What better way to escape (mentally, at least) from a spring blizzard than thinking about things you'd rather be doing?
I've spent time recently compiling a "life list" (aka "bucket" list, as in "things to do before you kick the bucket") and am up to 40 items. My only criteria for each list item is that it's realistically feasible and something I want to do (duh).
In no particular order of importance, here are 10 items from my life list, with some explanation of why each made the list:
1. Get something published on McSweeney's - I've submitted a couple lists but have thus far been rejected. If you haven't visited McSweeney's, check it out. Dan Kennedy is my favorite regular contributor.
2. See live polar bears in the wild - I've been fascinated by polar bears since childhood. There is a tour in Canada each year where you take a bus into polar bear habitat. It's kind of high-priced ($1,500+) considering it's a vacation that doesn't involve laying on the beach drinking frozen margaritas ... but still, polar bears are awesome!
3. Travel to Europe - I visited England and Ireland when I was 18, and I'd love to return, but I'd also like to see Italy, Germany, France and Amsterdam (I know what you're thinking Randy, but it's all about the Van Gogh museum ... or at least that's what I'm telling my wife).
4. Take an improv class (Brave New Workshop?) - This just seems like it would be a lot of fun. And hopefully Michael Scott wouldn't be in my class.
5. Teach my kid(s) how to play pool - The first time I played pool with my dad I was only able to see over the table by standing on a milk crate. To this day, it remains one of my favorite hobbies, even though I haven't played competitively or had my own pool table for a few years.
6. Ride bike from home (Farmington) to Eagle Lake in one day - I don't cycle nearly as much as my blogging friends Adam or Randy, but I think it might be fun to ride from my house to my parents' someday. There's a nice paved trail for most of the ride.
7. Own a lake house - I'd love to live on a lake. Cabins are too much hassle. It's hard enough taking care of one house, much less two. So why not own a lake house? After all, there's more than 10,000 lakes to choose from up here in Minnah-SO-duh.
8. Write a letter a month - As much as I love e-mail, it's kinda sad that hand-written letters have gone the way of the dodo. I haven't started this one yet, but should. But how long should I keep it up? A year? Ten years? Forever?
9. Visit Cuba - And yes, I'll smoke a cohiba when I'm there.
10. Attend the Kentucky Derby - This is the first of many sporting events on my list. I'm not a huge fan of horseracing, but this event just seems electric. Plus, it's a good excuse to drink bourbon ... as if I need an excuse!
Do you have a life list? What's on it and why?
4 comments:
I'm not that organized but a couple of things I want to do include climbing Longs Peak in Colorado and riding my bike across the United States. Placing in a brewing contest would be cool too. I reserve the right to amend this list.
C-dork: How long have you been a brewer? Have you ever entered a brewing contest?
To quote Lawrence (the neighbor) from Office Space: Two chicks at the same time!
Seriously, though, I'm doing one in two weeks and two days: a week on a beach in Mexico. My biggest one is finishing a novel. I've got a few ideas and I'm going to combine the vacation with starting the novel. You guys would like the subject: A guy finds a Y-wrench while biking, uses it to adjust some bolts on his bike and it turns out it's magic and he has superpowers. He then becomes a bike messenger so he can fight crime (because he only has the superpowers while biking).
The scientist told me in 1999 that she wanted to start brewing so I got her everything for her birthday. We brewed the first batch in 2002. After the college student started waiting tables at Flying Saucer, the beer bug bit again. we brewed the first batch under renewed interest Jan. 20. We bottled our third last night and the fourth will be ready to bottle next weekend.
We have not entered any contests to this point. I was a steward (gopher) at a local competition about a month ago. My guess is we will probably enter something like the one I attended some time in the next several months. The judges take it seriously and give really useful feedback. Winning something would be cool too.
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