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Music Monday -- New Music IV

As part of my Day Zero Project, I am finding some new music.  Specifically I want to find a great new-to-me band for each letter of the alphabet.  Today, I have a few songs to share.

Music Selections: 

Kindness "House" -- I think I now get most of my new music from AltNation.

Birdy "Just a Game" -- From The Hunger Games soundtrack.

Radical Face "Welcome Home" -- This keeps popping up on the Mumford and Sons Pandora challenge.  Love it!

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros "Home" -- Another Pandora find.

Bonus fun live version:

Complete A to Z list (so far):

  • A - Awolnation "Not Your Fault"
  • B - Birdy "Just a Game"
  • C - Cake "Mustache Man (Wasted)"
  • D -
  • E - Ellie Goulding "Lights"
  • F - Fun "We are Young"
  • G - Gotye "Somebody That I Used to Know"
  • H - Edward Sharpe "Home"
  • I - Imagine Dragons "It's Time"
  • J -
  • K - Kindness "House"
  • L -
  • M -
  • N - Neon Trees "Everybody Talks"
  • O - Of Mosnter and Men "Little Talks"
  • P - Punch Brothers "Dark Days"
  • Q -
  • R - Radical Face "Welcome Home"
  • S - St. Vincent "Cheerleader"
  • T - GROUPLOVE "Tongue Tied"
  • U -
  • V -
  • W - Walk the Moon "Anna Sun"
  • X -
  • Y -  Young the Giant "Cough Syrup"
  • Z - Zulu Winter "We Should Be Swimming"
tags: 101 in 1001, Birdy, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, kindness, Radical Face
categories: Day Zero Project, Music
Monday 06.11.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

James Bond Movie Month(s)

#12 on my Day Zero Project is to watch all of the James Bond movies.  I haven't seen that many of the old ones.  Thankfully, we own all of them.  I insisted that we watch them chronologically with regard to release date.  Originally this was going to take place during the month of January.  As you can see, that just didn't happen.  And so James Bond Movie January became James Bond Movie Months.  Instead of full reviews of each movie, I'm just going to list, comment, and rate them.  All in all, it was an enjoyable time watching Bond through the years.

