101 in 1001

Matt and I did the “Christmas Gift Dance” for a few weeks before Christmas. Most of the time it went like this:
Me: We need to get each other Christmas gifts soon.
Matt: Mmhmm.
Me: I have no idea what to get you. Is there anything you want?
Matt: Um, nope. You?
Me: Nope, nothing in particular.

After a few thousand times of that exchange, we decided to celebrate Christmas and open gifts in Second Life, and then go after Christmas to buy our own gifts - but shop together. It’s not something I’d want to do every year, because opening an actual gift and seeing the look one someone’s face when they open yours is a feeling that’s unparalleled in any other activity, but for this year, it was just right.

I did it! For the first time in my adult life, I baked my own Christmas cookies. Lots of kneading, lots of cursing at the dough that just didn’t want to roll out, and lots of powdered sugar later, I had many many batches of cookies. The best part was that everyone seemed to love them! I was quite proud of myself!

I got a package in the mail from UPS yesterday. My mom told me I wasn’t allowed to open it until we were on the webcams so she could see my reaction. I opened it, and inside was the most perfect wedding scrapbook ever. Every picture had a place, every page had intricate details, and it was so obvious the kind of work and passion she put into it. I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever received a more perfect Christmas gift.

She laughed at me because I just kept flipping through it. Back and forth, noticing something new each time I came across a page. It wasn’t until I got to the end of it that I couldn’t hold back the tears, though.

Thank you, mom. It’s perfect. ♥

Matt and I met in Second Life in 2005. Ever since then, I’ve been attempting to do what he does - run a successful (or in my case, even semi-successful would do!) business. However, my attempts at this have all fallen short. Sure, I’ve enjoyed the items I’ve created, and would easily use them myself if I had a need to, but I’m always one step behind the rest when it comes to content creation. I take long breaks from SL, which means I’m stuck learning things that might seem old and easy to those whose interest hasn’t faded over time.

In the interest of trying to do something that I wouldn’t normally do, I decided that with this list, I would ask myself to finish five “projects” and put them up for sale. I didn’t have any thought into what I’d make or when, so I just figured I’d get to it when I felt up to it.

Then last week, Matt and I were goofing around and he said that I should try my hand at gestures. So on a whim, I opened up Audacity, started playing one of our favourite shows, and came up with thirteen gestures! The best part of all, I think, is the fact that I’ve not burnt out yet, and I’ll be coming up with (hopefully many) more!

Last night Matt and I headed over to the post office to pick up a package from my grandparents, and took in the first batch of Christmas cards that I’ve ever mailed out. They were written out properly, with little letters inside saying what we’ve been up to and a couple of photos. I included a photo of our wedding since my family couldn’t be there, a photo of our cat because she’s pretty much our child substitute, and two photos of Halifax, because I’m well aware of the fact that most of my family will never visit here, and therefore will never see where I live.

I’m quite proud of them. I sent them to my great-aunts and second cousins (trust me, we have a very confusing family) as well as both of my parents and both sets of grandparents. I also sent three to good friends of mine and a last one to Matt’s sister, who lives in Ontario and won’t be joining us for Christmas this year.

There’s something about Christmas cards. Everyone gripes about writing them out and having to address them and get them in the mail on time, but once you send them, you feel warm and fuzzy inside. It’s almost as if your world is a little bit brighter because you know that when the recipient gets the card, they’ll know you were thinking of them. At least that’s how I feel when I get a card. It’s nice to be remembered in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Isn’t that what the holidays are about?

Social
1. Successfully send out a batch of Christmas cards.
2. Celebrate Christmas with Matt in Second Life.
3. Visit my family in Michigan.
4. Have a date night with Matt.
5. Write and mail five letters.
6. Have professional photos taken with Matt.
7. Have a movie marathon of some sort.
8. Host a party.
9. Meet an online friend in person.
10. Make five new friends, online or offline.
11. Go on a picnic.
12. Celebrate my birthday with a glamorous night out.
13. Meet up with a friend from high school.
14. Bake a birthday cake for Matt.
15. Make mixed CDs for Christine and Ash of songs that remind me of them and mail them out.

