101 in 1001 - August update

2) Read ten canonical works from the Bloom canon.
1) James Wilcox Modern Baptists

23) Ride bike to work at least 2 times a month. 
I'm amending this to riding my bike at least twice a month, because things have come up where this isn't feasible every month. I'm also going to make up August's rides :)

26) Join a gym.
Done! I'm excited to get back on a regular workout schedule and I really like my gym. The only downside is that it's across town from home (but close-ish to work), thereby impeding my bike ride to work plan (because I'm not going to the gym 4-5 times a week, THEN riding my bike 5 miles back home.)

38) Eat at three-old school New Orleans restaurants.
1) Tujague's

54) Sew five things from a pattern.
1) Burda Style Chill Dress

101 in 1001- July update

So it begins--updates for the new list!

9) Watch one movie for each of AFI's 50 screen legends.

Note: I'm only counting movies I haven't seen before. I'm also only counting one movie per star, so "The Gay Divorcee" won't count for Fred AND Ginger. 

Bette Davis- Deception

Marilyn Monroe- Some Like It Hot

Fred Astaire- The Gay Divorcee

23) Ride bike to work at least two times a month.

July '13- XX

36) Can/preserve five foods.

1) Fig preserves

2) Yellow heirloom tomatoes

46) Get a new car.

This one got expedited when my Mazda decided to finally go for broke and blow out the engine and the radiator on the interstate. Nothing like having to get towed out of a blind curve on the interstate, 2 miles from your house. My mom gave me her Mercury and now everyone feels happy and safe. 

64) Redesign guest bathroom.

Richie actually surprised me by taking care of this one. He turned it into my bathroom. Now we look less like hoarders and you can walk in both bathrooms! 

Full list here. 

101 in 1001

Time for a new 101 in 1001 list! This time around, I've opted to keep the list free from my explanations. for why particular things are on the list. I'll probably go into those in more detail as each month passes, or in a yearly check-in.

This list will finish on March 27, 2016.

Without further ado:

Reading, Writing, and Watching

1) Read all of Shakespeare's works.
All's Well That Ends Well
Antony and Cleopatra
As You Like It
The Comedy of Errors
The Tragedy of Coriolanus
Cymbeline
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
The First part of King Henry the Fourth
The Second part of King Henry the Fourth
The Life of King Henry the Fifth
The First part of King Henry the Sixth
The Second part of King Henry the Sixth
The Third part of King Henry the Sixth
The Life of King Henry the Eighth
The Life and Death of Julius Caesar
The Life and Death of King John
King Lear
Loves Labours Lost
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Measure for Measure
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merchant of Venice
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Much Ado About Nothing
Othello, the Moore of Venice
Pericles, Prince of Tyre
The Life and Death of Richard the Second
The Life and Death of Richard the Third
Romeo and Juliet
The Taming of the Shrew
The Tempest
Timon of Athens
Titus Andronicus
Troilus and Cressida
Twelfth Night
Two Gentlemen of Verona
Winter's Tale
A Lover's Complaint
The Passionate Pilgrim
The Phoenix & The Turtle
The Rape of Lucrece
The Argument
The Sonnets (154)
Venus &Adonis

2) Read ten canonical works from the Bloom canon. 
1) James Wilcox Modern Baptists (August '13)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)

3) Memorize seven great poems. 
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

4) Read the Bible and the Qur'an.

5) Read at least six major philosophers from different schools of thought.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

6) Read five biographies. 
1) Former U.S. president
2) Foreign leader
3) Activist
4) Game-changer
5) Someone else!

7) Submit one poem and one piece of non-fiction for publication. 

8) Write or expand a Wikipedia article. 

9) Watch one movie for each of AFI's fifty screen legends.
Humphrey Bogart
Katharine Hepburn
Cary Grant
Bette Davis Deception (July '13)
James Stewart
Audrey Hepburn
Marlon Brando
Ingrid Bergman
Fred Astaire The Gay Divorcee (July '13)
Greta Garbo
Henry Fonda
Marilyn Monroe Some Like It Hot (July '13)
Clark Gable
Elizabeth Taylor
James Cagney
Judy Garland
Spencer Tracy
Marlene Dietrich
Charlie Chaplin
Joan Crawford
Gary Cooper
Barbara Stanwyck
Gregory Peck
Claudette Colbert
John Wayne
Grace Kelly
Laurence Olivier
Ginger Rogers
Gene Kelly
Mae West
Orson Welles
Vivien Leigh
Kirk Douglas
Lillian Gish
James Dean
Shirley Temple
Burt Lancaster
Rita Hayworth
The Marx Brothers
Lauren Bacall
Buster Keaton
Sophia Loren
Sidney Poitier
Jean Harlow
Robert Mitchum
Carole Lombard
Edward G. Robinson
Mary Pickford
William Holden
Ava Gardner

10) See ten films from foreign countries. 
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)

11) Read an etiquette guide.

Culture and Creativity 

12) Go to the opera.

13) Paint a picture.

14) Take dancing lessons. 

15) Take some sort of creative class (painting, sewing, photography, etc.). 

16) Complete 5 photo projects. 
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

17) Learn to use camera in manual mode. 

18) Learn to correctly shuffle a deck of cards. 

19) Learn to play poker. 

20) Go to Plan B bike workshop/Ladies' Night. 

21) Learn to play basic chords on guitar. 

22) Become a certified SCUBA diver.

Health and Fitness 

23) Ride bike to work at least two times a month:
July ’13- XX
August ’13-
September ’13-
October ’13-
November ’13-
December ’13-
January ’14-
February ‘14
March ’14-
April ’14-
May ’14-
June ’14-
July ‘14
August ’14-
September ’14-
October ’14-
November ’14-
December ’14-
January ’15-
February ’15-
March ’15-
April ’15-
May ’15-
June ’15-
July ’15-
August ’15-
September ’15-
October ’15-
November ’15-
December ’15-
January ’16-
February ’16-
March ’16-

24) Run a ten-minute mile. 

25) Lose thirty pounds. 

26) Join a gym. (August 2013)

27) Participate in ten 5Ks. 
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)

28) Do a seven-day cleanse. 

29) Complete a fitness program. 

Food and Cooking 

30) Cook an entire cookbook. 

31) Learn to break down a chicken. 

32) Make a recipe book. 

33) Have a tasting contest of something. 

34) Host a holiday dinner. 

