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Questival
Greetings, Wolo World, and Happy #WoloWednesday! Last week, members of the Wolo team competed in a 24-hour adventure race called Questival. Questival is put on by Cotopaxi, an adventure gear company dedicated to making “gear for good.”
The goals of the race are to “build friendships, push yourself, experience your surroundings, and have a whole bunch of fun.” Teams are comprised of 2 to 6 people, tasked with accomplishing challenges in a 24-hour period. Our team consisted of co-founder Ray Collins, content contributor Melissa Wittmayer, new friend Shawn Lamb, and #WoloWednesday columnist, yours truly, Zekee Silos. (Co-founder Mike Swisher was part of the original lineup, but after receiving an invite to go to Costa Rica, we looked long and hard for a replacement. On race day, I texted a friend from college, knowing that she had plans during the 24-hour period, but sent it anyway just to check. Though she wasn’t able to join us, she connected us with her friend Shawn, who none of us knew at the time, and the rest is Wolo history. Welcome to the family, Shawn!)
Cotopaxi releases the task list in the 24 hours leading up to the event, in order for teams to create a game plan. The tasks, each assigned a point designation by the Questival crew, are broken up into eight categories -- things like Community & Cultural, Hiking & Travel, Camping & Survival, Adventure & Quirky, Service & Environment, Food, Social Media, and Sport & Fitness. There were a couple tasks that you could do in preparation for the event, as well as items to cross off during the two-hour Check-In prior to kick off. But at 7pm on race day, the Questival staff distributes a “totem,” a flag branded with the motto “Do Good” on it, that must be in every official photo or video post uploaded to the Questival app in order for your team to score points.
Our 24 hours were filled with dozens of memorable moments for our team. We connected with strangers in odd and fun ways (Shawn traded a shoelace from his shoe with someone from another team, Ray and I started a dance party with a table of senior citizens, and Melissa gave compliments to people in a British accent), explored the great state of Colorado (lots of hiking just outside of Denver), camped in Wyoming (we had to dance like Michael Jackson across a state border), and cross things off our own personal bucket lists (I started a fire without matches or a lighter!).
Although we finished in 157th place out of 717 teams, the experience will last a lifetime. It was a whirlwind of a day, but one that has bonded the four of us forever.
Questival happens annually in over 40 cities across the US and Canada, and they plan on expanding to even more in 2018.
Visit Wolo’s Questival team page here to see the rest of our photos and videos from the race.
Add to Your Bucket List
Compete in an Adventure Race
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Melanie Day’s Bucket List
Greetings, Wolo World, welcome to a very powerful edition of #BucketListsOfTheWorld. This week, we are excited to introduce you to an incredible woman named Melanie Day. She comes to us via her friend, Kathryn Turner, a college friend of Wolo co-founder Ray Collins. If you’d like to learn more about her message, follow Melanie on Instagram or check out her website, Five Years to Live.
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am a wife, a mother of 3, a former college athlete, and a terminal cancer patient. My husband and I recently moved to Utah to seek better health care. Our children are 6, 4, and 3. I played basketball competitively growing up in Southern California and had a successful college career at UCLA and BYU. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 4 years ago while I was pregnant with my 3rd child. I had chemo, radiation, surgeries, AND miraculously, a healthy baby boy! Eventually, I was declared cancer-free, but the cancer metastasized to my bones in 2015. I was then given five years to live. This prognosis has changed how I live my life. I decided to stop wasting time on things that don’t matter. I want to live life to the fullest and no longer delay my dreams. The things I’ve always said I’d do someday have become an urgent priority. Because I don’t know how many more somedays I’ll have. That is what I want to share with others: to live like you, too, have five years to live. To focus on what really matters. To take that dream vacation. To start that business. To tell that person how you REALLY feel. Because we don’t know when we will be taken from this life. Every day is a bonus day. So start checking off your bucket list!
What are three experiences currently on your bucket list?
(1) Girls trip to NYC and also Maine to see the Fall leaves. I've always wanted to spend a few days in New York with my best friends, going to shows and getting the good eats. Also, I've heard that seeing the fall leaves in Maine is a must.
(2) Go to Africa. It's been a place I've dreamed about going since I was a little girl. My mom spent a lot of time in Africa for work when I was younger so it's always been a fascinating place to me.
(3) Float down the Provo river. I realize that's not super exciting, but I spent a few years in Provo for college and I've always wanted to do it and never have. I live in Utah now so I'm hoping to cross this off this summer!
