50 Things @ 50

Well today is a special day for me. Yes today-July 11, 2018 is my 50th Birthday! It scarcely seems possible. Moments that seemed like yesterday are getting more distant its true, but when you realize that the distance is 20, 30 or maybe even 40 years ago you know you’re getting old! Those of you close to me know that there have been some changes in my life recently and it has been a little chaotic. But as this day drew nearer I started thinking about how I wanted to celebrate it. The celebratory with friends and family part starts tonight and will continue for the next three nights, but I wanted to do something more to mark the occasion. I remembered a friend had done a 50 things to do bucket list to mark the occasion and I decided to do the same thing.

The goal is to do as many of these with my friends as possible in the next year. The deadline will be before my 51st birthday in 2019. Some are things I have always wanted to do. Some are more recent. Some are places I have long wanted to go to which includes places in my own home town. A few are things I have done on some level before but want to do them bigger and better than I originally did them. Altogether the list was actually harder to put together than I thought it would be. I could just list travel destinations but it seems unlikely to get too many of those done in one year. So for any of you out there reading this who want to be a part of it, let me know in the comments below after the list! Activities are more fun with friends. Some of them I will really need to rely on you, my friends to help me do it.

To really do this list up right though, I thought it would be extra fun to write about my experiences doing everything off this list. So…welcome to a new corner of my blog not related to music or photography! The plan is to write a short piece about each one, let you all know what the next one will be, and continue going until I’m finished. I’m really excited for this. So without delay, here is the full list!

1. Take a train or plane somewhere completely on a whim with no plans
2. Ride a jet ski
3. Paint or draw art
4. Run a 5K race
5. Learn a whole song on the guitar
6. Be a guest bartender
7. Have a photo featured on a major site
8. Get a shout out from a singer on stage
9. Swim naked in the ocean
10. Get a tattoo
11. Get ear pierced
12. Camp at the beach
13. Keep score at a baseball game
14. Begin learning a language
15. Finish writing my book
16. Be a guest speaker
17. Go whitewater rafting
18. Do a big zipline
19. Eat new and exotic foods
20. Exhibit photos at a group show
21. Go to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
22. Go to the Neue Gallery in Manhattan
23. Go to the Tenement Museum in Manhattan
24. Go to the Statue Of Liberty
25. Go Bird Watching
26. Go Sky watching/Astronomy with someone knowledgeable
27. Take a cooking class
28. Bake Bread
29. Bake a Cake
30. Write a Poem
31. Through-Hike somewhere
32. Climb a mountain
33. Take sailing lessons
34. See the wild horses on Assateague Island
35. Win money on a horse race
36. Take a photography class
37. Drive 100mph on a back road
38. Visit New Orleans
39. Read at least 50 books
40. Ride a moped or scooter
41. Learn to make a really complex cocktail
42. Ride a steam train
43. Go parasailing
44. Learn Tai Chi
45. Have an article published in a magazine or website
46. Go on a random road trip
47. Build something
48. Learn a magic trick
49. Be a guest DJ
50. Make a new list when this list is completely finished!

 

So, sit back and enjoy what I know will be some fun and challenging exploits. And you are welcome to join me or at the very least, encourage me as I go forward.