Winter Aspirations

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It's officially Winter here in Australia and you can definitely tell! The lovely Autumnal trees I posted about last week have lost most, if not all of their leaves and are standing tall and naked now. It has been raining a lot lately, which means I don't have any dry fire wood! So hopefully that will change soon. Artificial heating just isn't the same.

As with any seasonal change, I like to make a list of aspirations and things to achieve in that three month period. Since I am on Uni holidays for most of Winter, I'll be raising the bar by adding fair few more to-do's.

1. Achieve higher than a PASS on my final exams.

I only have 3 x 3 hour final exams left and then I will be finished another semester of my Law Degree. I have been lucky enough to score fairly good marks on the assessments throughout the semester, so with a little bit of applied study the exams should go well!

2. Start a regular training regime.

This is something that I've not only been wanting to do for a long time, but really need to do. Generally Winter is a comfort season for me. I crave hot foods and I long for entire days spent rugged up indoors. Each of which will not be any good for my figure or general health. Since it will be too cold to run outdoors, I should take this opportunity to join a Gym and finally cross off my monthly running challenge. I think Couch to 5K would be a good place to start... Besides, everyone is warmer after a work out!

3. READ READ READ!

Over the last couple of months I have picked up around thirteen or so new books! My goal is to get back to my old reading pace and read at least three or four a month! Now is when I ask you all for suggestions...

4. Follow up the DIY's I have purchased materials for...

This one is pretty self explanatory. I have collected buttons and material of all sorts, I've even started cutting out the pattern for some DIY's. So Winter this year should be quite the productive one.

5. Cook a hearty vegetable soup!

Like I said, I crave soups in Winter. I can taste it now Mmmmmm.

6. Make an effort to spend time with my friends.

I often try to work as much as I can in the Uni break so I can cut down when the next semester starts and hopefully still have some money saved. But some much needed friend time is definitely on the cards this Winter.

7. Try my hardest to cross of any Winter related goals on my 101/1001 list.

You can view the list here. At a quick glance I can see myself knitting, sewing and trying my hand at solving a rubick's cube!

Oh and Winter would be complete if I saw someone wearing a Snuggie in public. That never happened last year. What would your Winter goals be?

If You Don't Eat Your Veggies...

As part of my 101 challenge, I have set the goal to eat a vegetarian diet for a week. This is a challenge that isn't going to be particularly hard, since I am not a really large meat eater on an everyday basis. Time aside though, what I hope to gain from this week is an insight into a healthy vegetarian diet, the planning, the cooking and of course the eating! 

The challenge began yesterday morning, and although I skipped breakfast I started the diet with some avocado and cucumber sushi. For dinner I made Baked Eggplant & Ricotta Rolls served with a side of Polenta. To my surprise, I didn't ruin the dish and it tasted amazing.

I am looking forward to trying my hand at the other meals I have planned.

Whats your favourite Veg dish?

101 Update

So it has been a month and a day since I set out to complete 101 things to better my life. And while I have been busy with end of semester uni business, I have managed to cross a few of them off the list. Here are some with photo evidence.

94. Read a book in a day.

75. Clean my closet and donate clothes. 

9. Throw a themed dinner party.

18. Have a Harry Potter marathon. 

For those of you who have now gone and began your own lists, which of them have you had the pleasure of ticking off?

101 Things in 1001 Days

 
I have been thinking a lot lately. About my life, my direction, and everything else in between. In doing so, it has dawned on me that the last twenty years of my life have gone quick, and nothing is stopping the coming years from going by even quicker. Its time for me to soldier on through the routine parts of my life at the moment, try new things and arrive at a place of complete happiness.

I have decided to make a list of 101 things to complete in 1001 days. Some are serious personal and professional achievements I would love to meet. But most are weird and wonderful experiences I've done before, to be shared with people I love, or new experiences designed to "broaden my horizon". At the end of the 1001 days, which is roughly two years and nine months, I will look back and see what I have been able to check off my list along the way. Hopefully, I will know myself a bit better then.

Start: September 17th 2010
End: Coming soon...

The List

1. Graduate University.
2. Start a post-grad degree.
3. Learn another language.
4. Work/study abroad.
5. Get a piece of writing published.
6. Learn the basics of photography.
7. Live with friends.
8. Sew an outfit from a pattern.
9. Throw a themed dinner party.
10. Plant a tree.
11. Volunteer somewhere.
12. Dye my hair blonde again.
13. Ride a horse.
14. Learn an instrument - percussion counts.
15. Complete a rubik's cube without cheating!
16. Dance in front of a crowd of people.
17. Drink out of a giant novelty glass.
18. Have a Harry Potter marathon.
19. Go for a run every morning for a month.
20. Adopt a pet cat.
21. Take a photo with someone famous.          
22. Go to a wedding.
23. Give someone a present for their unbirthday.
24. Go camping. Real camping. Without electricity.
25. Road trip with friends.
26. Go to another state in Australia.
27. Donate blood.
28. Make a veggie/herb garden.
29. Hold an event for charity.
30. Renew my boat and jetski license.
31. Remember and recite a Shakespeare sonnet.
32. Make a bonfire.
33. Go to a music festival.
34. Make a scrapbook for someone.
35. Give a speech.
36. Write a pen pal letter.
37. Learn how to play poker.
38. Win poker.
39. Visit a city overseas.
40. Complete an assignment before the day before it is due.
41. Win free tickets.
42. Make a snowman.
43. Go fishing. Without complaining.
44. Eat asparagus.
45. Attempt to watch Lord of the Rings or Star Wars.
46. Be in the Q&A audience.
47. Go to the drive-in movies.
48. Sing karaoke in a bar.
49. Make new friends.
50. Buy a lottery ticket.
51. Sleep outside.
52. Stand up on a surfboard.
53. Watch a movie in another language.
54. Read someone's biography.
55. Play monopoly right till the end when someone goes bankrupt.
56. House-sit someone's house.
57. Build a birdhouse.
58. Eat vegetarian for a week.
59. Have a food fight.
60. Pat an owl.
61. Have lunch with an old friend.
62. Go trick or treating.
63. Be responsible for someone's nickname.
64. Do something extreme.
65. Learn a new sport.
66. Babysit.
67. Take a community course.
68. Listen to a CD without skipping through the tracks.
69. Use old stationary at the start of a semester, instead of new.
70. Wear red lipstick.
71. Kiss someone wearing red lipstick.
72. Make someone upset happy again.
73. Leave my phone at home.
74. Stay at a bed & breakfast in an whimsical place.
75. Clean my closet and donate clothes.
76. Knit a scarf, or socks. Either one. And give them as a present.
77. Go to the Northern Territory.
78. Watch a thriller movie alone.
79. Go on a blind date.
80. Go to a hen's party.
81. Do more than ten push-ups.
82. Make a photo album.
83. Start a new job.
84. Serve dinner and share stories with the homeless.
85. Go to a protest.
86. Dress from a different era.
87. Wear a bikini in public.
88. Learn how to moon walk.
89. Watch the sunset with someone.
90. Go to mardi gras.
91. Be called beautiful by someone.
92. Be silent for an entire day.
93. Host a tea party.
94. Read a book in a day.
95. Go to yoga or pilates, and actually find my center.
96. Win bingo.
97. Go to an amusement park, and concur all the rides.
98. Kiss someone in the rain.
99. Make a new list for the next three years.
100. List ten things I like about myself.
101. Tell someone I love them, and really mean it.