Christophe Website

Impossible List

This page was inspired by Thomas Frank Impossible List, itself inspired by Joel Runyon.

Over the years I have been writing multiple, duplicate, ever-evolving lists of things I wanted to do or visit, sadly this did not result into any meaningful change. So with this page, I have several goals:

  • Challenge myself.
  • simplify other pages which was growing out of control with the listing of various aspirations.
  • enable better tracking and force myself to take action on my list of goals.
  • compile old multiple lists on one page.

This impossible list, is not a bucket list, even if at times it can feels like it, it is a way to challenge myself, to push me outside my comfort-zone.

This list is and will be under constant construction and revision (thanks git).

Last updated on Wednesday 16 August 2023

Current Focuses:

See the now page for my main focus and priorities.

Last 5 Completed Goals

  • [x] Join Swim/Gym.
  • [x] Holiday to France/Attending cedric wedding.
  • [x] Fix bitbucket/github issues.
  • [x] Clear out / get rid off books.
  • [x] Cook dinner regularly

My life so far

See Life

Travel

  • [ ] Visit Japan
  • [x] Visit Ireland ( I now live in Dublin after 7 years on Ireland West Coast)
  • [ ] Visit Croatia
  • [x] Visit England ( London plus worked 4 months in Cambridge)
  • [ ] Visit Singapore
  • [ ] Visit China
  • [x] Visit Spain ( Scuba-diving trip with my french diving club back in 2003? )
  • [x] Visit Italy ( worked 6 months in Monza near Milano )
  • [x] Visit Iceland ( Long Weekend away birthday present from my future wife Deirdre )
  • [x] Visit Portugal ( Family Holiday )

Video Game

  • [ ] Finish Zelda BOTW (WIP)
  • [x] Finish GTA IV/V (Done)
  • [x] Finish Red Dead Redemption (Done)

Books

  • [ ] Write a book.
  • [ ] Write a children book
  • [ ] Read 1000 books, Current Total approximatively 300. Break-down by Year
  • [ ] 2023 Target for the year is 50. (0/50)
  • [F] 2022 Target for the year is 50. (40/50)
  • [F] 2021 Target for the year is 50. (34/50)
  • [F] 2020 Read 46 but target was 60.
  • [x] 2019 Read 50 books, right on target. (https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/14984432).
  • [x] 2018 Read 48 books Target was 45
  • [x] 2017 Read 36 books Target was 24
  • [F] 2016 Read 19 books (Target was 40)
  • [F] 2015 Read 17 books (Target was 25)
  • [x] 2014 Read 25 books
  • [F] 2013 Read 21 books (Target was 24)
  • [ ] Complete the Rory Gilmore Challenge - 16 of 339 · 5%.

Teach my Kid this stuff

Based of 'What Every Kid Should Be Able to Do by Age Sixteen', a list created by Audrey Sutherland, even more valid today and a good target for my own kids. Sadly there is stuff there that I don't know myself.

  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Swim 400 yards easily.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Do dishes in a strange house, and your own.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Cook a simple meal.
  • Me[x] Daughter[-] See work to be done and do it.
  • Me[x] Daughter[-] Care for tools and always put them away after use.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Splice or put a fixture on an electric cord.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Know basic information about five careers that suit you.
  • Me[ ] Daughter[ ] Volunteer to work for a month in each of those fields
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Clean a paintbrush after use.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Change a diaper, and a tire.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Listen to an adult talk with interest and empathy.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Take initiative and responsibility for school work and home chores.
  • Me[-] Daughter[ ] Dance with any age.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Clean a fish and dress a chicken.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Drive a car with skill and sanity.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Know and take responsibility for sexual conception and protection when needed.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Know the basic five of first aid: restore breathing and heartbeat, control bleeding, dilute poisons, immobilize fractures, treat for shock.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Write a business letter.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Spend the family income for all bills and necessities for two months.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Know basic auto mechanics and simple repair.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Find your way across a strange city using public transportation.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Be happy and comfortable alone for ten days, ten miles from the nearest other person.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Save someone drowning using available equipment.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Find a paying job and hold it for a month.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Read at a tenth grade level.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Read a topographic map and a chart.
  • Me[ ] Daughter[ ] Know the local drug scene for yourself (Me: no Daughter: Not yet)
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Handle a boat safely and competently (canoe, kayak, skiff, sailboat) (Me: almost Daughter: Not yet)
  • Me[-] Daughter[ ] Operate a sewing machine and mend your own clothes (Me: wip Daughter: Not yet)
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Operate a computer as needed.
  • Me[x] Daughter[ ] Do your own laundry.

