Miriam Parkinson

2009 is well and truely over and this occasion calls for a 101 Goals update.

Completed Goals

8. Read 1984 and Animal Farm (2/2)

13. Give blood

14. Attend a family Christmas

16. Cook a 3 course meal for a friend

22. Visit Dad in Canberra

28v2. Run a half-marathon in the melbourne marathon

40. Organise all my files on both computers and ext hard drive (3/3)

41. Own 5 pieces of jewellery that I love (5/5)

42. Remove all ipod tracks I don’t like

51. Go indoor rock climbing

52. Go to Melbourne museum

53. Go to Moonlight cinema

54. Go to the art gallery

55. Organise, prepare food for and go on a picnic

56. See 25 greatest films as voted by IMDB (25/25)

66. Do makeup every morning for a month (30/30)

73. Complete a 4km race

74. Complete an 8km race

75. Do 25 consecutive men’s’ push-ups (best 25/25)

78. Finish in the top 50% in a 4km run

81. Average over 80 in uni classes

82. Do career relevant work

84. Get a high distinction

86. Get above 90% on 5 assignments/tests (5/5)

94. Go to the gold coast to visit Victoria

99. Go overseas

101. See a Cirque Du Soleil show

So that’s 27/101 goals complete. May need to speed up a little!

Goals in Progress

1. Create photo tour of my workspace for blog

4. Upload 250 photos to flickr (139/250)

9. Read 50 non-fiction books (10/50)

• Anais Ninn’s In Favour of the Sensitive Man and Other Essays
• 6 Impossible Things Before Breakfast: The Evolutionary Origins of Belief, Lewis Wolpert
• Moral Minds: How Nature Designed Our Universal Sense of Right and Wrong, Marc Hauser
• The Ghost Map, Steven Johnston
• The Book of Dead Philosophers, Simon Critchley
• The Zookeepers Wife, Diane Ackerman
• 1788, Watkin Tench
• The Stuff of Thought, Steven Pinker
• How to Become a Straight A Student, Cal Newport
• The Brain that Changes Itself, Norman Doidge

11. Read a book by Dostoevesky

17. Give 10 unexpected gifts (2/10)

20. Put all birthdays and anniversaries in my calendar

26. Get new glasses

27. Go to 25 spin classes (6/25)

30. Go to 5 conferences/unconferences (2/5)

33. Do 5 brutal cleanouts of unnecessary clutter (1/5)

43. Sell/give away all clothing that I don’t love

46. Try 50 new recipes (20/50)

47. Watch the sun rise 10 times (2/10)

50. Go camping 5 times (2/5)

58. Write monthly updates of 101 progress (10/33)

59. Maintain a monthly closing balance of $0 on credit card (6/33)

65. Do a weekly review every week for a year (0/52)

67. Dress up at least once a month (5/33)

72. Create blog template

90. Build an emergency fund of 2 months pay

92. Go on a girly trip with my best friend

95. Go to the snow with my sister

22/101 goals in progress. That leaves 52 goals that I haven’t even started…

I’ve been having a bit of a fail with these monthly updates so I decided the best way to catch up was to post a 101 goals in 1001 days, one year in update. Unfortunately it’s been a little over a year since I started but I’m not one to let silly details like that get in the way.

So far the 101 goals in 1001 days lark has been really fun. It’s given me a kick in the butt to get things done that I’ve been meaning to do for ages and never got around to as well as helping me to improve some bad habits. There are some goals that I’ve already strictly speaking failed but I’ll still continue to work on them in the spirit of self-improvement.

So, on to the goals…

Goals I’ve Completed

8. Read 1984 and Animal Farm (2/2)
13. Give blood
14. Attend a family Christmas
16. Cook a 3 course meal for a friend
22. Visit Dad in Canberra
40. Organise all my files on both computers and ext hard drive (3/3)
42. Remove all ipod tracks I don’t like
51. Go indoor rock climbing
52. Go to Melbourne museum
53. Go to Moonlight cinema
54. Go to the art gallery
55. Organise, prepare food for and go on a picnic
56. See 25 greatest films as voted by IMDB (25/25)
66. Do makeup every morning for a month (30/30)
73. Complete a 4km race
74. Complete an 8km race
75. Do 25 consecutive men’s’ push-ups (best 25/25)
78. Finish in the top 50% in a 4km run
81. Average over 80 in uni classes
82. Do career relevant work
84. Get a high distinction
86. Get above 90% on 5 assignments/tests (5/5)
101. See a Cirque Du Soleil show

So that makes 23 goals completed out of 101.

Goals in Progress

4. Upload 250 photos to flickr (65/250)
9. Read 50 non-fiction books (7/50)

• Anais Ninn’s In Favour of the Sensitive Man and Other Essays
• 6 Impossible Things Before Breakfast: The Evolutionary Origins of Belief, Lewis Wolpert
• Moral Minds: How Nature Designed Our Universal Sense of Right and Wrong, Marc Hauser
• The Ghost Map, Steven Johnston
• The Book of Dead Philosophers, Simon Critchley
• The Zookeepers Wife, Diane Ackerman
• 1788, Watkin Tench

17. Give 10 unexpected gifts (2/10)
20. Put all birthdays and anniversaries in my calendar
27. Go to 25 spin classes (2/25)
28v2. Run a half-marathon in the melbourne marathon
30. Go to 5 conferences/unconferences (2/5)
33. Do 5 brutal cleanouts of unnecessary clutter (1/5)
41. Own 5 pieces of jewellery that I love (2/5)
46. Try 50 new recipes (9/50)
47. Watch the sun rise 10 times (2/10)
50. Go camping 5 times (2/5)
58. Write monthly updates of 101 progress (8/33)
59. Maintain a monthly closing balance of $0 on credit card (6/33)
65. Do a weekly review every week for a year (0/52)
67. Dress up at least once a month (5/33)
72. Create blog template
90. Build an emergency fund of 2 months pay
99. Go overseas

So there we have it. My 101 goals in 1001 days, one year in.

