More Goals Completed

I've been trying to steadily complete tasks and I've managed to complete several which I will post about in separate posts. This post will include the books and movie tasks I've managed to complete.

#49 Elegance

This book was nowhere near as good as I was expecting. Having somewhat of a style crisis myself the prospect of reading about a frumpy woman who discovers a book that will lead to elegance and improved style was very appealing. There wasn't enough of that in the book, and it was depressing. I completed the book on September 16th.

#47 The Rescue

For guaranteed tender romance I know I can turn to Nicholas Sparks. While this book is not as good as some of his others, I enjoyed it and finished it in 2 days, it was a very fast read for me. I completed it on September 19th.

P.S. See my main blog for a photo of me and Nicholas Sparks at a book signing!

#36 Left Bank

I'm fascinated by Parisian culture and I looked forward to reading this book. It was about a 6 or 7 out of 10. I wasn't irritated to be wasting time reading it, but I definitely am glad I didn't buy it and I won't reread this book in the future (as I do if I really enjoy a book). I completed this book on September 27th.

#54 Movie: The Evening

I will be reading the book this movie was based on, but when the film was released I was so excited I decided to rent it while my husband was out of town. I was very disappointed. I actually fast-forwarded with captions on because the film dragged on and there wasn't enough to keep the attention. I also hope the book makes the story more clear. I watched this movie on October 1st.

#33 Movie: The Nanny Diaries

I have read this book and was looking forward to the movie when its release was postponed to help it for award season (since The Devil Wears Prada received some nominations the year before). It wasn't necessary to wait, this movie really doesn't stand a chance. It was fun, but really didn't compare to the book. I did enjoy seeing how some Manhattan mothers raise their children with access to fancy schools, etc., and I will definitely watch it again, but it didn't live up to the hype surrounding it.

Five more tasks completed! 92 to go!

2 More Down...97 To Go

I actually crossed off 2 things on my list by completing my design for a Batman Inspired Sweater with a detachable cape. I have now written a pattern for a custom knit, and I finished the motif and knit the sweater.

2 Down...99 To Go

On Thursday, July 26 I started reading the seventh (and final) Harry Potter book entitled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I had been anxiously awaiting the experience and was happy to finally have the opportunity to read it. I had picked it up the day it was released (although I was NOT one of the many who picked it up at midnight) and had even knit a bookscarf (a bookmark made to look like a Gryffindor scarf) to complete the theme. (The pattern for the bookscarf can be found in Charmed Knits). I had to wait until I was finished taking the bar exam however, and the wait was worth it. I read the book in 2 days and crossed off the first of my goals! And no, I will not tell you if he lives or dies!

I read Gucci Girls the day after I finished Harry Potter. It was a REALLY quick read. It's actually considered a Young Adult novel but I didn't know that when I first read the description and since I'm slightly interested in fashion (after watching Project Runway) I thought it would be a good read for me. It was alright, nothing I need to own (I borrowed it from the library), but with this book finished I now have 2 items crossed off my list.

The Beginning

I already have a blog called Craft Chick where I talk about my family, travels, and of course, crafting but this blog is for something special. I graduated from law school in December 2005 and since then I've felt overwhelmed. I haven't had any success finding a job or passing the NC bar and that amount of failure for someone like me is hard to swallow. Obviously if I made it through law school (and all the years up to getting into law school) I'm relatively intelligent, and I've also had success academically. But in addition to the loss of pride and feeling of failure that has set-in, I mostly feel like I don't have the level of guidance that I've come to find comfort in. When you're in school you are constantly bombarded by deadlines. You are constantly graded and given feedback. And if you have been in school as long as I was (off and on for 10.5 years) it's a real smack in the face to be in the "real world" where no one gives you any real advice and possibilities are endless.



Over the last year and a half I have talked about doing many things, and I have thought up so many projects it is disgusting sometimes. I could do this, or that... Wow, I'm surprised my husband has been able to keep up. But it wasn't until I read someone else talking about her problem that I realized it was mine too. And that's where my 101 in 1001 list comes in. This list is meant to be a map for me to reach my goals. It seems to obvious now, but it really never occurred to me to list what I want and make those goals priority. I'm hoping for two things to happen, one that the list helps keep me sane while I play out the rest of this downward streak I am in right now, and two that once I have employment it helps me keep in mind some of the things that make me me, even if the things I like to do are relegated to weekend evenings (a situation I am willing to embrace in order to find a job). So share with me my accomplishments, and hopefully in 1001 days there will be more accomplishments then failures (since I've had enough of those!)