What are three awesome things you’ve recently checked off your bucket list?
(1) I was flash mobbed. My cousin and her coworkers surprised me while I was hanging out at a family fun center one day. They announced my name over the loudspeaker and had me come to the middle of the skating rink where they danced their choreographed routine for me. It was slightly awkward because I didn't know anyone besides my cousin performing, but it was so thoughtful that my cousin would organize it for me. Her company, Clearlink, filmed it and interviewed me after for their Out of the Blue program. I wanted to get flash mobbed because I've loved watching the youtube videos of people coming together to do this at malls or subways. It just seems so cool to me. So I guess I just want people to entertain me. For free. And I love the element of surprise.
(2) I attended the UNC at Duke basketball game in February. It was honestly the number one thing on my bucket list, but I never thought I'd actually get to go. The coaches at BYU heard of this being on my bucket list, so they decided to try to make it happen. Unbeknownst to me, they sent a letter to Coach K at Duke about my wishes and to everyone's surprise, he responded! The BYU coaches surprised me with the news in the locker room after one of their games. They also contributed money to us to fly my husband and I out to North Carolina, as well as money for a hotel and rental car. My week in North Carolina was like a basketball fantasy. I attended practice at both Duke and North Carolina. I met both Coach K and Roy Williams, as well as their staffs. I was able to enter the arena hours before the game started to watch the Cameron Crazies enter the building (which honestly was so fascinating and a highlight for me). I was given the best seats at the game, right next to Coach K's grandson. I even got a fist bump from Coach K right before tip-off! The game did not disappoint. And the atmosphere did not either. It was all and even way more than I had dreamed of. During the week that I was there, I was interviewed almost every day by a different news station. It was a bit of a news circus, but I was happy to share my story, what I've learned from cancer, and how BYU, Duke, and UNC were so kind to me. I met so many great people. One of them being former Tarheel and NBA great, Eric Montross, who actually invited me back for the rematch of the two teams in Chapel Hill. So not only did I go to my dream game once, but I flew back a month later for the rematch!
(3) I danced to Busta Rhymes, "Do the Bus a Bus," with my former UCLA teammates. After our NCAA tournament wins, this is what we did to celebrate in the locker room. Winning in the NCAA tournament is a feeling different than any in the world. If I could re-create that feeling on the daily, I wouldn’t have a bad day. And honestly that is my favorite song to dance to (the clean version, of course). I organized an event last November called the Bucket List Benefit Concert to raise money for our family to cross off bucket list items (in lieu of a gofundme type fundraiser to cover medical expenses). A couple of my UCLA teammates came and we danced to this song together once again.
What is one place everyone must have on their bucket list? Why?
A Lantern Festival. I attended the RISE Festival in Las Vegas a couple years ago, and it was so much more magical than I ever imagined. Watching 10,000 lanterns release into the sky at the same time was one of the most unbelievable things I've ever seen. The desert sky went from pitch black to glowing in seconds and I was totally overcome with emotion. (I actually couldn't stop bawling.) I think everyone should experience this magic. In fact, I'm taking my husband and kids to a lantern festival in Utah next week!
What experience have you've crossed off on your bucket list that scared you most? (Or have yet to cross off?)
Skydiving. I was actually joking when I put this on my bucket list because I'm deathly afraid of heights. But I recently spent some time in New Zealand with some friends who I knew would make me do things I was uncomfortable with. I decided to do it to face my fear.
What’s something you’ve done that wasn’t originally on your bucket list, but are excited to say you’ve accomplished?
I just spent two weeks in beautiful New Zealand! The landscape is full of rolling green hills, cows and sheep, just as I imagined. I visited Hobbiton, went skydiving, kayaked, hiked to waterfalls, biked, surfed, tubed through a glow worm cave, and was basically on a non-stop adventure.
What’s one of the most obscure, outrageous or far-reaching thing on your bucket list that you have yet to accomplish?
Write a book. May not seem that outrageous or far-reaching to most people, but it is to me. I want to do it even though it overwhelms me thinking about it.
Who is one person you want to share a Wolo experience with, and what would you do?
I'd love to go on a Mediterranean cruise and go train tripping around Europe with my husband. That's always been my ultimate dream vacation. We both used to live in Portugal, while serving as LDS missionaries. Neither of us have ever been back.
