#1: Remove the Sony sticker from the TV.

Date Completed: 1/7/2010

Yes, this is how it all started. This is the first list item. I added it as a joke, really, just to get me started, but looking back, it’s sooo why I’ve made it this far with the list. We all have our quirks. This one I’ve never been able to explain – that’s how ridiculous it is. But, here goes. When I bought my first flat screen TV, I refused to remove the Sony sticker that had all the bright colors on it, the logo, and the summary of features. I know, you’re probably shaking your head right now, but I just couldn’t do it. On multiple occasions, friends would approach the TV and tell me they could help by just peeling it off. I literally would have increased anxiety and my blood pressure would raise. One time, I swear I almost cried. Again, don’t ask me why – I don’t know. I still don’t. Perhaps a simple OCD-ish moment.

We’re all friends here, so I’ll admit that I was embarrassed at first to post this “achievement.” But, it hit me this week that any item marked off the list is a good thing. Why hold onto this any longer just like I did with the sticker? It’s unfortunate that I didn’t snap a photo of this one – it was before the time I thought about graphics and blogs, actually. It’s fun posting this one now, though, because I can see how far I’ve come in nine months. Who knew a list could help me to leave behind some of those characteristics and be more of the person I want to be. At this point, we’re about 75% through the year and I’m only about 60% through the list, but I’m OK with that. I’ll do as much as I can, and probably have to tackle some carryover items next year. Something to look forward to!

While this is not my actual Sony, let it be noted that at least one other person keeps their sticker on too!

#11: Accept compliments graciously.

Date Completed: 9/18/2010

I don’t know why it has always been difficult for me to accept compliments, but Lisa and I both put this one on our lists this year. We’ve been making a concerted effort to try to say thank you more often, hoping that we could re-train ourselves and our common reactions. An example of how it usually goes:

Nice Person – I like how you did your hair today!
Me – Really? Ick. My hair never holds curl. Humidity makes it worse.

Since this list item was more of a behavior change goal, it was more challenging to determine when I could cross it off the list. But, I think I demonstrated progress at a recent formal event, so I'm crossing it off THE LIST. I attended Opera Tasting 2010 (wine tasting and MN Opera sampling) with several of my friends and wore a dress that I bought in a rush, three hours before the event. All night, random strangers kept approaching me telling me they liked my dress. It was a little overwhelming because people also continued to comment through Facebook even after the event. Anyway, one notable exchange occurred as we were all departing to the after-party. Three girls stopped us and commented about my dress. Instead of my usual type of reaction, the exchange went something like this:

Nice Girls – We have been talking about your dress all night. We absolutely love it!
Me – Thank you! That’s so sweet of you! I found it at BCBG and the best part is that when I checked out, the gal told me it had just been marked down. They have a couple more if you hurry.
Nice Girls – That’s what’s great about Minnesota. People are so cool. Only in Minnesota would someone tell you where they got a great dress!

Mission complete.

#59: Push yourself beyond your limits.

Date Completed: 9/18/2010

Wow - this list item ROCKED! I had so much fun, but it was definitely the most challenging morning I've ever had. Four of us friends from work got together to do the Team Ortho Go Commando Adventure 5K. It was an intense obstacle course run - or as I like to call it, a cosmic run (because it covered all elements - air, water, fire and earth). Some of the challenges (other than avoiding all the potholes and cowpies):

1. Hay Fever Ridge - climb over bales of hay
2. Log Jam - up and over a stacked pile of storm-downed trees
3. The Serpent - serpentine path up the side of a hill
4. Black Holes - climb through 48” black conduit pipe
5. Into the Wild - steep runs of switchbacks on a surface of pine needles
6. Over the Falls- water slide down the side of a hill
7. Run the Sahara - natural mounds of sand up the side of a hill
8. Minefield - a field of car tires to jog through
9. Fire in the Hole - jumping over burning logs
10. Swamp Commando - a trek through the swamp and mud

We had a blast and can't wait to do this again next year! Some pics (before and after) are below.

#3: For one day, go no-tech.

Date Completed: 9/11/2010

I developed a headache and I swear I started to twitch, but I did it. I went technology-free for an entire day. It nearly killed me because as most of you can probably guess, I’m addicted to technology. Whether it’s my iPod, iPhone or MacBook, Facebook, blogs or something else online, the Good app to connect to my office, texting or emailing, I'm generally always connected. It’s rare that my iPhone is out of my possession and it’s even more rare than it’s turned off, because after all, it does serve as my alarm clock and calendar! I feel lost without my phone but when I left for the weekend in Fargo (#40 on THE LIST), I had been pre-warned that AT&T service was limited (go figure) and coverage would be spotty at best. I knew if I had half a shot at marking this off THE LIST that I needed to take this opportunity to go no-tech. Needless to say, I survived. Barely. I may not have fully broken any habits, but I do have an appreciation for quiet time. In fact, I even attended a couple of meetings today at work without my phone. Baby steps.

