to-do list
when i was sixteen, i started a ‘to-do’ list of things i wanted to achieve before i die. some of them have been checked off already, some are in progress and others… well, i guess i’ll find out if they’ve been achieved later on. if anything isn’t marked off, it won’t be for lack of effort.
- - bold means done; non-bolded means almost done. - -
STUFF MOST PEOPLE DON’T
- get my pilot license
- single engine land certified
- next: the instrument rating
- climb a mountain
- many in co, but my favorite will always be elbert (14,433 - tallest in the rockies) and hope (cause i did that one with my bride)
- jump out of a plane
- november 2, 2007 at tennessee skydiving, llc (proof)
- next: learn to jump solo
- earn a college degree
- b.s. in 2003 from lipscomb university. (credit for this goes to my heroes: mom & dad)
- learn to scuba
- go rappelling
- done it many, many times - the first was in july of 1998
- go whitewater rafting
- snorkel / swim in a coral reef
- many, many times in the caribbean & gulf
- learn to ride a motorcycle
- got my license and a motorcycle in 2004 (sold it in 2005 to buy flight time)
- next: get another motorcycle
- then: ride the entire length of route 66
- start and run a successful business
- get a tattoo
- help others discover what they’re capable of accomplishing
- have the opportunity to baptize someone
- about a dozen, but the total doesn’t matter…
TRAVEL STUFF
- visit all fifty states
- rhode island, connecticut, vermont, maine, wisconsin, iowa, oklahoma, nebraska, south dakota, north dakota, minnesota, montana, wyoming, utah, arizona, new mexico, nevada, idaho, oregon, alaska, hawaii
- tennessee, alabama, georgia, florida, south carolina, north carolina, virginia, west virginia, maryland, delaware, washington d.c., new jersey, pennsylvania, massachusetts, new york, new hampshire, ohio, indiana, kentucky, illinois, michigan, missouri, arkansas, mississippi, louisiana, texas, kansas, colorado, washington, california
- most recent: georgia
- least favorite: arkansas
- go to at least 10 different countries
- jamaica (12x)
- mexico (3x)
- get a tour of the white house
- a day after the inauguration in 2005; no,unfortunately i didn’t get to meet the president
- hear my voice echo in the grand canyon
- go deep sea fishing
- watch the sun set into the sea
- walk on the beaches of normandy
- drink from a real coconut
- many times in jamaica… but it’s not my favorite (there’s a LOT of good stuff down there!)
- see mt rushmore
- see the statue of liberty
- saw it april of ‘98 and in november of ‘06
RANDOM STUFF (as if my list isn’t random enough)
- write a book
- play drums for a living (updated from "get paid to play drums")
- buy dinner for someone i don’t know
- give someone the shirt of my back (if they need it)
- have a role in a movie
- contact my congressman
- write something that gets printed
- hear someone cover a song i helped write
- learn how to safely operate a firearm
- learn how to safely operate a shotgun
- get on tv
- fox morning show (local, not national…but it still counts)- february 2002
- get on a cd
- jonas - "… drive ’til morning", 2002
- bixler - "moving on", 2003
- bixler - "self-titled", 2006
- smoke a cuban cigar
- first of several in ‘98 (cuban cohiba is my favorite)
- dunk a basketball
- did it junior year of h.s., 1998
- make a point to tell every service man / woman i see "thank you"
- be a friend to everyone
- do my best at all i do
- exceed others expecations of me
- make a difference
- be a listening ear
STUFF THAT’S COOL THAT WASN’T ON THE LIST
- get interviewed in a national paper… in a different country.
STUFF I’VE LEARNED WHILST ROCKIN’ THIS LIST
- people you love can be gone in an instant, never leave anything unsaid…
- drugs can hide in those you love the most…
- everybody is gonna screw up…
- people will take advantage of you at some point…
- don’t avoid conflict or adversity - they lead to wisdom & strength
- address bothersome issues as they arise…
- have the hard conversations before it’s too late…
- we never go it alone…
* the list is always growing.