Last summer when I wrote the list, no. 77 was a wish item; one of the things you really hope to get done, but you're not certain.
Crossing this off the list less than a year later, is titillating.
When people notice, I'm not modest. Just delighted.
I completed my 101 in 1001 list mid July last year. Here's what I've accomplished to date.
I was surprised that I haven't completed one thing on the creative portion of my list. That's not to say I haven't been creative. I've been knitting and I've been making postcards. I've even started a couple hand-sewing projects, but mostly I've been organizing.
I want to see more items crossed off the 'creative' and 'soul' lists. With house guests over the next couple of months, I'm planning adventures that will help me accomplish that.
Number 84. Get a new tattoo(s).
The re-do.
As you all know, I got new ink when I visited Neen last September. We both got stars; mine are on my inner right forearm, Neen's are on the back of her neck.
Note to self: be careful when you get ink. Simple designs are not by nature, simple. When the stars healed, I was left with faded color and wonky lines. As H-girl can attest, I've complained frequently about the stars and I'm quite certain everyone had more than enough.
When we got to Atlantic City, I was so disappointed when our girl B, said she wouldn't be able to fix my stars, not unless I wanted them black, something I wasn't certain about.
We started with the new tattoo. Sitting through the pain that is tattooing, I came to the decision that black or not, I hated my stars and anything, even all black, would be better.
Imagine my utter joy when B declared that she could and would be filling my stars with color, did I want a brighter purple?
Something new.*
If this was an episode of LA Ink, I'd have a dramatic story about butterflies and my metamorphosis. And there is some of that, I'll admit. The butterflies in flight representing all the changes that have occurred in the past few months and the momentum which I embrace. But the real reason I chose these butterflies for new ink, is their beauty. I loved the outlines and the color that wasn't really inside the lines. I'm like that, straying outside the lines.
Before the stars, I thought I might have these butterflies on my arm, I'm glad I chose otherwise. The location of this tattoo is perfect. It gives balance to my first tattoo, the dragon head, and I love how the 2 tattoos interact as the butterflies move over my hip.
I like odd numbers and this tattoo makes no. 9. H-girl pointed out that the 3 colored butterflies divide by 3; a perfect balance.
I'm done. No really, I am.
*I feel very insecure posting this photo with my mottled skin.
*First grade started on Thursday, a very different routine from kindegarten. The kiddies line up in the front of the school, teachers come and the kids are gone. I didn't have time to snivel or whimper last Thursday, Mrs. V was too busy whisking my kid into school, a stern Pied Piper. 
The end of the school day is more chaotic. Instead of a teacher making sure your child is picked up and by the right person, first graders are let out into the front of the school, the side with traffic, as opposed to the playground side that's enclosed. Granted, I walked alone to and from school starting in kindegarten, but those were different times. My girl and I have a designated place to meet. I've put a pact in place with my friend to make sure our child is accounted for at the end of the day, before we leave school grounds. It's the routine, the way it's always been done explains Mrs. V, but that doesn't make it right by me, even if I'm over-protective.
*Being in first grade means no more Disney princesses and that includes A's baby bike purple princess bike with training wheels. We also couldn't raise the seat any higher, miss A is all legs. The new, 2-wheelin' big girl bike was purchased and the lessons began.
With all of our trials, something wasn't clicking. Our neighbor T (whose driveway is pictured), decided to give it a hand. She tied a beach towel around A's waist, twisting the ends together. This is how she held A steady; back and forth up the driveway, eventually T started letting go. And A did really well until she realized T had let go, at which point A crashed and that was the end of the lesson.
Sunday morning we had another go. A was so close but frustrated and T once again, saved the day. Within minutes A was riding longer and longer without anyone holding on. We'd stand at either end of the driveway, focusing her attention on us so she'd look forward, holding her arms firm and she did it. A learned how to ride her bike! The look of pride on her face. If I could package that look and keep it in my pocket, I'd never have another sad day.
*For whatever reason, one afternoon I clicked from KC's comments over to a commenter, urban-urchin. After cruising through her archives, I had a new blog crush although I was a little worried that my archive-reading would appear stalker-like. Reading along, I started thinking that urban-urchin's suburbs look and sound a lot like my own. Guess what? We're practically neighbors. We could tie a string from fence post to fence post and lead ourselves home should we ever drink too much. Not that I'm sayin' it's going to happen, but it's good to know how you're getting home should you get your drink on.
Exchanging emails, we decided to meet on Saturday, first for coffee, scratch that, we instead met for wine. It is a heady feeling when you meet someone that you click with. How lucky I thought, to have met someone that lives so close with common interests. Be still my heart. We were late getting home (that's what happens when you drink wine), and we made plans to get together again on Sunday, this time with daughters in tow. M was a super-star, offering to take the girls to the park for an hour so we'd have more time to get to know one another. Except it never felt like that, the getting to know part. There's an ease of conversation, a common language that's exciting and familiar simultaneously. I can't wait to test out the fence post string theory and at the very least, to getting together again soon.
On Labor Day, Luzie and I finally got a chance to go into the city together. I wanted to show her the East Village, a place I frequently show in the photos I share here. A colorful neighborhood, your head swivels from side to side as you take in the cafes and shops, the people, and random street art that enchants me.
On the corner of 6th and B, we found a tiny oasis. A beautiful, cooperative garden enclosed from the public and surrounded by ornate black iron and a big padlock. In one of the prominent plots along the fence is an amazing structure, constructed from found art, a relic.
As we snapped away, a man watering his own little plot, invited us in. There were others hovering around the gate, our benefactor the Willy Wonka of the gardens, just Luzie and I holding the golden ticket.
