A Dozen Challenges for Year 39

A few weeks ago, I asked for your help. I asked for challenges for me to take on during my 39th year of life. Well, you delivered. I received about 50 or so from good friends, acquaintances and strangers. I got them through Twitter, Facebook, email, this blog, in-person and our neighborhood messageboard. I got some I had thought of, and others that surprised me. One person suggested I Infect myself with hookworms to see if my allergies go away. That didn't make the final cut, but thanks for the suggestion! I do want to sincerely thank all of you who so thoughtfully responded - it meant a lot that you took a few moments to make a suggestion. Also, unfortunately, a lot of great challenges didn't make my list. My criteria was broad, but in the end it had to be something that struck a chord within me. Something I could be passionate about. 

Without further ado, here is the list. The challenge is in bold, each with a comment from me...

1. Grow a garden, feed your family from it. Easy, right? Lots of our friends and neighbors have done this, and I've always wanted to. Now I will. 
2. Perform. On stage. This scares the hell out of me, but it's in print so now I must do it. Holy shit. 
3. Mentor an advertising student. A former professor suggested this and it was one of the first items to make the list. I just hope I don't disappoint the student or push them to pursue a different career.
4. Climb a mountain. A big one. Simple enough. I'll try not to kill myself and take lots of pictures. 
5. Learn to meditate. Then do it. Love this one and there is a place nearby that gives free lessons. I just don't know if I can sit still that long. 
6. Run a ½ marathon. I got a lot of fitness challenges, including one from my sister to run the NYC Marathon. A half sounds like fair middle ground. I'll shoot for next Spring. 
7. Do something fun and new with your wife and kids each month. I love this one too - and would like suggestions for cool things to do. 
8. Do something for charity – other than give money. Donate your time. It should be a charity you’ve never supported before. Really looking forward to this. Again, I'll take suggestions. 
9. For 10 days, go vegetarian. No meat, chicken or fish. Keep a diary of everything you eat and drink. Everything. To some people, this may sound really easy. Not to me. I would guess that over the past ten years, you could count on two hands the number of days I've not had meat. This will be very hard for me. 
10. Take a continuing education class. Photography? Second language? Pole dancing?
11. Create an original work of art, and then share it with the world. This frightens me nearly as much as number two. But then again, museums are full of work that I don't get, so if you don't like my art you probably just don't get me. Or I suck. 
12. Build something you would normally hire someone else to do. I have no idea what I will do for this one.

So there, the die is cast. As I make progress over the next 365 days, I'll update the blog. Thanks again for your support. I hope I don't fall on my face. 

Jason