The 10th Year List

  1. Sleep in a treehouse
  2. Grow LA Fashion Insider
  3. Ring in the New Year
  4. Do something I wouldn’t do if not for this blog
  5. Go to a Marquette game
  6. Travel w/an empty suitcase
  7. See a Waterfall
  8. Off roading
  9. Go Snorkeling
  10. Go to a playoff game
  11. Ride a Camel
  12. Visit an American City we’ve never been to
  13. Try 10 of Gold’s top 100 LA Restaurants
  14. Watch a Rocket Launch
  15. Soak in a hot spring
  16. Start a new retail website
  17. Build a new pool equipment fence myself
  18. Wipe out 50% of Business Debt
  19. Read 8 Fiction Novels
  20. Read 4 Non Fiction
  21. Go to a game at Wrigley
  22. Go on a pub crawl
  23. Five hikes
  24. Visit a Hemingway Haunt
  25. Sell the Bronco
  26. Colonoscopy
  27. Bake the perfect sausage biscuit
  28. Complete 2017 Cuba album
  29. Go to five live music venues in LA
  30. Spend a day at a lake
  31. Go to a baseball stadium I’ve never been to
  32. Sleep in a tent
  33. Draft our wills
  34. Lunch at a seafood shack
  35. Eat at Vespertine
  36. Small town festival
  37. Eye Exam
  38. Watch a sunrise
  39. Watch a sunset
  40. Star Gaze
  41. Nap in a hammock
  42. Lounge by 5 hotel pools
  43. Attend a music festival
  44. Three Beaches
  45. Walk across a bridge
  46. A seafood bake
  47. See 10 New Movies in the Theater
  48. Visit something ancient
  49. New workout
  50. Train Ride
  51. Kayak
  52. Go to One of hardest to reach bars in the world.
  53. Have a picnic
  54. Out of State Concert
  55. Staycation
  56. Don’t eat out for two straight weeks
  57. Revisit the Hermosa early years
  58. Have a drink in a bar over 200 years old
  59. Commission a Pear Jam/MU Concert poster from 92’
  60. Eat at a top 100 restaurant
  61. Visit a National Park
  62. Visit a Museum
  63. Bike ride in another city
  64. Jet Ski
  65. Explore a winery
  66. Aurora Borealis
  67. Set my watch to 5 different time zones
  68. Make the most of a layover
  69. Control Blood Pressure
  70. See a Play
  71. Buy a new suit
  72. Have a Catch
  73. Go to a professional sport match I’ve never been to
  74. Write a novel synopsis
  75. Go to an island
  76. Eat a NY Hot Dog
  77. Five rooftop toasts
  78. Garage Sale
  79. Landscape the curbside
  80. Art for the dining room wall
  81. Rain 2
  82. Remove a tattoo
  83. Explore a New N’awlins Neighborhood
  84. No Alcohol for one week (5 times)
  85. Go to the mountains
  86. Double Online Retail Sales
  87. Hemingway’s One Year Scan
  88. Full Physical
  89. Host a summer party
  90. Helicopter Ride
  91. Palm Springs
  92. Go to a Giants game
  93. New Dining Room Chairs
  94. Work Out
  95. Weigh 175
  96. Weigh 170
  97. Weigh 165
  98. Complete Dad’s 70th Video
  99. Tall Cacti for the Backyard
  100. Move my photos to the cloud

 

#3 Done

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IMG_0809 from henry james on Vimeo.

#3: Ring in the New Year

Watched the boot drop with my family on Whisky Row in Prescott, Arizona. No Ubers, so Mom picked us up at two a.m. and then cooked us some quesadillas. Mom and Jim have been very patient with this crew.