35) Bake ten cakes.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)

36) Can/preserve five foods. 
1) Fig preserves (July '13)
2) Yellow heirloom tomatoes (July '13)
3)
4)
5)

37) Learn to boil crawfish from my dad. 

38) Eat at three old-school New Orleans restaurants. 
1) Tujague's (August '13)
2)
3)

39) Make and serve a seven-course meal with recipes from famous chefs.

Family 

40) Get married. 

41) Make a family tree that goes five generations back. 

Financial 

42) Create a joint budget. 

43) Save at least $1500 a year. 

44) Pay off all credit card debt. 

45) Pay off half of student loan. 

46) Get a new car.  (July 2013)

47) Start house-buying search. 

48) Start a new 401k. 

Volunteerism 

49) Organize a drive for a shelter. 

50) Donate $100/year to charity. 
2013:
2014:
2015:

51) Volunteer somewhere new.

Crafting and Home Improvement 

52) Crochet a granny-square a day for one month. 

53) Complete ten Pinterest crafts. 
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)

54) Sew five things from a pattern. 
1) Chill Dress (August '13)
2)
3)
4)
5)

55) Knit a blanket.

56) Make throw pillows. 

57) Restore a piece of used furniture. 

58) Reupholster dining room chairs. 

59) Build a piece of furniture. 

60) Embroider pillow cases. 

61) Learn calligraphy. 

62) Make a set of jewelry. 

63) Keep a tree alive for at least one year.

64) Redesign guest bathroom. (July 2013)

65) Catalog all books. 

66) Catalog all records. 

67) Catalog all DVDs. 

68) Clean out basement.

Technology

69) Learn a programming language. 

70) Move blog to webpage. 

71) Organize ALL computer files. 

72) Donate desktop computer. 

Beauty

73) Buy a piece of designer clothing. 

74) Buy and wear a bikini. 

75) Try five new hairstyles. 

76) Enter entire wardrobe into Polyvore and edit. 

Local 

77) Ride a riverboat. 

78) Pick berries at a farm. 

79) Join a Mardi Gras walking krewe. 

80) Buy local or DIY all Christmas presents one year. 

81) Visit every bookstore in New Orleans. 

82) Join a community garden. 

83) Go to ten new Louisiana festivals. 

84) Visit a new town in Louisiana. 

85) Go to Mass at St. Louis Cathedral. 

86) Memorize every Louisiana parish. 

87) Get a "I'm a Cajun" driver's license. 

Travel

88) Visit another country. 

89) Visit three state parks. 

90) Visit a National Memorial.

Random Fun and Self-Improvement

91) Learn all football positions.

92) Ride a horse.

93) Make a habit of sending small gifts to friends (at least twice a year). 

94) Get another piercing. 

95) Get tarot cards read. 

96) Complete a book of crossword puzzles. 

97) Complete a 5000-piece puzzle.

98) Buy a lottery ticket twice a year. 
2013-
2014-
2015-
2016-

99) Learn the alphabet in ALS. 

100) Learn to say one phrase in seven different languages.

101) Host a fancy hat party. 

101 in 1001 2010-2013 Final Update

I finished my first 101 in 1001 challenge on April 1, 2013. At that time, I was having a bit of a rough go of things, so I never got around to updating the blog. So, here you are. The final list of completed, half-completed, and not completed. With notes! Some of the not completed ones will be going on my next list (yes, there will be another list! It never ends!).

1) Go Cajun Dancing.
Despite finding places that offered Cajun dancing, time conflicts (and, let's be honest, an increasing unwillingness to dance in public that was in direct correlation with the time elapsed from when I had lessons) got in the way. I'd still like to go at some point. After a few stiff whiskey drinks for courage.

2) Sing Karaoke. (June 2011)

3) Write a letter to a celebrity and ask for an autograph.
It turned out that I didn't much care about doing this. I never settled on a celebrity that I was dying to write. Ani DiFranco came close, but I felt weird about asking for an autograph from her.

4) Eat at a 4 or 5 star restaurant.
The problem I ran into with this one was bad research. I didn't realize at the time I made the list that the only 4-star restaurant in Louisiana is Bayona. Which just so happens to be the restaurant that Richie quit, so going there for dinner wasn't going to happen. I almost went during the Coolinary last year, but it didn't work out. I still hold out hope that Erin and I can one day afford to go to Alinea.

5) Learn to play Guitar Hero on Hard.
I quickly lost interest in even attempting this and then the Xbox died. Oh well.

6) Design a new tattoo or get some color in my existing one. (March 2012)

7) Buy one piece of art.
I actually almost completed this one, but Richie and I have been talking about buying a house and I decided I'd like to wait until we buy something and decorate, before investing in art. Hopefully sooner rather than later!

8) Grow my hair below my shoulder blades. (December 2012)

9) Attain a Master's Degree. (May 2012)

10) Get straight A's FAIL

11) Apply to 5 MA/Ph.D programs that I really want to attend. (January 2012)
I'm probably going to apply to 1 or 2 copout schools, but I don't want to cheat myself out of applying to some good schools on the off-chance I could get in.
1) The Ohio State University (December 2011)
2) Louisiana State University (December 2011)
3) Stanford University (January 2012)
4) Indiana University Bloomington (January 2012)
5) Rutgers'(January 2012)
6) Vanderbilt University (January 2012)

12) Adopt an animal from a shelter.
So, as it turns out, Marla hates other animals. Then she got it into her head that change should equal PEEING ON ALL THE THINGS. Richie and I would still like to get a dog (okay, we want about 3 dogs, another cat, some fish, and an indoor rabbit), but we're very hesitant about it and it (obviously) hasn't happened yet.

13) Learn to change the oil in my car.
Richie showed me HOW to do this, but we couldn't find a wrench to release the nut holding in the oil, so we had to take it to a professional. I'm marking this one as a half-completed, because I know what to do, just haven't had the hands on experience.

14) Finish my correspondence course. FAIL

15) Brush up on my French enough to hold a short conversation.
I don't even know why I put this on here. Lofty goals. I knew it wasn't going to happen.