  1. Dr. No (1962) -- Set in Jamaica.  A great introduction to Bond and Mr. Connery.  Of course there are cheesy lines and improbably circumstances.  But I love all of it.  Extra points for Dr. No's unbelievably amazing island lair.  And that Ursula Andress, too perfect to look at. 5/5
  2. From Russia with Love (1963) -- Set in Istanbul.  This one was more political and full of intrigue than the big action sequences.  There are action sequences, just not as many as Dr. No.  I really liked the slower pace and more twists and turns of this one.  5/5
  3. Goldfinger (1964) -- Ohhhh... definitely a fun movie.  Great lines.  A great villan.  Even a great Bond girl.  Definitely one of my favorites. 5/5
  4. Thunderball (1965) -- Not my favorite Bond movie.  Two bright spots: Bond villan Fiona and the big underwater fight scene at the end.  It's a bit ridiculous and not really practical, but crazy enough to fit into a Bond film.  Love it!  4/5
  5. You Only Live Twice (1967) -- Set in Japan.  Volcano lair!  Awesome!  And we get Blofeld.  My only complaint is the women.  They try to not be eye candy, but it ends badly.  4/5
  6. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) -- So incredibly cheesy.  Definitely not my favorite.  I doubt this is even going in the top 10.  3/5
  7. Diamonds are Forever (1971) -- Loving this one...  Something about the plot or maybe the characters that I really enjoyed.  5/5
  8. Live and Let Die (1973) -- The first Roger Moore Bond movie.  I love how he plays Bond, much suaver than Connery.  And yes, this really is the best theme song.  5/5
  9. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) -- Really loving the Roger Moore Bond.  He has a way of saying the cheesiest, creepiest lines and somehow they come off sexy.  Love it!  This one was great mostly because of Christopher Lee as the villain.  I could have done without Goodnight.  5/5
  10. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) -- Definitely not my favorite... there's just something about it (maybe too cheesy) that didn't sit right with me.  The only redeeming parts were Jaws and the giant aquarium set.   3/5
  11. Moonraker (1979) -- Loved it!!!  So cheesy, but in a very good way.  And that space battle at the end was to die for.  And we get Jaws and the villan is uber evil.  5/5
  12. For Your Eyes Only (1981) -- This one just didn't do anything for me.  No giant villain lair.  No great one liners.  A pretty boring Bond girl.  The only bright spot in this one was Topol.  Even Bond was looking a little old and tired.  It was 81, so we get some horrendous fashions.  The nail in the coffin: the horrible Sheena Easton theme song; definitely one of the worst. 2/5
  13. Octopussy (1983) -- Bond's looking a bit old, but overall I like this movie.  The mystery woman is intriguing for a little while, but then she just feels flat.  And the chase through the Indian marketplace is too amusing.  3/5
  14. A View to a Kill (1985) -- A fitting end for Roger Moore as Bond.  I loved the Duran Duran theme song.  Christopher Walken and Grace Jones as the villans were perfect.  And the final showdown on top of the Golden Gate bridge was full of suspense.  Extra bonus points for the "Bond drives an odd vehicle for the chase" scene was in a fire engine.  5/5
  15. The Living Daylights (1987) -- Our first Timothy Dalton.  And I must agree with J on this one: I like the dialogue but the stunts are way too cheesy.  Dalton plays Bond a lot harsher than Moore, more like Connery. 4/5
  16. License to Kill (1989) -- Uber cheesy Timothy Dalton.  I just couldn't take this one at all.  Glad we've moved on to something better.  2/5
  17. GoldenEye (1995) -- Ohhh  Pierce..  Good but not quite as good as some of the others.  Although I really do enjoy this one.  And Sean Bean dies, who would have guessed?  Although I must agree with J that 006 would never have been a double agent.  5/5
  18. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) -- Not as awesome as GoldenEye, but a respectable showing for Bond.  I love Christopher Price as a villain.  He has the right mix of crazy and evil genius.  And Teri Hatcher isn't bad as a Bond girl (probably because she gets killed fairly quickly in the movie).  But the best part of the movie is the soundtrack.  I love it!  5/5
  19. The World is Not Enough (1999) -- The opening action sequence is just great fun, but then the movie starts to go downhill.  Once I started to suspect Elektra King, I just lost complete interest in the movie.  And then we get the introduction of Christmas Jones.  Ugh!  3/5
  20. Die Another Day (2002) -- Once again, the opening action in North Korea is just beautiful.  The pacing is great.  The character are fun.  And more than anything, it's believable.  The sword fight with Gustav (Toby Stephens -- forever my Mr. Rochester) is a lot of fun.  Unfortunately the rest of the storyline is just blah.  I couldn't really get into it.  An invisible car!  Just kill me now, please. One upside: the use of The Clash's "London Calling" was just a great bit of fun. 4/5
  21. Casino Royale (2006) -- Goodness I so love this one.  Craig has the best mix of sauve and rugged sides.  I usually don't like the Bond girls, but Vesper is a different sort of character.  Overall the movie has great pacing and action sequences.  The addition of Felix is a nice reminder of the old movies.  And the opening credits are just amazing. But the best part is the black and white opening sequence.  5/5
  22. Quantum of Solace (2008) -- At first I didn't think I would like the "starting right where the last one left off" timeline, but this made sense with who Craig's Bond is.  I loved seeing Matthas and Felix yet again.  Fields is just annoying, but she serves her purpose and dies.  I do love the idea of an out of control Bond.  Very nice. 5/5
  23. Skyfall (2012) -- Looking forward to this one...
My Bond rankings:
  1. Sean Connery
  2. Daniel Craig
  3. Roger Moore
  4. Pierce Brosnen
  5. Timothy Dalton
  6. George Lazenby

tags: 101 in 1001, action
categories: Day Zero Project, Movies
Tuesday 05.29.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Day Zero Project Update: Week 32-35

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

3. Listen to 26 new bands (one for each letter of the alphabet) (14/26)

  • Zulu Winter "We Should Be Swimming"
  • St. Vincent "Cheerleader"
  • Walk the Moon "Anna Sun"
  • GROUPLOVE "Tongue Tied"
  • Imagine Dragons "It's Time"
  • Punch Brothers "Dark Days"

5. Make a playlist of my favorite 101 songs -- I started sifting through my 9400 songs on iTunes.  I'm only in the Ds, so this will take a while.

6. Watch all the James Bond movies (20/22)

  • The World is Not Enough
  • Die Another Day

9. See 101 new movies (28/101)

  • The Avengers

17. Reread all of the Harry Potter books (4/7) -- Finished Goblet of Fire, heading to Order of the Phoenix

24. Keep a journal for this project

26. Keep a “Six Words to Describe the Day” journal for 6 months -- Ongoing

28. Blog 1001 times -- 45 posts this period (367/1001)

30. Finish 100 creative writing prompts (1/100) -- I started a new notebook to collect all of my writing exercises.

33. Read my height in books -- 4 inches this period (50/68in.)

37. Pass 250,000 pages read for my 1,000,000 pages challenge (74,946/250,000)

54. Throw away all my underwear and start again

60. Try 30 new recipes (23/30)

  • Pumpkin dessert
  • Buttermilk chicken
  • Orange teriyaki chicken
  • Farmer's casserole
  • Sloppy joes
  • Clam chowder
  • Lemony flank steak

What I Plan to Do Next Week

12. See all of IMDB’s Top 250 movies  (10/250) -- I really need to get moving on this.

16. Spend an afternoon in the park reading -- There are some great parks around here.  I need to start scouting.  And with a bike, it will be much easier.