Fitness/Health Goals

  • [ ] Weight Loose 25 Kg ( from 105Kg down to 80Kg ):
    • [ ] Loose 5 Kg (Down to 95 Kg ) -> 3rd lockdown effect, bounce back to 101.8kg :(
    • [ ] Loose 5 Kg (Down to 90 Kg )
    • [ ] Loose 5 Kg (Down to 85 Kg )
    • [ ] Loose 5 Kg (Down to 80 Kg )

See weight progress

  • Run a 5K
    • [ ] Couch potato to 5 K training. (use Lunchtime work break and commute).
    • [ ] Run a 5K in less than 40 minutes.
  • From Art of Manliness:
    • [ ] Swim at least half a mile or more
    • [ ] Run at top speed two hundred yards or more
    • [ ] Jump over obstacles higher than his waist
    • [ ] Pull his body upward by the strength of his arms, until his chin touches his hands, at least fifteen to twenty times
    • [ ] Dip between parallel bars or between two chairs at least twenty-five times or more
  • Run a 10K
    • [ ] 10 K training.
    • [ ] Run 10 K in less than an hour.
  • Swim
    • [ ] swim once a week for a year.
    • [ ] swim in the sea once a month.
    • [ ] swim a mile ( nautical, 1.582 km )
  • Snorkel
    • [x] Back snorkelling in Donegal in 2020.
    • [ ] Snorkel 1Km (Done, at least twice for Leading Diver)
  • Yoga
    • [x] Yoga for beginner course (Done in summer 2018, and in 2019 in Ranelagh)
    • [ ] Regular Yoga Practise, Sun Salutation every morning.
  • [ ] Aikido or Brazilian Ju-jitsu
  • [ ] Movement training (MovNat ? )
  • [ ] Learn Parkour
    • [ ] Learn standing backflips
    • [ ] Learn wall flips
  • [ ] Squat 250 ( goal to be reviewed )
  • [ ] Do 100 push-ups in a single set ( goal to be reviewed )
  • [ ] Do 15 pull-ups in a single set ( goal to be reviewed )
  • [ ] Do 20 pull-ups in a single set ( goal to be reviewed )
  • [ ] Cut out my daily sugar habit
  • [ ] Improve flexibility
  • [ ] Reduce High Blood Pressure -> under medication
  • [ ] Meditate
  • [ ] Learn to Surf properly
  • [ ] Learn to Roller-Skate properly
  • Hébert’s fitness assessment
  • [ ] favour resilience and speed over pure physical strength.
  • Look into Natural Movement (MovNat or Ido Portal)

Fun / Insane Goals

  • [ ] Climb a mountain
  • [ ] Climb a mountain with at least 3,500 ft. elevation change from base
  • [ ] Go surfing
  • [ ] Go sailing on the ocean in a wooden ship
  • Sailing / Sea-kayak:
    • [ ] circumvent Ireland
    • [ ] circumvent Ireland + UK
    • [ ] France to Sicilia or Corsica
  • [ ] Ride a backwards brain bike for 50 meters.

