Basically, after I graduated Tufts undergrad, I made a list of all the stuff I wanted to accomplish before the ripe age of 30. Whelp: today I turn 27. Which means I have exactly 3 years to complete this list. It seems daunting, but after looking at what I've accomplished so far, it looks like I'm on pace. I mean, some of these things are going to require a serious shift in life priorities, but it's good to know that I'm on track.
1. Oktoberfest in Munich - I should begin preparations to research this for 2014. Who's in?
2. Get a dog - after Kyle obtained Beckett (click here to transport to puppytimes), it became clear that my mastery over such a creature must commence shortly.
3. Skydive - COMPLETE (there was this one time when I fell out of a plane but an altruistic parachute saved me)
4. Triathlon - COMPLETE. Well, it was a sprint triathlon, but still I'm counting it. I might try an all-out-no-chance-of-survival triathlon sometime in the future too though.
5. Climb Kilimanjaro - COMPLETE. I'm going to be honest here, that one was a stretch, but I pulled it off. And my life lesson was that it sucks to breath when you're at 19,300 ft and there's no oxygen.
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| Climbing to the Top of Africa should be on everyone's "Under 30" list |
7. Go to Yellowstone - COMPLETE.
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| It was majestic in all the right ways. I even made a couple of bear and moose buddies. |
9. Learn how to solo on the guitar - my current tactic to "completely ignore my guitar and forget everything I once knew about it" does not seem to be paying off. I'm going to have to switch strategies.
10. Go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras - ok, so my options are to do this either next year or the year after. I should figure this thing out.
11. Go to Japan - WHY DID I SET SUCH LOFTY GOALS. But no, I'm going to do this. Just you wait.
12. Eat the Vermonster - COMPLETE. It took a handful of ice cream warriors, but we pulled it off and kept the bucket as proof. Side note: you will not be allowed into the Hong Kong with a giant empty bucket. Who knew?
13. Paint the Tufts cannon - I need to just buy some paint and do this.
14. Drink around the world at Epcot - the idea is to drink one specialty drink from each of the countries in Epcot. It sounds like a fantastic day.
15. Wear Greenman suit to a sports game - COMPLETE. I went to a pre-season Eagles game when they came up to New England to play against the Patriots in full Greenman attire. It was great: the Eagles destroyed them (and then proceeded to have one of the worst seasons in years). I got a lot of strange looks, but that only fueled my pro-Eagles rage.
16. Eat the world's spiciest burger - COMPLETE (UGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH I REGRET EVERYTHING).
17. Get Master's Degree - COMPLETE. No thesis defense is complete without getting the worst migrane in the world and throwing up on your way home.
18. Backpack in the Alps - I've got a backpack and camera. Now all I need is the money and time.
19. Brew beer - COMPLETE. I have since brewed 7 different batches, and will be working with fellow n00b brewers on the 8th soon (RIGHT Alex???)
20. Hike the Presidentials - COMPLETE. It took 15 hours, but we got it done in one day. EPIC HIKE 2k11.
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| Some of it was inside a pingpong ball, but that's how the White Mountains operate |
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| The weather is... perfect? Is this really SF? |
22. Hike all 48 4000 footers of the White Mountains - COMPLETE. Great way to get out and hike a bunch of different mountains (while also trying microspikes, snowshoeing, not dying in freezing cold weather, etc.).
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| It's Skyrim |
13/23 completed. These next three years are going to either be epic or heartbreaking.
