COMPLETED - 50. Start Master’s Program

I started my Master's in September :-) Only about 2 1/2 years to go!
This month I will take my second class and then at the end of the month I will take the third and final intro course. This spring I start with the full length classes. Soon it will be time to take the GRE. Yikes!

MOSTLY COMPLETED - 29. Create new store website.

Today I put some more touches on the new Nanuk's Igloo website. I finally got a picture of the shop added to the main page and added some information about custom orders. I just have to add two more pages (Costume Jewelry Repair and Jewelry Classes) to the site and it's done :)

ONE COMPLETED - 11. See some of the local sights. Local water Falls

This past Sunday, G and I went exploring the local waterfalls. We made Bushkill Falls our first stop on our tour. We spent the morning hiking through the woods and enjoying the sounds of nature in between huffing and puffing our way up ridiculously steep and uneven steps only to find that we had wandered onto what was considered a hiker's trail. Apparently a sign wasn't needed at the end we started on, but one was posted at the end we finished on stating that all non-serious hikers should turn back. Yeah, a little late at that point.

After finishing our hike, we then went on to two other local area falls.

COMPLETED - 19. Move out of "Mom's house

So it might sound like I was ungrateful for being able to stay with my parents as long as I did, but that's not the way it is supposed to sound. I'm just happy to be able to move onto the next part of my life after kind of being in a sort of limbo world for two years. That said, G finally sold his house after eleven months and we moved into his family cabin in the West End Poconos. We'll be here about 6 months and then we're headed back to the Lehigh Valley :-)

COMPLETED - 51. Cook one big meal a week

I figure it might be time to cross this one off since for a while now I've been cooking at least 3 nights a week and sometimes more than that.

COMPLETED - 53. Send a random present to someone “just because” (Yes, here it is again.)

Not too long ago, a wonderful friend of mine got unexpectedly laid off (like so many of us.)
I was wandering through Kohl's looking for a new tote bag to use for my new job and found this shirt that I just knew I had to give her. She loves giraffes.

COMPLETED: #31 Get a Full Time Job

Just this morning I accepted an English teaching position at a wonderful non-profit alternative high school. The job is not full time, but I've decided to cross this one off as completed simply because of the fact that the job is totally rewarding, pays pretty well, and gives me an opportunity to do something I love and am good at. No more sitting behind a desk typing other people's notes for me!

COMPLETED: #25 Send a random present to someone "just because"

A friend of mine expressed interest in starting a bakery and not long after I was flipping through a random wholesale catalog and came across these:

I knew she had to have them :-)

COMPLETED - 47. Teach a jewelry design course

This summer I managed to meet this goal. In January, I set up three classes at local community colleges to teach jewelry design. The first class, in July, was to a 55+ class and they did a wonderful job:


The second class was also a 55+ class which took place in August and the students worked on more difficult techniques. In August I taught a huge class of 16 students in Celtic Jewelry design. I wish I'd taken pictures of the things they made because they walked out with absolutely stunning pieces.

My next class is in October and then I have a Parent/Child class in November :)

ONE COMPLETED - 13. Visit 2 places I've never flown to before.

Colorado!

COMPLETED - 12. Visit at least 2 people who live outside the NJ/PA area.

I can happily cross this one off. This past week I was able to visit with some friends I haven't seen in a while and get together with a friend who I've been talking to for a few years online, but never met. We had a blast in Colorado!

COMPLETED - #92 Stand on a ledge and look down.

I did one better! I climbed to the top of Barnegat Lighthouse and looked down 230 feet!

But yes, I did hold on for dear life at the top and refused to walk around the entire viewing platform preferring instead to stay near the door where I could make a quick retreat when the wind blew too hard and I could feel the metal shake.

COMPLETED - #63 Walk Along the Ocean, non summer

I'm happy to say that this goal is completed.
Now, many might wonder why I'm so specific on this one. You might ask why it can't just be walking on the beach. Why it has to be non-summer.

Simply put, I lived in perpetual summer for 6 years and didn't enjoy walking along the beach even when I did it. I love the water though and love hearing the ocean crash on the beach. That is something I just couldn't get in Florida.

This past weekend though, I got to take many walks along the beach and listen to the waves. It was beautiful!

One Completed - 11. See some of the local sites, Ironpigs Baseball

Ok, so I am not a sports fan by any means, but I'm finding that I actually enjoy getting out and seeing some games. I've always enjoyed hockey games, but just this week I had my chance to see my first baseball game featuring the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Funny thing... I don't know who won.

