New Year. New Adventure.

2012. Year of the Apocalypse... if you believe the lunatics on the web misinterpreting the Mayan calendar. It's an election year, so my new home will be action-packed with people for the DNC... but I won't be there for that. I'll be a million miles away trying to fulfill a dream.

While the Democrats are trying to drum up support from Charlotte, North Carolina, my girlfriend and I, accompanied by my dog, will be paddling down the Mississippi River. I've always wanted to do something big, but I never knew what. Several years ago, I got the idea to go walkabout and thus this blog began.

While prepping for that trip I came up with a crazy idea... canoe the entire Mississippi River. I didn't think it would be possible, and part of me is still doubtful. And that's what makes it exciting.

I don't typically make resolutions but I do have a bucket list that I add to frequently. I know I'll never be able to complete everything on there, but that's fine. As long as I'm still adding to that list I know that I'm still dreaming and as long as the items on my list seem impossible, then I know I'm still ambitious.

Hopefully I'll die with a dozen big things still on my list and at least twice as many crossed out.

So the big adventure for 2012 is canoeing the entire Mississippi River. After that? Who knows? I have a whole list of adventures from which to choose, including hiking the Inca Trail and contracting malaria.

What's your list? What are your dreams? What would you like to do?

Make your list now, no matter how crazy it sounds.

Once you have your bucket list, do something about it.

I dare you.