[ checking a few off the list ]

Just a quick update to my 101 in 1001 list.

009. Read one business book a month
I'm just over half-way done with The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, by Michael E. Gerber. It's about the three distinct personalities that everyone has (usually one way more-so than the others) when starting a business: the Entrepreneur, the Technician and the Manager; and about finding balance between those three. It's also about treating your business as a product that will be reproduced a thousand times, and how to make it error-proof, and able to run without you.

019. Go back East to visit friends & family at least once a year
I haven't gone yet, but I am knee-deep in planning my East Coast extravaganza for this summer. I'll be hitting up Boston, Cape Cod, Baltimore, Raleigh, Greenville and possibly NYC to see friends and family. Most of the friends I haven't seen in almost a year (over a year by the time I get there), and a few friends I haven't seen in several years. It's gonna be awesome!

043. Drink 64 ounces of water every day
I'm officially a camel. Some days I feel like I'm about to float away. And the craziest part... I'm still frequently thirsty! Living in a desert really takes it out of you, huh?

049. Start shooting one roll of film or 50 digital images every week
I've actually been able to do this thanks to my own clients! Week One was the Ladies Who Launch Bio Makeover Party; Week Two was an infant shoot with an tiny and oh-so-freaking-adorable four week old; Week Three was a fashion shoot for my friend's children's clothing line; Week Four will be a shoot with two little girls on Saturday; and Week Five will be a corporate head shot session next Friday!

055. Explore Phoenix - one new place per month
This month I ate breakfast at Matt's Big Breakfast. It's a tiny (literally maybe seats 20 people at a time) building, just a short walking distance from my apartment, and it's highly praised out here. It's even been featured on the Food Network. The food was absolutely incredible! And by the time we were done (I was with my parents), there were about 20 people milling around outside waiting for a table!

056. Learn to enjoy wine
I tried a Pinot Grigio from Italy that I really really liked. Of course, I can't for the life of me remember what it was called. However, I know what the bottle looks like, so if I see it again, I can buy it!

070. Build a stylish and professional and FUN wardrobe
I got a few new, really nice, pieces. A fabulous black cotton dress from GAP, and a few nicer tops from Old Navy. Does anyone have any recommendations for places I can find nice, but fun, clothes, but for not too much cash?

084. Watch one classic movie a month
The Way We Were, starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. I picked it because (don't laugh!) it's mentioned a lot in Gilmore Girls. I had never seen it, and I like it when I know what the hell they are talking about on the show. So now I get all those references. Plus it was fantastic. And double-plus... Robert Redford is freaking HOT! I mean, I always thought he was attractive (Have you seen The Great Gatsby? Hoooly moly!), and this just solidified it. Yummy.

086. Meet a famous person
I met several at the Phoenix Film Festival! Read about it here.

093. See a cultural event once every six months
Jesse & I went to see a ballet at the beginning of the month. It was performed by Ballet Arizona, and was called Mixed Repertory: A Celebration of Dance! I really liked it a lot... I've always though ballet was just incredibly beautiful. Seeing The Nutcracker is my absolute favorite thing to do around Christmas time.


Yay! Slowly chipping away at it!

[ march 31: 101 in 1001 ]

New and improved! I actually managed to completely write the list before posting it... and even categorize it!

Start Date: April 1, 2008
End Date: December 27, 2010

Bold = Complete
Italic = In Progress
Linked = Posted About

BUSINESS
001. Legally establish FiveGoodGoats
002. Enter local art shows
003. Create a portfolio book: a real, bound book
004. Get to the point that 5GG is my main, if not only, source of income
005. Self-design & publish a book of my photography
006. Have a table of photographs for sale at Downtown Phoenix's First Friday
007. Update 5GG.com once every three months (0/11)
008. Go to a Ladies Who Launch LIVE event
009. Read one business book a month (1/33)
010. Photograph a famous person
011. Get a part-time job or internship a few hours a week in graphic or interior design

TRAVEL
012. Road trip Western America
013. Visit Hawaii
014. Go back to Italy
015. Take advantage of cheap Southwest flights
016. Visit San Francisco
017. Visit London
018. Go to LA
019. Go back East to visit friends & family at least once a year (0/3)
020. Plan a backpacking trip across Europe to go on before I turn 30
021. Visit a National Forest

LEARNING / EDUCATION
022. Research a new photographer every week for a month (0/4)
023. Take one art class a year (0/3)
024. Expand my literary influences - one new author a month (0/33)
025. Increase my fluency in Italian
026. Learn to make jewelry
027. Read 100 books (0/100)
028. Learn how to screenprint at home
029. Learn to sew
030. Learn to cook: at least two new recipes a week (0/66)
031. Take classes in three different, and extremely varied topics
032. Read all of the Harry Potter books in Italian without referencing the English versions (0/7)
033. Take a cooking class
034. Get a library card at the Phoenix Public Library
035. Make a decision about Grad School - what to study
036. Learn basic car maintenance
037. Take a class in or self-teach myself more about web design & HTML
038. Learn about one new and entirely random topic a month (0/33)

