100-day Challenge

So, today is my first day on the 100-day challenge, which is a committment to do 30 minutes of exercise daily.  It might pose a problem on the days we are flying to and from Vietnam, but maybe I can get the time in at the airport.  It's my goal, and my completion date will be April 26, 2011, just 3 days after my 30th birthday, and just 5 days before the half-marathon I've signed up to do!

Today = C210K W3D1 - duration 63 minutes.

Vacation Blogs

I've decided to use this blog as a place to record our travels as well.  We (okay I really) try to travel as MUCH as humanly possible, and try to drag Ryan along with me.  I secretly think that someday he'll look back and be really thankful that I made him go to all these places with me.  :)  We travel pretty frequently - try to only fly American (yay for Gold Status!) - and get in about 1 vacation (of at least a week) each year.  Working in the motorcycle industry means that some travel is built in - dealer meetings, AMA and MotoGP races, and occasionally an international show.  So we get probably 3-4 trips per year away from home.  

I am kind of a drill sergeant when it comes to travel.  I like to research the destination to death, and know where exactly to go each day.  Especially on international trips, my theory is that we should see absolutely as much as possible, and all the famous landmarks, because who knows when we'll be back?  I probably buy 4 or 5 travel guides or books about each place before we get there, and sometimes I've been known to buy the Rosetta Stone for the language spoken in the particular country we're headed to.  It may be a bit of overkill, and I can't remember anyone ever saying how FUN a trip with me has been, but by God, we've got the photos to prove we were there!

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to try to be more easygoing in general.  I can be kind of a high-strung individual, so this is definitely a goal I'd like to achieve, strictly for my mental sanity.  Well, we are traveling to Vietnam in February with a group of Ryan's buddies.  One of his friends (well, I mean, they're my friends too, but I met them thru Ryan) is Vietnamese, and has organized this trip to go with him to visit!  I have been warned that this trip is COMPLETELY a go-with-the-flow style vacay, and I am kind of at a loss.  I mean, I have gotten our visas squared way, plane tickets organized, a hotel room booked for when we are on our layover in Tokyo, and researched ultralight packing to death.  And that is really all I can do.  And it's driving me batty!  But I'm going to give it a whack this trip - Ryan and I usually only travel with a carry on, no matter how long our trip is scheduled for.  This one is no different - we are each taking about a 40-45 liter backpack and that's it.  So I guess I can super plan how to get all we'll need for a 2-week vacation into one little bag.  So I've got that going for me.  Ha!

Also, since I'm new to blogging, I'm going to try to really capture our time in Vietnam by camera and blog about it when I get home.  I've planned an excursion to the photo store this Sunday to look at getting some new lenses to use on my camera.  I'll let you know what I find!

YUM

The most delicious creamer EVER - and seriously, it seems like no one else has discovered this - there are tons of bottles every time I go to the grocery store (and no, I'm not buying all the expired bottles - believe me, I check).

So thank you, Belgian Chocolate Toffee Coffee-mate, for being my coffee's mate.

Let's try this again...

So I started blogging in 2009, got bored, and quit.  But I love reading other peoples' blogs, and I especially like how they can be used to make lists and keep the writer accountable - very handy at New Years.  I found a great idea at this cute blog and decided to steal it.  The idea is that she has given herself 1001 days in which to accomplish 101 life-bettering tasks.  I, however, decided to just go for the one year plan.  So, here are my 101 things (or close-to 101) - and I'll be honest, most of these things are her ideas verbatim.  I mean, I'm not THAT clever.:

Blog three times a week for one month

No texts, internet or email for 7 consecutive days

Journal every day for one month

Go to the shooting range

Find a new hobby

Have a baby

Blog about pregnancy

Weekly updates of baby - with photos

Five days with no cursing or hateful comments

Maintain Starbucks Gold Level

Maintain AA Gold Status

Snowball debt – student loans first

Get ripped out pages organized into binder

Call/text/write friends once a month

Answer phone even when I don’t recognize the number

Clean shower once a week

Create cleaning schedule and actually follow it

Drink only water for one week

Floss every day for 30 consecutive days

Take vitamins every day for 30 consecutive days

Run 50 miles in one month

Try Bikram yoga

No candy or junk food for one week

Eat only fruit and vegetables for 7 consecutive days

Stay at goal weight for 30 days

Shop at the Farmer's Market

Run 5 5Ks

 Run one half marathon

Skincare and body lotion for 30 days

 No eating after 7:30 pm for 10 consecutive days

Lose baby weight!

Have a spa day

No restaurants for 14 consecutive days

Make my own hummus

Bake a pie from scratch…including the crust

Exfoliate face twice a week for one month

 Bring lunch to work for an entire month

Workout five times a week for 25 weeks

Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies for 10 consecutive days

Organize photos and backup online

Organize all closets in house

 Clean car weekly for two months

Organize dresser and jewelry drawers

Make bed every day for 3 weeks

Clean kitchen every day for 3 weeks

 Clean up mail every day for 3 weeks

Organize file cabinet and desk

File magazine articles and recycle magazines

Fresh flower arrangements in the house weekly for 1 month

 Bathe dog once a month

List all old books on Paperback Swap

Purge my closet every six months

Read 50 books

Attend a play or musical

 Take cooking class for a different type of cuisine

 Read 5 more books from the top 100 novels

Make cute header for blog

Watch IMDB's top 10 movies

Get library card

Read Bible every day for a month

Try 15 new restaurants

 Take a leisure learning class – not cooking related

 Visit Museum of Art

 Visit Museum of Natural Science

Take a leisure learning class with Ryan

Sell unwanted 150 items on ebay

Menu plan and shop with coupons 10 weeks

Save $2500 in my personal account

Learn to use camera

Buy sewing machine to make curtains

 Buy some Manolos

Send 50 cards or letters to out of town family & friends

Host a cupcakes and champagne party

Host a holiday party

Take a girls only weekend away

Make a homemade treat for someone as a surprise

Send flowers to Mom just because

Visit Caribbean

Take Mom/Daughter trip with Mom & Jan (and Pam & Carolyn)

Camp once

Have a Swirl at the Mont

See at least four different concerts

Go 14 consecutive days without spending any money (except bills)

Save $5 for every item completed

Donate $1 for every item completed

Landscape backyard

Send written thank you notes

Build out basement

New garage doors

Do one craft every season

Do 2 sessions of bootcamp

Take one personal day off every month

Organize utility closets and linen closet

Sell law books

Mani/pedi every other week

Change curtains and pillows each season

I will update this list as the tasks are completed - I'm looking forward to 2011!