100 in 365 Wrap-Up

Last year I created this list of things that I wanted to do while John was gone. Looking over this list, I'm pretty surprised that I got so much done. I'm disappointed with what I read, but in all fairness, I read a ton last year-- just not the books that I said that I wanted to. Go figure! My new list for 2013-14 is residing at the 100 in 365 tab, now. Check it out and see what's on my plate for a new year. Here's what I accomplished, September 2012-September 2013!

Wedding Stuff

1.       Learn how to cardas.

2.      Make centerpieces. (28/25ish) 

3.      Plan a wedding.  

4.      Go to a Bridal Expo.

5.      Find the perfect wedding gown.

6.      Research what we need to set up our house.

Reading

7.      Read the Bible in a year. 

8.      Read Louisa and Marmee.

9.      Read Bossypants.

10.  Read Les Mis.

11.  Read The Count of Monte Cristo.

12.  Read Candide.

13.  Read The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

14.  Read Up from Slavery.

15.  Read The Three Musketeers.

16.  Finally finish the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

17.  Read Deliverance From Evil

18.  Read all of Geraldine Brooks’ fiction. March.  Year of Wonders. People of the Book. Caleb's Crossing.

19.  Read all of Tony Horwitz’s books. A Voyage Long and Strange. Confederates in the Attic. One for the Road. Blue Latitudes. Midnight Rising.

20.  Read This is How You Lose Her.

21.  Read the Age of Miracles. This is the kind of book I want to write. So poignant and beautifully written.

22.  Read American Sphinx.

23.  Read the new JK Rowling book. It didn't change my life, but it was certainly wonderful to read another book by JK. And it gave me hope that she'll be writing and releasing another one!

Health

24.  Run the Baltimore half-marathon. Ashley and I walked/ran it on 10-13-12!

25.  Get to my high school weight and stay there until the wedding, and preferably longer. 

26.  Run or walk another half-marathon in the spring. I ran an 8k with Ashley on 3-16-13! It's not a marathon, but I ran the WHOLE thing and it's gonna have to do!

John’s Deployment

27.  Send John a care package at least once a month. (36/12)

28.  Make John something homemade or handmade at least once a month. (12/12).

29.  Write John a letter every day he's gone. (359/360)

30.  Be at the airport when John comes home for leave.  We said hello on 01-06-13!

31.  Be at the airport when John leaves after his leave. We said goodbye one 01-23-13

32.  Be at the airport when John comes home for good.

33.  Make the cutest sign EVER for when John comes home for good.

34.  Start looking for housing for us when we know John's orders.

Learn Something New

35.  Take French lessons at JHU.  Sadly, not happening this year.

36.  Learn how to cook Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinner the way Mom does. Thanksgiving.

37.  Re-learn how to sew.

38.  Earn another certification this year. (Pending on program and cost...) Not happening this year.

39.  Study for the GREs (?) and/or start on application materials for MFA or PhD. programs. Not happening this year.

40.  Take a cake decorating class.

41.  Learn how to actually play pinochle.

42.  Learn a new song with Becky while she plays ukulele.

43.  Learn how to make sushi.

44.  Go to the Glass Grill and learn how to blow glass with Becky.

45.  Take a self-defense class.

46.  Learn  the Wobble.

Writing

47.  Write 6 short stories (0/6).

48.  Enter at least 2 more short story contests or submit at least 2 more short stories for publication somewhere. (1/2) 

Making Stuff

49.  Make a Christmas present for everyone in my and John's families. (10/10) (Proof here!)

50.  Make 12 new dinner recipes over the next 12 months. (1/12)

• Cajun Chicken Pasta

51.  Make homemade marshmallows.

52.  Complete two of the cross stitch wall hangings I bought for our first place together. (2/2)

53.  Make cookies for my students just for fun.

54.  Make a quilt with Mom. Worked on one, but it won't be finished by the end of this year.

55.  If it snows, build a snowman. No snow this year. Sadness.

56.  Make something for the English Department. 

57.  Try to make salted caramels. Here's the recipe!

58.  Make at least two cross stitched Santas for my Santa tree. (2/2)

59.  Cook an entirely organic meal.

60.  Find a delicious recipe for and make fried green tomatoes.

Going Places and Seeing People

61.  Visit VA Beach and Katy at least once this summer.

62.  Go to International Village in PGH this summer.

63.  Attend the church picnic.

64.  Go to as many PSU football games as possible and get a picture with Becky in uniform every time.  And the evidence is here!

65.  Visit PSU on a non-football game weekend. We went while John was home on leave!

66.  Visit PSU on a non-football game weekend. Spent an awesome weekend with Becky on 2/16-18.

67.  Visit PSU on a non-football game weekend. Cheered Becky on in her directorial debut on 2/22-24.

68.  Visit PSU on a non-football game weekend. Blue and White Weekend on 4/19-21.

69.  Visit the BMA.

70.  Visit the Walter's Art Museum.

71.  Meet Ms. Eger for sushi this fall.

72.  See the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC this year. For realsies. I did it! 

73.  Hang out with Lebanon County friends at least once during the summer.

74.  Visit Vicki.

75.  Visit a cute town on the Eastern Shore.

76.  Vote in the Presidential Election.

77.  See Baltimore's Christmas celebration in Mt. Vernon, or have a viewing party and watch it on TV.

78.  Plan a sister's weekend sometime during the school year.

79.  Go to a quilt show with Mom.

80.  Attend and participate in a Holi Festival of Colors in Baltimore.

81.  Hike Mt. Nittany.

82.  Eat at Petite Louis in Roland Park.

83.  Lindsay, Vicki, and Donna at Penn State in August.

84.  Visit Lindsay.

Financial

85.  Do 77 phone interviews for TFA. This is not going to happen since I missed the first round of interviews. New goal: do at least 25 phone interviews for TFA. (24/25) (Ah, so close!)

86.  Shore up my IRA.

87.  Start a new car fund.

88.  Start an apartment/moving fund.

Miscellaneous

89.  Do some kind of nail art thingy.

90.  Do something ridiculous in my classroom (teach without talking, rap, etc.). Lesson with authentic Salem Witch Trials texts, spoke in a goofy, ye Olde Newe Englande dialect.

91.  Read in the bathtub with cookies and candles. On a school night.

92.  Spend election day doing something completely fun that has nothing to do with school.

93.  Play an April Fool's prank.

94.  Go to karaoke with my sisters.

95.  Get Baltimore crabs with my sisters. We opted for sushi.

96.  Go to an author’s book reading either at JHU or the Enoch Pratt Library. Saw Junot Diaz at UMBC on 11/7/12.

97.  Volunteer at the USO at BWI. This was something I thought I had the emotional capacity to do, but I don't think I can be a good, competent volunteer if I cry at every guy in a uniform that I see...

98.   Run the Poetry Out Loud club at my school again this year.

99.  Volunteer for a political campaign (preferably Obama’s).  Phone banked with Shannon on 11/3/12.

100.                      Do 20 random acts of kindness that are out-of-my-way—not just holding a door open, etc. (3/20)