This list was started on: Thursday, July 26, 2007 (the day after the bar...how appropriate)
This list will end on: Thursday, April 22, 2010

THE LIST

Life-Changing

1. Get a Job!

2. Get involved in local politics

3. Donate money to charity (preferably to Save Darfur)

4. Buy something charitable from The Hunger Site

5. Teach Little Man to ride a tricycle with the pedals

6. Pay off 10% of my student loans

7. Do 125 crunches at once

8. Be able to chest press 40 lbs. (for 2 sets of 12 reps)

9. Lose 15 lbs.

Travel, Places to See, and Things To Do

10. Go to a drive-in movie

11. scuba diving

12. Take Little Man on his first camping trip

13. Visit Massachusetts and take boat tour past Kennedy compound

14. Vegas baby!

15. Spa Day

16. Visit the Biltmore Estate

17. Visit NC Zoo

19. Visit Spencer Train Museum

20. Go to 1 Local Yarn Store

21. Go to 1 Local Yarn Store

22. Go to 1 Local Yarn Store

23. Visit Latta Plantation

24. Visit the Mint Museum of Art

25. Visit the Mint Museum of Craft + Design

26. Attend a show at the Children's Theatre of Charlotte

27. Visit Old Salem (in Winston-Salem, NC)

28. See the Nutcracker Ballet live

29. Visit the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens

30. See an outdoor movie

31. Take a tour of Charlotte

32. Visit Reed Gold Mine and pan for god

33. Visit the Charlotte Nature Museum

34. Go Horse-Back Riding

Books To Read

35. Crime and Punishment (at library)

36. Left bank (at library)

37. Scruples 2 (at library)

38. Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife (at library)

39. Darcy and Elizabeth (at library)

40. In Cold Blood (at library)

41. Family Tree by Delinsky (at library)

42. A Year in Japan

43. Persuasion (at library)

44. Gucci Girls ( at library)

45. Seventh Harry Potter Book...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (own)

46. The Last Valentine (at library)

47. The Rescue (own)

48. Angelina Jolie's Notes from my Travels (own)

49. Elegance (at library)

50. What Would Jackie Do? by Branch (at library)

51. Evening by Minot (at library)

52. Jack's Widow (at library)

53. The Devil in the Junior League (at library)

Movies to Watch

54. Evening

55. The Nanny Diaries

56. The Grifters

57. Movie #1 recommended by Marcus

58. Movie #2 recommended by Marcus

59. Movie #3 recommended by Marcus

Craft Related (Things to make, Do or Learn About)

60. Order Back Issue of Martha Stewart Baby Spring 2001 and Kids Holiday 2001

61. Take a beading class (to learn proper finishing)

62. Take a sewing class

63. Take a photography class

64. Finish pattern for batman-inspired sweater and knit the sweater

65. finish pink scarf

66. knit cashmere scarf

67. finish 2006 scrapbook pages

68. finish 2007 scrapbook pages

69. finish 2008 scrapbook pages

70. finish 2009 scrapbook pages

71. knit mini sweater ornament

72. knit v-neck cardigan with contrast ribs

73. knit seed stitch shoes

74. knit sweater with square set-in sleeves

75. knit raglan cardigan with fully fashioned shaping

76. knit dress with eyelets

77. knit shawl-collared jacket

78. knit 2-needle socks

79. knit partial scarf with pocket

80. knit v-neck sweater with pockets

81. sell 5 craft items

82. knit 1 item for charity

83. knit 1 item for charity

84. knit 1 item for charity

85. find a Chanel-esgue sweater pattern

86. Design a custom-knit

87. finish afghan

88. knit the Petal Bib from One Skein

89. draw and paint Green St. and R.H. houses

90. Make 5 stitch markers

91. participate in a stitch marker swap

92. find better albums for photographs

93. Knit pirate toy

Misc.

94. Learn French Alphabet and 10 phrases

95. Have London Painting framed and hung

96. Donate Blood

97. Try a different dish at Hibachi Grill

98. Find one more ancestor for family tree

99. Ride a bike 3 miles

100. Get curtains up in the media room

101. Fill photo reel frames and hang them up in media room