108 things I wish to do in 2009 (reviewed 30.Nov.2009)

First things first. I wish a happy, healthy and wealthy new year to you, your friends and your family. May you get all the things that you wish (be careful though) for in 2009.

Here is a challenge for myself. I wish to do the following 108 things before 31st December, 2009. Let us see how many I complete. I am planning to update this list as I progress through each of these things. I have never tried many of these things before (for eg. marriage) and I am excited and thrilled. I dont tell what I wish to do even to my close friends (except with the one friend). I think 2009 is going to be a big year for me in more than few ways. I will add more details to each and write blog posts how I am doing / not doing with each of these at later dates.

The status as per 31.Jan.2009 is within brackets.
Blue - Not yet started.
Orange - Doing something about it.
Green - Done, Yay!

1. Watch F1 race in Melbourne (Yay, Done!).
2. Remember to wish people on their birthdays (Marked all the birthdays in Google Calendar. Now, I will never forget).
   
3. Watch a real whale (Winter is the best time to do it).
   
4. Try bungee-jumping.
5. Reconnect with all the forgotten friends. Keep in touch with them through phone calls / emails (Must do more it more often; Email seems so much better).
   
6. Drive a car on a dirt track in Australian Outback (Done with Magna).
7. Watch Sydney Fireworks.
8. Visit Perth and travel around for two days.
9. Watch AFL final at MCG.
10. Go on a dating trip with a girl friend (Done).
11. To be a better human being (doing).
12. Watch a broadway musical ('Wicked') in Australia (Wached "Chicago" instead. Done!).
13. Write a screenplay for a short movie (Abandoned).
    
14. Fly in a hot air balloon (should try in Melbourne or Sydney).
15. Visit a saturday night party at an Australian pub. Ask the DJ to play a tamil AR Rahman's song (Without asking, I heard "Jai Ho" song.).
    
16. Watch snow/snowing and try sking (Missed, better luck next year).
17. Watch Ned Kelly's helmet and visit the prison (Done).
18. Be organized (a little more) (trying, doing).
    
19. Learn to play Golf (tried once).
20. Travel from Adelaide to Northern Territory by the train 'The Ghan'.
21. Attend a opera concert at Sydney Opera House.
22. Read at least 10 tamil novels (ordered 2 novels).
    
23. Visit Ulluru (Ayer's Rock).
24. Try snorkelling at Great Barrier Reef.
25. Travel to Tasmania by ship 'Spirit of Tasmania' (Booked for next year).
26. Go to the underground town at Coober Peddy.
    
27. Buy a full-frame 35mm Canon DSLR and develop a decent system of lenses and accessories (for year end-2010; buying other accessories).
28. Publish an album with photos of Victorian landscapes (April).
29. Learn photography formally (Done; Doing).
30. Visit Singapore for 2 days (Visited KL for 3 days).
31. Get smart (dress ).
    
32. Work for only 3 days a week (should find a day job).
    
33. Write a tamil novel (e-book).
34. Develop a photography site displaying my photos (see www.kalpaphotography.com).
35. Stay at a boat house in Kerala.
36. Ride on an elephant (I have done horse riding this month for the first time. Elephant, huh, it's easy in India?).
37. Read all the poems (at least 50%) written by 'Mahakavi' Bharathi (Got it; Reading it).
    
38. Appear in a local newspaper article (with photo). Not any national newspaper, just local (trying).
39. Take participate and win at a photography competition.
40. Publish a coffee-table photo book (shoot more photos; organize portfolios 31, March).
41. Make at least $500 cash flow from Google Adsense. Invest in photographic accessories (half way up; move HTLO to wordpress).
    
42. Get a good digital video camera (how much is a camcorder).
43. Find the right girl and marry her (i know what i want; searching for her now).
44. Shoot a documentary about friendship (friends are ready, a video camera is needed).
45. Work on improving memory skills (rely on notepads?).
    
