The List

I’ve had this sitting in my ‘drafts’ for a few days now. But we all know I’m not that patient.

Sorry, in advance, if this is a boring post for anyone else (and if so, just leave now and I’ll see you tomorrow for our regularly scheduled debauchery). However, I happen to be super stoked about the idea, the list, the challenge, etc and I wanted to share it all with you, my wonderful bloggy friends.

So without further adieu, I give you…

101 in 1001
Begin January 28, 2009
End October 25, 2011

Completed
In Progress

FOR MY HEALTH:
001. Lose 10 pounds
002. Take a daily multivitamin
003. Workout 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week
004. Start moisturizing daily
005. Continue drinking 8 8oz glasses of water daily
006. Change my contacts once a month
007. Visit the Farmer’s Market or health food store once a month for a year (0/12)
008. Run a 5k
009. Quit smoking (for good)
010. Whiten teeth
011. Take a self-defense class
012. Find a family doctor
013. Find a dentist

FOR MY COMMUNITY:
014. Begin recycling
015. Volunteer for 50 hours (0/50)
016. Do a giveaway on my blog
017. Donate to 5 charities (0/5)
018. Buy a homeless person a meal
019. Compliment 20 people for no reason (0/20)
020. Adopt a cat
021. Use “green friendly” bags at the grocery store
022. Discover 20 new blogs (0/20)

FOR MY LOVE/FAMILY:
023. Buy and beat 10 PS3 games with the Boo (0/10)
024. Get a couple’s massage
025. See one new movie in the theater every month for a year (0/12)
026. Start a weekly game night
027. Go to a theme park
028. Have a couple’s self-portrait made
029. Tell someone I love them when I’m mad at them
030. Write 20 hand written letters just because (0/20)
031. Send flowers to 2 people just because (0/2)
032. Surprise the Boo 10 times (0/10)
033. Have date night once a month for a year (1/12) landry's
034. Go to brunch 10 times (0/10)
035. Go to a drive in movie
036. Go camping
037. Go to 10 NFL games (0/10)
038. Try a fondue restaurant
039. Bake birthday cakes for the dogs
040. Spend a whole day in bed with the Boo
041. Visit a bed and breakfast
042. Introduce the Boo to grandparents
043. Organize a 5-course dinner party for 8 people

BECAUSE I HAVE TO:
044. Buy a pair of Manolo Blahniks
045. Get a third and fourth tattoo (0/2)
046. Buy a custom blog design
047. Buy a new comforter for the bed
048. Buy an iPhone
049. Learn how to shoot a gun
050. Sing at karaoke
051. Wash car once a month for 6 months (0/6)
052. Buy a new (to me) car
053. Transfer 5 dance videos on to DVDs (0/5)
054. Get a current passport
055. Buy a new coat
056. Buy an original painting for the living room
057. Redecorate the bathroom

FOR MY MIND/SANITY:
058. Join a book club
059. Read 100 books (0/100)
060. Apply to grad school
061. Keep a current blog
062. Start a small flower garden
063. Get something published
064. Learn Italian
065. Go to a museum
066. Go to a zoo
067. Take 3 spontaneous road trips (0/3)
068. Go one week without saying anything negative (0/7)
069. Keep a dream diary for one month (0/30)
070. Learn to knit
071. Knit 10 things (0/10)
072. Write in a coffee shop 10 times (0/10)
073. Begin a novel (write at least 50 pages) (0/50)

FOR MY WALLET:
074. Pay off both credit cards (0/2)
075. Get a job with benefits
076. Save $5,000
077. Sell 10 things on ebay (0/10)

FOR MY SOUL:
078. Get a pedicure
079. Take a gourmet cooking class
080. Go wine tasting
081. Go to Italy
082. Finish a scrapbook
083. Watch AFI’s Top 100 greatest movies of all time (0/100)
084. Take a bubble bath once a month for a year (0/12)
085. Go fishing
086. Make 10 new friends (0/10)
087. Take a ballroom dance class
088. Print 100 pictures and make a photo album (0/100)
089. Go to 5 ballets (0/5)
090. Watch the sun rise 10 times (0/10)
091. Have a girls’ night once a month for a year (0/12)
092. Bake one thing a month for a year (0/12)
093. Go to 5 concerts (0/5)
094. Try 10 new random restaurants (0/10)
095. Dance in the rain
096. Hike to the top of a mountain
097. Discover 5 new bands/artists (0/5)
098. Take a picture everyday for a month (0/30)
099. See a Broadway show
100. Try 20 new recipes (0/20)
101. Laugh so hard I cry 5 times (1/5)

What Defines You?

Listening to Kelly Clarkson’s newest single My Life Would Suck Without You on repeat over the last week has forced me to ponder a few introspective questions. If you’ve heard the song than you should get where I’m coming from and if not, stop everything you’re doing right now and go listen to it here. No really. Stop. Click. Listen. Then return. I’ll wait.

. . .

You’re welcome.

Now as I was saying, no one would ever question my undying love and adoration for Miss American Idol herself, however the lyrics of this song seem to beg a major question.

How much of ourselves are defined by the person we’re with?

This song implies that our self-worth is in direct correlation to who we are with. Proportionally, if you find yourself without someone does that mean you are worthless, nothing, or inconsequential?

Carrie Bradshaw would be appalled.

Lines such as “I’m nothing without you” seen here and in countless other pop/country/emo tortured love songs, give the impression that our lives are meaningless without someone else in it. That until we find that one elusive soul mate our lives will forever drone on in a fog of worthlessness and monotony. That it is up to someone else to make us complete.

What the eff is that about?

