To the best of my knowledge, there is only one problem with loving so many international blogs.  It’s the out-of-season temptations that are constantly dangled in front of you.

These beautiful owl fingerless gloves jumped off my screen when Dooce mentioned them a couple of weeks ago, and I snapped them up immediately even though we’re only halfway through Summer.  They arrived yesterday (in record time!) and I couldn’t wait to try them on.

I’m in love.  They’re soft too – made from a blend of wool, alapaca and acrylic.  And hello, they’re owls!

Feel free to start whenever you like, Winter – I’m ready now.

Now that I’ve finished tinkering with my list of 101 Things to do in 1001 Days, I’m excited to start ticking some of those things off!  I Have a number of art related tasks on my list this time around and I wanted to make sure that I started early and enjoyed the process.  And besides, my art classes start up again next week and I was slightly concerned that I had forgotten everything from last year!

The still life scene above was painted on a fairly large piece of canvas board with acrylic paint.  There’s a lot to like about this painting, but I can’t help but stare at the obvious problems with my initial drawing.  I think that’s what always lets me down – I’m so excited to break out the paint that I don’t spend enough time on my sketch.

In any case 1/25 still life scenes complete.

This tree was really just an exercise in playing with a bunch of my art supplies – watercolours, acrylic paint, sumi ink and gesso.  I’m trying to fill an altered book with drawings and being a little more experimental on those pages.  It’s a really fun way to discover which mediums work well together.

24 trees to go!

I’ve also set myself a challenge to take 101 photos with my cute little Fujifilm Instax Mini 25.  This camera is the little brother of Polaroid, and prints out cute credit card sized instant photos.  I’ve had the camera for about a year and for most of that time it was pretty badly neglected.  I’m glad we’re finally spending some quality time together.

I thought that it would take me a long time to churn out 101 photos, but to my surprise I’m almost halfway through in my first month!  Once you get the hang of this camera it’s pretty addictive.  You can see more of my Instax Mini 25 photos here.

I’m really looking forward to beginning another one of my tasks next week when a big box of Ilford black & white film arrives.  I’ve been tracking its progress across the ocean for about a week now and it’s actually in my city now!

I wish I’d been able to purchase the film locally, but to do so would have cost $14 per roll, instead of $3.50 per roll from the US.  Even with 5-day shipping it worked out much cheaper for me to buy it online.  Why do Australian consumers always get the blame for the shift to online shopping when it’s the retailers who won’t compete?

This project looks like So Much Fun!

Every day in 2011 Madeline shot some video of her life in LA.  At the end of the year she compiled it into one 7.5 minute video, with each day represented by about a second of footage.  The end result is so much fun and the ending is perfect.  It looks like a happy year!

My birthday is in March, and this looks like a really fun way to document my year of being 32.

I have six weeks to decide whether I’m this disciplined…

Are you interested in making your own list of 101 Things in 1001 Days?  I often receive comments and emails about my 101 project, and it’s always exciting to hear of people starting up lists of their own.  I also know how daunting it can be to come up with such a big list of tasks that you’re still going to care about two years from now!

I thought I’d share some tips for writing a bulletproof list – little tips and tricks that I wish I’d known when I started my first 101 project.

Ready?  Here we go!

01.  Pick a start date for your project
I’ve always chosen 1 January because I love clean slates.  You may prefer to finish at the end of a calendar year, or you might like to start or finish on your birthday.  Whatever works for you.

Something to consider: what else will be going on in your life during that final month of your project?  Don’t schedule your finish date during your exams or during a busy month of family birthdays.  That last month is a race against the clock!

02.  Start writing your list early
Nobody ever tells you how much work goes into creating a list of 101 things that represent your goals.  I’m sure that all of us can think of a handful of tasks off the tops of our heads, but what then?

I recommend keeping a small notebook nearby to jot down ideas as you think of them.  Try to come up 150 things if you can, that way you will have plenty of choice when it comes time to curate your best 101 goals!

It took more than a month for me to come up with a really solid list.  Towards the end of this post you’ll find plenty of inspiration to use if you find that you’re getting stuck.

