31. Complete a senior honors project I am proud of - in progress
I submitted a close-to-final draft today for a formatting review. It's 73 pages, which is outrageous to me. I remember being concerned I would never have enough to meet the 50-60 page requirement one of my readers set out for me in the beginning. The final thesis is due next Wednesday, April 7th... ten days left!
48. Replace the WEJ's bumper - accomplished
Done! This was the fun silver lining to being hit in the Walmart parking lot the last weekend in February. At the time, it had been an awful stressful week and I just did not need one more thing added to my plate. But as it turns out, my bumper was damaged a bit on the right side, and they replaced the whole thing! Which means no more dents that I created on WEJ's backside. Perfect.
96. Taylor & Amber to The Little Grill for breakfast before we graduate - accomplished
We went to Little Grill yesterday morning, finally. Taylor has been there a hundred times by now, but it was Amber's first time, and I sincerely believe everyone should go at least once before they graduate. I'm not sure Amber liked it as much as Tay & I do, but oh well.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Flowers & Books.
8. Read 50 books (32/50) - in progress
I just finished "Up in the Air" today, which I had to read for my film adaptations class. I'm not sure if it's because I saw the movie before I read the book, but I absolutely hated it. Part of it was that I was expecting the same characters and storyline and twists as the film. I understand the film adapted the book, but the character of Anna Kendrick, the young executive, didn't even appear. The book honestly seemed like one long ramble. To its credit, it was a quick read, but I wouldn't recommend it. In other, similarly negative news, I read "Dog of the South" by Charles Portis for my comedic fiction class last week, and I also did not enjoy it very much. It had redeeming scenes, but it also seemed rather rambly. I wasn't invested in its characters really. So... ultimate fail in reading the past few weeks.
37. Own a plant for at least a year without killing it - in progress
So I remembered I hadn't watered my orchid in about a week, and when I went to do my motherly duties & take care of that, I noticed the most fabulous thing: my plant is growing two new sprouts! So maybe this thing will bloom again this spring / summer after all.
Didn't technically exercise this week -- I walked to and from campus Sunday because I had a thesis meeting but didn't have a car... and I walked from campus down to Pheasant Run twice. But I haven't really made time for regular, by-the-books working out. Oh well.
-- Till next time.
I just finished "Up in the Air" today, which I had to read for my film adaptations class. I'm not sure if it's because I saw the movie before I read the book, but I absolutely hated it. Part of it was that I was expecting the same characters and storyline and twists as the film. I understand the film adapted the book, but the character of Anna Kendrick, the young executive, didn't even appear. The book honestly seemed like one long ramble. To its credit, it was a quick read, but I wouldn't recommend it. In other, similarly negative news, I read "Dog of the South" by Charles Portis for my comedic fiction class last week, and I also did not enjoy it very much. It had redeeming scenes, but it also seemed rather rambly. I wasn't invested in its characters really. So... ultimate fail in reading the past few weeks.
37. Own a plant for at least a year without killing it - in progress
So I remembered I hadn't watered my orchid in about a week, and when I went to do my motherly duties & take care of that, I noticed the most fabulous thing: my plant is growing two new sprouts! So maybe this thing will bloom again this spring / summer after all.
Didn't technically exercise this week -- I walked to and from campus Sunday because I had a thesis meeting but didn't have a car... and I walked from campus down to Pheasant Run twice. But I haven't really made time for regular, by-the-books working out. Oh well.
-- Till next time.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
March madness.
Side note for today is that I hit the one-year mark for the 101 in 1001 challenge! I think I technically said I started March 15, 2009, but I began my CD March 14. In the interests of being a huge cheeseball, this is one of the greatest things I ever set out to do, and I've loved almost every minute of it. Oh wait, I've loved absolutely every minute of it. Things like taking my camera out, and working on my creative writing, visiting Savannah and Charleston, going hiking & being outside -- these are all things I love to do that I don't know that I would have been dedicated to if the 101 hadn't been encouraging me along. The blog has also been super fabulous because I can go back and remember everything I've accomplished. All together, very cool.
