Dec 26, 2008
Originally posted on Half an Hour, December 26, 2008.
I don't know why, it just caught my eye. My life took quite a while to get revved up, but t has, especially in recent years, become very full. From Doug Johnson and Susan Sedro (who draws our attention to the American-European bias of the original list).
Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to - leave in plain font
1. Started your own blog. Several times, including this one.
2. Slept under the stars. Numerous times, most recently on the beach on Fuerteventura.
3. Played in a band. School band. Drums.
4. Visited Hawaii. Several times, on the way to Australia. Not outside the airport, though. But I'm slated for an actual visit next year.
5. Watched a meteor shower. Numerous times.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity. That ridiculous turquoise lamp I bought for every cent I had at an AIDS findraiser while in university.
7. Been to Disneyland/world. Disneyland. Twice. Only main street, though; I wouldn't consider paying those kind of prices to see the rest.
8. Climbed a mountain. Several. Sulphur Mountain, in Banff. Also Tunnel Mountain. They weren't hard mountains. But I climbed them, and they count.
9. Held a praying mantis. Several times, as a kid.I haven't seen one in years. They are very delicate, very safe, dangerous only to other insects.10. Sang a solo. Many times. Badly. My most memorable solos were at Camp Opemmikon, as a counsellor.
11. Bungee jumped. No. It's not going to happen, either.
12. Visited Paris. No. I've never been to France, so here's a bunch of France-related things on this list I haven't done. Obviously, I'd like to go, one day.
13. Watched a lightening storm at sea. From an airplane. That counts, as it was way out over the Pacific.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch. Woodworking and power tools. I've redone my dining room in the last year.
15. Adopted a child. No, and I have no plans to.
16. Had food poisoning. Ick, yes. Several times. I am as a result now very cautious about food.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. No, but I've walked to the top of Batu Caves and to the op of St. Peter's Dome. I just haven't sepnd enough time in New York to take the trip out to the Statue.
18. Grown your own vegetables. Many, many times. Including red peppers, indoors.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France. France.
20. Slept on an overnight train. Many times, most recently from Barcelona to Cadiz.
21. Had a pillow fight. With a former girlfriend, in my attic apartment in Edmonton.
22. Hitch hiked. Many, many times. In 1975-76 I hitch-hiked to work and back every day to and from my job at the Rideau-Carleton Raceway, in Ottawa.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill. Hasn't everyone?
24. Built a snow fort. Many, many snow forts, as a kid. They are over-rated, because there's not much point having a fort unless there's a war, which means you have to get the whole neighborhood involved. Which isn't so easy.
25. Held a lamb. I've held many types of animals, but not lambs. It never came up.
26. Gone skinny dipping. At the quarry near the highway near Metcalfe.
27. Run a marathon. No, but I did run the Metcalfe Walk (for charity) once, 20 miles. Came in 4th.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice. No, I've never been to Venice. I'd love to, one day, before it sinks.
29. Seen a total eclipse. Several times. They're hard to avoid.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset. More times than I can count. I especially like sunrises - nothing like the dawn of a new day.
31. Hit a home run. Once, in a real game. We philosophers were three runs down in the bottom of the last inning. I was first up, and had been hotting singles all day. This time, I belted a deep shot to left field and scored the first run. We scored three more runs in the inning for our one and only win as a team. The beer never tasted so good.
32. Been on a cruise. While I was on Gran Canaria. It was fabulous.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person. In 2006. Andrea and I went to Hamilton for my brother's wedding, missed the date by a week, and had a vacation instead.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors. So far as I know. My best guess is that my ancestors are from the Isle of Man.
35. Seen an Amish community. I think so, just a few weeks ago, on my way to the Bruce penninsula. Their buggies were all over.
36. Taught yourself a new language. Spanish. poorly. But I'm getting better.
37.Had enough money to be truly satisfied. Satisfaction has nothing to do with money, except for those times n my life when I was touched by deep poverty.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person. Never been to Pisa.
39. Gone rock climbing. I've climbed rock faces. Not officially 'rock climbing', though, with all the equipment. I'm claiming it anyways; it was a lot of work.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person. No. Obviously, I need to spend some time in Italy. The short time I was there, I spent at the ruins in Rome and the Vatican.
