.  I'm really excited to make the purchase, even though I have no idea what I'm getting myself into.

 32. Take a vacation with Matt.—Gulf Shores, AL, Spring Break 2012 
It.  Was.  Awesome.  We spent a day and a half laying on the beach and eating awesome seafood.  There's not much better than that!

A very nice woman took this picture of us as we were walking on the beach at sunrise.  She stopped us so she could show us and it send it to us.

 42. Attend 10 Angus events with Matt.—Express Sale 3/1/2012, PVF Sale 3/31/2012
I love going to Angus events with Matt.  I've met so many awesome people and get to see some that I've known for a while too.  Although I won't make it to as many this summer as I'd like to because of conflicting schedules, I'm excited to get to go to Angus Junior Nationals in Louisville and hopefully a couple others.

 45. Go to an ocean.—Pacific-1/18/2012, Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico 3/2012 
While in San Diego for the International Plant and Animal Genome Conference (PAG) we had a "fun day" and did a trolly tour.  One of the stops was the famous Coronado Island.  We only got to spend about 30 minutes on the island, but I got to dunk my toes in the PACIFIC OCEAN!  I was beyond excited.  I sent pictures and text messages to my entire family and any one else that I could get a hold of.  Then in March on  our trip to Gulf Shores, I was lucky enough to get to swim and walk around on the beach.  I wish someone could have taken pictures and video of Matt and I trying to use the swim boards he bought for us.  We weren't as skilled as the local 8 year olds...  I know I inhaled salt water.

Dunking my toes into the Pacific Ocean.

46. Take a road trip.—Express Sale, Gulf Shores
I know that I've mentioned both of these events before, but I am considering them road trips.  When we went to Express Ranches, we left Champaign at about 4 PM to drive to Rushville to get in the truck with Matt's dad.  At 7 PM we pulled out of the driveway and headed towards Yukon.  As the sun was coming up we were sorting through the bulls, and at 3 or so after the bull we'd picked out went through the sale ring with Ewing Angus's name on him we hopped back in the truck and started the trek back home.  Yes, we were on the road longer than we were in Oklahoma.  By a substantial margin.  The trip to Gulf Shores was definitely more relaxed.  Since it was our "vacation" (we don't really know what that word means) we told ourselves at the beginning that we weren't going to push it.  We stopped in Nashville to sleep on the way down but our sunburnt butts wanted to sleep in our own beds.  We left Gulf Shores at about 12:30 and I'm honestly not sure what time we got back to Champaign.  I was a zombie by then.  Poor Matt had to drive while I slept from about Effingham on.

 51. Go to 10 live music shows, well known artists or not. Cory Smith, ?/2012, Jason Aldean 2/2012, Casey Donahew Band, 3/2012
Cory Smith:  Not sure when it was put it was good.  I didn't know any of his songs but good atmosphere and good music!  Luke and Jason put on an awesome show as usual and we got to see someone get kicked out.  Casey played in Macomb the second weekend of spring break.  We went with a group of Matt's friends from home and it felt great to get to listen to some familiar Manhattan style music!  I missed Red Dirt.

 95. Read 10 new books.—The Help,
This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it's a story that I am glad I heard.  It's not something that I think about because I've grown up in a different time.  I can see how some may not like it, but I did.  I want to see the movie now; people say its pretty solid.

If you would like to see the rest of my 101 in 1001, you can go here.  I hope to finally get my pictures off my camera and give a little more detailed posts about some of my trips while they're still kind of fresh in my mind!

Until next time,
kwalk

101 in 1001

Yes, I am going to do it. And the only way I have found to hold myself accountable is do it like others do and put it on the internet. Everyone can see it and then I'll probably feel bad if I don't keep it up so here they are:


ACADEMIC
1. Finish my Master’s research and lab work by March 15, 2012
2. Finish my Thesis by March 31, 2012
3. Defend my Master’s by April 15, 2012
4. Start my PhD Lit review by September 1, 2012

FINANCIAL
5. Pay the entire balance on my Amazon.com credit card every month.
6. Keep up the “next dollar” deposits into my savings account.
7. Pay off my computer.
8. Pay off my student credit card.
9. Repay the money I took out of my IRA and make up the interest.
10. After the previous are done, put $20 a month into my IRA.
11. Use at least one coupon every time I go grocery shopping.
12. Have 3 month’s of paychecks in my savings account.
13. Save for a cruise.
14. Start saving for a “big kid” camera.

