34. Make a mixed tape every two months and snail mail it to friends and family

OCTOBER 2008 - Installment 1 - GERMAN SEND-OFF PLAYLIST

This CD was made for my German send-off Party on October the 17th. If you were given this CD, chances are I am listening to the same songs (sans the German ones. Those were to serve as reminders to where I'd be). This is probably one of my favorite mixes to date.

1. Cabaret - Wilkommen
2. Her Space Holiday - Same Song Sing Along
3. Miniature Tigers - Cannibal Queen
4. Adam Green - Tropical Island
5. The Magnetic Fields - Strange Powers
6. Mason Jennings - I Love You and Buddha Too
7. Noah and the Whale - 5 Years Time (Sun Sun Sun)
8. Laura Marling - New Romantic
9. Soko - The Dandy Cowboys
10. Nina - 99 Luftballons
11. Toby Goodshank - Raw Peehole Gospel
12. Chairlift - Bruises
13. Benji Hughes - Tight Tee Shirt
14. Lucy Schwartz - I Don't Know a Thing
15. Cheese on Bread - Modern Art Gallery
16. Ben Sadock - Pity the Fool
17. Emma Dean - 3 Meals
18. Wayne Newton - Danke Schoen

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 - Installment 2 - RUNNING FROM IT

This playlist is a little more upbeat despite being heartbroken to the point of malfunction (occasionally). These are the songs that I listen to when I run, which is the reason for their almost un-Nix qualities (wait till you hear number 4 and 12, wouldn't have listened to those a few months ago). I love love love the selection, and listen to it even when I'm folding laundry or making beds. Anyway, enjoy! ps. My computer hasn't been burning correctly for a while which is why the CDs will be sent when I return from the UK and Ireland.

1. Sam Hart - Mario Kart Love Song [found him on YouTube! Watch him at Blinktwice4y]
2. Lily Allen - Don't get me wrong [First heard this while shopping in Paris. It was nearly impossible to find]
3. Laura Marling - Crawled Out of the Sea (Interlude)
4. Metro Station - Shake it!
5. Miniature Tigers - Dino Damage
6. The More Assured - All in Your Head
7. The Maccabees - Toothpaste Kisses [Cutest song ever]
8. Amy MacDonald - Mr. Rock and Roll [Kate played this song while cooking lunch one day and I had to track her down].
9. Bombay Bicycle Club - Ghost
10. Noah and the Whale - Rocks and Daggers
11. Beck - Sexx Laws [You gotta love this song]
12. The Ting Tings - Shut Up and Let Me Go
13. Pete and the Pirates - Mr. Understanding
14. Those Dancing Days - Those Dancing Days
15. Born Ruffians - Hummingbird
16. Kate Nash - Merry Happy
17. Bombay Bicycle Club - Open House
18. Soko - I'll Kill Her [This is where music reflects my reality].
19. Thomas Tantrum - Work it
20. Miniature Tigers -Hot Venom

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009 - Installment 3 - TRANSITIONS

This is a special compilation for the songs within have been accumulated from my travels through England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, my move to Italy and my visit to the US. Once again, many of this songs I hear in subways, pubs, cafes, YouTube, other people, etc, and nearly every song here has a story. I hope you find ways to enjoy this mix as much as I have. Introducing the 3rd installment - Transitions.

1. Alphabeat - 10,000 Nights of Thunder [This song I first heard when I was sitting in my neighbor, Kelly's, apartment, crying for the first time since my grandma had her stroke. It was moments before that I realized that my grandma was going to die].
2. This Providence - A Wolf in Sheeps Clothing.
3. Angus & Julia Stone - Paper Aeroplane.
4. Ambulance LTD - Anecdote.
5. Kristoffer Ragnstam - Swing that Tambourine [I first heard this song while I was sitting in an airport, either SFO or JFK, on my 37 hour trek back home to Hawaii. For some reason they play excellent music at these airports. Anyway, I scribbled down the lyrics and hunted for the song as soon as I got home].
   