Adrenaline Rushes

  • [x] Bungee Jump (France 2004)
  • [ ] Skydive

Hill Walking:

  • [ ] Go hill walking once a week for a year
  • [ ] Up Carrauntoohil.
  • [ ] Croagh Patrick.
  • [ ] Wicklow Way.
  • [ ] Camino Route (Le Puy Route).
  • [ ] Auvergne GR30
  • [ ] Auvergne GR300 (Camino)

Growth / Self-development

Life Goals

  • [x] Graduate from college ( Done in 2001, Msc in Microelectronics )
  • [-] Msc in Statistics ( Half-completed, started, got H-Dip as I did not complete final dissertation)
  • [ ] Help 100 people
  • [ ] Retire? Mr. Money Mustache-style by age 52 ( before if possible )
  • [-] Maintain a loving, inspiring, happy relationship with my amazing wife.
  • [x] Get married (2017)
  • [-] Be self-sufficient

Essentialism

  • [x] Remove distracting apps from my phone: facebook, instagram, twitter.
  • [x] Delete Instagram account.
  • [x] Delete Facebook account.
  • [-] Delete Twitter account.
  • [ ] Review wardrobe and remove unnecessary items.
  • [x] Review books and get rid off read ones.

100 and 30 days challenges

  • [ ] Write one Haiku a day for 100 days - [ STALLED !! in progress]
  • [ ] Swim once a month in the Sea ( in Ireland )
  • [ ] No sugar for 30 days
  • [x] No Alcohol for 30 days. (Done, gave up Alcohol consumption generally, except for the very odd one, usually one pint every 3-5 months )

Professional Goals

  • [ ] Present to a technical conference.
  • [x] Move back to Digital Physical Design work (Done with move to S3Semi in 2018)

Habit Goals

  • [ ] Do a morning workout 100 days in a row ? Skill: Fitness
  • [ ] Meditate for at least 3 minutes 100 days in a row ? Skill: Mental Focus
  • [ ] Read 25 pages a day for three months in a row ? Skill: Intelligence (June 30, 2016) (Progress page)
  • [ ] Write 500 words 100 days in a row ? Skill: Writing/Body of Work
  • [ ] Creative Goals
  • [ ] Publish a sci-fi/fantasy novella (at least 17,500 words)

Skill Goals

  • [ ] Learn to sail
  • [ ] Learn to sea kayak (got a level 2 kayak skill few years ago)
  • [ ] Learn how to play the piano (and play xxx )
  • [ ] Draw comic book / write
  • [ ] Become fluent in Irish.
  • [ ] Learn to speak basic Chinese.
  • [ ] Improve elocution
  • [ ] Remove an engine from a car and completely disassemble it, then reassemble it, put it back, and turn it on
  • [ ] Learn archery
  • [ ] Learn dance:
    • [x] Salsa (started in Limerick, but still an improved beginner)
    • [ ] Ballroom
    • [ ] Swing
  • [ ] Become a competent inline skate
  • [ ] Scuba diving:
    • [ ] Leading Diver (CMAS 3 Star)
    • [x] Rescue Diver
    • [x] Club Diver (CMAS 2 Star)
    • [x] Diver CoxWain
  • [ ] Lean methodology Introduction to Lean Six Sigma Methods through - MIT OpenCourseWare. - STALLED
  • [-] Statistics
  • [ ] Music -> Yukulele learn to play 2 songs
  • [ ] Music Piano
  • [ ] Coursera: Stanford Alorithms Part I

Coding

  • [x] Migrated this website from Jekyll to Pelican.
  • [-] freecodecamp.com (html/css/Javascript)
    • [-] Front end development html, css, bootstrap and javascript using - .
    • [-] Currently stuck with codepen.io projects. - STALLED
  • [ ] Python coding
  • [ ] Algorithms
    • [ ] Coursera: Stanford Alorithms Part I
  • [-] Hacker Rank (Python/Math/Perl/Bash)
    • Hacker Rank
  • [ ] Khan Academy
    • [ ] Obtain 30 badges (125+0+8+5+66+198 at the moment)
    • [ ] 100% at all maths missions current status:
    • Khan Progress
  • [-] Checkio
  • [-] Project Euler
  • [ ] Projects IC layout
    • [ ] GDS parser in Python.
    • [ ] STA data analysis in Python.
  • [-] HTML/CSS/JS
    • [x] Create online resume with skill bar, timeline, and fixed float menu bar using html/css/js (June 2017) - done see resume

Bucket list

Some bucket list ( contradicting my earlier upper page self ), I have some listed on my other blog.

  • Dublin bucket list published on my personal blog

  • Ireland bucket list published on my personal blog