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About a week ago, I discovered Josie Long’s new project "One Hundred Days To Make Me A Better Person". It is part of the London Word Festival, starts on December 1st 2009, and finishes on March 10th 2010. I knew I wanted to take part. I just didn’t know what I wanted to do for it. I also knew it would have to be realistic. Even though I was thinking "pledge to write a thousand words of your novel every day", I knew in reality I had no intention of spending Christmas day typing. Or Boxing day. Or New Year’s Eve.
This is from the website:
From 1 December 2009, Josie Long cordially invites you to pledge to do one thing every day for 100 days in a bid to generally make things better. The plan is simple:
1.Register here with your name, email and pledge
2.From 1 December, this pledge must be fulfilled every day for 100 days (or longer if the spirit of goodwill takes hold!)
3.Document your activity where possible - snap it, film it, write about it - and keep us updated on how you're getting along
I ummed and ahhed, and finally decided on my pledge(s) yesterday, at four minutes to midnight:
1.Learn a new word or phrase in Icelandic every day.
2.Do something creative each day.
3.Blog about it here.
I like the vagueness of the "do something creative" part. It can mean I write a thousand words of my novel, or it can mean I arrange some pasta into pretty shapes. Perfect.
So, today, Day One, the first of December, what did I do?
I played with fridge magnets and took photos of them (see picture above), until the batteries in my camera died. I had bigger plans. But, I have bettered myself tonight by recharging said batteries, so that next time I come to take a photo, I will be able to. Good stuff.
And I learned “Ég heiti Emma.” My name is. I always thought it would be good if I hung out with Eminem, because we would be referred to as "Em and Eminem". It would make me laugh every time.
Anyway, other hundred days projects that I’ve checked out so far:
100daysofnonfiction - Hannah is reading a chapter of a non-fiction book each day and then writing about what she’s learned. This one ties in with my favourite quote, “It’s impossible to open a book without learning something.” Go Hannah!
100tinymoments - Every day, Edward is illustrating a tiny moment from his past, present or future. This is one I wish I’d thought of. I especially like the idea of the future moments.
my bit of sky - I love the title of this. And the idea of photographing things people have left behind.
missyaggrevation - Toni has started a blog and is going to see the sunny side of life. Lovely and positive. Yay!
All this and it's only Day One!
*************************************update
I just read the poem "Love Yourself, Or Else" by Daniel Bailey, in the brand new > kill author, and these lines jumped out...
"the only thing i trust is the sound of a magnet
sticking to a fridge"
amazing!
end of update***********************************************
2 comments:
It's a neat idea, isn't it. Good luck with the Icelandic, and with the creative stuff.
Question: How will we actually know if you're a *better* person at the end of it? Is there some kind of test you have to take, is it down to a public vote, or is it just that you succeeded (assuming that you do) in keeping this up for 100 days? If you don't keep it up, are you a worse person at the end, or just 'not better'?
I hope you make it, I really do, at least long enough to tell me to stop asking stupid questions - in Icelandic.
Cheers,
Bob
Thanks. Good question. I kept it vague on purpose because I was worried I'd feel bad if I couldn't do it every day. I think it's one of those things where only you can decide if you're a better person by the end of it. Doing creative stuff definitely makes me feel better, so I'm thinking this will have a positive cumulative effect after 100 days. Plus, I'll know some Icelandic.
We'll see.
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