32. Finish 30 reading challenges (7/30) -- Hope to knock out a few this next session.

35. Join or create a book club -- I found a couple on Meetup for the area.  I sent a join up email and am waiting to heart back.  I hope one of them is a perfect match for me.

72. Complete “50 Questions that Free Your Mind” (20/50)

Monthly Goal

My day in 6 words.  Ongoing for the next four months.

Overall Progress

12/101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Sunday 05.20.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Music Monday -- New Music III

As part of my Day Zero Project, I am finding some new music.  Specifically I want to find a great new-to-me band for each letter of the alphabet.  Today, I have a few songs to share.Music Selections: 

Zulu Winter "We Should Be Swimming" -- Recommendation from YouTube from watching Gotye.  I really like it.

St. Vincent "Cheerleader" -- Another YouTube recommendation. They are really getting good at this. I love this song.

Walk the Moon "Anna Sun" -- Another one. But I also heard this on AltNation on Sirius XM many times, and never caught the name. So excited to know who this is now.

GROUPLOVE "Tongue Tied" -- Another AltNation find. Creepy video, but great song.

Imagine Dragons "It's Time" -- AltNation, I Love You! I found the video and this amazing acoustic version for your enjoyment.

Punch Brothers "Dark Days" -- From The Hunger Games soundtrack. I adore Chris Thile (lead singer) and somehow missed that he has a new band. No actual video, just enjoy the music.

Complete A to Z list (so far):

  • A - Awolnation "Not Your Fault"
  • B -
  • C - Cake "Mustache Man (Wasted)"
  • D -
  • E - Ellie Goulding "Lights"
  • F - Fun "We are Young"
  • G - Gotye "Somebody That I Used to Know"
  • H -
  • I - Imagine Dragons "It's Time"
  • J -
  • K -
  • L -
  • M -
  • N - Neon Trees "Everybody Talks"
  • O - Of Mosnter and Men "Little Talks"
  • P - Punch Brothers "Dark Days"
  • Q -
  • R -
  • S - St. Vincent "Cheerleader"
  • T - GROUPLOVE "Tongue Tied"
  • U -
  • V -
  • W - Walk the Moon "Anna Sun"
  • X -
  • Y -  Young the Giant "Cough Syrup"
  • Z - Zulu Winter "We Should Be Swimming"
tags: 101 in 1001, Grouplove, Imagine Dragons, Punch Brothers, St- Vincent, Walk the Moon, Zulu Winter
categories: Day Zero Project, Music
Monday 04.30.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Day Zero Project Update: Week 29-31

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

9. See 101 new movies (27/101)

  • Journey 2: The Mysterious Island -- Impromtu movie while in Philadelphia.  The boys loved it and I actually enjoyed it.  A fun little adventure.
  • Sleeping Beauty -- Not the Disney version.  The art house indie version.  I just didn't get it and was bored for most of the movie.  It helped that I was packing while watching.
  • Take Me Home Tonight -- Typical boy obsessed over girl in high school, meets again years later.  Although having this movie set in the early 80s was a bit of a treat.
  • Titanic -- The ABC mini series that just aired.  You could definitely tell that it was written by Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey).  It was definitely Downton on a sinking ship.  Entertaining, but nothing that I would want to own.

24. Keep a journal for this project

26. Keep a “Six Words to Describe the Day” journal for 6 months -- Ongoing 28. Blog 1001 times -- 25 posts this period (322/1001)

33. Read my height in books -- 4 inches this period (46/68in.)

65. Save $5 for every task completed -- $10 for these weeks ($45)

85. Stay at a Bed and Breakfast -- We stayed at one in the Philadelphia area during our Spring Break trip.

96. Visit 5 museums (5/5) -- all visisted on our Spring Break road trip

  • Carnegie Mellon Museum of Naturla History -- my favorite from the trip
  • Franklin Institute
  • National Museum of the Air Force
  • Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater

What I Plan to Do Next Week

Not much as we are in the process of moving.  I will still be doing my journal and possibly some reading.

Monthly Goal

My day in 6 words.  Ongoing for the next five months.

