1,000 Things to Do Before I Die

Sometimes I ponder to myself what should I do with my life?  I am not talking about what should I do for work or what not, I am very happy where I am with work now. I mean what is my passion? What is the one thing that would make me complete?

I can remember the days when I was much younger and said that I want to visit every state in the United States and collect one of those silly souvenir spoons from each state, or ride every roller coaster that I can and get a shot glass from every amusement park that I had visited, or even cook every item from Julia Child's cookbook.

I loved, loved, loved the film Julie and Julia, go figure a movie about a blogger. Here is Meryl Streep playing the role of Julia Child (and did a fantastic job may I say, perhaps better than Julia Child herself) where she is asking her husband Paul after arriving in Paris "What should I do, you think?" Here I am asking the same very question. After watching that film I was very inspired to start cooking, I signed up for online cooking classes, *ahem* started a blog, got a magazine subscription to the Food Network Magazine, bought Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", and started to cook. Hell, I was about to quit my job and attend culinary school.  Was this really my passion? I love cooking, but I think what I like about cooking is that I enjoy cooking for others, and making them happy with food. So I feel that I am not doing this for myself but for others. My partner started to eat healthier and eventually went vegan *sigh*,  So I cannot exactly cook from Julia Child's book for him, lol. Oh and did I mention I hate the clean up. So eventually I gave up the whole cooking passion thing. I did after all make some very tasty meals during this period in my life (and will probably make some more.)

Croque Madame

Including this incredible croque madame (ham, egg, cheese, bread, bechamel sauce) Yum!!! 

Braised Short Ribs

Not to mention Julia Child's braised short ribs (pictured) and boeuf bourguignon.  Speaking of boeuf bourguignon if you saw Julia and Julia you noticed that Julie attempted to make the boeuf bourguignon and overcooked it after falling asleep, I had my Julia moment making that dish as well I did not overcook the dish, but seemed to forget to turn the oven on. So the meal was only delayed by a day, no big deal!!! It was still very, very good.

Recently I purchased the book "1,000 Places To See in the United States & Canada Before You Die" by Patricia Schultz on my Kindle and started to check off the places that I have been to and hoping to visit the places that I have not jet been to.  So that is what inspired me to make sure that I have a chance to check of each and every item in the book to say that I did it. It looks like I went right back to where I started to see every state in the country. I don't want people to think that I am starting a bucket list, I am for too young for that. :-) I have already completed a marathon, I have gone sky diving, so there will be time for me to fine some other things to put on a bucket list some day.  

Just last weekend I went to San Diego, California to visit a friend and found some items in the book that I should have gone to while there. I felt this feeling that I should have done that. That made me remember what my true passion is traveling, this is exactly what I went to college for to study about hotels and travel. So I decided that starting in 2013 I will travel the country to insure that I visit items from Before You Die.

So here I am starting a blog, why you may ask? Well it gives me a chance to to ensure that I complete this task, and I can share my experiences from places all over the country. Here is what I plan to do with this blog: On a daily basis, I plan to write about the places that I have been to, planning to go to, and places that I am currently visiting. I figure a doable goal to complete this book is about 5 years. So starting tomorrow I will post in no particular order places that I have been to.

At a young age already visiting places from the book, Walt Disney World.

 

St. Augustine, Florida

For those of you listening I hope to see you in my travels and perhaps get some traveling companions and friends along the way.

Happy Travels,

-Mark