16) Donate $100 a year to charity. (March 2013)
I have a few charities I'd like to donate to, so this won't be a lump sum anywhere, but donating a little here and there is better than nothing at all.
2010-2011
Planned Parenthood- $25 (Feb. 2011)
New Orleans Food Cooperative- $20 (May 2011)
STAIR- $20 (June 2011)
ARNO- $15 (July 2011)
Covenant House New Orleans- $10 (July 2011)
Amnesty International- $10 (July 2011)

2011-2012
NARAL- $20 (August 2011)
Louisiana Partnership for the Arts- $10 (October 2011)
STAIR- $15 (January 2012)
The Hunger Project- $15 (March 2012)
World Wildlife Fund- $16 (April 2012)
RAINN- $35 (June 2012)

2012-2013
STAIR- $20 (January 2013)
Doctors Without Borders - $30(January 2013)
NOLA's Most Badass Assault Survivor- $20 (February 2013)
Planned Parenthood- $30 (March 2013)

17) Get another ear piercing. (November 2010)

18) Read 10 books from the Bloom Canon.
I'm going to allow these to include assigned books but not anything I've read before.
1) Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice (October 2010)
2) Voltaire Candide (January 2011)
3) Mark Twain A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (April 2011)
4) William James The Varieties of Religious Experience(June 2011)
5) D.H. Lawrence Sons and Lovers (August 2011)
6) Carson McCullers The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (March 2012)
7) Ernest Hemingway A Farewell to Arms (March 2012)
8) Fyodor Dostoyevsky The Brothers Karamazov (June 2012)
9) Virgina Woolf Mrs. Dalloway (March 2013)
10) Gertrude Stein Tender Buttons (March 2013)

19) Read 1 unassigned book per month.
July '10- Ann Patchett Run
August '10- Alice Munro Lives of Girls and Women
September '10- John Berendt Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
October '10- Stuart Berman This Book is Broken: A Broken Social Scene Story
November '10- Paule Marshall Praisesong for the Widow
December '10- Richard Yates Revolutionary Road
January '11- Neil White In the Sanctuary of Outcasts
February '11- Terry Moore Strangers in Paradise, Vol. 1
March '11- Terry Moore Strangers in Paradise, Vol. 2
April '11- Milan Kundera Slowness
May '11- Margaret Atwood The Penelopiad
June '11- Linda Olsson Astrid and Veronika
July '11- John Knowles A Separate Peace
August '11- T.C. Boyle The Women
September '11- Molly Wizenberg A Homemade Life
October '11- Stephen King Hearts in Atlantis
November '11- Moira Crone A Period of Confinement
December '11- Carson McCullers The Member of the Wedding
January '12- Jonathan Franzen Freedom
February '12- Pam Houston Waltzing the Cat
March '12- George Saunders Pastoralia
April '12- Kim Edwards The Memory Keeper's Daughter
May '12- Susan Orlean The Orchid Thief
June '12- Julia Reed Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena
July '12- Poppy Z. Brite Liquor
August '12- Poppy Z. Brite Prime
September '12- Joan Didion The Year of Magical Thinking
October '12- Philippe Aries Western Attitudes Toward Death: From the Middle Ages to the Present
November '12- Jeffrey Eugenides The Marriage Plot
December '12- Larry Watson Montana 1948
January '13- Susie Bright The Best American Erotica 2003
February '13- Sharyn Graham Davies Challenging Gender Norms: Five Genders Among Bugis in Indonesia
March '13- Gertrude Stein Three Lives

20) Get a spa facial.
Turns out a spa facial that isn't LASERS and microdermabrasion and shit is actually difficult to find. And the aforementioned isn't at all what I had in mind.

21) Go to The Dinner Bell with a group of friends.
Schedules :/

22) Make a family tree.
I got some of the research done for this, then never finished it. I still can't make up my mind about parameters.

23) See 26 movies I've never seen, starting with each letter of the alphabet. (February 2013)
I saw this idea on the Day Zero Project website. I need to make a list of movies I want to see now!
A- Ajami (2009) (October 2010)
B- The Blind Side (2009) (January 2011)
C- Citizen Kane (1941) (August 2011
D- Date Night (2010) (August 2010)
E- Effi Briest (1974) (October 2010)
F- The Fighter (2010) (May 2011)
G- The Girl on the Bridge (1999) (November 2010)
H- How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) (August 2010)
I- Inception (2010) (July 2010)
J- Jakob the Liar (1999) (November 2011)
K- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) (September 2012)
L- Louder Than Bombs (Glosniej od bomb) (2001) (September 2010)
M- Men Who Stare At Goats (2009) (July 2010)
N- Nine to Five (1980) (December 2012)
O- On the Waterfront (1954) (November 2012)
P- Pickpocket (1959) (November 2010)
Q- The Quiet Earth (1985) (February 2013)
R- Raising Arizona (1987) (July 2010)
S- Storytelling (2001) (July 2010)
T- There Will Be Blood (2007) (October 2012)
U- The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) (October 2012)
V- Volcano (1997) (October 2010)
W- Walk the Line (2005) (January 2012)
X- X: Night of Vengeance (2011) (December 2012)
Y- Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) (February 2013)
Z- Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008) (November 2011)

24) Learn 1 new word a week.
I don't mean reading the Word of the Day on dictionary.com and promptly forgetting it. I want to really learn a new word. That said, I might use Word of the Day to discover new words.
2010 words
2011 words
2012 words
Accouchement- A confinement during childbirth; a lying-in
Vagulous- Wayward, vague, wavering (also coined by V. Woolf)
Zenick- A South African burrowing mammal (Suricata tetradactyla), allied to the civets. It is grayish brown, with yellowish transverse stripes on the back. Called also suricat
Aliquot- a method of measuring ingredients below the sensitivity of a scale by proportional dilution with inactive ingredients
Ephebophilia- the primary or exclusive adult sexual interest in mid-to-late adolescents, generally ages 15 to 19. The term was originally used in the late 19th to mid 20th century.
Thalassocracy- dominion over the seas, as in exploration, trade, or colonization.
Poioumenon- a term coined by Alastair Fowler to refer to a specific type of metafiction in which the story is about the process of creation
Mainour- a stolen article found on the person of or near the thief
Lucubration- laborious work, study, thought, etc., especially at night
Orectic- of or pertaining to desire; appetitive
Myrmidon- a person who executes without question or scruple a master's commands
Bibelot- a small object of curiosity, beauty, or rarity.

25) Find a lipstick and liner that I like. (February 2013)
Did it! Revlon's Teak Rose! WINNER.


