Powered by Tofu » 101 Things in 1001 Days

101 Things in 1001 Days: Done (Sort Of)

poweredbytofu — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:00:22 +0000

Well, well… my 101 Things in 1,001 Days project is finally over… ummm, last month (I wrote this recap and then forgot about it). I’m a little disappointed to report that I only finished 71% of my list — but I’m really excited about the things I’ve accomplished and experienced in the last 1,001 days. Highlights: finished my MBA, white water rafting (2x), got a cat, quit my job to travel for a year, traveled to: Mexico, Panama, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Morocco, Azores, Bahamas, and Costa Rica, went to Bumbershoot, watched the top 100 grossing films of all time, read 52 books in 52 weeks, found my signature cupcake, volunteered, tried SCUBA diving, started my first garden… and a few others.

So instead of doing another 101 Things list, I’ve decided to try out a 30 Before I’m 30 list. Aaaaaah! :) So dear Internet, what should I add to my 30 Things Before 30 list? Ideas so far include: buy a house (update: done! I kind of sandbagged this one, but I’m totally going to keep it on the list), visit Iceland, try kiteboarding, start strength training, learn a really hard yoga pose (which one?), run a half marathon or try an easy triathalon (I suck at swimming though), visit all 30 microbreweries in Portland…

What else should be on my ’30 Before I’m 30′ list?

#69: Eat at Every Restaurant in My Neighborhood

poweredbytofu — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:00:54 +0000

Well this one was pretty easy — I had a little help since some restaurants went out of business last year. :| There were a couple of restaurants that I’d been meaning to try just because they’re close, but I’m disappointed to report that I wasn’t missing much and I won’t be back. However, there are two restaurants in my neighborhood that I really love — so I guess it evens out.

Maybe next time I’ll add “Eat at every restaurant in my work neighborhood” to the list. Oh, and I defined my neighborhood as 1/2 mile from my place using the Yelp map. (photo by yoppy)

#37: Get a Recycling Organizer System

poweredbytofu — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:45:07 +0000

I finally got my recycling in order (watch out, most interesting blog post of all time)! So it really just involved a quick trip to IKEA. Previously, I stacked all my recycling items beside the garbage can, but there was an occasional avalanche of cans and bottles, so the RATIONELL bins from IKEA have fixed that. I also got one of those plastic bag storage things — in bright pink!

Kitteh update: I’ve been calling my cat “Essa” (for Essaouira, Morocco) more often than Selleck, so I suppose that’s her name now, and thanks for all the votes :) I also decided that pet supplies are insanely over-priced. I was looking for a cat food and water dish and finally decided on mini Le Creuset dishes from Home Goods — way cheaper and cuter than regular pet supplies. Julia Child would totally approve of Essa the gourmet cooking cat. Although, maybe I should have gotten her mini tagines instead.

#86: Get a Wax

poweredbytofu — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:00:42 +0000

Potentially awkward blog posts — saved by haiku (via yes and yes)!

not bad, but not fun
my budget doesn’t thank me
swimsuit season, please?

On that note, for Portland waxing salons, Urban Waxx is seriously awesome — great staff, wine for a little liquid courage :P and 15% off your first visit/referral.

#35: Get A Cat

poweredbytofu — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:30:33 +0000

Oh hai! Well after three trips to the Humane Society — and several “OMG, why am I getting a cat, how will I travel, what if it’s stupid, what if it’s too much commitment, what if I don’t like it, maybe I should get a dog, what if it never dies” panics — I finally got a kitteh.

It’s a girl cat, but I think she looks like a boy, so I may just refer to her as a he? Is that bad? Anyway, now she he needs a name! She he has a mustache, which is quite hilarious so I was thinking of naming her after a dictator — Stalin, Lenin, Franco? Twitter pals suggested Selleck, Burt Reynolds, and Mario. I was also thinking of places that I’ve traveled… like Sofia (Bulgaria), Essaouira (Morocco, and then I could call her Essa), or Zooey (Salinger book, Franny & Zooey)… So dear Internets, help me name my kitteh!

Take Our Poll

And now I must go to IKEA, for my cat requests cat-sized Swedish furniture and dinnerware. :)

#59: Watch All 5 Best Picture Nominees Before the Oscars 2010

poweredbytofu — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:07 +0000

Oscar 2010 time! So I almost completed #59 (Watch all 5 10 Best Picture Nominees before the Oscars) in 2008, and then last year around this time I was in Costa Rica, so 2010 it is!

I’m starting with 2 for 10 this year, but seriously why are there ten Best Picture nominations? Usually there are only five. I need more time! At least the plan is logistically possible this year, but there are two movies on the list that I don’t think I can bring myself to watch (how are Sandra Bullock and Mariah Carey in Oscar nominated movies anyway?).

2010 Best Picture Nominations:

Avatar (James Cameron and Jon Landau) – in theaters
The Blind Side – in theaters
District 9 (Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham – DVD
An Education (Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey) – in theaters (DVD in March)
The Hurt Locker – DVD
Inglourious Basterds (Lawrence Bender) – DVD
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire (Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness) – in theaters (DVD in March)
A Serious Man (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen) DVD on February 9
Up (Jonas Rivera) – DVD
Up in the Air (Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman) – in theaters

What movie gets your vote?

