101 Things/1001 Days

Project End

lee — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:45:19 +0000

Well little did I realise back on the 1st April 2006 that 1001 days would pass so quickly and here we are the deadline past a few hours ago now and I have been going though a few things. I know when I compiled this list of 101 things (well I never got around to listing the full 101 things) that it was not going to be easy in fact there would have been little point in making a list of things to do that was simple and easy to archive - so I will not be bashing myself over the head for not completing this list. It does however show me that maybe I need to look more at how my time is spent and whether this could be better used.

Completed
10. Eat a fruit I have never tried before.
11. Do a car boot sale.
25. Go out to Worms Head off Rhosilli
29. Read The Chronicles of Narnia
34. Visit Dublin
35. Visit the National Botanical Gardens of Wales
37. Change my car to a newer model.
41. Create at least 50 handmade cards.[20/50]
42. Sort out all my photos and put them in to albums
46. A night out in Cardiff/Swansea
49. Visit Llyn Y Fan Fach
54. Upgrade/change my computer
58. Complete EDCL Level 3 Word course
63. Create a sub site for this project.
64. Buy an expensive ice cream
69. Complete EDCL Level 3 Access course
70. Complete EDCL Level 3 Powerpoint course
77. Visit a continental market
79. Visit Llyn Llech Owain country park
82. Buy a Welsh rugby shirt
85. Complete my Quantum Leap dvd collection
92. Complete my Stargate SG-1 dvd collection

Listed below are those tasks I failed to complete within the 1001 day target, those tasks with an (*) means that they are partial completed

Uncompleted
1. To watch all of the AFI top 100 films.[32/100](*)
2. To watch all of the BFI top 100 films.[30/100](*)
3. To watch all of the IMDB top 250 films.[81/250](*)
4. Visit and take a trip on the London Eye.
5. Make a list of my top 100 favourite films.(*)
6. Own at least 50 of the films in my top 100 list on DVD.
7. Release a message in a bottle.
8. Write three letters of complaint relating to poor customer service.
9. Write three letters of thanks relating to good customer service.
12. Leave a 100% tip.
13. Paint a self-portrait.
14. Make a will.
15. Go on a camping weekend.
16. Save a pound a day for 1001 days
17. Visit New York
18. Go and see a play.
19. Go to a concert.
20. Have a ski lesson
21. Do something for charity.
22. Spend a week without using a computer.
23. Move out of my bedsit.
24. Visit Blackpool
26. Treat my family to a meal
27. Make a list of my 100 favourite songs(*)
28. Climb a mountain
30. Get up early one day (5.30am) and go for a jog
31. Eat 5 potions of fruit and veg each day for 2 weeks
32. Take a photo every day for a month
33. Write a story
36. Watch a rugby game at the Millennium Stadium
38. Fly a kite
39. Get the life history section of my site up to date.
40. Customise a t-shirt
43. Tidy my wardrobe, declutter and send it off to charity
44. Visit an online friend who I have never met.
45. Fast for 72 hours
47. Go paintballing
48. Visit Cauldy Island
50. Take a walk around Llyn Brianna reservoir
51. Paint a picture
52. Dye my hair a different colour
53. Repay the money my mother loaned me back in 1999
55. Create a photo dvd with music.
56. Chart my progress using my web site
57. Build a sandcastle
59. Keep a daily tally on my expenditure on a spreadsheet for a month
60. Cycle for more than 10 miles
61. Learn to knit
62. Get at least one of my photos published
65. Create a recipe book
66. Cook at least ten things I have never cooked before
67. Unveil project “cariad”
68. Complete EDCL Level 3 Excel course
71. Visit a zoo/wildlife park
72. Buy a bagful of pick and mix sweets
73. Watch the sun rise or set
74. Make Turkish Delight
75. Make homemade rissoles
76. Take a trip on a steam engine
77. Send the two vidoes I owe to Marie
78. Attend a beer festival
80. Go for a picnic
81. Throw a penny into a wishing well and make a wish
83. Create a time capsule and bury it
84. Make candyfloss
86. Complete 5 photographic projects
87. Stop drinking caffeinated soft drinks for 1 month
88. Stay awake for 48 consecutive hours
89. Drink at least 2.5 pints of water a day for at least a week.
90. Lose enough weight to be healthy and happy.
91. Visit at least five National Trust properties[2/5](*)
93. - 101. Undecided Tasks

There are things in the uncompleted list that I should do my best to complete not because I have to but because I should. So I will carry on with the project until the end of March 2009.