The Final Tally

      1. Help Hemingway beat Cancer
      2. Grow LA Fashion Insider
      3. Ring in the New Year
      4. Do something I wouldn’t do if not for this blog
      5. Go to a Marquette game
      6. Travel w/an empty suitcase
      7. See a Waterfall
      8. Off roading
      9. Go Snorkeling
      10. Go Waterskiing
      11. Visit Mom’s New Home
      12. Visit an American City we’ve never been to
      13. Try 10 New LA Restaurants
      14. Watch a Rocket Launch
      15. Watch Brittany Graduate
      16. Open up the kitchen
      17. Remodel the master bathroom
      18. Wipe out 75% of Business Debt
      19. Read 10 New Books
      20. Go to a game at Wrigley
      21. Salsa
      22. Five hikes
      23. Visit a Hemingway Haunt
      24. Get the Bronco Running
      25. Colonoscopy
      26. Eat a fish I’ve caught
      27. Enjoy a country drive
      28. Smoke a Cuban
      29. Spend a day at a lake
      30. Go to a baseball stadium I’ve never been to
      31. Sleep in a tent
      32. Draft our wills
      33. Go the road to sell Basically Me
      34. Trace the family name back another generation
      35. Small town festival
      36. Eye Exam
      37. Watch a sunrise
      38. Watch a sunset
      39. Star Gaze
      40. Nap in a hammock
      41. Buy a pair of Berluti’s
      42. Lounge by 5 hotel pools
      43. Attend a music festival
      44. Three Beaches
      45. Walk across a bridge
      46. Finish a Writing Project
      47. See 10 New Movies in the Theater
      48. Visit something ancient
      49. New workout
      50. Train Ride
      51. Kayak
      52. See a band in Preservation Hall
      53. Have a picnic
      54. Out of State Concert
      55. Stay at Chateau Marmont
      56. Don’t eat out for two straight weeks
      57. Launch a Basically Me Tee Shirt Line
      58. Have a drink in a bar over 200 years old
      59. Commission a Pear Jam/MU Concert poster from 92’
      60. Eat at a top 100 restaurant
      61. Visit a National Park
      62. Visit a Museum
      63. Bike ride in another city
      64. Jet Ski
      65. Explore a winery
      66. Aurora Borealis
      67. Set my watch to 5 different time zones
      68. Make the most of a layover
      69. Go to a drive-in movie
      70. A photography project
      71. See a Play
      72. Buy a new suit
      73. Have a Catch
      74. Go to a professional sport match I’ve never been to
      75. “Publish” a mezcal cocktail book
      76. Launch new LA Fashion Insider, Inc. website
      77. Eat a NY Hot Dog
      78. Five rooftop toasts
      79. Garage Sale
      80. Landscape the curbside
      81. Art for the dining room wall
      82. Rain 2
      83. Remove a tattoo
      84. Explore New N’awlins Neighborhood
      85. Remove the fireplace in the den
      86. No Alcohol for two weeks (3 times)
      87. Go to the mountains
      88. Double Online Retail Sales
      89. Add at least 25 new quotes to The Tragic Muse
      90. Full Physical
      91. Host a summer party
      92. Helicopter Ride
      93. Palm Springs
      94. Go to a Giants game
      95. New Dining Room Table
      96. Less Clothes
      97. Weigh 175
      98. Weigh 170
      99. Weigh 165
      100. Complete Dad’s 70th Video

 

We completed 51% of 2017’s list. Certainly not the greatest completion rate, but I’ve made the goals progressively harder over the years.  Nevertheless, it was a year to remember and this blog keeps me motivated to live life to its fullest.

#35 Done

 

#35: Small Town Festival

Took in the Prescott, Arizona New Years celebration.

#87 Done

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#87: Go to the mountains

As usual, we brought the sunshine, so no snow. But, mountain living it was.

#22 Done

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IMG_0657 from henry james on Vimeo.

#22: Five Hikes. Snuck the fifth one in before the close of 2017. Watson Lake, Prescott, Arizona. Beautiful.

#11 Done

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#11: Visit Mom’s Home.

Finally made it to Mom and Jim’s in time for sliders and charred oysters.

 

#67 Done

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#67: Set my watch to 5 different time zones

One of my favorite annual goals. Where we’ve been.