#59: Watch all 5 Best Picture Nominees before the Oscars

#36: Get A New Bed

poweredbytofu — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:00:01 +0000

I finally bought a bed! :) I feel like such a grown up — my first bed purchase. And after hosteling for a year, and then sleeping on the floor for [almost] a year, it’s nice to finally have a bed again.

Now I get to complain about mattress manufacturers and retailers… #1. Having several names for the same product for different retailers is UNCOOL — I don’t want to play games, just give me the facts! #2. If you refuse to quote me a price when I walk in your store, I will leave and not return (*cough* BedMart *cough*). /rant

I wish IKEA would bring back the Hopen bed frame in a lighter color. I love the design of the HOPEN, it looks like a park bench… hmmm not sure what that says about me, but… loves it!

“Always buy good shoes and a good bed as if you aren’t in one you are in the other.” –some random quote I heard once

In other news, I considered painting one wall in my bedroom last weekend, and then promptly drove to Home Depot. For making disturbingly quick decisions, I was conservative and bought a sample paint for $1.50 (awesome deal, yeah? I was chatting to an employee and they said Home Depot is closing out all of their Ralph Lauren paints and switching to Martha Stewart, so deals galore!). Anyway, Mediterranean blue is officially awesome and I can’t wait to finish my paint project next weekend. :)

I’ve also been considering putting Blik artwork on the blue wall or leaving part of it a white outline of some kind. Unfortunately, I found a Blik “headboard” and it’s called the Olivia. Dammit, don’t they know I have issues with wanting to buy things that say my name? ugggh. I don’t really like it, but the narcissism is totally calling my name. ;) I really like this one though. Thoughts?

#74: Redecorate One Room To Perfection

poweredbytofu — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:00:44 +0000

Guess who’s not vagabonding around, living out of a backpack, or sleeping in a sleeping bag on someone’s floor anymore? Yep, me (ok, I may or may not be in a sleeping bag still)!

I’ve been in my new apartment for two weeks now, and although I still have two “in progress” items, I’m considering this goal done! The couch and framed Cavallini & Co vintage travel posters are the same, but my living room has kind of headed down a travel path. My favorite new item is the massive world map wall art (printed on art canvas and stretched over a frame. Best handmade Christmas gift ever… thanks lovely boyfriend!). I’ve also made a few trips to IKEA lately, where I decided to continue my love affair with the EXPEDIT bookcase line, but since I didn’t have room for the same bookcase I had last time and a TV bench, I opted for a DIY Tetris-style combo. I also bought one of the high-pile wool rugs at IKEA and a colorful, little globe at TJ Maxx.

So my first “in progress” project is to finish hanging the curtains (any suggestions on getting anchor screws in concrete walls? shhhh…) I also want to get some kind of hanging lamp for the corner. I’m really wishing I had been able to buy a light in Morocco or Turkey, but I’m enjoying having my Moroccan pillow covers and material. Next up, a new sleeping bag or maybe a bed. ;)

Any ideas for a hanging light for the corner?

#13: Relearn Spanish

poweredbytofu — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:00:56 +0000

Things have been a little quiet around here lately, yeah? Word on the street is that I’m finally gainfully employed again! And yes, I’ve been slacking a little lot on blogging. So without further ado, I’m checking an item off my 101 Things in 1,001 Days list!

Being unemployed was a great chance to catch up on some of my life list items and goals. Part of my unemployment strategy’s daily routine (after my daily job search and before my daily gardening and laying in the sun) was to practice my Spanish. While Rosetta Stone is pretty awesome software, I found quite a few free options to use too, including Live Mocha. Practicing my Spanish everyday was a great way to brush up on my high school Spanish, since I’ve only used it briefly in my travels through Panama, Spain and Costa Rica. (photo: taniaedu)

#58: Read 10 Classics That I’ve Never Read

poweredbytofu — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:00:50 +0000

OK, I may have gone a little overboard on the Hemingway. After I finished the first five unread classics (including A Moveable Feast, that got me on the Hemingway bandwagon in the first place), I checked out three more! So yes, to recap… 4 of the 10 were Hemingway, and after For Whom The Bell Tolls, I was thoroughly depressed with war stories.

I really liked The Alchemist. I wouldn’t call it a life changer, but I very much enjoyed the “create your own destiny”, “follow your dreams”, and “live in the present” fable. It’s also full of good quotes! :)

The 2nd five classics:

The Old Man and The Sea (Hemingway)
A Farewell to Arms (Hemingway)
For Whom The Bell Tolls (Hemingway)
The Alchemist (Paul Coelho)
The Invisible Man by (HG Wells)

The 1st five: Animal Farm (George Orwell), 100 Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez), Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand), A Moveable Feast (Ernest Hemingway), Slapstick or Lonesome No More (Kurt Vonnegut)

What have you been reading lately?