Project 30 Official List -
Updated October 26, 2008, 6 weeks to go.
December:
#1 - Purchase an Ipod - Complete
#2 - Visit Vegas & See a show (Spice Girls) - Complete
#3 - Whale Watching on Monterey Bay - Complete
January:
#4 - Tour St. George's Spirits, Makers of Hangar One Vodka - Complete
February:
#5 - See 'Wicked', the Broadway Musical - Complete
#6 - Ride a Mechanical Bull for Valentines Day - Complete
#7 - Multi-Course Dinner - AsiaSF - Complete
#8 - Winchester Mystery House - Wild Card - Complete
#9 - Kooza, Cirque Du Soleil Show - Wild Card - Complete
March:
#10 - San Jose Sharks vs. St. Louis Blues Hockey Game - Complete
#11 - Elephant Seals during Mating Season at Ano Nuevo - Complete
#12 - Dance Lessons - Friday Night Waltz - Complete
April:
#13 - Broadway Show in NYC - Complete
#14 - Baseball Game #1 - See Yankees (Last Year in Stadium) - Complete
#15 - Tour Museums in DC - Complete
#16 - Baseball Game #2 - See Mets (Last Year in Stadium) - Complete
May:
I turned 30!
July:
#17 - Minor League Baseball Game - Complete
#18 - Berry Picking - Complete
August:
#19 - Secret Stencil Mission - Complete
October:
#20 - Gun Shooting - Complete
#21 - Santa Cruz Mystery Spot - Complete
#22 - Roaring Camp Railroad - Complete
#23 - Horseback Riding in Half Moon Bay - Complete
#24 - Wine tasting - Complete
November:
Spa Time
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Art Show at my House
Unscheduled:
Cable Car Riding
Alcatraz
Cal Arts & Sciences
Edits to list since last update:
I have removed tasks that didn't seem like they were possible before the end of the project such as Disneyland, the Football game, Train ride to San Diego and the naked picture taking. They are all things I am still going to work towards, but would inhibit the completion of the project in 1 year. I feel comfortable with what I replaced them with, and as I stated at the start of the project, it's my year long party and I can change it as I want!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Project 30: Cheers!
Task 24/30: Go Winetasting.
Complete: October 26, 2008
I'm not a big wine drinker, I am actually a big wine idiot. As a professional adult, this is sort of an undesired thing for me, I don't want to appear clueless and therefore appear classless. I want to at least know more about wine than pairing red with beef and white with chicken and fish. I've drank a fair share of wine, but I seem to miss the complexities and subtlety that a lot of people revel in. I prefer vodka obviously, but just because it is not my drink of choice doesn't mean that there isn't virtue in having some wine education.
While when I put wine tasting on the list, it was planned as a big afternoon of shuttled drunken fun around the Napa area. But again, like so many things in this project, the idea was really about education and not about excess, so I feel comfortable with a little substituting here. I am lucky enough to have friends that have some serious expertise in the area and yesterday a buddy and I trekked into the Santa Cruz mountains after our horse riding to sample some of the wines at Soquel Vineyards.
It is a beautiful property that reminded me that I don't have to go all the way to Scotts Valley or Ben Lomand for country times. It was one of those things that made me seriously consider moving to a new part of town. It seemed like another event took place on a perfect fall day, so the vineyards and the sunlight just seem to combine in the most picture perfect scene. We tasted 5 wines and I learned about the differences and some nifty wine terms to help me figure out what I'm drinking. I learned a little about the business of wine, and how grapes travel and are sold. It was neat and I think it was a good relaxing Sunday activity that was enjoyable and satisfying enough to call this very easily MISSION COMPLETE!
Complete: October 26, 2008
I'm not a big wine drinker, I am actually a big wine idiot. As a professional adult, this is sort of an undesired thing for me, I don't want to appear clueless and therefore appear classless. I want to at least know more about wine than pairing red with beef and white with chicken and fish. I've drank a fair share of wine, but I seem to miss the complexities and subtlety that a lot of people revel in. I prefer vodka obviously, but just because it is not my drink of choice doesn't mean that there isn't virtue in having some wine education.
While when I put wine tasting on the list, it was planned as a big afternoon of shuttled drunken fun around the Napa area. But again, like so many things in this project, the idea was really about education and not about excess, so I feel comfortable with a little substituting here. I am lucky enough to have friends that have some serious expertise in the area and yesterday a buddy and I trekked into the Santa Cruz mountains after our horse riding to sample some of the wines at Soquel Vineyards.