03.  Brainstorm and categorize
As I jotted down my ideas I noticed that they formed some themes.  I had written about places I wanted to visit, how I wanted to improve my health and skills I wanted to practise.  There were tasks related to personal growth, and lots of experiences that I wanted to enjoy.  It helped me a lot to recognise these themes and use them to create a list of big-picture categories.

From there, other goals became more obvious to me.  For example, I had already listed Complete another round of Couch to 5K as a goal, and this reminded me that I’ve always wanted to sign up for a 5km fun run.  Lots of things fell into place for me this way.

I know that categories don’t work for everybody.  In fact, if you look around the web at other 101/1001 lists you’ll notice that most of them are just randomised, unconnected tasks.  I can see how this would be an excellent approach for people who don’t have their hearts set on long-term goals.

04.  Be  S.M.A.R.T.
Take a look at your list.  Can you define exactly when you can cross off each task?

Specific (what is it, and by when?)
Measurable  (how much?  how many?)
Attainable (can it be done with available time & money?)
Relevant (does it matter? will it matter later?)
Timely (how long? by when?)

Nothing kills a list of goals like ambiguity.  Instead of get fit, how about these: run for 20 minutes without stopping or fit back into my wedding dress?

If you have a really big goal it can be a good idea to break it down into smaller goals that you can cross off at various milestones.

05.  Review your list
1001 days is enough time to train for a marathon.  It’s also plenty of time to visit every continent, start a family, write a novel or learn to dance en pointe.

However, most of us can’t do all of those things together – especially if we want to keep our jobs and partners and sanity!

It’s easy to get carried away.  1001 days seems like such a long period of time, but believe me – it can fly!  Check that your list is achievable as a whole so that it doesn’t wind up ruling (or ruining) your life.

Rather than scrapping items altogether, consider setting yourself smaller versions of your goals.  Don’t write a list that is destined to fail.

06.  Put your list away for a week or two.
Don’t skip this step!

In my experience, most people who quit their 101 projects halfway through do so because they don’t have time, or they stop caring about the goals they picked out at the start.  Both reasons boil down to the same issue: the list just wasn’t right in the first place.

When you bring your list back out of hiding ask yourself these questions.

-  Is my list realistic?  Can all of this be achieved in 1001 days, without sacrificing my job or relationships?
-  Am I really going to care about each of those things a couple of years from now?
-  Can I still finish my list if I change jobs, start a family, or move to another country?

If your answer to that last question is no, read on!

07.  Set some rules

Life has an uncanny ability to get in the way of the things we set out to do.  1001 days from now you might have more children, or a high-flying job that demands more of your energy.  Maybe you’ll win Idol and your manager controls your schedule now.  Or – this happened to me – maybe you were relying on an online resource to complete a task, and it disappeared!

It’s good to have an idea from the outset of what you’ll do if life throws you curveballs – do you scrap your list and start again?

You haven’t signed any contracts here, and what you do next is a personal decision. If I discover that a task is unachievable or irrelevant a year from now I’ll be substituting it with something else.

OK.  You’ve started to jot down some ideas, and you’re struggling to get past #32.  Here are some ideas for building a great list that will stretch and inspire you.

Perhaps you’ve always wanted to travel, but other commitments have gotten in the way.  Maybe you have been secretly hoping that somebody will take you skydiving for your birthday but nobody has picked up the hint!  At least a couple of the tasks on your 101 list should be Big Things that put you in the driver’s seat, and they need to be achievable in the next 1001 days.

Big Things don’t have to be expensive; that’s really  not the point.  For example, some of us might be able to easily afford a trip to Paris in the next 1001 days but would struggle to go because of career or family commitments.  What’s the biggest thing that’s stopping you from realising your big dream – work, family, money or procrastination?  Is there anything you can do to break your goal down into smaller chunks that will get you closer?

Big Things are the luxuries that we would happily give to or do for a loved one on a round-number birthday to show them how much we care.  Big Things are large-scale challenges that we set for ourselves.  Big Things are what we dream about at 3pm on a boring workday.

