The Metaphorical Magpie

101 Things in 1001 Days: The One Year Mark Update

It seems like just a short while since I drafted my 101 Things in 1001 Days list but it's already been one year. Last year, I jumped off on Feb. 29, taking advantage of the extra momentum of a leap year. Over all, I've made a good amount of progress. A few of these items are really hanging over my head, like the refinishing our bedroom furniture progress. It's still not done! But the project has seen some renewed interest lately. One of these days it will all be painted. Hopefully soon.

Let's review the progress, shall we?

Start Date: Friday 2/29/08 - End Date: Friday 11/26/2010

1. Grow plants from seed (completed)  update posted 6/29/08
2. Learn to can/preserve (in progress) I've read up and watched a demo. Now I need to can something.
3. Make proper French macaroons at home
4. Learn  how to use InDesign
5. Have living room floor refinished
6. Volunteer at my local food bank
7. Have a portrait made of myself with my dogs (completed) update posted 6/29/08
8. Go to The Cloisters
9. Studio lighting skills for product and portrait work
10. Have my writing published
11. Have my photography published
12. Open an Etsy boutique
13. Apply for a new passport with my married name
14. Educate myself on personal investment opportunities beyond mutual funds (completed) I learned about ETF funds and bonds but decided to stash some savings in a money market fund for stability.
15. Refinance mortgage if/when rates fall below 1% of our current rate
16. Plant a tree
17. Make my own chicken stock
18. Try my hand at painting again
19. Identify 100 things that make me happy
20. Attend the Toronto Film Festival
21.Conduct a major closet clear out
22. Write a letter to the editor
23. Start a collaborative project with another blogger(s) (in progress) update posted 6/29/08
24. Learn to produce and edit video (completed) update posted 6/29/08
25. Sing with a band
26. Lower my cholesterol (completed)
27. Rent a house in the Catskills for a long weekend with friends
28. Compile my recipes
29. Meet a fellow blogger(s) Completed but hopefully ongoing. Met Kristen and Nicole 3/29/08. update posted 6/29/08  I Also had the pleasure of meeting Bella, Susanna and M. Heart in 2008.
30. Take a recreational culinary class at I.C.E. or other culinary school
31. Make a book of our wedding photos
32. Learn to meditate (completed) Sweets and I took a course on meditation techniques together.
33. Feel confident swimming without adult supervision
34. Join a birdwatchers group
35. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
36. Go out onto the ocean in a boat
37. Go fishing with my Mom
38. Learn to clean/filet a fish (completed) I took a class and can now filet round and flat fish.
39. Rearrange guest room furniture to give myself a sunny window spot for a writing desk with views of the garden and birds
40. Make my own soap
41. Visit the Neue Gallerie (completed) 6/14/08
42. Have a Reiki session in person
43. Organize my studio space
44. Frame the photos we received as wedding gifts and the Van Gogh print I received at Christmas. (in progress) Van Gogh print completed 4/6/08.
45. Participate in the Christmas Bird Count
46. Use fabric given to me by Shannon in a yet to be determined sewing project
47. Sew myself a skirt
48. Make a pair of paints for myself
49. Move my blog back to Blogger
50. Make a liqueur
51. Set up a Bloglines reader with all the sites I regularly read (completed) update posted 6/29/08
52. Acquire a new copy of our marriage license
53. Lose 30 pounds (in progress) update posted 6/29/08. Still a battle. An upward one at the moment.
54. Obtain a wildlife habitat designation
55. Contact my father's birth family
56. Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (incomplete)
57. Mutter Museum in Philadelphia
58. Visit Cape May, NJ
59. Tour Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house
60. Free cooking class at Williams-Sonoma
61. install a rain barrel in the garden
62. upgrade to a compost tumbler (completed) After trying a homemade tumbler for about a year and half we upgraded and love it,
63. yoga class
64. Buy a pair of cute yet comfortable black shoes
65. Have a picnic in a grove of blossoming cherry trees
66. Compost with worms
67.  Find a hairstylist that gets me (completed) I've been seeing Diana for about a year now. I wasn't sure at first but she really listens to me and does a good job.
68. Eliminate grass in our front yard (completed) update posted 6/29/08
69. Grow vegetables in our garden (completed) update posted 6/29/08
70. Repaint existing bedroom furniture or replace with new thrifted set (in progress)
71. Hang  a work of art over the mantel
72. Create a  photo display wall
73. Resurface the fireplace
74. Rent a private karaoke room with friends
75. Find a local source for at least three food items
76. Back up my photo archive onto discs
77. Polish our copper pots
78. Thrift a mid century couch
79. Create a seasonally inspired music compilation
80. Organize a coat drive for women and children in need
81. Grout tiles in kitchen that have been on the to-do list since 2003
82. Fix living room ceiling
83. Go camping
84. Go canoeing
85. Scotland
86. Make time to really celebrate our first anniversary (completed) update posted 6/29/08
87. Lucy the Elephant in Margate, NJ
88. New Zealand
89. Travel to a state I've never been to before
90. Write a will
91. Cater a party
92. Take the 2008 Self  Challenge (incomplete)
93. Replace the back yard deck with a patio ( in progress) the deck is gone. This summer we'll design a new back yard.
94. Have a dinner party
95. Sauna at home
96. Display my blown glass ball collection
97. Get the CD collection under control. In a cabinet, on a hard drive or it's out of the house.
98. Clear out and rearrange front closet making room for guest coats and easy access to stored items (completed) Sweets built a new shelf. I painted. There is lots of room for board games, shoes, sporting equipment, accessories, coats the bags we carry every day and guest coats.
99. Refinish and hang porch swing
100. Have house painted (in progress) We picked a color and had primer applied in November. Final coat will go on after it warms up outside.
101. Design and print a  birthday book

