101 in 1001 - The ToDo list for Gary LaPointe

Get Mom hooked up with a TiVo or something similar.

2008-05-24T14:46:11Z

This I can probably do. I'll see what she keeps with her cable plan and maybe just get her hooked up with their DVR.

]]> I finally got Mom to try out the DVR from the WOW cable company. I've mentioned it a few times but...

The other week they were coming out to work on something else and I got her to call them back and get her a DVR (I think she's actually got it in her new plan). So far it seems to be working for her. It's automagically getting her soap opera and that's what matters. And I know she's used it to record a few other shows!

Do my taxes in 2008.

2008-02-09T17:30:13Z

Mail by April 15, 2008.

]]> They're done and in the mail!!! I'm actually getting more back than I thought. I ended up making a little more last year (I ended up workng more hours at the end of the year) and I did a few different things with my payroll deductions. So I just wasn't sure where I'd be. (I'll have some opposite but similar issues later this year, so it'll be hard to judge for 2008 tax returns too)

Do the Hines Drive lights drive again.

2008-01-02T02:03:21Z

Do their Christmas lights tour.

]]> The last day of the season that they do this is January 1st. We had a nice snowstorm on New Year's Eve so I went on the last day (I didn't want to go if there wasn't snow). If you're in the Detroit area and hav enever done this before, it's worth doing!

Go to the Greenfield Village Christmas celebration.

2007-12-18T02:22:21Z

They have lights and fireworks, I live a few miles away and I've never been.

]]> So I did get to go to the Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village. It was all snowy so I went this weekend! I don't like to do these Christmassy, wintery things when there isn't snow out.

It was cold but it was fun. I was hoping for more lights decorating things but since it was old fashioned and such a thing didn't exist in those times I was disappointed on that part. But the "Sleigh Ride" (it actually had wheels) and al the kerosene lanterns and all the little fires and carolers and everyone dressed up old fashioned was fun! And the fireworks at the end made it all worth it! (It was really cold)

Switch to a charge card with better rewards.

2007-12-12T02:01:11Z

My current car rewards expire after 3 years and I don't update cars that often so it's kind of a waste.

]]> I switched to a Chase card with better rewards six months ago, I'm not sure if the percentage is better, but since I'll actually redeem the points, it'll be way better for me. Plus, I just upgraded it to a better program.

Finish converting my Xbox into a media system.

2007-12-09T19:15:05Z

I picked it up ages ago and never finished (barely started). While this isn't completed, I have already purchased an AppleTV so I've fulfilled that need (months ago actually).. I guess from a geeky factor I didn't solve the problem but I do have a media system in the living room and since it syncs with iTunes it even fits my needs better than the Xbox system would, so I'm crossing this item off my list.]]>

Take a warm vacation in winter 2007-08.

2007-12-09T06:41:35Z

Somewhere sunny and warm (even a short trip counts). I did Costa Rica again! My 4th trip there so far. One of these times I'm not coming back! I spent the week-long trip on the Pacific Ocean side mostly in Jaco and Montezuma.

Figure out a better backup system for my computer info

2007-10-03T04:05:30Z

such as: music, photos, data, etc. Something off site(?) or a server at a friend's(?)....

]]> I've got a dual-system here. First of all I use .Mac, it's a great easy seamless way to back up your files. But they never had enough disk space. But they just jumped up to 10GB for the same price. So I back up my music and photos there until a I get full DVD and then make multiple backups (copies here and a copy off site) and then free the space up. I also push those folders up to a non-published folder on a web server that I have extra space at (they've increased their space too).