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[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]
‘A Year Of Mornings’ (I was meant to join this Flickr group as part of my 101 challenge, and have only just got round to it – I can’t say I’ll be very active with it or very successful, I only really wake up mentally towards mid day)
[Originally uploaded by Urban.rust]
I had intended to write a post on the event of me becoming one whole year older (Not that it has any significance you understand – although some say you should start the year as you intend to finish it, and I do have some vague plans in mind, there currently lingering at the back of my brain waiting for the right time to jump out and scare me senseless) Progress though isn’t always easy, we live in depressing times and even day to day activity induces a feeling of guilt. I’ve stumbled across some very interesting articles regarding Ghazza: Here and here. There defiantly worth a read.
[Originally uploaded by Urban.rust]
I have to say I’m not altogether amazing at keeping this place up to date, I’m in the process of sorting my self out, hence the frequent lapses and tendency to forget. That’s what an Organic education can do to you, I’m studying one Minuit and the next I’m labouring over a Pixie hat that has a beginning (I would know I’ve started it Enough times already) and no apparent end, also – the possibility for me looking ridiculous in it in dangerously high, which is to be expected I suppose, you don’t wear a hat with a pointy top and two long pig tails and expect to be taken seriously (mind you I probably would in my current state of mind) I’ll amuse you with pictures of that tomorrow hopefully (if by then I can see a light at the end of the tunnel)
A new obsession with anything and everything mustard coloured has awakened in me, brought to life with a thrifted yoke top, vintage knitting needles, and a rather peculiar but altogether wonderful little box (Yes, I assure you, I am fine) I will produce a longer post tomorrow, when I will possibly have something to say, my sleep deprived brain however can’t seem to manage it today…
To be honest, I’ve been out of sorts lately. I’m not quite sure weather its time management or general brain block (although it wouldn’t surprise me if it was a combination of the both) I currently have the energy of an old age pensioner and have lost all abilities to talk and think coherently. And so it my typical fashion have resigned to reading, studying and keeping my hands busy with whatever has the misfortune to catch my eye first. I do make some vague intention every morning to commit myself to something, although more often than not it ’slips’ my memory, and then what we have is chaos (But I’m not all together sure that that’s such a bad thing)
Originally uploaded by Urban.rust
(I’ve finally made some headway with those arm warmers, it only took me…lets say ten attempts before I finally managed to get past the fifth row without dropping stitches or pulling the entire thing apart) I then decided I’d take radical steps, go awol, and try something on the round-the result being a cowl. And hey, a cowl makes for a pretty good Eco warrior version of the cat in the hat.
Originally uploaded by Urban.rust
I appeared to have forgotten about this place momentarily, so much so that I even forgot the password (not that that’s a major surprise, part of the routine actually) however I did eventually manage to pluck up the strength and will power to type, and now I’m ready to bombard your day.
I happen to be a very great lover of lists, the sort that writes a list for the sole purpose of making themselves feel accomplished, often enough you can find yourself writing lists of things already done, because its almost always guaranteed to boost a flagging ego, and also acts as an illusion to others-who will no doubt be lead to believe that you actually utilise your time doing useful things, and fill your days with good hearty activity.Fat chance.
Anyway, being this great lover of lists (and anything else that might by chance make me look productive) I had a moment of euphoria when I happened by chance to stumble across this site ‘Day Zero‘, and My God, it was a whole community of people with the same idea. Naturally I’m inclined to make a list, so immediately grab a pen and paper and start scribbling down activities and randomness that I want to achieve, you would have though that being this eager it would have been easy, unfortunately its taken me the best part of three weeks to work out what to put on it, and then finally I did what all great maniacs achieve and lost the list. Started again-this time more determine, due to frustration and anger, and managed to rewrite my list from memory (I know its a miracle.)
Basically, I’ve created myself a 101 in 1001, and because I’m a useless specimen that butchers everything she tries to explain, I’ll do another thing I’m good at, and cut and paste the introduction,
The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.
Once you have created your site, you can add it to the master list here at Day Zero.
