Halfway update!

Oh, boy. I can't believe that 503 days ago, I started this project. In those 503 days, I've done quite a bit. I spent my entire savings. I gained a bunch of weight. I ended a relationship that I thought for sure would be happily ever after. I've also traveled. I have helped feed the hungry. I have gotten back into reading passionately. I got a new job, doing something I love.

Life has taken me on a path I didn't expect over the last year, and I have really grown because of it. I haven't quite accomplished all the goals I had anticipated having done by now, but I'm not terribly disappointed by the progress I've made either.

Of my 101 goals, I have completed 25. I have made significant progress on another 15. Since my year update in March, that's another seven completed and five goals attempted - 40 overall compared to the 35 of March.

My progress on uncompleted goals is as follows:

• Use $100 in coupons (61% complete)
• See five theater productions (20% complete)
• Attend two concerts (50% complete)
• Watch 10 old movies (40% complete)
• Visit 15 states (20% complete)
• Blog about 50 new recipes (32% complete)
• Yelp five new restaurants (40% complete)
• Read 100 books (39% complete)
• Visit ten museums (40% complete)
• Write a letter to myself (have to find it to complete!)
• 365-day photo challenge (1 month in today)
• 365 questions (61% complete)
• Achieve my goal weight (24 lbs. away)
• Donate 1M grains of rice (36% complete)
• Clean out my closet (20% complete)

Many of my goals from here on out are ongoing goals - ones that I have to work toward, that can't be completed in one day. The ones that aren't generally involve money, and are things for which I would need to save. My progress may appear to be going slowly, but I feel I'm making a dent and will continue to chip away large chunks at a time. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the progress I have planned out! 

xoxo

Grandpa Jer is gone.

Wednesday, I bought a ticket home for next week. I called and told him to hang in there - that I was coming.

Tonight, I got the call from Mom that he's gone. I know the last week has been a huge downhill slide, and there's no way to really have known when he would go. According to the doctors, he should have had another month and a half at least.

Cancer is a bitch. I'm glad I was able to chat with him this week and tell him I loved him, and I know that he loved me too. Now it looks like I'll be heading up this week to start attending to service plans rather than spending time with him.

Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers. Grandpa Jer might have lived a wonderful, full 79 years, but that doesn't make it hurt any less.

Mom is in the house!

And we've been rockin' out (or relaxing, as might more often be the case) since she got here a week ago. She's experienced her first Arizona dust storm, eaten at The Melting Pot for the first time, and gotten her first senior discount at the grocery store. We've lounged by the pool, drank wine, moved furniture for the neighbors, and just generally been pretty awesome.

Sara managed to choose a wedding dress, and dresses for Mom, Sara, and me are all ordered. Quick plug for Schaffer's in Scottsdale - they are amazing. Lisa is one of the best bridal consultants I've ever worked with. Also, I'm too tired to care about dangling participles. Sorry.

I have the day off tomorrow to spend hangin' out with Mom, perhaps grabbing a cinnamon swirl from Great Harvest for breakfast, and lounging around on her last day. I've had a blasty blast and hopefully you'll see more of me pretty soon!

Wild is changing my life.

The book. Wild, by Cheryl Strayed. About a year ago, my plans to hike the PCT were hatched. Sam, my awesome hippy California friend, inspired me. Talked about her dream to hike it. Talked about hiking it together. And my own dream was born.

We had initially planned to hike the John Muir Trail this July and August in preparation to do the entire trail next summer. We have been seriously talking about it since November of last year. Planning, looking at tents, dreaming about gear, and mentally divvying up the weight. So when I saw this book at the library, there was no question that I needed to read it.

It is changing my life. The dream I thought was a little too out of reach for now is back, firmly planted in my forebrain. If a heroin user can hike the PCT, never having backpacked a day in her life, then so can I. And I will. Next summer. JMT or not this month, I'm all over making this happen. If not next summer, then the summer Sam graduates. Or whatever summer we can work it in. Because this is so real I can taste it. I need this more than ever. Cheryl Strayed, thank you for the inspiration. And hiking enthusiasts, this is a must-read!

June 101 update

Completed:

• Got my brows threaded for the first time!! 

Progress:

• Read ten books. 
• Donated 5,800 grains of rice
• Lost another five lbs! 

So maybe I didn't get as much done as I had anticipated/hoped. But I got a bunch of reading out of the way, and hopped back on the freerice bandwagon. I'm making strides on getting other obligations paid off so I can concentrate on student loans. I have my modeling website up and running, and I've been making a few contacts for work. I've seen a handful of old movies, but ended up falling asleep in the middle of most of them, so I haven't been counting them toward my goal. 

Today has been full of responsible adult-ness. Chores and whatnot. But I'm about to get my rice on, and I might even finish an old movie tonight! 

Sara gets here in four days, and Mom comes to visit in eight, so I probably shouldn't make any promises on how much I'll complete this month. Here's to hoping I cross off two more goals and make progress on another two. 

I'll be back with a more comprehensive update later this week. :) 

xoxo!