The day is almost over and I have STILL not posted for Blog Action Day. I meant for this post to be way better than it is - I intended to put some real time and thought into it, but some real life circumstances have come up this past weekend that prevent me from doing that. If I get a chance, I will post about that tomorrow.

But today is Blog Action Day, and that means that bloggers around the world are all blogging about the environment. I’ve got a few tips/thoughts/links to share.

There’s a GREAT list of ways to get started over on Blog Action Day website, so make sure that you check out the 50 Quick, Painless Ways You Can Help the Environment Today.

Some simple things that I’ve done to help are reducing the amount of paper I use when printing by using the amazing software GreenPrint, making the switch to compact fluorescent lightbulbs in my apartment (now available at Wal-Mart, Costco, and the grocery store - this one is too easy), and getting rid of all that junk mail (which wastes paper, ink, gas for the trucks, and energy) by utilizing GreenDimes. You can read more about my posts regarding green living here on my blog.

I’ve also got some great green links on the sidebar. One in particular that I want to point out is TreeHugger - this is an AMAZING resource, and contains great information and links to get you really started on a greener lifestyle.

It’s awesome to do something like install solar panels, buy an energy efficient car, or offset your carbon emissions. But in all honesty, we can’t all afford to do those things (though it is important to note that these things are becoming more affordable every day - it’s quite remarkable actually). But all the little things add up. By each little contribution you make, not matter how insignificant or easy it may seem, it will help.

What ways have you found to help our environment - I’m always on the lookout for great green tips and resources!

As the past year has gone by, a lot of changes have occurred in my life. I graduated from college, started graduate school, left graduate school, and have basically moved out of my parent’s house. As a result, some of my interests and goals have changed. Now that I’m “in the real world,” I find that my time and interest for web design and participation in the online graphics community are not what they once were. As a result, four of my previous 101 in 1001 goals are no longer things I am interested in pursuing. I may still try to work on them some, but they are not things that I am vitally interested in completing anymore.

Also, in the past couple of months, I have a renewed sense of dedication for making our planet a better place. This happens to coincide with the time that An Inconvenient Truth came out, but that is not what got me started. I actually can’t remember the initial trigger, but the Internet has fueled this interest with its vast resources. About 10 years ago I was VERY committed to environmentalism - my weeks consisted of collecting the recycling in my school and my weekends were spent on beach clean up trips and letter writing campaigns. Then high school came, and I was more concerned with myself than the planet. Then college came and I didn’t have time to be concerned with the planet. I always figured I had gone through an “environmentalist phase,” so I was quite surprised to discover that little piece of me come back alive!

So, I have replaced these goals:

62. Create my own WordPress template.
66. Create new printables section for Doodlebug Designs.
69. Rework all of my websites so they use valid XHTML.
70. Rework all of my websites so that they use valid CSS.

with a new section in my 101:

Green Living
62. Change all the incandescent light bulbs in my apartment to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
66. Stop using plastic bags at the grocery store and switch to reusable canvas bags.
69. Switch a significant portion of my food and cooking supplies to organic. Healthier for me, healthier for the planet.
70. Search for organic and free trade coffee and tea that I like, and make the switch.

I imagine that when I create my next 101 in 1001 that this section will be larger, but for now I’m starting small.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programing.

After researching the matter for a couple of weeks, I decided to make a change in my home . . . a lighting change.

5 minutes on any “green” website will tell you that switching from incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent light bulbs is a VERY smart move. Fluorescent light bulbs use significantly less wattage which means that they use a lot less energy. Less energy usage = fewer resources (which is better for the environment) and smaller costs to you on your monthly power bill. Sounds perfect, eh?

The complaint has always been that the light they provide looks garish, because it is still a fluorescent light. However, after reading on websites that the lighting had improved significantly, I decided to go to the store to look for the squiggly light bulbs.

Imagine my surprise when I happened upon the light bulbs in Harris Teeter. Yes, regular grocery store. And while there were some squiggly light bulbs, I was delighted to discover a bulb that looked just like a regular light bulb. 16 watt bulb that has the appearance of a 60 watt bulb. Cost - $8.50. I bought three and scampered home.

Imagine my delight and wonderment when I turned on my lamps in my room AND COULDN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE!!!!! I called my roommates into my room, individually, and they couldn’t tell a difference either! These light bulbs create light that looks just like regular light bulbs, and they are supposed to last 6 years!!!!!!!

According to the website, my new Philips Marathon Classic 60 light bulbs:

* Philips Marathon Classic energy savers feature advanced SmartBase Technology™ and ALTO® Lamp Technology to create smaller compact fluorescent light bulbs that are better for the environment
* Use up to 70% less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs, saving you money on your utility bills
* Provide a soft white light ideal for any room in your home
* Last up to 6 years, saving you the hassle of replacing burnt out light bulbs
* Are Energy Star qualified

I’m in absolute awe over here! And I’m going to go back to the store and get more to replace the other light bulbs in the apartment. I mean, seriously, these are amazing. And supposedly Wal-Mart is starting to sell them, so they’re available everywhere.

