Well, not quite... but while I was looking for something on my blog today, I found
a post I made about a month before my 50th birthday. Considering that I'll be saying hello to 60 in less than 4 months, I thought this portion of it might be worth a review.
My initial observation is that I'm not much into buckletlists, as stopped 1/2-way through my list of 50 things. But I did do some of these:
50 THINGS I STILL WANT TO DO... (from age 50)
1.See Rome -
DONE!
Little did I know when I created my list that I would spend 3 weeks in Rome in 2009. Mostly all I remember now is the good, but I did have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Rome when I was there. It probably had more to do with the heat and fatigue, and coming face-to-face with my life after a few months on the road, but it's something I mulled over in my mind for a long time. Oh, yes, I was sick too. I actually started to write a book about that... I wonder where that draft is?
My reflections from my first day:
Arrival in Rome
2.See Led Zepplin live
3.Sell a piece of my art -
DONE!
I sold my first in 2011. This is a pic of a little booth I had at weekly flea market affair, which I did for a few months. I actually went on to have a booth at the Moss Street Market. It was a great accomplishment, but more work than fun... and finally realized I loved doodling more than selling.
4.Visit Ottawa and our national museums
5.Visit the Artic
6.Take the train across Canada
7.Learn another language
8.Take a transatlantic crossing
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUI3PR3mr0y3Ha9hWkvPWbHY2MA5eQKfjDilvctCQlQy4Ao4QhEvnhN0sc7httho8LKiaBOeczhvcTvxtD7ULgSJ-IsG-wUeSEJwl5ItRWnI1iIhSEyNIqAQyFHZJlRb8D8vI4g/s320/IMG_2977.JPG) |
I saw this and much more Gaudi
architecture in Barcelona! |
9.See Gaudi architecture in Barcelona -
DONE!
I saw a lot of Gaudi architecture in Barcelona, but for some reason I don't have many pictures on my blog. But it was FABULOUS!!
Here's one of my blog posts (and I really should go back and post more of my Gaudi pictures):
Barcelona is a sea of...
10.Go to the Rock of Gibralter
11.See Moscow's awesome subway stations
12.See a rock concert at Madison Square Gardens or the o2 in London (or both ;-) -
DONE!
Actually, not done, but close enough. I consider my experience at the U2 concert at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to be comparable.
I posted quite a bit about this on my blog, including how I changed my flights to be there, even though I couldn't get a ticket... then I did!:
Irony near the old Iron Curtain
U2 in Berlin: Experience my experience
13.Make a difference in this world - hmmm...
14.See the Bay of Fundy
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPB9UoaFn9u04fE5Aq6uZo7ZkZwDaqHw79XEj04MV1zvbmc1ObEiKdBeMMyYbBeJzCwdIw9x5tf5U56podbzSiIcz-ls5TS9-Hi0dG79AUcfm7VsozILVSTtDo9T_9QZwnBgdgw/s320/IMG_1437blogged.JPG) |
I probably planned to write about my time in
Florence when I got to Venice, but who
would want to stay inside?
This pic is from my post on Venice bars. |
15.See Michael Angelo's David - to witness what the amazing efforts in WWII to save it gave us -
DONE!
I definitely did this, and it (he) was glorious. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have any pictures on my blog from Florence to even prove I was there. I guess I was out having too much fun. I did a lot there, including papermaking from one of the oldest papermakers in the city.
16.Visit Amsterdam
17.Go to the Sydney Opera House
18.Visit Normandy and the Canadian memorial
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnvQ_jqgZ-pHfG2r85OxB-iw2Jbqq7t7z76rgx3n0z_skr8-d40NF_Czqv91lUhQsG4cSIxXSQArm6Ca0G95d6Wri1TiBG1OgjR1Z9VfQZxrCZAWd597TN1sAEFPPZqdUQd2WIQ/s320/IMG_7239blogged.JPG) |
This silly train picture is from my arrival in
Paris. I suspect I was a little more travel worn
and relaxed when I boarded my overnight
train from Paris to Rome |
19.Take an overnight train in Europe - lie in bed being rocked by the train... -
DONE!
There was a nun in the upper berth of my cabin eating potato chips! Really. I could have written a comedy show about it, but I held the ladder for the ancient gal when she came down to use the loo!
20.A carriage ride around Central Park -
DONE!
Actually, not done, but my friend Kelly and I took a pedicab around Central Park instead, and a much better idea anyways. I'd definitely recommend it.
A few highlights from that day in NYC and just scroll for more (I think I was there about 10 days):
In the Big Apple: Sunday in NYC
21.Have nude portraits taken -
DONE!
Well, not done, but I did do several life (nude) modelling sessions for artists, so I actually consider that to be braver! Don't worry, there shall be no photos!
22.Get a tattoo of my own art
23.Show my art at a show or in a cafe or something -
DONE!
I participated in an art show at the Empress Hotel in 2011. While I was out for coffee, a fellow from New York apparently bought one of my doodle clocks (pictured at the back), for a nice tidy price! Never met him though.
24.Go through the Chunnel
25.Visit Checkpoint Charlie
- DONE!
And I saw the real one!
When I spent a month in Berlin, I went to the Allied Museum, where the original hut is housed - the rest of the site was fantastic, and it's a much overlooked attraction.
Read more in my blog post:
Would the real Checkpoint Charlie please stand up?
26.
and here my list stopped...
Creeping up on 50...