ALRIGHT, I'M DOING IT.

Good morning! This huge glorious picture cheers me up big time.

Beautiful photo belongs to boltandfrolic

I first saw a "101 in 1001" list over at Ice Cream & Peonies and really liked the concept; 101 goals for just under three years is somehow more manageable than the traditional five-ear plan in my mind! After admiring Kay's list, I started to look for other lists and found such a variety in goals: buy a house, save X amount of money, improve patience, learn how to sew, get a massage. It was amazing to me how different and yet similar so many of our desires are and, really,what we'd like to see ourselves become.

Inevitably, all of this looking at other people's goals led to me thinking about my own. I like making goals, and I love making lists, so here it is: my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days.

PARDON THE HOUR

It's 2:42am, and I'm awake, so here we are. :)

Want to hear about my day? Because this was it:
-woke up at 6:00
-worked 8:00-5:00
-attended math lecture 6:00-9:00
-finished cleaning and painting the old apartment and packed the last of my stuff in the car 9:30-12:30
-drove home and found someone parked in my garage stall 12:45; left a (somewhat scathing) note on the windshield
-hauled all of my stuff upstairs from outside 12:50
-ate dinner 1:30 (I forgot to pack it for class)

Don't know about you, but I'm the type that has to lounge calmly for an hour or so before I can fall asleep...so I'm up. But check out this fun periodic table I saw on campus today:

I enjoy it. :) Old school in the best of ways. They should paint the frame a really bold purple, or something.

Signing off. My 101 in 1001 list will be posted tomorrow! (Today?)

FOR THE LOVE OF WHALES (AND RHINOS)

Cujo the Cat needs a nice looking set of food and water bowls.

This is the current situation:

I think the household's outlook would improve considerably if these were to replace the tupperware:

 

The whale bowl would be for water, naturally. I guess that makes Mr. Rhino food? So be it.

(Bowls sold by Etsy seller ninamoto for $17 each.)

IN WHICH JAMIE STOPS BEING CHEAP [KIND OF]

There's something you have to understand about me: I'm super cheap about magazines. I love them, but it's like pulling teeth to get myself to subscribe (which makes no sense, I know, since it costs so much more to buy them on from the stand!). I kid you not, my sole resolution last year was to subscribe to three magazines, which ended up being House Beautiful, Real Simple, and Runner's World.

I finally bit the bullet and subscribed to Elle Decor, Country Living and Veranda. Five dollars each, yo.

Aaand back to being broke. :) At least I'll have six magazines in my mailbox to cheer me up!

MY OWN EVERYDAY INSPIRATION

Re: fabulous k's everyday inspirations post last week, in which she wrote, "Have you ever taken a look at your surroundings and felt inspired? It happens to me on a daily basis."

I remember feeling contrary when I initially read those words; I tend to be more inspired by what my mind cooks up than what I see in front of me. Or if I am inspired by something in front of me, it's something that has been designed to inspire (read: magazines, storefronts, displays, etc.).

But at the library this weekend, I had my very own moment of everyday inspiration. Who'd have thought? :)

Yellow seems to grab me lately. This little stool was in the second row of bookshelves, all by its lonesome. My school's library is very brown, very exposed brick, very blah. It's weird to say, but this little yellow stool cheered me up, and I think I might even have to do some eBay/thrift hunting for a similar one. I think it's adorable.

(I did spend about four seconds wondering if I could somehow smuggle it out of the library. Shh, don't tell.)

NEEDS TO HAPPEN

Storetry No 017

Storetry No 042

Storetry No 019

Storetry No 140

Storetry No 103

I think that last one is my favorite. It might have to find a home in my kitchen.

(Sold by Etsy seller YeeHaw for $35 each; 27.5"x16-18.25", depending on the print)

AND HERE WE GO

The new semester has officially begun. I feel as stressed as I did last semester but can already tell that this spring will be better than last fall. Yes, yes I can. (says firmly to self)

I'm revisiting my New Years resolutions and adding one big one to the list: I am going to take better care of myself this year. No more taking on more than I can handle (school). No more disregard for my fitness. No more ignoring major warning signs and ending up in emergency surgery. Nothing puts a damper on a semester's success like having to take a week off of work and school because of incapacitating drugs! :P

This semester (and year), I am making time for myself. I can find 2 hours a week to work out. I can find 1 hour a week to do something just for me (read a non-school book, draw a bath, paint a wall). This time around, I'd like to find and maintain a sense of balance.

(I'm not a fan of Gossip Girl, but I do think that Blake Lively is a looker. Photo courtesy of blakelively.net)