Saturday, October 31, 2009
Giving Myself a Mulligan
Well, as far as completing my 30 Before 30 list has gone, I didn’t meet my goals. I completed 17 items completely, have some that are in the works, and several that haven’t even been touched.
But wait…I HAVE EXCUSES!!! In order, they read:
2. Try 30 new ethnic foods – I am about halfway there, but I find it difficult since Federal Way is sorely lacking in ethnic restaurants and since so many things have rice in them, which I don’t eat.
4. Lose 30 pounds – Technically – technically – I did this one. I lost 30 pounds since I started this list. The problem is, I put a large chunk of it back on. Flip-flopping work schedules, medical issues, and Little Rae’s Picture Cookies are largely to blame.
7. Inventory my DVDs – This is a work in progress. I have more DVDs than most people (and some stores) and I am not the world’s fastest typist. I’m on my way, though!
9. Read a classic novel, cover to cover, in one sitting – Ok, this one is just a result of chores and laziness. I tend to spend my free time running errands and working on the house, as well as watching movies and trading gripes about jobs with the missus.
10. Do 100 push-ups – This was harder than I thought it would be. It meant that I had to work hard and train. As if.
13. Run around Green Lake – I could have done this one, I just never made the time.
22. Try 30 new kinds of produce – This one proved a lot more challenging than I ever would have guessed, simply because I’ve had so many different kinds throughout my life. Finding new items isn’t always easy.
23. Write something and get it published – This is actually done. An article I wrote for the Inter Urban Runners Club was written and submitted before my birthday, but didn’t get published until after. Counts, though…
26. Have a picnic in a park – I just never managed to squeeze this one in. When we’re out of town, we like to try new restaurants. When we’re in town, we tend to sit on our butts and eat at home.
27. Beat Super Mario Bros. on the original NES – I never found time to get to this one either…
29. Find a town I’ve never heard of on a map, drive there, eat somewhere locally, see the sights, and leave – Again, I just never found the time for this one. Complicating matters is that a lot of the towns I’ve never heard of have nothing worth going to see.
30. Learn to juggle – Workin’ on it. Our lovely and gracious culinary artist Surtida taught me how, and I can kinda juggle, but not enough to count it.
If modern American society and video games have taught me anything, it’s that you can redo anything you want and still count it. So I’m gonna.
My reasoning is as follows: I started my list in January, so I didn’t even give myself a full year. That’s just not even fair.
That being said, I am extending my deadline to January 1. My pledge is to have completed this effin list by the start of the new year, which won’t exactly count, but dammit man, I can’t let it drop, and if I don’t set a new deadline, I’ll never finish.
While I’m off for a few days on my mini Halloween vacation, I plan on cranking through as many more things as I can. Once this is list is finished, I will also start work on my 40 Before 40, which will be tougher, but this time I’ve got a whole decade. *sigh*
But wait…I HAVE EXCUSES!!! In order, they read:
2. Try 30 new ethnic foods – I am about halfway there, but I find it difficult since Federal Way is sorely lacking in ethnic restaurants and since so many things have rice in them, which I don’t eat.
4. Lose 30 pounds – Technically – technically – I did this one. I lost 30 pounds since I started this list. The problem is, I put a large chunk of it back on. Flip-flopping work schedules, medical issues, and Little Rae’s Picture Cookies are largely to blame.
7. Inventory my DVDs – This is a work in progress. I have more DVDs than most people (and some stores) and I am not the world’s fastest typist. I’m on my way, though!
9. Read a classic novel, cover to cover, in one sitting – Ok, this one is just a result of chores and laziness. I tend to spend my free time running errands and working on the house, as well as watching movies and trading gripes about jobs with the missus.
10. Do 100 push-ups – This was harder than I thought it would be. It meant that I had to work hard and train. As if.
13. Run around Green Lake – I could have done this one, I just never made the time.
22. Try 30 new kinds of produce – This one proved a lot more challenging than I ever would have guessed, simply because I’ve had so many different kinds throughout my life. Finding new items isn’t always easy.
23. Write something and get it published – This is actually done. An article I wrote for the Inter Urban Runners Club was written and submitted before my birthday, but didn’t get published until after. Counts, though…
26. Have a picnic in a park – I just never managed to squeeze this one in. When we’re out of town, we like to try new restaurants. When we’re in town, we tend to sit on our butts and eat at home.
27. Beat Super Mario Bros. on the original NES – I never found time to get to this one either…
29. Find a town I’ve never heard of on a map, drive there, eat somewhere locally, see the sights, and leave – Again, I just never found the time for this one. Complicating matters is that a lot of the towns I’ve never heard of have nothing worth going to see.
30. Learn to juggle – Workin’ on it. Our lovely and gracious culinary artist Surtida taught me how, and I can kinda juggle, but not enough to count it.
If modern American society and video games have taught me anything, it’s that you can redo anything you want and still count it. So I’m gonna.
My reasoning is as follows: I started my list in January, so I didn’t even give myself a full year. That’s just not even fair.
That being said, I am extending my deadline to January 1. My pledge is to have completed this effin list by the start of the new year, which won’t exactly count, but dammit man, I can’t let it drop, and if I don’t set a new deadline, I’ll never finish.
While I’m off for a few days on my mini Halloween vacation, I plan on cranking through as many more things as I can. Once this is list is finished, I will also start work on my 40 Before 40, which will be tougher, but this time I’ve got a whole decade. *sigh*
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Almost there...
Wow. In 9 days I will be halfway to 60. This came up on me much faster than I thought it would. With regards to my list, there will be items left undone. This is really disappointing to me, but oh well, I wouldn't have done many of the things I did unless I had made this list.
I've got a few items to add today in the ethnic food arena:
Halvah, which is essentially a sesame seed bar from the Middle East, tasted exactly like you might think it would. A texture like marzipan and a flavor of toasted sesame seeds. Not bad, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat one again.
Menudo, a popular Mexican soup of hominy and tripe, was one of the most revolting things I have ever tried. Well, the soup itself wasn't all that bad, but I learned through tasting it that tripe - the inner lining of a cow's stomach - has neither a flavor nor a texture that I find even the least bit appetizing.
I've got a few items to add today in the ethnic food arena:
Halvah, which is essentially a sesame seed bar from the Middle East, tasted exactly like you might think it would. A texture like marzipan and a flavor of toasted sesame seeds. Not bad, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat one again.
Menudo, a popular Mexican soup of hominy and tripe, was one of the most revolting things I have ever tried. Well, the soup itself wasn't all that bad, but I learned through tasting it that tripe - the inner lining of a cow's stomach - has neither a flavor nor a texture that I find even the least bit appetizing.
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