my first progress report on 101 things in 1001 days! 2

I finished six things in July 2010:

1) Go to a concert in another city

We went to the Bayfront Reggae Festival in Duluth

2) Put 15% of my income into my 401k/Roth IRA, not including work’s contribution

After my raise, I redid all the math and realized I’m actually already contributing 16% of my income, and work’s contribution brings it to close to 20%. I feel that’s sufficient til I get all my debt paid off, and after that I’ll be looking into non-retirement investments. I’m already on target to reach my calculated retirement goal.

3) Re-learn crocheting and make granny squares

I re-taught myself how to crochet and have been making these almost daily. Since I can’t knit with my injured finger, it’s been easier to focus on this project. I’ll ultimately make a throw blanket with them.

4) Plant rhubarb

5) Buy display shelves for the dining room so I can stop obsessing about all the travel-souvenir clutter on the bookshelves

Here they are! I like them so much we’re going to get another set soon.

6) Photograph and write down serial numbers for our electronics and expensive items in case of theft

I not only photographed electronics and such, I did a whole-house photo tour. The serial numbers are all now stored safely in Evernote.

Items currently in progress:

1) Finish my travel journals on runawaytruck.com within 60 days of getting home from a trip (I finished the New Orleans journal, so the site is up-to-date and ready for Hawaii.)

2) Be 100% debt-free

3) Rebuild 404lab to increase ad revenue (I imported all the database entries to WordPress and am working on modifying a professional-looking theme. The ad space is way better. Hoping to launch within a few months. Thanks to Lou for the advice!)

4) Enter something in the state fair every year, 2010-2012 (I submitted the entry form for Creative Activities, and the dropoff is in mid-August.)

5) Memorize 25 classic cocktails and make them well (I have eight currently on my list, but I need to work on the memorization with some of them.)

6) Make and bottle 5 kinds of homemade bitters or infusions (I made awesome five-spice simple syrup, and our bitters will be ready very soon.)

7) Cook a recipe from 20 different countries (One down, many to go! I actually make a lot of international food, but I’m trying to be really authentic with this.)

8) Increase my donations to kiva.org to $300 (Added $15, currently $190)

9) Have date night with Matt once a month (We had two in July, even.)

10) Visit 20 new local restaurants/bars (Three in July: Faces Mears Park, Honey, and Caribe)

11) Go to a game in each major pro sport (Twins game)

12) Lose 40 pounds (All that yard work is helping.)

13) Turn the area by the back fence/arbor into a garden with wildflowers (Dug out most of it, put in landscape fabric and mulch, planted perennials and wildflowers. I still have one section to go before it’s completely finished.)

14) Put $20 towards debt payoff for each completed task on this list ($120 for the 6 items in July)

Here’s the full list. I’m updating it regularly!