A To-do List

The last post generated more commentary than most, so I decided to go with another list.  Most of the comments were private:  emails, text messages, etc., not public on the blog – no matter.  I like them all.  Keep the cards and letters coming.

This list (from Men’s Health) comprises things that a person should have done by the time they turn 50, according to a poll of 2,000 fifty-something citizens of the UK.  The bottom line for me is that the list itself is 248 words long, meaning I only need another 750 or so to get near my target of 1000 words.

1. Buy a house. 1/1
2. Have kids. 2/2
3. Get married. 3/3
4. Fall in love. Shouldn’t this come before no. 3? 4/4
5. Eat fish and chips on the pier. I’ve eaten all kinds of things on piers. 5/5
6. Donate blood. Gallons. 6/6
7. Read 100 books. 7/7
8. See your favorite band live. All three – Talking Heads, REM, and Peter Gabriel. 8/8
9. Learn a language. I can read French as well as most 6-year old Parisians. I’m counting it.  9/9
10. Attend a music festival. I’ve never been to anything approximating Woodstock or Bonnaroo, but to many smaller events. 10/10
11. Own a dog. Many times, including now. 11/11
12. Learn to say no to your mother. She’s still not happy about it. 12/12
13. Stay out all night partying. I hope to never do this again. 13/13
14. See the Northern Lights. I don’t feel like I missed much. 13/14
15. Visit Stonehenge. Second miss, this one hurts a little. Given that the poll was UK based, the largest ancient monument in your country can probably be substituted.  Not sure what that would be in the US.  13/15
16. Remember where the gas cap is. 14/16
17. Travel somewhere alone. Yes, but not lately. 15/17
18. Sleep underneath the stars. Great way to watch a meteor shower in Maine. The bugs were not friendly.  16/18
19. Watch a meteor shower. See above. 17/19
20. Dance in the rain. Naked even — I was quite young. 18/20
21. Become an expert at something. Hmmn, I probably qualify, more likely for baseball than the law. 19/21
22. Quit a job. Does involuntarily count? Either way, I’ve done it.  20/22
23. See a volcano. Does it have to be active? Either way, it’s a fail.  20/23
24. Visit all seven continents. Not even close. I know one person who has been to Antarctica.  20/24
25. Throw a coin in the Trevi fountain. I think any trip to Rome satisfies this item. Haven’t done that.  20/25
26. Take a helicopter ride. Not in the future either, unless I’m being rescued or medevaced. 20/26
27. Have sex on a beach. Pass. This is a G-rated blog.
28. Swim with dolphins. Not yet, not ever. 20/27
29. Go skinny dipping. Yes, no details — see no. 27.  21/28
30. Ride a gondola in Venice. I still hold it against the Doge that he led a successful attack on Constantinople in 1204. That’s not what kept me away from Venice.  21/29
31. Make a snow angel. Many times — in multiple states. 22/30
32. Take part in a protest. I have engaged in many one-man protests, primarily against restaurants and retail establishments, but no actual political protest. 22/31
33. Own your own business. The Pub Out Back, established in 2012, sold in 2016. 23/32
34. Go in a hot air balloon. See helicopter, no. 26. 23/33
35. Ride an elephant. I make it a practice to avoid all animals that can kill me without even realizing it. 23/34
36. Climb Snowdonia. I certainly haven’t climbed Snowdonia, which is in Wales. I’m going to substitute any substantial local ascent.  I’ve been to the highest point in a least three states.  The scariest was the drive up Mount Washington.  The lanes on the road are so narrow, I recommend taking a small car.  24/35
37. Jump into a pool fully clothed. “Jump” suggests intentionality, so getting thrown in doesn’t count, but lakes and ponds do. 25/36
38. Backpack across Europe. This is an epic fail. 25/37.
39. Perfect a signature dish. Mine is only suitable for company at breakfast. 26/38
40. Drink beer at Oktoberfest. Been to many Oktoberfests in the US. Any fall Saturday when the Buckeyes are playing a home game is a comparable experience, though probably better.  26/39
41. Run a marathon. The longest run of my life was something over 10 miles. 26/40
42. Get a tattoo. I’m sure there is a price at which I would agree to get a tattoo. I just don’t know anyone stupid enough to offer what it would take.  26/41
43. Ride a Vespa. This is too specific. I’m counting any two-wheeled motorized vehicle driven on a road.  A moped in Bermuda counts.  27/42
44. Watch comedy at Edinburgh Fringe. I’ll accept any comedy festival, not that I’ve been to any. 27/43
45. Write a novel. I’ve often said I wanted to write a novel. 27/44
46. Write a journal. I did this for years. It provides deep insight into the trivia that can occur to the mind of a person hell bent on writing something just for the sake of writing something.  28/45
47. Spend a month technology free. Many times, all before I was 35. 29/46
48. Try drugs. Not even pot. No regrets.  29/47
49. Have a threesome. Pass – G-rated blog.
50. Go to an airport and pick a random flight. This just sounds stupid. I can’t imagine anyone doing this, even my friends who have millions of frequent flyer miles.  29/48

I’ve always liked lists – longest rivers, home run leaders, most populous cities, deadliest snakes, etc.  This one is pretty good.  One obvious omission (to me) is attend a live sporting event featuring your favorite team.

I look forward to hearing about your success rate.  I figure my 60% will be on the low side.

p.s. Microsoft Word indicated that this post had 999 words.  WordPress (blogging software) indicates that this post is 883 words.  Although this “p.s.” has pushed it over 900.  The discrepancy is usually under ten words.