Overall Progress

12/101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Monday 04.23.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Day Zero Project Update: Week 25-28

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

3. Listen to 26 new bands (one for each letter of the alphabet) (8/26)

  • Cake "Mustache Man"
  • Fun "We are Young"
  • Of Monsters and Men "Little Talks"

6. Watch all the James Bond movies (18/24)

  • GoldenEye
  • Tomorrow Never Dies

9. See 101 new movies (23/101)

  • Swimming with Sharks -- Awesome Devil Wears Prada-ish story before DWP and with evil boss Kevin Spacey.  Loved it!
  • Catch-22 -- One of J's favorite movies and I'd never seen it.  Alan Arkin was just amazing.
  • The Hunger Games -- OMG!  Had to see it.  Loved it, even with the changes from the book.

17. Reread all of the Harry Potter books (3/7)

24. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day.

27. Make a list of 101 quotes that inspire me -- 11 more added to the page (36/101)

28. Blog 1001 times --   for this week 48 blog posts (297/1001)

33. Read my height in books — This week’s height: 3.5 in   (42/68 in.)

37. Pass 250,000 pages read for my 1,000,000 pages challenge -- This month's pages 3739  (70,702/ 250,000)

38. Have a facial 39. Get a full body massage

55. Have manicure or pedicure

60. Try 30 new recipes (16/30)

  • Poppy Seed Pound Cake Muffins
  • Sour Cream Cornbread Muffins

96. Visit 5 museums (1/5)

  • Rosicrusian Egyptian Museum in San Jose, CA

100. Scrapbook 100 pages -- 10 pages this week (68/100)

What I Plan to Do Next Week

The next couple of weeks are going to be very busy with vacation and readying to move to California.  I probably won't get a whole lot checked off of the list, but I'm going to try.  I won't do another update post until the end of April...

Monthly Goal

I am going to start my "Day in 6 words" challenge.  I have a "One Line a Day" 5 year journal, so I will just modify that.  I might also keep a running tally on my update posts...  And I swear we are going to finish James Bond Month(s) soon.  We only have a few to go.

Overall Progress

7 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Sunday 04.01.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Day Zero Project Update: Week 22-24

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

3. Listen to 26 new bands (one for each letter of the alphabet) (5/26)

  • Young the Giant
  • Gotye
  • Ellie Goulding
  • Awolnation
  • Neon Trees

12. Watch all the James Bond movies (16/24)

  • For Your Eyes Only
  • Octopussy
  • A View to a Kill
  • The Living Daylights
  • License to Kill

15. See 101 new movies (20/101)

  • Green Lantern
  • Contagion

19. Blog 1001 times --  30 for this week (249/1001)

22. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day.

28. Reread all of the Harry Potter books (2/7)

32. Read my height in books — This week’s height: 3 in   (38.5/68 in.)

37. Pass 250,000 pages read for my 1,000,000 pages challenge (66,963 / 250,000)

55. Try 30 new recipes (14/30)

  • Cranberry Chicken
  • Apricot Glazed Chicken Tenders
  • Salsa Shredded Beef
  • Italian Beef
  • Honey Pork Chops
  • Breakfast Burritos

What I Plan to Do Next Week

  • Finding some new bands
  • Obviously read some more
  • Finishing the James Bond movies
  • A couple of new recipes

Monthly Goal

Our James Bond month has turned into the James Bond quarter.  That's okay, we're getting there.  We only have Pierce and Daniel to get through...  I need to start my 200 squat challenge.  I was supposed to do that in February, but that didn't happen obviously.  So on to March.

Overall Progress

7 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Monday 03.05.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Music Monday -- New Music

As part of my Day Zero Project, I am finding some new music.  Specifally I want to find a great new-to-me band for each letter of the alphabet.  Today, I have few songs to share. 

Music Selections: This week's new-to-me selections all come from listening to Alt Nation on satellite radio.  J has it in his car, so we always get to listen to great music.  Unfortunately I have to make due with the local channels.  It's funny that all of these songs are ones I've been listening to for months on Alt Nation and they are finally getting some air play on the Omaha channels.  At any rate they are completely stuck in my head...

Gotye "Somebody That I Used to Know"

Neon Trees "Everybody Talks"

Young the Giant "Cough Syrup"

AWOLNATION "Not Your Fault"

Ellie Goulding "Lights"

Complete A to Z list (so far):

  • A - Awolnation "Not Your Fault"
  • B -
  • C -
  • D -
  • E - Ellie Goulding "Lights"
  • F -
  • G - Gotye "Somebody That I Used to Know"
  • H -
  • I -
  • J -
  • K -
  • L -
  • M -
  • N - Neon Trees "Everybody Talks"
  • O -
  • P -
  • Q -
  • R -
  • S -
  • T -
  • U -
  • V -
  • W -
  • X -
  • Y -  Young the Giant "Cough Syrup"
  • Z -
tags: 101 in 1001, AWOLNATION, Ellie Goulding, Gotye, Neon Trees, Young the Giant
categories: Day Zero Project, Music
Monday 02.20.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Day Zero Project Update: Week 18-21

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

6. See all of IMDB’s Top 250 movies  (11/250)

  • Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels

12. Watch all the James Bond movies (11/24)

  • Diamonds are Forever
  • Live and Let Die
  • The Man with the Golden Gun
  • The Spy Who Loved Me
  • Moonraker

15. See 101 new movies (18/101)

  • Gen-Y Cops
  • Cowboys and Aliens
  • 50/50
  • What's Your Number

19. Blog 1001 times -- 43 for this week (219/1001)

22. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day.

