The 99 Things Meme

by Jay Cross on December 27, 2008

Things you’ve already done: bold = 77
Things you want to do: italicize = 2
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to – leave in plain font = 20

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.

3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.

6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland/world.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.

11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort.

25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37.Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person.
41. Sung Karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.

43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.

48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.

55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood.

65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.

72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. (Fish are animals, right?)
88. Had chickenpox.

89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.

94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Rina Tripathi December 28, 2008 at 11:45 pm

I have a ritual, I always read Karyn Romie’s blog, then Donald Clark’s from there I move to Nigel’s as it has a link to your blog. It is always a very enriching experience. Wishing you a Merry Christmas, the festive spirit is still all around! Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year with lots of joy and good health. Hope you share your learning and experience till eternity.

Regards
Rina

John E. Smith December 29, 2008 at 5:54 am

Hi, Jay

John E. Smith December 29, 2008 at 6:01 am

Hi, Jay – interesting exercise!

I enjoyed rating the list for what I’ve done or would like to do. The number of things in the “would like” column were surprisingly heavy with places to visit. This makes me rethink my plans for the next few years:).

Was there a structure to how you developed this list? The list covers quite an array of experiences, which is part of the reason that it is effective in stimulating some needed self-analysis. Is there a method or did you just start listing things?

John

Jay Cross December 29, 2008 at 9:12 am

John, I didn’t develop the list. I picked it up from Stephen Downes. I tracked Stephen’s sources and their sources and their sources and so on through 15 referrals, ending up at http://www.losangelista.com/2008/12/99-things-ive-done.html where the trail went cold. This thing has been bouncing all over the blogosphere.

Leave a Comment

You can use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Previous post:

Next post:

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License. Real Time Web Analytics