Turning 30 in less than 2 weeks gives a person a chance to think of what it means to enter a new decade and leave one behind. When we were sixteen, our eleventh grade teacher had us pull out a pen and jot down 100 things that we hopped to accomplish in our lifetime. Every few years I look over the things that made it on to this list and I am always surprised to see which items I have inadvertently accomplished and which remain. Its weird how there are very few of these things I have purposefully set out to scratch off and yet how many of them through chance or a twist of fate are done. It is also interesting to see which things at 16 were a priority....kissing an old crush, planning a high school reunion, read the books my parents were reading at the time. Its also a little sad to realize there are certain things that most likely won't ever come to life like running an 800m in less than 2:20 (my PB at 16). There are things on here that are hilarious and embarrassing like the fact that I STILL don't have my driver's license, and others that are so lofty and crazy that I would be seriously impressed if I ever got around to them. Running from Manitoba to BC is one such crazy goal, or going on a month vow of silence. Still there are items that I was surprised that I could scratch off at all but life has an interesting way of weaving chance and opportunity together, take a look and see how many of these you have done!
1. Sky Dive (not yet)
2. Learn to play Violin (Lessons at Conservatory of Music 2004)
3. Sell A Painting (Art show with Burgess, summer 2011- 2 paintings sold)
4. Finish a full Marathon ( June 2004 & ran 25.6 miles of one in 2005)
5. Spend 3 months touring Europe (Summer 2008 with Shoni)
6. Give a speech to a large group of People (Valedictorian 2004, Junos 2015)
7. Take a Yoga Class ( hahah many 2004-2016)
8. Learn Flute Theroy & how to read music (Not Yet)
9. Fall in love & have a real relationship ( David Landreth)
10. Read the Alchemist ( have now read it 7 times including book club)
11. Write my own book and publish it (Not Yet)
12. Save someone’s life (Not Yet)
13. Be a Bartender (Buccacinos 2004, Piccadilly Pub London, 2008)
14. Learn a third Language (Not Yet)
15. Learn how to Kayak ( Leeya, English Bay 2006, Lori thailand 2014)
16. Go whitewater rafting (Leeya Thailand 3014, Lori Peru 2015)
17. Ski at whistler (Not Yet)
18. Kiss someone famous (John Stamos, Lori 2012)
19. Become a Psychologist (Not yet….)
20. Make each family member cry from joy ( thats tough to determine…not yet?)
21. Learn how to make stained glass (Not Yet)
22. Buy and renovate an old home (Not yet)
23. Volunteer in Africa (Ghana, Cross cultural solutions, 2009)
24. Keep in touch with shoni (yup) Michelle (yup), Lori (yup) Monica (yup), Lindsay (yup), Leeya (yup), Carina (sorta), Emmanuel (not really), Aaron (not really)
25. Body surf at a concert (Yup 2007, Gogol Bordello, Vancouver)
26. Bungee Jump (Not Yet)
27. See Cirque du Soleil (Vegas 2012, Linds’ bachelorette, gift from lines)
28.See a Broadway show (Visiting Ashley in NYC, 2012 Chicago)
29. Change someone’s life in a big way for the better (Hard to measure that, sixteen year old Roberta)
30. Sew an outfit (not yet)
31. See Every Province and Territory in Canda ( Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC….)
32. Adopt a child (Not yet)
33. Be in a play ( Summer 2003, Montreal — I had a single line)
34. Make a full family tree (Not Yet)
35. Learn to Tango (Not Yet)
36. Go on a month Vow of Silence (Not Yet)
37. Learn to carve wood or stone (Not Yet)
38. Read all of shakespeare’s plays (Not Yet— lofty)
39. See one of Dali’s paintings in real life ( Wpg Art Gallery 2006)
40. Real the Long Walk ( Not Yet)
41. Go to every Continent ( Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America — Remaining are Australia, and Antartica)
