For a Better Self

- Volunteer for a Month ~ I would love to be able to be in a position that I could volunteer for an organization for a month to help people who in need. Idea came from all the people that I grew up around that did volunteer for MCC or other organizations. My Grandma and Great Aunt Mary's experience in Pennsylvania was a great inspiration when I was a kid.
- Give something back to the community (volunteer for a community program) ~ I grew up playing sports and being involved in other activities that required Volunteers and when I was 15 I determined that I needed to give back in volunteer hours for all the hours that were required for people to volunteer so I could enjoy the programs that I did.
- Fast from food for 2 Days ~ This idea came because of the 24 hour famine that all the youth groups did when I was a teen. However I thought that 24 hours was too simple, and that they made it almost a reward for fasting for 24 hours as afterwards they got donuts and pizza a so forth. I just think it should be done in a way that makes me understand the famine aspect as well as becomes a personal growth thing.
- Read the Bible from Front to Back ~ I have started many times and know too many people who have done it and I don't have a reason why I can't or shouldn't do it. Figured if I made it a goal that might be the inspiration for me to finally complete it.
- Stop swearing for at least 1 Month ~ With coaching Minor sports I tried to show that you didn't need to swear. So I figured if I didn't swear that would be a good example for the kids. On my first try I made it roughly 3 weeks then I stubbed my toe on the table in the Kitchen and let out a loud F-Bomb.
- Stay on a exercise routine for a Year ~ I expect this out of the kids I coach so I should expect it out of myself.
- Become a more polite person (take an etiquette course) ~ I think that etiquette is lost to young people these days as well as being polite is taken as a weakness.
- Get a suit custom tailored for myself ~ For a better looking me.
- Start a Charity/Foundation ~ I have always had a dream of doing this.
- Organize a Fundraiser ~ I have been a part of many fundraiser and think that I could organize one that would be different than a lot of the other fundraisers out there.
- Donate a months salary to a Charity just to see how good it feels ~ Saw a similar idea online.
- Give a homeless person $100 Cash just to see the smile on their face ~ Idea from either Outside Magazine's Life Goals List or from another Life Goals List.
- Cook a extensive four-course meal for my Family or Girlfriend ~ Idea came from a previous list item which was amended to this. The goal of this is to cook a first class dinner where the menu is picked by my the person/people I am cooking for. The meal has to be excellent for me to be able to check this off my list.
Will doing these things make me a better person? Probably not, but I don't think it will make me any worse.

Craft/Hobby

- Eagle Figurine Collection (Collect a Eagle Figurine for Every Year I'm alive) ~ I first got started collecting Eagle Figurines when I was 13 or 14 when I was at Clear Lake National Park in Canada. After that everybody started giving me Eagle Figurines and I figured it would be cool to have one for every year I'm alive as a cool gift to pass on to somebody or for another collector.
- Carve something out of Wood (ex. Animal, Toy) ~ I enjoy wood toys and products that have been made by hand and are a true one of a kind.
- Build a Canoe ~ When I was in elementary school we learned about the Metis and Natives and how they built there own canoes and it inspired me to want to make my own back then but I was told I couldn't back then and since then I have kept that a dream.
- Build a Cabin ~ I have always had a fascination for Cabins and have a dream for what I would like my dream cabin to look like. It would be a cabin not a house that looks like a cabin as I think their is a difference.
- Build a House ~
- Be able to take Professional looking Photographs ~ When I started to take photographs I always compared my nature photographs to outdoor magazine photos.
- Take great Wildlife Photographs ~ I think Wildlife Photographs are some of the hardest to take in a way that not everybody else sees the animals. I don't know how I will determine if I accomplish this or not.
- Get one of my Photographs Published ~ Several people told me that I had this one picture that they loved and wanted a copy of. Due to this I thought it would be cool to get one of my pictures published in a magazine or in a book. This would also make me over come the fact that I don't like people looking at the photos that I take.
- Win an award for my Photography ~ I think that nowadays everybody thinks they are a photographer just because they can afford a camera and to win an award for my photograph would make me feel like I'm not just like one of these people.
- Design my Own House ~ I can't stand how all the new houses in new developments seem to have the same design layout for the entire neighborhood.
- Design the Landscape for my place ~ Would probably be AstroTurf or just rocks and wild flowers and a pond as I don't really care for grass and flower gardens.
- Restore a Vehicle (help restore somebody else's vehicle) ~ When I was young I always enjoyed going to car shows and listening to stories about the car and how it was restored. When I was 13 or 14, I helped replace an engine in a truck and that made me feel like I would easily be able to restore a vehicle or help restore a vehicle if I had the place, equipment and funds.
- Have my portrait painted ~ People don't get this done now a days and I think it would be fun.
- Make Candy & Chocolates ~ I love chocolates and I thought that a small candy shop that makes its own candy and chocolates would be a fun business venture. So I need to start somewhere.
- Make a Mold for Candy or Chocolates ~ This idea came from helping out at BITY Mold Supply as I enjoyed the stuff they were doing but couldn't think of how the applications of mold making could help me as I'm not artistic then I thought how that could work for my own candies and chocolates.