41. Create at least 50 handmade cards.

lee — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:29:48 +0000

I originally started making my own cards after working out that I was no good at calligraphy and after buying so much craft materials I wanted to ensure that they were not wasted and that I was actually making handmade cards for my friends and family. The first card I made was no doubt not wanted and thinking back I really don’t know why I wasted my time making it but I did and since then I have gone on to make many more, with friends especially eager to see what sort of card they will get off me.

Originally I had decided not to count cards I had made for Christmas but after careful consideration I have decided that these cards were also handmade so need to be counted. I have noted counted any that I would consider as “mass produced” cards which involved me using the same design more than once. If I had not counted the cards made at Christmas time I would not be able to complete this task as there are only so many occasions that I can make cards for - I have been lucky in that I got the chance to make two engagement cards. I was going to post a selection of cards here but don’t really have the time so if anyone wants to take a look at some of the cards I have made are more then welcome to check out the link below.

Handcrafted cards

So with well over 50 hand made cards this task has been completed.

42. Sort out all my photos and put them in to albums

lee — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:51:08 +0000

For years my old photos have been stored in a bag on top of my wardrobe in no real order so this was something I had been meaning to do for ages, I had bought the albums and they had just been waiting for me to finally fill them up. Got help with this of one of my friends who is a little better at organising such things so armed with my bag of photos and the photo albums we sorted out the photos into years and started filling the albums. I had not realised just how many photos I had taken with my old camera and the different formats that were used - trying to get those landscape photos into the albums was tricky!

All the new photos I take are digital and are stored on the computer so this is one task crossed off my list.

92. Complete my Stargate SG-1 dvd collection

lee — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:48:15 +0000

I remember watching the original film with Kurt Russell and watched the series when it started on television and soon the two just seemed to merger into one. Like any series there were good episodes and there were bad. I was forced into getting the DVD’s as terrestrial television was constantly changing the time slots for the shows which meant I missed them. Richard Dean Anderson was great as Colonel Jack O’Neill and personally I felt that the series lost something when he decided to take a less active role from season eight I was even more disturbed when they introduced Ben Browder followed shortly by his Farscape co star Claudia Black as I had found Farscape to be a rather odd series. I must be one of the only fans to be happy that Stargate SG1 has ended, it also means I have completed another of my goals.

37. Change my car to a newer model

lee — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:03:40 +0000

After my trusty Ford Escort had to have over £350 worth of work to pass its MOT back in April I knew that the time had come to cut my losses and change the car. With no real idea of what car I wanted I began to canvas the opinions of my friends and work colleagues about different cars. I was eventually put off getting another Ford, the parts maybe cheap and easy to obtain but there was always the shadow of corrosion - especially with any that were within my price range. I toyed with the idea of getting a Volkswagon as they have a good reputation and seem to hold their price - and that was the problem the only ones that I could find within my budget were basic models. In the end I decided on a Peugeot, either the 206 or the 307 and could find very few of either model around here so searched a little further afield and eventually traveled down to Bristol for the day to check out a few garages. I had prepared a list of garages that had cars I wanted to look at and it was at a garage next door that I found the car I was going to end up with.

The car had only just arrived and had not been cleaned up but I liked the colour and some negotiating with the price made that look a little more attractive as well. Had a look around a few other local garages but I knew that any other car I saw would have to be really good to get me to change my mind, so on the way back to the garage I called my insurance company to check how much the insurance would be before returning to the garage to do the deal. I should thank Andrew for his help in the negotiating and for deflecting the salesman patter off of me as we went around all these garages. (I asked him to pretend that it was him who was looking for a car and not me - this gave me the chance to listen and look)

64. Buy an expensive ice cream

lee — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:04:34 +0000

A strange task really but I wanted to treat myself to an ice cream I would not normally buy so over Easter I went out to the Mumbles (near Swansea) for the day and enjoyed a nice walk along the pier and up Oystermouth Castle, this has to be one of only a handful of castles in Wales that I have never been to before. After all that exercise I decided to treat myself to an ice cream at Verdi’s Ice Cream parlour The photo does not really do the Mumbles justice it really is a lovely place to visit and anyone who does should enjoy an ice cream. Think this knickerbocker glory cost about £5 - was it worth it? It was nice and and came in a handy plastic container that you could use again but there was so much choice of ice cream that I had wished I had gone for something else.

