life:and:lim

Some may remember that I have a habit of putting together these yearly to-do lists.  I also like to check in every season or so to evaluate my progress.  Think of them as personal OKRs (for non-Googlers, that's Objectives and Key Results).  

Based on my year-to-date performance, I get a BIG FAT F-. Luckily, there are five months left in the year, and I've learned to make decent ravioli, which means I may be able to attempt Grant Achatz's Black Truffle Explosion before the end of the year.

Also, I have some additions:

• Buy a new computer (and maybe a smartphone), finally
• Get texting enabled on my phone
• Attempt to make French macarons (preferably chocolate)
• Start a journal for work/personal development
• Use up the $20 credit that has been hanging around my RueLaLa.com account for months. This is more of a challenge than you'd think, because their inventory stinks.
• Do a serious editing of my closet by the end of summer
• Transfer to digital copy that play I produced in college and send it to all the cast/crew

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• Asia: Japan (visit Asta-Pasta) OR Hong Kong and one other Chinese province I haven't been (Sichuan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Fujian)
• Domestic: New Mexico, DC area, New Orleans/Texas, NYC OR Hawaii.
• Local: LAKE TAHOE IN THE SUMMERTIME. And perhaps a local weekend camping trip.
• Bonus: Europe OR South America (Argentina/Brazil/Chile/Peru OR Spain/Italy/Turkey/Greece OR Costa Rica)
• Bonus: Winter Olympics in Vancouver!

• Asia: Japan (visit Asta-Pasta) OR Hong Kong and one other Chinese province I haven't been (Sichuan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Fujian)
• Domestic: New Mexico, DC area, New Orleans/Texas, NYC OR Hawaii.
• Local: LAKE TAHOE IN THE SUMMERTIME. And perhaps a local weekend camping trip.
• Bonus: Europe OR South America (Argentina/Brazil/Chile/Peru OR Spain/Italy/Turkey/Greece OR Costa Rica)
• Bonus: Winter Olympics in Vancouver!

• Summer weekend trip to Lake Tahoe. Wanted to do this for the past 4 years and still haven't done it.  NEXT YEAR.
• One long-weekend domestic trip: New Mexico, Portland, New Orleans/Texas, Hawaii, Yellowstone, OR DC area.  Went to Boston.  Does that count?
• Visit LA at least 2x and go to Magic Mountain.  Actually went 3x, here, alluded to here, and here.
• Visit (or camp at) Muir Woods, Mt. Tam, Bodega Bay, northern CA (Eureka or Shasta), and one California destination I've never heard of.  Addition: Getaway to Sonoma.
• Fall 2009 trip - China/SE Asia, Japan, South America, Costa Rica, Western Australia OR Spain/Morocco. FAIL.

• Sleep at least 7 hours/night (before 12:30am on weeknights). FAIL.
• Wear sunscreen daily, and lip balm for my perpetually chapped lips. FAIL.
• Move my bike from home (in LA) to the Bay Area.  Got a bike from Jimbo.  Doesn't mean I rode it, but I'm counting this one =)
• Hike once a month. I probably went 1-2x/month in the warmer months so I'm counting this.  Also, "urban hikes" count.
• Conquer my asthma and my gimp knee (so I can ski by next winter). FAIL.
• ...and get my weight back down to 120-125lbs., however that has to happen (gymming, walking, eating less). I hit 127, so I came close.
• Take a self-defense class. FAIL, but I got myself a new can of pepper spray.

Personal Projects

General Know-how:

Amazing that we're already three months into 2009.  I thought it'd be a good time to check in with progress on my 2009 To-Do List , a series of goals I make every year.  I'd love to hear how 2009 is shaping up for other people too.  So far, I think, so good--maybe it's because spring seemed to come so early this year.  

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• Summer weekend trip to Lake Tahoe
  
• One long-weekend domestic trip: New Mexico, Portland, New Orleans/Texas, Hawaii, Yellowstone, OR DC area (I'm going to Boston for a wedding, but I don't think this counts)
  
• Visit LA at least 2x and go to Magic Mountain (I'll be visiting in May so this will be half accomplished)
  
• Visit (or camp at) Muir Woods, Mt. Tam, Bodega Bay, Sonoma, northern CA (Eureka or Shasta), and one California destination I've never heard of.
  
• Fall 2009 trip - China/SE Asia, Japan, South America, Costa Rica, Western Australia OR Spain/Morocco
  

Health & Wellness

• Sleep at least 7 hours/night (before 12:30am on weeknights) (HAH. I really need to work on this one.)
  
• Wear sunscreen daily, and lip balm for my perpetually chapped lips (Need to work on this too)
  
• Move my bike from home (in LA) to the Bay Area
  
• Hike once a month.  (So far, so good.  Urban hikes count =)
  
• Conquer my asthma and my gimp knee, so I can ski by next winter
  
• ...and get my weight back down to 120-125lbs., however that has to happen (gymming, walking, eating less).
  
• Take a self-defense class
  

Sewing (skills): Learn one new technique every month, things like: install a zipper, read/execute a pattern, tailoring techniques such as darts, princess seams, etc., create a pattern, smocking and shirring, install interfacing, create pleats, Hong Kong seams, linings for anything, make a pocket, and dye fabric (Haven't gotten too far on this, but w/ the sewing book Karin gave me for my b-day it will be easier to accomplish this)
Sewing (projects): 

• Addition: Make myself a lunch bag.
  
