THE List: 1-20

At World Market a few weeks ago, I bought the "1001 Places to See Before You Die." I was severely disappointed. I was hoping for a checklist of things that were a clearly defined 1001 items. It is not that at all...its basically a collection of the typical city guide books you get before going places that includes hotels, restaurants, and some sights but without any distinction as to what they're considering their 1001. So I'm making my own...I'm sure I won't get to 1001, but I'll eventually get to 100.

Rather than boring you with them all at once, I'm going to post 10-20 at a time over the next couple of weeks and then (hopefully) give periodic updates of the ones that I've finished. Some I made up myself, most I stole from the Internet. I will say that when I was creating my list (and I don't have 100 yet, so feel free to make suggestions!) I put on a couple that I have already done, but nothing completed before January 2007. So with no further ado, here is my first installment of THE List.

1. The necessary item: Visit all 50 states
2. Bet $100 on Black at a Roulette table in Vegas
3. Cross the International Date Line
4. Look for Nessie in Scotland
5. Kiss the Blarney Stone
6. Sleep in a "haunted" castle or hotel
7. Walk along the Great Wall of China
8. See a Broadway Show
9. Take a picture of me "holding up" the Leaning Tower of Pisa
10. Watch the Cubs play a game at Wrigley Field
11. Spend New Years in an exotic location
12. Visit 6 of the 7 continents (I have no desire to go to Antartica)
13. Watch a Sumo Wrestling match in Japan
14. Take a random vacation not knowing where I'm going until the last minute
15. Take a lesson at one of the Trapeze Schools
16. See the Pyramids
17. Skydive
18. Go to Graceland
19. See the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona
20. Drink Champagne in a limo (nope, I've never ridden in a limo before)

And for my first thing to be crossed off, here is my proof of my FIRST (I hope to have more) New Years in an exotic location...Piazza della Repubblika in Florence, Italy.