41. Sung Karaoke. Badly. But quite a bit, especially at the Inglewood in Edmonton. Most recently at the D2L conference last summer in Memphis.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant. Maybe one day.
44. Visited Africa. Yes, in 2006. South Africa and Lesotho.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight. Many times most recently in Cadiz.
46. Been transported in an ambulance. Once. In 1978, I was cycling down Bank Street - telephone poles were actually on the road, I hit one, bounced off a car, and wrenched my back.
47. Had your portrait painted. Several times (I'm assuming sketching and drawing count here).
48. Gone deep sea fishing. No, and I have no desire to. There's few enough fish in the sea as it is.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. France again.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling. Snorkeled. Not as much fun as it looks. Works a lot better if your body doesn't naturally sink to the bottom.
52. Kissed in the rain. Not nearly as romantic as it sounds (people forget that rain in Canada is usually very cold).
53. Played in the mud. Oh, of course, many times.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater. My very first time, as a child, I saw the first half of taxi Driver (before my parents realized what a mistake they'd made).
55. Been in a movie. No. No particular desire (unless you include my own videos).
56. Visited the Great Wall of China. Sigh. One day.
57. Started a business. Active Janitorial Contracting, in Calgary, in 1982. Terrible idea.
58. Taken a martial arts class High school electives. I studied judo. Not for long, though.
59. Visited Russia. Sigh. One day.
60. Served at a soup kitchen. I don't think I've ever lived in a place with a soup kitchen. We do have a meals on wheels bus, though. But I haven't volunteered - not time.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies. I am going to assume that selling Boy Scout apples counts here, which I did as a boy scout.
62. Gone whale watching. Does it count if we nver actually saw any whales?
63. Gotten flowers for no reason. Daffodils.
64. Donated blood. Once, in order to learn that my blood type is O positive. Not sure why I never did again.
65. Gone sky diving. No. And it's not going to happen.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp. I have no real desire to either.
67. Bounced a check. Um, yeah. In my 20s. Lots. Haven't for decades, though.
68. Flown in a helicopter. One day.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. I have an old munitions box filled with stuff from my childhood. Funny - I have't even seen it for ages, but it was in a dream of mine last night.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial. Just this past summer. The Jefferson Memorial, too.
71. Eaten Caviar. But I don't like it.
72. Pieced a quilt. I don't even know what that means. It probably won't ever happen, though.
73. Stood in Times Square. And I took a picture of some nearly naked guy playing guitar.
74. Toured the Everglades. Never been to Florida.
75. Been fired from a job. Once. As a dishwasher at the Glebe Centre, a retirement home in Ottawa.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London. All the times I've been to London, and I've never even seen Buckingham Palace.
77. Broken a bone. Once. My right ankle. Playing volleyball.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. I owned a motorcycle in 1977-78 and drove it all over, flipped it a few times, ended up in a bush once, gave myself road rash a few times, and once went to Vermont.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person. From an airplane.
80. Published a book. Two, actually, while I worked for the Development Education Coordinating Council of Alberta.
81. Visited the Vatican. And climbed to the top of St. Peters.
82. Bought a brand new car. But I bought one once with something like 9,000 kilometers on it.
83. Walked in Jerusalem. Never been close.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper. Many times.
85. Read the entire Bible. More than once. And create a chat of all the people in it.
86. Visited the White House. I assume looking at it from outside the fence doesn't count.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. Fish.
88. Had chickenpox. During Easter vacation in grade two. Can you believe it?
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury. It's not nearly as common in Canada.
91. Met someone famous. It depends, of course, on wat you call famous. I shook jack Layton's hand just a few weeks ago.
92. Joined a book club. BOMC. With my father, when I was in high school (we split the costs and the choices). I still have the books - both my books and his.
93. Lost a loved one. My father. Also, in Brandon, my best friend committed suicide.
94. Had a baby. Not going to happen, either, even though men can have babies these days.
95. Seen the Alamo in person. In 1980, when I was in Texas for a month. I also walked around the San Antonio canal. Lost all of the pictures from that visit, though - a disaster. Inexperience with my new 35mm camera.
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake. Ew, why would I want to?
97. Been involved in a law suit. Several. I was sued once, by a student union president. And I led a million dollar lawsuit against the University of Alberta - which we won!