I get that it’s overdramatized for the song. I get that Ms. Clarkson likely didn’t even write it. And I get that most of us don’t take the message literally. However, I can’t help but think that this ideology reverberates with some of us from time to time. Particularly when we’re in between relationships. Beaten down, heart-broken and alone. It’s easy to feel like you’re life really does “suck”.

But I think the important thing here is to remember that while love and happiness are inextricably linked, that LOVE doesn’t necessarily have to come from a significant other. First and foremost it should come FROM yourself TO yourself. You must learn how to love you and who you are as an individual before anyone else can successfully love you as well.

Who you are as a person is NOT defined by the man you come home to every night or the woman on your arm. No more so than you are defined by the clothes you wear or the car you drive. Strip it all away and what you’re left with, raw and naked and vulnerable, that’s you. And that’s enough.

You are someone. You are significant. And most importantly you are complete.

Adding a boyfriend or girlfriend to the equation admittedly may enhance or compliment who you are but it does not solidify you’re existence. And being head over heels in love with yourself (in a non-narcissistic ego-maniacal sort of way) with confidence radiating from your pores, it’s highly likely you’ll have plenty of plus ones to choose from should you wish.

My point is: YOU are important with or without someone else. And don’t let anyone else (even Doll face Clarkson) tell you any different.

Now excuse me, I’m going to go drive around the city blasting this song with the windows down and singing these incredibly misguided and delusional lyrics at the top of my lungs. What? I never said it wasn’t catchy.

I Less Than Three Britney

With her new CD hitting stores yesterday and her highly acclaimed documentary airing just days before, Britney Spears seems to be everywhere right now.

Whoever would have thought Hollywood would be gracious enough to allow someone TWO chances at a comeback?? I mean really? That seems very generous in a town that predicates itself on perfectionism personified (like the alliteration?) and revels in the detriment it causes to one’s character and their subsequent demise because of it. Usually we all get a good laugh and then once it’s over you get maybe one chance to come back…if you’re lucky. But two, well you must be pretty damn special to merit that.

And pretty damn special she is. I really do adore the girl and I think it’s because a large part of me can sympathize with her

(I mean minus the whole shaving my hair off attacking the Paps with an umbrella walking thru crusty gas station bathrooms barefoot thing).

She’s been around since my TRL days. I’ve watched her grow up (and grown up with her). Her songs resonate throughout my youth, reminding me of a different place in my life with each varied syncopated melody and catchy lyric (and, of course, accompanying dance moves. Lest we forget.)

I’ve been happy when she succeeded, embarrassed when she effed up, pissed when she couldn’t pull her shit together, and finally hopeful that it’s all starting to look up for her. Again.

With so much Britney on the brain, I set my iPod to all things Ms. Spears as I set out for my run this morning and let me tell you, I was able to do a full hour of non-stop hits before the tunes ran out and the run concluded.

(There were even a few I skipped over in lieu of other up-tempo classics. Gasp. I know.)

So in honor of the pop princess I’ve decided to compile my own completely biased, completely unofficial list of Britney’s top 10 songs. (P.S. Alot of the videos were embed disabled so I just linked it. KTHNXPREESH.)

10. Crazy – I loved this song when I was in middle school. I loved the shiny green cut off shirt and crimped hair. Of course, the chair dance is classic. And the way she did the juvenile-ish head bob throughout the majority of the close up shots. Oh and the cameo from Sabrina the Teenage Witch is completely arbitrary and wonderful.



9. Sometimes – Another cut off shirt and some seriously kick ass choreography for a slower-ish song makes this number 9.

Sometimes video

8. Lucky – Something about this little diddy just makes me smile. I think mostly because it’s so not a Britney song (and possibly because she says “doe” as in “door” in the first verse.) Either way, I definitely used to sing my little heart out to this song back in the day. (Who am I kidding? I sang it today.)

LUCKY VIDEO

7. Me Against The Music – LOVE the outfit, the beat, the severely ridiculous choreography once again. This song reminds me of my days as a sales associate at Wet Seal (yea, yea, get your laughs in now) when me and my sisturkey (aka bff #2) would literally do ALL of the choreography FULL out in the middle of the store regardless of if there were customers around or not. Yea, we had a great work ethic and clearly knew how to conduct ourselves in the workplace.




6. Stronger – Before we had Kelly Clarkson’s Since U Been Gone, we had this. Women everywhere would, and surely still do, sing this anthem out at the top of their lungs to every worthless, lying, no good son of B. Gotta love Britney. She’s such a proponent of independence. And again, another chair dance. All of which, makes this number 6.



5. Womanizer – Her newest hit has really solidified her comeback. This one is for real, people. Her body looks ridiculous, the poppy lyrics and sound that get stuck in your head all day are most certainly there. Looks like the road to reestablishment is paved.




4. Piece of Me – This one showed us that she could venture another comeback and I think the awards speak for themselves. I was so happy for her when I heard this song. She finally told everyone to just F off and leave her alone. Finally. It was about damn time.

Piece of me video

3. Hit Me…Baby One More Time – Ah the first single. The cute little pig tails, the not so innocent school girl outfit that looks like she should be working a street corner rather than doodling away in a freshman Biology class. Who cares. I definitely remember some cheerleading moves in this video. (Ah, there goes a round off. And was that just a herky?)

HIT ME BABY VIDEO

2. Oops!...I Did It Again – Albeit the red patent leather suit is a bit much, I heart this song borderline inappropriately. It is Britney at her finest. Even with the cheesy Titanic voiceover and all.

OOPS! VIDEO

1. Slave 4 U – Of course, I saved the best for last. Although the video does seem to promote mass orgies, copious amounts of bodily fluids and unprotected sex, it still remains the greatest. Everything Britney is epitomized in this song and you can bet your sweet ass I still know every dance move. Watch the video and see if you can keep up.


Slave 4 U video