Health

16. Have my eyes checked and get new contacts.
17. Take a multivitamin every day for a month.
18. Follow WW for a month straight.
19. Fit into a single-digit pants size.
20. Walk 5 times around the building without taking a break.
21. Jog 10 times around the building without taking a break.
22. Find myself and Matt a family doctor.
23. Get a set of free weights and use them at least once per week for two months.
24. Read the Beck Diet Solution book.
25. Re-read You on a Diet.
26. Eat nothing but natural foods for a week.
27. Complete the Couch to 5k plan.

Hobbies

28. Complete a Project 365.
29. Knit or crochet something that isn’t a scarf.
30. Frame three photos that I take.
31. Start a wedding scrapbook.
32. Complete 30 days of Flickr Group Roulette.
33. Organize all of my digital photos.
34. Backup all of my digital photos to DVD.
35. Have 10,000 gold in World of Warcraft.
36. Play a family for ten generations in the Sims 2, without cheats.
37. Watch ten movies that I haven’t seen before.
38. Read five books that I haven’t read before.
39. Read the Harry Potter book series.
40. Read 20 of the 60 books on this list.
41. Grow something from a seed.
42. Take a dance class.
43. Create five things for sale in Second Life.
44. Sell an item (not a freebie) to ten different people in Second Life.
45. Open my own shop in Second Life, separate from Matt’s.
46. Swim in the ocean.
47. Buy a diary and fill it completely.
48. Build a snowman.
49. Reorganize my Flickr account.
50. Start a new Sims 2 neighbourhood and fill it with families and houses that I create.
51. Make a playlist of 100 songs that I listened to in high school.
52. Finish the tour on Rock Band (guitar) on medium difficulty.
53. Complete a programming book.
54. Photograph an event for someone else.
55. Try a new game.

Food

56. Bake cupcakes.
57. Try a new style of food.
58. Bake Christmas cookies.
59. Cook everything on my food blog and take photos to put with the posts.
60. Try three new dishes at restaurants.
61. Cook a meal every night for 7 days.
62. Try something from Susie’s Shortbreads.

Backyard Tourism

63. Visit the Maritime Museum.
64. Visit Pier 21.
65. Take a Harbour Hopper tour.
66. Visit the Museum of Natural History.
67. See a live theater performance.
68. Go to a concert.
69. See a sunrise from somewhere other than my apartment.
70. Spend an entire weekend somewhere other than home.
71. Take a tour of the Keith’s Brewery.
72. Go to a theme park of some sort.
73. Drive somewhere downtown.
74. Take 100 photographs of downtown Halifax.
75. Climb a mountain and hear my name echo for miles.

Self-Improvement

76. Obtain my Canadian permanent residency.
77. Find a job.
78. Take an academic class.
79. Attend one Catholic mass.
80. Volunteer for one year straight.
81. Have a professional manicure.
82. Have a professional pedicure.
83. Buy a pretty dress and wear it once per month for 6 months.
84. Have a legal name change to my married name.
85. Do my hair and makeup every day for a month, regardless of whether I have anything to do.
86. Have my eyebrows waxed.
87. Have one computer-free day per month for a year.
88. See someone about my mental health and start taking medication again if necessary.
89. Donate 1,000,000 grains of rice.
90. Donate blood.
91. Buy myself a new pair of shoes that I love.
92. Buy myself a new “perfect” purse.
93. Make a list of 101 simple things that make me genuinely happy.
94. Get certified in CPR and first aid.

Home Life

95. Create a filing cabinet of some sort and file all our important papers.
96. Organize jewelry collection.
97. Move out of this apartment.
98. Buy an actual framed picture.
99. Purchase a piece of furniture that doesn’t come in a box.
100. Make the bed every day for a month.
101. Get rid of 101 items.