16Nov 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
[#98 Lesson] The Preparation-Fear Correlation

[#98 Lesson] The Preparation-Fear Correlation

LESSON
This life lesson relates to my previous blog #98 Go BASE Jumping. The thing that surprised me the most during my first BASE jump was the fact that my heart was not beating out of my chest. It was elevated, but not excessively. This didn’t make much sense in the moment, but I was overwhelmed with the urge to do it again, so the thought slipped away from my consciousness. It was only on the drive back that my brain had time to make sense of it all. While preparing for my BASE jump, I told myself that it was going to be scary as hell. I had done my first bungy jump at the age of 12 and my heart was racing. When I stepped to the edge of…
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02Nov 2022 by Dave Macleod 2 Comments
#98 Go BASE Jumping

#98 Go BASE Jumping

BUCKET LIST
This bucket list item was completed on 13th December 2020 in undisclosed, New Zealand. I had walked on to the bridge only a few months before, but this time it was different. This time, I was going to be jumping off it. And my body knew it. The moment that my feet touched the railway sleepers and I gazed down the tracks, my heart rate began to pick up. It became elevated, but not excessively. I knew there would be another step change once my body was on the other side of the rail. “Are you ready for me to take your pilot chute?”, Frank enquired. I responded with a concise “Yes.” Frank was set to do a pilot chute assist (PCA), which involves an assistant holding on to the…
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19Oct 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
2019 Roundup

2019 Roundup

GENERAL
This was a crazy year that took me to Japan, USA and Canada. I had some wild culture shocks in Japan and managed to complete five items across these three countries. In case you have missed any of the stories or lessons from my bucket list adventures in 2019, here is a roundup. #31 Eat Blowfish Completed on 4th February in Tokyo, Japan [#31 Lesson] Peer Pressure can be a Good Thing #32 Drink Sake in Japan Completed on 4th February in Tokyo, Japan [#32 Lesson] Language Barriers Make Travelling Interesting #70 See the Hollywood Stars on the Sidewalk Completed on 12th September in Los Angeles, California, USA [#70 Lesson] Make the Most of Long Layovers #37 Go More Than 200 km/h on Land https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38_aRBZY4pY&t=26s Completed on 13th September in…
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05Oct 2022 by Dave Macleod 2 Comments
The Principle of Consistency

The Principle of Consistency

GENERAL, INFORMATION
I recently completed a Graduate Diploma in Project Management to further my career as a project manager in the oil and gas industry. The education that I received through my studies has proved to be invaluable. I use my newfound tools and techniques on a daily basis while trying to juggle several projects at work and also maintain a social life. I read several papers through my studies, but this one below really grabbed my attention. This paper was supplied to me as part of my course titled: Relationship, Influence and Leadership. Robert B. Cialdini is a university professor, focusing on psychology and marketing. He has authored many books and papers on persuasion and influence, which are worth reading. Harnessing the Science of Persuasion These “principles” are commonplace in the…
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21Sep 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
Why I Changed #87 Learn to Ballroom Dance

Why I Changed #87 Learn to Ballroom Dance

GENERAL
In 2019, I made another change to the bucket list. I removed #87. When I started the list, I was two years into my engineering degree and a career as a young professional was on my horizon. I put this item on the list because I thought that my life was going to lead me to many formal social engagements. I had visions of myself cutting up the dance floor like Patrick Swayze. I thought that ballroom dancing was going to be a very useful skill to have. I was completely wrong. As soon as I finished my degree, I moved to New Zealand to gain some international work experience. I began working at an engineering consulting company and continued to dress business casual, as I did in Canada. After…
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07Sep 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
[#48 Lesson] Ask Friends for Travel Advice

[#48 Lesson] Ask Friends for Travel Advice

BUCKET LIST, LESSON
This life lesson relates to my previous blog #48 Drink from Das Boot. Although Canada is home turf for me, I know very little about Calgary. I grew up in Halifax, which is over 4,000 kilometres away from Calgary. I knew Toby had some good local knowledge, so I made sure to get some highlights from him before my trip. To my benefit, Toby provided much more information than I was expecting. Instead of a few highlights, Toby provided me with an itinerary for my whole time in Calgary. Some people are reluctant to ask for help or for advice, but I have made this a part of my life for many years. If I know that one of my friends has been to a location that I am planning…
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24Aug 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
#48 Drink from Das Boot

#48 Drink from Das Boot

BUCKET LIST, TRAVEL
This bucket list item was completed on 24th September 2019 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. After my mum and I completed our whitewater rafting trip through the Grand Canyon, we left Las Vegas and flew north, to Calgary. I have friends and family that live in the Calgary area and I had not visited them since 2012, so I figured I was due to show my face. My brother flew in from Halifax to meet us and then we spent the next week travelling around to catch up with everyone. Most of the time was spent visiting people but my brother and I had a few days in Calgary to have fun together. On our first free day, we went to the Canadian Olympic Park to try to ride mountain bikes.…
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10Aug 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
[#37 Lesson] Push the Limits of Your Guides

[#37 Lesson] Push the Limits of Your Guides

BUCKET LIST, LESSON
This life lesson relates to my previous blog #37 Go More Than 200 km/h on Land. Driving the Lamborghini was exhilarating! I pushed myself to go faster, and faster, each lap. Luckily, I had Trevor giving me pointers, but his job was twofold: He was there to teach me how to drive the track like a pro, but he was also there to make sure that I didn’t total their $300,000 car. I knew that they were used to seeing thousands of tourists come through each year, and that I was just another tourist. Spinning out and ending up off the track must be commonplace in their industry. I was confident in my driving abilities and knew I would be able to push it, but there was no way that…
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27Jul 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
#37 Go More Than 200 km/h on Land

#37 Go More Than 200 km/h on Land

BUCKET LIST, TRAVEL
This bucket list item was completed on 13th September 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. This story follows on from my recent blog, #70 See the Hollywood Stars on the Sidewalk. I had a layover in LA but Las Vegas was my final destination, which is where I met up with my mum to whitewater raft the Grand Canyon. I arrived into Las Vegas late on Thursday and we didn’t have much planned for the next day. This was my mum’s first time in Las Vegas so after we had some breakfast, we set off on foot to explore the strip. Las Vegas is such a cool city because there are little pockets of other places around the world, such as New York and Paris. Brooklyn Bridge Statue of Liberty…
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13Jul 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
[#70 Lesson] Make the Most of Long Layovers

[#70 Lesson] Make the Most of Long Layovers

LESSON, TRAVEL
This life lesson relates to my previous blog post #70 See the Hollywood Stars on the Sidewalk. Sometimes when people are booking their flights, they hate to see long layovers in their itinerary. Around 2-3 hours is ideal because it gives you a chance to stretch your legs and get some food, but beyond that is surplus to the requirements. I’ll admit that I hate a 4-6 hour layover but anything above 7 hours can be great. This gives you enough time to get from the airport to the city, see some sites and do some fun stuff, before heading back to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Two layovers come to mind for me. In 2016, I was flying back to Halifax for a wedding and had…
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