42. Swim in every Ocean ( Pacific, Atlantic, Indian — Yet to do Southern and Arctic )
43. Witness a Birth (Ghana 2008)
44. Read the Bible, Torah and Kuran (Not yet — again lofty!)
45. Own a snake (Not yet…or ever?)
46. Paint a Mural ( 2010 Mural Mentorship program through the West End Biz with Michelle)
47. Be in a Movie (Not Yet)
48. Have Children (Not Yet)
49. Sew a Meaningful Quilt (Not Yet)
50. Run from Manitoba to BC (Not Yet…Lofty AF)
51. Teach English Overseas (Ghana 2008)
52. Take a Huge Chance ( Tough to determine… Going Freelance maybe)
53. Go to the Real Mardi Gras (Not Yet)
54. Plan or Go to a High School Reunion (Not Yet — and why?)
55. Learn to Like Football (Dated a Bomber, but still not into the Game)
56. Take Photography Lessons (Not Yet)
57. Make my own recipe for cookies ( Christmas 2004 apparently)
58. Memorize the Constellations (Not Yet)
59. Ride over 1000 KM on a bike ( 2013, Vancouver to San Fran with David Landreth)
60. Meet the Prime Minister, Royalty or a current President (Not Yet)
61. Kiss Kyle Burkett ( hahaha Dec 2003, what a 16 year old)
62. Graduate High School with an average above 90% ( Yup 92%)
63. Run 800M in less than 2:20 ( I don’t think I ever did…and likely won’t at this point!)
64. Become an experienced horseback rider (…Not yet?)
65. Finish the Book Sophie’s World (started it in 2005)
66. Lose 20 Lbs (Hard to quantify that one…not yet?)
67. Get married, after I turn 26 ( Scheduled for July 2, 2016 to the love of my life!)
68. Climb a Mountain (Well many, but tallest is Huayna Picchu is about 2,720 metres (8,920 ft) above sea level with Lori in 2015)
69. Visit Inglis when I am older (….how old is older? I’ve been many times)
70. Watch all the star wars movies (Tara, Sam, Michelle, 2011)
71. Invent something (Not Yet)
72. Win a Pie Eating Competition (Not Yet)
73. Learn How to waterski on one foot (Not yet)
74. Smile at at least one stranger a day (Tough to quantify…)
75. Get over my fear of spiders (Not Yet)
76. Do the Splits Both ways (Not Yet)
77. Learn Sign Language (Not Yet….Anna?)
78. Fly a Plane (Not Yet)
79. Build an Igloo and sleep in it (Not Yet)
80. Write or Compose a song (Not Yet)
81. Get my License (Hilarious that I’ve done these other things and STILL not this)
82. Swim in a pool of jello (Not yet)
83. Play with the Symphony ( Not Yet — Again lofty AF)
84. Eat a live bug (Not Yet, on purpose anyway)
85. Witness a Miracle (….tough to quantify)
86. Go to a Gay Bar (ahahah as if this was a life goal — many many times)
87. Swim in a waterfall ( 2005 with Monica, 2008 in Ghana and italy with Shoni, 2014 in Thailand with Lori and Leeya)
88. Name an Island (How big does this Island have to be to count?)
89. To to a horse race ( 2010 for Mr. B’s retirement)
90. Be in the Guiness Book of World Records (Better grow out these finger nails!)
91. Make a Web Page (hahahahaha oh man, so many "webpages”)
92. Get abs ( got em, they are just currently covered)
93. Sculpt a Clay bust of myself (Not Yet? )
94. Try not to sleep for 5 days and 5 nights (Not yet…maybe once we’ve got kids?)
95. Play the Piccolo (Not Yet)
96. Build someone a house (Not yet)
97. Give 1000$ to a charity (Not Yet)
98. Plant a garden (Not Yet)
99. Inspire someone to write a song about me (Dave)
100. Go to the ice hotel. (Not Yet)
Bucketlist