Audio Books

So I have a new discovery.  Audio Books.  I had a goal to check out a book from the library.  I did... sort of...  I'm counting it anyway.  I haven't been to the library in years.  Really since college.  I stopped in with my son to show him around a few years ago but we have so many books at home there's really no reason to go there.  I decided to swing in while I was driving by and take a peak.  After wandering around like a rookie for 10 minutes, I stumbled across a section titled AUDIO.  Books on CD's.

Lately, I have been making 2 - 3 trips a week to Augusta.  Each trip is about 3.5 hours round trip.  I decided I would rent an audio book to meet my goal but also to keep me from listening to talk radio on my trips.  I rented The Martian by Andy Weir.  It's fantastic and in the past 2 days I have been able to get through almost half of it so far.

One more item off the list, and nearly half a book "read".  I'm counting it towards my reading goal too.  Why not.  A book's a book and I feel the experience is different but just as fulfilling even though I am hearing it and not reading it.  

The first 100 Days

So if you're following along...which I doubt; not many of you are if any.  This is really more for me than anything.  Today is day 100 out of my 1,001 days to finish 101 tasks.  It happens that yesterday was my birthday.  I turned 34.  It seems that the older I get, the faster time seems to fly.

Being that I am 10% complete my 1,001 days challenge, I thought it was time for an update.

Of the 101 tasks, I have completed 20 of them so I am on pace to finish in about 500 days.  Some of these tasks however require the full 1,001 days though so I will not be finishing early.  Exercising 3 times per week on average I may hit a few weeks early as well as hiking 300 miles, but for the most part, these goals will be completed early (I hope).

Here's what I have done so far.

• I answered the "50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind". 
• I read 10 random Wikipedia pages.  
• I found a quote for all 101 items
• I changed out all my underwear.  As a side not, I'm going to buy a few more.  The exercising is causing me to shower more at night in addition to my morning shower and I change my underwear so I'm forced to do laundry early to make it through the week.  I know... first world problems.
• I got my eyes checked.  They are slightly better than perfect, just like me.  :)
• I donated to a Kickstarter campaign and it got funded so I'll be receiving my item soon.  
• I created a workable and realistic budget.
• I bought a lottery ticket... I broke even.
• I completed the 30 day easy squat challenge.  This jump-started my exercising and was a great way to get going.
• I drank 2 liters of water every day for well over a month.
• I went well over a month without added sugar of any kind
• I packed a lunch to work every day for a month
• I went over a month without eating anything from a gas station or fast food.
• I've taken a multivitamin every day for over 2 months.
• I set a daily routine and it's working great.
• I flossed every day for a month.  I have pretty much kept up with this as well.
• I wore something nicer than jeans to work every day for a week.  I was inspired and did it again and after losing 24 pounds I bought some new clothes and am giving more of a crap about my appearance and about myself over all.
• I watched all 7 star wars movies in order, most of them more than once.  My son loves them.
• I framed and hung up my Masters Degree
• I watched 10 classic movies I've never seen before

In addition to all of these completed tasks, I have gotten a head start on a bunch of others.

• I am hoping to hike 150 miles this year, Í'm at slightly more than 12 so far but I have another hike planed for next week which will put me near 20.
• I am hoping to get to 300 miles total.  I'm slightly more than 20 so far.
• I have dropped about 8% body fat.  I have about 3% more to go to check this off the list.  These will be the hardest 3%.  I am sure of that.
• I'm hoping to get to 150 miles of completed Appalachian Trail Miles.  I'm at 85 and have planned a trip in April for another 44 or so.  I also have a few other trips planned to maybe even complete this one this year.
• I am 50% complete reading 2 philosophy books.
• I have read 6 books total out of the 70 I want to read.
• I watched 40% of the Oscar Nominated movies the year I was born (1982)
• I have watched 14 movies starting with different letters of the alphabet.
• I read 1 of the 5 classic books I've never read.  I've purchased a few more.
• I have dropped 24 pounds so I am only 9 pounds away from my goal.
• I've planned 5 of the 6 nights I want to spend backpacking.
• I have plans to hike a Maine Peak, a Vermont Peak and to finish my New Hampshire List this year.
• I'm scheduled to pay off my student loans this year.
• We have booked a 4 night vacation for the Family in July.

I'm hoping that in the next 100 days which will end just prior to Summer on June 17th, that I will have another 16 items complete.  It's kind of a long shot but if I keep at it, I will be in a good position.

In addition, I'll be near completion on enough tasks that by day 300 I should have completed an additional 20 - 22 items.  I'm thinking I will be about 50% complete through the list in 30% of the time.  That will make the remaining 50% much easier to accomplish.

Douglas Mountain 3-6-2016

So my birthday is in a few days in the middle of the week so my wife and I decided to go on a small hike today.  She asked what I wanted and all I every say is hiking.  I've been amped about hiking lately.  Here's a few pictures of my new tarp setup in the backyard.  Yes, the snow is all gone.  Earliest I can ever remember.

Shelby, Max and I drove to the trailhead to Douglas Mountain in Sebago Maine.  We paid our 3 dollars and then continued on up the icy trail.  We took the green blazed trail (Woods Trail) up as it is about a .4 mile road walk and then .75 miles up the trail.  We weren't thinking about the snow as there is none at home but it was quite snowy and there was a lot of ice.  Max had a lot of fun.

We made great time.  Below is Max and Shelby approaching the summit where there is a stone tower built around 1925.

Spider man hands.

The view from the top is great.  That's Sebago lake in the background.

On our way down on the road walk I noticed our shadows so we snapped this picture.  All in all a great hike.  On the way back we hit up the Olive Garden.