101 Things in 1001 Days: Update 1

Recently completed goals and/or recent progress:

3. Post three times per week.  Before starting my blog, I wanted to make sure I could dedicate the time it would take to post new, quality content each week and on a consistent basis. If it’s one thing I’ve heard about having a successful blog, it’s the consistency with which you post new, interesting content for people to read. So this was a significant requirement for me and a major reason it took me nearly 3 years to start Cupcakes and the Cosmos! And while I won’t officially cross this one off my list until I’ve hit the 6 month mark, I’m happy to say I’m on the right track! (Even with the overwhelming time commitment of starting a new PhD program here in a new city!) Thanks for following along with me and I’m excited to see where this journey takes us!

7. Connect with 10 blogging friends in person. (4/10) I’ve had such a blast meeting with four amazing ladies so far. Hi, Lacey, Alena, Hallie, and  Jessica! After finals are over, I’m looking forward to connecting with Paige & Hailey, Abby, Maddie, Desire & Jolene, and Natasha in the new year!

21. Try an out of my comfort zone workout class. Hallie is one of my all-time favorite bloggers and overall someone I look up to and value as a person. So when my family planned a trip to Chicago over Thanksgiving I jumped at the chance to take one of her SoulCycle classes. I’m no much of a cyclist (running and soccer are more my thing), but I absolutely loved it! And I can’t wait to share an extra special post focusing on my first SoulCyle experience. And have no fear, Hallie, it won’t be my last! Now to convince SoulCycle to open in Boulder…

36. Program and use a Kalman filter. Nerdy, but I did it! My Statistical Orbit Determination course this semester was extremely hard, but overwhelmingly rewarding.

47. Try five new trends outside my comfort zone. (4/5) I’m well on my way to completing this goal. From flares to crop tops and leather (and here) to fur, I’ve been trying out new-to-me trends and loving the experimentation side of fashion.

57. Try five new foods. (3/5) Homemade rhubarb muffins in Alaska. Massaman curry for dinner (aka the Thai version of American stew). And calamari. Wasn’t a huge fan of the latter, but I tried it finally!

76.  Visit five National Parks. (2/5) I visited the Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska over the summer. More recently, I visited the Rocky Mountain National park and loved every minute of it. It’s actually been one of my favorite spots here in Colorado so far. The winter wonderland scenery was breathtaking.

81. Visit Chicago. My family and I took a girls trip to Chicago for my Grandma’s 80th birthday over Thanksgiving. I’ve got a trip recap in the works, so stay tuned for more on this front.

82. Climb ten 14ers. (3/10) While I’ve still got a ways to go on this one, I’m slowly adding to the list of 14ers I’ve climbed. Check out my posts on each of the three mountains so far–Mt. Bierstadt, Mt. Evans, and Pike’s Peak.

95. Discover fifteen new favorite restaurants. (7/15) I’m all about trying new restaurants! We are slowly finding our favorites in the Boulder/Denver area. Here are a few of our finds: best greasy burgers + shakes: Bob’s Atomic Burgers, best gourmet burgers: Rueben’s Burger Bistro, best smothered burritos: Cafe Mexicali,Snooze, best Thai: Swing Thai, best pizza-by-the-slice: Boss Lady’s Pizza, best sandwiches: Half Fast Subs.

Upcoming goals:

2. Join a blog society. I am beyond excited to start applying to join a blog society. It’s a great way to network with bloggers and companies, and to make new friends in the community.

5. Learn Photoshop. I’ve already started the process of learning Photoshop, little my little. I’m hoping to try lots of new things over the winter break!

6. Attend my first blogging event. I’m thinking about attending the Create & Cultivate conference in Dallas at the end of January. Is anyone else going?!

8. Move 10,000 steps per day for one month. While this has always been a goal of mine since getting a fitbit, it’s sometimes hard to reach the goal when school and work become overwhelming. But starting in the new year, I’d like to meet this goal every day. Truly, it starts with making a commitment to myself, my health, and my overall happiness, regardless of what work or other activities I have going on during the day.

12. Drink eight glasses of water per day for at least two weeks. Sounds easy, but is harder to implement. Does tea count? 😉

13. Take REC classes three times per week for three weeks. With the colder season upon us, I’m looking forward to supplementing weekend skiing with Yoga and Pilates in the warmer confines of a studio.

18. Find a practical daily routine. Now that I’ve gotten one semester in a new school/city under my belt, it’s time to start developing a daily routine. I’m looking forward to honing in on those activities that boost my productivity and energy level. Of course, I have to keep in mind that I am a graduate student, and a practical daily routine will be one that is also flexible enough to allow for the all too frequent all-night study/research sessions.

28. Finish the Harry Potter, Ender, Maze Runner, Divergent Series (the last books!). I’m looking forward to digging into some good reads over the break. Having some free time to snuggle up and relax with a good book will be. So. Good.

43. Learn how to do winged eyeliner. What better time than New Years Eve to learn how to do a winged eyeliner?