And finally... do you know what's on your best friend's bucket list?
No, I had to ask my two best friends. Here are their responses:
Jorja:
Have a cabin in the mountains by a lake.
Go on a humanitarian trip.
Jamie:
Duke UNC game (she came to the game with me and my husband).
White water rafting thru the Grand Canyon for 3 days.
Live in our beach house for an extended period of time.
Travel to assorted places.
Finish our yard and house projects.
Live in the mountains for an extended period of time.
Live in Europe for a month.
Thanks for reading about Melanie's experiences! Again, follow Melanie on Instagram or check out her website, Five Years to Live. And in case you want to add some of her experiences to your own bucket list, here are a few that you can add now:
Visit NYC
Visit Maine to See the Fall Leaves
Float Down the Provo River
Go to Africa
Get Surprised by a Flash Mob
Attend a Carolina-Duke Basketball Game
Attend a Lantern Festival
Visit Hobbiton
Tube through Waitomo Glow Worm Cave
Write a Book
Go Skydiving
Visit New Zealand
#bucketlistsoftheworld#wolo#bucketlist#newzealand#nyc#africa#duke#unc#lanternfestival#skydiving#waitomo#flashmob
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Tara Clark’s Bucket List
What's up, Wolo World? Welcome to this week's edition of #BucketListsOfTheWorld! This week, we are interviewing someone with a unique connection to the Wolo family. Her name is Tara Clark and she is currently teaching in Guatemala. She met co-founders Ray Collins and Mike Swisher when the dynamic duo (plus Ray's partner Melissa and pup Carrie) were looking for a place to live in Denver. They happened upon Tara's apartment, as she was looking for people to take over her lease when she left for Central America... and the rest is Wolo history!
Who are you, and what do you do?
Who am I? Well, I'm Tara, and I'm a corn-fed born and bred Iowan nurse. But I'm not sure that describes me entirely well - I'm actually currently living in Guatemala coordinating a study abroad program for college students and taking a break from nursing. So, I guess I like my identifiers to be a bit more fluid: my wanderlust, my eagerness to learn and experience new things, and my obsession with not being 'normal', whatever the hell that means.
What do I do? Hmmm...well, I read Harry Potter. Frequently. I spend more time organizing things than it actually takes to do them. I dance in the rain as often as possible. But most importantly, I dream about what it would be like to be a monkey.
What are three experiences currently on your bucket list?
I feel like I have two bucket lists. I have the official one, called 'My Bucket List' - working on getting that copyrighted ;) - full of experiences, and then I have a travel bucket list, called 'See Before I Die'. On my official bucket list, the experience I've had there the longest is traveling the length of the original Lincoln Highway (the first US transcontinental highway) in an RV. Growing up, this highway was my Main Street so I've always felt connected to it! I also want to live by candlelight for a week, because I'm often convinced I was born in the wrong century. Lastly, before I die, I must crowd surf!
On the travel side of things, I basically subscribe to way too many travel magazines and write down the places where it seems pictures won't do justice. My top 3 I'm currently most excited are: the Vaadhoo Island sea of stars in the Maldives (who knows how long those will be around?), the Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia, and of course the Great Pyramids of Giza.
What are three awesome things you’ve recently checked off your bucket list?
Not sure how this counts for recent, but four years ago when I was in college I had the opportunity to do a study abroad trip to the Middle East, and I got to walk where Jesus walked - it's something that's hard to put into words, but personally and spiritually this was a big one for me to cross off. Also, I've been a Michael Phelps fan since I was in middle school - bought his books, the whole deal. I requested tickets for Río to go see him at his final Olympics, but the lottery gods frowned upon me. So, last summer my best friend and I went to Omaha, NE for the Olympic Trials so I could finally cross watching him swim off my bucket list! I still have to watch an Olympic event, but that can wait. And although it's small, the third 'awesome' thing I crossed off in the last few years was finally getting to see where my dad proposed to my mom - the past few years knowing where I come from has become more important to me, and my parent's love story is part of that.
What is one place everyone must have on their bucket list? Why?
