#62: Buy skinny jeans. Wear them.

Date Completed:  Ongoing, but technically 8/21/2010 and 8/27/2010

I’m pretty sure I’ve already established that I’m a creature of habit.  This is no different when it comes to fashion. If I can find a pair of jeans that fits, I’m happy – couldn’t care less about much else.  That is, until this skinny jean trend came out and I cringed. I’m not sure which part of this concept bothered me more – the fact that my rear is anything but skinny, or the fact that the tapered legs made me claustrophobic just looking at them.  Hoping they’d go out of style as quickly as the poncho, I avoided them at all cost.  Somehow, they’ve stuck around, so I figured it was time to give in.  I've actually bought a few pair throughout the year, but I’m not actually taking credit for those purchases, even though I did wear them.  I am, however, taking credit for these dates in August because two uber-fashionable friends on two totally different occasions at two totally different venues actually complimented me on two different pair!  Go figure – now, they’re my favorite jeans to wear with heels.  I’ll even admit that one pair isn’t just skinny – it has...GASP...zippers at the ankles!  I KNOW!  Zippers!  I won’t even quote which decade I owned jeans with skippers to spare myself the embarrassment. Bottom line though – try something new every now and then.  It can be fun.  As for this year’s newest fashion sin (that would be the jeggings), I’ll pass.  Permanently.  Oh, and nooo, this is not my rear in the pic below.  It is one of the said jeans with compliments though!  They're actually really flattering on.

#67: Connect with someone from your past.

Date Completed: 8/18/2010

“Out with the old, in with the new.” All year I’ve been decluttering, reorganizing, refocusing and trying to bring about positive change in my life. At times, I’ve felt as if I was purging the past and creating the future. Seems like a positive experience, right? Well, I had all the right intentions, but, this particular item reminded me how special the past can actually be, whether it’s revisiting memories, remembering lessons learned or possibly changing a perspective. When I added this item to my list, I had no idea how thankful I would be for having done so.

As with most of the items on THE LIST, I didn’t plan to mark this one off yet. I had not identified a specific individual. I had no real goal to achieve. I just wanted to have an opportunity to meet someone new this year (#33 on THE LIST) and also look back. Part way through my evening (and as we were talking about THE LIST), it crossed my mind that this event did actually qualify for this list item. The evening actually couldn’t have been nicer. The discussion did not revolve around history - the focus was the present and even the future - but it was shared with someone special from my past and someone whom I’m happy to have had the opportunity to spend time with in the present. I genuinely believe that life has a way of unfolding exactly as it should…even when it doesn’t quite feel that way in the moment. This experience was a perfect example. Some pieces of the past deserve a special place in your heart, because you never know when they'll move into the present, or even the future.

#2: Hire electrician to replace outdoor light control.

Date Completed: 1/8/2010 Purchased Replacement Switch, 8/13/2010 Identified Electrician, 8/16/2010 Fix Complete

This list item is all about the switch inside my house that controls the outdoor garage carriage lights (you may recall these from #31 on THE LIST). From the dates above, it’s probably clear that I procrastinate on home repairs. The truth is that the switch actually worked intermittently for several years so while it was annoying to re-set every couple of months, it didn’t necessarily bother me enough to hire an electrician (clearly). I knew early in the year that I needed to get this fixed, so I did at least buy the new switch as a first step. I’m sure I got distracted and also kept putting this off in general. However, a few months ago, the switch stopped working altogether and the carriage lights started staying on around the clock. At that point, I found myself less motivated (and honestly, a little cheap) so I had this brainstorm that I’d simply shut off that switch altogether at the circuit breaker – I mean, who needs outdoor lights anyway, when there are street lights. My brilliance failed me though, when I tried to go to the gym and the garage door wouldn’t open (apparently the same circuit also controls the garage door – grrr). I should have just called the electrician, but alas, I was busy and well…I had my nose pushed out of shape so I just tried to ignore it. That worked for a couple of months, but eventually the energy inefficiency got to me. I found a nice electrician to fix the switch, and for those of you who are wondering, no, he wasn’t single.

#24 (August): Participate in one volunteer/non-profit activity each month.

Date Completed: 8/14/2010

My August volunteer effort supported the American Cancer Society (ACS). The 2nd annual ACS 5K run was held in Bloomington at Normandale Lake. It was a beautiful, yet very humid, morning for the 600+ runners. I worked the pre-registration area helping with runner check-in which is always fun. Over $16K was raised in online donations and a number of runners were registered on race day, so it was a great fundraiser for ACS.

#13: Treat yourself to a pedicure.

Date Completed: 8/6/2010

I love my at-home spa time. It's usually Sunday nights when I realize that I'm tired, my feet ache and the weekend flew by. Nothing refreshes me more than a warm shower and a little pampering. I never go to a spa for facials or massages (I like my knots, thank you), but I do splurge on my skincare routine. My favorites are La Prairie Cellular Microdermabrasion Creme (a truly magical exfoliant, if you ask me), Chantecaille Foaming Cleanser (heavenly - a tiny bit is all it takes), La Mer Eye Concentrate (this has changed my life - people ask me all the time why I have no wrinkles), and finally Creme de la Mer (probably the most remarkable moisturizer on the planet). My skin loves me. My feet, however, wish they'd been born to someone else. Between high heels every day for work and tennis shoes every night at the gym, my feet take a beating. I just always run out of time for a pedicure. So, when I went to Arizona, Cristina, Sarah and I decided to have our first annual "Protein and Pedicures Day." We enjoyed foot spa treatments at Madison Avenue and then ate at a Brazilian steakhouse. Mmm! It was a great dual birthday celebration for Cristina and I.