46. Write an e-book on making money using your digital camera (started writing).
47. Buy an used Hyundai Getz (Red) car (saving money).
48. Create an income stream of at least $3000 per month through selling photos (half-way there).
49. Shoot underwater photos of coral reefs and living things (for Brisbane trip).
50. Visit Kangaroo Island (Easter weekend?).
51. Learn swimming (Enrolled; Swimming daily).
52. Organize all my photos into portfolios that are saleable (complete by 20, April 2009).
    
53. Sleep under the stars (try camping?).
    
54. Photograph wildlife at their native habitat (nearly done in zoos).
    
55. Bring Father, Mother and Sister to Australia for at least 2 weeks (2010).
56. Do a camping trip (should do).
57. Visit Gold coast / Brisbane (should do).
    
58. Attend Graduation ceremony at University of Adelaide (should apply).
59. Write and post 'snail-mails' to at least 25 of my friends.
60. Drive to Adelaide by car (where's the car).
61. Express your love to friends and family members (doing/trying).
62. Develop a successful portfolio at StockPhoto sites (need to shoot more saleable images)
    
63. Learn to do relationship counseling (talk to friends).
    
64. Read 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' book before watching the movie (Done. Movie on IMAX).
65. Watch 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' movie at IMAX in Melbourne.
66. Visit Immigration Museum at Melbourne.
67. Invest in good clothes (every month) (for this month, none bought).
    
68. Get a photo (taken by me) published at Melbourne MX (should try).
    
69. Invite friends and show them interesting places around Hamilton (need to do).
70. Fly around Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles (should try on a blue sky day).
71. Inspire at least 5 people to achieve their goals/potentials (doing).
    
72. Get at least 10 new friends (got 5).
73. Dress well for office (doing it).
74. Set up a charity fund raiser (online/offline).
75. Celebrate birthday with kids (mm..kids, where are thee?).
    
76. Meet old people and interview them (should try here in Hamilton).
77. Watch 100 best MGR movies (100, you are kidding?).
    
78. Read the unbiased political history of Tamilnadu.
    
79. Play pranks to those who played pranks on me in 2008 (secretly planning).
80. Visit a native Australian settlement and talk to the native kids (how).
81. Go to Canberra and watch Tulips festival (Done. Melbourne Tulip Festival instead).
82. Become a best friend of someone (trying).
    
83. Shoot and make a coffee-table book with Kids' portraits (Doing).
    
84. Collect best of Australian movies (Done; Doing).
85. Organize a photographic exhibition (organising photos first).
86. Watch an AFL match (soon?).
    
87. Set up a solar-powered gadget at home (Solar garden lights setup).
    
88. Attend a Film Festival.
89. Shoot, edit and upload videos at Youtube (what videos, should explore).
    
90. Learn to understand and speak Hindi (can someone help?).
91. Get a new scooter for father (Done).
92. Be expressive (trying).
    
93. Surprise friends often with some unexpected, inexpensive gifts (doing).
94. Read India 2020 (mm..).
95. Get fit by doing some physical activity for an hour every day (should try).
    
96. Buy a new Sony Ericsson smartphone (Bought a similar smartphone).
97. Develop a web service / social network with the help of friends (bought domain; webspace).
    
98. Set up Internet/Video chat at home (India) (Next year).
99. Learn to identify stars by skywatching (Telescope).
100. Write at least one blog post every week (Failed miserably; Have some posts planned).
101. Learn the gist of Islam (got the gist from my friend Sabina).
102. Shoot street portraits (photos) for free (started advertising; bought space).
     
103. Visit Tirupathi in India.
     
104. Meet a saint / yogi and have a conversation (saving this one for Indian trip).
105. Shoot a series of travel videos (i need to start editing them).
106. Learn foot massaging/Reflexology (Doing).
107. Save & Invest 10% of my total income (Need to find an investment fund).
     
108. Learn to draw with Adobe Illustrator.
     

I may change or improve these things. Stay tuned to know how I progress. By the way, what are you going to do in 2009?

Bookmark this page to track how I progress in each of my goals.