"Too busy with the crowded hour to fear to live or die." - Emerson

I make a to-do list everyday, every day, without fail. I rarely accomplish everything on the list, but at least it provides some kind of organization to my life. A while back I decided to take the list one step further, a list of things to do before I die. The funny thing is, the list is made up more like a check list, a compilation of everything I must do in order to die, as if I shall live forever, basking in immortality, should I falter in accomplishing every last minute task on my list. And now that I've peaked your interest, or just wasted a few moments of your oh so precious time spent perusing peoples boring lives, I'll enlighten you.

1. travel through Russia via the Trans-Siberian Railway
2. finish learning Russian...I have a weird fetish with ruskys
3. teach on semester-at-sea
4. earn at least one doctorate...probably political science
5. adopt a child (yeah, I know)
6. publish one piece of nonfiction and one photograph
7. advocate for the ICC, Leonard Peltier (look him up) and Tibetan freedom
8. give one nationally televised speech to conquer, or simply heighten, the fear of public speaking
9. read at least 1,000 books (inspired by a friend)
10. skydive
11. run a marathon
12. visit every continent (including Antarctica)
13. thru-hike the AT (Appalachian Trail)
14. learn the flags, capitols and geographic locations of every country in the world
15. learn to play the violin

So...that might take me a while, but I don't plan on bitin' the bullet any time soon......hopefully. Anything I'm missing? The original list topped off at 22, all around lucky number, but it's lost and gone forever in the abyss that is the other side of the world.