I’m 40 today. When I was a kid I thought that I’d feel like an old man at this age but I don’t. I still feel like a kid. Like another version of that same kid that found it impossible to visualise what life would be like this far into the future.
Now I’m here and understand a little more of the world, I can see there are so many things I may never understand. And that’s ok. If I could go back and tell that little boy something it would be.. Face your fears, tell those you love that you love them, learn how to be less selfish as soon as possible, and don’t worry, no matter what happens you’ll never forget how to have fun… Oh and don’t expect jetpacks any time soon.
I’m no less hungry for life now, than I was then. I still want to know more, to learn more, to see more. I feel like I’ve been playing a game my whole life and the fun bit is learning. The harsher lessons not so much, but after time you realise that to feel and understand the the highs you need to take a datum from the lows.
I don’t want life to stop being fun. Even when I grow cynical I’d like to be playful with it. To remember that some of the most important lessons learned come from the hardest times. And some of the best stories.
I guess that’s one of the reasons I created a list of new things I’d like to experience this year. If I can fit in 40 new experiences, it will not only be a year to remember, it will certainly be one of my best. If I can share some of these things with friends and family then even better.
Below I have a list of more than 40 things. Some silly, some probably difficult without stacks of cash or time, or both. But all do-able and I’ll do as many as I can from this bucket list. If not this year. Then some year.
If you feel like you want to experience some of these things with me, let me know. Maybe you do this kind of stuff all the time and can help me explore new sports, past-times, food stuffs or cultural idiosyncrasies.
Either way, lets have fun.
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Here is a selection of my list.
(Completed)
Go to a village pub dressed as a Stormtrooper The Star Wars kind.
Spend an entire day offline reading a novel
Write a letter to someone I admire and respect
Learn to hot wire a car
Learn to hack a fruit machine
Fly a camera drone
Volunteer for a day
Go to a Sci-Fi Convention
Walk in a blizzard
Drink a Bellini in Harry’s Bar
Spend a night in a haunted house
Grow a beard long enough to plat
Drink in Britain’s smallest pub
Spend time in a sensory deprivation (floatation) tank
Go metal detecting and find something interesting
Roast my own coffee
Make something on a 3d printer
Book a karaoke booth
Timber Rafting
Drink in the largest pub in England
Taste wine straight from the barrel
Get my amateur radio licence
Celebrate Burns night in Scotland
Brew my own beer in a micro brewery
(Still to do)
Paraglide
Go Bell Ringing (possibly with Alex Foster)
Fly in a microlight
Deploy a flood barrier (with @Britt_W)
Kitesurf (possibly with @175viatribunali)
Some kind of Cowboy experience. (not Brokeback Mountain.)
Explore the west coast of Scotland in a powered rib
Ride in a submarine
Try Morris Dancing (possibly with @ChristianHambly)
Have my portrait painted (with @PaulOz?)
Fly in a hot air balloon
Go deep sea fishing (possibly with with @ChristianHambly)
Get a Tattoo
Compile a list of achievements.
Celebrate St Patricks Day in Ireland (Missed it.)
Drive a tank (possibly with with @Greenape?)
Have a go at blacksmithing
Make my own knife
A snowshoe hike.
Ride out to the Ace Cafe for pie
Volo dell’Angelo (Flight of the Angels)
Visit a Cider Bar (possibly with with @Jamesmb?)
Help man a lifeboat
Visit the Triumph Motorcycle factory
Learn to play Poker with a professional (arranged by @Ilicco)
Ride the tallest/fastest roller coaster in the UK
Cycle 100km in a day
Get a tailor made suit
See the Aurora Borealis
Learn about audio and acoustics in relation to field recording.
Spend a night in a protest camp
Learn Beekeeping
Go Tobogganing
Go Bat Watching
The Storify showing the roots of how this list came about is linked here: Storify.com/documentally/40-at-40 (Link sadly broken with the death of Storify but I have managed to archive the content here.)
I now write a weekly Dispatch at Documentally.net. Let me know if you would like to have an adventure (possibly one listed above) and we can share it there.
“Attend a Sci-Fi Convention,” check Eastercon – The British National Science Fiction Convention
April 6th – 9th 2012, http://olympus2012.org
I ended up going to Empire Day at Elstree studios. Pretty eye opening.
Wish you a very happy birthday!
Happy Birthday!!!
Your words echo my feelings exactly and I will be 50 this year. I still feel no older than I did when I was in my twenties or thirties, just a little more worldly wise.
Like you I also have a long list of things to experience, funds and family commitments means that they are ticked off slowly, good luck with yours…
Hey man, I’d love to do all of them! Will mull them over – snowshoe hike sounds pretty wild though! Have a fantastic day!
Happy birthday, and enjoy your year!
I don’t know if you saw this:
http://www.arte.tv/fr/Cuisines-des-terroirs-en-Ukraine/3493692,CmC=3493680.html
“Honore de Balzac, who traveled to Ukraine in the 19th century, mentions 77 kinds of bread.”
@Traumcave 77 kinds of bread? wow.. o_0
Thanks for the comments guys. 🙂
What?? No wine on the list? I am sorely disappointed. You should ensure you add something like tasting straight from the wine barrel, or better still, getting your feet stuck into some foot treading of grapes. I’ve got some contacts if that appeals 🙂
BTW, I forgot to wish you Happy Birthday … from one older gentleman to another
Hi Robert, I have never tasted from the barrel or trodden grapes. Two things i’d love to do. Go make some phone calls. 🙂
I have taste wine straight from the barrel.. Why? Can you make it happen?
For sensory deprivation I recommend floatworks.com.
Meanwhile I’m particularly interested in how you get on with “See the Aurora Borealis”….
Thanks Nick, I already have the ticket to the floatation tank.
I have seen the Northern Lights off a plane but never from the ground looking up. I don’t have to do everything off the list. Just 40 of them. 🙂
Happy Birthday! (a little late to congratulate, but I am sure you celebrate the whole year) 🙂
See you in the alps for the yodelling course.
I mean it. MEAN. 🙂
btw: I can help you with the paragliding!
there’s a possibility of having a self made drone fly next to you and film you in the air.
Let me know.
WHAT!? I want some of that.. 🙂
I can help with the Morris Dancing, I know a really cool Morris Dancing side!
Thanks. I think @ChristianHambly has this covered but you never know.. 😉
Oh if you fancy it, my uncle and cousin are sword dancers as well as Morris. Always looks fun! They usually perform across N.Yorks.
I saw some sword dancing. Hardcore.
I may take you up on this.. (sorry for the late response)
I know someone who keeps bees in case you need contacts for that. He’s based in Hampshire
Thanks. That may be a bit of a hike but it’s duly noted. 🙂
You definitley need to load the motorbike and go camping – can I suggest France? I did this last year – nearly 3000 miles round France on my Ducati Monster – it was awesome – France is a beautiful country and the roads are made for bikes!!
I love camping in France. Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂
Happy Belated Birthday – I would never have had you done for 40
It’s all in the mind.. 🙂
Listening to your Audioboo about the float tank – I bought that as a gift for my mother a few years back, as she wanted something different. I asked if she fancied it before booking, and she was quite excited about it, but then had a bloody panic attack when shut in the tank! I felt awful, LOL! Apparently she enjoyed it much more with the lid open (dear me). It’s still on my list to try it, I reckon it’ll be fab.
Yes, not for the claustrophobic. 🙂