Wk4: Cancer Research Institute

Donate to Cancer Research Institute
This organization not only works to treat cancer, but also to identify and prevent cancer.  I like how they work to fund many different programs and are not limited to just one type of cancer or a certain stage of cancer.  This groups ranked fairly high on Charity Navigator Rating, so I figured they could use the money.

Wk4: Same Old

Trying to coordinate finding new places can be hard when everyone just wants something familiar. We did On The Border for Mexican and Lamppost for pizza.  Both were good, but not new.  Next week. 

Wk4: post

I'll find something interesting to write home about next week.  Nothing but boring errands and job applications this week. 

Wk4: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time turned out to be an interesting and fun read.  The plot was about an autistic teen that is writing a story about his neighbor's murdered dog.  Throughout the book, the main character described his life and surroundings through his eyes as he investigated the crime.  At times I was worried for the character as it felt like he was letting me into his troublesome life.  The book was clever and eyeopening at the same time.  I think this book could even become a reread. 

Wk4: Cable Car Amber Ale

Cable Car Brewing Amber Ale was pretty good.  It has the "amber" flavor most people would think of with this kind of beer, but it is more subtle.  I liked how it wasn't overpowering and stayed refreshing.  I could easily polish off the six pack and I'd grab it again when I'm in the mood for an amber ale.

Wk4: Brussels Sprouts in Mustard Sauce

Wow!  I wanted to make a side dish and there was a sale going on for Brussels Sprouts at the grocery store.  I thought Brussels Sprouts in Mustard Sauce (Allrecipes) sounded good enough to try.  Boy was I wrong.  It was awful; I had to throw most of it down the garbage disposal.  It was so bad that I couldn't identify what was wrong with it.  I like to play a little fast and loose with my ingredients, but there wasn't too much lemon or mustard flavoring to make that the problem.  It tasted like it was missing something, but I can't think of what would help it.  I did put on too much sauce, but even the lightly coated sprouts were poisoned by the flavoring.  I'd say I'd try to make it again, but I seriously doubt that.  I think I just need to pretend this recipe never happened. 

Wk4: Vampire Vineyard: 2009 Merlot

Vampire Vineyards claims they were a winery before they were bandwagon shills.  I think they just want to cash in on the vampire craze.  Either way the Merlot didn't taste like blood and it didn't taste good.  The flavors were too pronounced and unrefined.  It is a young wine, but even Three-buck Chuck tastes more put together.  Maybe this brand would be a good conversation starter at a Twilight party.  Maybe.  Save your money. 

Wk4: Need a Drinking Buddy

Meh, not this week either.  I think next week feels more promising. 

Wk3: Bar :(

It is hard to find new bars when you accountant and girlfriend aren't in the mood. 

Wk3: No Post

I didn't do anything postcard worthy this week; maybe next week.

Wk3: Think and Grow Rich

Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill turned out to be a different kind of book than I expected, and I still liked it.  I thought this book would be more like a business textbook that gives examples about investing or running a business.  Instead, this book was more like a personal, self-help book. 
Hill wrote the book during the Great Depression and as such, he focuses on getting people back into the proper mindset to be successful.  Without detailing what kind of companies or corporate strategies are successful, he implies that anyone can be financially successful as long as they really want to be.  Using anecdotal evidence of rich individuals from the early 20th century, Hill lists attributes that anyone can have as long as they want the goal, any goal.  He essentially says that if you really want something and can come up with a way to get it, you will have it.  The book is a good motivational tool and it got me thinking in detail about what I want, but it will not help you come up with that perfect strategy to being financially independent.  I will keep this book around and I will reread it from time to time because it does do a good job of resetting the mind-frame to be more motivated. 

Wk3: Koba Tofu Grill

Koba Tofu Grill is a small chain of Korean tofu resturaunts.  We went for the soondubu (tofu soup) and bibim bab (mixed rice and vegetables); we were not disapointed.  We got a combination meal for $14.13 with tax during lunch and we were able to split it and be sasiated.  The meal included the normal Korean side dishes and came with dulset bibim bab and haemul soondubu.  Both were similar to what we would order in Korea, though not as spicey; probably for the western clientel.  We knew the place was going to be good when we saw Koreans eating there and a Korean staff working the kitchen.  They had other dishes that one would find at a similar resturant in Korea, like kimchi jan (savory pancake), jab jae (fried noodles), and mondu (dumplings).  We will definitely return. 

