9. Finish the quilt I started for T.

My next to youngest cousin recently turned 18. So when my aunt had a new baby boy we were all thrilled, and have spent the past two years spoiling him rotten. Right after he was born, I decided I would set out to make him a quilt. I mean, really, how hard could it be? I jotted down a simple pattern, found cute fabric, and so it began. And, I decided, if I was going to do this, I was going to do it right, all the quilting and finishing would be done by hand.

There were many frustrating moments, where the quilt got stashed away, and I wasn't completely sure it would be coming back out, ever. But, when mother nature decided to dump two feet of snow on us this weekend, leaving me stranded in the apartment alone, I knew the time had come. I was going to finish this thing, just in time for Christmas, too!

And that I did. My first (and last) quilt is now complete! Hooray!

39. Go to a professional football game

It is amazing how random opportunities have arisen that fall right into my 101 goals. I was having a conversation with a guy I had recently met and the 101 project came up. Of course he was intrigued, who wouldn't be?? So I started spouting off a couple of the items. When I got to "go to a professional football game" he was completely taken a back. How is it, that I have never been to a pro game?

Apparently, I was talking to a HUGE Washington Redskins fan. So huge in fact, that his family has had season tickets since, well, since the Redskin were actually good. He offered to take me to an upcoming game, and I couldn't say no!

We ended up tailgating and even running into some of friends of mine from work. The seats were amazing. We were in the first row directly behind the goal posts. We got to see all the action and man, was it a different experience than the one I get from my couch watching it all on my 18" television.

While this was sort of a random task that I added just for the fun of it, I am glad that I did, for that exact reason, it was just plain fun.

90. Take a mental health day with absolutely no agenda

Whew! Who knew how difficult this would be! When I realized that I had some hours that I needed to use or lose at work, I picked a random Friday to take off. So taking the mental health day, check! However, as soon as I knew I had the day off I started mental list making. To Do lists, both fun and practical were racing through my head. I knew I had to stop, so I enlisted the help of a friend who also had the day off. He kept me on track, by keeping me off track so to speak.

Several times I felt myself getting aggravated because I was "wasting" a day off. But, the more I thought about it the more I realized this was exactly what I needed. A day to just be. To let whatever happened happen. A day to not give in to the lists and the obligations and the million other things that pull me in all directions.

In the end, it was a great day. We started it out by braving the cold wind and going on a tour of the George Washington Masonic Temple which is almost literally in my back yard. At the top we got some great views of the city.
The majority of the rest of the day was spent Christmas shopping and napping though I did sneak in a trip to the grocery store which was productive (but not planned!).

We rounded out the day with my first ever visit to the National Christmas Tree. All in all, a great way to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year!

37. Be at a job one full year (AGAIN!)

Part of the purpose of this list was to make good habits and figure out new things. And so while the major goal is to check off as many tasks as possible, its pretty neat to note that I am also, re-checking off certain items.

As noted previously, I left the library last November to head back to the "big city". I got a job as an Office Assistant in a small, intellectual property firm. About two months into my assignment I was asked to take on a new role, working as the assistant to the managing partner. My primary focus would be trademark prosecution and there was a lot to learn. It has been a year since I started the job in the city and I am still here, chugging away. My, how time flies!

61. Ride a Horse

Like 95% of girls, I grew up wishing to own my very own pony. I would get up and ride every single day and take care of their every need. As I grew up, I quickly realized the expenses associated with owning a horse, but my yearning to ride did not subside. I have been horseback riding a couple times growing up, including one fairly traumatic incident, but I added this task to the list in hopes that I would get back on and get to live the dream again. And that I did!

My horse, Pegasus

I signed up to go horseback riding with a social group on Halloween out in Maryland. It was a small ranch and they decorated the horses very festively for our hour long trail ride. The ride was leisurely and very enjoyable. Afterward, we were treated to a nice rancher meal before heading home.

All in all, it was pretty great, and definitely something I would like to do again.

95. Take a random art or dance class for fun

And I have totally opened up Pandora's box. After some exploring in downtown Alexandria, I discovered this neat little bead store. Inside are two floors of beads in every color, shape, and material imaginable. They also offer classes at a very reasonable price. You buy the materials and they let you use their tools, so you can get the hang of things, and if you absolutely hate it you aren't out a ton of money in tools that you'll never use again. I figure I just could not pass up such an opportunity.

So I signed up and after two hours I had an array of earrings which I plan to give to my sister and all her roommates for Christmas (thus the blue and orange, UVA colors).


I then took my new found skills home and made some wine charms for a friend for her birthday.


I am very pleased with my new skill and am excited to take another class and start making even more wonderful trinkets!

5. Travel to Colorado

Ok, so I cheated, but only slightly. The original task was "travel to California." But, the premise behind it was to get off the east coast and travel westward beyond Wild, Wonderful West Virginia, and see a state that I've always wanted to see. And so, when the opportunity arose to visit some friends in Colorado, I jumped on it and decided to mark this as complete.

Really, not much can be said about this trip. It was amazing, like nothing I had ever seen. I got to spend time with one of my new friends (yet another re-checking off of that task) as we hiked our butts off around western Colorado and Utah. One thing this trip did do for me, is to instill in me a desire to see the rest of great country. The diversities of the earth just between the two oceans is miraculous!

And so, since a picture is worth the thousand words that I don't have... here you go.