Okay, so I’ve completed a few more things on my to do list which makes me very happy…perhaps not as many as I hoped but that’s the way it goes sometimes!

1. Publish more articles, somewhere: I’ve had one article in Light Leaks and I will be doing reviews for the Toy Camera website which is really fun

2. Travel to Japan: as I said the flights are booked and we are doing research now on hotels and places to stay and what we want to see.

3. Fast on all days of obligation: 2

5. establish my own workshops: This is well on it’s way, so please stay tuned!

12. Go to the movies (6/5): Complete! I’ve been catching up on all my want-to-see movies which has been really nice

14. organize the office: I haven’t actually started this yet but I did find a shelf that I want to bring in to replace some of the old furniture and hopefully make it easier for me to organize my pictures, albums etc…

19. visit Petrie Island (1/10): We went for a lovely walk at Petrie Island and saw some great wild life – it was very relaxing and I definitely look forward to doing it again soon!

27. read 5 books I already own: started reading the book I bought on Japan…I could be making a greater effort on this one!

30. organize old photos and negatives: I have started collecting all my negatives and putting them in boxes but there is still more work to do!

31. do more silkscreening: I have drawn out some new designs and am getting ready for production!

33. shoot 1 roll of film a week: I’m not even close but I have shot a lot more film and shoot at least every week, even if I don’t finish the roll

35. use all of my toy/vintage cameras: I have started using them and it’s been a great time experimenting and cleaning up my old cameras. Right now I’m fixing one of my holgas and am excited to have it up and running again!

36. paint the house: I have started picking colors which is always step one and I’m hoping May and June will be a good time to paint as we can open up the windows…the snow today was discouraging I must say!

39. use my stereo pinhole camera: YES! I did start and have been using the guide that by PictureNoise created and let me know about via the forums at ToyCamera dot com.

40. build my Gakken TLR: Done! And I LOVE IT!

41. use it: Done!

59. plant my garden: I’ve been watching my bulbs come up and some of the plants start already…hopefully the snow today does not disrupt them too much!

60. give Lily, my dog, a bath: Complete – after the “skunk incident”

68. blog regularly: This I think I am doing but it is on-going

69. take time out for myself: I have been trying to do more of this and think I’m succeeding – I try to keep at least one or two nights free a week so I can do what I like. I’m slowly learning that I don’t have to fill ever minute of every day…

73. Take part in a traveling camera project: the camera is currently in Spain – this has been a really exciting project for me and I have been so happy with how things have been progressing and that the camera has been moving around and is currently on it’s first European leg!

60. give Lily, my dog, a bath

It’s 11:45PM and it’s been a long day of work and volunteering, Lily wants to head out for a last bathroom break. (Since the snow melted Lily has been fussy about having to pee on the soggy grass which has resulted in extended fussing outside.) After waiting several minutes for her to go on the grass she sprang away over the low garden fencing. I ran over to see where she’d gone but in the darkened neighbors’ yards I couldn’t see her. I called her and finally she came, rolling in the grass and sneezing as she came…that could only mean one thing…skunk.

And No. 60 is complete…

I feel like I’ve been progressing well with my list of things to do – even though some things I’ve only started planning (new silkscreens, prints etc…) at least I’ve got a plan. Recently I’ve completed a few more things or have updates, here they are:

12. Go to the movies (4/5)
- When in Rome: cute romantic comedy
- Avatar: groundbreaking graphics…no comment on the story
- the White Ribbon: weird and curious German language film…I was intrigued!
- Alice in Wonderland: 3D and amazing! The reviews have been hit and miss but I would definitely recommend this movie – I thought the reviews were too harsh. I preferred this movie over Avatar in length and storyline and although there were parts of the movie I didn’t care for (Johnny Depp… dancing…if you’ve seen it then you may know what I’m referring too) overall I thought it was excellent!

COMING UP! I will be completing this task when I go to see U2 3D at the end of the week – I have to say that 3 of my 5 movies were in 3D which is pretty outstanding and I’m very excited to finally be seeing U2 3D! I’ve got a pair of disposable 3D glasses that I’m trying to fashion into a pair of prescription glasses – I haven’t worked it out yet but I’m sure I can sort it out…

20. sing karaoke

When I was in Toronto recently for a sister’s weekend we decided to try and find a karaoke bar to sing the night away. The waiter at the restaurant we were having dinner at recommended this Korean Karaoke bar which had all private rooms. We decided to check it out and headed over there after dinner. Pleasantly surprised that we were able to get a room without a reservation and that our private room was huge with a bubble maker we sang away for over 3 hours! It was such a great time and nice that none of us were embarrassed at having to “sing” in front of other people or take turns with strangers. My sister, C, singing “I dream a dream” was a highlight of the night – her voice put the rest of us to shame!