Don't even need a second to think: Guatemala. Why? I may be biased, but Guatemala is my second home. Take the opportunity to step into a culture where time slows, relationships and community are paramount, and indigenous culture is fiercely kept alive and celebrated (although it is not exempt from traditional pitfalls such as being economically disadvantaged and sometimes sold to the highest bidder in an economy that relies heavily on tourism.) I've had the chance to learn how to weave in a local home (only two days, not the six-eight months it takes to make one huipil, a traditional Mayan top), seen coffee production from plantation to co-op, walked on millennium-old Mayan ruins, spent the night on a volcano watching its next-door neighbor spew lava into the night sky, relaxed on volcanic-sand beaches, traversed Lake Atitlán in a cayuco,or hand-hewn boat, visited the travertine falls of Semuc Champey, experienced the world-renowned Semana Santa celebration, and have made friendships and met people that have been the cornerstone in defining who I am. I even got to stay in a hobbit hole for a night! Biased I may be, wrong I am not. Guatemala is a must-see for every bucket list!
What experience have you've crossed off on your bucket list that scared you most?
Hands down, I can still remember how my stomach was churning as our start group slowly inched toward the starting line of the Twin Cities Marathon. The imminent prospect of running for four or five hours straight was somewhat terrifying, especially because I don't necessarily consider myself an athlete. But, with my sister by my side, wishing for death the last few miles, we did it! The best part? I found out I did it faster than Pamela Anderson. Guess beach cardio isn't what it used to be.
What’s something you’ve done that wasn’t originally on your bucket list, but are excited to say you’ve accomplished?
Last summer I went to Thailand with my roommate and we found an elephant sanctuary website that touted a two-day overnight experience that included a homestay in a local village. We never expected that the elephants would be just the footnote of this experience. That morning we met our guide, Chicken (his tourist name), who was actually not native Thai. He was part of the White Karen hill tribe, refugees from what is now Myanmar. We hiked three hours into the jungle to reach his village high at the top of the hill, learning about plants and visiting waterfalls along the way. We had the chance to meet his family and learn about the Karen people, sleep in their bamboo hut, and eat the most delicious meal I have ever had, including bamboo Chicken had collected for us on the way up. These are the travel experiences I crave: to be welcomed so quickly and wholeheartedly into someone's entire way of life, and to participate in tourism that provides income in a dignified way.
What’s one of the most obscure, outrageous or far-reaching thing on your bucket list that you have yet to accomplish?
Okay, don't laugh. Because I know to most people it's not obscure or outrageous, but I want to learn how to whistle. I have been on the outside of that elite group of folks looking in my entire life. But I'm pretty sure my mouth is broken. No matter how hard I try, I can't do it!
Who is one person you want to share a Wolo experience with, and what would you do?
I actually just booked tickets to hike Machu Picchu with my brother and sister-in-law in September, so I'd say one that I have yet to do would be to take my life-long fanboy brother to a Packers game in Lambeau Field. Preferably when they are winning the NFC championship if it's not too much to ask.
If you could share an experience with any person from history, who would it be and what would you do?
I'd either learn how to bartend with J.K. Rowling and pick her brain about what it's like to create a generation-defining piece of art, or get in a food fight with Florence Nightingale, the mother of bad-ass nursing. And I'd do it in New Zealand. Call me cliché, but that country is beautiful, and every New Zealander I've met while traveling has been top-notch.
And finally... do you know what's on your best friend's bucket list?
Actually, not really. My friend invited me to the International Balloon Festival with her last year, but usually I'm the one roping my friends into doing things with me! I'd love a place to find people who want to do things I want to do, or maybe even discover new ideas I didn't know I had...if only such a place existed...Oh, wait. Enter Wolo.
Add Some of Tara’s Experiences to Your Bucket List
Attend the International Balloon Festival
Visit Guatemala
Travel the Length of the Lincoln Highway
Live by Candlelight for a Week
Crowdsurf
See the Pyramids
Study Abroad
Go to the Olympics
Spend the Night on a Volcano
Relax on a Black Sand Beach
Run a Marathon
Learn to Whistle
Visit Machu Picchu
See a Green Bay Packers Game
Learn to Bartend
Get in a Food Fight
Live in New Zealand
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Wolo Wednesday - Denver
Greetings Wolo World! Welcome to this week’s edition of #WoloWednesday, featuring Wolo’s headquarters, Denver. The Mile High City is known for its sunshine, gorgeous mountain views, and a hopping craft beer scene that started long before most other cities. (get it? hopping!)
And just like our previous lists, by no means is this a comprehensive account of all the wonderful and amazing things there is to do in Denver, but it does highlight our favorites!
