#24. Hi. My name is Julia and I am a tooth grinder.

Today brought the oh-so-fun bi-annual teeth cleaning. After a delay on all mass transit used by Julia-I finally made it to my 8:00 am appointment at 8:02 am (complete with sweaty clothes from running down 5th and with oh-so frazzled hair).

Thus brought on the fun - cleaning, x-rays, the works. What I found interesting is that two seconds after I opened my mouth the dentist said- "How long have you been a tooth grinder?". To which I replied - "um, I grind my teeth?" and thus the story of how my stress level, migraines, and subtle pain in my teeth contribute to my new found weirdness of being a tooth grinder.

In all of this - I couldn't not help but think of the Sex and the City episode where Miranda's dentist pronounces her a tongue thruster. At least I only have to wear a tray at night - and not get braces like her. Bring on the dental dorkyness!

#54. The Mattress Professionals.

So J and I have been talking a long time about getting a new mattress. We currently have a full size in our apartment- which is great - except for the fact that I like to sleep right.next.to J. A full size is small for two - but my sleeping pattern trumps all other reasons for J, so much so, that he "doesn't sleep very well". (This has been confirmed as a fact - but I think it's also his way of convincing my frugal self to buy a new mattress.) Which makes me sad.

Anyway - low and behold Sleepy's has heard J's prayers and majorly delivered. Basically the conversation went something like this:

J: Hey - did you see Sleepy's is having a sale?

Me: Yes, we should go after work.

J: Ok.

later that day...

J: Hi sales lady - we would like a new mattress.

Saleslady: Ok this one sounds like it would fit your needs.

Me (channeling Goldilocks): firm, no. pillow, no. plush, yes please.

J: ok. we'll take this one.

I guess we are both pretty decisive and know what we want because the entire transaction was completed in 20 minutes. Then there was the task of acquiring new bed sheets. Target to the rescue! (God - I love that store, thanks again for creating it.)

So - here I am 1 day in and I already accomplished 1 task! (true, the bed doesn't come till the weekend - but monies have been exchanged...that's good enough for me.)

Now comes the move-all-the-stuff-you-have-been-hiding-under-the-bed-for-the-last-year task...and I think there is a large dust-bunny farm under there too, yikes.

Day Zero Project...

In my snooping around on the Internet this past weekend - I came across this and knew it was exactly the type of challenge I needed at this point in my life.


The rules are quite simple:

The Mission:Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.


I think the scariest thing for me is to welcome failure. I tend to shy away from this - instead of plunging headfirst. Like I mentioned before - exactly the type of challenge I need. :D

I took the rest of the weekend to compose the list and set-up my very first blog - this one :).

I guess my 1001 days starts...now!

Date Started: August 18, 2009 (One year anniversary at my current job!)
Date to End: May 15, 2012 (Mom's Birthday!)