Like I care... I'm gonna do it anyway.
In honor of morbidity and all things apparently unholy, and seeing as how it's Halloween and all, I am going to walk the infamous Exorcist steps.
Yep that's right, the very ones from the movie, which happen to be located just off the campus of Georgetown University.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The curiously morbid facination with "lists"
Google the phrase "Things to do before you die"
Who knew so many people had "death lists" or "bucket lists"
What is the morbid preoccupation?
My list is not that. It is meant to be a celebration of achievements. I do the things on the list because I believe life is an adventure waiting to happen. I do it for personal reasons and some I do for very public reasons. I want to have great stories to tell to my daughter. I want to look back at my life and say I never regretted anything because I took the chance to do something. Almost everything on the list gives me an opportunity to not only experience what the world has to offer, but what I have to offer back.
I started my list a long time ago after reading something as a teenager that inspired me--that was a reprint of John Goddard's "to do" list. His list is online: http://www.johngoddard.info/life_list.htm
This isn't about dying. This about living!
Who knew so many people had "death lists" or "bucket lists"
What is the morbid preoccupation?
My list is not that. It is meant to be a celebration of achievements. I do the things on the list because I believe life is an adventure waiting to happen. I do it for personal reasons and some I do for very public reasons. I want to have great stories to tell to my daughter. I want to look back at my life and say I never regretted anything because I took the chance to do something. Almost everything on the list gives me an opportunity to not only experience what the world has to offer, but what I have to offer back.
I started my list a long time ago after reading something as a teenager that inspired me--that was a reprint of John Goddard's "to do" list. His list is online: http://www.johngoddard.info/life_list.htm
This isn't about dying. This about living!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The water bottle saga
Item #113- Fill an entire water bottle with change and use the money to complete another goal on the list
Step number one...where to find a giant water bottle?
Answer: Hijack it.
I came across an empty bottle. Not that anyone is going to miss an empty water bottle and besides it's for a good cause.
Now my poor lonely, empty, 5 gallon bottle (damn that's gonna be a lot of change) is drying as we speak.
Ah, water bottle...we've only just begun.
So exactly how much change can you fit in a 5 gallon bottle?
Good question. The answer is, I don't know, hence why the goal is on the list in the first place. I'm imagining that depending on what denomination of change goes in it could potentially be several hundred dollars. I think a low estimate would be, say, if it were all pennies, somewhere in the $500 range. I'm not a math person so I will not even attempt to figure the equation out in my head. I don't even know how long it will take to fill the whole thing. I figure if I stick with it and don't break down in a moment of desperation and cash it in, it'll take roughly a year to fill it completely to the top.
I will post pictures periodically updating the progress of filling the bottle. Until then...
Step number one...where to find a giant water bottle?
Answer: Hijack it.
I came across an empty bottle. Not that anyone is going to miss an empty water bottle and besides it's for a good cause.
Now my poor lonely, empty, 5 gallon bottle (damn that's gonna be a lot of change) is drying as we speak.
Ah, water bottle...we've only just begun.
So exactly how much change can you fit in a 5 gallon bottle?
Good question. The answer is, I don't know, hence why the goal is on the list in the first place. I'm imagining that depending on what denomination of change goes in it could potentially be several hundred dollars. I think a low estimate would be, say, if it were all pennies, somewhere in the $500 range. I'm not a math person so I will not even attempt to figure the equation out in my head. I don't even know how long it will take to fill the whole thing. I figure if I stick with it and don't break down in a moment of desperation and cash it in, it'll take roughly a year to fill it completely to the top.
I will post pictures periodically updating the progress of filling the bottle. Until then...
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Two New Goals
The crappy, rainy weather has kept me limited to work and indoor activities (where it's nice and warm) and solitary confinement has lead me to add yet two more items to the list that never seems to end.
Item #115- Take a photo with a famous celebrity. Haven't decided who yet. Will leave this open ended. I guess this means I need a new camera or a better phone.
Item#116- Do something unique to each season. I'm open to suggestions on this one. Here are some of my ideas so far:
Fall: a train ride to see fall foliage, apple picking
Winter: sleigh ride, Christmas tree lighting, caroling (although I can't sing...yikes!)
Spring: flower show, cherry blossom festival, Easter egg hunt
Summer: camp out, go to a baseball game
The idea here is do 4 unique seasonal things over the course of one year. It may not happen that way, but that's the aim.
Suggestions?
Item #115- Take a photo with a famous celebrity. Haven't decided who yet. Will leave this open ended. I guess this means I need a new camera or a better phone.
Item#116- Do something unique to each season. I'm open to suggestions on this one. Here are some of my ideas so far:
Fall: a train ride to see fall foliage, apple picking
Winter: sleigh ride, Christmas tree lighting, caroling (although I can't sing...yikes!)
Spring: flower show, cherry blossom festival, Easter egg hunt
Summer: camp out, go to a baseball game
The idea here is do 4 unique seasonal things over the course of one year. It may not happen that way, but that's the aim.
Suggestions?
Monday, October 27, 2008
Places to Eat Before You Die
Perfect timing...
Saw this article on yahoo today.
10 Places to Eat Before you Die
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-23566978;_ylc=X3oDMTFsbWswZmk1BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEX3MDMjcxOTQ4MQRwb3MDNgRzZWMDZnAtcHVsc2UEc2xrAzEwLjIyLjA4
Saw this article on yahoo today.
