This is my Day Zero list. It's a list of 101 things that I aim to achieve in 1001 days. The rule is:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).
To make the list, I've scoured other people's lists for inspiration. Many thanks to everyone who's undertaken this so far. My number one source of inspiration, though, is my friend Michelle. You're a star!
Official Start: 12 August 2009 [2009/08/12]
Finish: 9th May 2012 [2012/05/09]
- Get BSL level 1.
As of the Official Start I've already started on the lessons, I just need to keep up the practice and not fail the tests.
- Pass driving test.
Been meaning to for years, it should be done soon.
- Do memory training so that I can better remember large lists.
I mean arbitrary information in order here. I'l probably test this with random 10-digit numbers (phone number length)
- Do memory training so that I can better remember people.
I'm concerned with faces, names, occupations. No idea how to really test this other than noticing that I don't mess up so much.
- Exercise regularly enough that I can run 1.5k comfortably.
I know this is quite a short distance, but I never could manage it at school athletics and it's bugged me ever since.
- Get up at 06:30 every day for 2 weeks straight.
Shouldn't be difficult. Weekends too, though.
- Learn to meditate.
I've no idea how to measure meditation, I just know that my brain never ever switches off.
- Private objective number 1.
- Complete a basic swimming course.
I'm pretty good at sinking, so I want to do this so that if I do end up in the water, I'll stand a chance.
- Get my teeth straightened.
They've been crooked since forever, and it's about time.
- Cook up 10 things I've never done before that involve mushrooms or eggs.
My dietary testing says I ought to have these regularly. I'm just after some variety.
- Walk the path between York and Selby.
It's doable in a day, and there's a bus, so I can go there in the morning and just walk home.
- Identify a fear and overcome it.
I know, pretty generic. I suspect the hard part is the identifying.
- Get measured for a bra.
Haven't ever done this, and probably should.
- Floss.
I might wait until after the straightening to do this regularly, but it'll be handy to get into the swing of it before I get the appliance on.
- Private objective number 2
- Climb a tree.
I used to do this, a long time ago. Would be nice to really give it a good go somewhere.
- Learn distributed version control.
SVN, git, CVS, I've just never gotten around to knowing which is good for what. About time I did.
- Learn to knit.
It looks like fun and I have friends who are into it.
- Read a book in Welsh.
Since I don't know Welsh yet, this will be quite a big challenge. I'm probably going for Amdani! by Bethan Gwanas (Evans), for extra challenge.
- Read 3 major philosophical works.
I've never actually read anything majorly philosophical.
- See an old play.
I've seen theatre performances, but they've been pretty modern.
- Learn first aid.
My little brother once had a fit, and I luckily did the right thing at the time. I'd like to be more sure of things next time something happens.
- Learn to draw hands.
Really, this has bugged me for ages. I can sketch all sorts, but hands are really difficult.
- Visit my aunt Carol.
Should be easier once I drive.
- Visit my aunt Mags.
I often visit my cousin Ali, would be a change to actually stay at Mags's place instead.
- Visit my aunt Marjorie.
Again, this will be easier in the car.
- Keep addresses/birthdays up to date.
I'm hopeless at getting round to doing this.
- Go to the woods with Lisa.
She loves woodland, I rather like it too. This should be easy.
- Hold a Lego party.
I've done this before, it was fun. I have a prompt list which I'll share at some point.
- Go up to Shorne Wood with family.
Continuing the woodland theme, I used to visit Shorne Wood in Kent with family, and it'd be nice to see it again.
- Do a proper London trip with someone.
My London visits are usually on the back of something else, or on my way through, or crashing on someone's floor in zone 5 or something. I should do a proper visit, hotel room, sights, see a show, all that.
- Donate nectar points to charity.
Keep meaning to, never get round to it, so it's on the list.
- Donate unnecessary clothes.
Again, there it is, not getting done.
- Get rid of equipment that I just don't need.
If I really had a mind to, I'd end up with clothes, a laptop and a comfy chair. That's a bit hardcore for me though.
- Finish the artwork for Jason.
Project not yet done? Someone else interested? Perfect for the list.
- Redo artwork for Jess.
See above.
- Finish scrolling for Richard.
This one's been hanging over me since Christmas, I think.
- Finish floppiest.
Old project, just needs getting on with.
- Create the TinyTIM Treasure Hunt.
Something I've always wanted to do! I love treasure hunts, and I love TIMsters.
- Make a font and give it away.
I'd love to have a font. Typography geeking!
- Draw the warrior for shack.
Never got round to it when it was relevant, but I ought to at least try and see what comes of it.
- Praise 10 people.
Because I think I ought to. Directly or indirectly, but always sincerely.
- USB floppy.
Specifically, the use thereof to read and write Atari ST disks.
- ST USB stack architecture.
It'd be grand to at least have an infrastructure for testing USB code on the ST or Falcon.
- Private objective number 3.
- Complete the reading tool.