6. Iglu & Hartly - In this City
7. Scouting for Girls - Mountains of Navaho [In my apartment, I have access to other peoples' itunes music via Limewire. I was browsing through someone's collection when I stumbled across this artist and fell in love instantly].
8. Pomplamoose - Hail Mary [This is a side project of Jack Conte, (see track 15), and his girlfriend. I first found their band after obsessively watching Jake Conte's VideoSongs on YouTube. The Hail Mary VideoSong can be found at this link!]
9. Palomar - Albacore
10. Moneybrother - Reconsider Me
11. Boys Like Girls - Hero / Heroine [My weird obsession with the Twilight series has put me in the strangest mood in which I appreciate, and dare I say seek out this genre of music. Still, I can not deny it! I love this song!!!]
12. The Matches - AM Tilts [This song is so badass, love it].
13. Steve Earle - The Galway Girl [Needless to say, I first heard this song in a pub in Ireland being sung by its patrons. Know this track and you've got in made in the Green Isle].
14. Her Space Holiday - The Boys and Girls.
15. Jack Conte - Eat [As mentioned above, the creator of the VideoSong. A VideoSong is a new Medium with two rules: 1. What you see is what you hear (no lip-syncing for instruments or voice) and 2. If you hear it, at some point you see it (no hidden sounds). Extremely interesting concept that makes for visual/audio art. Link here!]
16. The Moths! - Wild Birds
17. She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? [The Lead Singer, Zoey Deschanel, is also the female lead in the movie Elf. I watched that movie last week and fell in love with her old school voice as she sang in the bathroom. By chance, I found her band, and downloaded immediately].
18. 3OH!3 - Don't Trust Me [HAHA, first heard this on YouTube from the user WasteTimeChasingCars. He's dancing to it and it's nothing special, but I couldn't stop singing the chorus to the song. Link here].
19. The Inconsolables - Hoverfly.
20. Lily Frost - Enchantment.

