To live a life without serious regret.
That's it really. At 29 and a bit, so far things are not going badly- there is a little bit of "could have shagged X if I was paying attention" or "seen Y play if I'd taken up a particular invitation" but no regrets that have me lying awake at night thinking my life is significantly worse than it should be. I have a lovely wife, after a turbulent period of employment, I do a job I love and I am privileged to have some great friends and family. I've been to some interesting places and done some cool things. If the rest of my time on the planet proceeds in the same direction, I wouldn't be unhappy at the end.

If I were to list some remaining ambitions to do before death;
- Have some material printed in a national paper. I'm working full time for a magazine and have had my work printed in a few places but I would love to do a newspaper article at some stage.
- Have a kid. Don't care about the gender, just would like a happy, healthy son/daughter.
- Adopt a kid. I would like to share my life- however tragically middle off the road it may be- with a child who may not have had the same breaks that I have.

And, when I think about it, once just once do something unplanned and a bit crazy. I've done some strange things- lawnmower racing, tooled around North Africa in a camper van etc but I am wired in such a way that I can't do anything without a plan, an understanding of likely outcomes and without having an exit strategy. I'm the weirdo that has a clean pair of boxers, socks and a t-shirt in their desk drawer and always finds the recommended local minicab company before I go out on the lash whether I'm in Manchester or Manilla. Perhaps- just once- I'd like to do something crazy.

Length? Well I'm not the healthiest bloke going but I'd like another thirty years at least.
(Leonard Hatred briefly did some work on, Tue 19 Oct 2010, 13:42, 2 replies)

No regrets
I agree I don't want to have major regrets hanging over me later in life. It's pretty much a current philosophy for me not to have any loose ends like that.

And it reminds me of that sketch: an old granny lies in a hospital bed with her grand-daughter sitting nearby. "When you look back on your life, is there anything you wish you had done?" asks the young girl. The old lady sighs, and utters "I wish I'd had more sex".
(Smale is stuffed, Tue 19 Oct 2010, 14:56, closed)

Interesting
I've always worked for newspapers (my writing has appeared in three of the top 100 circulation newspapers in the USA) and want to have work in a national magazine.
(ChiTown Guy Dating when 35+: sane, single, attractive - pick 2, Tue 19 Oct 2010, 17:45, closed)