A work side-project that could in theory make my current task easier.
- Finish the proposal for JAM.
A work sort-of-side project that will help me out in the long run.
- Write the GPS paper.
Needs doing, it's not my main task.
- Write the SDV paper.
Needs doing, it's not my main task.
- Do work LaTeX templates.
There are some that exist, but they could do with tarting up.
- Do own publishing templates.
I've never been consistent, and I ought to.
- Tie up life insurance loose ends.
I'm missing some paperwork. Should be easy to sort out, I just never get round to it.
- Private objective number 4.
- Review finances.
I mean properly, investments, energy bills, the works. I need to afford a car and a house some time soon.
- Work out what I've registered for online and change the password to everything.
This will be a challenge. Card PINs, phone password, computer passwords, website passwords, the works.
- Learn guitar.
Specifically, so that I can play a folk tune confidently in front of a stranger. Stranger yet to be determined.
- Compose a music track on a computer.
Something that could get played at a small club night.
- Write a story.
I've done little ones, but not a proper one, not really. I have this great idea, though...
- Complete a career on vocals on Guitar Hero World Tour (any difficulty apart from beginner.)
Just to force myself to at least try to sing - and it's a game I already have, so no excuses!
- Visit five random towns in the UK.
For this, I shall draw up a list of as many towns as I can, then select 20 at random, then choose 5 from there to visit - otherwise I'm in danger of having to go to some crazy places.
- Day trip to the continent.
Netherlands, Belgium, France, they're all reachable and I've just never done a day-trip like this.
- Go to a live act by a band that I already listen to....but don't know personally...
- Do a photoshoot.
Dressing up? Looking nice? Being able to show people? Will be grand. Aiming to wait until after the teeth are done for this one.
- Spend an entire day hanging out with people, while colouring in a colouring book.
To pass this, the colouring-book needs to be fully coloured. Not a jumbo colouring book though, just a regular one.
- Rescue old hard drive data and then dump hard drives.
- Identify every plant in the garden.
The little plant from last year is a big plant this year - but I don't know if that's good or bad.
- Draw the dual land pictures.
I already did the basic lands, and they were OK-ish. Just have to keep at it.
- Type up all my idea notes into at least a wiki.
Seriously, I have 1000s of pages of notes for stuff that I need to organise.
- Get the Falcon online in MiNT.
It's been online without MiNT, to make it work with it I need the NVRAM/clock battery working.
- Do the website.
This one!
- Make the Indigo2 do something useful.
It needs another hard drive, and then some useful software.
- Make a working Amiga from all the bits.
Currently it's 3 not-so-healthy ones.
- Clean the printer.
Needs doing, especially to print colour detail.
- Lego diorama.
I keep starting but not finishing.
- Make mum's fried bread.
I have the recipe, but I've never tried to make it.
- Give up screens for a week.
This will be particularly challenging for work, but I'm sure if I time it right...
- Private objective number 5.
- Learn to gut a fish.
You know, a skill that could come in handy after civilisation collapses...
- Scan in old stuff and then dispose if possible.
Just need to declutter.
- Make paper.
Never done it before, it looks cool.
- Make a place for everything.
Once I've decluttered, of course, I need proper boxes and shelves and stuff.
- Tidy up the paperwork.
Piles of it.
- Rearrange the study to reflect how often things get used.
The main part of this will be working out rationale for where things go.
- Planters for the front garden with herbs in.
Herbs - flavr - nom.
- Make the Fluffwinian.
Still haven't done it, sorry Gena!
- Learn 5 origami models I didn't already know.
Bored with squirrels and cranes.
- Make my own Hanafuda cards.
Yeah, I could import some.
- Finish the binary cards.
Old project, needs a kick.
- Do every combo on Legogame.
The Lego prompt list has a number of suggestions, but I don't really know if they're all doable. It's a fun framework for creativity though.
- Make a fort like we used to as kids.
Nostalgia is what it used to be.
- Write 6 6-word stories.
They're hard! I have one to write down already.
- Eat okonomiyaki.
There's a place in London, so I could probably tie this in with that trip.
- Get things in my house of the same colour from (red, yellow, green, blue, purple) and do individual art pieces.
- Make an alphabet book.
Mum had one that she made, I think I ought to follow along.
- Pop popcorn
I've actually never done this! Crazy!
- Be somewhere in town I've never been before.
Somewhere within the walls - I've lived here since 1994, so it could be tricky finding somewhere.
- Format-shift my VHS and audiocassette media where wanted, and dump.
Seriously, it takes up space and my player is dying.
- Make pasta.
I met Marian. Marian makes her own pasta. This seems like a fun thing to do, and I've never done it.
- Draw the same thing 10 times.
Something that isn't so trivial. Just to see how my take on it changes.
- Visit Japan.
This one's at the end for a reason - it's the reward for doing all the rest. If I fail to at least try all of the above, I don't get to do this one.