Examples:  visit an overseas country / go skydiving / buy a house / run a marathon / set foot in every state or continent /  start a business / go back to university / move to a new town / take the kids to Disneyworld / sing in front of a crowd / start a family / get a tattoo / write a novel / make a short film / have a solo art exhibition / learn a language / pay off your credit card / raise funds for an important cause / hike the Kokoda trail / climb a mountain / quit smoking / conquer a fear

One of the best ways to write a 101 List is to think about the sorts of things you always wanted to do when you were a kid.  Make sure that your list has at least a few ridiculous, frivolous tasks – and go out and do them!  Most people I speak to carry some sort of regret about the things they stopped doing when they “grew up”.  I think we’re always happiest when we take the time to nurture our inner child.

One of my happiest memories from my last list was building a snowman.  It mightn’t seem like much, but I grew up on the beach – not the snow!

Examples: go on every ride at a theme park / wear mismatched socks for a day / lead a restaurant in singing happy birthday to your friend (especially if it’s not their birthday!) / go grocery shopping in your pajamas / dye your hair a bright colour / see 3 movies in one day / have a food fight / go skinny dipping / build a sandcastle / find a pen-pal / read a book in a day / write a letter to future-you / try a new craft / wear false lashes for a day / open a recipe book to a random page and cook / make somebody a mix tape / dress up for Halloween / write a song

One key tip for surviving the next 1001 days: ensure that your list has plenty of little tasks that can be easily crossed off!  It can be very overwhelming to have a number of big challenges on the go at one time, and sometimes it helps to cross off something quick so that you can see some progress.

This might be the most important tip of all!

Examples: grow a plant from seed / rearrange your bedroom / do something nice for a stranger / try a new cake recipe / re-read a favourite book / try that food you hated as a kid / buy a set of luxurious bath towels / start a collection / fill somebody’s parking meter / kiss in the rain / no fast food for one month / alphabetise your bookshelf by author’s surname / don’t complain for one week / take a cooking class / make a playlist of your 101 favourite songs / learn to use your camera’s manual settings

Need more inspiration?  Check out my list of 101 Things to do in 1001 Days (2012 – 2014) or my previous list  from 2008-2010 for lots more ideas.  Make sure you also visit Day Zero, the birthplace of this project, for tips and ideas.

Good luck!

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you’ll know all about the 101 Things in 1001 Days challenge that I tackled from 2008-2010.  It was an incredibly inspiring and motivating project and I have so many achievements and happy memories under my belt as a result of seeing it through.

I went hot air ballooning, and went horseriding on the beach.  I gave blood and sponsored a little girl in Eduador.  There was so much more… I’d love for you to read my wrap-up post from 2010 to see all of the other great stuff I was able to pack into those 2.75 years!

Part of me wanted to begin another 101 list immediately after finishing the last one, but instead I decided to enjoy the lack of deadlines and think carefully about what I wanted to achieve with my next list.  This little break gave me the headspace I needed to think about what sort of things I really wanted to achieve, and a year later I was ready to write it all down.  The tasks I chose are the usual mix of self-improvement, travel/experiences and creative challenges, but this list feels a lot more focused than my last.  I’m excited and ready to go!

Now that the last-minute tinkering is done I can share with you my latest 101 Things in 1001 Days project.  Enjoy!

Are you interested in beginning a list of 101 Things in 1001 Days too?  I’ll be sharing some tips for writing a bulletproof list in my next post.

So here’s the thing.

I’m going back to work today after almost 4 weeks of leave.

I really don’t have the words to describe how I feel about this, so please watch this video instead.

Hold me.

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram (@scarletwords) you’ll already know about the tiny celebrity that we’ve been hosting for the past week.  We’ve been looking forward to meeting this young man for months but like many we were nervous about his reputation for unpredictable outbursts.

During his stay we hoped to interview the 5 month old known as Archie, and ask him how he felt about his notoriety.  Was there any connection between his nicknames (Fuzz Nut, Bubba Chubs, Drools Flannigan) and that stint in juvenile detention?  Who is that mystery brunette he’s often photographed with?  Any regrets about that Wiggles tattoo on his backside?

