Wednesday, August 6, 2008

MY 1001 DAY PROJECT


Over the next 1001 days, I WILL complete the following 101 items
(if I don't, there will be consequences...please see No. 28):

...WITH MY WIFE*
1. Share a $100 bottle of wine
I think we’ve topped out at $17.99 to this point of our marriage

2. Have a child
On Feb. 16, 2010...Crash Myers literally crashed into this world and changed my life forever. (Blog Post: "Being a Dad is the Coolest Thing Ever")

3. Take dance classes

4. Go skiing
Wolf Creek 2010 – we had a wonderfully great time & TK shredded the mountain after a half-day lesson.

5. Go camping

6. Play in a co-ed softball league

7. Attend a Bikram Yoga class
a.k.a. Hot Yoga – I’m scared to death that downward-facing dog
at 105 degrees is going to make me throw-up

* I can do other things on the list with my wife,
but I want to make sure I do these seven things

DEFINING AN ADVENTURE (includes travel)
8. Use my passport
Used it crossing Canadian border on March 11, 2009. No documentation (photos, video, etc.) – see why by clicking here.

9. Sky dive

10. Go to a Texas Rangers game
at a visitors’ ballpark
On July 15, 2010, I took my family to watch the Rangers play the Red Sox at Fenway Park. It was a wonderfully great experience AND the Rangers won, 7-2.

11. Go deep-sea fishing

12. Go on another 100-mile hut-to-hut
mountain bike adventure in Colorado
I did this in 2006 (read about it here)

13. Ride with storm chasers
Update: I actually found out that a guy I know from high school does this in his spare time; Targeted date: Spring 2010.

14. Re-enact Ferris Bueller’s
Day Off in Chicago
I need a little "pass" on this task – I WAS in Chicago and I DID a couple/few of the same things Ferris did on that historic day in 1986, but "re-enact" is strong verbiage.

15. Summit a “Fourteener”
That is mountaineering lingo for a mountain
above 14,000 feet; there are 88 in North America

16. Go fly fishing

17. Go to Alaska

18. Go on a canoeing trip

19. Go on a cruise

20. Ride in a hot air balloon


RUNNING A BUSINESS (e-Partners in Giving)
21. Post revenue of $1 million

22. Set-up a foundation

23. Hire four staff members
I have the positions in mind…I EVEN have a “wish list”
of people I would like to slide into those spots

24. Put together customer service manual

25. Move into an office building

26. Start another business
Not jumping the gun – I just have A LOT of ideas

GIVING BACK
27. Accumulate 1,000 volunteer hours
The breakdown: Approximately 7 hours a week for 143 weeks

28. Donate $1 for every completed task and $2 for every task I don’t accomplish to Marathon Kids

29. Help build Habitat Humanity House
In conjunction with the 2008 NFDA Convention, members of the e-Partners in Giving Family participated in a Habitat build in the Orlando area. We all yielded hammers, handled some lumber, and broke a sweat for the good of giving back. (photo gallery)

30. Adopt a Client
On July 3, 2009, we helped redefine "Independence Day" for one shelter resident – gathering items to help make his new house a home. (blog here)

31. Help a stranded motorist

32. Inspire someone else to do 101 things
Here is a list of people who said I motivated them to participate in this project. (My favorite task on their 101 list is in parenthesis.):

• Melanie Crommett (No. 37 – Make a flower bouquet for someone out of colored Q-tips & Styrofoam balls like the little weird chick on "Zoey 101")

• Kimbra Quinn (No. 11 – Host a Jaws Pool Party)
I had to get additional information on this in order to make it my top pick – it’s a pool party where they show “Jaws” on a big screen. I was told it would probably include adult beverages and several inflated “floaty sharks.”

• Dave Quinn (No. 87 – Spend St. Patrick's Day in Shamrock, Texas, and stay at the U-Drop Inn) click here to see entire list

33. Invest in a friend’s start-up company
I had A LOT of people believe in me – if the right
opportunity presents itself, I want to return the favor

34. Serve on the board – or as an advisor –
for a non-profit organization
Currently president of the Junior Board for the North Texas Chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters; serving on Board for Presbyterian Night Shelter.

35. Serve as a professional mentor/life coach

36. Make Christmas cookies for my neighbors

TRYING TO LOOK GOOD NAKED
37. Hire a personal trainer

38. Take karate lessons

Or some form of martial arts class – I just want
to kick some butt if necessary

39. Complete a half Ironman Triathlon
This could easily fall into the “I Better Get Started” category

40. Participate in Shiner BASH bike ride
Annual event – in early May – that consists of a 90-mile ride
from Austin to Shiner and a lot of beer

41. Break 4-hour mark in a marathon

42. Purchase my own road bike
I HAVE to mark this off the list before No. 38 AND No. 39;
I’ve been using my wife’s for the last couple of years

43. Participate in “Yoga Flow
in the Japanese Garden”
Seasonal workshop held at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden – started the seven-week class on Sept. 11, 2008, and finished on Oct. 23.

MY SPIRITUAL LIFE
44. Build a prayer garden

45. Participate in regular Bible Study
Completed 16-week men's fellowship at McKinney Bible Church; Focus of class: "Winning at Work and Home."

46. Go on a mission trip


SIMPLY LIVING
47. Order a double scoop of ice cream
After going to the driving range with my little brother Anthony (BBBS), we stopped in at Cold Stone Creamery for a little ice cream. I realized why I never had a double scoop before – that's A LOT of ice cream!