32. Read my height in books — This week’s height:  in   (35.5/68 in.)

What I Plan to Do Next Week

  • Read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  • More Inspirational Quotes
  • New Bands
  • Finish James Bond Movies
  • 200 Squat Challenge
  • Some more scrapbooking

Monthly Goal

January’s task was to watch all of the James Bond movies.  Obviously we didn't finish in January, so this one is continuing into February along with starting the 200 Squat Challenge.

Overall Progress

7 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Monday 02.13.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

50 Questions - Part 4

As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering “50 Questions to Free Your Mind” (Google it).   I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but then I thought, why not put them on my blog.  So get ready for some rambling answers.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you… Here's my post for questions #1-5.  And here for questions #6-10.  And here for questions #11-20.

21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton? Worried genius.  I like my education way too much to be a joyful simpleton.  Life is nothing without education.

22. Why are you, you? Nature and nurture.  There's the psychologist in my coming out.  My genes make up part of me.  My life experiences make up the other part.  To be more detailed, I would have to tell my life story, and that's a pretty long story.

23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend? Yes and no.  I think I have overall been a good friend to people.  There have been instances that I wish I had put more effort into my friendships.  But all I can do now is try harder in the future.

24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you? Losing touch with a nearby friend.  Staying in touch across miles takes time and effort, and sometimes you lose friends.  It's not necessarily a horrible, world stopping thing.  It just is.  But losing the friend down the street means something happened.  People got lazy.  People drifted apart.  People betrayed each other.  Whatever it was, it was probably bad and that's the sad part.

25. What are you most grateful for? My health.  I know that many parents would answer: my children.  But without my health, I would not be able to function, let alone live life to the fullest.  I would not be able to enjoy the time with my children, and friends, and family.  I would be preoccupied by my health.  So I am grateful to be alive and healthy.

26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones? As much as a treasure old memories, I would lose them to gain new ones.  I am determined to look toward the future more.

tags: 101 in 1001, 50 Questions to Free Your Mind
categories: Day Zero Project, Writings
Friday 01.20.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 3
 

Day Zero Project Update: Week 15-17

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

6. See all of IMDB's Top 250 movies  (10/250) -- All rewatches this time around. We introduced the boys to the Star Wars trilogy.  I'm happy to say that they loved all three movies.  Plus we started on the Indiana Jones trilogy (there are only 3).

  • 23. Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • 16. Star Wars
  • 12. The Empire Strikes Back
  • 100. The Return of the Jedi
  • 108. Die Hard
  • 190. Ratatouille

12. Watch all the James Bond movies (6/24)

  • Dr. No
  • From Russia with Love
  • Goldfinger
  • Thunderball
  • You Only Live Twice
  • Her Majesty's Secret Service

15. See 101 new movies (14/101)

  • Arthur Christmas -- Actually a decent Christmas movie with the boys.  I'm not planning on owning it or anything, but it was a good 90 minutes spent.
  • We Bought a Zoo -- Went last night with a friend.  Loved it!  A real feel good movie.

18. Make a list of 101 inspirational quotes (25/101) -- You can find them here.

19. Blog 1001 times (176/1001)

22. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day.

28. Reread all of the Harry Potter books -- I joined a Harry Potter reading challenge.  The plan is to read one novel a month.  This month I re-reread Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

32. Read my height in books — This week’s height: 3 in   (33.5/68 in.)

72. Complete "50 Questions that Free Your Mind" (20/50) -- Answers to questions #11-20.

100. Scrapbook 100 pages (58/100)

What I Plan to Do Next Week

More James Bond, more blog entries, more inspirational quotes.

Monthly Goal

January’s task is to watch all of the James Bond movies.  We have 22 movies to watch this month.  We're getting there.  One Connery to go, finished with the Lazenby, on to Moore!

Overall Progress

7 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Monday 01.16.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Questions Questions

As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering “50 Questions to Free Your Mind” (Google it).   I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but then I thought, why not put them on my blog.  So get ready for some rambling answers.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you… Here's my post for questions #1-5.  And here for questions #6-10.

11. You're having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do? Speak up.  I'm not sure why people feel the need to be negative all the time.  I know that I need to work on this and I think everyone else also needs to focus on this.  Since working in customer service, I've noticed how negative people are to total strangers.   I can't imagine how negative they are around so-called "friends."   