Completed: 16 items
In progress: 7
Incomplete: 2

Some of these items are so easy. don't know why I haven't knocked them off the list. The kitchen tiles that have languished since 2003. Really? Come on. I need to get that one done. And since I threw out our marriage certificate accidentally, I really should replace it. Maybe in March instead of attempting NaBloPoMo, I'll attempt checking off a few more of these babies.

Another meme, unfortunately

It seems that all I have interest in these days is taking naps, doing memes floating around on Facebook, watching documentaries and eating cheese. Not necessarily in that order.

Shannon put up a fun meme this week based on googling the word unfortunately plus your name and listing the results.

Unfortunately for you, this is my blog post for today. I've followed Shannon's lead and provided supplemental parenthetical wise-ass-ification.

Unfortunately, Rachel is still relatively unknown here in the US but I’m sure that after seeing these new FHM Magazine pictures, that will soon change ... (oh, yes. very, very soon everyone will be clamoring for my beauty secrets.)

unfortunately, Rachel was not located- which was a big disappointment ...  (usually when I am missing try searching the grocery store)

Unfortunately, Rachel can't be left alone and the social services needed for her to live an "adult life" are unavailable, making her dream of independence seem impossible... (It doesn't matter how old I get or responsible I am, I still don't feel quite adult enough)

unfortunately, Rachel took the fall. Sad. (this meme is turning out to be disappointing and sad except for the bit about people liking my magazine photos)

Unfortunately, Rachel has yet to contact me for our first date... But don’t worry, I’m a patient guy. There’s no need to rush destiny. (Finally, after years of having imaginary boyfriends; I am someone's imaginary girlfriend.)

Unfortunately Rachel, as she was head of house, was given the job to judge which cake was the best looking and which tastes the best – and this is where the trouble started! (Oi! with my girlish figure!)

Unfortunately, Rachel is wearing my grandmother’s curtains as a skirt. (Refresh me on why that would be a problem. Sounds rad to me.)

Unfortunately, Rachel is involved in a work crisis (True. I have no job at the moment.)

Unfortunately, Rachel chose to ignore precautions (I do have a nasty habit in that respect)

Unfortunately, Rachel hates her part, the show, and especially the fans. Coincidentally, one of the show’s most rabid fans is Rachel’s ex-boyfriend, Lou. While Lou’s childishness was a turn-on for Rachel in college, she quickly grew tired of him as she advanced in her career and has recently dumped him. Rachel is currently in a serious relationship with Rick, an entertainment lawyer. Although she’s still fond of Lou, she wishes he’d leave her alone. (Ah, imaginary girlfriends lead to tears, boys. You've been warned.)

Unfortunately Rachel was injured before the meet and unable to attend. (That's exactly what happened to me the time I wanted to try out to be one of Madonna's tour dancers.)

Unfortunately, Rachel’s knack for getting into trouble attracts a different kind of attention ( and not the good kind, I'm afraid)

Unfortunately Rachel’s pumpkin was rock hard, so she may have permanent nerve damage in her hand. (Is that the suckiest thing you've ever heard? Who is injured by a vegetable but me?)

Unfortunately RAchel will be unavailable to photograph our wedding. We still love her work though! (Sorry, but I'm not down with documenting all that electric slide nonsense.)

Unfortunately, Rachel didn't fall for it when Wes said, ''I'm allergic to white-

haired dogs.'' (Because I have brown and black dogs, I was so certain it would work out with Wes. sniff. sniff.)

Unfortunately, Rachel still does not make time for breakfast (coffee always, breakfast infrequently)

Unfortunately, Rachel and Leah's relationship became wrought with strife as they both fought for their husband's affections ( I WILL pull her cinnamon bun hairdo off her head if she messes with my man.)