I’m doing Electrical Actuators and Sensors again this semester after very sensibly deciding to fail last time.

As the lecturer has been saying that he’ll try to put something up on blackboard for at least 3 years I don’t hold a lot of hope. As a result I am publishing the notes that I take in class so that any students who miss a class for whatever reason can catch up.

I should add that I’m a much better student now than I was 3 years ago when I failed. My notes will be accurate to what is on the board and also contain annotations from what is said in class

You can find these notes by clicking on the HET225 & HET228 Notes tab.  I will try to stay as up to date as possible.

I’ve been fairly slack with my goals this month.

So busy with work and uni that all I’ve managed to achieve towards my goals is reading 1984 and going camping… oh well. Better luck next month I guess

I’m late again but here’s my monthly update for beginning of March.

Goals Completed
40. Organise all my files on both computers and ext hard drive
56. See 25 greatest films as voted by IMDB
75. Do 25 consecutive men’s’ push-ups
82. Do career relevant work

Goals I’m working towards
4. Upload 250 photos to flickr (65/250)
47. Watch the sun rise 10 times (3/10)
65. Do a weekly review every week for a year (2/52)
74. Complete an 8km race

Direction for This Month
This month I’m training for a 5km race in April and a 8km race in May.
Since I now have a job I’m also getting up before dawn twice a week so I’m racking up the sun rises.
I’m also focusing on building up my savings for emergencies and skiing.

I just finished my first New Ventures tute and given we’ve been sent off to Google each other a number of them will be visiting my blog shortly.

So hello, welcome. Feel free to have a poke around, you will leave in very little doubt about how I tick. My earlier posts are far more entertaining than my later posts because I temporarily lost my sense of humor during IBL but other than that it’s chock full of ranting and the occasional insight.

I will be Googling a number of you shortly. It should be entertaining. I have already Googled our tutor and as it turns out I have 5 common friends with her on facebook, only one of which is a uni related friend. Guess that’s what comes of hanging out with too many entrepreneurs! This exercise has reminded me to get off my butt and start adding people I know on LinkedIn because logic says she should be a 2nd degree separation with me and she’s 3rd which means my network has big fat gaping holes in it.

I guess we’ll see whether I discover any similar unexpected links with my classmates

Its been a fairly sucessful month. I’m finally running regularly and I ran just short of 60km this month. I’ve been doing both the 100 pushups and the 200 situps programs. I’m getting stronger and fitter and feeling great.

Goals Completed

16. Cook a 3 course meal for a friend

53. Go to moonlight cinema

55. Organise, prepare food for and go on a picnic

Goals I’m Working Towards

9. Read 50 non-fiction books (5/50)

• The Ghost Map, Steven Johnston
• The Book of Dead Philosophers, Simon Critchley

56. See 25 greatest films as voted by IMDB (23/25)

75. Do 25 consecutive men’s pushups (20/25)

The way things are going with the pushups I’ll be up to 25 in the next week or so.

I started my 101 Goals list on the first of August 2008, just before I started my university semester. So I thought that given 2008 has drawn to a close I should do a little checkup of what I have achieved towards these goals in the past four months.

Completed Goals

13. Give blood

14. Attend a family Christmas

22. Visit Dad in Canberra

42. Remove all iPod tracks I don’t like

51. Go indoor rock climbing

52. Go to the Melbourne Museum

54. Go to the art gallery

66. Do makeup every morning for a month

73. Complete a 4km race

78. Finish in the top 50% in a 4km race

81. Average over 80 in uni classes

84. Get a High Distinction

86. Get above 90% in 5 assignments/tests

So… 13/101 down

Goals in Progress

4. Upload 250 photos to flickr (10/250)

Got plenty more of these to add when I get home from Christmas

8. Read 1984 and Animal Farm (1/2)

9. Read 50 non-fiction books (3/50)

Anais Ninn’s In Favour of the Sensitive Man and Other Essays

6 Impossible Things Before Breakfast: The Evolutionary Origins of Belief, Lewis Wolpert

Moral Minds: How Nature Designed Our Universal Sense of Right and Wrong, Marc Hauser

20. Put all birthdays/anniversaries in my diary

27. Go to 25 Spin Classes (2/25)

30.  Go to 5 conferences/unconferences (1/5)

33. Do 5 brutal cleanouts of unnecessary clutter (1/5)

40. Organise all files on both computers and external highdrive (1/5)

46. Try 50 new recipes (3/50)

56. See 25 greatest films as voted by IMDB (19/25)

58. Write Monthly updates of 101 Goals Progress (4/33)

59. Maintain a monthly closing balance of $0 on credit card (4/33)

67. Dress up at least once a month (4/33)

72. Create blog template

90. Create an emergency fund of two months pay

Completed

81. Average over 80 in uni classes

After a semester where I was afraid I wouldnt pass some of my subjects at all I managed a very surprising three D and one HD haul in my results.

84. Get a high distinction

Working Towards

14. Attend a Family Christmas

22. Visit Dad in Canberra

27. Go to 25 Spin Classes (2/25)

40. Organise all the files on my two computers and external harddrive (1/3)

56. See 25 Greatest Films as voted by IMDB (19/25)

72. Create Blog Template