#2 Completed! Swim with Dolphins

"An amazing experience that I would highly recommend!"

How I did it: I recently went on a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Besides sitting on the beach drinking Pina Coladas & eating chilaciles, swimming with dolphins was the only other activity on the agenda. Lucky enough, my girlfriend & her boyfriend sat through the torture of a 3-hour time-share seminar (God bless them!). They were able to score 4 tickets to the Dolphin Experience at Vallarta Adventures for $130! The usual cost is about $120 per person.

The dolphins were kept in large pools (similar to swimming pools). I was worried that it would make me feel sad that they were contained, but they seemed to be having fun. A few were just playing ball with each other with no trainers around. We stood on a platform in the pool and, for all you wimps (myself included), the water was cold! I sucked it up because I couldn't wait to swim with Dolphins! We were able to ride the dolphin, get a kiss, dance and feed it a slimy fish. For more money there were more intimate experiences available, but I was pleased with the interaction we had. Everyone with me agreed that we don't need to do it again, but it was totally worth it!

The only bummer is that they don't allow cameras in the dolphin area, so their photographer took all of the photos & you had to purchase them if you wanted any record of your experience. We paid $99 for 8 photos on cd. I felt kind of ripped of, but couldn't pass it up.

#55 Completed! Stay at a 5-Star Hotel

"Such luxury that it will be hard to return to Motel 6"

How I did it:

This goal would have not been completed unless my former company footed the bill! When I was working for Fox Restaurant Concepts we won an award for one of the best Fast Casual restaurants in the Nation. I was invited to Chicago to accept the award and was booked to stay at The Peninsula.

I figured they would have some fine chocolate on my pillow, but they brought in a whole complimentary fruit & cheese platter. The bed was the most comfortable I ever slept in! I still have the slippers! I took them!

#24 Completed! Try to Rappel

"Rappelling was thrilling, but would have been better if I could have gone down faster!""

How I did it:
I always try to do "something I will remember" for my birthday. This year I selected rappelling from my bucket list. It was a 3 hour drive from my home to the Moaning Caverns in Murphys, CA. We all were required to watch a short video that gave you the dos & don'ts of rappelling, followed by a 2 minute lesson. That's it! The instructor hooked us into our harnesses and led us to the rope into the cave. The first portion of the rappell was like rock climbing backwords. The second part was more of a free fall drop (the fun part). Next time, I would opt for something faster and longer!

After the rappel, we went to eat in the town of Murphys, CA. The quaint downtown offered several nice restaurants & 20+ wine tasting rooms. Couldn't have ended the day any better!

#83 Completed! ride a zip line

"Riding a zip line in Costa Rica was absolutely thrilling & beautiful"

How I did it: When I was in Costa Rica I saw a brochure for zip line tours. There was no question that this was something I would have to do! There were several rip line companies to choose from, but we went with the one the hotel recommended. It had 11 lines on it, which meant we were able to fly down 11 different cords all with varying lengths & heights. The first one was the scariest because you weren't sure if you were going to fall. But, by the end we were flying upside down!

Lessons & tips: Do your research to make sure you are using a reputable zip line company. This is definitely something you don't want to take any chances on. Using one that the hotel recommends is a wise idea.

What helped me cure a bit of my fear was to suspend myself in the air while I was still over the platform. This way I knew that I was secured properly and the cord could support my weight.

About The List

I have always had a list. A shopping list. A to-do list. A need-to-repair list. A list of all my lists. And my favorite of them all, my bucket list. Having a bucket list is the perfect way to get myself motivated and experience all the pleasures in life. The following are things that I have completed on my list so far:

~Skeet Shoot
~Take a Pilates class
~Enter something in a food competition
~Take a Rip Line ride
~See a Volcano
~Have a 2nd home in Sonoma County
~Make a significant change in someones life
~Teach a class
~Stay at a 5-Star hotel
~Blow $150 on one 5-cent slot machine
~Get a spa pedicure
~Try to surf
~Tell my dad I love him
~Go on a $500 clothes shopping spree in one day
~Play the stock market
~Spend the day at a resort spa
~Own investment real estate
~Rappel

I still have 105 more (& counting) things on my bucket list! I hope this blog helps me keep a record of the progress of my goals and help those who want to create/experience their own list.