Trolling the web the other day, the GSD Staff came across this little gem of a story. Seventy-five-year-old Karl Hoepfner and Carol Hoepfner, 73, of Rockland, Texas have made it their life ambition to visit every Whataburger restaurant--all 722 of them--before their time on Earth expires.
Our first thoughts were 1) how about dovetailing in visits to every Planet Fitness as well?; 2) ah, just look at the opportunities idleness in retirement presents!
On second thought, though, we admire the Hoepfners' ambition. They've made it to 223 of the Southern burger chain outlets and--mercifully for their arteries--they don't eat at every one. Maybe their pursuit lacks the glamor of, say, climbing the 46 peaks of the Adirondacks or golfing in all fifty states, but no one should begrudge the Hoepfners the source of much joy in their lives. Plus, Karl sounds like a good old soul as he used $7,000 from the Whataburger essay contest he won to buy a thousand $7 dollar gift cards to give to the homeless.
So, what's your checklist? We suggest having short term checklists and long term ones. Watch all five seasons of The Wire; read the six Jane Austen novels; become a connoisseur and try every cream soda you can get your hands on. For the long term checklist, go big or go home. Visit as many countries as you can. Swim in all the major bodies of water of the world. If you have the resources, go for it.
We'd love to hear about your checklist in the comment section below.
The first thing on my checklist has long been "find Osama bin Laden." After high school I was going to travel around and find him in some hole somewhere, collect millions in reward money, and never work again. Then, you see, I'd have time for everything else on my checklist.
ReplyDeleteObviously I need some new life goals. Here's what I could think of this afternoon:
I want to be on Sesame Street and sing a song with muppets. I want to talk to Matt Lauer out on the Plaza during the Today show. I want someone to name something in my honor--a disease or a court case or just some park bench in Chicago or Detroit or somewhere where kids will sit down and read my name and wonder what I did. Before I die I want to be in a production of West Side Story. I want to write a book that Jon Stewart will read and that will sell in airports for a year or two. I have a lengthy list of studio audiences to sit in and game shows to try to get on. And I must hug Oprah.
Hopefully I'll have time to get this stuff done.
At least in my short life so far I know I've been to over half the states..I'm pretty sure I've seen half of Dustin Hoffman's movies..I've had dinner with guys from half the continents (that's only three mind you)..I've deffinitely had over half the menu at McDonalds. I'd say these are also "goals" worth finishing.
I'd love to set a bigger goal--something worth blogging about, like skydiving or mountain climbing..or something. Maybe I'll just save that for retirement.
Maybe I should take up cooking and Meryl Streep can make a movie about it.