Ok, I only got to 73

Phew! It takes more work than it seems to come up with 101 things you want to do in 1001 days. Maybe I'll finish the rest in time for tomorrow? 

56. Read 3 classic novels.
57. No cursing for one month.
58. Go on a cruise.
59. Make sushi.
60. Take multi-vitamin every day.
61. Become CPR certified.
62. Answer the '50 Questions that will Free Your Mind'
63. Dress 'nicely' at least twice a month for school/casual outings.
64. De-clutter closet once a month.
65. Host game night.
66. Dance.
67. Try a new recipe once a month.
68. Stay at a Bed & Breakfast.
69. Take WM on a surprise trip.
70. Only eat veggies and fish for a month.
71. Try 5 things I think I hate.
72. Take reusable bags to the grocery store and actually use them.
73. Spend one day a month with WM with no cell phones, TVs, or laptops.

The First 55 of My 100 in 1001

Thanks to the Day Zero Project and Nerd Girl, I've decided to create my own 100 things in 1001 days list.

Here's the deal:

The Challenge: Complete 101 tasks in a period of 1001 days (2.75 years)

The Criteria: The tasks have to be specific with a measurable or clearly defined result.

Why 1001 days? It's realistic.

Start date: Thursday, January 20, 2010
End date: Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Here we go!

1. Graduate from law school.
2. Pass the bar exam.
3. Get a job in 2011.
4. Get a paid internship for summer 2010.
5. Buy an iPod.
6. Finish reading Weird Like Us.
7. Read the 4-Hour Work Week.
8. Perform 10 random acts of kindness.
9. Take a dance class.
10. Try yoga.
11. Get new glasses.
12. Get back into kickboxing and/or running.
13. Host a dinner party 1x every two months.
14. Buy a new car.
15. Adopt a puppy.
16. Watch Gone With the Wind.
17. Volunteer 1x every three months.
18. Call sister 1x a week.
19. Plan a surprise birthday party.
20. Take a vacation.
21. Go camping.
22. Have a romantic night with WM at least once a month.
23. Go on a road trip.
24. Encourage someone else to start a 100 in 1001 days list.
25. Buy a bike.
26. Go bike-riding with WM.
27. Go on a picnic.
28. Buy new clothes.
29. Buy brown pumps.
30. Get my concealed weapons permit.
31. Buy new sandals.
32. Rent new apartment.
33. Cook a healthy meal 3x a month.
34. Go to Epcot.
35. Plan WM and my renewal ceremony.
36. Send Christmas cards.
37. Leave love notes for WM once a week.
38. Buy new bath robe.
39. Sell sofa.
40. Eat 15 new things.
41. Make 5 new friends.
42. Get dog-child's teeth cleaned.
43. Blog about 1 thing I am grateful for every week.
44. Learn something new every day (even if I have to wikipedia it!).
45. Complete a 1000+ piece puzzle.
46. Tell WM I love him at least 3x a day.
47. Donate blood twice.
48. Spend two weekends without the internet and phone.
49. Order new contacts.
50. Lose 5 pounds.
51. Create a 5-year plan with WM.
52. Set short-term goals with WM.
53. Watch the sunrise.
54. Go to at least one festival a year.
55. Attend 3 different churches.

Tomorrow, I'll post 56-101. 

The dinner party

Last night, WM and I hosted a small dinner (see Ways to Help Haiti) to raise funds for Haiti. Eleven of our wonderful friends came over to enjoy lasagna, cheesy garlic bread, potato salad, meatballs, strawberry-spinach salad, shrimp, brownies, and carrot cake and cheese cake. Believe it or not -- most of the food is GONE.

We had a good time -- it felt like Thanksgiving. We went around the table and everyone said a few words about how they felt about Haiti's severe situation. It was very touching to have our friends join us in being socially conscious, and the fact that they genuinely want to help -- well, it left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

One friend was collecting canned food for her friend whose family is in Haiti and she made a good point -- it's vital for people to continue donating anything they can after it's no longer the news of the day.

Another friend brought cans for her and instead of just giving what he had in his pantry -- he actually went to the grocery store and bought canned food specifically to donate. He said he wanted to donate something he thought people would enjoy and was healthy. This kind of care and attention is really admirable.

WM and I didn't expect to raise that much money. More than anything, we wanted to come together with our friends for a good cause.We raised over $700. Incredible.

We'll be making a donation on behalf of 'the dinner party' today.

Big-Law =/= Golden Ticket

I read a piece in the New York Times this weekend that, like most law-related articles these days, described the dismal state of my future (very near future) depression profession.

The article, through thorough investigative journalism, uncovered the hidden truth about big-law: it's not half as glamorous as it's made to seem on the telly, new associates hate their lives (or lack thereof) and attorneys do not make $160,000 right out of the gate anymore. 

