There are things in life we want to do but never seem to get around doing it after years and years of contemplation. Something as simple as tidying our wardrobe or getting a bookshelf to place all our books in alphabetical order – simple things that we know we want to do but simply haven’t found the time (or courage) to get into action.

Well, that’s my mission in 2011 – to tick off everything on my to-do list. This includes simple things like updating my blogsite on a weekly basis, updating my online portfolio every quarter of the year and buy myself a hermit crab pet. Join me in this 365-day adventure as I strive to complete my to-do list for 2011. And be my judge at the end of 2011 and let me know if I have scored well in this List Game.

Check out my 100 (and growing) items on the list below and check this page regularly for updates throughout the year. I will put an indication next to each item that I have achieved or achieving to keep you guys posted on my progress. And if you are inspired to create a list of your own, do let me know as I would like to support you as well. Happy 2011!

My To-Do List 2011 (updated 31 December 2011)

1. Complete another manuscript for a second novel.
   (2nd novel completed. Ngeri was launched on 17th Sept at Annexe Gallery)
2. Publish my 2nd Malay novel by the end of the year.
   (FiXi published Ngeri this year.)
3. Read the bible every morning before I start my day.
   (Does listening to the bible counts?)
4. Complete the Gangstar Movie script for Bernard.
   (Project cancelled. So really, it’s not my fault.)
5. Ensure that Linus produce the film for Eksperimen Cinta.
   (Haven’t been pursuing this for the past few months. Just might not happen, eh?)
6. Earn more money than the year 2010.
   (this year, I’ve taken lesser projects but I’ve earned the same amount as last year. Okay, maybe just RM50 more.)
7. Work on my blogsite to hit more than 300 readers a day.
   (I’ve got 325 now. Hoping to keep it that way till end of the year.)
8. Update my online portfolio every quarter of the year. (updated with at least 10++ projects. Still have more to go, but I’m pleased that I spent time updating at all.)
9. Create a bible verse visual for Sunday School to use during class. (didn’t do this, but I’m committed to create Bible verses every week next year)
10. Read more than 150 books in the year. (read 96 books so far…)
11. Send out physical birthday cards to more than 5 friends. (sent out a non-birthday card to some friends and 9 Christmas cards to my clients.)
12. Buy myself a hermit crab pet. (Linus owes me one.)
13. Go prawn fishing again.
14. Spend three hours each week writing personal stories. (didn’t have time for this)
15. Mentor a wanna-be writer on a regular basis to complete his/her manuscript.
    (working with KiF on this but not a single manuscript is completed yet.)
16. Gather all my blogging friends for yet another wonderful lunch session. (not accomplished)
17. Work with Wai Ting to produce the coffeetable book she is inspired to do.
    (met up for initial discussion – put on hold)
18. Move out of my family home into a place of my own. (happening next year!)
19. Invest on a brand new office table and chair.
    (Done and done! In fact, I made-over my room.)
20. Spend 5 minutes each day communicating with friends on Twitter.
    (it’s the first thing I do when I log into my computer every morning)
21. Keep posting Cmate’s Today for 365 days. (this is by far a good achievement. All 365 days posting can be found at this LINK)
22. Snap photos of my daily life so that I can record my journey in a photo album
    (probably failed this already… just realised I am not a photo person.)
23. Help Peter and Kim Chui to publish the book and blogsite online about Moses. (First draft done. Pending on their end)
24. Watch more than 12 movies in the cinema this year. (target met! I’ve watched more than 24 movies already and it’s only July.)
25. Call up 5 random old friends and invite them out for yumcha sessions. (Done! You know who you are…)
26. Email one friend every month to ask how he/she is doing. (this is one good way of me keeping in touch with people)
27. Pray for a friend every day during my quiet time with God. (I’m amazed at the names that pop up in my prayer each night)
28. Bring children to the beach to fly a kite. (no time to do this)
29. Paint a masterpiece on an A3 artpaper. (no time to do this too!)
30. Catch up with my high school mates at least once this year.
    (went to visit Teng Wai during CNY. That counts!)
31. Get a scroll of paper for all my creative doodles. (got myself a sketch book instead since I can’t find a scroll of white paper)
32. Send surprises to 3 friends to make them smile. (sent out cards and flowers)
33. Go karaoke once every 3 months. (Karaoke-d on 10 Jan, 22 Apr, 15 July, 26 Oct)
34. Visit my online friends at Singapore. (simply couldn’t sync our schedule to meet the 2 times I was there)
35. Publish my first English book. (not happening this year)
36. Spend time creating crafts for my family and friends. (I think I did one, oh wait, maybe 2. Handmade crafts really eats up time!)
37. Celebrate life with dinner treats every time I reach a milestone in life. (I love doing this though it drives my pocket empty)
38. Own a huge teddy bear the size of me. (look at my size… find a teddy bear my size, haha! Not going to happen)
39. Spend more time serving in the Parents Support Group for Children With Special Needs. (spending more time designing, writing minutes and currently handling Social Club)
40. Complete writing my Funeral Manual. (95% done. Only a teeny bit more fine-tuning)
41. Make sure I don’t have more than 10 unread emails in my inbox for more than 48 hours. (Accomplished! I love it when I have NO UNREAD emails in my inbox!)
42. Ensure that I have proper bookshelves for all my book collections. (bought new shelves)
43. Spend more time with Grandma during the weekends! (didn’t happen… sad)
    
