I’ve been behind a desk for two years now. I’m very chubby. I feel very soft. On top of that, I’m 27 and still feel like a kid – but not in the youthful, energetic sense. I feel ignorant. Most of the men I know are a lot smarter than me – a lot more knowledgeable and much more capable. I feel like I need to catch up. So I’m working on a list.

This is a work in progress. I’m hoping you can help me decide what to add/delete. Cultivating Christ-likeness in my life and in my family is my primary responsibility. These are just hard skills, they don’t replace the fruit of the Spirit. I’m working on categorizing these things. Not sure why, just seems like I should. Anyway – I’m still working those out so I’ll keep’em to m’self for now.

My hope is to work these items into some kind of a 5-year plan:

• Learn karate (or some method of self defense/hand-to-hand combat)
• Obtain motorcycle license
• Learn some outdoor survival skills (possibly through NOLS?)
• Take some massage classes
• Perform (nearly) all of my own auto maintenance
• Learn to speed read
• Learn to type (without looking at the keyboard)
• Learn CPR well enough to teach it, then teach it occasionally
• Become a fluent French speaker
• Learn to tie some complex knots and how to operate various strap systems
• Go hunting a couple of times
• Learn to fly fish
• Run 1 mile in under 6 minutes
• Do at least 100 pushups
• Become a more proficient pianist
• Learn to tie both a windsor knot and a bow tie

As you can see, I’ve linked to some potential solutions. Any advice/direction regarding these items is welcome and appreciated.