Well, here we are. And until Tuesday of this week, I had completely forgotten today was the end of my 61 in 1001. I was scrolling through my editorial calendar and thought to myself, "Your 61 is ending sometime in November, when is that?" Much to my surprise it was today!
I launched my 61 in 1001 on February 14, 2020. Basically, I wanted to start the list on my birthday and 2020 felt like it was shaping up to be a good year. HA! In actuality, I know we look back on that first year of COVID negatively, but so much good came out of utter heartbreak. I genuinely feel closer to my friends because of that year, I did a lot of self discovery, explored Denver even more, put myself back out there, spent incredible months with my parents and had a great time in spite of it all. But, it did wreck my 61 in 1001 because so much of what I wanted to do was social!
Now, let's go back to that day, why did I choose 61 and not 101? "Well, I'm here to say I could never do the 101 because I found myself
forcing myself to come up with 101 in things to do. And then those
things I chose didn't bring me joy as I attempted to complete them over
the course of the three years these lists take. So...I decided why not
make the list more achievable? And focus on more goals that mean more to
me? That brings us to 61 in the same amount of time." Back when I finished my most recent 101 in 1001 I completed 59% of the list. So...how did I do with only 61 in the same amount of time?
Drum roll please! I completed 42/61 bringing my percentage up to 69. That's right 69% of the list was completed, and I'm liking those odds. Looking back on past 101 lists they feel so daunting, and 61 felt daunting enough! I still didn't complete 19 and some of them look so silly now. You'll see that when you scroll down to the final list.
I personally think I did great for being in a global pandemic most of the time. Somehow I managed to: travel to a new state (and I kinda loved Minnesota for its quirkiness), go on a girls trip (Steamboat Springs with Lauren + Blair now is a core memory) and travel to a new country (Canada for work was an incredible experience...something I'm replicating next week, hopefully).
But what feel by the wayside? I didn't get to see six more plays (only one back in Feb. '20), I didn't find a dermatologist or financial planner or go to therapy, I didn't shoot a gun or add a layer to my skincare routine and I didn't get to see Beyonce. But, I did uproot my life and move across the country this year, which wasn't in the cards. And I got a new job...so a lot of that stuff just couldn't happen while my life was so up in the air.
Will I be doing another 61 in 1001? Damn straight. I really enjoy these lists, ever since I saw Mackenzie post her first one back in the day. I think I'll start Jan. 1, 2023 but we'll see if I can come up with 61 things before then...any recommendations are welcome!
What do y'all think? Could you be persuaded to do 61 in 1001?
The final list:
Read 100 books(1. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, 2. Comfort Me With Apples, 3. Aunt Dimity & the Widow's Curse, 4. My Italian Bulldozer, 5. Die Like an Eagle, 6. The Sentence is Death, 7. Aunt Dimity & the Summer King, 8. Duck the Halls, 9. Free the Tipple, 10. Gone Gull, 11. The Deadly Dance, 12. French Chic Living, 13. Three Hours in Paris, 14. Red, White & Royal Blue, 15. Women's Libation!, 16. Wicked Witch Murder, 17. Pride & Prejudice, 18. The Marseille Caper, 19. No Nest for the Wicket, 20. When He's Dark, 21. The Penguin Who Knew Too Much, 22. The Devil in the White City, 23. The Man at the Bank, 24. The Daughters of Yalta, 25. Wrath of Poseidon, 26. The Word is Murder, 27. Boom Town, 28. One by One, 29. Aunt Dimity and The Lost Prince, 30. Dirty Billionaire, 31. Dirty Pleasures, 32. Dirty Together, 33. Dirty Girl, 34. Dirty Love, 35. Real Good Man, 36. Real Good Love, 37. Beneath this Mask, 38. Beneath this Ink, 39. Beneath these Chains, 40. Beneath these Scars, 41. Beneath these Lies, 42. Moriarty, 43. The Thursday Murder Club, 44. Dial M for Merde, 45. The Deal, 46. The Mistake, 47. Bringing Down the Duke, 48. The Score, 49. The Chase, 50. Even As We Breathe, 51. City of Bones, 52. Dream Maker, 53. Dream Chaser, 55. Crisis, 56. Still Standing, 57. Cockatiels at Seven, 58. The Wife Upstairs, 59. Shadows On The Lake, 60. Dream Spinner, 61. Toucan Keep a Secret, 62. The Great Mistake, 63. A Rogue of One's Own, 64. The Favor, 65. Cherished, 66. The Golden Dynasty, 67. The Key to Rebecca, 68. Tender at the Bone, 69. Rad Women Worldwide, 70. Southern Women: More Than 100 Stories of Innovators, Artists, and Icons, 71. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 72. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 73. Girl Waits With Gun, 74. Winter Counts, 75. The Man Who Died Twice, 76. All That Is Secret, 77. Five Decembers, 78. A Thousand Steps, 80. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 81. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 82. Table Manners: The Cookbook, 83. The Saboteurs, 84. Teatime at Grosvenor Square, 85. