Day Zero Project: 101 Goals

Over the summer (American summer), I saw myself as going through a bit of a life-revolution. I was getting a little more in shape, preparing to really move to Australia, and thinking about my professional and personal priorities. At the same time, I was reading tons of blogs by expats, and a number of the bloggers I was reading were doing the Day Zero Project.

Basically, this is a project in which you list 101 goals that you want to accomplish in the next three years. Then, you track your progress on the website. The goals can be big or small, but they must be specific (i.e. – “Return all phone calls and emails,” rather than “be a better friend.” Or, “go to Morocco,” rather than “travel more.”).

I was surprised how long it took me to finish my list of goals. I thought I’d rattle off a list of 101 in an afternoon, but I ended up giving it a lot of thought, and taking close to a month to finally complete my list. I’ve been doing well with keeping track, so far. I’ve realized that there may be some on the list that I don’t end up completing, and I think that is alright. It’s about setting a destination and seeing where that takes me.

Since a lot of my goals are related to Australian life, expat issues, my life changing, I thought I’d share it here.

I deemed a handful of items a bit too private for general consumption, so I you won’t see all 101 here, but this is the majority of them.

Literary Ambitions

-         Read 5 books by Australian authors 

(4/5 completed. Thanks, Book Club!)

-         Read the August Wilson cycle 

(My friend and I got all gung ho on this project over the summer, and then we dropped the ball. Time to get back on the wagon!)

-         Read all the Greek plays

(There aren't as many as you'd think...)

-         Own a Complete Works of Shakespeare

(Embarrassed to admit that I never owned one before. Calm down people, I’ve corrected this.)

-         Memorize one of the sonnets

-         Read a biography of Joe Papp

-         Read "How to Win Friends and Influence People"

-         Re-read To Kill a Mockingbird

-         Read 100 pages of Proust

Travel Goals

-         Go camping

(Now, I’ve been camping. But, I camp like a City Slicker. This goal is really about camping without ending up sleeping in the car.)

-         Go to Whitsundays

-         Go to Fiji or Bali

-         See whales migrating

-         Go to the Great Barrier Reef

-         See the little penguins 

-         Go to Japan

-         Plan a trip with my college girlfriends

-         Go to Uluru

-         Go to Tasmania

-         Go to New Zealand

-         Take a train trip

-         See ancient ruins (hike to Machu Picchu or go to Guatemala)

-         Go to the Australian Open

Personal Relationships Goals

-         Get married

-         Send 25 postcards for no particular reason

-         Take a dance class with Partner-in-Crime

-         Write 15 handwritten letters (1/15 completed)

-         Make a birthday list of all friends/family and put it in Google calendar for reminders

-         Host a game night in Australia

-         Make a list of 10 people I want to stay in contact w/ and email or call once a month for 12 months

Professional Goals

-         Have professional headshot taken

-         Teach a class or master class

-         Write an article and submit to a professional journal

-         Start my own business

-         Find an Australian playwright to form a working partnership with

-         Research PhD programs

Projects, Food, and Craftiness

-         Finish knitting my blanket

-         Send wedding announcements

-         Take a sewing class

-         Take an improv class

-         Give my blog a makeover

(Done, but I’ll probably do it again one day)

-         Make my own sushi

-         Cold brew coffee 

-         Participate in NaBloPoMo

(Almost … there….!)

-         Cook 10 vegetarian meals that don't just substitute fake meat

-         Make a recipe box

-         Print travel pictures and frame for wall
(I did, but then they fell off the wall. I suppose the amended version should read, "find hooks for travel pictures and re-hang on wall")

Personal Health and Wellbeing

-         Complete a 10K

-         Lose 20lbs 

-         Drink only water for one week

-         Donate blood

-         Go to the dentist

-         Do a silent meditation retreat

-         Find an organization to volunteer for

-         Get a hot stone massage

-         Make a will

-         Run a 30 minute 5K

-         Find people to play tennis with

-         Go to a yoga retreat

-         Floss at least twice a week for a year

(See also, “Go to the dentist)

-         Join a gym

-         Go a week without complaining

-         Pay off credit cards

Things to Watch

-         Finish watching the Ken Burns National Park series

-         See Kathy Griffin perform

-         See Bangara Dance Company

-         Go to Darlinghurst Theatre

-         See movies from 15 different countries 

(Of course, only movies I see after I set this goal count. So far, I have France, UK, and Serbia)

-         See Adam Hills perform

-         See Regina Spektor in concert

-         Watch 15 TED Talks

-         Attend an Australian sporting event

(i.e. – Rugby, ARF, Cricket)

-         Watch 26 movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the Alphabet 

(Again, it only counts after I started the project. And, no fair double dipping with the foreign films. Looks like I have 9, so far.)

Things to Buy

-Buy a better camera

-Buy a crock pot and master 5 recipes

-Invest in the perfect little black dress

-Buy 3 board games

-Get a blender, food processor, and mixing bowls

-Buy a surfboard

-Get a dog

-Get our own bikes

Sydney To-Do

-Go to Sydney Mardi Gras parade

-Go to Tarronga zoo

-Go to the Powerhouse Museum

-Watch the New Years Eve fireworks over the Sydney Harbor Bridge

-Season tickets to Sydney Theatre Company

-Walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Misc.

-         Ride a horse

-         Eat lobster

-         Have my makeup done at a makeup counter

-         Go for a week without buying anything but groceries

-         Learn how to use my camera beyond "auto" function

-         Go a week w/out logging onto Facebook or Twitter

-         Start a conversation with a stranger x5

-         Learn to drive on the left side of the road

-         Put aside $1 for each goal completed and donate it to charity