MY 1001 DAY PROJECT

2008-08-06T19:49:00.000-07:00

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
Tanya “purchased” this for me a couple

of birthdays ago – I still haven’t collected

~~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
If I opt to skip the fun-in-the-sun option –

could mark off No. 16 on the same trip

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
Best time to date: 4:03:56; Update: Attempted to cross off in April 2009, but DNF (blog here)

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
My friend Kelly recently went on a mission trip

to Zambia – I’m so proud of her!

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
I’m leaning towards Tony Romo or Hannah Montana

~~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

an Aston Martin DBS ($265,000)

~~51. Participate in a wine tasting~~

Tanya and I were introduced to "The Wine Master"

in Dallas on August 12, 2008

~~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
You ask: Why Jimmy Buffett? I ask: Why not?

(I heard he is AWESOME in 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
Not “drive” a motorcycle…just ride. My brother has one… “Hey, John!”

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)

1. "Marley and Me" by John Grogan*

2. "The Journey of Desire" by John Eldredge

3. "Dangerous Surrender" by Kay Warren*

4. "Good Dog. Stay." by Anna Quindlen

5. "Small Town, Big Miracle" by Bishop W.C. Martin

6. "Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn

7. "Where Have All the Leaders Gone?" by Lee Iacocca*

8. "Twelve Might Orphans" by Jim Dent*

9. "The Shack" by William P. Young*

10. "Saving the World at Work" by Tim Sanders

11. "The Lost Boy" by Dave Pelzer

12. "Freak0nomics" by Steven Levitt*

13. "Tribes" by Seth Godin

14. "When the Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box" by John Ortberg*

* 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 (to celebrate $1 million milestone)
See No. 21

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)

ATTACKING LIFE: 101 tasks, 1001 days

MY 1001 DAY PROJECT