Eat It
Eat a Biscuit Sandwich at the Denver Biscuit Company
Eat at Snooze, An AM Eatery
Grab a Scoop at Little Man Ice Cream
Do Boozy Brunch at Rialto Cafe
See It
Explore the Denver Botanical Gardens
Visit the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Visit the Denver Zoo
Tour the Denver Mint
See the Divers at Casa Bonita
See a Show at Red Rocks
Tour the Coors Factory
Drink It
Do a Bike and Brew Tour in Denver
Do Boozy Brunch Denver Style
Drink a Wild Beer at TRVE
Drive To It
(Experiences 1+ hours drive from Denver)
See the Garden of the Gods
See Royal Gorge Canyon
Walk Royal Gorge Bridge
Hear the Elk Bugle
Hike a 14er
Visit Strawberry Park Hot Springs
Visit the Colorado Sand Dunes
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Matt Swisher’s Bucket List
This #WoloWednesday, we’ve interviewed Matt Swisher, an English teacher that recently took a big leap to follow his bucket list dream of living in Costa Rica. He also happens to be the brother of Wolo co-founder Mike. Matt accomplished something big on his bucket list recently when he joined the Wolo crew for our Machu Picchu trip in Peru last fall. So without further ado, here is our interview with Matt.
What are three experiences currently on your Wolo list?
I want to see every Major League Baseball ballpark, I want to see as much of South Africa as possible, and I want to see either the Great Blue Hole in Belize...or the Galapagos and Easter Island.
That was five, Matt. Better get to work and make the most of your time in Central America!
What are three awesome things you’ve recently checked off your Wolo list?
Visiting Machu Picchu, living in a foreign country, and seeing the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series!
What's one city or country that you haven’t been to but want to visit? Why?
Vietnam [for] the history, the culture, and especially the food!!!
What language would you most like to learn and why?
Spanish. I've fallen in love with Latin America and want to continue exploring the region and meeting people and immersing myself in everything I possibly can.
What item on your Wolo list scares you the most?
Spelunking and scuba diving. Confined spaces and limited oxygen [laughs].
What’s something you’ve done that wasn’t originally on your Wolo list, but are excited to say you’ve accomplished?
I never thought I would enjoy driving all over the United States as much as I have and I've seen areas and towns that have been amazing and that I'll never see again.
What’s the most obscure, outrageous or far-reaching thing on your Wolo list?
I want to see a great white shark eat a seal.
Who is one person you want to share a Wolo experience with, and what would you do?
Today I got my grandma into the Pacific Ocean for the first time in her life, and she turned 81 last week.
If you could share a Wolo experience with any person from history, who would it be and what would you do?
I’m torn between two people from history. First would be Alexander the Great, and we would check out the entire empire. The other is Teddy Roosevelt, who is my favorite US president and a rough rider, and adventures with him would be amazing because he was an outdoorsman and pioneer.
Do you know what's on your best friend's bucket list?
I don't want to be corny but my best friend is a father to his son and is loving every minute raising him. I know that has been a bucket list item he has been able to cross off and will continue to enjoy.
Special thanks to Matt for chatting about his bucket list with us! We hope you enjoyed this edition of #WoloWednesday. Until next week, Wolo World!
Quick Links to Matt’s Experiences
Teach English in a Foreign Country
Visit Every Major League Baseball Ballpark
Visit South Africa
See the Great Blue Hole in Belize
Visit the Galapagos Islands
Travel to Easter Island
Live in a Foreign Country
See a Chicago Cubs Game
Attend a World Series Game
Visit Vietnam
Learn Spanish
Go Spelunking
Become Scuba Certified
Road trip Across the United States
See a Great White Shark Eat a Seal
Cross Off a Bucket List Experience with a Grandparent
Swim in the Pacific Ocean
Become a Parent
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Wolo Wednesday - Let’s Learn
“I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.” -Eartha Kitt
Greetings, Wolo World! So this year, I made the resolution to learn about a new subject every month in order to better myself. I’m always looking for ways to increase meaning and happiness in my life, and identifying and using your strengths in new ways is one of them. One of my top strengths at the moment (because they can change throughout your lifetime) is the love of learning. In January, I focused on mental health and meditation, February was all about fitness, I studied my diet and food in March, and currently, I’m learning more about money, finances and the economy.
Even if you don’t have the same passion for knowledge that I do, it is actually beneficial to keep educating yourself. “The act of learning more about [a subject], will lead you to experience it differently and to take more pleasure from it,” says Paul Bloom, professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University. “You get more pleasure out of life the more you study.”