I've never had aspirations to work in big-law -- it always seemed too sterile and impersonal for me. Consequentially, these truths don't have the same impact on me as they do on some people I know who only went to law school to make the big bucks.

The part that concerns me about the state of the legal profession is that attorneys are realizing what's really important in life (actually having a life -- this realization is their a-ha moment, while it's been the standard for people like me) and as a result, are moving into my public sector.

They are becoming more interested in "the people" and starting to work for a) the government, b) non-profit organizations, and c) legal services organizations. They are taking up my jobs (yes, they are all mine!). What then? What happens to the good-from-the-start law students who enter the law school journey to come out on the other side to do the not-so-profitable work? 

At my law school welcome banquet, a former public defender and local National Lawyers' Guild chapter president spoke and asked my class two questions: 1) Who is here to make money? and 2) Who is here to make a difference?

These were two very simple questions but they left me with the most complicated feeling in the pit of my stomach -- I was utterly disappointed that my proudly raised arm was joined by less than a handful of other idealists in answering affirmatively to the second question. But more disturbing was the overwhelming and shameless response to the first question by most of my classmates, which left me horrifyingly unsure of my decision to attend my particular law school. I remember thinking -- what the hell have I gotten myself into?

I've stayed true to my public interest goals, even with the fierce pressure to join big-law (you know, that underlying patronizing tone in people's voices when they say, "oh, public interest law, that's nice"). It's just not me.

My day in traffic

You know, with all these great technological advancements we've made in the last 150 years or so, you'd think we would have a better way to get from point A to point B.

Look, I get it -- I live in Miami and will be forced to endure traffic here and there, but it took me over an hour to get to my class, and that was with me taking the "faster" route. I don't even want to speculate how long I would have been stuck had I ventured onto a highway.

The bigger -- more pressing -- problem than getting to point B late, is the hour, one of my scarce and precious 24, that I was blatantly robbed of and as a result -- will never see or experience again. Yes, that sounds a tad bit dramatic -- but it's a fact. I will never get that damn hour back. So at the end of the day, while I'm lying in bed reminiscing about my day's activities -- annoyingly, memories of the old Chevy Blazer that was driving at 15 miles an hour and the big-shot BMW from Carmax will be among memories of having a nice lunch with WM and my first day at my new internship.

How much of our time is completely wasted in the car driving to point B? Why do we endure these long drives anyway? What are we really working towards? What is really important in our lives? Work or quality of life?

One of my professors said something intelligent and thought-provoking, finally that clicked with me -- efficiency is anti-waste and we need to be efficient towards a goal, not just efficient.

Efficiency towards living -- that's my goal. I don't want profit or power maximization. I want to eliminate or at least minimize waste in my life -- including long driving times, watching Jersey Shore brain-drain TV shows (Note: I actually have never seen an episode of Jersey Shore, thank goodness), and any other activity that sucks up my time unapologetically.

Ways to help Haiti

My heart goes out to the people of Haiti and their friends and families, and WM and I are compelled to help in any way we can. I am really struggling to understand why mother nature has been so merciless to Haiti.

We've already donated through yele.org (Wyclef Jean's initiative to help his home country, but also see American Red Cross, Center for International Disaster Information for more ways to donate) but we will be involving our family and friends by hosting a dinner party where I will make a fabulous dinner and our friends will bring donations to pool together and send to Haiti as a group.

This is a great opportunity to act in a socially conscious manner and I encourage everyone to host their own fundraising dinner party. Let's come together and raise money for people who are truly in need after a horrifyingly strong earthquake decimated a country undeserving of such devastation. If you do, please share your experiences.

We have spent way too long ignoring Haiti as a nation and we need our humanitarian spirits to step up. You can even use the e-mail I sent to my friends as a template:

Hi friends,

In an effort to help Haiti and the people who are suffering from the disastrous earthquake, WM and I will be hosting a dinner party on Martin Luther King day -  Monday, January 18. Here's the deal:

Every other day we'd get together, go to a swanky restaurant and spend at least $50. So, instead -- let's come together, enjoy a great dinner prepared by moi, and help Haiti. All we ask is for you to bring a donation that we can pool together and send on our group's behalf.

Please let me know if you're in -- which I hope you all are. This is a great opportunity for us to be socially conscious while still enjoying each other's companies.

Here are the deets one more time:

What: Dinner party to raise money for Haiti
When: Monday, January 18 at 6:30 PM
Where: Casa de ....., 1010 NW 10 St Miami, FL 10101

Rainy day blues

It is nasty outside. It's so dark and all I've wanted to do is sleeppp. This will be a short post because while I would love to stay in bed -- I have a lunch date with my friend and have to journey out into this bad weather! Her car is in the "shop" and she didn't bring lunch because of our date -- wonderful. Otherwise, I would have taken a rain check. Yes, I did just say that. Wish me luck and send me positive vibes!