Sports Attendance

- Attend a PGA Golf Tournament ~ Got this idea in 1999 while watching Tiger Woods. I'm not sure why else I would want to do this as I'm not much of a golf fan.
- Attend a NBA Game ~ I am also not a big basketball fan but I would like to see if watching a game live is better than on TV.
- Go To Wimbledon ~ I used to wake up early and watch the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament with my mom. I don't even care if I would just see a match at Wimbledon that isn't even part of the tournament.
- Attend a Grand Slam Tennis Tournament ~ Would love to experience the speed of a professional tennis match live, and where better than at a tournament that the best are at. Idea came while watching the U.S. Open in 1990 while Pete Sampras play Andre Agassi.
- Go to the Winter Olympics ~ Idea came in 1988 while watching the Calgary Winter Olympics.
- Go to the Summer Olympics ~ Idea came in 1988 while watching the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
- Attend the World Junior Hockey Championship Tournament ~ I started watching the World Junior Hockey Championships on TV when I was 9 years old and when I was 10 I said I would someday be at the World Juniors.
- Attend the World Junior Hockey Championship Tournament in Europe ~ When I was 11 the juniors were in Finland and I loved watching the way the fans cheered and dressed up for the games and the pride they took for their country. Made me want to experience the juniors European style.
- Attend the IIHF Men's World Championships (Hockey) ~ When I was 11 I got into this tournament and wanted to attend.
- Attend the IIHF Women's World Championships (Hockey) ~ When this tournament got started in 1990 I watched the highlights every night and determined that it would be great to see the best women in the sport play for the prized championship.
- Attend the World Cup of Hockey Tournament ~ In 1987 I watched this tournament and loved watching Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux on the same team as well as the rest of the Best Canadian Hockey Players play against the best of the other countries. Also inspired by my mom who got me into the Summit Series and how there was more on the line than just a hockey game. And to this day I still feel its true.
- Go to the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland (Hockey) ~ When I was 10 I got into this tournament and enjoyed watching the the hockey played on a large ice and seeing club teams from all the different European leagues. When I was older I realized how long the history of this tournament was which made me want to someday be a part of this tournament.
- Attend a Stanley Cup Finals game (Hockey) ~ Would love to be a part of history when the Stanley Cup is on the line.
- Attend a NHL Game (National Hockey League) ~ When I was first getting in to hockey I watched a lot of games on TV and had family and friends go to games so I decided that I wanted to go to a game.
- See every NHL Team Play ~ I decided this in 1995 which was the last year of the Quebec Nordiques before moving to Denver to become the Avalanche.
- Visit every NHL Teams Arena ~ When I was 19 or 20 I went to Edmonton and went to see the Edmonton Arena even though no games were being played at the time I thought how cool it was to be at a place that had so much hockey history, and after that I thought how many other rinks have so much history and how cool it would be to see all of those arenas.
- Attend a WHL Game (Western Hockey League) ~ When I started following the Brandon Wheat Kings in around 1994 - 1995 season.
- Attend a OHL Game (Ontairo Hockey League) ~ Idea came after attending my first WHL game.
- Attend a QMJHL Game (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) ~ Idea came after attending my first WHL game.
- Attend a AHL Game (American Hockey League) ~ When the Winnipeg got an AHL team I became interested in seeing a game.
- Attend a Swedish Elite League Game ~ To see the differences between the styles of play in each league.
- Attend a Finnish Elite League Game ~ To see the differences between the styles of play in each league.
- Attend a Swiss Elite League Game ~ To see the differences between the styles of play in each league.
- Attend a NCAA Hockey Game (National Collegiate Athletic Association) ~ When the NCAA hockey championship tournament was called the Frozen Four in 1999.
- Attend a CHL Game (Central Hockey League) ~ When I found out that a friend that I used to play street hockey with was playing in the CHL.
- Attend a Russian Super League Hockey Game ~ To see the differences between the styles of play in each league.
- Attend a Czech Elite League Hockey Game ~ To see the differences between the styles of play in each league.
- Go to the World Figure Skating Championships ~ During the early 90's I enjoyed the sport and thought it would be great to see the competition in person.
- Attend a CFL Game (Canadian Football League) ~ In used to enjoy football somewhat and followed the CFL and thought it would be fun to see a game in person as it had to be better than on TV.
- Attend the Grey Cup Game ~ This game always seemed to be a big party and when it was held in Winnipeg in 1991 it made me want to attend.
- Attend a Major League Baseball Game ~ Being a big baseball fan as a kid I always envied the kids that could attend a game and determined that I would someday go to a game.
- Attend a World Series Game (Major League Baseball) ~ I wanted to first attend the World Series Championship when the Toronto Blue Jays first made it that far in 1992 and won.
- See every Major League Baseball Team Play ~ In 2004 I heard a story of some guys who were doing a cross country tour to see every team in one season which sounded like fun and gave me the idea of seeing every team.
- Catch a ball at a major league baseball stadium ~ Why not.
- Attend a Cricket Match ~ I think a sport that is so popular in England and in South Africa as well as other countries would be interesting to watch.
- Go to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, ON ~ As a kid I wanted to go there and I love hockey history.
- Go to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY ~ As a kid I wanted to go there and I love seeing old team photos and uniforms and such.
- Attend a FIS Alpine World Cup Event ~ In the early 90's I really fell in love with watching down hill skiing competitions on TV and wanted to experience the races live.
- Attend the Womens College World Series (Softball) ~ In 2003 I became interested in attending this event as I was watching it on TV.
- Attend a NFL Game ~ Since moving to Dallas and it being such a big football place and having friends who are big Cowboys fans I thought that maybe if I saw a game live I may enjoy the sport more.