Not only that but learning a new skill gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps boost self-confidence. Plus, if you’re taking a class, you will be expanding your social network as well. So whether you’re signing up for an acting class or studying the art of sushi rolling, learning something new will enhance your life.
So for this #WoloWednesday, check out some of the new skills you can learn and you can add to your Wolo list.
Learn Sign Language
Learn to Speak Arabic
Learn to Bartend
Learn to Throw a Boomerang
Learn to Shoot a Bow & Arrow
Learn to Juggle
Learn to Roll Sushi
Learn to Drive
Learn to Ride a Bike
Learn to Swim
Learn to Cook
Learn to Skateboard
Learn Flair Bartending
Take an Acting Class
Become an Expert Investor
Become Fluent in Another Language
Become Scuba Certified
Learn a New Instrument
Learn How to Make a Pisco Sour from the Chilean Mixology Champion
Learn How to Make Wine
Learn How to Produce Music
Learn How to Sail
Learn Mandarin
Learn Photography
Learn Spanish
Learn to Bake Bread From Scratch
Learn to Brew Your Own Beer
Learn to Code
Learn to Compose Music
Learn to Fly a Plane
Learn to Play Piano
Learn to Play the Guitar
Learn to Play the Ukelele
Learn to Snowboard
Learn to Surf
Master French Baking
Study Buddhism
#wolowednesday#wolo#learning#learntosurf#learntocook#learntoswim#learntoskateboard#weonlyliveonce#bucketlist
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Wolo Wednesday - New 7 Wonders
The Seven Wonders of the World. You’ve heard about them, but do you know which historical landmarks are included on this exclusive list? Did you know that only one of them are still in existence today?
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the lone survivor of the original and probably most famous list, which is sometimes referred to as the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Today, many new lists compiled by various organizations have popped up, trying to make use of the whole “Seven Wonders” image.
For today’s #WoloWednesday, we’re featuring the list from Swiss company New7Wonders Foundation, a project started by a man named Bernard Weber in 2000 that “[asked] the people of the world to choose and elect the new [human]-made seven wonders of the world, the rightful heirs of the ancient seven wonders.” After more than 100 million votes on twenty-one finalists, the winners were revealed on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal. Additionally, we’re featuring their New7Wonders of Nature, another list organized by the New7Wonders Foundation, which also saw more than 100 million votes cast.
New7Wonders of the World:
Great Wall of China
Petra
Christ the Redeemer
Machu Picchu
Chicen Itza
Colosseum
Taj Mahal
Honorary: Great Pyramid of Giza
New7Wonders of Nature:
Iguazu Falls
Halong Bay
Jeju Island
Puerto Princesa Underground River
Table Mountain
Komodo Island
Amazon Rainforest and River
And in case you were curious about the original list, here are the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World:
Great Pyramid of Giza
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Temple of Artemis at a Ephesus
Statue of Zeus at Olympia
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
Colossus of Rhodes
Lighthouse of Alexandria
#7wonders#sevenwonders#wolorewards#wolowednesday#bucketlist#bucket list#wolo#weonlyliveonce#seven wonders of the world
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Wolo Wednesday - San Francisco
Greetings Wolo World! Welcome to this week’s edition of #WoloWednesday featuring the City by the Bay: San Francisco. This gorgeous peninsula in the Golden State has changed so much in the past decade thanks to the digital companies housed in nearby Silicon Valley: Google, Apple, and Facebook, just to name a few. Despite this, it’s easy to see why so many people leave their hearts in this beloved city. And like New York (and our previous edition of #WoloWednesday), we could do hundreds of blogs on the Bay Area, let alone on The City itself, so here is just a sample platter for your bucket list.