As for this past week...
3. Complete a 26 Things Challenge - in progress
I took nearly 300 pictures while on spring break in the Redwoods, but I'm still missing nearly half of the challenge. Oops? Maybe I'll finish that this weekend. Good news is that I used a handful of the Redwoods pictures, and I'm chugging along toward the finish.
7. Watch all movies on AFI's Top 100 (25/100) - in progress
Quarter of the way done! I watched "Goodfellas" in class the week before break, which I guess I forgot to say last Thursday. A lot of it was brutal, and I think I definitely liked the book better, but I can also see why this is one of everyone's favorite movies. Watching it in a film adaptations class definitely skewed my viewing because the movie was unable to include everything in the book, and I felt like some of the most interesting parts were missing. But overall, a good movie.
12. Keep Flickr updated - in progress
I have 40 or so pictures to edit & put up on my Flickr account from the Redwoods, which I plan to do tonight. My Photoshop has been quitting unexpectedly for quite some time because it's about four years old (CS2), so I downloaded a free photo editing program called Gimp a few weeks ago, and I'm still getting the hang of it.
14. Do a creative writing prompt once a week, 52 times (21/52) - in progress
I brought my journal with me to California, so I wrote four prompts during the week: Today I am excited about...; What is special about seeing something for the first time; Do you believe dark periods are the best opportunity for you to grow and learn; and Recall a time you panicked.
23. Join a new club at JMU - accomplished
Going on an Alternative Break Program (or Alternative Spring Break -- I used them interchangeably) was by far one of the best decisions I made this year. It was a relatively inexpensive trip, I was in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, I was active all week, and I met some of the most awesome people at JMU. I really want to stay connected to environmental service, the Farmers' Market, hiking around Harrisonburg & everyone who went on the trip.
56. Exercise 2-3 times a week (25/143) - in progress
Well, on the Debbie Downer side of things, I exercised less than half of the weeks in the past year. On the brighter side, I was active almost every day this past week except for traveling yesterday! We did a couple of hikes -- five or six miles on Sunday, seven or eight miles on Thursday -- and then the other days we were building seasonal bridges or raking trails or covering muddy spots with gravel. Pretty much getting the Wolf Creek Educational Center and the surrounding grounds & trails ready for the tourist season.
59. Go hiking three times. If I like it, go once a month (3/3) - accomplished
Hiking in the Redwoods is hella different than hiking around Connecticut, but I loved being outside and being around green things and seeing the views once you made it to the top of the canyon or trail. I would absolutely love to go hiking once a month.
-- Till next time.
As for this past week...
3. Complete a 26 Things Challenge - in progress
I took nearly 300 pictures while on spring break in the Redwoods, but I'm still missing nearly half of the challenge. Oops? Maybe I'll finish that this weekend. Good news is that I used a handful of the Redwoods pictures, and I'm chugging along toward the finish.
7. Watch all movies on AFI's Top 100 (25/100) - in progress
Quarter of the way done! I watched "Goodfellas" in class the week before break, which I guess I forgot to say last Thursday. A lot of it was brutal, and I think I definitely liked the book better, but I can also see why this is one of everyone's favorite movies. Watching it in a film adaptations class definitely skewed my viewing because the movie was unable to include everything in the book, and I felt like some of the most interesting parts were missing. But overall, a good movie.
12. Keep Flickr updated - in progress
I have 40 or so pictures to edit & put up on my Flickr account from the Redwoods, which I plan to do tonight. My Photoshop has been quitting unexpectedly for quite some time because it's about four years old (CS2), so I downloaded a free photo editing program called Gimp a few weeks ago, and I'm still getting the hang of it.
14. Do a creative writing prompt once a week, 52 times (21/52) - in progress
I brought my journal with me to California, so I wrote four prompts during the week: Today I am excited about...; What is special about seeing something for the first time; Do you believe dark periods are the best opportunity for you to grow and learn; and Recall a time you panicked.
