106. Go to a major rock festival

Bonnarooooooooo!

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In June 2011, a friend and I made the long trek down to Manchester, Tennessee to experience the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. We left right after work and drove bleary eyed for 15 hours through the night. I only slept for about 20 minutes during the ride – which only added to the experience. Tennessee is beautiful. Ohio is not.

We arrived in good time. The notoriously long lineups to get into Bonnaroo was no problem at all. Threw up the tent and tried to catch a little bit of sleep before things got started. Being a pasty Canadian, I learned quickly that you sleep in Tennessee when Tennessee wants to let you sleep. Concise to say that the tent can get a little hot during the day.

The festival itself far surpassed any expectations that I came in with. Bonnaroo is an alternate universe, a second society. It is the norm to see both sexes barely dressed. Painted breasts. Hoola hoops. Men dressed in DIY animal pelt underpants. Acoustic guitars and didgeridoos. Strangeness aside, the overwhelming theme throughout the entire weekend was fun and cooperation. No fights. No mosh pit stupidity.

Highlights of the weekend included:

• Food! Blooming onions, deep fried Oreos, cheap beer, free water and garlic grilled cheese!
• Henry Rollins unleashed a scathing set of spoken word. Rollins rants on airport security, Bush and Costco among other things.
• Arcade Fire. Arcade Fire. Arcade Fire. I know I probably annoy people with how much I frickin’ love the Arcade Fire. Their set was magical. I don’t think a more multitalented group of musicians exists. There’s also my long standing crush on Regine Chassagne… but Win “cool Hitler” Butler is pretty stiff competition. (No, I don’t endorse Hitler… just a joke from the League’s stand-up. Guess you had to be there!)
• Robyn was super fun. There is only one Robyn.
• Buffalo Springfield! Stephen Stills and Neil Young! Started off a little sluggish with sound issues but the rain soon cleared out the crowd the massive crowd. Rockin’ In The Free World was epic and unexpected.
• Muppets Stuffed and Unstrung! Brian Henson and an adult themed show complete with puppet nudity. Puppet up!
• Gogol Bordello. I finally got to see the gypsy punk rockers that I had heard so many great things about. Insane time. The late night scene at the ‘roo is wild. Walked around until the wee hours watching Gogol, Scissor Sisters and Girl Talk.
• Black Keys! Super Jam! Robert Plant! Sheepdogs! Big Boi! The Decemberists! Daniel Lanois! Mumford and Sons!
  

I think I’ve made my feelings clear. I loved crossing this one off my list. See you at Bonnaroo 2012!

Tags: 150 Things, Arcade Fire, Big Boi, Black Keys, Bonnaroo, Bucket List, Girl Talk, Gogol Bordello, Henry Rollins, Muppets, Neil Young, Robert Plant, Robyn, Sheepdogs, Tennessee, The Decemberists

6. Swim with dolphins

While vacationing in Florida during March Break, my sister surprised me with a pass to Discovery Cove. This is an amazing place where you can snorkel alongside manta rays and other tropical fish, feed exotic birds in an aviary and swim with dolphins!

I need to say – I was concerned for the dolphins! I am a tall guy and I had some serious doubts about whether a dolphin could carry me through the water. I could not have been more wrong. After this experience, I definitely have a new appreciation for the strength of these creatures. They have incredible personality too, that I could only compare to a dog.

A great day. I won’t forget this one!

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Tags: 150 Things, Bucket List, Discovery Cove, Dolphin, Dolphins, Florida, Orlando

136. Try oysters

Might sound like a pretty pedestrian accomplishment but I’ve avoided these things like the plague all my life. I love seafood and have tried pretty near everything that’s been placed in front of me but these quivering little suckers always turned me off.

Finally did it and, to be honest, they’re not bad. With the right sauces, I might say they’re actually good.

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Tags: buffets, jacques cousteau, oysters, seafood

150 things to do before I die!

I have created a bucket list of 150 things to do before I die!

So, why would I want to create a list like this? Is that not pretty predictable and regimented? The exact opposite of what this sort of thing is meant to be?! Well, sure. But on the other hand, I think having something to work towards is an important thing to have. 2010 was a bit of a tumultuous year for me and I definitely think I have come out of it a better person. One thing I learned is the importance of living in the moment and making sure that you do the things that are important to you. Okay, enough of this gooey sh.. show of emotions (my regards to Buzz McAllister), here is my list:

3 down, 147 to go!