I know there will be more of added on to this section, as I have added several just as I was ready to publish this post, and I'm still thinking of more to ad to my list.

Adventure Sport

Some people may not think of some of these as adventure sports, however most of these sports aren't in the Olympics which to me makes it an adventure sport.
- Go Rock Climbing ~ Not really sure however when living in Lake Louise I watched some guys do this which and it made me want to give this a try.
- Go Surfing ~ I was a big Beach Boys fan when I was younger and loved all the surfing songs.
- Go Scuba Diving ~ Not really sure as I have a fear of drowning and can't stand water. Must have been documentaries.
- Go Snorkelling ~ Seeing documentaries of the Great Barrier Reef.
- Go Sky Diving ~ Not sure. Always wanted to do this, I think it might have been from a movie about World War two and seeing them jump out of planes then that first peaked my interest.
- Go Bungee Jumping ~ Also not sure, I guess it always looked like fun when I was a child.
- Go Skiing ~ Watching the Winter Olympics when I was 8 years old I decided I wanted to try that.
- Go Snow Boarding ~ Got the idea during the big Snow Boarding craze in the early 90's.
- Go White Water Rafting ~ TV Documentary and Movies.
- GO Kayaking ~ A documentary with people Kayaking in the Hudson Bay with Bulga Whales.
- Go Parasailing ~ Seeing it done at a lake when I was in my early teens and hearing somebody explain the adrenaline rush from the experience.
- Go Dog Sledding ~ From learning about the Metis in school and the Festival du Voyageur.
- Go Snow Shoeing ~ Same as above.
- Go Sailing ~ From pirate books as a kid, then several movies reinforced this later on life.
- Take a Kayak, Raft or Canoe down a Hill/Mountain in the Snow ~ Looked like too much fun.
- Watch somebody Sky Board in person ~ Outside Magazine
- Try Sky Boarding ~ Outside Magazine.
- To Seadoo in the Ocean ~ Some brochure I got about Mexico.
- Go Hang Gliding ~ Not sure, I'm guessing some movie like James Bond or the like.
- Go Cliff Jumping ~ Not Sure
- Swim with Dolphins ~ A IMAX Documentary
- Go Water Skiing ~ From watching my Uncle Bob when I was 4-5 years old.
- Go on an African Safari ~ Books and Documentaries.
- Visit the Base Camp of Mount Everest ~ IMAX Film of Everest, as well as reading up on Sir Edmond Hillary, and reinforced by an article in Outside or Backpacker Magazine.
- Go Bobsleding ~ Winter Olympics in 1988
- Go Wakeboarding ~ While at the lake and watching somebody else do it.
- Go Boogie Boarding ~ Some old 70's beach movie.
- Go Abseiling (Rappelling) ~ Not really sure where this idea first came from, however when my sister Amanda came back from bible camp one time she explained how much fun it was and I knew then that if she could do and enjoy it I should do it too.
- Go Basejumping ~ The many articles I read about this in Outside Magazine.
- Reach the Summit of a Mountain ~ My first trip through the Mountains with my Grandma I decided that I wanted someday reach the summit of a Mountain, then when living in Lake Louise and Hiking through the mountains I knew that I wanted to reach the summit someday.