Wk3: The Conservation Fund

Donate to The Conservation Fund
I've heard of this group before and after checking their website I am satisfied that they are an environmental group that actually does something.  Rather than focusing on only environmental regulation, they will actually purchase the land to protect it.  This sound like they might try an swindle donators, but they work with government agencies to protect land that is in need of protection and then manage it for the public good.  This organization also works with cities to promote green infrastructure and environmentally friendly economic development.  They seem to be trying to work with those that might threaten environments, rather than just against them.  All around, I felt they are really working for natural surroundings. 

Wk3: Polish Dill Pickle Soup

This soup (Allrecipes) tastes good and is good for you.  I wanted a vegetable soup to reset my stomach after the holidays and I just got around to finding one that seemed unique.  I used pre-sliced dill hamburger pickles and the soup didn't come out too pickle-y.  I think the dill part added only a little flavor to the soup, so I put in a couple tablespoons of the brine because I do like that flavor.  The other thing I changed was the beef neck bones.  I wanted a soup without meat in it, so I used beef bullion and I added it to the water to start the soup.  I think it came out great and is only 87 calories per cup severed. 

Wk3: Challis Lane: 2008 Merlot

A pretty good merlot.  Not too dry or too bland.  It mixed well with our fish tacos and that is all I expected.  I'd try other wines from Challis Lane in the future. 

Wk3: Henery Weinhard's

So, I was in Oregon and I was looking for a Oregon-y beer that wasn't Full Sail.  I grabbed this one and I figured it could lead my in the right direction.  I liked how it was bold enough to stop you from shooting yourself because it was raining, but smooth enough to knock back a few during the Seahawks game.  Now, I thought I had a local winner, but the internet can verify anything. In truth, Henry Wienhard's [Wikipedia] is owned by SABMiller and brewed by Full Sail.  Ah, I failed both on my attempt to drink a craft beer, and have a beer not made by Full Sail.  At least it was a microbrew, brewed in Oregon by a microbrewer. 

Either way, I never had this brand before and I will say that I liked it. 

Wk2: Death to the BCS

Death to the BCS: The Definitive Case Against the Bowl Championship Series by Dan Wetzel, Josh Peter, Jeff Passan turned out to be a good read as Auburn beat Oregon.  The author's main goal is to replace the BCS with a real playoff tournament like March Madness is for NCAA basketball.  Without giving away too much of their plan, the authors want a 16 team play off that would take place during the same time that the current BCS takes place.  They then show how it would be more profitable and entertaining for the teams and fans.  One point that I didn't really agree with them on is that they want to "kill off" the BCS, but still say that the bowl games can continue because the games are necessary for teams that don't make the tournament.  I think either have one or the other, but don't keep both just to pander to the system. 
It is interesting to see the politics and money involved in the BCS highlighted and referenced with facts and situations.  I think most fans enjoy the games as a way to end the college football season, but there are too many no-name games that just aren't worth watching.  The book was clearly born out of this frustration and it does a good job of noting the most common gripes and offering some type of alternative.  The book does a good job of walking the reader through the history of the bowl series, the reason it has lasted so long, and why it should be eliminated.  The book does gets a little redundant at time, but it stays focused.  I wonder if this will spur any changes next year. 

Wk2: Elmer's

I know this place is a Northwest chain, but it is new to me and the food is worth bragging about.  Elmer's is setup as a contemporary diner like Denny's or JB's, but set in a giant cabin motif. They serve the normal things that you would expect a lumberjack or hungry family with the grandparents to eat for any of the three squares. 
What I had was delicious and you can figure out if you would like it by answering a few questions.  Do you like potatoes?  Can cheese be added to any food item?  Does bacon make everything taste better?  If you answered yes to all of those questions, then you would love the "Bacon & Tillamook Potato Cake Breakfast."  Think of a hash brown with bacon and cheese mixed into the middle and held together with pancake batter.  It was filling without being too much and I could definitely eat it every day.  Even if you finish it and are still hungry, the "breakfast" part of its title means it comes with two eggs any-style and four pieces on bacon on the side.  A great breakfast for when it is raining. 

