The 100 Greatest Books Challenge

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The 100 Greatest Books Challenge

The Greatest Books Challenge started in 2008, when I started reading fiction. Before then, I bet I hadn’t read more than five books of fiction outside of a classroom in my entire life. I just preferred non-fiction and that was that. But in 2008, I was trying to relax – my mind, my body, my use of time – and only fiction could do that for me.

So, in a truly un-relaxed way, I decided to do some searching and see if there were lists of the greatest books with which I should start. I found more than a few, and I’ve updated the links for your reference and use too:

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Food Stamp Challenge: Planning

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Food Stamp Challenge: Planning

Today is the first day of the Food Stamp Challenge, known as 3SquaresVT here in Vermont, in which I live on $38/week, the average weekly food benefit of a single person.

It took me about an hour yesterday to plan my recipes and grocery list for the week. Not surprisingly, it didn’t take me long to shop for the grocery items pictured to the right. Here’s the start of my menu for the week, along with costs.

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The Food Stamp Challenge

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The Food Stamp Challenge

3SquaresVT is what we call food stamps in Vermont. And from November 11-17, I’ll participate in the 3SquaresVT / Food Stamp Challenge, living on $38 in groceries for the week.

Here’s the deal:

“The 3SquaresVT / Food Stamp Challenge seeks to highlight what it is like to eat on the average 3SquaresVT benefit — approximately $1.80 per meal for a single person. The many people who have taken the Challenge have learned first hand what it is like to try to make ends meet on the average benefit.

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Using Google Calendar to Prompt the Big Questions

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Using Google Calendar to Prompt the Big Questions

Did you know, if you put a numerical list in a blog title, you’ll get more hits?

  • “7 tips to…”
  • “30 lessons from my 30th year…”
  • “100 affirmations for…”

Some of these lists can be very hard to process in one sitting. How do you work your way through 100 affirmations for a full life? Or 40 questions to ask yourself to find out if the entrepreneurial life is for you?

I’ve tried to sit down with a few lists before and journal my way through the answers, but my interest fades shortly after question #7, like a drawn-out homework assignment.

I needed a way to take these valuable lists a bit more slowly and intentionally.

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Credit Card Debt: Finally Below $5K

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Credit Card Debt: Finally Below $5K

Wow. Today my credit card debt is under $5,000.

I’ve been racking up credit card debt since college, when I needed to study abroad in order to graduate with a degree in German, over 11 years ago. Student loans paid for all of the basic expenses, but I didn’t have a dime to my name to pay for weekend travel, food outside of my host family’s house, or souvenirs.

A few years later, I had debt totaling $40,000+, from student loans, a brand new car purchase and the day-to-day reliance on credit for splurges. Not all of my credit card debt was frivolous, though. I paid for some of my younger sister’s college tuition, I bought furniture and art, and there was a short period of time that I relied on credit cards while getting my consulting work off the ground. I wish I could have paid cash for those things, but I’ve made peace with those debts over the years.

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Reverse 100 Thing Challenge: 368 Things Decluttered

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Reverse 100 Thing Challenge: 368 Things Decluttered

The Reverse 100 Thing Challenge is well on its way to 400!

The 100 Thing Challenge is about simplifying your possessions and getting down to just 100 – perfect for full-time travelers and digital nomads. On the other hand, the Reverse 100 Things Challenge is better suited for those of us with full closets and full junk drawers – the challenge is to get rid of 100 things.

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Getting Rid of 100 Things of Clutter

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Getting Rid of 100 Things of Clutter

As a New Year’s resolution, I pledged to get rid of 100 things of clutter in my life. I figured there must be 100 useless things tucked away in drawers or closets, although I also worried that getting to 100 would be difficult.

Surprisingly, around March, I breezed past the 100 point mark! Some of the numbers were easy to come by: a big purge of cassettes, CDs and VHS tapes added up pretty quickly. As of today, I’ve gotten rid of 195 things and I have another 38 that I may donate to ReSOURCE in Barre.

Here are some examples of things I got rid of:

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