Jack Dashed's Life List: 22/08/2010

When I was a kid I got a magic set for Christmas and performed a magic show for famliy and neighbours. Sometimes I look back and wonder where I got the nerve to do some of these things.
I want to do something fairly informal but nevertheless impressive at a social gathering. I imagine that at some point I'll invite people to join me at a table and I will proceed to show them alittle magic...
I have a Ninja card tricks CD, a couple of magic books and I know there's an endless supply of YouTube clips on card tricks, chip tricks and magic tricks so resources are hardly a problem. I need to learn though how to put on a show - it's not just the performing of a string of tricks.
I would need enough tricks for at least 30 minutes of show - just in case they like it so much I want to do it again soon after. And I think it's best to be able to choose just the right trick for the show so I need a catalogue of stuff I know I can actually do.
I will aim to practise 10 tricks in a month on the basis that each one will require a day to get th ehang of then 2 days to achieve some competency. To bring my skills up to a performance standard (even for friends) may take weeks afterwards. But having 10 tricks to practise will be a good start.

I do a reasonable amount of typing. I've never investigated how I could do it faster. I'm not a slow typist but I know I could be a whole lot faster.
There'll be resources on-line - I'll practise whatever they teach as part of my daily typing habit.

Not so that I can be the aggressor but so that I can look after my family or myself if the need arose. I'm probably a low-risk when it comes to being a victim of street violence but I do live in a less-than-genteel part of London so preparation is hardly paranoia.
My main resource will be YouTube videos for kicking and punching technique and - I imagine - online articles for actual strategy.
This is one of those things that can be practised for short periods every day. I'm not looking to be a martial arts maestro - I just want competence rather than expertise.

The amount of personal development stuff out there is overwhelming. You can barely get things done because you're spending so much time reading about how to get things done. I want to narrow it all down to the stuff I most want to learn from and devote myself to that.
The key to this is realising you can't learn all there is to learn about personal
I reckon there are 6 books and possibly 50 on-line articles that could constitute all I would ever need to know. They're not the sum total of all useful information, it's just that if you get the best from that lot it's enough for anyone for one lifetime.
Next steps: I need to get all my personal development stuff in one place and start a cull of all that's superfluous.

It's said we all have a novel in us. I don't believe that. Why should it be so? But I do believe I have at least one in me. And I want to get it out.
I have several books on writing at home and the URLs of half a dozen writer-support sites so I just need to start.
Next steps: write a basis character list and plot outline; write an elevator pitch for your novel; get some information on how to start a novel; note half a dozen important writing principles to keep in mind whilst constructing your novel.
You should have a representative draft in one year.

I want to cook something half-way decent at least once a week but preferably twice. My wife is an excellent cook but that's no reason for her to have to do it all. I need to locate a good, local vegetarian cookery course.
Do it soon - adult educatoin courses start in about 2 weeks' time.

Yes, I mean 25 things apart from that....We need to do some new things, try out some new experiences. None of it has to be awe-inspiring in itself but to have a list of 25 things we could do together - especially if half the activities were new for us - would be great.
I don't want to ask her what she'd lke to do - the point is that I come up with it all so she doesn't have to even think about it. Once I have a list then I'll ask if she wants to add to it. So I need to keep my eyes and ears open for things to try out.
I want the first ideas by the end of September.

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