"It's my life, my pain and my struggle, the song that I sing to you is my everything." - Jay-Z, 1st Song [buy the album]
As seen on triplux.com:
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).
Inspiration: Seen on triplux (by way of a mention by Gwen), it seems like the perfect way to set some real goals, hopes, and dreams for my life all with a running clock. I'm not good with lists but creating something like this with a constant reminder of what I'm not doing should be an excellent motivator.
The 1001 days start today.
1. Attend SXSW.
Update: Is it okay to announce this? Monique, George, Tony, Cecily and I will all be on a panel at SXSW 2005 called "Blogging While Block." All y'all should get your behinds to Austin, TX in March to hear what some negroes have to say in living color.
2. Lose 30 Pounds.
3. Lower my blood pressure.
4. Make LA Public Transportation my main mode of travel for a month.
5. Run a 5 or 10k race for charity 8 weekends in a row.
6. Listen to every album in Rough Guides 100 Essential Soul Albums.
7. Attend Michelle & B's Celebration.
8. Take a trip to South America.
9. Take a trip to Canada.
10. Start a retirement Fund.
11.See New York in Spring Fall.
Update: I'm leaving for New York tonight!
12.Play Texas Hold 'Em at a casino table in Vegas.
13.Learn enough Spanish to be able to watch Como Agua Para Chocolate without subtitles.
14.Start taking ASL classes again.
15.Find a charity to support and volunteer at least 2 hours of my time to it weekly.
16.Write a letter to my local representative to state government about their record.
17. Write a letter to my federal representative about their record.
Completed sometime in September 2004 when I wrote to my U.S. Rep about how much I appreciated his record on social issues, particularly in the face of the Defense of Marriage Act and Amendments. He sent a follow up letter just last week.
18.Write a letter to my state senators about their record.
19.Attend a town hall meeting.
20.Trace the geneology on my mother's side of the family as far back as I can.
21.Find out who my biological father is.
Completed on November 20th 2004. More details to come. Mind blowing statement of the day? "If you want to see a picture of him, Grandma still has my yearbook. You look like him."
22.Get A grades on every song on Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix.
As of November 20th 2004, I have A grades on over half the songs.
23.Sing Girl, You Know It's True by Milli Vanilli at a Karaoke Bar.
24.Perform comedy at an amateur night.
25.Bike to and from work.
26. Get the Sidekick II when it's released.
I sidekick like crazy and have since I purchased it the day it was released. Don't hate.
27.Get an Apple Cinema Display completed September 6th, 2004.
28.Own every Spike Lee film on DVD.
Update: I'm altering this a bit because it's no longer what I want. I will own every spike lee film that makes my top 100 list and those that were up for consideration. Why purchase films I'd rarely watch?
29.Watch the entirety of Twin Peaks on DVD.
This is proving harder than I thought as well. For some reason, I can't stay focused while watching.
30.Watch all available seasons of Homicide: Life On the Street on DVD.
Completed on November 12th 2004 (at least until season 6 is released.
31.Take a photography class.
32.Get my story, The Lonely Little Wonton, illustrated.
33.Pursue publishing the story in book form.
34.Write The Lonely Little Wonton and the Church of Chicken
35.Paint the walls of my apartment.
36.Replace the patio and window screens in my apartment.
37. Fix the toilet paper holder in my bathroom.
Completed on October 17th, 2004. Check the pic.
38. Buy more bookcases.
Completed on October 16th, 2004. Nobody said anything about building them.
39.Create better storage for my comic books and magazines.
40.Learn how to mix a specialty drink (probably the starfucker martini but maybe the adios motherfucker)
41.Throw a theme party.
42.Get a case for all my displayable toys.
43.Buy some original artwork.
44.Define my political ideology completed August 7th, 2004.
45.Have sex in a 4 star hotel room.
46.Have sex in a sleazy motel room.
47.Fix my window blinds.
48.Go to a live horse race.
49.Bet on some horses.
50.Let Colin teach me how to golf.
51.Go wireless in my apartment (for both my G4 and my Xbox)
52.Complete the upcoming Legend of Zelda game without a FAQ or guide.
53.Stay out in Los Angeles until the Sun comes up and take pictures.
54.Save 5 dollars a day.
I'm actually 3 weeks from being 40% of the way there. Fiscal Jason, y'all.
55.Cook all my meals for a week (i.e. No fast or restaurant food)
56.Join LACMA and attend every gallery exhibit for a year.
57.Compile a personal top 100 films list.
I'm working seriously on it.
58.Compile a personal top 100 albums list.
59.Own the top 25 films on my top 100 films list.
60.Meet someone in person from another city that I first met through blogging.
I did this way back in August 2004 when I met Monique live and in person. We had Roscoe's and laughed.
61.Have no facial hair for a month.
62.Buy new living room furniture.
63.Create a website for this project.
64.Add sections to negroplease.com to make it more than my diary. Include resume, a professional bio and a section for my freelance writing and online projects.
65.Take pictures of all my friends and family.
Check the flickr.com joint. I'm working on it, boss.
66.Make a photo diary of a Coachella Music Festival weekend.
67.Create a photo wall in my apartment with framed photos of friends and family.
68.Play pick-up ball every saturday for a month.
69.See a professional boxing match.
70.Go to a music festival outside of California.
71.Read several books about Robert F. Kennedy.
72.Buy a new record player.
73.Learn the basics of turntablism.
74.Do a live DJ set at a public venue.
75.re-connect with an old friend from college.
76.Enter a short story contest.
77.Do 100 sit-ups straight.
78.Do 50 push-ups straight.
79.Wear contacts for at least a month.
80.Throw a dinner party.
81.Get a manicure.
82.Get a pedicure.
83.Get a professional massage.
84.See all 40 films on Greencine's Best Documentaries on DVD list.
85.See about.com's 10 best Anime Films on DVD.
86.Read the books in Stephen King's Dark Tower Series that I haven't yet.
87.Spend a weekend with just me and my dad.
88.Attend services at a different church, synagogue, temple and mosque over the course of a month.
89.Write a letter to the editor to a newspaper or magazine about an issue that touches me.
90.Take a screenwriting class.
91.Learn a magic trick.
92.Learn a card trick.
93.Pay all my bills on time for a month
Completed September 2004 and has been continued through October 2004 which is so hot. I find my own fiscal responsibility so sexy.
94.Balance my checkbook.
95.Teach myself Final Cut Pro.
96.Attend a professional Tennis Tournament.
97.See Shaquille O'Neal play live as a member of the Miami Heat.
98.Send handwritten letters to someone every day for a month.
99.Attend Erotica LA.
100.Attend Comic-Con.
101.Go see bands I've never seen live before every day for a week.
last updated on Sunday, November 20th, 2004.
Ha! The letter-a-month thing was my 2003 new year's resolution. I got through March and only mailed January's. I still have the other two around here somewhere waiting for a stamp.
Posted by: Gwen Harlow | August 05, 2004 at 04:15 PM
I won't even set myself up by doing a list this extensive. Perhaps I can take it month by month.
Posted by: j. brotherlove | August 06, 2004 at 11:01 PM
Jason, I told EJ he should use 43things.com to help with his goals. Let me repost what I told him:
1. You'll be able to connect with people doing the same goals, and people who have done these goals will be able to help you.
2. 43things has a cool feature that lets's you post from their site straight into your MT installation! So if you set up anothe rblog for your goals you can post updates in both places without a second thought
3. There's rss feeds for each goal you create, allowing friends to keep up with something specific you are doing.
4. It's a cool site and the newest toy for web geeks.
Posted by: Hashim | January 07, 2005 at 05:17 PM