49. Visit Llyn Y Fan Fach

lee — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:01:57 +0000

With the end date fast approaching for my 1001 day challenge I have started to become a little more pro-active at looking for things on the list that can be crossed off. So on Easter Monday I set off to Llyn Y Fan Fach which is located in the Brecon Beacons. I have always wanted to visit after hearing the legend of the lady from the lake (not the one from Arthurian legends) when I was younger, at primary school I remember they were planning on producing a play telling the story even thought I was involved I can only ever remember one meeting regarding it.

So armed with camera I eventually got to the car park at the bottom of the mountain and started the walk up to the lake, now if you have no idea how far away something is it seems to take ages to get there and I have to admit I am not as fit as I thought I was or used to be. I could blame the shoes I was wearing (not what is recommended for mountain walking) but in reality I should get out and exercise more.
The walk however painful it might have been was rewarding once I got to the lake, I will admit I did not know what to expect as I had only ever seen photographs taken from higher up the mountains. The photo here does not really do the place justice but I must have spent a good bit of time up by the lake just enjoying the views and taking photos, it was odd to see some of the peaks covered in snow and if it had not been so late in the day (and if I had been better prepared) I may well have continued to climb further up the mountain to get more photos. I am glad I did not now as after deciding to start the descent it began to snow and the weather did start to close in.

After visiting Llyn Y Fan Fach I can understand why the place is thought to be magical. I am sure I have the story regarding the lake prepared for one of my sites but can’t find it at the moment but I will add a link here (eventually)

29. Read The Chronicles of Narnia

lee — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 16:09:48 +0000

Would you believe I had never read these books before, not the whole series at any rate I am sure I would have read “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” at school so at the start of March I loaned “The Magicians Nephew” and got to learn how Narnia was created and the origins of the Witch and how the Wardrobe became magical. I finished this book in record time and I had soon worked my way though the others to “The Last Battle” which is the end of the series. Where “The Magicians Nephew” tells of the creation of Narnia “The Last Battle” tells of the end of Narnia and we get to find out what happened to the characters that we met during the previous books. Does the book have a happy ending?

Well that really does depends on your outlook on things.

82. Buy a Welsh rugby shirt

lee — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:01:46 +0000

You would have thought this was something that I would have already owned or at the very least been able to just go out and buy one the day after this project began in order to cross something off the list. As the Welsh rugby team have been playing rather well in the Six Nations contest I figured now would be the right time to go out and get the shirt, In fact when the Welsh team were playing Ireland yesterday!

Of course there were so many different shirts available and after doing a search a few days ago online and seeing the prices that the shirts are sold for I was rather pleased to be able to pick up one for only £20.99, and hopefully I will be wearing it next Saturday when Wales play France for the grand slam.

11. Do a car boot sale

lee — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:29:50 +0000

This was something that I have been meaning to do for quite sometime, mainly to get rid of a lot of my old junk. However when actually looking through my possessions and putting aside the things that were surplus to requirements and could be sold at a car boot sale I discovered I had very little and would be hard pushed to sell enough to cover the cost of setting up the stall. So for the last few months I have been building up bits and pieces that I could sell or at the very least have on the table to make it look like I had a lot.

It has been at least ten years since I last did a car boot sale and this was the first time at this location and I did find it rather disappointing that there did not seem to be a great deal of organisation, we got there just after 7am and were informed that there was no spaces inside so we would have to set up outside and take our chances with the elements. But even setting up outside there was no real order so after setting up the table and having to contend with all those bargain hunters (fellow traders hoping for a bargain in the confusion of setting up your stall) we were set and with a few more cars around us it should have helped with the footfall. The weather managed to hold out for a few hours just after 11.00 that a few of the cars close to us decided to call it a day but as the rain got heavier we called it quits at about 11.30.

The majority of what I had was old VHS cassettes ( I have hundreds so only took the films that I have on DVD) a old inkjet printer, scanner and some old computer games. I had not expected to sell many videos as DVD’s seem to be all the rage these days but was surprised that none of the computer peripherals went but then again would many people want to take a risk buying electrical goods at a car boot sale?

I did not want the printer so removed the ink cartridges so that I can send them off to be recycled and hopefully get some TESCO Clubcard Points some of the other smaller items that had no real value for me were binned and I shall be deciding what to do with the other items that did not sell.