It is a beautiful property that reminded me that I don't have to go all the way to Scotts Valley or Ben Lomand for country times. It was one of those things that made me seriously consider moving to a new part of town. It seemed like another event took place on a perfect fall day, so the vineyards and the sunlight just seem to combine in the most picture perfect scene. We tasted 5 wines and I learned about the differences and some nifty wine terms to help me figure out what I'm drinking. I learned a little about the business of wine, and how grapes travel and are sold. It was neat and I think it was a good relaxing Sunday activity that was enjoyable and satisfying enough to call this very easily MISSION COMPLETE!
Project 30: Whooooooooooaaaaaaaaa!
Task 23/30: Go Horseback Riding on the Beach
Complete: October 26, 2008
This is probably in my top favorite tasks that I have done this year. Thanks to Monterey Bay Equestrian, my lifelong dream of riding horses galloping down the beach came true and exceeded all my expectations. (Including the expectation that my ass would be sore today, but maybe not THIS sore.) Yesterday, a beautiful brisk day in the Monterey Bay area, me and a girlfriend set out for Moss Landing to meet our guide and our horses for an hour long trek on the beach and the dunes.
Unlike many of my tasks in the project there wasn't anything tentative about this one. The horses were beautiful and not scary at all, the injury factor was still high, but less likely and there was no great fear being tackled, only fun. From the moment I made the reservation, I was stoked about it, and the staff that took my call was friendly and encouraging. They met us on the beach and saddled up the horses for our tour and a shorter one leaving at the same time as us. While me and my friend sat on our saddles, we waited for the late comers to join our tour and got acquainted with our new furry friends. My ride for the afternoon was Geronimo, and he was such a sweet and mild mannered horse, I felt completely safe and comfortable.
We started off down the beach, trotting side by side behind the guide. Geronimo wasn't a big fan of hanging in the back and anytime he felt we were lagging, he would sprint ahead into the pack. It was cute that he couldn't keep up in a normal pace, but it made my butt a bit bruised from the excessive galloping in the catching up. There was a time when we posed in the surf on our horses, and then we did some serious galloping, during which my camera took a leap out of my pocket and into the sand. Thankfully the kind guide retrieved it for me and we returned to our sprint down the sand. It was a sweet little ride down the beach before making a turn onto the path through the dunes which were equally stunning. It is so amazing to gaze out over the river bed and agricultural rich ground and think how beautiful it all is, and then realize that this is my home. It was nice and relaxing in the single file strut and noticing the hawks and other majestic birds loop in the wind was breathtaking.
For some of it, it seemed too short, but parts of my body today disagree. It is definitely something that I would do again without thinking, and most certainly plan to do in the future. I'm very happy to call this MISSION COMPLETE. I wish I could do that every weekend...
Complete: October 26, 2008
This is probably in my top favorite tasks that I have done this year. Thanks to Monterey Bay Equestrian, my lifelong dream of riding horses galloping down the beach came true and exceeded all my expectations. (Including the expectation that my ass would be sore today, but maybe not THIS sore.) Yesterday, a beautiful brisk day in the Monterey Bay area, me and a girlfriend set out for Moss Landing to meet our guide and our horses for an hour long trek on the beach and the dunes.
Unlike many of my tasks in the project there wasn't anything tentative about this one. The horses were beautiful and not scary at all, the injury factor was still high, but less likely and there was no great fear being tackled, only fun. From the moment I made the reservation, I was stoked about it, and the staff that took my call was friendly and encouraging. They met us on the beach and saddled up the horses for our tour and a shorter one leaving at the same time as us. While me and my friend sat on our saddles, we waited for the late comers to join our tour and got acquainted with our new furry friends. My ride for the afternoon was Geronimo, and he was such a sweet and mild mannered horse, I felt completely safe and comfortable.
We started off down the beach, trotting side by side behind the guide. Geronimo wasn't a big fan of hanging in the back and anytime he felt we were lagging, he would sprint ahead into the pack. It was cute that he couldn't keep up in a normal pace, but it made my butt a bit bruised from the excessive galloping in the catching up. There was a time when we posed in the surf on our horses, and then we did some serious galloping, during which my camera took a leap out of my pocket and into the sand. Thankfully the kind guide retrieved it for me and we returned to our sprint down the sand. It was a sweet little ride down the beach before making a turn onto the path through the dunes which were equally stunning. It is so amazing to gaze out over the river bed and agricultural rich ground and think how beautiful it all is, and then realize that this is my home. It was nice and relaxing in the single file strut and noticing the hawks and other majestic birds loop in the wind was breathtaking.
For some of it, it seemed too short, but parts of my body today disagree. It is definitely something that I would do again without thinking, and most certainly plan to do in the future. I'm very happy to call this MISSION COMPLETE. I wish I could do that every weekend...
