32 years and time for a change!

Today was not unlike most other days. It is Wednesday. It is September 3rd, and in Toronto, the weather is sunny and warm. At CMCC the students are back in class and the world evolves in spite of itself.

But, for me things are not the same old same old. For the first time since September, 1976 I am not lecturing a class at CMCC. It is kind of sad. I still showed up at the College before 8:00 a.m. albeit on a motorcycle. Had some meetings, did what I had to do and then that was it. No class, no lecture, no nothing. So it was either time to go to the office or to do something different. The choice was easy.

I met up with Dr. John Cosgrove (’77) and on motorcycles we traveled to Collingwood to go for a motorcycle ride with Dr. John McLean (’51). Yes you are reading that correctly. He graduated in 1951, has a full head of hair, doesn’t wear glasses, is 85 years of age and rides one of the biggest motorcycles around – an 1800cc Honda VTX – and he rides it like he stole it!

For those of you who may be evidenced based practitioners (whatever that means) – all you have to do is look at Dr. McLean and realize that there must be something about being a chiropractor and naturopath that adds something to the quality of life.

Most of us hope to be mobile when we are 85 years old. Me – I want to be mobile on a two wheel motorcycle when I am the same age as Dr. McLean – that is 85 years young!

So back to today. I have decided that it is time that I start listing the things that should be done during a lifetime. A little like “100 things to do before you die”. But not quite. My list is for me -- the things that I have done that most people have not. I urge you to do the same. If the list is short – then you should start changing your ways.

My list goes something like this:

1. graduated from law school
2. taught for 32 years
3. writing articles for publication
4. eating donkey sausage in Cinzano
5. a sea cruise
6. a bungie jump
7. ballroom dancing
8. motorcycling – as in two iron butt rides of 1000 miles in 24 hours and 1500 miles in 36 hours
9. flying over the grand canyon
10. Lake Louise
11. driving the Blue Ridge Parkway
12. proctoring an examination
13. receiving a phone call on a plane
14. winning a bowling tournament with a score of 312 out of a possible 300
15. mojitos and cigars in Cuba
16. fishing but not wanting to catch any fish
17. New York, New York

I don’t know how unusual any of that list might be – but I sure would like to review the list of other people to know what I am missing. I already know that I am not going to climb a mountain (ask Dr. Gord Lawson – he has been there and done that); or run across a desert in Africa (ask Dr. Luc Laviguere – he has been there and done that).

So if you have a list share it and I will post it. It isn’t bragging – it is giving others an indication of what can be done. So as the day comes to a close – I look back and realize that I can add another number to my list -- I went motorcycling with an 85 year old chiropractor. Who would have thunk it !!!!!!