I'm too old for this shi-

A lot of stuff has changed since I wrote that last entry. (It's dated August 29th, I guess cos that's when I first saved the draft, but was actually finished and posted months later. I don't mind particularly cos at least it makes it look like I update semi-regularly but I have a habit of writing a few lines at a time over long periods, so I think it's a bit of a weird that blogger publishes it with the date of when it was first saved.)

I've started a Graduate Traineeship in the library of a Medical Research Council as (potential) preparation for a Masters in Information Studies (or some such). I'm enjoying it so far and life always feel easier when you've got a tangible path to follow.

Said route doesn't provide a panacea- it hasn't magically alleviated all the Masters v work; working here v abroad; what work; what degree etc debates that were puzzling me before I left for Korea.

Maybe it should feel weird to be at those same crossroads, facing the same decisions as I was before I left, even if I've headed down one fork a little way.

But even before I found this job I wasn't feeling stressed or stagnant. In fact, if anything, I was uncharacteristically cheery. I don't think that the experience of travelling changed me massively or set me on a specific road. But I do think that it made me more quietly confident that life works out.

I think that that whole "stress is for other people" attitude might tie in rather nicely with Caro and I's resolution for 2010. We're giving ourselves until January 10th 2011 to complete a list of things we might be considered too old to do, inspired by the 'Murtaugh' episode of How I Met Your Mother in which Barney accepts a challenge to fulfill such a list after being kicked out of laser tag for being too rough with the kids by Bunny Colvin the manager.

We've lifted some of the obligations from the episode (and from other HIMYM eps), but have provided plenty of our own inspiration too!

1. Get a piercing.

2. Dye hair a non-natural colour.

3. Sleep on a futon/the floor.

4. Stay up all night.

5. Play laser tag.

6. Go to a squat party.

7. Drink shots with strangers.

8. Beer bong.

9. Hang a poster up without a frame.

10. Eat a whole pizza in one sitting.

11. Set up an annoying two person answerphone message.

12. Teepee something.

13. Help someone move out of a building (house/flat/office etc) in exchange for pizza and beer.

14. Travel by train across Europe.

15. Wear mesh or fishnet.

16. Have a Buffy and/or Supernatural marathon.

17. Watch Waking Life in a mentally altered state.

18. Live for an entire week on noodles, cheese on toast and tinned soup.

19. Drink cheap Russian beer.

20. Wear an animal print skirt out in public.

21. Urinate in public.

22. Jagerbombs.

23. Sing a cheesy 90s song at karaoke.

24. Eat at a cheap Chinese buffet.

25. Join a fan club.

26. Buy badges with stupid slogans on them and wear them.

27. Steal a street sign.

28. Tell the cow joke.

29. Do 100 shots of beer or cider in 100 minutes.

30. Eat a bowl of cereal with something other than milk.

31. Wear something from a skate/surf/ski store.

32. Shop at Miss Selfridge.

33. Buy a children's toy from a toy shop for self.

34. Watch cartoons all day.

35. Ride inside a shopping trolley.

36. Get a lollipop/sweet from a restaurant which gives them to kids.

37. Watch the whole Hollyoaks omnibus.

38. Forward a stupid chain email.

39. Eat a whole tub of ice cream in one sitting.

40. Drink alcopops all night.

41. Wear body glitter.

42. Send a serious email entirely in txt spk.

43. Do 5 shots in a row.

44. Party all night at a Walkabout.

45. Sing along to Can't Fight Fight This Feeling. In public.

46. Make out with someone at least five years younger than you.

47. Highfive.

48. Drink so much you throw up.

49. Leave an unnecessary voicemail that's longer than 5 minutes.

50. Go to a theme park.

51. Call someone in the middle of the night to randomly tell them you love them.

52. Dance on a table/pool table/bar/some other unsuitable surface.

53. Do a "have you met x" intro.

54. Make out with someone of the same gender (or opposite if that's not your usual taste).

55. Order a kids' meal.

56. Make a slap bet.

So if you want to play too copy and paste this into your own blog, cross them off as you go along and let's see how we do!