The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form.
     Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Start Date: March 1st, 2008
End Date: November 27, 2010

FAMILY-ORIENTED
001 |   | take dad to a 49er game
002 | + | take nieces/nephews out on a one-on-one date (0/9)
    1: Alyssa - Watched Kung Fu Panda on iMAX (June 8th, 2008)
003 |   | take kids to a giants game
004 |   | take parents to a hockey game
005 |   | visit grandmother and grandfather's graves

FOOD-RELATED
006 | + | dine at fifteen restaurants never visited (1/15)
    1: Fogo de Chao (Washington, D.C.)
007 | + | donate five boxes of "stuff" to the salvation army (1/5)
    1: Box of girly items (April 5th, 2008)
008 |   | eat a really good banana split
009 |   | eat beef wellington
010 |   | find a local place for good soul food
011 |   | make a hot breakfast… on a weekday [holidays don't count!]
012 |   | make gnocchi from scratch
013 |   | make stuffed crust pizza
014 |   | try out five recipes from the dusty "joy of cooking" cookbook on my shelf (0/5)

FRIENDSHIPS/RELATIONSHIPS
015 |   | ask someone of the opposite sex out on a date
016 |   | go to high school ten year reunion
017 |   | host five dinner parties (0/5)
018 |   | play monopoly with someone… and NOT fight
019 |   | send birthday cards to ten people [e-cards don't count!] (0/10)
020 |   | send flowers to a member of the opposite sex
021 |   | share a snuggle sunday with someone
022 |   | take a friend to chicago

GOOD WILL
023 |   | cook breakfast for someone
024 |   | donate blood
025 |   | give a homeless person a meal [leftovers don't count!]
026 | + | participate in a charity walk/run
    1: Scheduled for July 12-13, 2008
027 |   | send a surprise "care package" to someone
028 |   | sponsor a child through worldvision
029 | X | throw someone a surprise party

HEALTH/WELL-BEING
030 |   | be vegetarian for a week [diet must be vegetable-centric!]
031 | + | detox four times (1/4)
    1: 9-day Isagenix Cleanse (April 11-19, 2008)
    2: 9-day Isagenix Cleanse (July 7-15, 2008)
032 |   | drop down two pant sizes (0/2)
033 |   | get a massage
034 | X | get a pedicure
035 |   | go an entire day without swearing
036 |   | go on vacation and don't check email/facebook/myspace/etc.
037 | + | pay off and close two credit cards (1/2)
    1: HSBC MasterCard closed April 3, 2008
038 |   | read five books from oprah's book club (0/5)
039 |   | read my bible twenty times [at church and via the internet don't count!] (0/20)
040 |   | save twenty dollars by using coupons in one store visit
041 |   | take a kickboxing class

PHOTOGRAPHY
042 |   | document an entire day with photographs
043 |   | photograph a sunrise
044 |   | photograph a sunset
045 |   | photograph five sculptures (0/5)
046 |   | photograph someone "famous"

PURCHASES
047 |   | buy a new car
048 |   | buy a new guitar
049 |   | buy a roomba
050 |   | buy all christmas presents online [wrapping accessories don't count!]
051 |   | buy something vintage
052 |   | buy stock [ESPP doesn't coun't!]
053 | + | buy thirty new CDs (0/30)
    1: New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War (Erykah Badu)
    2: Discipline (Janet Jackson)
    3: Sleep Through The Static (Jack Johnson)
    4: It Is Time For A Love Revolution (Lenny Kravitz)
    5: Just Like You (Keyshia Cole)
    6: Hard Candy (Madonna)
054 | X | get a new phone
055 |   | get a TiVo or something equivalent
056 |   | get new glasses

SELF-INDULGED
057 |   | gamble and win
058 |   | get eyelashes curled
059 |   | get pierced
060 |   | get tattooed
061 |   | learn to drive stick shift
062 |   | learn to play chess
063 |   | make use of snowman-making kit
064 |   | score three bingos in one scrabble game
065 |   | shake the hand of someone "famous"
066 |   | sing karaoke [at home doesn't count!]
067 |   | spend a full weekend in pajamas [showers still required!]
068 |   | submit a photo in a contest
069 |   | take a bubble bath
070 |   | teach someone to shoot a gun
071 |   | use webcam
072 |   | watch a movie trilogy back to back
073 |   | wear a costume for a reason not halloween-related

SITE-RELATED
074 |   | blog every day for a month straight
075 | X | create a favicon for GEMMERZZ.com
076 |   | find a blogger from the same city
077 |   | update bio on GEMMERZZ.com
078 |   | write ten new poems (0/10)

TRAVEL/SIGHTS/TO-DOS
079 |   | experience the napa valley wine train
080 |   | get a stamp in my passport
081 |   | go on a roadtrip
082 |   | go rockclimbing
083 |   | go to a comedy show
084 |   | go to alcatraz
085 |   | go to an art and wine festival
086 |   | go to an art gallery
087 | + | go to five different states (1/5)
    1: Washington, D.C. [3/5/08]
088 |   | go to four concerts (0/4)
089 | + | go to ten museums (1/10)
    1: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (Washington, D.C.)
090 |   | go to the symphony
091 |   | listen to jazz… LIVE
092 |   | listen to spoken word… LIVE
093 |   | ride a cable car with someone
094 |   | see a cirque show in vegas
095 |   | stay in a five-star hotel
096 |   | take BART to a destination other than SF

WORK-RELATED
097 |   | arrange filing cabinet at work
098 |   | update outlook contacts with mailing addresses
099 | X | update resume

THE GRAND FINALE
100 |   | start a new list of 101 in 1001 on november 1st, 2010
101 |   | give $20 for every list item not accomplished to the church