Sport

Sport
- Learn to Swim Better (be able to swim the length of an average swimming pool twice) ~ as a child I went under in a Hotel Swimming Pool trying to keep up with friends. I also have a big fear of water.
- Skate on a River ~ I always loved watching people skate on the river in Europe as well as on the Red River in Winnipeg as well as in Ottawa during their winter festival.
- Skate on a Pond ~ A friend of mines mom explained how much fun she had skating on a pond when she was growing up as well as reading many stories as a child of hockey players that got their start playing hockey on the pond.
- Skate on a Lake ~ Seeing a Frozen lake on HNIC and seeing the kids skating on there.
- To skate wearing Figure Skates ~ My sister Amanda always said I wouldn't be able too
- To skate wearing Speed Skates ~ Inspired by the Winter Olympics and the speed they reach
- Coach a Minor Sport ~ Inspired by some of my great coaches growing up as well as I wanted to give back to the sports that I played as a child.
- Learn to play a Racquet Ball ~ As a kid watching Racquet Ball at the Morden Complex made me want to play this sport.
- Learn to play Hand Ball ~ same as Racquet Ball
- Finish a Marathon Race ~ Idea came from the Boston Marathon when I was in my teens.
- Do a Triathlon (individual or team) ~ From the Morden International Triathlon
- Stay on a exercise routine for at least a year ~ Would be good for me & I have never stuck to a actual exercise routine for more than a month. I would expect it from players that I coach.
- Put on 100km on a Bicycle in one day ~ Idea came from reading about Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France
- Play Cricket ~ Looks interesting and its not common around here.
- Organize a Minor Sport Tournament ~ Tournaments were always my favorite part of playing any sport so I thought that organizing them may be fun
- Be Part of the Organizing Group of a Large Sports Tournament ~ As a player and coach I always loved large tournaments and seeing teams from everywhere in one location.

Camping/Outdoors

Camping / Outdoors
- Live off the Land for a week (Catching my own fish, hunting, ect.) ~ Idea from a Backpacker Magazine.
- Live in the Wilderness for a Month ~ Idea from Backpacker Magazine, as well as my many camping trips that I thought ended too quickly.
- Go Camping in every Month of the Year. ~ Growing up and living in Manitoba I was always disapointted that the camping season was so short, as well as the idea of camping while others people think that its too cold to go camping and that there wouldn't be others at the campground made me want to do this.
- Be able to start a fire without a lighter or matches. ~ After being lost with only one match I thought that knowing how to use a fire starting tool such as a firesteel or a flint & magnesium fire starter
- Take a city kid camping (the child's first time camping) ~ Outside Magazine and Backpacker Magazine.
- Spend the Night in a Tree ~ Outside Magazine.
- Learn how to use a Compass ~ Added after getting lost in the Wilderness with 3 friends for over 5 hours. Know the basics but figured I should leanr how to use it properly.
- Learn how to use a GPS Unit (global positioning system) ~ Same as Compass
- Sleep on a beach.~ Idea came from looking at Sunrise and Sunset pictures of exotic beaches, as well as Outside Magazine.
- Climb a Waterfall. ~ Outside Magazine
- Spend a Night in a Fire Tower. ~ Idea came while researching an up coming trip to Montana
- Build a Igloo or Quinzee and Sleep in it. ~ Built many snow forts as a kid but never spent the night in one.
- See the Aurora Borealis with somebody that has never seen them before. ~ After moving to Texas and talking to people here about the Northern Lights and realizing that many people down here have never even heard of the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.
- Watch the Ocean Tides Change. ~ I guess this one came from a documentary I watched when I was young. (If there is a female sports team called the Tides I would like to watch them change as well)
- Go Spelunking or Caving. ~ I'm not certain of this one but I think from watching movies
- Witness a Big League Animal Migration (Bald Eagles, Whooping Cranes, Grey Whales, Monarch Butterfly, Caribou, Salmon, Seals, Sea Turtles, Wildebeest, Serengeti Migration) ~ TV Documentaries.
- Encounter a ......., on its Home Turf (Snow Leopard, Silverback Gorilla, Water Buffalo, Tiger, Lion, Giraffe, Zebra, Elephant, Gorilla, Grizzly Bear) ~ National Geographic Magazine and Documentaries.
- Camp in every Province & Territory in Canada. ~ Always wanted to travel across Canada
- Go on a Canoe Trip. ~ First inspired by the book Paddle to the Amazon, when I was a child and then again by the movie Deliverance (no I don't want to squeal like a pig) when I was a 16.