Pacific: Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Marin County, Las Vegas, Oxnard, Marrow Bay, Riverside

Mountain Time: Prescott, Arizona

Central: New Orleans, Nashville, Cookville, TN

Eastern: Key West, Chattanooga, TN, Washington, D.C., Gaithersburg, MD, Miami, Havana, Cuba

UTC: London, Bath, Cardiff, Wales, Dublin, Ireland, Cong Mayo, Ireland.

 

#7 and #53 Done

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#7: Picnic  #53: See a waterfall

It’s days like this I’m happy to be a Californian.

#70 Done

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#70: A Photography Project

 

 

#19

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#19: Artemis. A smartly written Sci-fi novel worthy of his debut, The Martian.

X-Mas

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Five Golden Rings from henry james on Vimeo.

Happy 30th Anniversary

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Rosie, George and friends managed to pull off a surprise party to celebrate dad and Georgeanne’s thirtieth wedding anniversary. A great evening.

#14 Done

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#14 Done: See a rocket launch. SpaceX

We managed to video a minute of a spectacular rocket launch into space. At first we thought it was a huge meteor, but after a couple of minutes it became clear it was a rocket. The booster rockets detaching was the best part of the show.

#47 Done

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#47. See 10 New Movies in the Theater

Finished this one off with a pretty good chapter in this saga. Brittany liked it too, especially the nods to the original three, so that made me happy.

 

Back to the LA sprawl.

Final stop

Gene & Judes

Marquette Reunion Dinner

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20 plus years strong.

Never too cold for a rooftop view.

City wake up view.

Lots of changes going on at Wrigley Field.

Best way to combat the cold.

Room with a view

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#19

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Always enjoy his insights.

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Lucky to report that it is only ash so far in Burbank.

#47 In Progress

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#47: See 10 New Movies in the Theater

Not a feel good movie, but a good one nonetheless.

 

 

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First comfort meal in nearly two and half months. Need to remind myself not to bitch so much when the internet is slow.

The Long Goodbye

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It was a worthy celebration that shined a bright light on my dad’s many accomplishments over a 43 year career at Seyfarth Shaw. Everyone from Costco founder, Jim Sinegal to his long time secretary gave speeches that focused more on the man than the lawyer which surprised no one. Despite already knowing how good of a human being he is, I was extremely proud to hear it from so many others. In closing, I managed to fight the shakes and hold up my iPhone long enough to capture his speech for my Aunt Ona.

Dad’s Retirement from henry james on Vimeo.

 

Finally…

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After 72 days without power, running water and shoddy communications, we finally got Sonia’s dad and Gladys off of the island. Rio couldn’t be happier.

#88 Done

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#88: Double Online Retail Sales

Not a huge feat considering last year’s numbers, but it’s nice to grow something again.

Something Rotten!

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Finally saw a good one at the Ahmanson with Dad and Georgeanne.

Hollywood Nights with the Fam

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Had a sleep over to ensure a couple of more meals.

Thanksgiving

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Happy Birthday, Devin!

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27 years young!

#19

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A great storyteller, but not my favorite book of his by a long shot.

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Hemingway calls BS to the end of pool season.

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Hemingway and Rio welcome their Cousin Seager to the family.

The French Quarter

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Lunch at Perasols

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Firecracker Shrimp Po’Boy

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A legal walk in the neighborhood with a Guinness in hand.

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#52 Done

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#52: See a band in Preservation Hall

No photos allowed during the performance, but it was incredible jazz in an incredibly intimate and historic venue.

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#84 Done

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#84: Explore New N’awlins Neighborhood

Staying outside of the French Quarter at the Ponchatrain Hotel in the Garden District. Walked among the mansions and cemeteries to Commanders Palace for lunch and bread pudding.

Dragos

 

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Charred Oysters make a great first meal.

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Sonia asked for the little man in her drink.

#14 Not Happening

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Was hoping this rocket at the Huntsville, Alabama Rocket Center would launch, but I guess it’s just a prop.

We’re in cotton and Roy Moore country.