Mean Gene’s recent blog regarding “Five things I’d like to do before I die” probably sparked some similar contemplation from other bloggers. Not wanting to be unoriginal, most of us probably just mentally created our personal checklists rather than blogging about it. After all, the worst thing a blogger can be is unoriginal…

I mean, think about it. Even being uninteresting is better… A blog is a reflection of your life. An uninteresting blog simply means that you’re going through an uninteresting stretch of your life. But being unoriginal means that you’re not even living your own life. You’re merely parroting someone else’s blog and thus trying to vicariously live their life. How weak is that?!

Anyway, the funny thing is that I couldn’t think of “Five things…”, even tongue-in-cheek (although two chicks at once is intriguing, at my age, I’m not sure I could keep up with two… and that would be devastating). My list would more likely have things like “put the kids through college”, “walk my daughter down the aisle… ONCE”, “play ball with my grandkids”, stuff that is not related to travel or money or vice.

Of course, being tight-weak, I tend towards the practical, achievable goals. I’d LOVE to take batting practice at PacBell Park, or even shag flies, but that’s not bloody likely, so it’s pointless to hope for that. And if I really really wanted to play in the WSOP, I could write a check to them today. Since I’m not writing that check, I guess I don’t want to play that bad (and badly)…

So what’s the point of all this? Dunno. Does there have to be a point?

I guess one of the five things I’d like to do before I die is… WRITE something of value (not a blog, not a Christmas letter, not a training manual, been there, done that). The quality of writing and the verbal dexterity in the poker blogging community is staggering, and more than a little intimidating. I’ve written a blog with a couple dozen regular readers for a little over a year. I’ve written position papers for a (failed) Republican congressional campaign. I’ve written Christmas letters extolling the virtues of my kids. Other bloggers have had articles published for magazines/blogzines, still others are working directly for online poker sites as reporters and/or programmers. Sheeesh, it’s enough to give one Blogger envy.