Life Goals updated.

Ok, I have updated my life goals list. So now each couple of days I will put up a different section of the list and explain where the idea came from or why I put this on my list. Then after all the sections are have been posted I will go trough the list again and list all the things that I have accomplished. Then afterwards I will give my list of things I hope to accomplish this year.

I know that I will probably never do all the things on my list but thats fine with me. I will also continue to add things to my list and edit others. I have removed several things from my list already as I know rather not share these things with people (especially over the internet) but if you ask me what these things are I may be willing to tell you what these things are and why I removed them.

Here is the list of the up coming categories.
Outdoors/Camping, Sport, Adventure Sport, Sports Attendance, Craft & Hobby, For a Better Self, Fishing, Health, Music, Travel, Life, Work, People I would Like to Meet, Transportation, Attendance, Just for Fun, Learning/Education

Till next time "Schlope Je'sunt"

Energy Drink

This week has been a little stressful and tiring. I was feeling a little drained yesterday afternoon so I decided that I should have an energy drink.
I had a Red Bull about three years back and I didn't mind the taste but I didn't really notice any effects because of it but I thought I see everybody drinking these Rock Star Energy Drinks so I would try one.
I was didn't mind the taste. However about an hour later I was feeling funny and not in a good way. I was buzzing around and that is how my whole body felt as well.
I now know why that these drinks are being banned in several countries.
I won't drink them again.
Well maybe with Alcohol.

OhMiBod

Sometimes I wish I was a female as they seem to get all the cool toys made for them.
Such as the new devices that work with MP3 Players. Takes listening to music to a whole new level.

GPS Dining

A couple of weeks back I was Hungry and I didn't want to make anything to eat so I figured I would go out to eat. Well I wanted to try something different so I was checking my list of restaurants that I want to try out in the Dallas Metroplex but once looking over the look I realized that most of these restaurants I was hoping to try with my girlfriend. So I decided to just put in my GPS in my car and drive a direction and have the GPS point out a Restaurant. I thought this would be fun and perhaps lead me to a place that I have never heard of or never thought of dining.
Well I headed in the direction of Sasche, Tx (didn't know that when I started driving). Once in Sasche I set the GPS to the Restaurant section and started looking at what was close to me. Well I saw one that seemed like it could have been a family run place so I stopped there. Well after looking at the menu I left this place as I can't stand places that have to name there food after famous people and that is how all this places items were named. So I continued in the direction I was in and spotted a Chinese Place on my GPS that I was going to stop at. Well when I pulled into the parking lot I spotted the Monkey's Pub & Grub and ended up eating there. I found out what I really wanted was a liquor and food. Well I had the Onion Rings and Chicken Fingers. They were extremely greasy and really had no real taste. Good thing the drinks were cheap. I would go back just because of the cheap drinks, as well I want to see the Pillow Fights and Boxing that they have on Saturday Nights. I wouldn't recommend this place for the food or even the atmosphere but the drinks were cheap and if thats what you want then its a good place to go.

I have to try GPS Dining again and see where it takes me. I have several places on my GPS that I want to try now.