The Basics
Bike the Golden Gate Bridge
Attend a San Francisco Giants Game
See the Painted Ladies
Ride the Cable Car
Drive Down the Most Crooked Street in the World
Take the Alcatraz Night Tour
Annual Events
Celebrate San Francisco Pride
Attend Outside Lands
Participate in Bay 2 Breakers
Do As the Locals
Nightlight at the California Academy of Sciences
Day Drink in Dolores Park
Play Mini Golf at Urban Putt
Food & Drink
Eat a Burrito from Señor Sisig
Have an Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista
Have Dinner at Gary Danko
#san francisco#wolorewards#bucket list#san francisco bucket list#bucketlist#wolo#we only live once#wolowednesday#sanfrancisco#weonlyliveonce#sanfranciscobucketlist
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Wolo Wednesday - Going Green
Greetings Wolo World! St. Patrick’s Day is upon us, and for this #WoloWednesday, we are giving you a list of some of the places across the world that are “going green” in honor of of the patron saint of Ireland. The “Global Greening Initiative,” now in its eighth year, was started by Tourism Ireland to drive overseas tourism to the lush country (keep an eye out for a future Irish edition of #WoloWednesday). This year, 100 landmarks and building in over 30 nations and territories will participate in lighting up their walls, statues and/or signs in an emerald hue. For the full list, click here.
North America
Empire State Building
Las Vegas Sign
Niagara Falls
Whistler
South America
Christ the Redeemer
Europe
London Eye
Mannekin Pis
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Rome’s Colosseum
Asia
Great Wall of China
Africa
Rhine Statue at Nairobi National Park
Equator Sign and Line, Uganda
Oceania
Sky Tower in Auckland
And to honor Wolo co-founder Mike Swisher's Chicago roots, we also wanted to highlight this experience, which has been a tradition for over 50 years.
See the Chicago River Turn Green
#st patricks day#st pattys day#green#global green initiative#going green#bucket list#bucketlist#wolo rewards#travel#landmarks#wolowednesday#stpatricksday#goinggreen#wolo
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Wolo Wednesday - People
Greetings Wolo World! So the past two weeks have brought two different kinds of #WoloWednesday’s: Themes (Mardi Gras) and Locations (Manhattan). Well, today, we bring you the third and final part of our #WoloWednesday trifecta: People.
Wolo stands for We Only Live Once. One of the main parts of our philosophy is that experiences are more enjoyable when shared with friends. Why? Because everything is more pleasurable with friends, something that is a result of what’s called the “sharing effect.” In a 2014 study, researchers showed pairs of friends a series of photos that were emotionally positive, emotionally negative, or neutral. The duo was separated, and each individual was told beforehand whether or not their companion was viewing the same photo (though, in reality, they were always viewing the same photo) and were asked to rate their how they felt.
In cases of the emotionally positive and emotionally negative photos, participants rated feeling more positive when told they were viewing the same picture (there was not much of a significance when it came to neutral photos, however). Thus, the research group concluded that “[s]haring exposure to emotional stimuli with a friend buffers the impact of negative stimuli and enhances the impact of positive stimuli.” So no matter what you’re going through, the good will be great and the bad won’t seem as bad if you’re going through it with a friend.
And here at Wolo, we believe that most strangers are friends that we haven’t met yet. So we want to introduce you to some of the members of this wonderful community and get to know one another a little bit better. Who knows? You very well could end up taking a trip with one of these people some day!
Kicking things off is yours truly (you didn’t think these columns wrote themselves, did you?). It was a strange thing interviewing myself, but I’m excited to share my responses with you all! Allow me to present… #WoloWednesday with Zekee.
Who are you, and what do you do?
Hi everyone! My name is Zekee Silos, and I write this column! Other than that, I’m a bit all over the place -- I write, I act, I drive for Lyft, I work as a Brand Ambassador for various companies -- basically, I like to try different jobs and follow the ones that seem like a good fit for me.
How did you hear about Wolo?
I know Wolo’s founders, Ray and Mike, from college. Well, kind of. Ray and I met back in 2005, when we did some volunteer work in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. We drove across the US with 36 other students and spent our winter break there, gutting houses and helping with the debris and devastation. I had known of Mike for a while, through Ray, but we didn’t meet until we randomly bumped into each other at a bottle shop in Sydney, Australia, where we both were living at the time. Crazy, I know.
What are three experiences currently on your Wolo list?
Compete on a game show. Specifically Jeopardy. Some of my college roommates and I used to DVR an entire week’s worth of episodes and turn it into a drinking game. It truly is the fastest 30 minutes of television.
Go on an archaeological dig. In sixth grade, my history teacher taught us about Lucy the Australopithecus, the skeleton that was found back in the 70s that was a key link to our evolutionary history (thanks Ms. Ludlow!). I loved the story of how she was named -- based on the song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" by The Beatles -- and have wanted to go on an excursion like that ever since.
Take the next flight out of an airport. Because, you know, WOLO.
What are three awesome things you’ve checked off your Wolo list?
