People I Want To Meet In The Next Year

Originally posted on RyanHaack.com

A while ago Brad Lomenick posted a list of people he wants to meet in the next year.  I love the idea, so here’s mine (in no particular order):

1. Donald Miller (Going to meet 5/6/12!)

2. Abigail Thomas

3. Anne Lamott

4. Jim Abbott

5. Tony Memmel (Met 10/23/11)

6. Sara Groves (Met 3/9/12)

7. Sage Cohen

8. Brené Brown

Those are the ones I thought of right off the bat.  I feel like there’s a legitimate chance I can meet them all, too.  I’ve actually had personal correspondence with all of them, so that’s a start.

I know there are more that I’ll add to the list, but I figure I’ll keep it manageable for now.

And what’s the common thread here?  All of these people have inspired me in some way.  Whether by their writing, their lyrics, their voices or their skills, they’ve all shaped me somehow.

Take Jim Abbott, for instance.  I was born with one hand and grew-up loving sports.  In 1989, I was 12, and Jim Abbott, a one-handed pitcher, burst onto the scene.  I was a pitcher in Little League and admired him like no other player.  I followed him throughout his entire career, the ups and downs, and even his stint with my team, the Brewers!  Jim’s crowning achievement was throwing a no-hitter with the Yankees and to this day I occasionally go watch the end of that game on YouTube.

Each of the people listed above deserves a little write-up, but I’ll save them until after we meet.

Who are the people you’d like to meet this year? 

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Imperfect: An Improbable Life by Jim Abbott and Tim Brown This Is Why Halloween Is Different This Year This Is Why I Love Making People Laugh A Poem For My Dad: One Year Later National Suicide Prevention Week Is Hard For Me This Year