26) Take all my medication exactly as directed for 2 months. (April 2011)
This sounds pretty self-explanatory and some of you are probably like "Two months?! What about always?!" But I'm on a whole load of medication and I'm terrible about taking it as directed, not only due to forgetfulness but because sometimes the side effects are too discouraging. I'm hoping that a 2 month period will sort of lead into a longer period (but not forever, because I hate this shit.)


27) Regularly volunteer somewhere. (October 2012)


28) See all of these Mindfuck movies.
Spellbound (1945)
Rashomon (1950)
La Jetee (1962) (December 2011)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Solyaris (1972)
Videodrome (1983)
The Quiet Earth (1985) (February 2013)
Jacob's Ladder (1990) (June 2011)
The Game (1997) (July 2010)
Abre los ojos (1997)
Cube (1997)
Dark City (1998)
Memento (2000)
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
Donnie Darko (2001)
Primer (2004) (January 2012)
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) (February 2012)


29) Go on a date. (November 2010)

30) Make a recipe book.
Never got around to this one :/ I got the book, then thought maybe a box system would be better and, basically, my indecisiveness strikes again. Definitely one for the next list. 

31) Have a slumber party. (March 2011)

32) Go to a major sporting event. (February 2012)

33) Donate blood twice a year. 
Unfortunately, my low iron levels got in the way of this goal.

34) Lose 30 pounds.
Easily the most frustrating item on this list. I was well on my way to this goal right after I move to New Orleans. Within 10 pounds of it. Then I got regular employment, went off all my meds, fell back into bad eating habits, stopped walking as much, got frustrated with exercise attempts that weren't working (in large part because I had gone off my meds), diets that caused my already screwed up blood sugar to plummet (were you wondering what happened to the cleanse? It stopped because my blood sugar levels went insane and my already low blood pressure plummeted, to the point where I was medically advised to stop). Also, in general, I have bad exercise and eating habits. So now, I'm back on my way, but I have a ways to go. Still trying.

35) Give up soft drinks for 2 months. (November 2011)

36) Do 200 sit-ups in one sitting.
Yeah, that just didn't happen. I get so worked up about completing an exercise goal, that I psyche myself out and don't do it. Not sure if this will go on the next list.

37) Learn to use the weights at my gym.
See above.

38) Run 5 miles.
I didn't quite make 5 miles (again, see above), but I got to two on the treadmill and I'm still working toward it.

39) Make a cheesecake. (February 2012)

40) Have a Sazerac at The Roosevelt Hotel. (March 2012)

41) Go fishing. (June 2011)

42) Take some photos of my brother and me for my parents. (December 2012)

43) Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.
This is another one that I just...lost interest in. I still think it's a neat idea and I'm not opposed to doing it, but I feel like I'm keeping a pretty decent record here. Plus, if I wanted to go more in depth, it would take more than one letter. More like a journal. Then, where would I keep it that I wouldn't forget about it in ten years? Logistics, man.

44) Organize my iTunes.
I switched computers, started working on this, got fed up with how much didn't transfer and now IT'S EVEN WORSE. Definitely an item for next list.

45) Go to at least 3 states I've never visited before.
Preferred states are Oregon, Montana and Maine.
1) Indiana (July 2011)
2) Michigan (July 2011)
ONE SHORT. Dammit.

46) Walk in a second-line parade. (August 2011)

47) Build 1 piece of furniture for myself.
I could never decide on what I wanted to build. Richie even bought us a circular saw and it still didn't happen. Maybe one for next list.

48) Host dinner for my parents. (December 2012)

49) Delete my Myspace, LinkedIn and OK Cupid profiles. (July 2010)

50) Go to the Christmas Eve bonfires in St. James parish. (December 2010)

51) Have a palm reading.
That shit is expensive.

52) Open a new bank account. (August 2010)

53) Submit at least 7 poems for publication.
No excuse. Just haven't much felt like writing. I did a little, but nothing worthy of publication and lacked motivation to do more.

54) Write 2 non-fiction pieces, Brevity-style.
See above.

55) Cook 10 challenging dishes from celebrated chefs.
Challenging meaning some combination of difficult ingredients, new techniques, fussiness and long periods. The chefs I have in mind, so far, are Thomas Keller, Julia Childs, Alice Waters, James Beard and Suzanne Goins.
1) Devil's Chicken Thighs over Braised Leeks from Suzanne Goin's Sunday Suppers at Lucques (August 2010)
2) Julia Child's Chocolate Mousse (July 2012)
3) Susan Spicer's Vegetable Polenta Gratin with Garlic Confit (January 2013)
4) Thomas Keller's Cornish Hens with Swiss Chard, Nuts, and Raisins
5) Judy Witts' Panna Cotta


56) Cook a dish with one ingredient I've never used. (May 2011)

57) Make 3 food items I'd normally buy ready-made. (June 2012)
1) Harissa (February 2012)
2) Yogurt (May 2012)
3) Duck Sauce (June 2012)

58) Visit another country.
Just wasn't in the cards, money-wise. But going on the next list :)

59) Learn to play my guitar.
Another item where my intimidating about failing kept me from doing anything at all. Stupid.

60) Grow a vegetable. (June 2012)

61) Start a herb garden. (April 2012)

62) Visit 10 historical sites in New Orleans.
This may or may not include revisiting Marie Laveau's grave.
1) Preservation Hall (September 2010)
2) Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop (September 2010)
3) Antoine's Restaurant (December 2011)
4) Old U.S. Mint (March 2013)

63) Make 1 item of clothing for myself. (March 2013)

64) Make an apron.
When I told my grandma I wanted to make an apron, she gave me some. Then Erin gave me an apron for a birthday. Suddenly, I didn't need another apron.

65) Make some curtain sets. (March 2013)

66) Fly a kite.
DO YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO LOCATE A KITE IN THIS CITY? WTF.

67) Learn to make 6 different cocktails from memory. (February 2013)
1) Pimm's Cup (October 2010)
2) Jack and Ginger (August 2011)
3) Pinewood Drifter (March 2012)
4) The 1st Jewel (June 2012)
5) Jasmine (June 2012)
6) Stormy Nights- Kraken Rum, Mango Ginger simple syrup, club soda (February 2013)

68) Have a well-stocked home bar.
Overall, I met this goal, but never at one time. We keep drinking everything :/

69) Buy a set of lingerie. (October 2011)

70) Discover 5 new-to-me poets. (March 2012)
Recommendations welcome!
1) Dan Beachy Quick (May 2011)
2) Kate Daniels (July 2011)
3) Marie Howe (October 2011)
4) Juliet Cook (March 2012)
5) Naoko Fujimoto (March 2012)

71) Get rid of all my non-stick cookware (except one pan). (December 2011)

72) Make a piece of pottery.
Another one that I lost interest in shortly after adding it to the list.

