I'm doing 19 things
Untitled
2 years ago
On August 24, 2007, we gone and done it. And I have photos to prove it.
Larry Gilbert's Life List
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1. be more physically active
80 people -
2. get mental health treatment
15 entries . 7 cheers1 person -
3. stop procrastinating
1 cheer26,995 people -
4. be closer to my family
151 people -
5. Write a will
774 people -
6. speak Spanish
2 entries662 people -
7. find a certified financial planner
2 people -
8. write a screenplay
4 cheers2,198 people -
9. avoid cliches like the plague
1 entry . 2 cheers1 person -
10. see the northern lights
2 cheers16,927 people -
11. go bowling in Antarctica
1 entry . 2 cheers2 people -
12. Learn to fly
1 cheer2,145 people -
13. dance without being self-conscious
1 entry . 1 cheer124 people -
14. Eat Sushi from a Sushi Bar
1 entry15 people -
15. do something that inspires Oprah to invite me onto her show just to tear me a new one
1 person -
16. Learn to speed read
1 entry470 people -
17. follow Coach U's "Clean Sweep Program"
1 entry1 person -
18. Go to open-mic night at a comedy club
1 person -
19. consume less caffeine
2 entries69 people
Recent entries
Reading the Rosetta Stone
2 years ago
My aspiration to speak passable Spanish has taken on new urgency as I get closer to our planned honeymoon in Mexico in late August and early September. I do have a smattering of knowledge from middle school and high school, but I definitely need to learn more and re-learn things I’ve forgotten.
A post on Lifehacker led me to investigate Rosetta Stone. I played with their free on-line lessons and liked what I saw.
So last night I took the plunge and opted for an on-line subscription. They offer Levels 1 and 2 of their Spanish program on-line (there is also a Level 3, which includes much video content—perhaps they didn’t want that choking up their server bandwidth?). By my calculation, I’m already about 6% through Level 1. I’m sure the speed at which I’m going is thanks to what I still remember from school. Nevertheless, it’s proving to be a useful refresher course so far.
Finally, finally got it
2 years ago
After what felt like years, my new passport arrived via Priority Mail yesterday. I’ve never had one before, and I already feel like a globetrotter. I kept taking it out and admiring it last night.
The cover is surprisingly stiff, perhaps to protect the RFID chip somewhere within. The page with my photo and information has a security laminate that shows iridescent stars and an eagle when light is reflected off of it. The blank visa pages all have engraved images of such quintessential, almost hackneyed Americana that I could not avoid hearing “America the Beautiful” playing in my head as I looked through them.
Gotta remember to sign it now.