Wk2: Oregon

Oregon in the winter is green and rainy.  I thought I could handle the rain, but I just don't like the constant wetness of the day.  I even had to buy a rain jacket for the first time in my life.  I was told that for three months out of the year, the state is beautiful and would try to lure you to moving there.  January is not when that happens.  Maybe I'll visit in the summer.

Wk2: Nowhere

While there was a lot of drinking for the funeral, it was kept inside with family.  I didn't think pressing a bar visit was in good taste.

Wk2: Nada

I was too busy with going to Oregon for a funeral to pick out and make a meal.

Wk2: Finca Lalande: 2009 Malbec

This was a much better bottle of wine.  I like the subtle flavor and it paired well with the marinara sauce dish we had.  It had the right amount of dryness that helps bring out the other flavors of the wine and the dish. 

Wk2: Infinium

The Boston Beer Company has created an interesting beer called Infinium.  They say, "A groundbreaking brew, made with only the four traditional ingredients: malted barley, hops, water and yeast, Infinium™ is a crisp champagne-like beer with fine bubbles and a fruity, spicy aroma." 

Yes, a sparkling beer!  Not the chanpagne of beers, but a bubbly, comes-in-a-wine-bottle, beer.  Before I say if it was any good I do think I can recreate the taste at a fraction of the price.  Combine an IPA, cheap sparkling wine, and a wheat beer.  It was kind of odd drinking a beer like that; your mind says champagne, but you taste buds say watery IPA.  I think the best way to drink it is to hold it in you mouth for a second so you can taste all the flavors.  It is definitley a sipping drink.  It feels like champagne, but the flavor is distinctly beer.  I wouldn't drink it during the big game or on NYE.  The cashier at BevMo said that some people can taste banana bread and I would say it is just as refreshing.  While it wasn't bad, I'll drink sparkling wine when I want champagne and I'll drink a hefe when I want a beer. 

Wk2: American Red Cross

Donate to the American Red Cross
The Red Cross is a catch-all charity.  On their website you can pick your donation to go to a general fund, disaster relief, a local chapter, or to helping military families.  I have donated blood in the past and if that is symbolic of anything, I like how they handle themselves.  The staff always seems informed and professional.  Since I do not believe I can donate blood for a while, I feel like the monetary donation will make it to where it is needed.  I know they have international and domestic efforts that are always ongoing and I remember reading that one of the best ways to help is to give money since they can then buy whatever they need. 

Wk1: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

Donate to Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
I use Wikipedia all the time.  I'd say that nine times out of ten, when I search for something, I just want the Wikipedia article.  I like how you get all the information that is fact checked to some degree and then presented in a concise format.  I've been thinking of donating to this organization for a while, and this Daily Show interview of Jimmy Whales convinced me that now was a good time.  I like how he made a point of stressing that he is a volunteer, not a worker.  I figured I could help these volunteers keep their work available for everyone.

Wk1: Failed

OK, this is going to be harder than I thought.  I have this huge backlog of books to read and I wanted to start this goal off right with a real winner.  Big mistake.  I started the week with The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, and I made it to Tuesday when I knew I wasn't going to finish it by Saturday.  I was about 60 pages in when Darwin decides to detail some birds he raised and how their physical appearance chaged between generations.  Ten pages of this and I knew it wasn't going to be a quick read.  I kept trying to come back to it, but the book is not put in the to-finish pile.

I then tried to read Walden by Henry David Thoreau, which was better, but still not an easy read.  I found the book more interesting, though now I was halfway through the week and I just ran out of time to finish the book.  This one, too, will be placed in the to-finish pile. I'm going to start the next week with a more lively book and try and take baby steps into finishing a book each week. 