73) Create an organized filing system for important documents. (October 2010)

74) Get a framed copy of my diploma.
I blame my mom for this one! She's been telling me since 2010 that she'd get my diplomas framed, and they're still in drawers. One day.

75) Get a New Orleans library card. (August 2010)

76) Take one really great photo to display in my home. (July 2011)

77) Write at least 5 letters (each) to Erin and Mike.
Erin- 1 (August 2011)
Turns out, I talk to those two enough that letters aren't necessary. :p

78) Learn to belly dance.
Classes for this are way too expensive for me to afford. I was going to get a DVD, but I decided to spend that money on going to the gym instead.

79) Visit The Museum of the Gulf Coast.
I would've done this if I had gotten a new car when I was supposed to, but the Mazda isn't going to make that trip.

80) Update and start reusing iCal. (September 2010)

81) Write down all purchases for 1 month and look at where I can cut expenses. (May 2012)

82) Pay off my Visa and find a card with lower interest rates. (May 2011)

83) Review 20 places on Yelp! and/or Urbanspoon. (December 2011)
I always check these sites for reviews but rarely review things myself. If I'm going to use them, I should contribute as well.
1) Oak St. Cafe (Dec. 10)
2) Dooky Chase (Dec. 10)
3) GLUE Clothing Exchange ( Jan. '11)
4) Elizabeth's (May '11)
5) Z'otz (May '11)
6) The Massage Emporium (May '11)
7) Pal's Lounge (May '11)
8) PURE Yogurt Culture (May '11)
9) Cowbell (April '11)
10) Maple St. Patisserie (June '11)
11) Little Tokyo Noodle Bar ( June '11)
12) Azalea Lakes Veterinary Clinic (June '11)
13) The Ruby Slipper Cafe (October '11)
14) Oak (October '11)
15) The Lucky Ladle (October '11)
16) Back To The Garden (November 2011)
17) Cochon (November 2011)
18) Hey! Cafe (December 2011)
19) Katie's Restaurant (December 2011)
20) Verti Marte (December 2011)

84) Go 1 month without buying coffee.
Yeah, no.

85) Attend at least 1 music festival a year. 
2010- Pitchfork (July 2010)
2011- Festivale International (April 2011)
Voodoo Fest (October 2011)
2012- French Quarter Fest (April 2012)
2013- French Quarter Fest (April 2013) (counting it, because it's difficult to get a music fest in with such a short period!)

86) Crochet or knit a scarf for myself. (February 2013)

87) Drink 2 liters of water a day for 2 months.
Still a habit I can't consistently keep.

88) Go to all the major Mardi Gras parades. (February 2012)
I've been to many of these but not all and no better time to do this than while I'm living in New Orleans.
Krewe du Vieux (Feb. '11)
Carrollton  (Feb '12)
Muses (Feb '12)
Endymion (Mar. '11)
Thoth (Mar. '11)
Bacchus (Mar. '11)
Proteus (Feb '12)
Orpheus (Feb '12)
Zulu (Feb '12)
Rex (Feb '12)

89) Visit a National Memorial or Site.
Money and time were against this happening. And a faulty radiator.

90) Go back to San Francisco.
See above.

91) Upload and organize all my digital photos.
This project suffered the same fate as the iTunes organization. When I got a new computer, everything got scattered again. The prospect of dealing with both is almost nightmarish in scope now. Eventually.

92) Print out some photos for framing and scrapbooks.
Didn't happen because above.

93) Become more familiar with local and federal politicians and vote in all major elections. FAIL (sorta)

94) Visit family graves once a year. FAIL.

See: radiator.

95) Take a road trip to an unfamiliar city and spend at least 5 hours there. (August 2011)


96) Attend 10 cultural events. (December 2012)
I'm defining this as plays, ballet, renowned musicians and art shows.
1) No Exit (from the Zombie Apocalypse) (December 2010)
2) Macbeth (January 2011)
3) Save Our Souls (October 2011)
4) Baton Rouge Gallery's Surreal Salon IV (January 2012)
5) Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra- Shostakovich Sympony No. 1 (February 2012)
6) Reinventing Radio: An Evening With Ira Glass (March 2012)
7) The Lion King (March 2012)
8) "A Brief and Sensational history of 'The Mascot,' Notorious Newspaper of New Orleans' Gilded Age" (May 2012)
9) "History of Prostitution in New Orleans" (August 2012)
10) The Nutcracker (December 2012)

97) Take the GREs, both the general and the literature. (November 2011)

98) Pay off my 1st student loan and 1/4 of the 2nd one.
I paid off the first one, but didn't quite get to 1/4 of the second one.

99) Go on a camping trip.
This was planned a number of times and fell through for various reasons. It's still something I'd like to do.

100) Don't eat out for 1 month.
I hold that this is almost impossible to do in New Orleans.

101) Host a fancy dress party. (November 2011)


So, there you have it! What have I learned from this? That I'm indecisive, afraid to fail, need a new car, need to maybe manage my time better, and keep my expectations in check. On a happier note, I'm happy that I achieved what I did. This list pushed me to do some things that I wasn't motivated to do otherwise and provided a measure of accountability. It was also just fun to do. I love lists, so the whole process of monthly updates was something I enjoyed doing. I never expected that I would complete the whole list. I would have liked to get more done, but maybe that'll happen with the next list. That list is better planned than this one was, and hopefully I'll see more progress with it.

Until next time!

2012 wordsoup

All 2012 101 in 1001 words!