Project 30: Chugga Chugga Choo Choo...
Task 22/30: Ride the Roaring Camp Railroad
Complete: October 25, 2008
The Santa Cruz Mountains are home to the glorious Roaring Camp Railroad and for all the time I have lived in Santa Cruz and heard the horn blowing down by the boardwalk, I have never ridden the train. Unfortunately, at this point in the season, there is no longer a route the includes the beach, but there are still three treks into the forest daily. Saturday seemed like a beautiful autumn day to kick back and breathe some fresh air and take in the giants that line the north of me.
After I finished The Mystery Spot, I darted up to Felton and found myself transported to years ago. The property that houses the depot is just precious and I couldn't be more thankful to come upon it at this time of year. The colors of the trees danced in the wind and everything just seemed so beautiful and golden. I grabbed my ticket and a hamburger and sat myself down on the bench seat of the open car one back from the steam engine that would be pulling our way. It was a full train of families and tourists, but already the tone was much more pleasant and relaxed than The Mystery Spot.
Off through the trees we went for an hour of up and down hill chugging. There were broken bridges and burnt out trees. I felt like they provided enough information about the train for the junkies, but enough balance of the area and the nature to keep the rest of us entertained. It seemed like we did more stopping than riding though, as there were times that you'd go up one hill just to get enough momentum to go back down and switch back to the track going the other direction. A crafty way to turn a train at a sharp angle, but a pretty boring pause for the rest of us. There was a brief stop on the top of the mountain for a bathroom break and some pictures of the engine or trees, whatever your preference. I was happy for a moment to remove the seemingly large branch that found itself embedded into my eye socket and blinding me for a good while. It was not pleasant, and the bright sun shining through the tree branches just seemed to complicate things, so I was happy for a chance to chill in the shade and calm my crying eyes. Once the obstacle was finally removed from my blinking, I was able to climb back aboard the train in time for the departure back down the mountain. The beauty was breathtaking.
It was a wonderful hour of fresh air and nature, and I would certainly do it again with visitors from out of town, or maybe just a picnic lunch on the grounds before a big hike into the State Park. Either way, this was a pleasant project that is now MISSION COMPLETE.
See all my pictures from Roaring Camp here.
Complete: October 25, 2008
The Santa Cruz Mountains are home to the glorious Roaring Camp Railroad and for all the time I have lived in Santa Cruz and heard the horn blowing down by the boardwalk, I have never ridden the train. Unfortunately, at this point in the season, there is no longer a route the includes the beach, but there are still three treks into the forest daily. Saturday seemed like a beautiful autumn day to kick back and breathe some fresh air and take in the giants that line the north of me.
After I finished The Mystery Spot, I darted up to Felton and found myself transported to years ago. The property that houses the depot is just precious and I couldn't be more thankful to come upon it at this time of year. The colors of the trees danced in the wind and everything just seemed so beautiful and golden. I grabbed my ticket and a hamburger and sat myself down on the bench seat of the open car one back from the steam engine that would be pulling our way. It was a full train of families and tourists, but already the tone was much more pleasant and relaxed than The Mystery Spot.
Off through the trees we went for an hour of up and down hill chugging. There were broken bridges and burnt out trees. I felt like they provided enough information about the train for the junkies, but enough balance of the area and the nature to keep the rest of us entertained. It seemed like we did more stopping than riding though, as there were times that you'd go up one hill just to get enough momentum to go back down and switch back to the track going the other direction. A crafty way to turn a train at a sharp angle, but a pretty boring pause for the rest of us. There was a brief stop on the top of the mountain for a bathroom break and some pictures of the engine or trees, whatever your preference. I was happy for a moment to remove the seemingly large branch that found itself embedded into my eye socket and blinding me for a good while. It was not pleasant, and the bright sun shining through the tree branches just seemed to complicate things, so I was happy for a chance to chill in the shade and calm my crying eyes. Once the obstacle was finally removed from my blinking, I was able to climb back aboard the train in time for the departure back down the mountain. The beauty was breathtaking.
It was a wonderful hour of fresh air and nature, and I would certainly do it again with visitors from out of town, or maybe just a picnic lunch on the grounds before a big hike into the State Park. Either way, this was a pleasant project that is now MISSION COMPLETE.
See all my pictures from Roaring Camp here.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Project 30: "If we knew what was happening here, we'd be the solved spot."