Wk1: Big Bear Lake

I went snowboarding at Snow Valley and I figured that was something to write home about.  The mountain just got some fresh snow and because everyone thinks of Bear Mountain or Snow Summit for Southern California snowplay, Snow Valley is offering half off codes all over (billboards, radio spots, etc).  I paid $27 for a full day lift ticket.  Beautiful weather that, if it wasn't for the perfect slopes, could be called spring conditions, and the short lift lines made for a great day.  I think the most I waited in line was at mid-way, where the wait was for a free chair, not the person in front of you.  I will say that the back side of the mountain wasn't open (lack of customers), but I was never bored and some employees told me that it could open for the weekend.  I will be going back either way. 

On the way home I drove around Big Bear Lake and I must say, the postcard picture shows what the lake looked like. 

Wk1: Lamppost Pizza

Such luck!  The first resturant is also the first bar of the year.  Lamppost Pizza is a pizza place that serves some great deep dish pies.  We tried the medeterranian and combinations, both were the proper level of airy dough, tastey ingredients, and grease.  They have a large menu that caters to the neighborhood crowd; you could get a salad if that is your thing.  The place is always packed with families or groups of friends.  It has the obligatory clusters of TVs showing a collection of sports, tiny arcade for the kids, and trivia contolers that has the most inuendo-inspired player winning.  The picnic benches make it easy to fit a large group, but also cozy for the small groups that try to squeeze in.  While it is hard to do wrong with a pizza and beer joint, this place delivers with great food, service, and atmostphere. 

Wk1: Main Street Brewery

The first bar on the list is a Corona, CA first.  Maint Street Brewery (scroll to the bottom) isn't too large, but it makes some good pints.  I tried the Hop Daddy IPA, which was what I expected from an craft IPA, hoppy and strong.  I'm not a huge hops fan, but the bartender suggested it as his favorite and I was abliged to take his work.  I'm surprised at how many brews they have on tap considering the bars size, but I guess it is a labor of love.  I read on their website that the brewing tanks were custom made.  I also found it odd that they also served mass-market domestic beers as well, but I guess they have to cater to everyone.  The craft beers aren't overpriced compared to other craft beers, just know that you can get three pitchers of a domestic for the price of two microbrews. 

Wk1: Turkey Soup with Parsley Dumplings

This recipe (allrecipes) was a great use for our left-over Christmas turkey.  The turkey carcass was boiled to make its own stock and any left over meat was added to the soup pot.  I really like using the meat on the bones to start the soup as it adds extra oils and flavors.  The soup recipe was pretty basic, so it is hard to do wrong; salt and pepper were added to taste for each bowl though.  The parsley dumplings were good for texture, but I found them lacking any noticeable flavor.  I'd added more parsley and maybe some garlic powder next time to try and step up the taste.  I will also recommend making your dumplings smaller than the recipe states so it seems like there are more for each bowl.

Wk1: Black Mountain Vineyard: 2006 Pinot Noir

The first wine of the year was a stinker.  For a pinot noir, I found it not dry enough and too unbalanced for my unrefined pallet.  I don't expect much from my wines, but this one will not be purchased again.  It was paired with the parsley-dumpling, turkey soup and while it didn't hurt the flavors of the meal, it didn't compliment then either.

Bars

I like a friendly bar.  It can be classy, a dive, or odd, but it has to serve booze and have a good atmosphere.  I have my regular places, but this is a new year and I can find a new bar if I put my liver to it.  Why would I not that that information?

Week:

1. Main Street Brewery
2. *Nowhere  
3. *Nope 
4. *Need a Drinking Buddy 
5. *Bar 
6. Kyoson Sushi 
7. *Curlup to the Kitchen Counter 
8. Zendejas Sports Bar
9. *Bar
10. -
11. -
12. -
13. -
14. *Bar
15. *Bar
16. *Bar 
17. *Bar
18. *Bar 

Wine

Well, since I'm making my own meals at home, I figure I'll need something to pair it with to wash it down.  I also want to taste for myself if there is a taste-to-price difference.  I read an interesting article about how in taste test, the $50 wine could be a $15 wine.  I'll do my own study one at a time each week.  I can also tell you that I am not a somolier and I also grab what is on sale or that I have had before.  And anyway, isn't a glass of wine supposed to be good for you?