Primipara- a woman who is giving birth for the first time.
Numinous- having a strong religious or spiritual quality; indicating or suggesting the presence of a divinity
Eschatologically- The branch of theology that is concerned with the end of the world or of humankind.
Pappy- soft and bland
Cicatrix- A scar resulting from the formation and concentration of fibrous tissue in a wound.
Plenipotentiary- That which confers full powers OR a person invested with "full powers."
Macrocephalic- Abnormal largeness of the head.
Hircine- of, or pertaining to, a goat.
Prevarication- a false or deliberate misstatement
Agglutination- the state of being thus united; adhesion of parts
Chilblains- the painful inflammation of small blood vessels in your skin that occur in response to sudden warming from cold temperatures
Expiate- make amends for
Puissant- having great power or influence
Zaftig- (of a woman) having a full, rounded figure; plump
Fanfaronade- arrogant or boastful talk
Apiary- a place where bees are kept; a collection of beehives
Casuist- a person who uses clever but unsound reasoning, esp. in relation to moral questions; a sophist.
Anthropophagy- the eating of human flesh by human beings
Ingluvies- The crop, or craw, of birds  
Foulard- A lightweight twill or plain-woven fabric of silk or silk and cotton, usually having a small printed design  
Soubrette- A saucy, coquettish, intriguing maidservant in comedies or comic opera  
Ursprache- any hypothetical extinct and unrecorded language reconstructed from groups of related recorded languages. For example, Germanic is an Ursprache reconstructed by comparison of English, Dutch, German, the Scandinavian languages, and Gothic; Indo-European is an Ursprache reconstructed by comparison of the Germanic group, Latin, Sanskrit, etc. 
Pettifog- to bicker or quibble over trifles or unimportant matters.
Pfui- an exclamation indicating disagreement or rejection of an argument; contempt
Fichu- a woman's kerchief or shawl, generally triangular in shape, worn draped over the shoulders or around the neck with the ends drawn together on the breast.
Bain-marie- (in cooking) a receptacle containing hot or boiling water into which other containers are placed to warm or cook the food in them.
Orison- A prayer
Bloviated- To discourse at length in a pompous or boastful manner
Charnier- A mass grave
Ossuaries- a chest, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains
Mephitic- (esp. of a gas or vapor) Foul-smelling; noxious
Mendicant- a member of a religious order (as the Franciscans) combining monastic life and outside religious activity and originally owning neither personal nor community property
Sinsemilla- highly potent marijuana from female plants that are specially tended and kept seedless by preventing pollination in order to induce a high resin content
Badinage- Humorous conversation
Demimonde- a class of women on the fringes of respectable society supported by wealthy lovers
Descry- Catch sight of
Deliquesce- Become liquid, typically during decomposition
Reconnoitering- Make a military observation of (a region)
Debility- being weak or feeble
Patera- a shallow ceramic or metal libation bowl
Paresthesia- a sensation of tickling, tingling, burning, pricking, or numbness of a person's skin with no apparent long-term physical effect
Sansculotte- an extreme radical republican in France at the time of the French Revolution
Jocunditie- the quality or condition of being merry or cheerful
Vicregal- Of or relating to a viceroy
Purlieus- A person's usual haunts
Fulness- In Christianity, the dispensation (or administration) of the fulness of times is thought to be a world order or administration in which the heavens and the earth are under the political and/or spiritual government of Jesus. The phrase is derived from a passage in Ephesians 1:10 (KJV), which reads: "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him."
Irreticence- Not reticent, wanting in reticence. (Coined by V. Woolf)
Equerry- A personal attendant to the British royal household
Pother- A state of nervous activity; a fuss
Shallop- A large heavy boat, usually having two masts and carrying fore-and-aft or lugsails

2011 words here.
2010 words here.

101 in 1001- October/November/December/January update

8) Grow my hair below my shoulder blades. (December 2012)
I said from the beginning that I would be willing to fudge and count length when my hair is straight. I'm still doing that, but it's almost that long even when it's curly! I'm not sure how this happened...even friends have noted that I all of a sudden had long hair. I don't have a great photo of it, but here's te best recent photo that shows some of the length (oh yeah, I'm on Instagram now. After much persuading.):

16) Donate $100 a year to charity.
STAIR- $20 (January 2013)
Doctors Without Borders- $30 (January 2013)

19) Read 1 unassigned book per month.
October '12- Philippe Aries Western Attitudes Toward Death from the Middle Ages to the Present
November '12- TBA
December '12- TBA
January '13- TBA
(working on this!)

23) See 26 movies I've never seen, starting with each letter of the alphabet.
N- Nine to Five (1980)- (December 2012)
O- On the Waterfront (1954)- (November 2012)
T- There Will Be Blood (2007)- (October 2012)
U- The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)- (October 2012)
X- X: Night of Vengeance (2011)- (December 2012)

X: Night of Vengeance sounds like it would be AWFUL, right? Richie and I basically only watched it so I could cross it off this list. But it ended up being not bad! No tour de force, but definitely watchable-without-cringing. It was actually a pretty decent movie...reminded me of a French thriller.

24) Learn 1 new word a week.
Okay, this list is going to be SUPER LONG, because it goes back to July. So, bear with me. Apologies!
Orison- A prayer
Bloviated- To discourse at length in a pompous or boastful manner
Charnier- A mass grave
Ossuaries- a chest, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains
Mephitic- (esp. of a gas or vapor) Foul-smelling; noxious
Mendicant- a member of a religious order (as the Franciscans) combining monastic life and outside religious activity and originally owning neither personal nor community property
Sinsemilla- highly potent marijuana from female plants that are specially tended and kept seedless by preventing pollination in order to induce a high resin content
Badinage- Humorous conversation
Demimonde- a class of women on the fringes of respectable society supported by wealthy lovers
Descry- Catch sight of
Deliquesce- Become liquid, typically during decomposition
Reconnoitering- Make a military observation of (a region)
Debility- being weak or feeble
Patera- a shallow ceramic or metal libation bowl
Paresthesia- a sensation of tickling, tingling, burning, pricking, or numbness of a person's skin with no apparent long-term physical effect
Sansculotte- an extreme radical republican in France at the time of the French Revolution
Jocunditie- the quality or condition of being merry or cheerful
Vicregal- Of or relating to a viceroy
Purlieus- A person's usual haunts
Fulness- In Christianity, the dispensation (or administration) of the fulness of times is thought to be a world order or administration in which the heavens and the earth are under the political and/or spiritual government of Jesus. The phrase is derived from a passage in Ephesians 1:10 (KJV), which reads: "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him."
Irreticence- Not reticent, wanting in reticence. (Coined by V. Woolf)
Equerry- A personal attendant to the British royal household
Pother- A state of nervous activity; a fuss
Shallop- A large heavy boat, usually having two masts and carrying fore-and-aft or lugsails
Accouchement- A confinement during childbirth; a lying-in
Vagulous- Wayward, vague, wavering (also coined by V. Woolf)
Zenick- A South African burrowing mammal (Suricata tetradactyla), allied to the civets. It is grayish brown, with yellowish transverse stripes on the back. Called also suricat
Aliquot- a method of measuring ingredients below the sensitivity of a scale by proportional dilution with inactive ingredients

