#1: Become a Mitra - achieved!

Today I can tick off my first list item! I became a Mitra today, in a ceremony at Dhanakosa, a retreat centre in Balquhidder. It was lovely to make this open commitment to Buddhism and what is now the Triratna Buddhist Community, especially with many members of the sangha around me. I'll upload some photos when I get the opportunity!

I'm so pleased to be marking the first completed item! Hopefully I can get a few more done asap!

Uneventful week?

Seems my list has gone pretty much nowhere this week! The weight loss hasn't got any further, but I've had a lot going on this week and haven't really thought about what's going in my mouth. The first item will be ticked off the list tomorrow however! Very much looking forward to it. Hopefully ticking off one item will inspire me to get a few more done over the next few months!

Down we go!

I'm on my way to the 4 stone weight loss - lost 4lb this week, taking me down to x-1 stone 11! Very pleased about that, just have to keep it up for the next few months! And not put it all back on when I'm using my Gourmet Society card, taking Stuart to Las Iguanas, going to the Noodle Bar with Becky etc etc...!

I've just printed out The List, ready to be stuck onto the fridge so I can keep track of all my good intentions! Only just over a week until I definitely complete my first item - my mitra ceremony will take place on Sat 23rd Jan! Also making plans to complete a few others, taking Stuart away, going to see the Hair Bikers and walking the Cumbria way in the summer. Busy *trying* to train for walking the Great Wall of China in April too! Busy busy! My aim is to get at least 30 list items completed in 2010 - hopefully keeping me on track to finish all 101 by September 2012!

Money tree anyone?

I've realised that in order to complete all of these things I'm going to need to watch the expenditure and combine as many as possible! For now I'm going to focus on #12: Pay off all bank-related debt, and work my way through those items that are either free or at least inexpensive! With that in mind, I think I'm off to start #75: Read The Lord of the Rings!

A weighty task!

Right, if I'm going to come anywhere close to achieving #3: Lose 4 stone, then I guess I'd better document my progress on here! So, weight this morning according to bathroom scales was x stone 1, meaning I have to get down to x-4 stone 1....yes I'm sticking with the x! I'm definitely fond of my food and wine but I've set this challenge so will have to rethink a few habits! Perhaps that means I should cook tonight instead of having takeaway....!

More changes!

I had another look through the list and had a couple that I wasn't sure about, so after a bit of thinking decided to change them. People may think that's cheating, but it's my list! I figured that it made more sense to have items that I was sure I would do my best to achieve, rather than items I wasn't that bothered about. Anyway, people's wants and ambitions change, so it's still a full and challenging list!

New meal for January!

Made homemade pizzas today, quite surprising that I've never done this before, but hey ho, Dominos usually suffices for us! So, spinach and onion for me, onion, peppers and chorizo for the fella, and both well pleased!

#92: Use my Gourmet Society card 10 times

Well today I had a very nice lunch with Monica at The Living Room in Edinburgh - the only problem was that they only had about half of the menu on, and so no veggie options that I wanted! Hmph. This eating veggie lark will be even harder than I thought, but I'm still determined! So 1 use of the card completed, 9 to go!

In a change from our advertised programme...

I have made a couple of changes to my list today, which may seem like cheating but I have my reasons for it. As you can tell from my list, if you didn't already know, I'm a practising Buddhist, and in my efforts to start on #8: Read all of the Buddhist books I own, I have realised that a couple of things need changing.

So, #5: Buy a house has now become #5: Attend day retreats at Dhanakosa whenever possible. The idea of buying a house goes against a lot of my own beliefs, and so I thought it was a nonsensical inclusion when really I'd be just as happy renting property for the remainder of my life. I think keeping it would be bowing a little too much to my social conditioning, and so whilst I'm not ruling out the idea of buying property, it has been replaced in the list by one that is more spiritually beneficial.

The second major change is #82: Learn to cook duck properly, which has undergone a radical about-turn and become #82: Become a vegetarian. Yes, I'm a Buddhist but not a vegetarian, we do exist as nobody's perfect! However, I have just read 'Vegetarianism' by Bodhipaksa cover to cover in less than two hours and was moved to tears by his frank discussions of cruelty in the farming and meat-production industries. Ethically I am all for the principles of vegetarianism, but have trouble with it physically, and up until this point my cravings have won. I'm hoping, however, that as my compassion for animals and my ethical viewpoint grows stronger I will find it much easier to eliminate meat from my diet.

#76: Take Stuart away for a mystery weekend

Today's effort towards the list was to book something for my long weekend in February so I can take 'im indoors away for a couple of nights. All hail the cheapness of lastminute.com! Where are we going? Ah well, only time will tell...

Off we go! #83: See the Hairy Bikers live!

Right, I've got this year off to a good start, and booked a pair of tickets to the Hairy Bikers Big Night Out in Glasgow on 25th March! Very exciting, I LOVE those guys! Great recipes and funny guys! Who knows, I might even be able to do #70: Meet a famous person I admire...!