MARCH/APRIL 2009 - Installment 4 - WHOLE

1. Eisley - Marsh King's Daughter

2. Florence and the Machine - Dog Days are Over

3. Mystery Jets - Two Doors Down

4. Ida Maria - I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked

5. Cage the Elephant - In One Ear

6. P.T. Walkley - Audrey Macy

7. Tim Myers - The Lucky Ones

8. Newton Faulkner - Gone in the Morning

9. Thomas Cunningham - Swell

10. Katie Costello - Kaleidoscope Machine

11. Arisa - Sinceritá

12. Santigold - I'm a Lady

13. The Lonely Island - I'm on a Boat (Feat. T-Pain)

14. The Enemy UK - Had Enough

15. Mystery Jets - Young Love

16. Florence and the Machine - Kiss with a Fist

17. Young Knives - Up All Night

18. The Hoosiers - Worried About Ray

19. Thomas Cunningham - Long Goodbyes

20. Charlene Soraia - Distorted Thoughts

21. The Hoosiers - Goodbye Mr. A

22. Katie Costello - Songbird

23. College Humor - Flame War

MAY/JUNE 2009 - Installment 5 - FALLING

1. Kid British - Our House is Dadless

2. Golden Sivers - Arrows of Eros

3. Harlem Shakes - Sunlight

4. Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position

5. Le Corps Mince de Francois - Cool and Bored

6. Boy Crisis - Dressed to Digress

7. Micachu - Abandon Ship

8. Dan Black - Alone

9. VV Brown - Crying Blood

10. Outkast - Call the Law (Feat. Janelle Monae)

11. Miss Li - Dancing the Whole Way Home

12. Lily Allen - Fuck You

13. Fryars - The Ides

14. TV on the Radio - Lover's Day

15. Marina & the Diamonds - I am not a Robot

16. Golden Silvers - Please Venus

17. Micachu - Golden Phone

18. Mina - Le Mille Bolle Blu

19. Hockey - Learn to Lose

20. Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work

21. Larrikin Love - Happy As Annie

22. Billie The Vision & The Dancers - Summercat

JULY/AUGUST 2009 - Installment 6 - WANDERING

1. Kate Miller-Heidke - Can't Shake It

2. Lily Allen - He Wasn't There

3. Hockey - Too Fake

4. Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry

5. Little Birdy - Harido

6. Bertie Blackman - Thump

7. Art vs. Science 0 Parlez Vous Francais?

8. Ana Laan - Paradise

9. The Basics - Just Hold On

10. Bluejuice - The Reductionist

11. Hungry Kids of Hungary - Old Money

12. Loe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong

13. Little Red - Coca Cola

14. One Night Only - Just For Tonight

15. The Pigeon Detectives - Romantic Type

16. Royworld - Dust

17. NeverShoutNever! - Trouble

18. Calvin Harris - Ready for the Weekend

19. Frankmusik - Better Off As Two

20. La Roux - Bulletproof

21. Chris Garneau - Dirty Night Clowns

22. The BPA - Seattle (Feat. Emmy the Great)

23. Q-Tip - Life is Better (Feat. Norah Jones)

24. Das Pop - Never Get Enough

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 - Installment 7 - DECISIVENESS

1. Gunarolla - Canadian, Please

2. Little Red - Waiting

3. One Night Only - You and Me

4. Pomplamoose - Mister Sandman

5. Frankmusik - 3 Little Words

6. Little Red - Witchdoctor

7. Little Birdy - Summarize

8. Jace Everett - Bad Things

9. Fun - All the Pretty Girls

10. Friendly Fires - Skeleton Boy

11. Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling

12. Das Pop - Underground

13. Hirose Kohmi - Promise (Staple for the "Geddan" meme!)

14. Annuals - Sore

15. Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band

16. Matt & Kim - Yea Yeah

17. Facing New York - Cops on Bikes

18. Swimming with Dolphins - Pajama Party

19. The Gay Blades - NHDN

20. Annuals - Hardwood Floor

21. The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - The Golden Age

22. Fun - At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be)

23. David Hasselhoff - Looking for Freedom

#58. Find a favorite local alcoholic beverage for every country I visit.

Germany - Radler (beer with lime juice). Second is Gluwin, the traditional Christmastime wine served hot, followed by Alt bier, the beer home to Dusseldorf.

Ireland - A pint of Guinness with a splash of Blackberry Currant. Oh, it's totally divine.

England - Bulmers Apple Cider. It's the kind of juice that gets you there :) It was introduced to my by Stagemaster (Nathan) in London on my 23rd birthday.

Italy - Wine man, I don't know what I'm drinking specifically, but the red is getting to me!

#20. Participate in at least 20 outdoor activities. Climbing Arthur's Seat.

December 26, 2008 - Hiking up Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh Scotland.
I have to say, this hike was little more than a tiresome walk up a hill, and I'm tempted to have it count as only half a point. Regardless, it is worth mentioning, and it made me partially undress myself in the middle of a UK winter. I say perspiration equals a successful outdoor activity.


Authors Seat is an extinct volcano sitting on the edge of Edinburgh. The trek isn't as gruesome as one might imagine a volcanic hike to be, and in fact, it was rather pleasant. The entire walk up took about forty-five minutes, and about ten minutes from the top, I shed my outdoor coat and scarf. Be mindful that it was barely over freezing, and the wind from that altitude made it feel that much more frigged. Still, I trekked on, taking off clothes as I went.

Once on top, the sweat was instantly worth it. There, before my eyes, was a panoramic and breathtaking view of Edinburgh.

Of course, it took about two minutes of stagnant sightseeing for me to throw everything back onto my body again. Jacket, coat, scarf, gloves, I have never needed them all at once so desperately before. I had an attractive layer of sweat covering my skin and evaporation has never hurt so much.

Once dressed and above it all, we flew kites and had a picnic until our appendages begged for additional warmth. I could barely hold my sandwich and the cheese (which was still engulfed in it's waxy red shell) was out of the question. There's a certain temperature I can tolerate, and after that, I lose basic motor skills. Peeling, gripping, chewing - forget it. I wanted down.

Still, we were all glad for a reason to imbibe, so we chucked ourselves down and into the nearest pub for a pint; beer jacket included.

Ben hurt all over the next morning and I, well you know, was totally fine. Walking around foreign cities for hours a day will get you into that kind of shape. Want a real workout? Wii Sports Baseball. My body never hurt so much for so long.

#9. Make at least 5 close friends abroad - KATE!