And now for my list, I lost count of how many attempts it took-and although I did spend quite a long time contemplating whether or not I should categorise all my tasks, but then decided that really I couldn’t be bothered to-and then decided I’d leave the categories for when I add it to a separate page, and then thought “May, you make things so damn complicated”…
- Leave an anonymous letter or quote in a public space
- Learn to swim
- Go horse riding
- Go ice skating
- Join the group: illustration Friday
- Send a secret to post secret
- Adopt a sunnah weekly
- Become an expat in Africa
- Grow my on vegetables
- Make organic creams and lip balms
- Learn to speak French fluently
- Complete my GCSE’s and A levels
- Become a vegan for a month
- Become a vegetarian for a month
- Complete a WW2 ration experience
- Go camping
- Go for a walk on a beach
- Build a sand castle
- Learn to drive
- Chalk messages on pavements
- Learn one Surah per month
- Complete the compact project, two month
- Take the (26) photography challenge
- Complete a year of mornings challenge
- Learn the martial art Karate
- Learn to play the duff
- Buy a Nikon digital camera
- Knit/crochet 101 eclectic hats
- Make ten items of clothing from thrifted wear
- Make five pieces of art work inspired by artists
- Complete the sketch a day project
- Make a doodle book
- Learn to knit
- Learn to say a phrase in 25 different languages
- Make a short film
- Write/illustrate a book and get it published
- Write and perform a speech/talk to an audience
- Overcome my phobias
- Write a personal letter and open after 1001 days
- Make a 101 journal/blog each task
- Participate in NaBloPoMo
- Dye my hair
- Learn to cut and style hair
- Send a care package to a cause [Cageprisoners]
- Read the biography of Ibn Taymiyah
- Random act of kindness 5/0
- Open an on line store
- Practice my henna skills and use
- Fast Mondays and Thursdays
- find my signature perfume
- Make a sculpture
- Manage a better sleep routine
- Go for an entire day with no negative statements
- Visit the London art galleries
- Photograph a day in my life
- Go for an entire week with no T.V
- Play a game of conkers
- Make wire wrap jewellery
- Write a haiku poem
- Post the contents of my bag on my blog
- Make a blog post in post it notes
- Learn to screen print
- Meditate for half an hour every day
- Make a meditation pillow
- Make an amigurumi animal
- Learn to appliqué
- Make myself five skirts
- Get ears pierced a second time
- Paint a mural on my bedroom wall
- Learn to play chess [again]
- Buy myself a good radio
- Go berry picking
- Buy a bird and keep it alive for longer then the last five
- Attend Tajweed classes
- Tie dye clothes
- Make organic soap and bath bombs
- Eventually get round to buying a Polaroid camera
- Learn how to write Arabic calligraphy
- Keep up to date with pen palls and e pals
- Learn glass painting
- Create something ceramic or potter something
- Make myself a dress
- Take the handmade pledge
- Join an on line art community [deviant art]
- Join an on line knitting/crochet community [revelry]
- Visit family before moving country
- Speak only Arabic for an entire week
- Interview someone interesting and eccentric
- Knit a stripey ear flap hat on the round
- Learn to say yes and no at appropriate times
- Learn to juggle with three balls
- Learn to perform Hijama
- Learn how to perform Ruqiyyah
- Do a circuit of the park on a skate board
- Make organic deodorant
- Learn to felt (water felt etc)
- Learn graffiti art/with aerosol cans
- Learn HTML and other appropriate geeky computer things
- Learn to pick locks
- Create a mole skin journal
- Memorise 101 hadith (prophetic sayings)
[Originally Uploaded By Urban.rust]
Its what ‘we’ call wearable art, this isn’t exactly what I had planned on making, but after pondering on how to make my hat ‘eclectic’ I googled Hats and these gnome looking things popped up, that’s my “fool proof” answer to everything, google, works almost every time. ‘Almost’ because although I managed to find a hat, no one was willing to share the pattern, which resulted in many tried and failed attempts. But I finally managed to create a hat with a pointy top, and enter Pixie Polka .
[Originally Uploaded By Urban.rust]
Its the kind of hat that only a mischievous ferral child could pull of, and I would have worn it myself, only I made it much to small (almost cut the circulation from the top of my head), and anyway I’ve time enough to turn myself into a Gnome, I’ve been told its all the rage at the moment.