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee. Many times. I used to catch them as a kid.
I don't know why, it just caught my eye. My life took quite a while to get revved up, but t has, especially in recent years, become very full. From Doug Johnson and Susan Sedro (who draws our attention to the American-European bias of the original list).
Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to - leave in plain font
1. Started your own blog. Several times, including this one.
2. Slept under the stars. Numerous times, most recently on the beach on Fuerteventura.
3. Played in a band. School band. Drums.
4. Visited Hawaii. Several times, on the way to Australia. Not outside the airport, though. But I'm slated for an actual visit next year.
5. Watched a meteor shower. Numerous times.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity. That ridiculous turquoise lamp I bought for every cent I had at an AIDS findraiser while in university.
7. Been to Disneyland/world. Disneyland. Twice. Only main street, though; I wouldn't consider paying those kind of prices to see the rest.
8. Climbed a mountain. Several. Sulphur Mountain, in Banff. Also Tunnel Mountain. They weren't hard mountains. But I climbed them, and they count.
9. Held a praying mantis. Several times, as a kid.I haven't seen one in years. They are very delicate, very safe, dangerous only to other insects.10. Sang a solo. Many times. Badly. My most memorable solos were at Camp Opemmikon, as a counsellor.
11. Bungee jumped. No. It's not going to happen, either.
12. Visited Paris. No. I've never been to France, so here's a bunch of France-related things on this list I haven't done. Obviously, I'd like to go, one day.
13. Watched a lightening storm at sea. From an airplane. That counts, as it was way out over the Pacific.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch. Woodworking and power tools. I've redone my dining room in the last year.
15. Adopted a child. No, and I have no plans to.
16. Had food poisoning. Ick, yes. Several times. I am as a result now very cautious about food.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. No, but I've walked to the top of Batu Caves and to the op of St. Peter's Dome. I just haven't sepnd enough time in New York to take the trip out to the Statue.
18. Grown your own vegetables. Many, many times. Including red peppers, indoors.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France. France.
20. Slept on an overnight train. Many times, most recently from Barcelona to Cadiz.
21. Had a pillow fight. With a former girlfriend, in my attic apartment in Edmonton.
22. Hitch hiked. Many, many times. In 1975-76 I hitch-hiked to work and back every day to and from my job at the Rideau-Carleton Raceway, in Ottawa.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill. Hasn't everyone?
24. Built a snow fort. Many, many snow forts, as a kid. They are over-rated, because there's not much point having a fort unless there's a war, which means you have to get the whole neighborhood involved. Which isn't so easy.
25. Held a lamb. I've held many types of animals, but not lambs. It never came up.
26. Gone skinny dipping. At the quarry near the highway near Metcalfe.
27. Run a marathon. No, but I did run the Metcalfe Walk (for charity) once, 20 miles. Came in 4th.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice. No, I've never been to Venice. I'd love to, one day, before it sinks.
29. Seen a total eclipse. Several times. They're hard to avoid.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset. More times than I can count. I especially like sunrises - nothing like the dawn of a new day.
31. Hit a home run. Once, in a real game. We philosophers were three runs down in the bottom of the last inning. I was first up, and had been hotting singles all day. This time, I belted a deep shot to left field and scored the first run. We scored three more runs in the inning for our one and only win as a team. The beer never tasted so good.
32. Been on a cruise. While I was on Gran Canaria. It was fabulous.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person. In 2006. Andrea and I went to Hamilton for my brother's wedding, missed the date by a week, and had a vacation instead.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors. So far as I know. My best guess is that my ancestors are from the Isle of Man.
35. Seen an Amish community. I think so, just a few weeks ago, on my way to the Bruce penninsula. Their buggies were all over.
36. Taught yourself a new language. Spanish. poorly. But I'm getting better.
37.Had enough money to be truly satisfied. Satisfaction has nothing to do with money, except for those times n my life when I was touched by deep poverty.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person. Never been to Pisa.
39. Gone rock climbing. I've climbed rock faces. Not officially 'rock climbing', though, with all the equipment. I'm claiming it anyways; it was a lot of work.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person. No. Obviously, I need to spend some time in Italy. The short time I was there, I spent at the ruins in Rome and the Vatican.
