When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look your eyes had once,
And of their shadows deep.

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face.

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

– William Butler Yeats

As one gets older, distance and days seem shorter and shorter.

As a child I remember going to summer camp near Wisconsin Dells for a total of five days and four nights. That seemed like an eternity. And it wasn’t that far; maybe 70 miles, which was a million miles to me at the time. So far, in fact, I even sent a postcard to my parents the first morning after arriving. Unfortunately I arrived at home long before my postcard ever did.

Where does the time go? Weeks used to pass so slowly as I ached to see the weekend finally come. Now, it seems, the days pass ever so quickly. For me Friday arrives mere moments after Sunday ends. As such, I began pondering all of my accomplishments in life…and yes, my failures, too. And it seemed like a good time to make a list of things I want to do before I die.

Some might consider the act of preparing a bucket list a bit morose. For me, it was actually quite liberating. When I was done I had this long list of the things I always dreamed of doing, but never had the gumption to face. Later in life would each of those tasks haunt me as I grew frail and old?

I see my upcoming trip as one big reset button in life; the ultimate do-over. And while I can not guarantee success, I do know I will fight hard to ensure failure is not an option.

1. Learn how to ride a motorcycle. 10/1/2009
2. Climb to the top of a mountain.
3. Sell everything I don’t need (once). 10/15/2009
4. Go without a TV for a year. 1/15/2009
5. Grow a beard and leave it for at least a month. 12/1/2009
6. Spend a month in New York City.
7. Start a blog and write something every day for at least a year (IN PROGRESS).
8. Learn how to score a baseball game.
9. Learn how to play the piano.
10. Teach someone something new.
11. See the pyramids of Egypt.
12. Join ‘Habitats for Humanity’ and help build a house.
13. Watch a movie at a drive-in movie theater.
14. Leave myself a letter in a library book. Look for it 20 years later.
15. Attend a service of every major religious denomination in America.
16. Pilot a canoe down a really long river.
17. Photograph the Patagonian region of South America.
18. Sing in public. 10/31/2009
19. Ride on an Alaskan crab boat.
20. Help someone get out of a hole.
21. See a volcano erupt.
22. Purchase and master the use of a large format film camera.
23. Go on a trip without knowing the final destination.
24. Own my own studio and gallery.
25. Ride a hot air balloon.
26. Photograph polar bears in the wild.
27. Participate in at least one alumni basketball tournament.
28. Learn how to play pool well.
29. Rescue my grandfather’s embroidery patterns (IN PROGRESS).
30. Learn how to give a woman an amazing massage.
31. Attend a session of the U.S. Supreme Court.
32. Become a minimalist (IN PROGRESS).
33. Paint a huge mural or painting.
34. Send a message in a bottle.
35. Photograph a complete story.
36. Learn to listen better.
37. Every month cook great food and share it with other people.
41. Build a tree house.
42. Write a letter to everyone I love.
43. Visit Antarctica.
44. Learn how to tie 10 different knots (from memory).
45. See the Packers in the Super Bowl.
46. Learn how to speak Italian.
47. See the launch of a rocket into space.
48. Learn how to take a compliment.
49. Become a millionaire.
50. Ride the Trans-Siberian train across Asia.
51. Shower in a waterfall.
52. Write my will.
53. Sleep under the stars.
54. Grow a garden.
55. Go fly fishing and eat my catch.
53. Create a family tree.
54. Learn to sail a boat.
55. Join a bowling league.
56. Learn to say “hello” in 50 languages.
57. Go on a helicopter ride.
58. Create a photograph that makes a difference.
59. Visit all 50 of the United States.
60. Quit smoking (IN PROGRESS).
61. Create a list of 100 books and read them all.
62. Photograph a professional football game from the sidelines.
63. Go on an African safari.
64. Create a list of 100 movies and watch them all.
65. Get yourself into the best shape of your life.
66. Visit southern Europe (i.e. Italy, Spain, and Greece).
67. Coach a little league football game.
68. Run for public office.
69. Make love in the middle of a field or forest in late summer.
70. Learn how to make a fire without matches or a lighter.
71. Go scuba diving.
72. Visit my family’s hometowns.
73. Get a tattoo.
74. Drink beer at Oktoberfest in Munich.
75. Get a powerful telescope and study the moon and stars.
76. Have a photograph published in National Geographic.
77. Read the Bible.
78. Walk 20 miles.
79. Patent something.
80. Play poker in Las Vegas.
81. Tag along with a storm chaser during tornado season.
82. Make it onto a television game show.
83. Fast for three days.
84. Apologize to all of the people I’ve hurt.
85. Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Times Square.
86. Eat at one of Gordon Ramsey’s restaurants.
87. Take a vow of silence for a week.
88. Shave a beautiful woman’s legs.
89. Take a polar bear plunge somewhere cold on New Year’s Day.
90. Get a shave, in a barbershop, with hot lather.
91. Write and publish a book.
92. Throw a real party.
93. Rebuild a carburetor.
94. Play rugby.
95. Fly in World War II airplane.
96. Fabricate something large out of wood.
97. Sleep outside for a week.
98. Have sex in public.
99. Forgive the unforgivable.
100. Cheat death.
101. Learn how to use a sextant.

Note to self: Start now, explore, be honest, and be brave.