1. See a Flyers game in Philadelphia.
2. Visit Graceland.
3. Visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
4. Grow a beard.
5. Climb the Eiffel Tower and see the Arc de Triumph.
6. Swim with dolphins.
7. Go to the Stanley Cup finals.
8. Go to the World Series Championship.
9. Go on an African Safari.
10. Visit the Grand Canyon.
11. Visit Ground Zero.
12. Ride a camel in the desert.
13. Ride a boat on the Mississippi River.
14. See an Inukshuk.
15. Read all of Shakespeare’s plays.
16. Climb a mountain in the Canadian Rockies.
17. Make a donation and get my name on something.
18. Bike across Ontario.
19. Visit Japan.
20. Watch a baseball game at Wrigley Field.
21. Catch, skin and eat a fish.
22. Visit Washington – the White House and Lincoln Memorial.
23. Become fluent in French.
24. Go whale watching and actually see a whale.
25. Witness a birth.
26. Attend a powwow.
27. Spend two nights alone in the wilderness.
28. Visit Abbey Road.
29. Make a fire from scratch.
30. Take my parents to Hawaii.
31. Take a vow of silence for 48 hours.
32. Go canoing in Algonquin Park.
33. Go to the Summer Olympics.
34. Go to the Winter Olympics.
35. Go sailing.
36. Visit Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame.
37. Complete a marathon.
38. Complete a triathlon.
39. Adopt a puppy.
40. Go backpacking.
41. Skate on a frozen lake.
42. Attend a taping of Conan (or another late night show).
43. Pay for someone’s coffee at Tim Horton’s.
44. See the Sydney Opera House.
45. Visit the Sistine Chapel.
46. Pull an all-nighter.
47. Visit all Canadian provinces and territories.
48. Sleep under the stars.
49. Polar Bear Swim.
50. See Mount Rushmore.
51. Drive across Canada from furthest eastern point to furthest western point.
52. Hold a monkey.
53. Go to Mardi Gras.
54. Visit Pyramids of Teotihucan and Chichen Itza.
55. Visit Greenwich Village.
56. Get drunk on champagne.
57. Get drunk in an authentic Irish pub.
58. Fast for 48 hours.
59. Go dog sledding.
60. Swim in a lake/ocean at night.
61. Go scuba diving.
62. Visit the Badlands in Drumheller, Alberta.
63. Take a tree top walk.
64. Go white water rafting.
65. Watch every “Best Picture” Oscar winner.
66. Walk Normandy Beach and see Vimy Ridge.
67. Go caving.
68. Ride in a hot air balloon.
69. See the Great Barrier Reef.
70. Visit Victoria Falls.
71. Visit Pompei.
72. Try every flavour at Wild Wing.
73. Walk in the Amazon rainforest.
74. See the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
75. Ride a zipline.
76. Take a drink mixing course.
77. Visit the Acropolis.
78. Visit the Colosseum.
79. See Barack Obama in person.
80. Participate in a protest/rally.
81. Make a time capsule.
82. Get a tattoo.
83. Eat a dozen donuts in one sitting.
84. Ride a Gondola in Venice.
85. Visit Easter Island.
86. See the pyramids of Giza.
87. Visit the Great Wall of China.
88. See Ayers Rock in Australia.
89. Visit Stone Henge.
90. Have a professional massage.
91. Go skinny dipping.
92. Visit the Taj Mahal.
93. Visit the Louvre.
94. See Statue of Liberty.
95. Visit Asbury Park.
96. Learn to play piano.
97. Learn to play drums.
98. See the Northern Lights.
99. Walk the Inca trail to Machu Picchu.
100. Drive Route 66.
101. Visit both poles.
102. Visit the Galapogos Islands.
103. See a space shuttle launch.
104. Work at a soup kitchen.
105. Fall asleep in tall grass.
106. Go to a major rock festival.
107. Kiss the Blarney Stone.
108. Go downhill skiing.
109. Visit a concentration camp.
110. See an RCMP tattoo.
111. See a Rage Against The Machine concert.
112. Be an extra in a movie or TV show.
113. Buy a kayak.
114. Own a century home.
115. Eat alligator.
116. Visit Tibet.
117. Visit Cuba.
118. Watch a hockey game at Madison Square Garden.
119. See a baseball game at Fenway Park.
120. New Years Eve at Times Square.
121. Go to Oktoberfest.
122. Experience weightlessness.
123. Attend a service for every major religion.
124. Play hockey.
125. Work on a farm.
126. Visit all 50 states.
127. Go to Las Vegas.
128. Go on a cruise.
129. Ride in a helicopter.
130. Give lunch to a homeless person.
131. Participate in a Habitat for Humanity build.
132. Send a message in a bottle.
133. See Big Ben.
134. Go ice fishing.
135. Go snowmobiling.
136. Try oysters.
137. Eat an insect.
138. Read all the Giller Award winners.
139. Visit Jack Kerouac’s grave.
140. Go to Strawberry Fields on John Lennon’s birthday.
141. Visit the “Physical Graffiti” building.
142. Go to Bob Dylan’s childhood home.
143. Go to Libertyville, Illinois.
144. Go to the Luzhniki Palace of Sports in Russia.
145. Go jet skiing.
146. Go paint balling.
147. Make my own sushi.
148. Visit Johnny Cash’s grave.
149. Visit Leadbelly’s grave.
150. Visit Martin Luther King’s grave site.

There it is!

Tags: Bucket List, Bucketlist, Things to do before I die