One Completed - 45. Get a pedicure at least once a year

With the random heat wave we experienced this past week and my shore trip this weekend, I decided to get a pedicure for the first time since May 2007! It felt really good and I can't stop staring at my toes. I might up this goal to getting a pedicure once a month from April through September, but we'll see how that goes.

UPDATED - #4 Change Name Legally

Since I posted last I have managed to change my name on the following things or with the following people:

HR, Payroll, my boss, Car Insurance and the Bank.

Moving right along :)

IN PROGRESS - 4. Change name legally

I received the certified copies of my divorce papers today which state my new legal last name. Now I just need to start working on changing it with all the businesses and venues that need the new name. I remember how annoying this was when I got married and I can't imagine it will be any less annoying this time.

List Changes

I'm going through a new life plan right now and that means some things need to be changed on the old list. This also means that the list will be out of order now as I add the deleted numbers into places where they fit better.

OLD 31. Open a new location - deleted
NEW 31. Get a full time job.

OLD 32. Update business blog bi-weekly.
NEW 32. Update business blog monthly.

OLD 45. Complete Small Business Administration Course - deleted
new 45. Get a pedicure at least once a year (0/2)
old 46. Complete another course related to running the business
New 46. Save at least $50 each month.

List Update

I was just looking over my list and was pretty impressed with how many things I've done.

My list stats:

22 completed items
33 other items that have in some way been worked on

That means that there are only 46 items that I've done nothing with and I still have quite a good amount of time left to do them.

COMPLETED - 3. Finalize divorce

I'm not really going to say much about this one, but since it was on my list of 101 things to do I know I needed to mention that as of yesterday this one is completed.

One Completed - 59. Get regular hair cuts every 2 months

Ok, so it was 4 months this time, but I at least got a hair cut.

Before:
After:

ONE COMPLETED - 91. Donate at least one bag of clothes twice a year.

Last night I dropped off 3 bags of clothes to the local clothing bins. It felt good to be back in the habit of donating clothes and also to get some things out of my closet.

COMPLETED - #23 Open a Personal Savings Account

After I received my first paycheck last week, I had a few things I wanted to do with it. One was take G out to dinner for our six month-aversary and as a thank you for everything he's done for me since we met. Sadly, that didn't happen since he has an injury so it will be put off until next week. Another was get my hair cut. Again, that didn't happen yet and is scheduled for next week (so another item checked off the list then). I also did a little much needed shopping to supplement the wardrobe for work and therefore now have 3 bags of clothes to be donated sitting in the back of the truck. The most important task I had though was to open a savings account. I've had them in the past, but never actually managed to keep money in them. I think I've learned a lot though from my self-imposed poverty this last year and want to try again. So I did it, I opened a personal savings account with a starting balance of $35. It isn't much, but I'm at least hoping to have a few hundred by Christmas.

COMPLETED - 68. Try at least one new food

Tonight G made me eat Chinese food. I had fried rice, sweet & sour chicken sans sweet & sour sauce, some beef and snow peas, and something with egg and beef. The only thing that was relatively passable as food was the chicken and that was only after I dunked it in BBQ sauce. I did eat the rice, but didn't really like it.

At least I tried and now G will never make me eat it again.

11. See some of the local sights - Washington DC

Although DC isn't exactly local, I'm including it in this goal since it only took us about three hours to get there.

We had a great time!

ONE COMPLETED - 12. Visit at least 2 friends who live outside of the NJ/PA area

This weekend I was able to add a trip to Virginia to see M after we went to DC. It was a nice visit (even though it was short :( ). So nice to see her new baby. I couldn't believe it had already been 16 months since I saw her last!

DELETED - 38. Maintain a civil relationship with Dan throughout the divorce

I know that I should replace this one with another goal, so instead it will become "Get over Dan". Either way, this is officially completed.

COMPLETED - 20. Get a part time job

Another completed!

I got a job today! I don't know when I start yet, but at least now I can cross this off my goals since as soon as HR finishes my employment packet, I can start.

This brings along with it a huge sigh of relief!

COMPLETED - 18. Open a Personal Checking Account

So it seems that sometimes we're forced into doing things we didn't plan to do at the time even if those things are positives and we planned on doing them down the road. That's the case with this goal. I've needed a personal account for a while, but what I needed more was money to put into that account so I was holding out until I got a job, won the lottery, or found that proverbial suitcase of money on the sidewalk. Due to some recent issues on my business account (what is this country coming to when no one is safe from identity theft or fraud issues!) I went ahead and opened a personal account to use in the meantime. I'm pretty excited.