12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be? Don't let people talk down to you or put you down in any way.  I spent too much time in my life feeling like there was something wrong with me.  It all goes back to kindness...

13. Would you break the law to save a loved one? Yes.  While I believe that the law is very important to our society, human life is even more important. 

14. Have you ever seen insanity where later saw creativity? Yes.  In teaching, we often view others' ideas and techniques with suspicion.  Only later does it become apparent that some of those weird ideas and techniques were pure genius!

15. What's something you know you do differently than most people? Lately, I've been getting the feeling that I think about and consider others more than most people I know or meet.  I'm not saying that I am in any way an awesome person, but I try to be polite and courteous most of the time. 

16. How come things that make you happy don't make everyone happy? Because we all unique beings.  I know, such a clichéd answer, but it's true.  Each one of us responds postively to different things.  I love a good book, a hot cup of tea, and a dark chocolate bar.  Not everyone finds so much satisfaction in those things.  That is what makes humans so interesting.

17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?  What's holding you back? Travel... time and money.  Up until now, I've had a ton of constraints on my time.  In reality, I still do, but some of the current commitments are more flexible.  And up until now, and still now really, I'm fairly poor.  I would love to have the time and money to travel all over the world.  As it stands, I have limitations.  But I'm really pushing for an out-of-state vacation within the next year.  It doesn't even have to be out of the country, I'd be okay just getting out of Nebraska (and not back to Indiana).

18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of? Yes.  Anger.  I still have some anger about things from my past.  I am working to let go.  I've been working for years to let go.  I still have some to go.  It's an ongoing process.

19. If you had to move to a state or country beside the one you currently live in, where would you move and why? Somewhere warmer.  I like snow, I really do.  It's beautiful and fun to play in.  But then the bitter cold sets in and I get sick.  And suddenly winter isn't fun anymore.  I would love to move somewhere southern.  (But then I would have to deal with extreme heat and humidity...  blah!)  How about Hawaii?

20. Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster? No, but I see people do it all the time.  I really want to smack them...  Does that make me a horrible person?

tags: 101 in 1001, 50 Questions to Free Your Mind
categories: Day Zero Project, Writings
Sunday 01.08.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 5
 

Day Zero Project Update: Weeks 12-14

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

22. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day.

19. Blog 1001 times — 7 posts for the last three weeks (121/1001)

32. Read my height in books — This week’s height: 4 in   (30.5/68 in.)

15. See 101 new movies (12/101)

  • Conan the Barbarian -- As ridiculously cheesy as I thought it would be, but J loves the series.
  • The Trip -- Steve Coogan playing uber Steve Coogan... Amazing!  The best part was all the little conversations while driving.
  • Very Bad Things -- J couldn't believe that I'd never seen this movie.  It was so over the top crazy, and I loved it.
  • Mission Impossible 4 -- We got free tickets to a preview.  It was good for a Mission Impossible movie.
  • Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows -- We love us some Sherlock, Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and Guy Ritchie.  Amazing!
  • Gem-X Cops -- J bought this incredibly cheesy, messed up movie because its sequel has a blond Paul Rudd...  and the best part, it has horrible dubbing from Cantonese.
  • Monte Carlo -- Silly teen flick.
  • Fright Night -- Remake was just as B movie as the original.  I was loving it.

37. Pass 250,000 pages read for my 1,000,000 pages challenge — (55,636/250,000)

55. Try 30 new recipes (8/30)

  • Moroccan Chicken -- Not as much flavor as I would have liked
  • Broccoli Chicken Pesto Penne -- Definitely a keeper

76. Make 100 homemade cards (100/100)

96. See the opera, orchestra, or theatre production -- J and I saw the Aspen Sante Fe performance of The Nutcracker

31. Finish 30 reading challenges (7/30)

  • 2011 -- Finally finished it; took me long enough though.
  • Fables -- Love this series, repeating this for next year.

What I Plan to Do Next Week

I really need to start my quote page and work on my random tasks.  And the boys and I are going to build a gingerbread house.

Monthly Goal

January's task is to watch all of the James Bond movies.  We have 22 movies to watch this month.  I really think we can do it.

Overall Progress

6 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Thursday 12.22.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Day Zero Project Update: Weeks 9-11

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

22. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day.

19. Blog 1001 times — 15 posts for the last two weeks (114/1001)

32. Read my height in books — This week’s height: 5 in   (26.5/68 in.)

15. See 101 new movies (4/101)

  • Breaking Dawn -- Yes, I am one of those that love the Twilight series.  I had to see it.  Some good parts, some bad parts, overall pretty good.
  • The Muppets -- Went with the boys the day after Thanksgiving.  We loved it!
  • Your Highness -- As stupid as I thought it would be, but I had to see it.

