One Foot in Front of the Other

This week I hiked Piestewa (Squaw) Peak. I didn’t quite reach the summit, but it was within view (or would have been if the clouds weren’t in the way!). Regardless, it was something I hadn’t done before, took me way outside my comfort zone, and prepared me for my next venture when I hope to complete #71 on my list.

With a mug of day-old coffee, a banana and a water bottle I headed out into the cool, DARK, morning. Being able to just get up, throw on some sweats, tie my shoes, comb my hair, brush my teeth and head out the door was quite invigorating. I was right out there with rush hour traffic, but I wasn’t headed to work—it was a great feeling (although later I did eventually have to head to the office).

There are several trails in and around the Piestewa Peak area, but my hiking buddy, Chandy, and I hiked the Summit Trail:

Length: 1.2 miles (we hiked about .9 miles up—almost to the summit)

Elevation: 2,608 ft. – 1,400 ft. (hikers gain more than 1,200 feet in elevation on the trail)

Difficulty: Strenuous and difficult (this isn’t just me people—this is what the City of Phoenix site says!)

The morning was gorgeous, though cloudy and slightly misty. It was more dark than light when we started out and I was glad to be following an experienced hiker. I was also wondering if I should have brought my flashlight (when we first started out I could see the bobbing lights of other hikers up on the summit), but we were fine.

The cool breeze was absolutely refreshing (how often do you feel a “cool” breeze in Phoenix!?!), and the hike was great. The low-hanging clouds added to the ambiance and the peacefulness of the morning and it was beautiful.

Piestewa Peak is part of the Phoenix Mountain Preserves—watch out for the wildlife though. We didn’t see any, but possibilities include rattlesnakes, gila monster, horned lizard, chuckwalla, coyote, jackrabbit, cottontail rabbit, ground squirrel, and kit fox. I think sometimes I’m surrounded by so much “city” that I forget that I do live in the desert.

I’ve never been a big hiker (or a hiker at all despite having lived in Montana and Colorado—big nature states), but this experience has started to change my way of thinking. It was a gorgeous morning, I spent quality time with a friend, I did something good for my health (and didn’t fall and make a fool of myself), rush hour traffic getting there wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, folks were super-friendly on the trail—all in all, it was a big success and a lot of fun!

Where I Hang My Hat

Last summer, after I moved to my new apartment, I had promised my good friend Deb (a missionary/development worker for CAMA Services in northern Thailand) that I would send her pictures of my new place. I probably should have added this to my 101 in 1001 list since I took the pictures, but never sent them! Deb—here are some of the photos, just for you!

Looking from the kitchen out into the living/dining room area. I especially love the dishwasher and breakfast bar!

Looking from the living room towards the kitchen area. The stools were a new purchase when I moved into this apartment and I love them (thanks Dad for helping putting them together!).

This is looking from the living/dining room down the hall towards my bedroom and the bathroom. And--this provides a gander at my wall o'pictures (#30).

Dining room on left, living room on right! And my two favorite pieces of furniture--a hutch from the South Dakota Furniture Mart (the first "real piece" of furniture I ever purchased!), and my black leather couch from IKEA--it's a pull-out couch, ready for future visitors!!! (I took these pics back in November--see my little bit of holiday decor on the table and hutch?)

And finally, the living room (front door to the right) with my wall o'bookcases (#86) that are just waiting to be organized. Missing from this picture is my Christmas tree--which I put up in December and IS STILL UP! I just love the little twinkly lights and although I've put the ornaments away, I just can't make myself take the tree down yet! Can't I just call it a big lamp?!

My Path to 101 in 1001

I love lists—just ask anyone who has ever worked with me. I especially like the little checkboxes I put on my handwritten lists. That feeling of accomplishment at checking something off as completed is one of life’s little pleasures. But I also like how lists can motivate, spur to action, and inspire us to work harder/do more.

Just over a year ago one of my fellow book clubbers blogged about creating a list of 101 things she wanted to accomplish in the next 1,001 days. Check out her original post here. I was immediately intrigued by the idea—one, because I love lists and two, I was feeling stagnant and thought this might be a way to energize my life and feel like I was actually accomplishing something. (A few years ago another friend and I started 30 by 30 lists—30 things we wanted to accomplish before we turned the big 3-0. My friend finished her 30x30 list and checked everything off and now has a much longer list that she’s working on. I never even finished CREATING my 30x30 list and have always felt a little bereft about that.)

I eventually asked my friend to send me the spreadsheet template she was using for her 101 things…she immediately forwarded it, saying she was excited to see what my list included. That was 10 months ago! But, don’t get me wrong. I’ve been working on building my list for quite some time. 101 is A LOT of things! And since I started the list awhile ago, I’ve already completed some of the items...but I’m keeping them on the list! (And since it's my list, I can do this). Some things are deep, some cheesy, some practical, some crazy--ultimately it's not about the things, but about setting goals and watching how I'm able to accomplish them (and learning about myself at the same time). Keeping in mind that I define the list (and it does not define me), I reserve the right to take things off/add things on as I deem appropriate!

So what’s my current status? 993 days remaining, 9% of tasks completed, and 3% of tasks in progress. And since #13 is complete (Start a personal blog), only 92 tasks to go!