44. Help out in the ChargeUp! Conference 2011.
    (DONE! Boy, was this uncomfortable. But serving God should be uncomfortable, otherwise it will be doing things based on our strength and not His.)
45. Create a free vector each month for my blog readers. (January, May, September done. Doesn’t count until I have 12 by the end of the year right?)
46. Send an SMS to one friend every week to tell them how much I care. (I forgot all about this as time flew by)
47. Write mom a Mother’s Day card this year. (finally wrote the card bought from 5 years ago!!)
48. Catch up with ex-colleagues from the Bank. (occasional lunch dates with various ex-colleagues in different departments.)
49. Make sure I have at least 6 hours sleep a day. (the only time I broke this was during ChargeUp! 2011 and when I went to Melbourne. LOL! Blame Choon Ean on it, haha! But I did have 6 hours sleep the rest of the year, so this is considered accomplished.)
50. Go on a cruise holiday. (maybe next year)
51. Visit my friends at East Malaysia. (I’m going to East Malaysia next year! So exciting!)
52. Take a drive around Peninsular Malaysia from 0km to 0km. (Someone lend me a car and do this with me?)
53. Go for a quick holiday or one day trip outstation every half of the year. (went to Penang in March, went to Kuantan in May, went to Singapore in June, went to Melbourne in July, went to Penang again in Nov)
54. Lose weight – at least 10 kgs! (Weighed myself on 3rd Jan, I am 82kgs. Didn’t gain any weight at the end of the year. Didn’t lose any either.)
55. Have more than 1,000 facebook friends. (Accomplished! And more genuine friends adding onto the list.)
56. Setup an Art Attack section in my room/home. (Got the art and craft section set up during the room makeover.)
57. Organise a talk on Freelancing In Malaysia. (probably will happen next year… still arranging)
58. Celebrate my birthday with people, and not alone. (180++ facebook messages and being surrounded by more than 200 people at ChargeUp! 2011 conference on my birthday – I have passed the test!)
59. Play not more than 3 Facebook games at one time. (Currently, it’s The Sims, Words With Friends and Deal Or No Deal)
60. Publish at least 100 blog posts on my blogsite in 365 days. (only wrote 16 posts this year, I really slacked in blogging)
61. Learn a new skill through professional courses. (Attended KRU’s scriptwriting workshop)
62. Get a boyfriend. (haven’t found one, haha!)
63. Go for at least one overseas holiday trip. (went to Melbourne! Thanks, Choon Ean!)
64. Work on 2 free projects for NGOs and charity organisations. (worked on WDOP2012 for Malaysian Care and PSG Group Communications. Got a token of love for the WDOP2012 project though)
65. Support the local art industry by purchasing at least one book, album, or others each month. (watched Sini Ada Hantu, Seru, Dalam Botol, Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa and bought some local Malay novels… lost count!)
66. Play mahjong with my friends and family at least 4 times this year. (played twice at Yumi’s house, and many times at Singapore Grandma’s house)
67. Go to the beach. (went to Kuantan to check out property project by the beach)
68. Bake a cake or a tray of cookies. (did the instant chocolate chip but failed badly.)
69. Get the whole series of Criminal Minds and watch all of them. (finished watching all 6 seasons thanks to Melor and Raphael)
70. Be interviewed by the media for my novel at least once. (email interview with VenusBuzz Online published. Read it HERE. Oh, and also appearance on 2 different breakfast TV show)
