09Oct 2024 by Dave Macleod 1 Comment
Revamping Some Old Ambitions

Revamping Some Old Ambitions

GENERAL
On my recent holiday to Fiji, to cross off #88 Swim with Sharks, I began to read through my list again. It had been a while, at least four years, from around the time that Covid started. I shifted my focus away from the bucket list during this period, for obvious reasons. I knew travel wasn’t going to be possible for a while, so I dove into other activities in New Zealand. Also, these past four years have been extremely busy for me at work and with my studies. I helped my bosses to expand and establish their company in the Central North region of New Zealand and managed to leverage that to complete a Master of Applied Management. Booking the trip to Fiji was designed to help reinvigorate my…
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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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18May 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
2017 & 2018 Roundup

2017 & 2018 Roundup

GENERAL
I had a very interesting couple of years through 2017 and 2018. I completed a total of four items from my bucket list, with two of them being the most controversial yet. In case you have missed any of the stories or lessons from my bucket list adventures through 2017 and 2018, here is a roundup. #54 Run with the Bulls in Spain Completed on 8th July 2017 in Pamplona, Spain [#54 Lesson] Do Things for Your Own Reasons #27 Watch a Bullfight Completed on 8th July 2017 in Pamplona, Spain [#27 Lesson] You Don’t Know Until You Go #61 Watch the Tour de France Live Completed on 22nd July 2017 in Marseille, France [#61 Lesson] Marvel at Human Capabilities #72 Walk on a Glacier Completed on 2nd January 2018…
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23Feb 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
Why I Changed #33 Slap a Bull

Why I Changed #33 Slap a Bull

GENERAL
My previous blog, Why I Didn’t Change #27 Watch a Bullfight, described the judgement that was placed on me for wanting to run with the bulls and attend a bullfight. Somehow this third bull-related bucket list item flew under the radar. My guess is that not many people know what this means or know the reference. This bucket list item is in reference to the Hollywood movie Wild Hogs, staring Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy. These four regular middle-aged men form their own wannabe biker gang and head off on an adventure to bring meaning back into their lives. In one of the scenes, Tim Allen’s character must sneak up behind a bull and slap it on the ass. Then he was supposed to get…
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09Feb 2022 by Dave Macleod No Comments
Why I Didn’t Change #27 Watch a Bullfight

Why I Didn’t Change #27 Watch a Bullfight

GENERAL
As discussed in my previous blogs, #27 Watch a Bullfight and #54 Run with the Bulls in Spain, I copped a lot of verbal abuse for wanting to be involved in these two events. Those who were close to me said hurtful things to me and drew conclusions about my opinion on animal rights that were not at all accurate. I was not oblivious to what happened at these two events. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. The only thing that I didn’t know was how I was going to react. I thought about changing these two items to make the naysayers happy, but, after much deliberation, I decided to leave them unchanged. I didn’t want to become them. I didn’t want to have my opinion formed…
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01Dec 2021 by Dave Macleod No Comments
2016 Roundup

2016 Roundup

GENERAL
I had my second-best year for the bucket list in 2016. I managed to complete seven items from my bucket list across three different countries. In case you have missed any of the stories or lessons from my bucket list adventures in 2016, here is a roundup. #36 Run a Half Marathon Completed on 26th June in Wellington, New Zealand [#36 Lesson] Accomplishing Life Goals Takes Commitment #90 Go to Pompeii Completed on 3rd July in Pompeii, Italy [#90 Lesson] Explored History #23 Ride in a Gondola Boat in Venice Completed on 15th July in Venice, Italy [#23 Lesson] Keep your Wits about Yourself When Travelling #78 Make a Call from a London Phone Booth Completed on 3rd October in London, England, UK [#78 Lesson] Stay in Touch #77 Get…
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21Apr 2021 by Dave Macleod No Comments
2015 Roundup

2015 Roundup

GENERAL
The good times kept rolling in 2015! I managed to complete another five items from my bucket list. Three of these were completed, with my two best mates, while on our road trip through Australia. In case you have missed any of the stories or lessons from my bucket list adventures in 2015, here is a roundup. #62 Fly in a Hot Air Balloon Completed on 7th February in Hamilton, New Zealand [#62 Lesson] Share Your Dreams With Others #12 Scuba Dive the Great Barrier Reef https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYrhATBiSgY Completed on 20th April from Cairns, Australia [#12 Lesson] Balance Between Planned and Unplanned Adventures #66 Hug a Koala Bear Completed on 28th April at Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Australia [#66 Lesson] Relaaaax #11 Go Surfing in Australia Completed on 29th April in…
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24Mar 2021 by Dave Macleod No Comments
Interview with Matt Woodman – CTV News

Interview with Matt Woodman – CTV News

BUCKET LIST, GENERAL, TRAVEL
After completing #36 Run a Half Marathon, Jesse and I grabbed my truck and hit the road. We had already checked out of the hotel, so I just had to sit through the four-hour drive, coated in a thick layer of sweat. At this time, BucketLaunch didn’t exist. Instead, I just uploaded a photo of each completed item to a Facebook album. As Jesse drove home, I uploaded the photo that Jesse had taken of me, hanging over the handrail and gasping for dear life. It was definitely not my best photo, but it portrayed the physical exertion that I went through to complete this item. And that is why I love this photo. Before reaching home, I received a message from a friend, Matt Woodman, via Facebook. Matt was…
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