HEALTH
039. Start hiking regularly
040. Create an exercise plan and stick to it
041. Go rock climbing (indoor or outdoor)
042. Do 50 push ups in a row
043. Drink 64 ounces of water every day
044. Try skiing (again) or snowboarding
045. Run a 5K, preferably for charity
046. Fix my posture: stop slouching!
047. Buy all fruits & veggies at a Farmer's Market for one month
048. Run a mile without having to walk

PHOTOGRAPHY
049. Start shooting one roll of film or 50 digital images every week
050. Scan all my negatives
051. Teach a photography class
052. Photograph my shoes
053. Write emails or letters to 5 photographers I admire

FOR ME
054. Get over my fear of deep water
055. Explore Phoenix - one new place per month (1/33)
056. Learn to enjoy wine
057. Buy and wear a bikini for the first time
058. Track my spending for a month and use it to create a detailed budget
059. Make a list of 100 things that make me happy
060. Send a secret to Postsecret
061. Back up all important files regularly
062. Complete a Sudoku puzzle every day for a month
063. Create an inspiration board
064. Save at least $50 a month; up it to $100 a month when/if possible (0/33)
065. Do something nice for myself every day
066. Make a list of 50 things I enjoy doing alone, and do each and every one of them (0/50)
067. Spend one evening a week without watching television or using my computer
068. Go to a spa and get completely pampered
069. Refinish or paint my dining room table and chairs so they match
070. Build a stylish and professional and FUN wardrobe
071. End my day with reading, not television at least twice a week
072. Get a watch that works or fix the two I have that don't
073. Make my bed right after waking up
074. Decide if I really do want a tattoo; if yes, decide where & what
075. Stop using plastic bags completely

FOR OTHERS
076. Send handmade or self-designed cards only for holidays and birthdays
077. Participate in Habitat for Humanity
078. Find a non-profit that I am passionate about and volunteer with it
079. Purge my closet - things that haven't been worn in 6 months or more go to charity
080. Send real mail to a friend 10 times (0/10)
081. Send a care package to someone who needs it
082. Leave a 100% tip for a particularly good waiter or waitress

FOR FUN
083. Go bowling
084. Watch one classic movie a month (1/33)
085. See a movie at a drive-in
086. Meet a famous person
087. Take photos in a photo booth at least 3 times (0/3)
088. Have a picnic
089. Fly in a hot air balloon
090. Put all one dollar bills I receive as change in a "do-something-fun" fund
091. Ride a roller coaster
092. See Jimmy Buffett live
093. See a cultural event once every six months (1/5)
094. Go to a hockey game

BLOGGING
095. Be a guest blogger for someone
096. Participate in at least three of NaBloPoMo's monthly challenges per year (0/9)
097. Become a better blogger: blog at least two times a week
098. Become a better commenter: comment on at least one post a day

AT THE END
099. Donate $1 to charity for every item not completed
100. Put $1 in my savings account for every item completed
101. Create a new 101 in 1001 list

[ website launch ]

I actually finished! And a whole hour and forty minutes before the deadline. That's what ten straight hours of working on GoLive & Photoshop will get you!


Check it out!

[ 029. Design business cards for 5GG. ]

Check!

And not only desiiigned, but printed and in my hands! That's right, I (finally) had business cards printed for FiveGoodGoats. Oh joy, oh joy.

Two glorious stacks of 100 business cards each.

I did two separate business cards: one for fine art photography, and one for portraiture. I did take pictures of the fronts that actually SHOWED the fronts, but they sucked, and I don't really have time to do a redo, because I'm already late starting work today and I have a lot to do.

The back of the portraiture card. My phone number is down at the bottom, but I don't want any random people calling me, so I blurred it.

The back of the fine art card, with a bonus picture. Again with the phone number.


So yay! And just in time too... the Ladies who Launch event is Tuesday! Now I just need to get the website up and running by Monday!

[ more goals ]

A few more goals added to the 101 in 1001 list.

032. Get the new FiveGoodGoats.com up and running by October 1, 2007.
033. Create a file system for my books and movies.
034. Create nameplates for both my books and movies.
035. For every book I read in English, read one in Italian.
036. Start shooting one roll of film or 50 digital images every week.
037. Go hiking once a week with Jesse.
038. Visit Rachel in LA.
039. Get all my negatives scanned (or scan them myself if I get a scanner soon).

Hopefully giving myself a concrete deadline for my website, I'll get it done!

[ 101 in 1001 update ]

I just looked back over my 101 in 1001 list, and I realized I've actually accomplished a couple of them. Or will in the near future. Here we go:

003. Travel to Las Vegas
Jesse and I are going with my parents for a couple days between Christmas and New Years.

007. Learn to cook new and exciting things
Jesse & I have been pretty good about this lately. Meals we've had recently: lettuce wraps with tofu, vegetables and hoisin sauce; portabello burgers made with baked portabellos; falafel burgers made from scratch; lentil and tomato pitas. Go us!