#40: Take a road trip.

Date Completed: 9/12/2010

Destination Fargo! During our first theme brunch event (#78 on THE LIST), our group decided to celebrate our next birthday with a road trip. I’m not sure any of us even remember how this type of planning came up in casual brunch conversation but it seemed like a novel idea at the time and we are a group that follows though. So, it had been decided and when the time came, we packed up the car on a Friday after work and headed to what I like to call the biggest Minneapolis suburb – Fargo. We had a wonderful weekend, laughing all the way there, spending time with family and new friends, celebrating and laughing some more. My favorite part of the trip (other than the fabulous dinner experience at Hotel Donaldson) was our quote game. We tend to say silly things all the time (at truly random moments which makes it that much more entertaining), so I decided to keep a pen and paper handy to jot down these little gems of wisdom all weekend. Then, on the drive back to the Cities, we pulled out the quotes and reminisced. The pic below is the beautifully renovated Hotel Donaldson dining area. This is a local landmark and well worth the visit - the food was AMAZING. The HoDo bar (a modern style lounge setting) was perfect for our pre-dinner time together.

#78: Host a theme party.

Date Completed: 8/22/2010

When some groups of friends get together, you never know what might happen. That’s the case with this list item. I had intended for this item to encourage me to host a party at home, but I've decided that it's actually way more fun to throw a theme party where more people are involved. In July, a group of us decided to celebrate a friend’s birthday and another friend’s graduation by going to brunch. Somewhere in the planning, this became a themed event…as in costumes. Our theme was “school” so we had a teacher, student, coach and graduate. Silly as this may seem, it really was a hit - our favorite brunch venue loved the entertainment and before we knew it, we were deciding to make this an ongoing experience. I collected various ideas, randomized the Excel list (in true statistical form) and our second theme was identified. The theme was “heritage” and you’ll see from the pic below that we really did it up. We had Thai, German, Irish, French and Greek represented and once again, it was a huge hit with the crowd. We've made so many new friends through these theme brunches to the point that several people have asked to be included for our future events. We've decided to be really careful about this, though, and try to keep our group small and our audience large because we don't want the spontaneity or uniqueness of our brunches to wear off. The location does stay the same, though (why mess with a good thing). Our next brunch theme has been selected as “seasonal” so we’re planning our costumes as I type. I’m taking credit for our second brunch though because this was the event where we did the most planning, really engaged the crowd and turned this into a party.

#41: Mentor someone.

Date Completed: 9/10/2010

I suppose I could have checked this off THE LIST sooner, but I waited until this date for a good reason. This is the date that my mentoree officially provided notice of resignation and acceptance of a well-deserved promotion opportunity. This same week, my mentoree was also appointed as a Board member to a fabulous local non-profit, so a celebration is in order, but in the meantime, I’ll leave you with some tips in case you consider implementing a mentorship relationship:

1. Ensure that you have the right fit. This might be linked to a mentor’s expertise in an area that interests the mentoree. The link might be made because of a strong professional network. Or, it might be even more simplified in that the mentor has a genuine interest in helping the mentoree. Either way, a mentor should be trustworthy, non-judgmental, ethical and supportive of the mentoree’s growth and goals. The mentoree should be open minded, ready to receive feedback, and prepared to tackle challenges in order to grow.

2. Establish ground rules and expectations. Be sure you both a ready for this investment. The mentoree should drive their own learning and development, so in turn, the will likely drive the relationship by identifying initial learning goals, seeking feedback, taking an active role in learning, and allocating the necessary time and energy to achieve their goals. Mentorship is definitely a longer-term commitment for both parties. It takes work, but in the end, it's so rewarding.

#28: Apologize to someone - genuinely.

Date Completed: 2/22/2010

Do it. Kanye did it. So did Elizabeth Hasselbeck. You can too. If you even think you may have hurt someone’s feelings, or you might have made a mistake, just do it – apologize. Life is too short not to. At worst, the person may tell you that it’s no big deal and you can both move forward. At best, you can repair a friendship or stop a snowball of a misunderstanding. The latter was the case I faced this year and I’m so glad that I took time to apologize because it allowed us both to talk through a series of unfortunate misunderstandings that were beginning to snowball. The result: a relationship that is closer today than ever before.

#45: Send someone flowers for no special occasion.

Date Completed: 1/6/2010

This was a fun one, so I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to blog. It felt nice to brighten someone’s day. Most people enjoy floral deliveries – maybe it’s because fresh-cut flowers brighten up almost any room or maybe it’s the element of surprise. If you’re ever looking for a nice bouquet delivery, I recently found Costco Online. They do a beautiful job and an attractive vase as well as the shipping/handling is generally always included in their prices (these can skyrocket a price with other online stores). When I’m looking for local bunches for my home, my Costco store is also definitely my first choice. Their blooms seem to last the longest of any place I’ve found. The only exception is that I’m not fond of their roses – they don’t seem to last as long as my local grocery store’s.