80. Start a holiday tradition.

This past Christmas, I decided to start 2 holiday traditions:  

#1. Yearly Christmas Ornament
I realized that my family never got ornaments to commemorate each Christmas. Now that our family is growing, I thought it’d be nice to keep an ornamental scrapbook of our family through the years. I know other families already do this, but it was something new for us. Didn’t want to get an ornament that would totally clash with my mom’s Christmas décor – so I tried to pick something very simple and classy. It was a nice silver one that had crystals hanging from it and said 2009 on it.  It was pretty.  But my bad, I forgot to take a picture of it. haha.

#2. Red Underwear
One of my closest friends, Katerina, had told me before that she and her family had a tradition where they would give someone else red underwear during the holidays, which he/she was to wear was to wear on New Year’s Eve. Those who wore the red underwear on NYE would have good luck in the new year. I thought this might have just been a Greek tradition or something (since Katerina is Greek), however, I found out that many people in different countries and around the world practice the same superstition. Some countries say yellow underwear will bring you luck and/or money in the new year too. Anyhow, I decided that I thought this would be something fun to do. Normally, somebody else is supposed to give you the underwear. Since this is the first year for it, I bought everyone in my family red underwear. And by the way, finding red underwear during Christmas time – difficult! Go figure! I guess lots of people practice this tradition as well! Anyhow, Christmas morning when we were handing out gifts, I gave each person in the family a small gift bag with a tag on it explaining the tradition of wearing red underwear on NYE - and in each bag, was a red underwear for them to wear.  To make sure I was going to have good luck in the new year as well, I made my sister buy me a pair after Christmas.  lol. The entire family wore them NYE – I made sure – I did my underwear checks. hahaha. Anyhow, next year, we’ll keep the tradition going, but each person will have to draw someone else in the family to buy one for!

the red underwears i gave out and the tag i put on each bag!

42. Watch all of AFI's Top 100 Movies. [11-22/100]

An update to this task - now that i'm following the correct list! =P

11.  Singin' in the Rain
12.  Wizard of Oz
13.  On the Waterfront
14.  The Sound of Music
15.  Taxi Driver
16.  Duck Soup
17.  Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
18.  Saving Private Ryan
19.  The Shawshank Redemption
20.  Forrest Gump
21.  Goodfellas
22.  The Last Picture Show

37. Get my DVR down to 0%.

Technically, this one is completed. Not because I finished watching everything I had on my DVR (believe me, there was tons of stuff on my queue!)... but because this week, when I went to turn the TV on, i realized the DVR wasn't working. After finagling with it and trying to figure out what was going on, i waved the white flag and called the COX Cable Tech Support Line, who told me that the DVR box probably needed to be replaced. Why was i dumb enough to think all my stuff would have just been transferred to the new DVR machine?! The technician corrected me really quickly on that one, and i'll admit, i got a little choked up. He probably thought I was a nut cause i had the look of such sorrow on my face...lol. So unfortunately, i had to mourn the loss of my Oprahs that I still hadn't caught up on, my Glee episodes that i couldn't let go, AND my damn Making the Band Finale (which was like more than 2 years old - it was the finale when Diddy was putting together the new guy band and they sang the slow ballad version of "Exclusive") and some movies i had DVR'd since i hadn't seen them. Let's just hope they come back on HBO so i don't have to rent it on Netflix! 

10. Watch Oprah live.

There's some type of cosmic force that is standing in between me and Oprah.  Like seriously.  I've been trying to get tickets to her show for the past 2 years i think - and now with the announcement of her ending her show in 2011, the pressure is REALLY on to get tickets.  Gone are the days when you would try calling into the Oprah show to try to get tickets (thank god - because if i wasn't on the unlimited plan with T-Mobile at the time, I would have been putting a serious dent on my minute plan).  It was to the point where i was at work, i'd put my handsfree ear piece in, and i would just keep hitting "redial" on my phone underneath my desk - and this would go on between the hours of 10-5 (9-4 CST).  Now you have to register online (per show taping i might add), and wait to find out if you've been "randomly" selected. 

The registration page was open this past Monday and Tuesday for January tapings.  This morning I received this email from Oprah:

"Thank you for your interest in attending a taping of The Oprah Show.  Unfortunately, we were unable to accommodate your request(s) for this reservation window."

Just wonderful.  I'm going to keep trying at this one, but with the forewarning that this one is going to be a difficult one to complete.  I think i'm going to have to figure out ways to be ON the show now, being that it may be my only chance in fulfilling this task.  Hmmm....what kind of "problem" can i say i have for dr. oz to help me with??  haha...

20. Make my bed every morning for 2 weeks.

This one was a boring one, i know.  However, the main reason for its inclusion in my 101 list was just so i could get back on the ball with this - and turn it into a habit.  I actually completed it in October - started it when my cousin Kay from Florida and my brother and his girlfriend Jordan came to visit in September when i was forced to clean up the chaotic mess i call my bedroom.  I normally left my bed as it was every morning - a complete mass of destruction.  However, now that i make the bed in the morning, 2 things have resulted:

1.  my room looks somewhat more organized with the bed made
2.  getting into a freshly made bed at night makes it more calming and relaxing!

anyhow, i'm only including pictures to add color to my blog since lately it's just been copy-heavy...lol.  here's the before and after pics...