My first month in Germany was as anyone would expect. I was in a constant state of disorientation, I couldn't understand a single word around me and in the end, began to feel quite lonely. It was during International Day at my kids' school that I first met Kate. She was the au pair for a family friend, and as we stood on opposite sides of Kenya (the theme of the room), The Mom shouted out to the both of us, "NIX, THAT'S KATE. KATE, THAT'S NIX!"

The Mom has a shameless mouth and I'm used to such cross country conversations. Calmly I looked up and around, searching for a kid named Kate that I assumed I needed to escort to the restroom. Seeing no dire child in need of a pee, I went back to exotic animal face painting.

Of course, seeing as her national broadcast was not heard, The Mom grabbed my arm, tearing me away from my facial masterpiece, and thrust me into the five foot radius of Kate, the 22 year old au pair who was capable of escorting her own self to he bathroom. We talked, for what it's worth, and I became instantly aware of how unfamiliar I had become with young adult socialization. Still, we reconnected in the Caribbean, exchanged numbers and began the start of a close friendship in Germany.

Since then, we have had countless slumber parties, a variety of pub crawls, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and even weekend trips into different cities. Kate is the most selfless of people, willing to help you in whatever way she can with no personal gain whatsoever. She's coached me through minor travel panic attacks and constantly encourages me to "win." Because of her, I am a fuller person, and that's what has earned her a spot as my very first close friend abroad.

38. Hand-make a birthday calender and send birthday cards.

Ok, no handmade calenders here, but I think that's a forgiving exception. I bought a wonderful Lonely Planet calender while I was in Edinburgh (December 2008) with all kinds of information and pictures from far off places contained within it. Love it.

Anyway, I put everyone's birthday inside. Though I haven't sent any cards yet, there's a few birthdays coming up, which the calender has already helped in making me aware of. I'll be sending out some presents soon.

78. Abstain from biting my nails for two weeks, 5 times.

I would show you pictures, but it's honestly nothing you haven't seen when you look down to make sure your appendages are still there. Trying to break an old habit is hard, especially if you've been nursing it for your uh, whole life. The past two weeks were fine until around the last day when I noticed how long my nails were. I'm going to attempt to do another two weeks and hope that one month of fingernail biting abstinence will break me. Seriously, if I can get over this, then the whole 101 things goal would be worth it. Until December 8th!

It is currently October 24th, 2009 - approximately one year since I started the 101 goals. And. I am proud to say that I am no longer a nail biter!!! I haven't bit my nails in months and they are the longest they have ever been in my life.

Case. Closed.

28. Purchase and carry a notebook to jot ideas as they come

On my way to Germany, I had a four hour layover in San Francisco. Alone, exhausted and hungry, I had nothing more to do than amble, sit and eat. When that was accomplished and I still had hours to go, I lugged my massive carry-on and laptop through SFO until I spotted a bookstore. Heaven.

After my struggle at the airport in Honolulu, I had much I wanted to write. Of course, I had been silly when I packed and left my journal at home, leaving me with a restless pencil and nowhere to dictate.

So, my notebook is a classic moleskin with no reason to go wrong. Overpriced, uh, yes, but handy and useful no less.

18. Excercise for an accumulation of 1 hour every week.

WEEK:

1. Hiking at Maunawili, then swimming at Maunawili. 2-3 hours.
   
2. Walk around the Wild Park, 2-3 hours.
3. Trampolining, biking, riding kit-kart - 1 hour
   
4. Speed walking with Hong - 30 min. Walk around Dusseldorf - 3 hours.
5. Running in the woods - 30 min. x 2 = 1 hr.
6. Running in the woods - 30 min. x 4 = 2 hr.
7. Running in the woods - 30 min. x 3 = 1.5 hr. Brisk walking - 1.5 hr = 3 hr.
   
8. Walking around Paris - 5 hr. x 2 = 10 hours + walk around neighborhood - 1 hr = 11 hr.
9. Brisk walk through the neighborhood - 1 hr.
10. Walk around Koln - 2 hr. + walking in Dusseldorf - 1 hr = 3hr.
11. London
12. Scotland
13. Ireland
    

53. Have a meal with an old friend.

The statement "old friend," could go both ways, and although she is technically "older," she is also the other half of the longest friendship I've ever had. Bonus points, Kristine.

