Day Four – The Last Day

It’s the last day of the year, time to bring things to a close and gear up for the coming year.  The ending of 2009 also means the end of five years of this blog.  In looking back, this site started out to talk mainly about my knitting and has evolved to include all facets of my life.  Because of that, there have been dry periods and times which I wrote almost every day.

So on this last day of year 5, I thought I would talk about some ‘tidying up’ and recap some of what I’ve done over the past few days.  In getting ready for a new year, I am also getting ready for a new semester of classes – a full load.

Did one of those things I always forget to do – back up my files.  I cleaned out documents and pictures and then saved the remainder to a CD.  My computer did completely crash this past year and I lost some pictures and some documents I had transcribed.  The documents are still there in handwritten form for the most part, but the pictures are gone.  I don’t want to lose them again.

One other item I did was to go over my list of “100 Things” I posted back in March.  Here’s how my end of the year countdown is working out.

101.  Keep updating my 1001 things list – haven’t added anything yet.

100.  Review my list every 3 months and update – nope,  but put it on my calendar to remind myself to do.

99.  Knit a lace shawl – well, have one to do, which has been frogged countless times.  Still “studying” the situation.

98.  Learn Tai Chi – N/P (no progress)

97.  Visit all the thrift stores in the area – N/P

96.  Learn to sharpen my knives…. – N/P

95.  Put Savvy’s writing and Texter’s drawings into book form – have them all together in one location

94.  Visit the waterfalls in NC – hopefully will get started this summer.  Did bookmark the site that lists the waterfalls.

93.  Explore my spirituality more fully – doing 108 Sun Salutations on New Year’s Day (more about that later) and am taking a World Religions class this semester and have to write a beliefs statement. 

92.  Put curtains on all the windows – N/P

91.  Join a garden co-op or community garden – did research some CSA groups, but until I can really get behind eating more veggies, will confine myself to trips to the Farmer’s Market.

90.  Plan my menus and shopping lists – work in progress.  This goes in fits and starts, but getting better.

89.  Get a digital camera…. – N/P

88.  Treat myself to new fountain pens – N/P

87. Do some RAK to other artist’s with my unused art supplies. – Does my own daughter count?  She raided my stash for her art class this past semester.  But still have plans for give-aways.

86.  Go on a picnic… – N/P

85.  Set up better study areas for all of us. – DONE

84.  Wear earrings and lipstick every day for a month – N/P

83.  Walk at least 10 different trails – N/P

82.  Create a garden on the balcony for herbs – have 1 tub filled mainly with a sprawling lemon balm plant.  Will do more this summer.

81.  Have a spa weekend at home – N/P

80.  Take Noel (now Sarge) to dog obedience class – N/P

79.  Visit the art museum in Charlotte – actually this should be changed to visit the Jack-in-the-Box in Charlotte on my way to the Stowe Botanical Garden and the orchids there.

78.  Finish my doll, “Luna” – N/P

77.  Carry a notebook and pen wherever I go – DONE - just about everywhere.

76.  Join a writing group – DONE – started this month with the Apex Writing Group

75.  Make a quilt for each of the girls – N/P

74.  Do a craft table at work – N/P

73.  Learn a new technique for my journal every 2 months – rethinking this one as I am getting back to more of straight writing rather than art journaling

72.  Yoga more.  Attend a yoga workshop – registered for  Yoga Mala on 1/1/2010 at Yoga Garden.

71.  Save my old photos – have them gathered into a central spot, so about halfway there.

70.  Take care of my nails for 30 days – N/P

69.  Do a facial once a month – actually have one scheduled for the 5th of January with the girls.  Let’s see if I can continue the trend.

68.  Visit all the botanical gardens in NC….. N/P

67.  Blog at least weekly – pretty much there.

66.  Update my wardrobe to suit ‘me’ – getting there

65.  Do at least 1 challenge a month…. N/P

64.  Get published somewhere….getting closer to that goal.

63.  Reconnect with an old friend – boy, has this happened!  This time last year someone from high school found me on facebook and since them have reconnected with several people, including my first crush and my first roommate (not the same person by the way).

