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Chris Cooke

finds 43Things thinks he's an extroverted, creative, self-improver.



I'm doing 23 things
  

Chris Cooke's Life List

  2. 1. get in shape
    21 entries . 6 cheers     		9,380 people
  3. 2. lose weight
    10 entries     		36,351 people
  4. 3. Manage my money better
    4 entries . 8 cheers     		497 people
  5. 4. improve my piano skills
    3 entries . 6 cheers     		64 people
  6. 5. get rid of all my clutter
    8 entries . 8 cheers     		1,140 people
  7. 6. gather all the original songs covered in Moulin Rouge!
    3 cheers     		1 person
  8. 7. earn my black belt
    8 entries . 5 cheers     		74 people
  9. 8. Go for a midnight picnic
    9 cheers     		71 people
  10. 9. Keep in closer contact with friends (regularly)
    5 entries . 4 cheers     		160 people
  11. 10. stop biting my nails
    6 entries . 2 cheers     		7,035 people
  12. 11. take a dance class
    6 entries . 3 cheers     		807 people
  13. 12. get better at estimating web development projects
    2 entries . 1 cheer     		1 person
  14. 13. compose a symphony
    8 entries . 13 cheers     		101 people
  15. 14. go on a road trip with no predetermined destination
    4 cheers     		18,536 people
  16. 15. Contribute to an open source software project
    1 entry . 7 cheers     		801 people
  17. 16. be a tourist in my own town
    1 entry . 3 cheers     		89 people
  18. 17. Watch all 6 Star Wars movies, in order, on one day.
    1 entry . 5 cheers     		188 people
  19. 18. spend an entire day watching the extended version of all three Lord of the Rings movies back-to-back-to-back
    4 cheers     		1,107 people
  20. 19. learn the thriller dance
    3 entries . 2 cheers     		2,715 people
  21. 20. host a sing-along of kid TV show themes and songs for pre-K parents, WITHOUT the kids.
    4 cheers     		1 person
  22. 21. start a photo journal - take at least a photo a day to represent my life
    1 entry . 3 cheers     		963 people
  23. 22. learn guitar
    1 entry     		3,060 people
  24. 23. see the northern lights
    7 cheers     		16,901 people

How I did it
How to hear one of my classical compositions played by real musicians
It took me
1 year
It made me
Ecstatic

How I did it: I started making connections with chamber music meetups. So far that has not yielded any fruit, but it may by the by. Ultimately, my wife decided she wanted to give me this experience as a 40th birthday present. She contacted a local music school, that in turn put her in touch with the Head of Chamber Music Studies at a local university. He organized and coached a chamber ensemble of students and recent graduates. I had to provide the sco… Read how I did it…

Oct 26, 07:32PM PDT | 3 comments | 4 cheers


How to improve my posture
It took me
2 years
It made me
more stable

How I did it: Basically I got off my butt and started exercising. I really started seeing progress when I worked with a trainer for 4 months, strengthening my core.  Then I took up Kung Fu, which continues to strengthen the core and provides a whole body workout 3 times a week. Kung Fu also requires focus on form, and increased awareness of what every part of your body is doing at each instant.Most recently, we got a Wii Fit, and I started doing y… Read how I did it…

May 22, 05:19AM PDT | 0 comments | 3 cheers


How to find something easy and healthy to take to work for lunch
It took me
3 months
It made me
healthier

How I did it: Assessed what I wanted out of lunch to make me happy, and balanced it with what I wanted nutritionally. Found I liked hot food, but wanted to avoid fast food and lots of fat. Now I hit the store every Monday and get the stuff for turkey sandwiches, which I then heat in the microwave. A side of carrot sticks or rice cakes, and some fruit for snacks during the day. Read how I did it…

May 04, 05:09AM PDT | 0 comments | 1 cheer


See all "How I Did It" stories...

Recent entries
earn my black belt (read all 8 entries…)
Progress 4 days ago

Earned my green belt with blue stripe tonight.

Honestly, though, in the last month or so I’ve really stopped caring about my belt color. I know what I know, and I don’t know what I don’t know (a lot more than what I know), and that doesn’t change regardless of my belt.

The belt may reflect what I know to the outside world, but it in no way defines what I know. And since I’m doing martial arts for me, and no one else, I’m not particularly concerned with reflecting what I know to the outside world.

So, I’ll wear the belt, out of respect for the school and for the positive effect it has on other people, but I’m not really fired up any more for new belts for my own sake.

I even considered eliminating this goal, but I think I’ll keep it around anyway.

Nov 19, 07:02PM PST | 0 comments


read the Logic Pro 8 manual (read all 3 entries…)
long before I can do this 2 months ago

I’ll probably have upgraded to Logic 9, so giving up.

Sep 08, 11:17AM PDT | 0 comments


get rid of all my clutter (read all 8 entries…)
a little more done in the basement 2 months ago

More organizing than eliminating, but I gathered a pile for Saturday’s dump run, and gave an item away to a co-worker.

Sep 08, 11:16AM PDT | 1 cheer | 0 comments


See all entries ...


 

I want to:

The world wants to...

get skinnier roll down a hill in bubble wrap mayoroftheparty wants to Read more books become a prep become rich Become an alternative model. fall out of love Create a personal recipe book Learn Maya see the northern lights Host a foreign exchange student nepeta43 wants to Find a good doctor be respected and deserve it Go to Ireland meditate daily become optimistic Buy a Juicy Couture bag write a kids book Take regular photographs as a way to document my life. Learn the dance from "Single Ladies" Get pampered at a spa transfer my CNA license Watch an F1 race live recycle make a difference in someone's life Rickydegringo wants to be an Entrepreneur start wearing more unusual outfits Just Because Create a budget and stick to it
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