Friends since first grade, walking buddy, spelling bee companion, barbie doll playmate, Kristine and I have seen it all. Although high school instigated a minor falling apart, we have since reconnected in places like New Hope, APDM 101, and Forever 21. Tonight, however, with the realization that we were both leaving Hawaii for the much bigger and the presumably better, we made a dinner date to catch up on all times past.

JJ's Bistro, a French Laoation Fusion delicatessen with pot pies that are to die for, served as a meeting point for two long lost best friends. Girl talk consumed the night while we consumed the finest pastries known to man. After much deliberation, I settled on a Chocolate Frou Frou, creme brule and half of a mini chocolate mousse pyramid, a dessert so rich that half will always be more than enough. Kristine opted for a delicately built lilikoi chocolate dish with cream so light and delicious that it would be easier to believe you were eating the board game atmosphere of Queen Frostine's corner of Candyland.

Stuffed, satiated and well caught up, we crossed off no. 53, gladly.

81. Find a home for all the clothes in my junk bags.

My first success! This past Sunday, October 19, I attended the second annual closet swap, organized by Fashionista's Market and Divas Doing Good, with old friend Liz and new friend Haruko. The deal was this: For every item of clothing donated, you were allowed to take one item of clothing out.

I had been collecting bags of old clothes to sell or donate, and as all things are paved with good intentions, I simply had done no more than collect. Finally having the perfect opportunity to do what I had always meant to, I lugged a bag of half my weight across the island and donated a total of 80 countable items.

Preceding the main swapping event, there was a champagne brunch full of french toast and mimosa. This was followed by a few games of gimme gimme and then a fashion show where each table had to create a fashion forward outfit out of the items on the table. Suddenly we noticed the stacks of newspapers, tape and scissors that blended in to the recycled centerpiece. The winning team would get a three minute head start in the swap, a most valuable three minutes indeed!

Haruko was our "diva," and we spent the next ten minutes dressing her up. I remember feeling the sprit of Project Runway surge through me as I yelled across the table, "Use the forks and knives!" which we taped together to create a belt. Out of 20 tables, ours was one of two tables to win! The judges commented on her utensil accessories, and after a bow from our diva, we were escorted into the swapping zone.

The three of us spent an hour or so browsing the hundreds of donated items and came out successful. I returned with about 30 articles of clothing, which was more than I could carry. All the proceeds of the closet swap went to Sustainable Saunders, which is a non-profit group at the University of Hawaii that's helping the school to reduce energy on campus.

Best part? We made it to television!
Women Swap Shop Til They Drop | KGMB9 News Hawaii | (KGMB9)
(I'm part of the last 5 seconds, red dress, white sweater, coming down the stairs!)

20. Participate in at least 20 outdoor Activities - Maunawili Falls

1. Saturday, October 11, 2008 - Hiking Maunawili Falls in Hawaii, USA.

With one week left before I move to Germany, a few friends and I headed to Maunawili Falls to work our gluts and jump from cliffs. The trek itself was simple and enjoyable, except for the crossing of the streams, which was just a pain in the butt. Eventually we hit a place that looked like something out of Lost and on our way back, we ran in and acted like jungle people. Vines as scarves, ferns in our hair, James threw me over his shoulder and dunked me in the bush.

At the end of the main trail is the main waterfall, maybe 10 feet, which many people jump off of (see picture of three lovely ladies taking the plunge). If you take a separate trail just prior to the water, you'd be taken upward through a muddy jungle path to another jumping point, 50 feet above the water. This is the trail that separates the boys from the men, and being uninclined to feel any validation of my masculinity, I stayed in the shallows and watched men fall from the sky.Not wanting to be completely unadventurous, I traveled above the main waterfall in to a smaller waterfall that fed the first. I climbed that, stood 15 feet in the air and jumped. Oh, not without five minutes of coaxing, but I did it regardless with the help of the ultimate power statement, "FOR GERMANY!!!" Terrified but victorious, I conquered heights and fresh water all in one day. I may have leptospirosis, like everyone there, but who cares. All for fun and fun for all.