Task 21/30: Visit the Santa Cruz Mystery Spot
Complete: October 25, 2008
Deep in the forest, less than 10 miles from here, is a tourist trap. I have lived in this town for 12 years and I have never visited the "World Famous" Santa Cruz Mystery Spot. Once, I tried to go, but they were sold out and we didn't want to wait. On Saturday, I decided that would change, and I took myself up to the mountain for a sunny day to witness this "miracle" in the forest that had been good enough for Ripley's Believe it or Not and Life Magazine.
The Mystery Spot is a gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California. It is a circular area of effect around 150 feet or 46 meters in diameter. Within the Mystery Spot you will be stunned as your perceptions of the laws of physics and gravity are questioned. But don't take our word for it, come and decide for yourself!
The Mystery Spot was discovered in 1939 by a group of surveyors and opened to the public in 1940. The Mystery Spot has amazed and perplexed hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world, and many return time and time again to experience these puzzling variations of gravity, perspective, and height.
Some speculate that cones of metal were secretly brought here and buried in our earth as guidance systems for their spacecraft. Some think that it is in fact the spacecraft itself burried deep within the ground. Other theories include carbon dioxide permeating from the earth, a hole in the ozone layer, a magma vortex, the highest dielectric biocosmic radiation known anywhere in the world, and radiesthesia. Whatever the cause is, it remains a mystery.
When I told some friends on Friday night that I was getting up on Saturday to brave new worlds, they laughed and said enjoy. But I was still determined to see what the great mystery was. At the very minimum, it was an afternoon in the sun and trees and I needed fresh air.
Tickets are $5 and parking is $5 for overall it was a $10 venture that had me feeling that I sort of swindled in the same way that you were at an old school carnival. I mean, maybe I just smart or skeptical, but nothing they did was really all that "unexplainable" or more than a serious optical illusion.
I mean really, I'm not sure this place is constantly packed, but damn, people are fools. I was on a tour with people who thought this was really quite possibly the coolest thing they had ever seen. Ever. The little kids made sense, but there were adults who were just totally convinced by the slight of the slats. I giggled, I was happy it was short. We were graced with a pretty energetic tour guide and I do think she probably made that painful hour of my life much more entertaining. I did appreciate her extra effort, and I thanked her kindly as she handed me my signature yellow Mystery Spot sticker that would not be making a home on my car. I sort of chuckled as I climbed back into my car and was happy that I went and was happy to call this MISSION COMPLETE.
Complete: October 25, 2008
Deep in the forest, less than 10 miles from here, is a tourist trap. I have lived in this town for 12 years and I have never visited the "World Famous" Santa Cruz Mystery Spot. Once, I tried to go, but they were sold out and we didn't want to wait. On Saturday, I decided that would change, and I took myself up to the mountain for a sunny day to witness this "miracle" in the forest that had been good enough for Ripley's Believe it or Not and Life Magazine.
The Mystery Spot is a gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California. It is a circular area of effect around 150 feet or 46 meters in diameter. Within the Mystery Spot you will be stunned as your perceptions of the laws of physics and gravity are questioned. But don't take our word for it, come and decide for yourself!
The Mystery Spot was discovered in 1939 by a group of surveyors and opened to the public in 1940. The Mystery Spot has amazed and perplexed hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world, and many return time and time again to experience these puzzling variations of gravity, perspective, and height.
Some speculate that cones of metal were secretly brought here and buried in our earth as guidance systems for their spacecraft. Some think that it is in fact the spacecraft itself burried deep within the ground. Other theories include carbon dioxide permeating from the earth, a hole in the ozone layer, a magma vortex, the highest dielectric biocosmic radiation known anywhere in the world, and radiesthesia. Whatever the cause is, it remains a mystery.
When I told some friends on Friday night that I was getting up on Saturday to brave new worlds, they laughed and said enjoy. But I was still determined to see what the great mystery was. At the very minimum, it was an afternoon in the sun and trees and I needed fresh air.
Tickets are $5 and parking is $5 for overall it was a $10 venture that had me feeling that I sort of swindled in the same way that you were at an old school carnival. I mean, maybe I just smart or skeptical, but nothing they did was really all that "unexplainable" or more than a serious optical illusion.
I mean really, I'm not sure this place is constantly packed, but damn, people are fools. I was on a tour with people who thought this was really quite possibly the coolest thing they had ever seen. Ever. The little kids made sense, but there were adults who were just totally convinced by the slight of the slats. I giggled, I was happy it was short. We were graced with a pretty energetic tour guide and I do think she probably made that painful hour of my life much more entertaining. I did appreciate her extra effort, and I thanked her kindly as she handed me my signature yellow Mystery Spot sticker that would not be making a home on my car. I sort of chuckled as I climbed back into my car and was happy that I went and was happy to call this MISSION COMPLETE.
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