62.  Make a vision board – N/P

61.  Have nice bookshelves in my living room – part way there.  Moved my wooden shelves into there.

60.  Send a card/postcard or surprise to a friend every month – N/P

59.  Get a henna tattoo on my hand – N/P

58.  Stick to my budget and record my expenses. – Not 100% yet, but getting there.

57.  Save $10,000 – N/P

56.  Complete a Nanowrimo – too busy with school this year, maybe 2010?

55.  Have fresh flowers or plant in the house once a month – getting there

54.  Make a will – N/P

53.  Decorate my home with art I know where it comes from.

52.  Wear biking shorts and not be embarrassed – getting there

51.  Do a gift advent calendar for the girls – N/P

50.  Get new living room furniture – N/P

49.  Get a birding book and start a list of birds I’ve seen – N/P

48.  Have my makeup done by a professional….N/P

47.  Get fitted for a bra and have 2-3 good bras on hand. Get some sports. – almost there

46.  Take a watercolor class. – N/P

45.  Meditate more.  Create a space to do it in.  - Have the space, need to do it more.  Signed up for a couple of guided meditation classes at Yoga Garden.

44.  Make a set of Soul Collage cards – N/P

43.  Set up a more functional area for my art and sewing – did some rearranging, so progress has been made.  Really just need to get rid of both daughters!

42.  Set up an altar and have a candle on it to burn every day.  Have a water feature.  - Have the altar, but don’t burn a candle every day.  Have a small, hand made bowl I put water in.

41.  Pick a month and do a picture a day – N/P

40.  Do something active at least 30 minutes every day.  - getting much, much better at it

39.  Offer a giveaway on my blog – working on it

38.  Learn to make illuminated letters and do the complete alphabet – N/P

37.  Have an art-journaling-to-go bag – since I have gotten away from art journaling and more of a ‘written’ journal, I do have a bag with different markers, glue stick, scissors in it.

36.  Scrapbook my high school stuff – pulled it out and looked at it.  Have a Watergate pin in there!

35.  Create a garden area at the new Ren Faire site – that may have logistical problems – we might not be able to plant anything.

34.  Find my “scent” – N/P

33.  Cook a new dish once a week – not quite yet

32.  Finish my family cookbook – it’s out and being worked on

31.  Canoe down the Eno River – maybe this summer

30.  Go visit a new or long-lost friend in another state – N/P

29.  Go to the theater in NYC – N/P – but Wicked is coming to Durham!

28.  Buy a new towel every payday – N/P

27.  Finish up on the family history – N/P

26.  Buy or make a white, gauzy dress – DONE

25.  Attend a goddess workshop/gathering – N/P

24.  Learn more about aromatherapy – N/P

23.  Get Photoshop – N/P

22.  Walk/run a half marathon – N/P

21.  Get a good bike for myself – N/P

20.  Learn to spin wool – N/P

19.  Learn calligraphy – N/P

18.  Get my college degree in Creative Writing, English or History – working on it, enrolled in classes now.

17.  Work on botanical drawing certificate – N/P

16.  Visit another Ren Faire in another state – N/P

15.  Learn to read tarot better – N/P

14.  Go through and index my journals – N/P

13.  Get another tattoo – N/P

12.  Enter a writing contest – N/P

11.  Finish a pair of knitted socks – N/P

10.  Take a fiber arts class – N/P

9.   Have acupuncture done – actually had an exam yesterday and will be having it done shortly

8.   Write everyday – have it on my calendar as an ‘event’

7.  Go on a silent retreat – N/P

6.   Visit Biltmore Estate – N/P

5.  Design my own Christmas cards – N/P

4.  Write the first of my novels – WIP

3.   Learn belly dancing – N/P

2.   Take some art journaling classes. – N/P

1.  Take a writing workshop – N/P

Well, I do have 8 things I’ve finished.  Better than I expected and several are being worked actively, so I’m pleased.

So, that’s where I stand right now.  As a nice beginning to an end one of my orchids is blooming.  There are 3 stems for flower blooms.  It’s going to be a good year.