23. Join a new club at JMU - accomplished
Going on an Alternative Break Program (or Alternative Spring Break -- I used them interchangeably) was by far one of the best decisions I made this year. It was a relatively inexpensive trip, I was in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, I was active all week, and I met some of the most awesome people at JMU. I really want to stay connected to environmental service, the Farmers' Market, hiking around Harrisonburg & everyone who went on the trip.
56. Exercise 2-3 times a week (25/143) - in progress
Well, on the Debbie Downer side of things, I exercised less than half of the weeks in the past year. On the brighter side, I was active almost every day this past week except for traveling yesterday! We did a couple of hikes -- five or six miles on Sunday, seven or eight miles on Thursday -- and then the other days we were building seasonal bridges or raking trails or covering muddy spots with gravel. Pretty much getting the Wolf Creek Educational Center and the surrounding grounds & trails ready for the tourist season.
59. Go hiking three times. If I like it, go once a month (3/3) - accomplished
Hiking in the Redwoods is hella different than hiking around Connecticut, but I loved being outside and being around green things and seeing the views once you made it to the top of the canyon or trail. I would absolutely love to go hiking once a month.
-- Till next time.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Some progress...
OK, just a quick summary again this week, because there's not much to report. I did two writing prompts, one about three things I would change in my life, and one about a person in my life who really listens to what I am saying. Both prompts made me miss Columbia and Popp. But, on a brighter note, the first prompt also made me want to be in nature like nothing else has, and I am pumped for my Alternative Spring Break trip to the Redwoods in California. I leave tomorrow, hence the early blog post for this week.
My car is in the shop, once again, because someone hit me, once again... and I think the bumper will need to be replaced. Inconvenient to get hit, perhaps, but there's always a silver lining.
I still haven't sent the PostSecret, and I think that it is because the more time I spend away from the situation, the less emotionally charged I become about it. So I may even wait a bit longer on that.
I did just add one picture to my Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chainse), but I will hopefully have plenty more when I return from CA next Sunday.
I didn't work out this week and I didn't cook a new recipe -- I made chicken pot pies again on Monday to freeze, and I did half chicken / half mixed vegetables instead of all chicken... but it wasn't really a new recipe, so that doesn't count (according to my apparently high standards?)
So expect a long post next week... hopefully :)
-- Till next time.
My car is in the shop, once again, because someone hit me, once again... and I think the bumper will need to be replaced. Inconvenient to get hit, perhaps, but there's always a silver lining.
I still haven't sent the PostSecret, and I think that it is because the more time I spend away from the situation, the less emotionally charged I become about it. So I may even wait a bit longer on that.
I did just add one picture to my Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chainse), but I will hopefully have plenty more when I return from CA next Sunday.
I didn't work out this week and I didn't cook a new recipe -- I made chicken pot pies again on Monday to freeze, and I did half chicken / half mixed vegetables instead of all chicken... but it wasn't really a new recipe, so that doesn't count (according to my apparently high standards?)
So expect a long post next week... hopefully :)
-- Till next time.
Monday, March 1, 2010
No Progress.
I'm just going to summarize real quick that I didn't do anything for my thesis -- no cooking, no reading, no working out even -- because I was slammed with schoolwork from 8 am to midnight, Monday through Saturday. That's right, Saturday.
But, a few things are in the works, including WEJ's bumper, my PostSecret, the hiking, and perhaps the sunrise. So I should have good things to report either at the end of this week, or at the very least, at the one-year mark (which is March 14th, i.e. two weeks from now... ah!). Time is flying by.
-- Till next time.
But, a few things are in the works, including WEJ's bumper, my PostSecret, the hiking, and perhaps the sunrise. So I should have good things to report either at the end of this week, or at the very least, at the one-year mark (which is March 14th, i.e. two weeks from now... ah!). Time is flying by.
-- Till next time.
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