71. Select a family, bring the children out for half a day picnic so that parents can take a break. (didn’t happen this year)
72. Buy myself a simple dress for casual wear. (Bought one and wore it for Sung Choon’s wedding on 2th Jan)
73. Go through my wardrobe and donate all the clothes that don’t fit me anymore. (no time to do this!)
74. Get a Christmas present for all my family member. (got Anna a bible for Christmas)
75. Dyeing my hair bright red colour. (It’s red now! Just not as red as I wanted it to be. Done!)
76. Answer all the comments I receive on my blogsite. (no pending comments so far)
77. Paint my bedroom with shades of orange or red or green. Daring colours! (Successfully painted the room with Ruby Red colour)
78. Sort out my business finances on a monthly basis. (done until November 2011, December is not over yet right? Today is 31st Dec. I’ll consider this done and strike it off!)
79. Sign more than 100 autographs for my book fans. (at current, I’ve signed at least 80 copies)
80. Go kayaking. (didn’t happen)
81. Encourage more than 5 persons to use WordPress for their websites. (6clients using WP now. WOoohooo!)
82. Read 3 design blogs a day. (This is so easy with the Flipboard app on my iPhone!! I actually read more than 3.)
83. Comment at least once on someone’s blog every day. (ah, this didn’t happen. I gotten too lazy to comment)
84. Invest in a new scanner for work. (took over Anna’s 2-in-1 printer and scanner)
85. Invest in a digital inkjet printer for work. (took over Anna’s 2-in-1 printer and scanner)
86. Make sure all the songs on my iTunes has the right titles and artist’s name. (Done! Each time there is a new song, I label it right immediately)
87. Get rid of all my old notebooks from school and previous employers. (Done during the room makeover!)
88. Make a DIY rack for all my earrings and accessories. (no time to work on this)
89. Get rid of all the pen that ran out of ink. (Done during the room makeover!)
90. Arrange the namecards I received in alphabetical order. (almost impossible, too many of them!!)
91. Keep my desktop clean from icons. Maximum icons should be only 30. (so far so good)
92. Backup my computer files every month. (auto back-up every day!!)
93. Chill out with friends every Wednesday night. (didn’t happen)
94. Buy a digital camera for myself. (Ended up buying a new one for my sister. Money spent. So I’ll strike this off. Now that I have an iPhone, I don’t need a digital camera anyway.)
95. Dig out the First Day Covers my sister and I used to collect and sell them. (can’t seem to find them)
96. Buy a bicycle and go cycling once a week. (didn’t have time to shop for one)
97. Put up a Christmas tree at home during Christmas. (realised that the house is too small for a mini tree even!)
98. Organise a ‘Sing The Oldies Only’ karaoke session with like-minded people. (Done! Even sent an invite out on FB)
99. Go people-watching more often cause it reminds me of what life means. (I do this a lot this year as it really helps to relax me – normally at the shopping malls.)
100. Get rid of all the things I keep believing that I might need someday but never did. (Done during the room makeover!)
101. Write my will before the end of the year. (almost done… more complicated than I thought with agents involved)

Accomplished 61 out of 101. Plenty more to look into…

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