If helping save our planet isn’t enough of an incentive, think about how much money you could save on your power bill, and PLEASE go out and buy these for your home! Just replacing one light bulb will make a big difference!

Better for the environment, cheaper monthly bills, AND you can’t tell a difference?! Works for me!

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).

This project was taken from Triplux.

The things that I say I want to MAINTAIN will be counted as completed if they are maintained for at least two months. I figure that if I maintain something for at least that long, then it’ll be habit. If, however, I stop doing it before I reach the due date, I will take the completion date off and I’ll have to do the two months again before I can put on a new date.

Tasks I have completed will be struck through and a completion date will be listed that is linked to a post about the completion of that task. Tasks that I have begun will be italicized and a beginning date will be listed.

Started: December 19, 2005
Due Date: September 15, 2008
Tasks Completed: 68
Tasks in Progress: 12
Tasks Remaining:33

1. Make this list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, and make the items be actual things that I will be able to complete and will somehow be beneficial to my life. (Making a list of my 50 favorite actors does not make my life better – though that would make for great procrastination the night before a paper is due.) Completed 12/19/05

Religious
2. Create and MAINTAIN my faith blog Reading Red Letters. Completed 11/08/06
3. Plan a religious fast and complete said fast (probably 3 days, but that’s flexible).
4. Read the Bible from beginning to end.
5. Officially join Episcopal Church. Completed 4/17/06
6. Read at least 10 books by C. S. Lewis.

Family
7. Stay in touch with Bo once he’s at college. Completed 11/08/06
8. Go to at least two concerts with Daddy.
9. Complete a Bible study with Mama.
10. Spend a day at the spa with Mama. Completed 5/31/06

Health
11. Start and MAINTAIN regular exercise.
12. Learn to eat at least 3 new fruits and vegetables. Completed 9/12/08
13. Reach my weightloss goal and MAINTAIN it.
14. Start and MAINTAIN regular flossing. Completed 11/08/06
15. Get my stomach into fit enough condition so that a pierced bellybutton won’t look ridiculous (and if I keep my courage, actually pierce the bellybutton – but even if I don’t go through with it, the option is nice to have).
16. MAINTAIN taking vitamins regularly. Completed 11/08/06
17. Start and MAINTAIN monthly breast self-exams (and no, 21 is not too young to start doing this!). Completed 12/3/06
18. Begin eating breakfast everyday and MAINTAIN it! Completed 8/19/06

School
19. Study for and take the GRE. Completed 5/22/06
20. Get caught up in school after having mono (complete all my incompletes). Completed 3/2/06
21. Graduate from Wake Forest University. Completed 5/15/06

Living Parables
22. Get Living Parables reimbursement/business manager issues worked out. Completed 5/19/06
23. Get Living Parables scripts published. Completed 9/12/08
24. Get new Living Parables constitution approved. Completed 5/19/06
25. Make a video of Living Parables performances for all members. 9/12/08
26. Organize Living Parables Coordinating Director materials and create a timeline for next Coordinating Director. Completed 5/19/06

“Real World”
27. Get a job. Completed 1/30/06.
28. Set up a new place to live (once I figure out where I’ll be after graduation). Completed 7/10/06
29. Get post office box at wherever I move to after graduation. Completed 9/12/08
30. Switch my financial managing to a computerized system (i.e. Microsoft Money). Completed 1/5/06
31. Get a credit card that is mine, and only mine – my parents aren’t on the account. Completed 7/17/06
32. Save $5 a day and deposit into my savings account. Completed 11/08/06
33. Host a formal dinner. Completed 8/4/2008
34. Get a pet (something I can pet and play with). Completed 12/4/07

Travel
35. Travel to Europe (anywhere in Europe for any length of time). Completed 6/19/06
36. Visit Stephanie in New York. Completed 6/7/06
37. Take a trip to California. Completed 6/8/08
38. Take a vacation to Atlanta with Mama – go shopping and see an exhibit at the High Museum.
39. Travel to Washington, D.C. At least see major monuments, the White House, and the Smithsonian.
40. Buy nice map and put a push-pin in every place I’ve been.
41. Go to the MOMA. Completed 6/8/06

Personal Betterment
42. Begin creatively writing again (re-write novel).
43. Pay for the person behind me at a fast food drive thru. Completed 9/12/08
44. Become an organ donor. Completed 5/26/06
45. Give blood. Completed 9/12/08
46. Subscribe to a newspaper and read it regularly. Completed 12/28/06
47. Stop biting fingernails.
48. Update my journal and MAINTAIN it. Begun 11/21/06
49. MAINTAIN cleaning my apartment (dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing the shower, etc.) on a regular basis – AT LEAST once a month. Completed 11/08/06
50. Sponsor a child in an impoverished country. Completed 1/23/06
51. Become more politically aware. If someone talks about something that I don’t know about, don’t say “oh, we don’t keep up with current events in college” – ask them about it. Completed 11/08/06

