A list of things I want to do before I die

Circa 1996-1997, my friend Suzanne Mitts told me about a magazine article she had read in which the columnist recommended to write a list of 20 things that you wanted to do before you died. I read the article, and it inspired me to create such a list. I've been carrying this list in my wallet ever since, although I rarely consult it. Interestingly, I would still like to do most of these things. Here is the list I put together about 8 years ago. I've bolded the entries that I've achieved, italicized the entries I've made progress on and parenthesized the entries that no longer interest me as much as they once did:

  • Visit Alaska
  • Learn to play the guitar
  • Publish a novel
  • Buy a house by the time I am 30
  • Own my own business
  • Acquire an MBA degree
  • Visit Poland/Eastern Europe
  • Visit Italy
  • Tour Europe in general
  • Go to a Superbowl
  • Get, and stay, in shape
  • Tour the U.S. for vacation
  • (Learn to speak Russian)
  • Hold a public office
  • Learn to program computers
  • Visit all 50 states and take a photo at each state's welcome sign
  • Learn to play the piano
  • Act in a play
  • Own a Siberian Husky
  • Parachute
  • Complete a triathalon
  • (Celebrate New Year's Eve in Time's Square)

This entry will be a nice way to chart progress toward these goals. I'll see if I can't get most of these entries bolded before I meet my demise.


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