We left a nice donation, thanked our Willy Wonka and continued North. Looking around, we spied a fascinating fire escape. We marveled that the occupants chose to represent themselves like this in public and we couldn't resist a few shots. We even inspired another tourist to stop and snap.
In the 14 years I've called the east coast home, I've never visited the Empire State Building. When Luzie mentioned she was going, I tagged along and I was glad for the opportunity to go with a friend. Plus, it's #26, (in the just for me section), on my list. The Empire State Building is one of my favorite landmarks, especially at night. Everyday a different color scheme glitters from its deco facade. When I'd leave school after evening classes, I'd look to my left for the colors, a story for that day. My favorite is an all white building on a foggy night. The lighting bolt spire peeking above the mist, the white lights muted and twinkling.
Our intention was to end the day at the Empire State Building for dusk. We were hoping to catch the city as it changed from day to night, a magical time to be so high in the sky. If it weren't so crowded and I wasn't a complete claustro-phobe, we would have been there for this transition. We caught the very beginning of the sunset and then I started to freak. I was antsy, pacing. Poor Luzie. I told her I was leaving, that I would meet her back home, that I couldn't stay any longer. In that moment I was panicked. I wasn't thinking straight. Hindsight being what it is, I would-a should-a, could have suggested I wait downstairs at Starcrack. I'm sorry friend.
Always a list-maker, this project appealed to me. Originally I wanted to have my list begin 07.07.07, (that date twinkling at the OCD* in me), but coming up with 101 things wasn't easy. I wanted the list to be reasonable and challenging. I also wanted to erase tasks that have been on various, revolving lists for years.
Start date: 07.19.07
End date: 04.10.10
********************************************
JUST FOR ME
1. attend high tea
2. have a tea party for me and miss A and our friends
3. put coins into an expired meter for 10 people
4. pay for the person behind me at Star-crack
5. take photobooth strips in all of the shore towns in NJ
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ., 9.04.07
Seaside Heights, NJ., 9.07
6. have the shore town booths listed in the directory
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ., 9.04.07
7. visit and photograph all the lighthouses in NJ
8. nikon D40 present from M, 7.22.07
9. shutter release for camera 3.20.08
10. flash for camera
11. 50 mm. lens for camera
12. shoot photos at the beach all four seasons
13. visit all of these NYC landmarks
14. take 3 organized tours in Manhattan
15. watch all 3 seasons of Arrested Development
16. visit 3 Cali missions
17. sing karaoke 5.22.08
18. learn photoshop
19. buy myself flowers once a week for a month
20. pay off all credit card debt
21. read 15 books in 2007 completed 12.2007
22. read 15 books in 2008
23. read 15 books in 2009
24. do 5 hikes in the tri-state area
25. go skinny-dipping
26. visit the top of the empire state building 9.03.07
27. go to 3 state or county fairs
CREATIVE
28. organize a moleskine round robin
29. make 10 postcards and send to friends
30. organize fabric closet 5.16.08
31. sew 5 pair of pajama bottoms
32. sew 3 skirts
33. use up yarn stash
34. finish purple crazy quilted pillow shams
35. put together crazy quilt squares into a small quilt
36. make a curtain for under the basement stairs
37. alter a book
38. create an inspiration board
39. organize all of A's school work/art work into a system
40. make a contraption for my duaflex camera
41. take a digital photography class
42. create (2) photo walls in the kitchen
ON THE HOME FRONT
43. organize workspace in office
44. hang shelf above workspace completed 07.10.07
45. condense and organize art supplies in the dining room and A's closet
46. organize guest room closet
47. fix broken tcotchkes in dining room buffet
48. have a garage sale
49. clean up basement completed 08.02.07
50. paint chalkboard wall in basement
51. re-arrange play room in basement
52. organize recipes and files
53. cook 5 new recipes from my collection of cookbooks
54. cook 5 new recipes from cooking magazines
55. bake 5 new desserts
56. cook 10 of the 101 recipes from the NY Times
57. have a fondue dinner party
58. learn to make a good sangria
59. landscape the backyard
60. landscape the side of the house
61. bake andrea's red velvet cake from scratch
62. make andrea's frosting as well
MIND
63. learn to play mahjong
64. read jane lyttleton's infertility and chinese medicine
65. learn to speak Spanish
66. take an Indian cooking class
67. read healing with whole foods
68. learn about homeopathy
69. study for CA licensing exam
70. take the CA licensing exam
BODY
71. lose 10 pounds
72. complete 10 chin-ups
73. complete 25 push-ups off my knees
74. try 4 new foods
75. lift weights two times a week for 3 months
76. cardio exercise four times a week for 3 months
77. stand naked in the mirror and like what i see - three, separate times completed 5.6.08
78. spin class once a week for 3 months
79. try a yoga practice again 8.03.07
80. learn to roller skate backwards, fast
81. learn how to switch from forward to backward skating, fast
82. drink 64 oz. of water everyday for a month completed january to february 2008
83. whiten my teeth
84. get another tattoo, 9.28.07, 02.02.08
SOUL
85. see live music alone
86. make 2 new girlfriends
87. london
88. paris
89. amsterdam
90. sicily
91. dublin
92. portland, maine
93. portland, oregon
94. montreal
95. toronto
96. read all the books on my shelf
97. get a 90 minute massage seasonally for one year
98. go to a museum, gallery or exhibition 10 times
99. take my girl to see a broadway musical
100. go to a drive-in movie
101. fly a kite with my girl
* i really like that the project ends on the 10th day in 2010
