09.14
The Setup: My name is David Becker. I’m 31 years old. I have a wife, and dog, and no children. I have a little more than forty days until I start as an associate at a big international law firm. I can kiss goodbye to a substantial portion of my free time, extracurricular activities, personal hobbies, perhaps even a good amount of my exercise regimen of running and yoga, and I can say hello to long hours, late nights, and lots and lots of thinking, researching, and writing about the law. But I have these forty days.
The Challenge: I have forty days to do all the things I won’t have a chance to do when I start my upcoming job. I am challenging myself to do something new, something interesting, something I’ve always wanted to do, or something completely ridiculous every day for the next forty days. I am absolutely open to reader suggestions for activities, unless it involves self-mutilation, screaming at inanimate objects or very small children, illegal activity, aggravating a tiger in close proximity, or generally anything I wouldn’t want my Nana to read about on this blog (because I wholeheartedly expect my Nana to find a way to read this blog, even though she has never in her life owned a computer.)
The Rules: Every day for forty days, I must do something new, interesting, or unique, something completely absurd, or something I’ve always wanted to do but never had the time, motivation, or cojones to do. Not included in the forty-day time period are two days for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (because I am a good, good Jewish boy).
So forty days . . . Moses spent forty days and forty nights on Mount Sinai. Jesus spent forty days fasting in the desert after his baptism. The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years before finding the Promised Land. According to WikiAnswers (which, as everyone knows, contains the answers to all of life’s pressing questions), “A 40-something time period [in the Bible], whether days, months, or years is always a period of testing, trial, probation, or chastisement (but not judgment) and ends with a period of restoration, revival or renewal.” What will these forty days have in store for me?
Day 1. Create a blog. Done and done.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/thefortydays
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/The-Forty-Days/173728381744?ref=ts
I’m so proud to be your first commenter and an avid “The Forty Days” fan already!!
publish an op-ed on something in your local paper?
it’s early…
grocery-sample-day should mos def stop off at costco. and I might have a hookup for your ride-along, should that go on the list.
I agree–costco is a must. Please share your hook-up for the ride-along. I’ve already contacted APD, and they’re working on scheduling me, but your hook-up might be better. Whatever you’re comfortable with.
What a great idea! Do the activities have to be based in Austin? Are you traveling during the 40 days? Any other rules or limitations of the activities?
Thanks, Vanessa! Not all of the activities have to be in Austin. I know for sure I’m going to Dallas for a couple days to visit my parents. Some upcoming activites from Dallas (I think) will be: spend an entire day with my Nana (who is hilarious); go to my old high school and talk with all my old teachers; possibly go to a bingo parlor with my family. I’m also going to Gulfport, MS, where my wife’s family lives for Rosh Hashanah. I think we’re gonna try and take care of our niece (1 yr old) and nephew (2 1/2 yrs old) for 24 hours. That might be a real nightmare!
No other rules or limitations (unless you have any awesome suggestions). One qualifying activity per day for forty days!
Here’s some ideas from Brennan and I:
- do a paper boy round
- get a job in McDonalds and quit at the end of your first shift
- beg on the street for a day (donate the money to charity after!)….or busk if you don’t want to be a fake bum!
- do a sky dive
- go to the cinema and watch movies for 12 hours straight and only eat cinema food
- Ride a real bull or rodeo horse
- Get a TV or radio appearance
- Make a YouTube video and score over 1000 hits
Good luck!!
And you’re off! can’t wait to follow along this nightmare! good luck
Go Becker! We’ll be following attentively. Have a pampered day, massage, peds, and manicures, maybe a facial, or a full body wax…not sure if you have time.
I think you should go and volunteer every day.
Hey David why don’t you spend a day with a baby? I also like the full-body waxing idea. Or, you can wax a baby! But you’ve probably thought of that already.
Hey David, we just officially met today at Buffalo Exchange and shortly after you left I went to home due to a horrible headache and eye infection. That may explain why I may have been spaced out during out interaction. I think what you’re doing is wonderful and creative. You asked for help with ideas or involvement and that is my reason for this post. I would like to offer some ideas that I may help you with. I’m a dancer and study many forms of dance. I also perform and give lessons. If you are interested in learning classical ballet, broadway choreography, salsa, foxtrot, swing, tango, jazz, or even flamenco, I would be more than happy to help you with that. I take tango classes and attend several “milongas” (social tango dance) that I would love to invite you to. If your wife would want to take the tango class with you that would be even better! If she doesn’t then I would be delighted to be your partner. Classes are Sunday from 4-5 and Tuesday from 7:30-8:30. If you’re interested in another form of dance let me know and I can give you class times. If you want a private lesson from me I will teach you free of charge (your cause is worth my time). Learning classical ballet would be a great opportunity to dress up in a tutu. I can give you a private lesson or I could join you in a beginner class that I wouldn’t mind taking with you. Let me know what you think.
Ciao!
Charlie
p.s.
Come to Lizzie’s hatha flow on friday at 6 (westgate)!
another idea! you should apprentice at a taxidermy shop. There’s one off of south lamar and oltorff called Martinez Brothers Taxidermy. I’ve always wanted to do that so I could turn my cat into a mini-coffee table stand, bathroom rug, or guest bedroom pillow. Just an idea
Your blog is the highlight of my day. How sad. This is what happens when you are your parent’s age.
Don’t go to work. Keep this up.
Hey David. This is great! Hope you’re not od’ing on 24. Hey, is Leslie the homeless guy still around in Austin? Could be fun to hang out with him for a day. Or how about this? Rent one of those pregnancy suits and wear it around for a day. Still dress like a guy, though, and see what people say. Oh, and I love the taxidermy shop idea that someone had. Hilarious.
ride-along update: apd friend’s schedule has recently changed, and won’t be doing ride-alongs for a while, but he says you should be able to just walk into a precinct office and be paired up any day of your choosing. Be sure to throw around a jack bauer quote or two. ☺
David,
I can’t wait to get up early every morning to read your blog. You are hysterical….I hope you are having fun, g-d knows you give me the biggest laugh.
David,
I am your mother’s memphis friend. i loved the elvis day. i am so glad your mother told me about your blog. it is wonderful. do more videos. i loved the one of you in the car.
looking forward to more of your “days.
best of luck,
harriet
You have a good start with piloting a plane…now you need to jump out of one. I’m 48 years old, and had my first tandem skydive on 4/4/09. It was the best thing I’ve ever done. TRY IT!!!