11. See some of the local sights - PHILADEPHIA

I really am glad that I added this to my goals.
This past weekend G and I went to Philadephia where I got to see the Liberty Bell and other surrounding historical sites for the first time. It's hard to believe I've lived so close and never made it there before. We also made a trip to Eastern State Penitentiary on Sunday and that place is awesome.

COMPLETED - 10. Send a random present to someone "just because"

Well, I can't really say what this was yet because as far as I know the person hasn't received it or at least they haven't mentioned receiving it, so I'm going on the assumption that it's not there yet. I will say that it was something I made and something that I hope will give the recipient a little peace of mind over the next couple of months. Something I think they truly need.

Edited: She received it today. So there it is. I sent a friend a St. Gerard charm bracelet to continue blessing her during the remainder of her pregnancy.

COMPLETED - 73. Walk around the Moravian Campus and/or Bethlehem

Another goal done. I did this one in two parts, but I've still done it now.
Back in October G and I went to the Moravian Book Shop . That day we walked around Main St and both reminisced about various events in our life. Him about growing up in Bethlehem and what used to be on Main St and me about my college years. We knew a lot of the same places and it was fun to share some of the same opinions on the places that are no longer there and the ones that have taken their places. It had been ten years since I had walked around Bethlehem and I enjoyed it, but i didn't cross it off my list because I wanted to get back to Moravian.

Yesterday I took a trip down memory lane. I met P for lunch and then drove down Main St again looking into jobs and places for my jewelry. I decided to head further up the road to Moravian and while I didn't walk around the entire campus, I did drive around it. The last time I was there was in 2005 and it's amazing the changes that have been made since then. The one thing that didn't change much was the library. It is a stop I needed to make because after working there for four years it is the one place that truly holds the most of my college memories. I was surprised to see one of my old bosses still there and it turned out that they were both still there except one was out sick. One of the reference librarians was there still too and they both recognized me even after ten years! What a great feeling.

So there it is, this goal met. Though I think it's one I want to do again and again. I truly felt at home on both trips.

UPDATED - 86. Change items on list to keep them relevant to current life expectations & 85. Re-evaluate list if needed

Today I'm updating my list. I'm pretty much happy with the things I originally decided to set as my goals, but now that about 100 days have passed I'm realizing that some items just aren't important to me anymore and there are some things that I want to add because I feel they are more important at this point.

So here are the changes:
(The original goal is in white. The new goal in pink. ) The explanation the follows.

20. Collect (and claim) a regular paycheck from the shop - no matter how small (0/52)
20. Get a part time job.
Although I would love to be able to say that the shop can support me, I know that this is unrealistic so early in its founding so I've decided that it is more important for me to find supplemental income to help me achieve some of the other items on this list and to just generally live.

22. Contribute to retirement at least 6 times a year (0/12)
22. Re-open a retirement account.
In order to help pay some bills this past month, I closed the retirement account that I had started a few years ago with TIAA-Cref. It wasn't much money, so I didn't feel bad doing it, but now I know that I need to look into the future again and plan for retirement by opening another account somehow.

28. Advertise shop every 6 months (0/6)
28. Advertise shop
The new goal is much simpler. I just want to pay for and advertise the shop at least once.

31. Open a new location every 12 months
31. Open a new location
I recently decided to leave my first Nanuk's Igloo location, so now I've decided it is more important to find another location to take the place of that first one. It's not important to open a series of locations at this point. It is important to find a replacement and go from there.

38. Maintain a friendship with Dan at least on some level.
38. Maintain a civil relationship with Dan throughout the divorce.
Sorry, if I don't really explain this one too much. I just don't want to fight.

69. Buy flowers for shop once a season (0/10)
69. Clean more often
Looking around me right now, I've decided it's more important for me to take charge of the space I live in rather than worry about decorating the shop. I need to clean... badly.

90. Sponsor at least 3 people in charity walks for Nanuk's Igloo (0/3)
90. Donate to all charities that approach Nanuk's Igloo for auctions, etc.
I don't really know anyone doing walks, but I've been approached by three organizations in the last year for donations for their auctions. This seems more relavent.

91. Donate at least one bag of clothes each season (0/12)
91. Donate at least one bag of clothes twice a year. (0/6)
I'm not shopping as much, so therefore I'm not getting rid of as much. This one is quite simple.