41. Sung Karaoke. Badly. But quite a bit, especially at the Inglewood in Edmonton. Most recently at the D2L conference last summer in Memphis.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant. Maybe one day.
44. Visited Africa. Yes, in 2006. South Africa and Lesotho.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight. Many times most recently in Cadiz.
46. Been transported in an ambulance. Once. In 1978, I was cycling down Bank Street - telephone poles were actually on the road, I hit one, bounced off a car, and wrenched my back.
47. Had your portrait painted. Several times (I'm assuming sketching and drawing count here).
48. Gone deep sea fishing. No, and I have no desire to. There's few enough fish in the sea as it is.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. France again.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling. Snorkeled. Not as much fun as it looks. Works a lot better if your body doesn't naturally sink to the bottom.
52. Kissed in the rain. Not nearly as romantic as it sounds (people forget that rain in Canada is usually very cold).
53. Played in the mud. Oh, of course, many times.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater. My very first time, as a child, I saw the first half of taxi Driver (before my parents realized what a mistake they'd made).
55. Been in a movie. No. No particular desire (unless you include my own videos).
56. Visited the Great Wall of China. Sigh. One day.
57. Started a business. Active Janitorial Contracting, in Calgary, in 1982. Terrible idea.
58. Taken a martial arts class High school electives. I studied judo. Not for long, though.
59. Visited Russia. Sigh. One day.
60. Served at a soup kitchen. I don't think I've ever lived in a place with a soup kitchen. We do have a meals on wheels bus, though. But I haven't volunteered - not time.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies. I am going to assume that selling Boy Scout apples counts here, which I did as a boy scout.
62. Gone whale watching. Does it count if we nver actually saw any whales?
63. Gotten flowers for no reason. Daffodils.
64. Donated blood. Once, in order to learn that my blood type is O positive. Not sure why I never did again.
65. Gone sky diving. No. And it's not going to happen.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp. I have no real desire to either.
67. Bounced a check. Um, yeah. In my 20s. Lots. Haven't for decades, though.
68. Flown in a helicopter. One day.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. I have an old munitions box filled with stuff from my childhood. Funny - I have't even seen it for ages, but it was in a dream of mine last night.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial. Just this past summer. The Jefferson Memorial, too.
71. Eaten Caviar. But I don't like it.
72. Pieced a quilt. I don't even know what that means. It probably won't ever happen, though.
73. Stood in Times Square. And I took a picture of some nearly naked guy playing guitar.
74. Toured the Everglades. Never been to Florida.
75. Been fired from a job. Once. As a dishwasher at the Glebe Centre, a retirement home in Ottawa.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London. All the times I've been to London, and I've never even seen Buckingham Palace.
77. Broken a bone. Once. My right ankle. Playing volleyball.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. I owned a motorcycle in 1977-78 and drove it all over, flipped it a few times, ended up in a bush once, gave myself road rash a few times, and once went to Vermont.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person. From an airplane.
80. Published a book. Two, actually, while I worked for the Development Education Coordinating Council of Alberta.
81. Visited the Vatican. And climbed to the top of St. Peters.
82. Bought a brand new car. But I bought one once with something like 9,000 kilometers on it.
83. Walked in Jerusalem. Never been close.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper. Many times.
85. Read the entire Bible. More than once. And create a chat of all the people in it.
86. Visited the White House. I assume looking at it from outside the fence doesn't count.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. Fish.
88. Had chickenpox. During Easter vacation in grade two. Can you believe it?
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury. It's not nearly as common in Canada.
91. Met someone famous. It depends, of course, on wat you call famous. I shook jack Layton's hand just a few weeks ago.
92. Joined a book club. BOMC. With my father, when I was in high school (we split the costs and the choices). I still have the books - both my books and his.
93. Lost a loved one. My father. Also, in Brandon, my best friend committed suicide.
94. Had a baby. Not going to happen, either, even though men can have babies these days.
95. Seen the Alamo in person. In 1980, when I was in Texas for a month. I also walked around the San Antonio canal. Lost all of the pictures from that visit, though - a disaster. Inexperience with my new 35mm camera.
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake. Ew, why would I want to?
97. Been involved in a law suit. Several. I was sued once, by a student union president. And I led a million dollar lawsuit against the University of Alberta - which we won!
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee. Many times. I used to catch them as a kid.
