30 For 30: The Home Stretch

Couple of changes for the Home Stretch... #8 was originally an ambitious road trip to Winnipeg (Canada, eh?) To watch either the Jets or the Blue Bombers play. The NHL Lockout changed that one. (Ironically, I doubt I'll ever make it to a Super Bowl but a Grey Cup? More achievable than you'd think.) #19 was attending a Premier League game but by the time we get over there in May, their season will be done. So I've replaced that one with the goal of going and seeing an Iowa Away Game somewhere. I've seen a few people do this on Facebook this year and it looks like a lot of fun. (Top football choices: The Horseshoe, The Big House, Camp Randall, Beaver Stadium. Basketball choices: The Barn, Assembly Hall.)

I'm also pondering invocation of the Millennium Clause. As all the world knows it was technically 2001 that marked the first year of the new Millennium. Under the same logic, I could technically argue that list could include my year of being 30 but part of me feels like that would be cheating...

1. Finish My Novel
2. Get Another Tattoo
3. Publish My Novel (conventionally would be preferred, but I might be open to Kindle.)
4. Get Something Pierced Again... (I'm thinking labret. Thoughts anyone?)
5. Get Contacts Again (Eye appointment on Monday! Hopefully this will be done SOON.)
6. Go Skydiving
7. Go to a Twins Game
8. Let's keep our hockey expectations grounded: Roughriders, Mavericks or Gophers game.
9. Visit All 50 States (or failing all 50, get to the lower 48 at least.)
10. Lose 30 to 40 pounds... (whatever gets me back down to the 190-200 range- and maintain it!)
11. Run a 5k
12. Attend Trekfest! (Something I've never done, despite being a fan of Star Trek!)
13. Go to a Music Festival... (either 80/35 or Lollapalooza? Farm Aid?)
14. Attend the Iowa Caucuses. (I've never actually done this. I did it in Minnesota, but not Iowa.)
15. Finish all 4,532 pages (and 12 volumes) of Winston Churchill's 'The Second World War'
16. Read something by Faulkner- and understand it.
17. Re-read The Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby- and try and appreciate them.
18. Read 'Dune' and understand it... (or kind of enjoy it, maybe?)
19. I'd like to see an Iowa away game somewhere.
20. Attend a Major League Soccer game.
21. Attend a Civil War Re-Enactment/Commemorations of the 150th Anniversary of the War
22. Expand our backyard patio, put in a pergola and a fire pit
23. Finish off our bathroom, re-floor and repaint our master bedroom
24. Go back to Europe- Spain, Portugal, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Greece and Cyprus are all on my wish list.
25. Become a father- I know this is dependent on any number of factors beyond my control, but I think trying should be a lot of fun... ;-)

26. Learn How To Make Bread from Scratch
27. Become a good amateur bartender
28. I'd like to take my wife on a real honeymoon
29. Improve my foreign language skills
30. I'd like to save up and get a subscription to The Economist. Probably the best news magazine out there.