20. Complete NaNoWriMo – miserable failure, but I tried

37. Pass 250,000 pages read for my 1,000,000 pages challenge — (53,389/250,000)

55. Try 30 new recipes (6/30)

  • Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

66. Save $5 for every task completed ($25)

76. Make 100 homemade cards (70/100)

100. Scrapbook 100 pages (42/100)

6. See all of IMDB's Top 250 movies (5/250)

  • Alien

What I Plan to Do Next Week

More of the same.  Plus I want to finish my homemade Christmas cards and start my list of inspiration quotes. (reposted -- third time is a charm, right?)

Monthly Goal

None for December as I will be crazy busy with the Holidays!

Overall Progress

4 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Sunday 12.04.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Day Zero Project: Week 7-8 Update

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

22. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day.

19. Blog 1001 times —  15 posts for the last two weeks (99/1001)

32. Read my height in books — This week’s height:  2 in   (21.5/68 in.)

31. Finish 30 reading challenges  (5/30)

  • Contemporary Romance finished

15. See 101 new movies (2/101)

  • Attack the Block -- awesome British film involving kids from the projects and an alien invasion.  A must see!  And Nick Frost has a small part!

20. Complete NaNoWriMo -- still working on it

33. Bookcross 20 books -- I sent out 10 books toward my goal (10/20)

37. Pass 250,000 pages read for my 1,000,000 pages challenge -- At the end of October, I passed the 50,000 pages mark.  I am officially 1/5 of the way done!  (50,789/250,000)

55. Try 30 new recipes (5/30)

  • Roasted Chicken, Leeks, and Apples -- not the greatest, but I might try it again to tweak

66. Save $5 for every task completed ($20)

72. Complete “50 Questions that Free Your Mind” (10/50) -- Questions #6-10

82. Make a wish at 11:11 on November 11, 2011 -- I would tell you what i wished, but then it wouldn't come true!

What I Plan to Do Next Week

More of the same.  Plus I want to start on my homemade Christmas cards and inspiration quotes. (reposted — I never got around to this last week, so I’m going to try again, again.  I feel like I'm repeating, but everything got so crazy these past weeks, I didn't get much else down.)

Monthly Goal

Still trying to pound out some chapters for NaNoWriMo.  I feel like I'm failing, but I keep at it a bit at a time.

Overall Progress

4 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Sunday 11.13.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

More Random Answers...

As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering “50 Questions to Free Your Mind” (Google it).   I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but then I thought, why not put them on my blog.  So get ready for some rambling answers.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you… Here's my post for questions #1-5.

6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?

Teaching, hands down.  I loved my time teaching, but found there were many obstacles.  The biggest one was the money.  Funny fact, I just realized today that I make the same amount as a receptionist as I did teaching.  That's sad.  I went to college for teaching.  I spent upwards of 50 hours a week teaching.  I put my blood, sweat, and tears into that job and I barely got by.  Despite that, I loved my time teaching.  People keep asking me if I'm going to get make into it and I am really uncertain at this stage.  Do I want to spend more time and money switching my license and then possibly getting paid barely enough to live?  It's such a tough decision...

7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

What a follow-up question.  Based off of my answer to #6, I am completely settling right now.  I like my job.  I believe in what the organization is trying to do.  But my contribution is very small.  I would love to be doing more to help children and families. 

8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

I would have made the move (physical and emotional) much earlier.  About 18 months ago, I made a major decision that has changed the course of my life for the better.  I am very excited about this new direction.  But what I really wish is that I figured my life out a little earlier.  Maybe I could have saved myself a lot of heartache. 

9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

Such a tough question.  I really don't know how to answer this one.  At times i feel very much in control of my life and then at other times I feel complete helpless.  Does this question really give us any idea of big life events?  I am still trying to figure that out.

10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

Doing the right things.  The outcomes are my focus right now.  I am trying to make decisions that will have positive outcomes and effects.  Unfortunately those outcomes are slated for the future.  I won't be able to see the effects for awhile now, I just have to keep faith. 

tags: 101 in 1001, 50 Questions to Free Your Mind
categories: Day Zero Project, Writings
Wednesday 11.09.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 6
 

Day Zero Project: Week 5-6 Update

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

22. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day.

19. Blog 1001 times —  27 posts for the last two weeks (84/1001)

32. Read my height in books — This week’s height:  8.5 in   (19.5/68 in.)

31. Finish 30 reading challenges  (4/30)

  • Page to Screen Challenge finished
  • Vampire Reading Challenge finished

6. See all of IMDB's Top 250 movies (4/250)

  • 39. Citizen Kane -- Wonderfully amazing movie.  Forget the acting, the set design gets me every time.  I love how Welles frames shots.  My favorite effect is when Susan leaves Kane and walks through the door of her bedroom out through the hallway and to the outer door.  It's one long hallway.  And then later we get to see the same shot from the opposite end.  Gorgeous!