Week:

1. Black Mountain Vineyard: 2006 Pinot Noir
2. Finca Lalande: 2009 Malbec 
3. Challis Lane: 2008 Merlot 
4. Vampire Vineyard: 2009 Merlot 
5. Powderkeg: 2008 Petite Sirah 
6. Gnarly Head: Chard 2009 
7. Unruly Red: California Red 2008 
8. Caposaldo: Pinot Grigio 2009 
9. Meridian Vineyards: Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
10. -
11. -
12. -
13. -
14. -
15. Bear Flag Wines: Soft White Wine Blend
16. Vino de Fratelli: Naro D'Avola
17. Sutter Home: Chardonnay 2009
18. Tisdale: Carbernet Sauvignon  
19. Origin: Malbec 2009 

Brews

This is simple: try a new beer.  It can be domestic or foreign, but it must be new-to-me.  I prefer house beers that are locally produced, but I mainly want something different.  This will not be about if a ale is better than a lager.  This is finding a new brewery to see what else is out there.  It could be a brew house that only serves from the brewery or it could be something that has a distribution network.  I just want a refreshing beer.

Week:

1. Hop Daddy IPA
2. Infinium 
3. Henery Weinhard's 
4. Cable Car 
5. Out of Bounds Stout 
6. Hanger 24 Pale Ale 
7. Noche Buena 
8. Flemish Style Sour Ale 
9. -
10. -
11. -
12. -
13. -
14. -
15. Poleeko Gold Pale Ale
16. Coastal Fog Smoked Porter 
17. *Beer 
18. Delirium Tremens 

Restaurants

This is the one goal I am the most excited about.  I want to find and visit a new-to-me, local (not a chain) restaurant every week.  I must pass numerous other places with similar cuisine, but because I know what I get with my ole standbys, I never try the other ones.  This is my chance to branch out and maybe ever find a new regular place for the next time I'm in the mood for eating out.

Week:

1. Lamppost Pizza
2. Elmer's  
3. Koba Tofu Grill
4. *Same Old 
5. *Resting 
6. Kyosan Sushi 
7. *Eating In 
8. Momo's Sushi Japanese Restaurant 
9. -
10. -
11. -
12. -
13. -
14. -
15. *Restaurant
16. *Restaurant 
17. Alberto's 
18. *Restaurant 

Postcards

This is just to stay in touch.  I plan on doing some interesting things this year and I want to keep my folks in the loop.  I feel that while I can post pictures online or Skype my parents, it is the old fashioned snail-mail that delivers the most basic bang.  Everyone likes to get mail that is not a bill or advertisement and I think I can concisely summarize myself in the space of a post card.  While people can probably guess what I wrote, I will not post its contents here.  Instead, I will put up the picture of the postcard that was sent.  I'll let the picture tell the first thousand words.

Week:

1. Big Bear Lake
2. Oregon 
3. *No Post 
4. *Unpost 
5. *Sorry 
6. *Post-poned 
7. *Posted
8. *Postcard
9. *Post
10. *Posty
11. *Poster
12. *Post Office Fail
13. *No Sent Postcard
14. Moved In
15. Angels Game  
16. Insanity Workout 
17. Easter Egg Hunt 
18. *Postcard 

Charities

I know that if there is a cause, there is probably a charity to support it.  I want to try and do my part throughout the year and try and help this organizations help others.  I'll be giving to the big groups and looking for smaller ones that stay more local.  This isn't going to be an exercise in tax write-offs or throwing money at a problem.  I want to be able to say I did my part in my own way.  I'm going to find a charity every week and donate $10.  While this amount doesn't sound like a lot, every little bit should help.  I figure I can spare $520 a year.  I want to show that people don't have to wait for a disaster to donate.

I want to focus on helping the poor, environment, wildlife, and research.

Week:

1. Wikimedia Foundation Inc.
2. American Red Cross  
3. The Conservation Fund 
4. Cancer Research Institute 
5. AZ Public Media (NPR and PBS) 
6. Fisher House Foundation 
7. Physicians for Peace 
8. Helen Keller International
9. Action Against Hunger
10. Tax Foundation 
11. National Council on Aging 
12. AmeriCares 
13. Narsad: Brain and Behavior Research Foundation 
14. Big Brother and Big Sisters 
15. Child Find of America 
16. National Alliance to End Homelessness  
17. Carnegie Institution for Science 
18. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 

Cooking

Throughout the year I want to try and make a new recipe each week.  I've been watching too much Food Network over the last several weeks and I know think I can cook.  I want to see what I can do and maybe broaden my horizons.