27) Regularly volunteer somewhere.  (October 2012)
I started volunteering as a tutor with STAIR in September 2012. Almost every Saturday, I tutor a seven-year old girl in reading. It is exhilarating, trying, frustrating, and wonderful. Once a week, I get a rambunctious little girl screaming, "Miss MANDI!!! I'm so GLAD YOU'RE HERE!" Then she shows me her newest purse and all the contents therein. Then she tells me about her week. THEN, we read. :)

42) Take some photos of my brother and me for our parents. (December 2012)
When I first made this list, I envisioned Alex and I having a photographer take some photos of us for our parents. What happened instead is that I took a photo from each of our graduations (his high school one and my grad school one), blew them up and had them framed for our parents as a Christmas present. I think it still fits the spirit of the original idea, which was to give my parents updated pictures of us.

48) Host a dinner for my parents. (December 2012)
On Christmas Eve eve (that is to say, December 23), Richie and I had my parents and his mom over for a pre-Christmas dinner of chicken and sausage gumbo, potato salad, and a cranberry coffee cake. And a bunch of alcohol. Success!

55) Cook 10 challenging dishes from celebrated chefs. (January 2013)
3) Susan Spicer's Savory Vegetable Polenta Gratin with Garlic Confit

62) Visit 10 historical sites in New Orleans.
3) Antoine's Restaurant (December 2011)
I went back to Antoine's over the Christmas holiday (because they had a $20 lunch special and I'm cheap) and decided that New Orleans' oldest restaurant warranted the designation of a historical site. I'm marking this December 2011 though, because that was the first time I went there.


85) Attend at least 1 music festival a year. - updated!
I originally said I didn't attend any music festivals in 2012, but I did! I went to French Quarter Fest in April on two separate days and totally forgot about it! So, this one continues!

96) Attend 10 cultural events. (December 2012)
10) The Nutcracker

98) Pay off my 1st student loan and 1/4 of the 2nd one.
Halfway there! I paid off Sallie Mae. I'm not sure I'll be able to pay off 1/4 of the second one, but at least I half completed this!

Full list here.

101 in 1001 July/August/September update

So, this got a little behind, no? Let's play catch up.

As I mentioned in my last post, I had been in kind of a mood slump, so I haven't done a whole lot lately in terms of goals. It's been more about hunkering down and doing small things to make myself feel better. Now that I'm feeling a little better, I'm also feeling more motivated. We'll see how it goes.

19) Read 1 unassigned book per month.
July '12- Poppy Z. Brite Liquor
August '12- Poppy Z. Brite Prime
September '12- Joan Didion The Year of Magical Thinking

23) See 26 movies I've never seen, starting with each letter of the alphabet.
K- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) (September 2012)

24) Learn 1 new word a week.
(I'll get back to this one!)

55) Cook 10 challenging dishes from celebrated chefs.
2) Julia Child's Chocolate Mousse (July 2012)

94) Visit family graves once a year. (FAIL)
:( I just haven't been able to make it out to do this. Ah well.


96) Attend 10 cultural events.
9) "History of Prostitution in New Orleans" lecture

Full list here.   

101 in 1001- March update

6) Design a new tattoo or get some color in my existing one.
I studied Greek for a couple of years of my undergrad. During that time, I went through some pretty huge emotional upheavals (and spent a good chunk of time in the office of a wonderful counselor who helped me get my life back together). During that time, I would sometimes just repeat the Greek word/suffix "εἰμι" to myself. I wrote it in notebooks, I drew it on myself. The word is the first person singular "to be." It was a reminder to not get too lost in the things that were threatening to overwhelm me, but just to be, be myself and be a friend, daughter, sister, student and all my other roles that serve as my function in society.
I decided I wanted the word as a tattoo, but I couldn't decide where. Too small for my back. I didn't want a very visible tattoo, so wrists, ankles, shoulders were all out. I thought about the nape of my neck, but decided it was still too visible. Finally, I settled on behind my ear. Then I decided, rather than get just "εἰμι," I would get the full phrase, "ἐγώ εἰμι"--"I am." Or, "I exist." The phrase has theological significance, but that;s not why I wanted it. To me, the phrase is a reminder that I always have myself, my being. I exist, am a part of the world as my body, my dreams, goals, memories, legacy, while also being true to myself as an individual. I realize this sounds a little hokey, but it's a meaningful tattoo to me. So, here it is:

16) Donate $100 a year to charity.
The Hunger Project- $15
March 8 was International Women's day. The UN's theme this year was "Empower Rural Women--End Hunger and Poverty." In that spirit, I decided to donate to The Hunger Project. Regarding International Women's Day, they stated:
Throughout the developing world, women are the primary caregivers for their families. Rural women grow the majority of the food produced for household consumption. They are intensively involved in food processing. They collect cooking fuel and water. They prepare and serve meals, ensuring that their families' daily food requirements are met. Despite this critical role that women play in food security, rural women are systematically denied the resources, information and freedom of action to fulfill this responsibility.
(...)
Yet, we know that when women are empowered, their families are healthier, more children go to school, agricultural productivity improves and incomes increase. Our programs support women and build their capacity as leaders and key changes agents. After participating in Hunger Project programs, women throughout Africa, South Asia and Latin America are improving education, health and livelihoods in their communities. They are visible role models, inspiring countless women in thousands of villages.

18) Read 10 books from the Bloom Canon.
6) Carson McCullers The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
7) Ernest Hemingway A Farewell to Arms

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter was an incredible read. I can absolutely see why Bloom would consider it canonical. A Farewell to Arms reminded me of why I'm so disdainful of Hemingway. Sorry, friends. I've tried, but I cannot stand the way that man writes characters. I will give it to him that I stayed interested in the story--he knows how to move a plot. But that's about it. I've never understood why Hemingway is considered a Great American Writer.