101 Things in 1001 Days

1. Visit Vermont

2. Read through the Bible

3. Finish scrapbooking Thailand pictures

4. Join a Bible Study/small group [2/15/10]

5. Scrapbook my Nagaland pictures

6. Finish scrapbooking 2007-2009

7. Organize my receipts and what I do with them [8/22/10]

8. Setup and manage a personal budget

9. Cook a "real" meal once a week for at least a month

10. Find a way to organize my recipes

11. Clean-out glove box [1/18/10, but actually Aug. 2009]

12. Put books up on Paperbackswap.com [1/18/10, but actually May 2009]

13. Start a personal blog [1/23/10]

14. Take a "real" summer vacation

15. Get a filing cabinet and move files from boxes to cabinet [8/4/10]

16. Visit Jerome, AZ [1/18/10, but actually May 2009]

17. Participate in a "Run" maybe like a 5K

18. Learn how to do 10 new things with/on my Blackberry

19. Update/organize my birthday/celebrations calendar

20. Electronify my address book

21. Make bread from scratch

22. Learn how to play the guitar

23. Finish reading Great Expectations

24. Finish reading The Deerslayer

25. Finish masters degree program

26. Visit Boston Read Jane Eyre

27. Start a prayer journal

28. Visit an island

29. Start singing with a choir [1/18/10, but actually Sept. 2009]

30. Put up a wall of pictures [1/18/10, but actually Aug. 2009]

31. Put up wedding pictures of "cousins"

32. Grow out fingernails

33. Make homemade Christmas gifts

34. Learn how to drive a stick-shift

35. Develop a bed time routine

36. Brush up on my Spanish

37. Go on a date

38. Develop a workout routine

39. Take a weekend getaway to San Francisco

40. Start a game night with friends

41. Volunteer with a non-profit organization

42. Plan a chore/cleaning system

43. Take a ride on a sailboat [7/10/10]

44. Visit Africa

45. Donate my old business clothes to a women's shelter/organization

46. Get a massage

47. Intentionally watch a sunrise

48. Learn how to play Bunco

49. Go for one week without eating out

50. Take a cruise

51. Go to Europe

52. Have coffee in a French café [4/8/10]

53. See an opera [1/31/10]

54. Watch "The Godfather" trilogy

55. Get front tooth fixed [1/18/10, but actually Nov. 2009]

56. Keep a daily journal [in progress, Jan 2010 complete!]

57. Go snorkeling or scuba diving

58. Switch my bills/statements over to electronic versions [8/10/10]

59. Try 100 new recipes [in progress]

60. See a professional soccer match

61. Meet my neighbors

62. Host a dinner party

63. Organize junk cabinet in kitchen desk [2/7/10]

64. Organize the pantry

65. Finalize things with 6515 condo [3/1/10]

66. Go on a trip for LVP's 30th birthday

67. Find someone to play tennis with and improve my game!

68. Make kuchen from scratch [7/7/10-using the hot roll mix is as close to scratch as I'm going to get!]

69. Hike to the top of Camelback Mountain

70. Organize/purge scrapbooking supplies

71. Hike Piestewa (Squaw) Peak [2/11/10]

72. Hike a trail at the Grand Canyon

73. Use my rice cooker [2/10/10]

74. Start a wine journal [2/9/10]

75. Make bottle-cap magnets

76. Get additional pages in my passport

77. Plan my outfits for a week

78. Start online dating [1/18/10, but actually Sept. 2009]

79. Take a road trip

80. Audition with the Phoenix Symphony Chorus [1/18/10, but actually Aug. 2009]

81. Read through the Chronicles of Narnia

82. Go to Disneyland

83. Send a letter to Mrs. Nave--my 4th grade teacher who made me learn how to write in cursive!

84. See a figure-skating show (live and in-person!)

85. Repot houseplant [2/8/10 - couldn't get out of pot, so added more soil; 7/29/10 update...this plant (that I had for almost 5 years) did not make it through the AZ summer]

86. Organize my bookcases

87. Meet a new friend!

88. Get my ring cleaned

89. Go to an ASU football game [9/4/10]

90. Go salsa dancing

91. Find a new shower curtain

92. Start playing handbells again [2/7/10]

93. Make scones from scratch

94. Have a sleepover with my niece

95. Do a Girls' Nite Out with my sister-in-laws and cousins

96. Try French press coffee

97. Download list of songs to my MP3 player

98. Watch "It's a Wonderful Life"

99. Take a weekend trip to Ouray, Colorado

100. Try a yoga or pilates class

101. Use my paper/card/scrapbooking supplies to make my own cards/envelopes [2/8/10 for Valentine's Day!]

A Blog is Born

Welcome to my new blog!

So, for over a year now (and probably even longer) I’ve been wanting to start a blog. I know, I know. It seems like everyone is doing it. Many are. But I wasn’t and I wanted to. Not to make myself famous (who wants that?!), or share pictures or stories about my kids (I don’t have any), or talk about the newest meal plans I’ve been working on (I’m single—a meal for me is a bowl of cereal or a frozen pizza), or even to talk about my great travel adventures (if only I had a blog when I lived in Bangkok in ‘03—now THAT would have been something to write about!). I love reading blogs about all of those things, and who knows, I’ll most likely include similar discussions about similar things in my new blog, but in the beginning, this is all about me. Me wanting to “write-out” some of the random things that I experience; to contribute to the electronic medium and not just benefit from it; to slow down the passing of time by recognizing some of the little things that make up this big adventure we call life.

And, hopefully in the process, to find my voice; to learn more about myself than I knew before; and to maybe even stretch myself in awesome and scary ways.

Stay tuned world—are you ready? I know I am.