Unfortunately, Rachel couldn’t stay long (about 45 minutes total) because a friend (who shall remain nameless) ended up getting in a bit of a scuffle and needed to depart the premises immediately. (The friend will remain nameless but I bet she's a tall brunette that gets crazy on the sauce.)

Housekeeping notes

I just switched over from Feedburner to Google for my RSS feed. If any of you that subscribe find a problem with the new feed, please let me know.

If you're not already a subscriber, this would be a great time to add me to your RSS reader. Yes? (nodding head excitedly)

Now I'm off to feed my tummy after I've stoked the blog's belly.

One lump or two?

I've had this Flight of the Conchords song, "Sugar Lumps" in my head for days on end so now I am going to pass it on to you! There is something about this dorky duo that makes my little nerd lovin' heart do a few thump-da-thumps every Sunday night when a new episode airs.

Are all the boys from New Zealand this adorable?

News from the blogosphere

Hello, funny faces.

I had my nose to the grindstone last week. Yesterday, I spent the entire day in my pj', read the second half of the House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne, watched a film, ate a gargantuan amount of cheese and basically regrouped and recharged. While I find myself busy, busy, busy and not documenting it, I would like to note so are some of my favorite blogger people out there posting up a storm of  goodness. Some of the exciting things going on out there deserve some link love, so here goes.

Stephanie Congdon Barnes and her husband, Jack, have started a new blog, Shelter. Combining their creative forces as an architect and designer duo, they will be sharing about the remodel of their home and the homes that they design in the greater Portland, OR area. Any project that Stephanie works on is immensely interesting and inspiring, so I have already added their new baby blog to to my RSS reader. I would also like to call your attention, to the launch ofthe latest incarnation of collaboration at 3191 Miles Part, between Stephanie and MAV. After their previous collaborations on a year of daily photos of their mornings and then a year of  their evenings, the ladies are back with a new concept that incorporates photos and text in weekly posts on Fridays. The content of their posts will continue to not be discussed beforehand but these ladies have such an unusual sense of synchronicity that I regularly delight in seeing that they are thinking the same thing and interpret it quite differently. When Stephanie stopped writing at Little Birds, it was a devastating blow for me. I loved her words. I'm happy she and MAV have found a new home for their thoughts on "food, life, home, family, books and the like." The first week's post included reciped for chocolate beet cupcakes (swoon) and chocolate brownie hearts.

The Congdon clan is very busy, Stephanie's sister, artist and illustrator, Lisa Congdon, has also begun a new blog, Things, a photographic exploration of singular things. Chronicle Books has released a notebook with one of Lisa's Birch Tree illustrations (one of my favorites)  and will launch a notecard set of her work in the spring.

If you haven't seen this magical collection of photos by Susanna Gordon, please take a peek and prepare to feel a smile creep onto your face and stay there for quite a while.

Have an inspired week, my lovelies!

The Name Game meme

1. YOUR REAL NAME: Rachel Weston

2. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME (father and mother's middle names): Wade Kim

3. NASCAR NAME (first name of your father's dad; mother's dad): Warren Brad

4. STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name): Wesra

5. DETECTIVE NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Lime Marmoset

6. SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, town where you were born): Joy Patuxent

7. SUPERHERO NAME (second fav color, fav drink, add 'the' to the beginning): The Red Tea

8. FLY NAME (first two letters of your first name, last two letters of your last name): Raon

9. ROCK STAR NAME (current pet's name, current street name): Quentin Cardinal

10. PORN NAME (first pet, street you grew up on): Casey Steiner

11. GANGSTA NAME (first three letters of your real name, plus izzle): Racizzle

12. GOTH NAME (black, and the name of one of your pets): Black Maggie

13. STRIPPER NAME (favorite perfume, favorite candy): Pepper Ritter

* I think I may have to legally change my name to my detective name. If you play, lemme know.

Kittens!

Kittens, inspired by kittens @ Yahoo! Video


Honestly, I'm not a cat person but this video of a little girl riffing on a book about kittens is too funny. Wait for the part when the kitten has to go to the bathroom (sound effects included). Maybe I am just over tired but I think the video is adorable.

Spring is just around the corner

This Richard Julian song has been in heavy rotation the last few days. I have to admit, I love that furry little Phil but I'm tired of being cold.

We enjoyed an nice stroll this afternoon down Main Ave in Ocean Grove, stopping to see our favorite cheese lady, Susan, at Cheese on Main. Then we headed up to the boardwalk and walked north through Asbury Park and back. Lots of people were out with too many cute doggies to count. A pair of brown poodles in matching sailor suits were the absolute cutest. Shops and restaurants were open along the Asbury Park boardwalk. We popped in a few, browsing for bicycles, admiring kiln fired pottery, blown glass and modern furniture. There are several restaurants that look perfect to stop in for cocktails and appetizers after an afternoon of browsing. I think a blogger gal outing to see the sights should be planned for spring. Any of you girls interested? You know, spring IS just around the corner.

