Bucket List

Below is a running list of the things that have made my Bucket List. You’re never too young to start, right?

Attend Band Camp (done – 2013 complete with Wayland guitar)

For those not local to Madison, Band Camp is a rock festival put on every August by WJJO (the local rock/alternative station). While I am not young enough to hit the mudpits, the mosh pits, or really any pits in general, I do enjoy most of the acts they bring there. When I finally make it there I will likely spring for the VIP tickets with the parking, early admittance and seating area.

Attend a JJO Sound Lounge (completed – Oedipus, and again… Bobaflex, and again… Wayland)

The station mentioned above hold occasional events at the station itself called Sound Lounges. When a band is in town for a concert, they’ll come in and do some acoustic stuff live on the air and have a Meet & Greet with fans. Usually a local tavern is providing food and drink. Sure, you have to win spots on the list, but the more remotes I make it to the more likely I am to win one. Getting the time off is the easy part.

Halloween at the Hawthorne in Salem

The Hawthorne Hotel hosts a Halloween party every year. Now, while I have been to Salem before (a rather humorous family story), I haven’t been there for Halloween, or stayed there. 75% of the area I don’t have to check out. But I can’t deny the fun that would be had doing Halloween there. It would be the same as doing it up in New Orleans.

Stay at the Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City

Supposedly one of the most haunted in the US. Direct reports from a friend list it as having some creepiness to it. Now I just need to find another reason to go to Oklahoma City. Anyone have any non-haunted things to see in that town? Let me know.

Go to the Literature Festival in Mantova Italy

Not only Madison’s Sister City, but the city of Mantova hosts a yearly literature festival. A big one. Every September. The name of it is Festivaletteratura. In my mind, this one is a two-fer. (The site linked is in Italian. Fair warning.)

Learn to Speak Italian

Not only is it a heritage thing, but it would really help in doing a trip there for the literature festival if I spoke the language.

Travel to Scotland/Ireland

This is in the plans for the 30th anniversary (a cruise around Great Britain) but if we’re going to fly over there, I’d like to take some time and stay in Dublin and possibly Edinburgh. I hear there are some excellent ghost tours there. A Guinness Brewery Tour might be in order as well. Just sayin’.

Self-Publish a Book

Okay, this is kind of cheating as it will be completed this year, but it was still a goal. Under the Hood will be coming out this year. I decided to self publish it so I had control over it and could produce it to give to the people who donated to the Young Writers Program for it.

Traditionally Publish a Book

I have two manuscripts that I plan on shopping out at a couple of writing conferences in the coming year. Hopefully it will go as well as the self publishing task. I may have three depending on how quickly I work. One of them may be in the same setting as Under the Hood.

Go to LA and watch a taping of the Late Late Show

Pretty easy one, but I think it needs to be on here to make sure I do it. There’s not much that would drag me out to California. This is one of them. (For the record, I have been to the state. Twice. Once by choice!)

Promote My Book on the Late Late Show

It was kind of the point of re-branding this blog, right? So I suppose I should put this here. This one would trump simply going to a taping. It also leads into the next one.

Win the Golden Harmonica

Assuming they still do it by the time I have something to promote and can get on the show. This past year for the Change Write Now challenge I actually started learning to play for just this reason. This is also provided my hands don’t get so messed up that I can’t hold the damned thing. (Writing kills the poor fingers, wrists, etc… I need to get braces for my hands.)

A Night of Writing Dangerously

One of these years I’ll make the trip to California for the NaNoWriMo event “A Night of Writing Dangerously.” More so than just it is a fundraising event, it quite honestly looks like a blast. Not to mention the whole thing of hanging out and writing with people just like me. (Well, maybe not JUST like me.)

Rock Fest in Caddot (done – single day for Halestorm in 2013)

Adding this to the list as of seeing the site for it. Four awesome days of music. Of course getting the full package (Food, VIP Camping, Seats, etc.) is crazy expensive. That one will be something we’ll have to save up for and do instead of a full writing conference that year. We are doing a single day pass this year thanks to a contest through WJJO though.