FRIENDSHIP
15. Write a monthly email to my family and friends to tell them what I have been up to for 12 months.
16. Send birthday cards to 15 friends.
17. Call or Skype a friend once a week for 6 months.

FITNESS
18. Run a 5K.
19. Run a 10K.
20. Run a half marathon.
21. Get to a level of fitness that I feel good about.
22. Add at least a nickel to a jar every time I work out, then when the jar is full, use the money to buy a reward.

KARMA
23. Donate clothes I don’t wear two times in a year.
24. Pay for the person behind me in the drive through.
25. Donate to the local food bank.
26. Donate to K-State.
27. Donate to Locks of Love.
28. Donate to Sigma Alpha, Alpha Omega.
29. Send 5 hand written thank you cards.
30. Give a homemade gift just because.

TRAVEL
31. Go to New York with Jessie and Brooke.
32. Take a vacation with Matt.
33. Visit Brooke and her new house in KC.
34. Visit Jessie and Mountain City, NV again.
35. Visit Sophi in LA.
36. Go skiing in the mountains.
37. Go to a Bear’s game.
38. Go to a Blackhawk’s game.
39. Go to a K-State game.
40. Go to Wrigley Field when the Cards aren’t playing there.
41. Take a day trip to Chicago.
42. Attend 10 Angus events with Matt.
43. Attend 10 Shorthorn sales.
44. Go to a livestock show I’ve never been to before.
45. Go to an ocean.
46. Take a road trip.

ACTIVITIES
47. Gamble once, hopefully not lose everything.
48. Teach 4 friends to play 5 Point Pitch.
49. Go ice skating 5 times.
50. Go roller skating 5 times.
51. Go to 10 live music shows, well known artists or not.

JUST FOR ME
52. Get a pedicure and enjoy it.
53. Dress professionally (nice jeans, nice shoes, nice shirt, hair and makeup) every day for a week.
54. Clean my bathroom once every two weeks for 6 months.
55. Buy a new pair of boots, not just plain leather.
56. Buy a purse I love.
57. Make my bed every day for a month.
58. Print off pictures from every year I have a file on my computer for and put them in albums.
59. Make a scrapbook for all of my ticket stubs, conference programs and nametags, and significant events from K-State.
60. Update my digital picture frames twice.
61. Make my tshirt quilt from all of my junior national tshirts.
62. Become a lifetime member of the K-State Alumni Association.
63. Take a day for myself once a month for 12 months.
64. Have date night with Matt once a month for 12 months (no cell phones, computers or other distractions).
65. Frame and hang my K-State diploma.
66. Get a professional massage.
67. Back up my computer monthly.
68. Take family pictures for my parents.
69. Make 10 crafty things.
70. Try out 10 homemade household things.
71. Get a makeover.
72. Take pictures and frame them for myself.
73. Make my closet a wardrobe I’m happy to wear all of.
74. Reward myself for completing goals every 10 goals.
75. Find a church in Champaign-Urbana.

FOOD
76. Make dinner twice a week for 6 weeks.
77. Try out 20 new recipes.
78. Eat at 5 new restaurants, non-chain type.
79. Try lamb.

SOCIAL
80. Organize 5 grad student get togethers
81. Have a girl’s weekend.
82. Golf with my dad.
83. Practice tricks and commands with Trixie twice a week for 8 weeks.
84. Teach Trixie 2 new tricks or commands.
85. Find a student organization to be a part of.
86. Become a member of the SA Alumni Chapter
87. Encourage 5 IJSA members to participate in a new contest at NJSS.
88. Try out 5 new ideas with the IJSA.
89. Agvocate 10 times.

LEARNING
90. Learn to play golf.
91. Learn to grill a perfectly cooked steak.
92. Learn to evaluate pigs and sheep.
93. Learn to use a sewing machine.
94. Re-learn to play euchre.

BOOKS AND MOVIES
95. Read 10 new books.
96. Watch all of the Harry Potter movies, in order.
97. Give the Lord of the Rings another shot.
98. Watch 5 classic movies that I haven’t seen.

MISCELLANEOUS
99. Post this list on my blog and update my progress every 45 days.
100. Complete this list.
101. Make another one.

I'm starting off today, January 1, 2012 so on September 8, 2014 we'll see how well I've done.

Also as apart of the new year I've decided to make new month resolutions every month. Change isn't something that I've ever been good at, but here's to making my life simpler and the most enjoyable! January's New Month Resolution is to make my room a place I wouldn't be scared to let anyone see. Make my bed, keep up on my laundry and keep the clutter out!