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 86. A Special Place for Women, 87. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, 88. Mr. Malcom's List, 89. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, 90. How the Finch Stole Christmas, 91. Make it Ahead, 92. She The People, 93. Owl Be Home for Christmas, 94. Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, 95. Goering's Gold, 96. Lord of the Wings, 97. Iced, 98. Bittersweet, 99. Dial A for Aunties, 100. Forever After All)Travel to a new state(Minnesota, June '22)Try 50 new restaurants(1. Tocabe, 2. Bonchon, 3. Marino's Italian, 4. Cochino Taco, 5. Coal Mine Kitchen, 6. Tuk Tuk Thai, 7. Bird, 8. Vinh Xuong Bakery, 9. The Feedery @ Grow + Gather, 10. Louis' Cafe, 11. Leevers Locavore, 12. The Post, 13. Rupert's on the Edge, 14. Uno Mas, 15. Falafel House, 16. Stack Subs, 17. Chicken Rebel, 18. Roberts Italian, 19. Lynn's Tea Shop, 20. The Copper Pot, 21. NYC Bagel Cafe, 22. Mike's Famous Pizza, 23. McKinners Pizza Bar, 24. Sunflower Cafe, 25. Woodgrain Bagels, 26. The 49th, 27. The 303 Sports Grill, 28. Jessie's Smokin' NOLA, 29. Jabo's BBQ, 30. African Bar & Grill, 31. Intersections Restaurant, 32. Winston's Smoke BBQ, 33. Konjo Ethiopian Food, 34. Angie's Italian Littleton, 35. Iwayama Sushi, 36. Cuba Cuba, 37. Roots, 38. Mac Nation Cafe, 39. Homegrown Tap & Dough, 40. Anthony's Pizza & Pasta, 41. Genna Rae's Wings & More, 42. NOLA Voodoo Tavern, 43. Eat!, 44. Bar Helix, 45. Que Buena Suerte, 46. MC Brooklyn, 47. Cherry Hills Sushi Co., 48. Make Believe Bakery, 49. Rodizio Grill, 50. Spanky's Roadhouse)Do 4 more Haute Table travel guides(1. Ultimate Austin Guide, 2. Ultimate Denver Guide, 3. The Ultimate Colorado Roadtrip, 4. 3 Days in Portland, Oregon)Watch 5 documentaries(1. Building Chernobyl's Megatomb, 2. Tiger King, 3. 100 Humans, 4. 13th, 5. Feminists: What Were They Thinking?)Try 3 new cocktailsGo on a girls trip- See 6 plays (1. Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery)
See 2 more classic films(1. Some Like it Hot, 2. His Girl Friday)Take a spontaneous trip(Surprised parents, Sept. 2021)Try 20 new breweries(1. LaBelle Brewing, 2. Hogshead Brewery, 3. Creature Comforts Brewing, 4. Birds Fly South Ale Project, 5. Swamp Rabbit Brewery, 6. Dry Falls Brewing, 7. Triskelion Brewing, 8. Lost Province Brewing, 9. New River Brewing, 10. Booneshine Brewing, 11. Fonta Flora Brewing, 12. Sidetracked Brewing, 13. Johnson City Brewing, 14. Great Oak Brewing, 15. Yee Haw Brewing, 16. Kettell Beerworks, 17. Blowing Rock Brewing, 18. Olde Mecklenburg Brewing, 19. Sugar Creek Brewing, 20. Baere Brewing)- Visit a dermatologist
Visit a friend (not Hannah)Try a new cuisineSee 3 more live shows(1. Pitbull, 2. Dale Watson, 3. Dua Lipa)Go to the gynecologistVisit a new national park(Summer 2021)Watch 3 more foreign films(1. Isi & Ossi, 2. 365 DNI, 4. I Am Not an Easy Man)- Find a financial planner
- Go to therapy
- Pursue graphic design somehow
Bake a new cupcake flavorSee the Kit Carson CarouselTravel by myself- Attend the symphony
Make CroquemboucheTreat myself to a spa day- Work on my book
Travel to a new countryDo something for my career(Visit Longmont Visitor Guide)Throw 3 more parties(June 2021: Red Flag, October 2021: Bread, February 2022: Mamma Mia)Re-read all of the Harry Potter books(Nov. '21: Sorcerer's Stone, Nov. '21: Chamber of Secrets, Feb. '22: Prisoner of Azkaban, Feb. '22: Goblet of Fire, March '22: Order of the Phoenix, March '22: Half Blood Prince, April '22: Deathly Hallows)See an opera- Add a new layer to my skincare routine
Go to a weddingCook 10 new recipes(1. Cranberry Walnut Muffins, 2. Breakfast Grilled Cheese, 3. Buffalo Ranch Lettuce Wraps, 4. Potato Skins, 5. Tomato Soup, 6. Spicy Lasagna Soup, 7. Pesto Baked Chicken, 8. Chipotle Chicken Nachos, 9. Roasted Mixed Potatoes with Burrata, 10. Rigatoni with Kale & Sausage)- Shoot a gun
Work on a campaignGo to a basketball or hockey gameGet business cards- Go on a fall foliage road trip
Finally write my Austin guide(Ultimate Austin Guide)Vote in the 2020 election- Have my camera professionally cleaned
- Attend a caucus
Build a snowmanGo to a drive-in movie- Take a cooking class
Go to 20 new coffee shops(1. Commonwealth Coffee, 2. Queen City Collective, 3. Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters, 4. Griffin Coffee, 5. Kabod Coffee, 6. Whittier Cafe, 7. Morrison Joe, 8. St. Mark's Coffee, 9. Silver Bean Coffee, 10. Ti Cafe, 11. Cafe 13, 12. Lost Coffee, 13. Cafe Zuri, 14. Kunjani World Coffeehouse, 15. Boho Brew, 16. Beleza Coffee Bar, 17. Table Public House, 18. Monk & Mongoose, 19. Stylus & Crate, 20. Jubilee Roasting Co.)- Create a photographer's guide to Denver
Grow Denver Food Adventures to 3,500 followers(June 16, 2020)- See Beyoncé (if possible)
Go to a drag brunchAttend a state fair(Texas State Fair, Oct. 2021)Buy something big for myself(Sheep Sweater 2021)- Bake bread
Keep fresh flowers in the apartment for 3 monthsDonate to Planned Parenthood(Sept. 1, 2021)Go flower picking- Buy perfume I truly like
- Finish this entire list in the time frame