19) Read 1 unassigned book per month.
March '12- George Saunders Pastoralia
I read this on the train up to Chicago. I received this book in a White Elephant gift-swap (or whatever you call it in your neck of the woods). It came highly recommended. It's a really...interesting read. The book is a novella and a group of short stories. I want to use the word "dystopian," but that doesn't feel quite right because the genius of the stories is that they aren't posited as being in any kind of alternate societal model. There are just...weird things that happen in some of the stories. They offer a creepy side-eye to some of the more banal elements of society, in a way that makes the stories stick in your mind long after you think you should even been remembering them.

24) Learn 1 new word a week.
Prevarication- a false or deliberate misstatement
Agglutination- the state of being thus united; adhesion of parts
Chilblains- the painful inflammation of small blood vessels in your skin that occur in response to sudden warming from cold temperatures
Expiate- make amends for

40) Have a Sazerac at The Roosevelt Hotel.
Ann and I were finally able to synchronize our schedules and we met up at the Sazerac bar. I had a sazzie and a Ramos Gin Fizz while noshing on some excellent bar foods (wasabi peas!)

67) Learn to make 6 different cocktails from memory.
3) Pinewood Drifter- 2 shots bourbon, 1 shot aperol, 1 shot punt e mes, 1 shot cynar, 1 shot sours, drizzle of orange bitters and drizzle of walnut bitters.
This is a drink I had at The Whistler in Chicago. It wasn't on their menu, but when I asked the bartender to make me something with Aperol, he told me this was a past menu item. It may be my new favorite "fancy" cocktail. (For reference, my standard cocktail is a whiskey sour and I am on a constant mission to find the best one in New Orleans).

70) Discover 5 new-to-me poets.
4) Juliet Cook
I bought Juliet Cook's collection, 13 Designer Vaginas, a collection of poems about vaginal rejuvenation surgery, at AWP. Here's an excerpt from one poem (all of them are titled, "Designer Vagina"):
Home girl swirled with lard ass.
Pink foam egg carton wastebasket
I don't want to burst at my seams.
I want to stay intact and gleam.

5) Naoko Fujimoto
Fujimoto has a poem called "Peel" in New Madrid's Winter 2012 issue. I have re-read the poem about 20 times. It is beautiful and bracing and every time I read it, it makes me want to write something.


96) Attend 10 cultural events.
6) Reinventing Radio: An Evening With Ira Glass
7) The Lion King
Y'all. Go see the Broadway production of The Lion King if you get a chance. It is gorgeous. I cry at anything, so this is probably not a testament to the play, but when all the animals started coming out onto the stage and walking up the aisles of the theater, the whole experience of it--costumes, set, music--was so overwhelming that I started crying. I don't remember having ever been literally breathtaken, but I was leaning forward, slack-jawed with tears rolling down my face. It's good that there are no photos. Yokels at the theater, y'all!
The tickets were a gift to Richie for Christmas. That may seem like an odd gift to give a twenty-something man, but the movie is sort of special to the two of us. I don't know if I've ever told this story here, but I'm going to tell it again. Over the summer, before we started dating, Richie and I were hanging out at his apartment. We stepped outside on his patio so he could smoke a cigarette. A kid walked up, about 16 or 17, and asked if he could borrow a phone to call his mom. I didn't have mine on me and Richie's was dead. We told the kid this, he said okay and disappeared...only to reappear with a gun, demanding our money. We told him we didn't have anything and begged him to please not hurt us. The kid started laughing and ran away. Richie practically picked me up and threw me inside the apartment. Later, after the police had come (they never found the kid), Richie put The Lion King on to calm us down. We became a lot closer after that night and that movie has held a special significance since.

101 in 1001- February update

19) Read 1 unassigned book per month.
December '11- Carson McCullers The Member of the Wedding
January '12- Jonathan Franzen Freedom
February '12- Pam Houston Waltzing the Cat

24) Learn 1 new word a week.
Cicatrix- A scar resulting from the formation and concentration of fibrous tissue in a wound.
Plenipotentiary- That which confers full powers OR a person invested with "full powers."
Macrocephalic- Abnormal largeness of the head.
Hircine- of, or pertaining to, a goat.


28) See all of the Mindfuck movies.
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)- technically not a Mindfuck movie according to the original list, but one that the author said later he wished he had included.



32) Go to a major sporting event.
One of my doctors gave me his tickets to a Hornets game. As it turns out, these tickets were only 10 rows up from the court. We had a really great time (and acted silly, cheering along with the Jumbotron, etc.) and we hit up the fancy-schmancy lounge area that is only available to people with expensive tickets. Of course, we also took photos because, as I told Richie, we'll probably never see that again.

39) Make a cheesecake.
I don't normally do Valentine's Day. Not out of any annoyance at the holiday--I generally don't care if people want to celebrate it--but because I've either been single and not cared or been dating someone that also didn't care enough to make it a big deal. But Richie and I decided to cook a nice meal for ourselves. He made me an incredible meal of seared scallops over garlic butter pasta and duck breast with a beer reduction cream sauce on a bed of sauteed kale and pureed turnips. And I made him a red velvet cheesecake. For those who don't want to click on that link, this was basically a cheesecake sandwiched between two layers of red velvet. Unfortunately, I actually had to throw out half the cake before I left for Chicago because it was SO rich that eating one piece of it was more than enough and we weren't able to ever finish it. But it was really really tasty. 

57) Make 3 food items I'd normally buy ready-made. 
I made harissa! (recipe here) I wasn't able to find the peppers that the recipe called for (I subbed serranos, california chilis and jalapenos), nor was I able to find dried chilies (I dried them myself in my oven over the course of about 4 hours at a 200 degree temp. Also, wtf Whole Foods?) AND I forgot to get coriander seeds, so I was forced to use powdered, but for all that, this still turned out to be delicious and authentic tasting.
















88) Go to all the major Mardi Gras parades.
Carrollton 
Muses
Proteus
Orpheus
Zulu
Rex
Plus!:
Krewe du Vieux
Pontchartrain
Caesar
King Arthur and Merlin
Babylon
Chaos
Hermes
D'Etat
Morpheus
Endymion
Okeanos
Mid-City
Thoth
Box of Wine
Bacchus
Tucks

96) Attend 10 cultural events.
5) Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra- Shostakovich Symphony No. 1 
Alyson scored free tickets to the Philharmonic and invited me to be her date. Since I haven't been to the symphony since middle school and hadn't spent time with Alyson for almost a month, I accepted. It was lovely.

Full list here.