Week:

1. Turkey Soup with Parsley Dumplings
2. Nada 
3. Polish Dill Pickle Soup 
4. Brussels Sprouts In Mustard Sauce
5. *Nope 
6. Puff Pastry Salmon 
7. Dubu Kimchi 
8. Ginger Glazed Dorado
9. -
10. -
11. -
12. -
13. Simply Swordfish
14. -
15. Mom's Peas and Noodles
16. 15 Bean Soup  
17. *Recipe
18. Lemon Garlic Tilapia
19. Banana "Ice Cream" 

52 Books in 52 Weeks

So I have a giant backlog of books that I want to read.  Most are pretty old now that I've delayed the process so long.  I know many of the books on the list are high school readers, but I either only read a bit to analyze a passage, or they were not on my reading list.  Not all these book will be "fun reads" but I'm hoping to knock a few out for my own betterment.  

The List (in no order until linked):

1. Fail
2. Death to the BCS: The Definitive Case Against the Bowl Championship Series by Dan Wetzel, Josh Peter, Jeff Passan
3. Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
4. Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
5. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
6. *Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
7. Naked Pictures of Famous People by Jon Stewart 
8. *The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
9. *Catch-up
10. *Skip
11. *The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
12. *The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewi
13. *Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
14. John Dies at the End by David Wong*
15. SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE by KURT VONNEGUT
16. *The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevksy

17. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman 

18. *Catch-up 

19. Abraham

20. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells 

21. A Struggle for Power: The American Revolution by Theodore Draper
22. The Little Book of Big Dividends by Charles B. Carlson
23. The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated by Timothy Ferriss
24. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
25. Briefer History of Time by Stephen Hawking
26. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
27. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
28. Too Big to Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin
29. The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman
30. Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman
31. 13 Bankers by Simon Johnson
32. Freefall by Joseph E. Stiglitz
33. The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria
34. The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek
35. The Street Lawyer by John Grisham
36. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
37. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevksy
38. The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach
39. Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
40. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
41. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
42. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
43. Deception Point by Dan Brown
44. Under the Dome by Stephen King

45. How to Sail Around the World by Hal Roth

46. Decision Points by George W. Bush 

47. The Bible

48. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
49. Personal Memoirs by Ulysses S. Grant
50. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

51. Griftopia by Matt Taibbi

52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

53. Death Clouds on Mt. Baldy by Cathy Hufault

54. ?

55. ?

Other books that I finished and were not a part of my one-a-week schedule:

• Don't Blink by James Patterson & Howard Roughan

The Resolution: The Challenge

I want to make a difference in 2011 and no single resolution will suffice.  Rather than make one iffy, generic resolution that will either be too hard to complete or too easy to be considered worthwhile, I'm going to set multiple weekly goals over the whole year.  I want to do the following once a week, every week:
- Read a new book
- Patron a new-to-me, local restaurant
- Brave a new bar
- Try a new beer
- Try a new wine
- Make a new recipe
- Send a postcard to my mom
- Donate to a charity

In the end, I will have done each 52 times over the 52 weeks in a year.  Most are just interesting things that I've been trying to do for a while; like I can't even count of how many local restaurants I pass everyday as I go to the same-old places again.  A few will be real challenges; for example I have started to read more frequently, but my book wish-list keeps getting longer.  I really look forward to the ones that will help others; such as finding more than several charities that could benefit from a new donor.  I really just want to set a good goal and finish it next year.

The general rules:
I have from 12:00 a.m. Sunday to 11:59 p.m. Saturday to complete each task for the week.  These times will be based on whichever time zone I happen to be in on those days.  2011 makes it easy to follow this schedule as I will have 52 full weeks, with only January 1, as a by-day.  This blog will be used as a way to keep my accountable and then document my progress.  Finally, the most important rule is that I want these to be new things.