Sell Crazy Someplace Else: Book Review: The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

101/1001 v. 2.0

Mission: Accomplish 101 discrete tasks in 1001 days

End Date: December 2, 2014

Green tasks are in progress.

HOME

1. Bring all wedding gifts from parents’ house to our house.

2. Choose wedding pictures to have printed and to make parents' albums.

3. Put together an emergency box (water, flashlights, etc.) for the house.

4. Put together “72-hour kits” in case of emergency/evacuation.

5. Put together an emergency box for both cars.

6. Write and properly execute wills.

7. Complete china service.

8. Complete silverware service.

9. Learn how to iron clothes properly.

10. Fully unpack house.

~~11. Set up guest room.~~

12. Set up ~~office~~ Lil Man's new room.

~~13. Set up “launchpad” in entry.~~

14. Put together a Task List/Control Journal for the house.

15. Back up computer.

16. Organize front-hall closet.

17. Organize master closet.

18. Plan and start an Evening Routine.

19. Plan and start a Morning Routine.

20. Start a filing system for paying bills and saving paperwork.

21. Hang pictures/paintings in house.

22. Get family room couch and chairs fixed.

23. Create a photobook of Lil’ Man’s art.

~~24. Create a photobook of Lil’ Man’s first year.~~

25. Hang and maintain a height chart for Lil’ Man.

~~26. Put clothes in hamper (not on floor) every day for 1 month.~~

~~27. Get a hamper for dry cleaning.~~

28. Get the kitchen to a shiny sink before I go to bed for 21 days straight.

FOOD

~~29. Start buying grassfed meat and pastured poultry.~~

30. Make homemade yogurt.

~~31. Join a CSA.~~

32. Follow a menu plan for 1 week.

33. Follow a menu plan for 1 month.

~~34. Bring lunch and snacks to work for 4 days in a week.~~

~~35. Bring lunch and snacks to work for 4 days per week for 1 month.~~

36. Make matzah ball soup.

~~37. Make a green smoothie.~~

38. Make jam.

39. Preserve a food by canning.

40. Make fresh pasta.

41. Bake a pie.

~~42. Go apple picking.~~

43. Bake 10 new things and blog about it.

44. Cook 10 new things and blog about it.

HEALTH

45. See a personal trainer to start a weight-training regimen.

46. Get eyes checked.

47. Take meds & vitamins every day for a month.

48. Floss every day for a month.

~~49. Exercise 30 minutes 3-4 times/week for 1 month.~~

50. Try Zumba.

51. Reach a healthy BMI.

52. Do the Couch-to-5K program.

~~53. Find a new foundation (makeup).~~

~~54. Put on makeup before I leave the house every day for 1 week.~~

55. Take a yoga/pilates class.

SELF/SPIRITUAL

56. Have Friday night Shabbat dinner at our house for family/friends.

~~57. Have a sukkah for Sukkot.~~

58. Make hamentashchen for Purim.

59. Make mishloach manot for Purim.

60. Go to a Tashlich service at Rosh Hashanah.

61. Go to Shabbat services at least once a season.

62. Have a dairy meal for Shavuot.

63. Write a list of 50 things that make me happy.

64. Make a list of 5 people who have positively influenced me and write them letters.

65. Contribute to our tzedakah box every week before Shabbat candlelighting.

66. Bake challah and freeze small portions for use over a month.

RELATIONSHIPS

~~67. Take Lil’ Man to the Zoo.~~

68. Take Lil’ Man to the Playseum.

~~69. Play in the leaves with Lil’ Man.~~

70. Send Mom flowers for no reason.

71. Send 5 friends flowers for no reason.

72. Bring JD breakfast in bed.

73. Create our own “Family Rules” and display in house.

74. Write an “If Something Happens to Me” Letter.

FUN

75. Learn how to play the piano.

76. Read all of Shakespeare’s plays. (9/36)

77. Ride in a hot-air balloon.

78. Take a golf lesson.

79. Learn how to play bridge.

80. Complete a needlework project.

81. Make/do 10 things on my Pinterest boards.

82. Read 10 books that I haven’t read from 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.

83. Write a blog review of the 1001 Books… I read.

~~84. Have a picnic.~~

85. Take a picture of Lil’ Man at least once a week.

~~86. Write an article for my work newsletter.~~

87. Knit something.

88. Ask 20 friends to suggest one book and read them all.

89. Write a blog review of the “20 Books from Friends” I read.

90. Take a photo of the same place every month for a year and turn it into a calendar.

91. Host a dinner party.

92. See 10 classic movies I’ve never seen.

93. Go horseback riding.

94. See a play/musical.

~~95. Listen to a lecture online.~~

96. Write a blog post once a week for a year.

97. Pay for the person behind me at Starbucks.

98. Have a girls’ weekend.

99. Donate blood.

~~100. Do swab test for bone marrow donation.~~

101. Create and send out a family photo holiday card.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Book Review: The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

I recently finished the audiobook version of The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. I found this to be a delightful read and will be picking up a paper copy at my library so that I can record all my favorite quotes.

Here, Alan Bennett details Queen Elizabeth II's foray into reading for pleasure while in her late 70s. It appears that she was never a reader, but a chance trip into a travelling library spurs the monarch into changing the whole of her life and becoming a serious reader.

I loved this book. Very light and very cute. My only suggestion would be that I would love to see Her Majesty's booklist.