New Book! “100 Things I Learned as an Everyday Adventurer”

Published on Oct 30, 2013, filed under books, adventure (feed). (Share this on Mastodon or Bluesky?)

I wrote a new book! Not about web development, again, not about philosophy or social sciences, yet, but about all the different activities I’ve been doing over the last few years, in all my infinite free time. And what I learned in one hundred of them.

Terrific piece of self-introspection and adventure.

…readers say on Amazon.com.

Description

This is the book that the most boring person would write when they discovered life’s possibilities. Meet Jens, a hectic, neurotic self-proclaimed adventurer, and his very individual account of one hundred different activities he tried over the course of three years (2010–2013). From rafting to security guard certifications to crocheting, everything had a lesson, and these lessons are shared in this book. Look forward to the German answer to Winston Wolfe explaining one way to live life.

→ This is the book if you decide to break out of your routines and discover the abundance of what you can do in your free time.

The outline:

• Introduction
• Acknowledgments
• 100 Things I Learned as an Everyday Adventurer
  1. Flying Helicopters
  2. Skydiving
  3. Manicure and Pedicure
  4. Visiting a Psychic
  5. Learning to Ride a Motorcycle
  6. Go-Kart Racing
  7. Shooting Handguns
  8. First Aid Training
  9. Doing Improv
  10. Kickboxing
  11. Welding (TIG)
  12. Chocolate Baking
  13. Machine Sewing
  14. Speed Dating
  15. Riding a Hot Air Balloon
  16. Open Water Diving
  17. Rock Climbing and Bouldering
  18. Sailing
  19. Archery
  20. Salsa Dancing
  21. Bungee Jumping
  22. Horseback Riding
  23. Hunting Education
  24. Learning Bear Identification Basics (Online)
  25. Cocktail Mixing
  26. Security Guard Training
  27. Learning Photography Basics
  28. Pepper-Spraying and Handcuffing
  29. Stock Car Racing
  30. High Performance Driving Training
  31. Shooting Rifles and Shotguns
  32. Kayaking
  33. Aerial Conditioning
  34. Floating
  35. Doing Acrobatics
  36. Cooking
  37. Filmmaking
  38. Kiteboarding, Sort Of
  39. Acting
  40. Flying in a 3-Axis Flight Simulator
  41. Wakeboarding
  42. Caving
  43. “Painting”
  44. Mastering Batons
  45. Electronic Measuring
  46. Tactical Shooting
  47. Jet-Skiing
  48. Driving in Left-Hand Traffic
  49. Parasailing
  50. Learning How to Work with Kitchen Knives
  51. Airsoft Shooting
  52. Candle Making
  53. Vacuum Forming
  54. Ice Skating
  55. Paintball
  56. Soap Making
  57. Glass Blowing
  58. Snowboarding
  59. Trike Gliding
  60. Bookbinding
  61. Visiting Choirs, Ballets, and Poetry Readings
  62. Flying an Airplane
  63. Arranging and Binding Flowers
  64. Writing
  65. Perfume Making
  66. Getting a Straight Razor Shave
  67. Camel Riding
  68. Beekeeping
  69. Motocross
  70. Letterpress Printing
  71. Stand-Up Paddleboarding
  72. Krav Maga
  73. Indoor Skydiving
  74. Playing Laser Tag
  75. Fencing
  76. Doing Ikebana
  77. Rafting
  78. Drawing
  79. Learning How to Operate a Taser
  80. Body Butter Making
  81. Learning How to Operate Radar
  82. Doing Pilates
  83. Photopolymer Platemaking
  84. Acupuncture
  85. Watching a Film in a Drive-In Theater
  86. Facial Expressions Identification Training (Online)
  87. Crocheting
  88. Jewelry Making
  89. Composting
  90. Brush Lettering and Sign Painting
  91. Sand Blasting
  92. Powder Coating
  93. Snowshoeing
  94. Learning About Edible and Medicinal Weeds
  95. Surfing
  96. Learning to Play the Ukulele
  97. Segway Riding
  98. Canoeing
  99. Singing and Voice Training
  100. Filipino Martial Arts
• How to Become an Everyday Adventurer
• About the Author
• About 100 Things I Learned as an Everyday Adventurer

Behind the Scenes

The idea for the book came when I noticed that not only had I tried a ton of different activities (I’ve been meticulously maintaining a very comprehensive list), but that I had truly learned a lot of things in the process. So I figured I might get those things on paper, and be it as a reminder for myself.

I’m not just sharing lessons alongside heart-wrenching stories and gorgeous pictures and extra-tough grades but also how everything came about and how I got a bit loco in my head—and how one generally can become a bit of an “everyday adventurer.”

I wrote one half of the book on Google shuttle buses and the other half in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Everything else kept me in irons then in Quito, Ecuador.

I had three awesome helpers. Sarah M. Tyrrell, my editor, Julia W. Tang, cover design inspiration and reviewer, and J. Felix Desroches, also reviewer. ♥

I wrote 20 more chapters just to kick 20 out after I read the first draft. I wanted to have some choice. Alas, the 20 chapters that didn’t make it already form a skeleton manuscript for part 2! But I’m not Hollywood, and we’re not going to talk about a sequel just yet.

Writing the book using Google Docs and publishing it through Kindle Direct Publishing has been quite an experiment. And an experience. I’ve shared thoughts and tips in an extra post.

❧ But, that’s it for now! I’m seriously exhausted. And excited. Please check out the book: 100 Things I Learned as an Everyday Adventurer. Thank you!

About Me

I’m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and I’m a web developer, manager, and author. I’ve been working as a technical lead and engineering manager for companies you’ve never heard of and companies you use every day, I’m an occasional contributor to web standards (like HTML, CSS, WCAG), and I write and review books for O’Reilly and Frontend Dogma.

I love trying things, not only in web development and engineering management, but also in other areas like philosophy. Here on meiert.com I share some of my experiences and views. (I value you being critical, interpreting charitably, and giving feedback.)