What I Plan to Do Next Week

More of the same.  Plus I want to start on my homemade Christmas cards and inspiration quotes. (reposted -- I never got around to this last week, so I'm going to try again.)

Monthly Goal

Tuesday starts a new month and with it comes my first big monthly challenge.  I'm starting these off with the hardest one: 20. Complete NaNoWriMo.  I'm going to try.  I might fail miserably one this one, but I'm really going to try!  Wish me luck!

Overall Progress

3 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Sunday 10.30.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Day Zero Project: Week 4 Update

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

22. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day.

19. Blog 1001 times —  11 posts for the last week (57/1001)

32. Read my height in books — This week’s height:  1.5 in   (11/68 in.)

31. Finish 30 reading challenges -- Graphic Novel Challenge finished (2/30)

72. Complete “50 Questions that Free Your Mind” -- You can read my answers to questions #1-5 here.  (5/50)

100. Scrapbook 100 pages -- Catching up on my backlog.  I'm finally up to Jan. 2011.  (15/100)

What I Plan to Do Next Week

More of the same.  Plus I want to start on my homemade Christmas cards and inspiration quotes.

Monthly Goal

None.  A breather month to adjust to the plan and my new work schedule.

Overall Progress

3 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Saturday 10.15.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

In Which I Share Some Personal Thoughts...

As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering "50 Questions to Free Your Mind" (Google it).   I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but then I thought, why not put them on my blog.  So get ready for some rambling answers.  Don't say I didn't warn you...

1. How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?

18.  (I'm 29 really.)  In many ways I still feel like a kid (maybe that's a good thing).  I don't feel overly worked or tired.  But I also don't feel like I'm a grown-up with a grown-up life.  I'm still figuring out what i want to be when I grow up.  I was a teacher and loved it, but don't know if that's my career path.  I still want to have more kids and possibly get married.  I don't get the settled feeling that I associate with being older.  Maybe this is what being an adult feels like, but I just feel really young. 

2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?

The teacher in me is screaming "never trying." And overall, that would be my answer.  But here's the thing... I'm always scared to try.  I am a really shy person.  I have a hard time putting myself out there.  So sometimes I make excuses to myself to not try.  And I know I will end up regretting things unless I get out there.  That first step is really hard.

3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don't like and like so many things we don't do?

Often we have a very warped sense of priorities.  We let certain things rule our life.  I've met people so focused on their job (even though they hate it) that they miss time to relax or spend with family and friends.  I've met others who get so caught up in cleaning or having their house just perfect that they work themselves to the bone.  And it's not completely their fault.  We've been taught that perfect households and a high paying job are what we strive for.  That's just not true.  We all need to stop and take a look a how we spend our time.  What are our priorities?  Are we missing out on things?  I admit that I really need to stop sometimes and prioritize my own life. 

4. When it's all said and done, will you have said more than you've done?

Probably.  Again it's hard for me to take that first step so sometimes I talk a lot but don't act.  Currently I am really trying to reexamine my wants and needs. 

5. What is the one thing you'd most like to change about the world?

Our ability to listen.  Many of the world problems come from misunderstandings or lack of truly listening.  We need to get better at listening to other people when they talk and share instead of just thinking about what we're going to say next.  My prime example of this is American politics.  All I see and hear and read is people (I don't care what side you're on anymore) yelling at the "other side."  We don't listen and try to respond.  We don't listen and understand.  We don't listen and care.  We yell.  And yell louder if it seems like the other side isn't hearing.  Peace starts with listening...

tags: 101 in 1001, 50 Questions to Free Your Mind
categories: Day Zero Project, Writings
Tuesday 10.11.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 7
 

Day Zero Project: Week 2-3 Update

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I've done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I'll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list...

What I Did

22. Keep a journal for this project — Obviously an ongoing goal. I got a beautiful black soft cover journal to use.  I am determined to journal at least a bit each day

19. Blog 1001 times -- 33 posts for the last two weeks (46/1001)

6. See all of IMDB’s Top 250 movies (3/250)

  • The Matrix

32. Read my height in books — This week’s height:  5 in So far: 9.5 in

55. Try 30 new recipes (4/30)

  • Strip steak with mango, peach, jalapeno salsa
  • BBQ Gouda Chicken
  • Orange Dill Mahi Mahi

What I Plan to Do Next Week

More of the same I imagine.

Monthly Goal

None.  A breather month to adjust to the plan and my new work schedule.

Overall Progress

3 / 101

tags: 101 in 1001
categories: Day Zero Project
Saturday 10.08.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 
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