We were disappointed to discover that he was completely silent on these issues, and after our months of preparation his refusal to answer even one of our questions was a crushing blow.

So I suppose it was to be expected that when it came to the photo shoot Archie was just like any other celebrity on set.  He showed up late and brought a sullen looking entourage.  He also insisted on wearing his own absorbant underwear for the shoot (we couldn’t help but notice his compromised motor control on the day) and half way through the shoot he simply removed them entirely.

The crew decided to press on with the shoot despite Archie’s vulgar behaviour.  These exclusive photos are a revealing account of one young man’s spiral of disgrace and disrepute.

After the shoot there were tantrums when he discovered that his sippy cup had not been filled with dew collected from the morning’s roses, as had been specified in his backstage rider.  I guess somebody also forgot to remove the brown M&Ms from the bowl in his dressing room.

Disaster.

Thank God his manager was able to calm him down before he called in the lawyers.

Archie is my cousin’s latest masterpiece, and is actually a lovely little bundle of smiles and toes and wobbles.  Auntie Liz misses that face very much, and hopes that he and his entourage come back very soon x

After organizing our bookshelf almost a year ago (http://youtu.be/zhRT-PM7vpA), my wife and I (Sean Ohlenkamp) decided to take it to the next level. We spent many sleepless nights moving, stacking, and animating books at Type bookstore in Toronto (883 Queen Street West, (416) 366-8973). 

Everything you see here can be purchased at Type Books.

Grayson Matthews (http://www.graysonmatthews.com/) generously composed the beautiful, custom music.

But none of it could have been done without all the volunteer hands who shelved and reshelved books all night, every night.

This is absolutely magical.  Thanks to Sophie of Her Library Adventures for sharing this!

As far as I’m concerned, the stand-out single of 2011 was Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know, featuring Kimbra.  The video is equally as captivating as the song, so if you’re the last person on Earth to know about this incredible track you really need to watch the video above.  It’s magic, and so is the rest of Gotye’s latest album.

It came as a complete surprise to me that this song could handle a reinvention, but Walk Off the Earth and Sarah Blackwood recently got together and recorded this astounding cover.  Once again, the video is every bit as thrilling as the song and I had goosebumps!

Such a perfect tribute to the original.  I think I’d better go and find out what else this band can do…

One of my favourite parts of New Years Eve is filling out this meme.  It’s such a great way to reflect on the past year – good and bad – and make plans to make the next year even better.  I’d love to read your answers too so please leave yours in the comments if you’d like to play along!

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Threw myself into art in a big, big way!  I’ve always been interested, but I’ve never been very good at drawing and painting.  My classes at Melbourne Studio of Art have been really exciting.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t think I had any new years resolutions for this year.  Tomorrow I will begin a brand new 101 Things in 1001 Days list, so I think that takes care of resolutions for the next few years!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
We welcomed two tiny babies into the family this year – Archie and Harrison.  My cousins are very good at growing cute babies!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
We lost our beautiful Gran in March this year.  Missing her very, very much,

5. What countries did you visit?
I didn’t travel at all this year, unless quick trips to Brisbane count.  We’re planning to visit the US next September and spend some time with Tim’s family.  Can’t wait!

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Fitness.  This will be a major theme of my 2012.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The birth dates of my cousins’ two new bubbies.  Their arrivals came at a time when our family needed a great big smile!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
2011 was a year for supporting other people.  Big things were happening to the people around me this year, and it was my job to help them through it as much as I could.  I’m proud of myself for taking a back seat, and not letting it all get me down.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I was much fitter at the beginning of the year than I am right now!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I have an ankle injury which thwarted my latest attempt at Couch to 5K.  I should probably see somebody about that, since it’s been bugging me for about 10 weeks now.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My MacBook Air is basically the greatest thing I own.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
When I am Prime Minister there will be a national day of celebration dedicated to Tim.  He was dealt a really crappy hand at the beginning of this year when he lost his job, and finding a new one wasn’t easy.  I’m extremely proud of him for persevering and not taking the first crappy job that he was offered.  He ended up being hired by an excellent company who seem to value him, and he works with a great group of people.  Blessing in disguise!