23. throw a party (1/3)
Later this month I will be hosting a ladies Tea Party over lunch. I’m very excited about it and it will coincide with a Stella & Dot party. Think tea and cupcakes and dress up with jewelry! I can’t wait!

39. use my stereo pinhole camera
I have my camera all loaded up and with International Pinhole camera day coming up in April I want my camera tested and ready to photograph! I’m hoping to do my first test roll later this week.

40. build my Gakken TLR
I’ve said it before but this time I mean it! This weekend I WILL start this camera!

70. laugh, a lot
70 and 20 sort of went hand in hand – when you sings like a maniac at Karaoke you often laughs quite hard. And when you slips on bubble residue on the floor and almost fall in your private karaoke room with your sisters, you may laugh so hard you almost fall again which leads to more laughter…you get the idea…

73. Take part in a traveling camera project
So far the traveling camera project has been going well. It is now in the 4th city and is getting ready to jump the pond and do a leg of travel in Europe! I have been thrilled with the photos that all the project participants have been posting on the blog and in the flickr group. I’m so glad that it’s going well and I certainly hope it continues that way!

74. Visit Toronto [1/5]
I spent the first weekend in March in Toronto for a sister’s weekend – it consisted of eating popsicles (and picklesicles…don’t ask), watching movies (UP! is awesome!) and enjoying the sun and shopping. It was great spending time with my sisters living in Toronto and traveling with one of my sister’s from Ottawa. Porter Air rocks!

1 . Publish an article [article in latest issue of Light Leaks magazine!]

2. Travel to Japan [booked for fall 2010]
Our flights our booked and now we just have to decide where we want to go and what we want to see. Top on my list are Tokyo, Nagoya, Mijajima and Kamakura. I definitely want to check out cameras and get some Hello Kitty currency in Tokyo – I’m extremely excited!

3. Fast on all days of obligation [1]

12. Go to the movies (3/5)
- When in Rome: cute romantic comedy
- Avatar: groundbreaking graphics…no comment on the story
- the White Ribbon: weird and curious German language film…I was intrigued!

13. buy new art (1/2) – an 8×8 photograph raising money for Haiti

46. listen to new books on tape [5/10]
- Shanghai Girls: interesting story about 2 sisters and their relationship and secrets. They travel from Shanghai to the United States – anyhow, it was really good.
- Highest Duty: memoir of Captain Sully who landed the plane on the Hudson…really interesting story and life! A good listen!
- Dewey: story about a very special library cat – I thought it was touching!
- While My Sister Sleeps: Another story of sisters and a complicated web that forms when one sister has an accident that changes everyone’s lives
- Hana’s Suitcase: two stories told in one book about a group in Japan, modern time, doing research on the life of a little Jewish girl in Europe during WW2.
- I’m now on book 6 “Dreams of my Father” by Barack Obama, read by the author (before he became president)

69. take time out for myself
This past weekend we planned nothing in advance and just went with the flow. It was really great. It started with Schnitzel dinner at the German club and included a play date with my two nieces and sister and brother-in-law, the gtown, a haircut, 2 movies and lots of Olympics! It was a great weekend and it was so nice to have free time and enjoy it with family and friends.

73. Take part in a traveling camera project
I sent to camera to Vancouver and panicked for a while that the camera got lost in the mail but it made it there eventually! The camera has traveled from Vancouver and is now in Chicago. I am thrilled that the project is *knock on wood* working and hopefully it will continue to go well!

74. Visit Toronto [1/5] – I have a visit booked!
Looking forward to flying on Porter to go for a weekend in Toronto – good times!

I read on another blog this week a list of things an individual wanted to do – 101 things in 1001 days. I thought it was an interesting idea and decided to make my own list, this is an evergreen document so I might modify or add things as I go along. I thought this might create more opportunities to be creative/expressive so here is what I have so far:

1. Publish more articles, somewhere

2. Travel to Japan

3. Fast on all days of obligation

4. Do a solo show

5. establish my own workshops

6. visit New York city

7. see a Broadway show

8. go to the top of the Rock

9. visit Carlos’ Bakery in Hoboken

10. Find the most peaceful place on earth

11. photograph it

12. Go to the movies (0/5)

13. buy new art (0/2)

14. organize the office

15. Buy a new Mac Read the rest of this entry »