010. Finally finish printing photos from college for my photo book
I actually did this over a month ago, but forgot it was on my list!

017. Start recycling regularly
I don't know if you can call it "regularly," but Jesse & I have been recycling all our plastic bottles, cardboard boxes and newspapers.

023. Wear my jewelry more often. Own tons, don't wear it nearly enough.
I've been wearing jewelry almost everyday. I'm quite proud of myself.

027. Customize my Ikea furniture to really make it mine.
I upholstered the headboard, which I did post about, but forgot to mention that it was on the list.

031. Take advantage of cheap Southwest flights, especially to really close places: day trip!
Jesse & I are thinking of taking a day trip to LA in November on the one weekend I don't have to work. If his sister will let us stay with her, it may be a weekend trip. $49 flights, each way!

Aaaaand, I may have figured out a way to complete:
025. Go back to Italy.
But I'm not going into details yet, because I don't want to jinx it. I'll just say it would be an extended period of time, not just a week or two.


Anyone have any ideas for some things to add to my list? I'm hopelessly far away from 101. I only have 31 at the moment. I need SEVENTY more.

[ 101 in 1001 update ]

I added a few more goals to my 101 in 1001 list. Man, is it hard to think of long term goals! Here are the newbies:

024. Increase my fluency in Italian - reading, writing, speaking & listening.
025. Go back to Italy.
026. Learn to make jewelry.
027. Customize my Ikea furniture to really make it mine.
028. Create a portfolio book: a real, bound book.
029. Design business cards for 5GG.
030. Really explore Phoenix: make it my city, not just where I live.
031. Take advantage of cheap Southwest flights, especially to really close places: day trip!

[ part of the effort for #007 ]

Here's an eggplant that Jesse & I cooked a while ago, that I photographed and promptly forgot that I had on my camera. I like the color. So it's also Color Inspiration 006.

Double whammy. Gotta love it.

[ it was inevitable ]

Working on #016: Expand my literary influences - one new author a month.

Jesse & I went to the library today, got library cards and I took home two books. The one I decided to start first isn't a new author, as I read not only the author, but the book in high school. But I hated it then, because of my jerk-of-an-English-teacher, O'B. The man was an ass, and everyone hated English that year. Every book was miserable. But, since then, I've reread a couple books I read that semester, and loved them. So I'm giving this a try too.

"Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

First sentence is a killer opening:

[ It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love. ]

Pure excellence.

Book number two that I got today: "White Oleander" by Janet Fitch. I just happened to see it on the shelf (as "F" is near to "G"), and decided on a whim to grab it. I'd heard of the movie, but never saw it. I typically like the books better, anyway. That one will be a new author. So, hopefully I'll read both this month.

[ 101 in 1001 ]

Taking a cue from Melissa Jill, a wedding photographer here in Arizona whose blog I frequent, I'm going to make a "101 in 1001" list. The point is to create a list of 101 things or goals you want to accomplish in the next 1001 days. I'll update as I go, as I'm sure my list won't have even close to 101 goals to begin with.

Start Date: July 28, 2007
End Date: April 24, 2010

001. Start a papergoods business
002. Establish FiveGoodGoats Photography
003. Travel to Las Vegas
004. Begin a collection of ampersand sign letters
005. Update my blog everyday for a month
006. Update fivegoodgoats.com regularly
007. Learn to cook new and exciting things - constantly working on it
008. Road trip Western America
009. Research a new photographer every week for a month
010. Finally finish printing photos from college for my photo book - complete 8.23.07
011. Visit Hawaii
012. See Jimmy Buffett live
013. Take art classes in various concentrations (especially painting)
014. Create card collections based on television characters that inspire me
015. Start hiking the mountains in AZ
016. Expand my literary influences - one new author a month
017. Start recycling regularly - plastic, cardboard and newspapers!
018. Research being green and implement some of the strategies into my life
019. Get giant prints of some of my work to hang in the apartment
020. Enter art shows across the country
021. Read The Photographer's Market and send my work to as many places as possible
022. Exercise every morning for a month to establish the habit
023. Wear my jewelry more often. Own tons, don't wear it nearly enough. - almost everyday!
024. Increase my fluency in Italian - reading, writing, speaking & listening.
025. Go back to Italy.
026. Learn to make jewelry.
027. Customize my Ikea furniture to really make it mine. - upholstered headboard 9.08.07
028. Create a portfolio book: a real, bound book.
029. Design business cards for 5GG. - complete 9.28.07
030. Really explore Phoenix: make it my city, not just where I live.
031. Take advantage of cheap Southwest flights, especially to really close places: day trip!
032. Get the new FiveGoodGoats.com up and running by October 1, 2007. - completed 9.30.07
033. Create a file system for my books and movies.
034. Create nameplates for both my books and movies.
035. For every book I read in English, read one in Italian.
036. Start shooting one roll of film or 50 digital images every week.
037. Go hiking once a week with Jesse.
038. Visit Rachel in LA.
039. Get all my negatives scanned (or scan them myself if I get a scanner soon).
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