10 Places to Eat Before you Die
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-23566978;_ylc=X3oDMTFsbWswZmk1BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEX3MDMjcxOTQ4MQRwb3MDNgRzZWMDZnAtcHVsc2UEc2xrAzEwLjIyLjA4
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Curse of Item #12
If I was in the mood I would almost laugh about this...
So a week or two ago I set myself up to knock item #12 off my list, which is to go to the top of the Washington Monument. This is the third time this year I have tried to do this.
First of all tickets are notoriously hard to get on the day of... and you have to sort of plan around tourist season because in the summer time you can forget about it. So, I ordered a ticket a few weeks back on the National Park Service website thinking, this should be perfect...
I got up really early this morning, gave myself about an extra 30 min leeway to find a parking space downtown and go get my ticket from will call. I even had time to stop for coffee at 7-11. I'd been looking forward to this all week. So what could go wrong?
Wouldn't you know...I picked the day of the Marine Corp Marathon. Now if you're wondering what this has to do with my adventure, the MCM route runs right through downtown and past...the Washington Monument. It also means that every street for 3-4 blocks in each direction surrounding the Monument is blocked by one of DC's finest, who are also redirecting traffic down one way streets, which also not only jacks up traffic, but makes it all but impossible to find a parking space.
After driving around in circles for nearly 45 mins, I missed my will call time, got extremely frustrated and drove home where I now sit on my computer telling you this story about my disastrous morning. And as I said if I were in the mood I would almost laugh because it would seem that I am just not meant to knock what should be one of the easiest goals off my list.
Ah well, if at first you don't succeed skydiving is not for you (I shouldn't say that, skydiving is on my list...lol).
So a week or two ago I set myself up to knock item #12 off my list, which is to go to the top of the Washington Monument. This is the third time this year I have tried to do this.
First of all tickets are notoriously hard to get on the day of... and you have to sort of plan around tourist season because in the summer time you can forget about it. So, I ordered a ticket a few weeks back on the National Park Service website thinking, this should be perfect...
I got up really early this morning, gave myself about an extra 30 min leeway to find a parking space downtown and go get my ticket from will call. I even had time to stop for coffee at 7-11. I'd been looking forward to this all week. So what could go wrong?
Wouldn't you know...I picked the day of the Marine Corp Marathon. Now if you're wondering what this has to do with my adventure, the MCM route runs right through downtown and past...the Washington Monument. It also means that every street for 3-4 blocks in each direction surrounding the Monument is blocked by one of DC's finest, who are also redirecting traffic down one way streets, which also not only jacks up traffic, but makes it all but impossible to find a parking space.
After driving around in circles for nearly 45 mins, I missed my will call time, got extremely frustrated and drove home where I now sit on my computer telling you this story about my disastrous morning. And as I said if I were in the mood I would almost laugh because it would seem that I am just not meant to knock what should be one of the easiest goals off my list.
Ah well, if at first you don't succeed skydiving is not for you (I shouldn't say that, skydiving is on my list...lol).
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Living my life
Today started out normal enough, but lately I have been in a funk. I'm looking around me at all the people I know. I'm looking at what they are currently doing, what they've accomplished, where they're headed...
My birthday just passed and I'm nowhere close to where I'd like to be. That's not to say I haven't done anything at all, but it just seems small in the grand scheme of things I'd like to do.
Yesterday I took a look at my "life list"...don't look at me crazy, obviously I'm not the only one who has one otherwise you wouldn't be reading this...lol...and I decided instead of being worried about things that in some instances I can neither change or control, I'm going to do something everyday towards accomplishing one of the goals on my list. And to up the ante, I'm going to use this blog to talk about my list and to encourage everyone who reads this to accomplish their goals too.
It doesn't matter how mundane or silly or out of reach it seems--you want to ride an elephant (I did!), or just learn something new... you have a goal you want to accomplish, let's talk about it. I'll post up articles, advice and tips.
The rules are simple...build a life list (if you don't already have one or you're looking to add to it, there's a great website called my50.com that let's you build it online and has great suggestions!). It doesn't matter if your list has 3 things or 300 things...this is the forum that will make it happen.
To see my entire list click the link
http://www.my50.com/yourlistro.php?list=76bab02d3ef877df
My birthday just passed and I'm nowhere close to where I'd like to be. That's not to say I haven't done anything at all, but it just seems small in the grand scheme of things I'd like to do.
Yesterday I took a look at my "life list"...don't look at me crazy, obviously I'm not the only one who has one otherwise you wouldn't be reading this...lol...and I decided instead of being worried about things that in some instances I can neither change or control, I'm going to do something everyday towards accomplishing one of the goals on my list. And to up the ante, I'm going to use this blog to talk about my list and to encourage everyone who reads this to accomplish their goals too.
It doesn't matter how mundane or silly or out of reach it seems--you want to ride an elephant (I did!), or just learn something new... you have a goal you want to accomplish, let's talk about it. I'll post up articles, advice and tips.
The rules are simple...build a life list (if you don't already have one or you're looking to add to it, there's a great website called my50.com that let's you build it online and has great suggestions!). It doesn't matter if your list has 3 things or 300 things...this is the forum that will make it happen.
To see my entire list click the link
http://www.my50.com/yourlistro.php?list=76bab02d3ef877df
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