Don't you/Forget about me

I heard my list singing to me today. Or maybe it was screaming. "Don't neglect me! Keep me going!"

I'm listening list. I'm going to re-read you. Remind myself of things I have started. Reset things I've already messed up on (coffee). Be aware of it all.

I have been working on a few things.

#23. I've filled out the proper paperwork at my job to approve me doing "outside employment" so I can start my photography website.

#43. I've tried another 3 recipes. One was just a made up shot: Bleu Cheese, Bacon and Sun Dried Tomato Crescent Rolls. Decent. I also made Simple Sesame Noodles and Roasted Beef Tenderloin. Both were FANTASTIC. I made the tenderloin for a dinner party I hosted for my networking group. Everyone raved. Which brings me to my next goal I've been working on...

#90. Host 6 dinner parties. I've now got one under the belt. I think there were 18 people at my house on Saturday. Everyone loved the food. In addition to the tenderloin, I made creamy herbed potatoes and onion bleu cheese sauce.

#77. I bought The Avett Brothers album "I and Love and You" based on a recommendation from Darcy Dunker. I really love the album and dig the track "The Perfect Space". I'll post the lyrics at the end of this post.

#83. I don't think I made it out twice in September after I started my list. I did make it out for Kasey's birthday on October 9th. I will be going out again for sure on Hobo Day weekend.

#94. I've organized a majority of my smaller hard drive files. I need to sort through the photos and the rest of the photoshop support files and get them filed away properly. Then it's on to the big guy.

"The Perfect Space" by The Avett Brothers

I wanna have friends that I can trust,
that love me for the man I’ve become not the man I was.
I wanna have friends that will let me be
all alone when being alone is all that I need.
I wanna fit in to the perfect space,
feel natural and safe in a volatile place.
And I wanna grow old without the pain,
give my body back to the earth and not complain.
Will you understand when I am too old of a man?
And will you forget when we have paid our debt
who did we borrow from?

Okay part two now clear the house.
The party’s over take the shouting and the people,
get out.
I have some business and a promise that I have to hold to.
I do not care what you assume or what the people told you.
Will you understand, when I am too old of a man?
Will you forget when we have paid our debts,
who did we borrow from, who did borrow from?

I wanna have pride like my mother has,
And not like the kind in the bible that turns you bad.
And I wanna have friends that I can trust,
that love me for the man I’ve become and not the man that I was.

The Happiness List, Part 2

I remembered something else for my "Happiness List". I love karaoke. As kitschy and cliche as it is, I love singing in dive karaoke bars. There is something very egotistical and brave about it at the same time.

THE HAPPINESS LIST

1. My nieces and nephews.

2. Karaoke at dive bars.

The Happiness List

I struggle with being happy anymore. I have forgotten what it feels like to be consistently happy with bursts of sadness. My melancholy demeanor is constant. Work brings me down. I really feel like I'm tethered to it and can't break away. As a young professional who is often defined by my job, unhappiness in my career weighs heavy on my life. It reaches all corners of my life and affects my productivity outside of the office and most of my relationships.

In an effort to combat this sadness, I'm going to create a list of 101 things that make me happy. By identifying these things and keeping them in a list together, I hope it motivates me to engage with these things on a more regular basis.

THE HAPPINESS LIST:

1. My nieces and nephews.

a rainy day

I'm on day 4 of my list. Only 997 days to complete everything. I didn't wear a different pair of shoes today. I'm just kickin' it in the ones I wore yesterday.

I decided this morning that I would make this the month that I go without buying my morning coffee. I've done it all 4 days this week, so I just need to plan ahead and I'll be able to save some dollars.

I've also started on another goal (#28: Keep a photo blog of my 101 in 1001 experience). So far I have taken a photo everyday and have tossed it up on this here blog. I didn't put up last night's photo yet, but that will come this evening.

Here was the leaders before I reset the count a few minutes ago. I'll be interested to see if the same songs rise to the top again. I'm guessing it will be quite different.

I haven't taken a picture of the shoes I'm wearing yet today, but it is another pair that I often skip over in my closet. I was afraid they would bother my feet by the end of the day but we're clocking in at 4 PM and all is OK.

I need to bite the bullet and reset the play count in my iTunes, but I don't want to lose that information. I suppose the sooner I reset it, the longer I have to build it back up. I think I will create a list of my Top 50 Played songs so I've at least got the upper echelon of songs marked for the history books.

I rocked these shoes today. They are my newest footwear and are rather comfy. Too bad I didn't bother wearing them with something that matched. I also cooked supper tonight and tried out a few new recipes (3 new ones). They all went pretty well, but I noticed that people didn't take seconds or "clear their plates", so I think there is some room for improvement.

I tried these recipes:

Bacon Onion Cheddar Biscuits

Onion-Bleu Cheese Sauce

Marinated Flank Steak (A slightly modified version of this one)

I need to try some healthier options so I can work on my goals geared towards weight loss.