Searching for the magic blogging hour

So it looks like I went and slipped off the back of the NaBloPo wagon and landed on my rump roast in the slushy street this week. Sometimes, I need a break. Realizing that... and honoring that realization... is something I'm just getting the hang of doing. Feeling happy but beyond busy, I had the choice at the end of my 16 hour days of blogging or spending an hour talking to my Sweets. I chose my man over the blog. Sorry, Friends!

I did not blog about this earlier but Sweets lost his job as a graphic designer and film critic (along with hundreds of other talented newsies here in NJ) in December. We had a pretty intense time there for a while as we were both out of work. Coming within weeks of my leaving a newspaper voluntarily, I began to give myself hell for chosing my dreams over being sensible and secure. With a stroke of excellent luck, Sweets is now again gainfully employed as a designer. Ironically, he finds a new home at the newspaper I left behind. He is working closely with the same crew I worked with and on the same odd, night hours. It feels a bit like Freaky Friday around here. For years, he would work days and be at home in the evenings alone waiting for my return. Now it is I that sits alone in a quiet house in the evening, waiting for his arrival and the news of his day. Because I tend to get up around 6:30 am now and he comes home after 10 pm, our time together is limited during the week.  By the time he gets home, I am very sleepy and anxiously awaiting seeing his cute face, having a snack with him as we catch up, a cuddle and then I am off to bed. Last night, I fell asleep with my head on his lap before 11 pm.

Blogging will have to find a new time slot in my day. That last hour of my day is too precious now to spend it typing. 

So, I missed two days of blogging this week. I'm going to feel okay about my blog output for the month if I can manage at least 28 posts for the month total, not depending on if I post every day.

I Want Wednesday: #1

I want to make a difference.

That's pretty simple.

It can be done in a simple or elaborate manner. The choice is mine. (Or yours.)

Today I began tutoring a sweet young girl with a speaking voice a smidge over a whisper, a love of hot sauce and a nice laugh if you take the time to coax it out of her. I tried to make the material we covered relatable and fun, passing on memorization techniques and study tips.

We worked together for an hour and will do so for the next week in preparation for a big test. I want her to do well on that test. I want her to know she can do it. Now and again and again. All she has to do is want something and try hard. That too is pretty simple.

There are more things I am beginning to imagine myself doing to make a difference for those in the world I travel. Just thinking of the ideas makes me happy. The doing will bring even more satisfaction.

Out but not down

One of my former video journalist colleagues had the chance to visit Top Chef contestant, Ariane Duarte, at her Montclair restaurant, CulinAriane. Interview with her here.I'd like to get into her restaurant sometime soon to check it out. It sounds like she was inspired from collaborating with the other chef-testants.

Booted reality tv chef back to reality in Montclair

Phil has made his point

Yesterday, my fine furry friend, Phil, out in Putsatawny, Pa. decided we'd have six more weeks of winter. Today we had a nice little dusting of snow. All day, I stole moments to look out the window, watching the barren shrubs puff up as if each branch was holding a marshmallow to roast.

As I was driving a lonely stretch of highway, I thought I'd like to stop the car and just start walking amongst the snow covered trees, deeper and deeper amongst them until I lay down and let the snowflakes fall on my face like little icy kisses from the atmosphere.

But that seemed weird. And inappropriate.

So I just drove home.

For once, I'd like to do something like this - harmless and inappropriate - just to see how it feels.

What if you had to do to today over...and over?

It's Groundhog Day.

I love this movie because it let's someone try something over and over again until he gets it right. How often does one get that luxury?

I also love putting all my hopes for winter ending on the whim of a groundhog. I love you, you big  fat scardycat, Puxsatawney Phil, no matter if you see your shadow or not.

Play It Again, Sam

Despite a bit of grumbling and a few days of not feeling like I had much to say and a few more of feeling strapped for time, over all I enjoyed participating in NaBloPoMo. Writing every day is good practice whether it is your grocery list or another page of the great American novel you are working on. So I've decided to try it again for the month of February.

The theme for the month is Want. Writing on theme tends to throw me off my game. Since I am a fan of alliteration, I'll make Wednesdays this month the day I discuss anything I want. I'm not much of a consumer so it will be interesting to see what I come up with in that department.

One thing I do want to get out of this month's NaBloPoMo is a better connection to other participants. I was disappointed last month to not have many new visitors here. I did try to get out and look at other people blogging  in the challenge. I thought this would be more of a festive, supportive group like Self Portrait Challenge (which I miss quite a bit).

Here's to 28 more days of continuous blogging.