Organize/Purge
52. Organize, file, and store all my notes/keepsakes from my undergraduate classes. Completed 6/15/06
53. Sell all textbooks that I will never use again – if they’re too used to sell, get rid of them. Completed 7/11/06
54. Finish entering all my DVDs into a database. Completed 11/29/06
55. Finish entering all my CDs into a database. Completed 12/14/06
56. Finish entering all my books into a database.
57. Sell, donate, give, or throw away 101 items. Completed 5/18/06
58. Sort through all my chick lit – take the majority and release them into the wild with Book Crossing. Completed 6/3/06
59. Take all my collected change to the bank and turn it into paper cash. Donate cash to my church. (Final amount: $165.52) Completed 12/5/06
60. Sort through all of my clothing, especially what’s at my parents’ house. Donate to Goodwill. Completed 5/18/06

Technology
61. Get Mama’s beads inventoried and make the inventory something she can easily work with daily. Completed 8/4/08
62. (CHANGED: Please see “Green Living” section at the end of list)
63. Re-create email filing system and MAINTAIN it. Completed 6/15/06
64. Get a Palm Treo. Completed 12/4/06
65. Get a desktop PC that works with my home media setup. Completed 6/12/06
66. (CHANGED: Please see “Green Living” section at the end of list)
67. Regularly back up my computer. Completed 8/21/06
68. Regularly back up my websites. Completed 8/21/06
69. (CHANGED: Please see “Green Living” section at the end of list)
70. (CHANGED: Please see “Green Living” section at the end of list)
71. Complete The Sims 2 Legacy Challenge.
72. Get all Mama’s email switched from Yahoo to her ISP account. Completed 8/4/08
73. Reformat artists’ names on my iPod so that each one isn’t listed more than once. Completed 8/4/08
74. MAINTAIN updating Doodlebug Designs. Completed 6/10/07
75. Write 1001 blog posts. (472/1001) Begun 12/19/05

Entertainment
76. Read 75% of the list of books that my friends have sent me. (24/85) Begun 12/19/05
77. Clear my current Netflix queue. (234/494) Begun 12/19/05
78. Read 75% of the Greatest Books in 101 Things to Do Before You Die. (17/64) Begun 12/19/05
79. Watch 85% of the Greatest Films in 101 Things to Do Before You Die. (92/112) Begun 12/19/05
80. See a Cirque du Soleil show that I haven’t seen before. Completed 6/8/06
81. Have a Star Wars marathon day and watch all the movies in chronological series order – with someone else! Completed 5/27/07
82. Finish watching all the DVDs I own (includes TV shows). Completed 8/22/06
83. See 75% of IMDB top 250 movies as of September 1, 2008 (this list changes). (148/188) Begun 12/19/05
84. See 100% of AFI top 100 movies. (74/100) Begun 12/19/05
85. See 100% of Netflix top 100 movies as of September 1, 2008 (this list changes). (63/100) Begun 12/19/05
86. See 75% of Entertainment Weekly’s top 100 movies. (50/75) Begun 12/19/05
87. Read 50% of books on the Modern Library (Random House) top 100 list (board). (10/50) Begun 12/19/05

In the Kitchen
88. Learn to use cast iron skillets without messing up the seasoning.
89. Start and MAINTAIN a wine journal. Begun 8/23/06
90. Drink a vintage wine. Completed 8/4/08
91. Organize recipe book. Completed 3/2/08
92. Find and make a good cheese fondue recipe (may require several tries).
93. Switch from Diet Coke to black coffee in the mornings - it may take more time, but it’s less chemicals and more caffeine! Completed 8/19/06

Just for Fun
94. Learn how to build a fire for my fireplace. Completed 1/14/06
95. Attend my 5-year high school reunion. Can’t complete
96. Lean to drive a stick shift.
97. Test drive a hot sports car with no intention of buying it.
98. Inspire at least five other people to make a 101 in 1001 list. Completed 8/6/2006
99. Win something (anything) from a lottery ticket.
100. Shout “Drinks are on me!” in a pub or bar.

Green Living
On January 24, 2007 I changed 4 of my list items to better reflect my goals. Here are the new items for my list.
62. Change all the incandescent light bulbs in my apartment to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Completed 8/1/07
66. Stop using plastic bags at the grocery store and switch to reusable canvas bags. Completed 1/1/08
69. Switch a significant portion of my food and cooking supplies to organic. Healthier for me, healthier for the planet. Completed 6/26/08
70. Search for organic and free trade coffee and tea that I like, and make the switch. Completed 8/4/08

101. On September 15, 2008, publish a new 101 in 1001. Completed 9/15/08