I think it is an effective ad; at least effective from the point of view of the ad agency. In no way am I motivated to go out and get a Visa Signature card, but I have lingered on their print ads much longer than a typical ad and I even went to the associated interactive web site (click here). My interest all had to do with the Life Lists featured in the ads.
A week or so ago I heard an interesting segment on NPR’s Talk of the Nation about “Life Lists”. I guess the trend started in earnest with bird watchers who wanted to check-off birds they had seen in the wild (if you search “life lists” on Amazon, birding books will be among the highest results shown). Now there are a slew of “things to do before you die” books and even a movie or two in the works on the same topic.
Here are some audacious things on my non-comprehensive lifetime To-Do list:
- Visit Machu Pichu
- Learn to ride a unicycle
- Learn Spanish
- Visit the pyramids at
- Sky dive
- Run a half marathon (maybe a full one too)
- Climb the Tetons
- Do an Olympic distance triathlon
- Beat the turkey at least once more
- Visit the natural history museum in
- Visit the Louvre
- Travel to
- Return to Japan
- Visit all 50 states
- Go on a cross country motorcycle trip with my brothers
- Attend the
- White water raft down the
- Return to
- Teach all of my kids how to ride a bike
- Ride
- A week at Disney World
- Touch a Redwood in the wild
- Buy and learn how to use an SLR camera
- See
9 comments:
Richard,
My favorite thing about the first time I logged onto your blog, was the pictures of the eye and your concern with dry eyes. Classic. Have you heard of the "Bucket List". Things to do before you "kick the bucket". This entry of yours enspires me to write one of my own and post it.
Richard, youre a gem.
Lest your readers think all those magazine subscritions belong to your wife, she's here to tell you. . .WRONG!! They are ALL RICHARD's! I have ended all my subscriptions in an effort to "scale back." However, I just keep buying them at the grocery store instead! Ugh!
I love the "must do" list and let's make one for the whole family soon.
Randy -- I have heard of the "Bucket List". They mention it in the NPR piece I listened to.
Becky is correct that I have way more fascinating magazines than I can possibly read. The good news is that they were all free (frequent flier miles).
I want to know your 3 favorite magazines. Is National Geographic one of them? I have a list of a few things to check off. I share several of the same ones you did. You should work at the Disney 1/2 marathon next Labor Day. There will be a few familiar faces among the crowd of 16,000 runners/walkers.
Melissa -- It is hard to pick a top three! Within the past year I have subscribed to Fast Company, Inc., Wired, Business 2.0, Entrepreneur, Business Week, and Consumer Reports.
Of those I can definitely say Wired has been my least favorite. It targets a demographic other than myself.
My dad subscribed to National Geographic for decades (he may still). I always loved it when it came to the house and eagerly looked through every issue.
Although I don't subscribe now, we always seemed to have Car & Driver around the house growing up and I loved it.
Speaking for Becky, I can pretty safely say here favorites are Martha Stewart Living and Cottage Living. She also likes Phoenix magazine for its take on local restaurants, doctors, activities, etc.
Oh I hope you get to do all of those wonderful things. I love Becky's comment that she picks up her magazines at the checkout. "Dont we all"
Patrick is so fortunate to get to go to Peru to see Machu Pichu. That has always been on the top of his list on "what to see". His dad served there on his mission, so it should be a very memorable trip. We will be sure to blog those pictures.
Hey Becky,
Do you ever get "Southern Living" magazine? It has the best recipes by far. Great waffles, sugar cookies, chicken, etc....it beats all.
I'll join you on the Machu Pichu trip. Let's set a date for 2008 and do it.
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