101 in 1001- August/September update

The last two months have been an amalgamation of GRE prep, intense reading, work, and stress so I wasn't able to get around to updating the list (or really even updating the blog). Here you are, dear reader.

16) Donate $100 a year to charity.
NARAL- $20 (August 2011)

18) Read 10 books from the Bloom Canon.
5) D.H. Lawrence Sons and Lovers (August 2011)
I really liked this book, though I think it dragged a bit at the end and I kind of thought Paul Morel was a prick. The fact that his character is said to be an autobiographical representation of Lawrence himself doesn't dissuade me.

19) Read 1 unassigned book per month.
May '11- Margaret Atwood The Penelopiad
June '11- Linda Olsson Astrid and Veronika
I've been playing catch up with this. I've obviously still got some more to do and I'm working on it. As for these books, The Penelopiad was brilliant, as Atwood always is. Astrid and Veronika was a letdown--a story that started off strong but ended up with totally unrealistic or relatable characters, a story that veered from intriguing to trite and an ending that was pat and left lots of loose plot ends.

23) See 26 movies I've never seen, starting with each letter of the alphabet.
C- Citizen Kane (1941) (August 2011)
I know. It's blasphemous that I hadn't seen this before.

24) Learn 1 new word a week.
Panegyric- elaborate praise
Foment- To arouse of incite
Solecism- grammatical mistake; blunder in speech
Meretricious- gaudy; falsely attractive
Lissome- easily flexed; limber; agile
Tacent- silent
Cupidity- greed; strong desire
Rebarbative- causing annoyance or irritation
Tyro- a beginner; a novice

46) Walk in a second-line parade.
Going to count the Midsummer Mardi Gras parade for this one.

67) Learn to make 6 different cocktails from memory.
2) Jack and Ginger (August 2011)
Is this complicated? No. Is it a cocktail? Yes. Is it delicious? YES.

70) Discover 5 new-to-me poets.
2) Kate Daniels (July 2011)
(forgot to mention this one in the July update

77) Write at least 5 letters (each) to Erin and Mike.
Erin- 1 (August 2011)

95) Take a road trip to an unfamiliar city and spend at least 5 hours there.(August 2011)
I went to Grand Isle on a family vacation for my Dad's birthday. We spotted some fish, strung crab lines and did some drinking. I also spent some time driving around the island, including driving to the end of Hwy. 1.

97) Take the GREs, both the general and the literature.
Took the general in September and will be taking the Lit. in late December or so.

Full list here