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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

It’s Like Rain on Your Wedding Day

posted by on August 27 at 10:04 AM

buildings%20to%20see.jpg

CBS says:

Dave Freeman, co-author of “100 Things to Do Before You Die,” a travel guide and ode to odd adventures that inspired readers and imitators, died after hitting his head in a fall at his home. He was 47.

This is horrible, of course, and my heart goes out to Freeman’s family. But can I just say that it’s time to put an end to these “…Before You Die” books? There are 88 of them at Powell’s.com, including 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die, Fifty Places to Sail Before You Die, Fifty Places to Golf Before You Die, 1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die , and To Die For: 100 Gastronomic Experiences To Have Before You Die.

Personally, I had no idea I had to listen to 1001 classical recordings before my death, and I feel as though it’s kind of rude for these books’ titles to keep reflecting on my mortality. They’re the “…For Dummies” books of the last four years, and it’s become a cliche whose time has now officially come.

RSS icon Comments

1

LOL.

1000 things to do books are for losers.

If you haven't done most of the things you want to do in your life by the time you're 26, you probably never will.

So, stop making excuses and just do the things you "want" to do.

Seriously.

Posted by Will in Seattle | August 27, 2008 10:07 AM
2

So how old are you Will?

Posted by Mike | August 27, 2008 10:10 AM
3

Jesus Will, 26? At 26 I was still a closeted republican douche-bag. It's safe to say I hadn't done any of the things I wanted to do.

Posted by brian | August 27, 2008 10:15 AM
4

Will's 13.

Posted by DOUG. | August 27, 2008 10:29 AM
5

Awesome headline, Paul.

The one that annoys me is "101 things you gotta do before you are 12!" Really? My kid doesn't need that kind of pressure.

I was given the "1000 books" book, and was surprised at how few books in the book I'd actually read, given that I'm a voracious reader and an English major.

Posted by PopTart | August 27, 2008 10:32 AM
6

Will strikes me as a person who did, in fact, do everything of any interest in his life, to others or even to himself, by the age of 26. Pathetic, really. I'm getting on for nearly twice that figure and I feel like I've barely started.

Posted by Fnarf | August 27, 2008 10:49 AM
7

I'm pretty sure that "1000 Places to See Before You Die" is outside this series. Unsurprising, since it's actually worth reading.

Posted by MK | August 27, 2008 10:52 AM
8

@4 for the win.

Unlike Fnarf, I'm not waiting until I'm a fossil before I keep doing things.

Nor am I just a jock whose high school years were his best in his life.

Live. Or don't. But don't expect some magical wishing fairy to suddenly make all your dreams come true forty years from now.

Posted by Will in Seattle | August 27, 2008 11:12 AM
9

All of the 1001 buildings to see before you die are 100-story residential buildings in the middle of parks.

Posted by jrrrl | August 27, 2008 11:18 AM
10

Add to the list any title that begins with: "NOT Your Mother's..."

Posted by inkweary | August 27, 2008 11:31 AM
11

Is the 100-story Vancouver affordable housing tower on the list of 1001 buildings? I GOTTA see that before I die!

Posted by Gurldoggie | August 27, 2008 12:30 PM
12

Will, would you care to elucidate what "before I keep doing things" means? Because to a casual observer, a person who reads and writes English, it doesn't appear to mean anything at all.

Since you're not a "jock", we can rule out your teenage years, which leaves a mere eight years, from 18 to 26, for you to have crammed in all of the excitement and achievement of a lifetime. That is very impressive, indeed, seeing how much you've accomplished. The question is, if it was all over at 26, why are you still alive 22 years later? We can get by without you, and so can everyone else, I imagine. I doubt anyone would even notice you were gone.

Posted by Fnarf | August 27, 2008 12:31 PM
13

Anyone who can accomplish all their life's goals by the age of 26 must have pretty small dreams.

Posted by Irena | August 27, 2008 12:52 PM
14

i haz dun all i want to did. i am sebin. sevin. years old.

Posted by caleb. sevin years old. | August 27, 2008 12:58 PM
15

@9 - glad to see you made it to Japan, Hong Kong, and Dhubai!

And, Fnarf, next time you set half the regional records for running, gymnastics, and swimming in your state/province, I'll listen to your sage advice on who a "jock" is.

Posted by Will in Seattle | August 27, 2008 1:28 PM
16

@15, keep it coming, Willie. You could not be more pathetic, or miss the point by a further mile, if you had a staff of twelve helping you.

As for your incredibly impressive athletic skill, it sounds to me like you ARE, in fact, "just a jock whose high school years were his best in his life", as you put it, despite your claims to the contrary.

Wanker.

Posted by Fnarf | August 27, 2008 1:46 PM

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