48. Buy a Fathead

49. Vote in the presidential election
2008 presidential election Barack Obama vs. John McCain

50. Test drive a $100,000 sports car
Inspired by HBO’s “Entourage,” I'm thinking about

51. Participate in a wine tasting

52. Go to a rodeo
Went to Stockyards Championship Rodeo on Feb. 1, 2009

53. Post a video on You Tube
• Posted "Short Film: Detained" on March 25, 2009 (watch here)
• Posted "Going Full Throttle: Adventures of the Bracelet" on Oct. 7, 2009 (watch here)

54. Attend a Jimmy Buffet concert

55. Sell something on Craig’s List
Sold cast-iron, double-bowled sink for $30 (blog here).

56. Crash a wedding
A sub-goal for this one….incorporate another task
at the same time; maybe No. 53

57. Host a Thanksgiving dinner at my house

58. Let my dog play in the ocean

59. Attend homecoming
at my alma mater (Midwestern State University)

60. Go see a stand-up comic

61. Go to an air show
Went to 2009 Sheppard Air Show in Wichita Falls. Took my Little Brother, Anthony. (He's actually throwing around the idea of being an airplane mechanic and/or joining the military.)

62. Go to a movie by myself
Saw "The Hangover" on July 23, 2009 – it was greatness and the perfect film to see by yourself.

63. Attend a book signing

64. Host a dinner party
Had an intimate gathering on Jan. 24, 2009. Theme: Japan vs. Mexico. (Make-your-own sushi and margaritas from homemade 'rita machine.)
65. Plant a tree
As part of my wife's 5-year anniversary present, planted a Magnolia tree in our front yard. (Complete blog post)

66. Dress up for Halloween
Participated in my sister's 2008 Halloween theme: The Wizard of Oz. I was the Yellow Brick Road.

67. Write a Letter to the Editor

68. Take one real estate class

69. Hire a financial manager

70. Take piano lessons

71. Make a compost bin
This might not seem like a big deal to some people, but my wife is the one commonly referred to as the "handyman" in our relationship. (click here for photos)

72. Hire a maid
Will allow me to focus on this list instead of cleaning the house

73. Ride on a train
Rode Amtrak Train from Denver to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in route to ski trip in Vail. (blog here)

74. Start customer service blog
I truly feel like society has come to expect
bad customer service – I want to help stop the madness with this blog (created July 27, 2009)

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY…
75. Play a round of golf at Colonial Country Club
Could have easily fallen into the category
“Going to Need a Little Help/Luck”

76. Play paintball

77. Get certified in scuba diving

78. Eat a “fried concoction” in front
of Big Tex at the State Fair
I went with Fried Smores and Fried Moon Pie at the 2009 State Fair.

79. Play a round of indoor (simulated) golf

I BETTER GET STARTED
80. Eat a hot dog & drink a beer
in every American League ballpark (2/14)

81. Take a self portrait in every National Park (1/58)
82. Spearhead a campaign to make Fort Worth
the “most giving” city in the United States

GOING TO NEED A LITTLE HELP/LUCK
83. Win $1,000 playing craps in Vegas ($0)
Please note this is NOT in one sitting

84. Throw out the first pitch
at a Major League Baseball game

85. Meet the President of the United States

86. Ride on a motorcycle

87. Ride on a float in a Fourth of July parade

88. Be the mascot at a college football game

89. Get Pudge Rodriguez’s autograph
Thanks to my kick-butt brother-in-law for helping make this happen. Pudge got traded back to Rangers in August 2009, and this was his ONLY signing in the Metroplex. At the signing, I reminded Pudge that he was "the man" AND I informed him that I had a man crush on him. (Yes, it was a little awkward)

TRYING TO GET BETTER
90. Shoot under 100 in 18 holes of golf
Besides No. 85, this might be the most difficult task on my list

91. Learn to whistle with my fingers

92. Complete one Home Depot
“Do It Yourself” workshop
Captain Augustus McCrae (my dog) ate a hole
in my bathroom wall – I might look into dry wall repair

93. Read 200 books (14)














* recommended read

CATEGORY ALL ITS OWN
94. Watch a football game
at the “Horseshoe” (Ohio State)
Oct. 25th, 2008: Buckeyes vs. Penn State. The pre-game festivities were AWESOME, but the game was extremely boring.

95. Get a tattoo


96. Buy a round of drinks for an entire bar
See No. 21

97. Go to Kentucky Derby

98. Buy a T-Shirt from Threadless.com
An AWESOME business idea: People submit T-Shirt designs,
guests vote on the best with a chance to purchase the winner

99. Write a freelance article
for a national publication

100. Spend the night in a homeless shelter

101. Participate in a "No Shave" month
One month, zero shaving – Sept. 2009. Did it in conjunction with Rangers push for the postseason (that didn't work out so well). May NEVER miss a day of shaving again. (see the Daily Mugshots)

7 comments:

JulieB said...

You inspire me to be a better person. I am lucky to have you as a friend. Julie

Unknown said...

Amazing list!!! I send you my good luck wishes on completing them all!!!

Sue Bacsik said...

We will help you complete some of these! What should we bring to your Thanksgiving dinner?

Greg said...

Even though this is against my better judgement, I will help you with number 76 (I remember the BB gun incident).

Michael Gresham said...

I'm working on setting up No. 13 and No. 52 for you. If everything goes right, 52 will be something you won't forget either.

arlene said...

i was humbled to see that we were a part of at least 2 of your 101. you've inspired me to come up with my own list. i think, though, that i will borrow a few of yours (the ones i've already done) to shorten my list. i'm a lot older than you, so i should get an abbreviated list.

Anonymous said...

I have looked at A LOT of lists because I need a few more ideas for my second go round of a 101 list, and yours is the first one I've commented on - out of the maybe 100 that I've looked at, yours is one of the best, and definitely inspirational. Good luck!!