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
There have been some terrible things said and done by conservative Republicans in the USA this year.  It’s like a terrible movie that you can’t turn off.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, bills, food.  And art supplies – my new addiction for which I hope there is no cure.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Painting!  Before I started art classes I thought I wanted to learn how to draw, and I’m getting there.  But drawing with paint is my new favourite thing.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

This incredible songwriter, this incredible voice.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
a) Despite the upheavals, happier.
b) I think we covered this already!
c) Richer, in every sense.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I’d spent more time on creative endeavours. 2011 was a very creative year for me, but I’m not very disciplined at practising in my own time.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I wish I’d had fewer late nights, and fewer braindead days at work.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Day was spent with my Mum & Dad, who are staying with us for a couple of weeks.  I shared some photos of our little Christmas a couple of days ago.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Yeah.  He’s tall and funny looking and he has the biggest brown eyes <3

22. What was your favourite TV program?
We discovered (and obsessed over) a few great shows this year.  Community and Breaking Bad were my favourites.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t think I hate anybody.

24. What was the best book you read?
Most of the books I read this year were related to the study I’m doing.  And I don’t recommend them, they’re pretty dry!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Civil Wars, First Aid Kit, Emma Louise, The Tallest Man on Earth, Husky 

26. What did you want and get?
A laptop.  New couches!  I am using both of them right now.

(… no, I’m not using both couches.  You know what I mean!)

27. What did you want and not get?
Time travel?  I don’t know, I’m pretty lucky to have what I’ve got.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?
I loved The King’s Speech and Thor.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I had a strange birthday this year.  I turned 31, and Tim was on the other side of the world.  My friends and family spoiled me to make up for his absence and Tim had a beautiful bunch of roses delivered to me at work.  It was good to see him again the following week!

Also, because my birthday falls on St Patrick’s Day there was green beer.  Obviously.

30. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Tim and Harry, my partners in crime.  I love coming home to our house and my boys.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
I suppose I was a little more interested in colour this year, but I still wore the black Melbourne uniform most of the time!  I nurtured my girly side a little more and took more interest in makeup and nailpolish.

32. What kept you sane?
My nearest and dearest.  They know who they are, and I’d have been lost without them this year!

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Nobody famous rocked my world this year.  Gillard dropped a few rungs on the ladder, but Abbott fell off the ladder completely.  I’d appreciate it if Tony Abbott would give up ladders entirely, figuratively speaking.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Australia’s appalling policies and track record with regard to asylum seekers.  Equally, the actions of human traffickers and bogan Australians who think that refugees who arrive by boat are terrorists and/or queue-jumpers.  If you believe this rhetoric, you’re wrong.

Australia signed an agreement to grant asylum to refugees and we are not meeting our obligations.  Our government should be developing policies which will save the lives of desperate people, not pander to the racist and ignorant opinions of voters.

I’ll stop now.

35. Who did you miss?
I’ve been missing Gran & Grandpa.  And wishing I’d asked them more questions while they were still here.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
I made a couple of new friends at work this year, and they’ve become really good mates.  My friend Kentucky (who has a real name that I never use) is pretty rad too!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
2011 was a really difficult year in many ways.  Gran passed away, my Mum’s health deteriorated suddenly and Tim lost his job when they decided to cut his whole department.  It should have been a terrible year, but I’m proud of the way that we were able to turn it around.  Mum is on the mend, Tim found a new (better!) job before we ran out of cash, and I think our whole family is closer as a result of the upheavals we’ve had.

I suppose the lesson I take away from this is that which does not kill us makes us stronger.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

You can keep me grounded
Keep me on my toes
I’ll always be chasing you
Wherever you may go
And if you slip ahead
And break away from us
Don’t run out of sight
I just might not catch up

But I won’t let that happen
Not while we’re having fun
You can be the runner
I can be the gun

- Biding My Time (Busby Marou)