• Finish my fingerless gloves
• Alter the $5 sari dress and skirt that I bought at the Lotus Festival and never wore.
• Make a sundress out of the pretty batik I bought in Malaysia last year.
• Make an evening/cocktail dress out of the material I bought at Joann's + all the sewing ideas I've been collecting for the past few months
• Make an obi-style belt 

• Organize recipes and start recording family favorites and newly inspired creations in a journal or binder.
  
• Master my slow-cooker so I don't starve when I start my new job

Recipes to master: 

• The 'One Great Cookie' recipe for browned-butter cookies in the 2006 issue of Gourmet Magazine
  
• My coworker's famous chocolate-chip cookie recipe
  
• Addition: my old boss' wonderful recipe for blueberry scones
  
• A really great gingerbread cookie recipe
  
• Chili
  
• The Google chef's recipe for madeleines
  
• Baked butterfish with miso glaze like they used to make in our cafeteria
  
• Flan!
  

Volunteering: Find one great organization/activity to commit to.

General Know-How:

• Learn about the import/export process and more about retail distribution
  
• Read some of those motivational books and start a learning journal of sorts.
  

Just for Fun 

• Taiko drumming classes.
  
• Organize and post my photos from my trip to Asia last year
  
• 3x the average traffic-per-post on my blog
  
• Use my new 40-min. commute to learn some things.  Get Spanish-language and Chinese-language tapes.
  
• Work on an indie film. Bug former coworker Tony about producing his next movie OR get involved in a theater production (ask Annie).
  
• Film footage and piece together a 5-10 minute short of any kind.
  
• Work with my mom to translate my grandmother's life story, and interview my dad about his family history.
  
• Send out Christmas cards next year
  
• Take 1 class with Doc Wong, and learn how to drive stick shift.
  
• Mail out DVD copies of the play I produced 5 years ago to the cast/crew, which have been sitting on my desk for the past 3 years -___-
  

• Incorporate lessons learned from my last job. Take more responsibility for my career.
  
• Manage expectations and deliver on promises. (Working on it.  It's a daily challenge.)
  
• Exceed my quarterly targets
  
• Be on time
  
• Respond to important e-mails within 2 hours and keep my inbox under 20 messages. (HAH.)
  
• Find projects beyond the core role by Q2-3
  
• Get promoted
  
• Decide on B-school once and for all
  

• Don't buy any more clothing or home stuff until my birthday (in February). (Update: I failed this one but have a goal for Lent)
  
• Pay off my car loan
  
• Read www.fool.com or other other educational resources once a week and take a couple seminars about investing.  Learn about stocks and all that, because it's Greek to me now.  And identify 3 areas to invest in.
  
• Donate at least 10% of my net earnings to church and some non-profits that are doing great work.
  

• Develop a daily prayer life. Pray regularly for my daddy.
  
• Re-join a small group at church and go 2x/month
  
• Forgive and let go of some specific, debilitating things from my past
• Work on communication (synthsizing/clarity) and listening skills.
• Give up something that matters for someone who truly needs it
• Try to buy clothing made of natural materials: cotton, linen, bamboo, leather, silk, wool.  This will force me to buy fewer things of higher quality, rather than synthetic blends that pill after 2 wears.
• Clean out/reorganize my closet twice (I will probably do this, this weekend)
• Read: The Far Pavilions, Malcom X's Autobiography, and at least 2 other novels
• Watch: After Life, Carnivale Seasons 1 and 2, Hellboy 1 and Hellboy 2, Elizabeth 1 and Elizabeth 2, It's a Wonderful Life, Waking Life, Slumdog Millionaire, the Orphic Trilogy, the Decalogue, Brazil, M, Wild Strawberries
• Listen: Organize my mp3s and create a handful of playlists so I can start using my iPod again
• ...and the one thing that will make it all possible: STOP WASTING SO MUCH TIME.  Spend less than 1.5 hours/day online--do less online shopping and find a way to blog more efficiently! (Well I am blogging less but probaby not wasting any less time -__-)

Happy New Year, all!  As Garry mentioned, I've made a 'to-do' list every year since seventh grade.  It began as a 'secret wish' list with some pretty dumb things on it, but soon turned into a list of goals. I never expect to accomplish everything (like any to-do list), but I'm happy if I get more than half done.  I find it easier if I come up with very specific things--helps keep me on track.

So the one exception was 2008.  I never did a to-do list this past year, and lo and behold, I got jack-sh*t done.  So it's back to business as usual.  For reference, I've transferred my old 2007 list of things to do to a privitized post.

_____________________________________________________

• Summer weekend trip to Lake Tahoe
• One long-weekend domestic trip: New Mexico, Portland, New Orleans/Texas, Hawaii, Yellowstone, OR DC area
• Visit LA at least 2x and go to Magic Mountain
• Visit (or camp at) Muir Woods, Mt. Tam, Bodega Bay, northern CA (Eureka or Shasta), and one California destination I've never heard of.  Addition: Getaway to Sonoma.
• Fall 2009 trip - China/SE Asia, Japan, South America, Costa Rica, Western Australia OR Spain/Morocco

• Sleep at least 7 hours/night (before 12:30am on weeknights)
• Wear sunscreen daily, and lip balm for my perpetually chapped lips
• Move my bike from home (in LA) to the Bay Area
• Hike once a month.
• Conquer my asthma and my gimp knee (so I can ski by next winter)
• ...and get my weight back down to 120-125lbs., however that has to happen (gymming, walking, eating less).
• Take a self-defense class

Personal Projects

Sewing (skills): Learn one new technique every month, things like: install a zipper, read/execute a pattern, tailoring techniques such as darts, princess seams, etc., create a pattern, smocking and shirring, install interfacing, create pleats, Hong Kong seams, linings for anything, make a pocket, and dye fabric