ACCOUNTANT BY DAY

3. Watch every episode of the X-Files. I got partway through the Chinese bootleg DVDs my parents bought me for Christmas 2004, and half of them are so screwed up that they’re actually unwatchable. I considered getting them through Netflix, and then I realized I don’t care nearly as much about it as I thought I did. Even though the new X-Files movie will be coming out and I’m awfully curious what the heck Billy Connolly has to do with it. So I was thinking I would replace this item with “Listen to every archived episode of ‘This American Life’, in no particular order”. It’s easier to listen to a radio show since I can do it at work, but there are a lot more of this since it is a weekly show that’s been on like 12 years. So far I think I’ve got like 3 shows down. I started a spreadsheet for it. It’s sort of nice knowing that unlike a TV show, I can go in any order I want.

17. Participate in the 365 day challenge. I crashed and burned on this one. I’d like to be able to blame it on something really understandable, like I am SO TOO BUSY planning my wedding, but that’s not true. I haven’t actually done that much for that, either. What I have been doing is working out a lot recently, and that has robbed me of my extra motivation, I guess.

56. For 12 nonconsecutive months, prepare at least one new recipe during the month. This is one I do have a shot at getting. We have a 53 year old Frigidaire range, and the heating element in the oven is currently broken and we can’t get ahold of the part anywhere, online or otherwise. We may have to just get a new stove, which is a shame because I feel this one has a lot of character. But, it’s not doing us much good at the moment. Anyway, the restrictions on our cooking abilities have prompted us to try some new recipes so that we won’t be stuck eating the same old crap all the time. We invented a chicken scallopini thing last week that my boyfriend pronounced a “resounding success”. It was pretty easy, too, and you’d be surprised how well the crumb breading “fried” up in the Pam high heat spray (in the silver can with the red lid). That stuff is freaking great.

58. Begin an (indoor or outdoor) herb garden with at least three types of herbs and maintain it in acceptably good health for at least 6 months. As of February 13, my basil has lived for about six weeks. This is because my gamer coworker will not permit me to kill it via my standard technique of applying equal parts negligence and incompetence.

79. Read 10 books that I own but have not finished. I read The Concubine’s Tattoo by Laura Joh Rowland, which I bought years ago on someone’s recommendation and never got around to reading. It took me forever because I kept getting kind of bored and putting it down and reading books of crochet patterns. I thought it was all right, but I have read much better books. I probably would have loved it at age 15, but by now I have kind of grown past the genre of books with slim, feminine young women who just happen to be expert warriors at the same time that they are very beautiful, headstrong, and sensual, who fall in love with men who are equally headstrong and they butt heads and have some graphic sex and then settle into a tender, compromising relationship. It wasn’t garbage, but I’d rather be reading something else. By “something else” I am specifically referring to books not written by Ayn Rand. I would not read those on purpose.

80. For at least 46 nonconsecutive weeks, exercise at a moderate intensity at least 3 times during the calendar week, for at least 20 minutes each session. This is the one area in which I have been really shining. I didn’t make it through all 30 days of my personal exercise challenge, but I’m not upset about that because for the weeks of 2/4, 2/11, 2/18 and 2/25 I have worked out at least four times a week for over half an hour. That’s not much to many people, but for someone who was almost completely sedentary a few months ago, that’s something to be really proud of. And you know? The pounds have been flying off. I’m actually afraid to buy an outfit to get married in, because I don’t have the slightest idea what size I might be by that time.

86. Remember to write down what I eat at least 75% of the time. Oh, my, my, my. I have been sucking at this most of the month. In total, I only journaled 12 days, on and off. Down to about 46%. Even though I’ve still taken some pounds off, it’s probably better to keep logging what I eat. Too bad I hate doing that. Maybe this month?

90. After receiving exceptional customer service, phone the place of business and compliment the employee to their supervisor. Last Wednesday I had to drive up to Parkville for a work-related thing. It was late in the afternoon, so I didn’t bother heading back to the office across the city when I was done. On my way back home, I stopped at the Price Chopper on State Avenue just off 635 and bought some cookies because I have been freaking dying for sweets lately for some reason. The cashier was this young guy named Anthony and he was great. Just one of the nicest people you could be helped by in a store. It is not often that an employee in a store actually improves your mood so much that you can literally say they brightened your day. I called up the next morning and raved about him to the store manager, who said he was a “good kid” and that he would buy him a free lunch today because I called. And I felt GREAT about that. He so deserves it!

96. Blog no less than twice a week, for a minimum of 100 nonconsecutive weeks. I met the goal for every week except the week of the 10th. I just felt positively uninspired and lethargic this month. I honestly think it’s the fact that I’m getting up at 5:15 all these mornings to exercise, and then when I’m home at night I’m too tired to do much other than eat and crash on the couch. I think about writing, and then feel too overwhelmed by the idea of having to say anything. I’m a little disappointed and would like to have done better, but oh well. I’m hoping to pick up again soon.

I think it’d be a good idea to set a couple of specific goals each month to give myself some direction on this. I think this month I’d like to release 2 books into the wild (#9), do a Lego kit (#34), complete at least 4 pictures for the 100 Snapshots Challenge, pay for someone in the drive through (#55), eat at a new place (#57), clean up the front of the house by the end of the month (#87), and blog something based on a writing prompt (#97).