Officiate a wedding ceremony. I got ordained online in 2011 through Universal Life Church (it’s easy and free), ready to officiate a ceremony one day if I get asked. Fast forward four years, and not only did I officiate one, but two weddings in the same year for my friends Kelsey & Dan and Debra & Brian. I’m officiating my third wedding next year, my first outside the US, for my friends Kevin & Ellie in South Africa!
Fill an entire passport. I didn’t know how long this would take or even if it was possible because some countries require a certain number of blank pages in your passport before you can enter. I was in Namibia, and because of I needed blank pages to enter South Africa, I went to the American embassy to request extra pages (sadly, getting extra pages in American passports is a thing of the past). I filled my original set of pages beyond that until that passport expired in 2016.
Take an acting class. This was something I always wanted to do, since middle school, but never allowed myself the opportunity. When I lived in Sydney (during the year I met Mike), I was in very much a WOLO state of mind, so I signed up for my first acting class. I moved to New York City three years later and pursued a career in entertainment for a while (and still continue to act and do improv today).
Top three cities or countries that you haven’t been to but want to visit.
South Korea. I’m not sure what it is, but something about the country intrigues me. I definitely want to go.
Malawi. I quit my job and went traveling indefinitely through Southern Africa after saving a bunch of money. Three months in, I was halfway through my budget. I wanted to get to Southeast Asia at some point, but I also had more of Africa to see. I was in Zambia at the time, and had a decision to make: do I continue traveling eastward and then north through Africa, or do I spend the second half of my budget in Southeast Asia? I opted to go to Singapore, Hong Kong, and end in the Philippines, because that’s where my family is from. Malawi was where I was going to head after Zambia, so someday I want to resume the rest of that trip.
Canada. I mean, I went to Vancouver when I was a kid, and briefly spent some time in Toronto, but I want to really explore our northern neighbor from coast to coast. I feel like Canada that coworker that you’re super friendly with but don’t know that well. So I want to get to know them better.
What language would you most like to learn and why?
Tagalog. My family is Filipino, and though both sides of my family speak different dialects than the national language.
What item on your Wolo list scares you the most?
I’ve gone bungee jumping and skydiving, and neither of those scare me as much as getting laser eye surgery. I am absolutely in love with the idea of one day never having to wear contacts or glasses again, but the entire process of LASIK and the other types of corrective eye surgeries give me chills.
What’s something you’ve done that wasn’t originally on your Wolo list, but are excited to say you’ve accomplished?
Dance on stage at a major concert. It was the annual festival that my college puts on, Extravaganza, and Girl Talk was performing his set. I had served on AS Program Board, the organization responsible for
What’s the most obscure, outrageous or far-reaching thing on your Wolo list?
Definitely traveling in space.
Thank you for your time!
Like what you read? Click on any of the links above and add any of Zekee's experiences to your own Wolo list. Here's a cheat sheet below:
Compete on a Game Show
Go on an Archaeological Dig
Take the Next Flight Out of an Airport
Officiate a Wedding
Fill an Entire Passport
Take an Acting Class
Travel to South Korea
Travel to Malawi
Travel to Canada
Learn Tagalog
Get Laser Eye Surgery
Dance on Stage at a Major Concert
Travel in Space
#wolo#we only live once#bucket list#bucketlist#space travel#malawi#canada#south korea#passport#acting#wedding#wolowednesday#weonlyliveonce
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Wolo Wednesday - Manhattan
Hey Wolo World! Happy March! Can you believe how fast things have flown by? Neither can we!
For this week’s edition of #wolowednesday, we are putting the spotlight on Manhattan. Being one-fifth of the city that never sleeps, this definitely won’t be the last time that this borough will have a feature on our list.
Home to Times Square, Broadway, Central Park, Wall Street, the Empire State Building, the 9/11 Memorial, the Freedom Tower, and much, much more, Manhattan is full of things to do, eat, see and drink. This, by no means, is even close to the number of things you can do in the Big Apple, but for now, here are a handful of selections of things on our Wolo List, from the super touristy to something a little more local.
The Basics
Visit Times Square
Visit the Empire State Building
See the Statue of Liberty
Look Up My Family History at Ellis Island
Have a Picnic in Central Park
Walk the Highline
See the View from the Top of the Rock
Winter Wonderland
See the Rockefeller Christmas Tree
Ice Skate in Central Park
Off the Beaten Path
Go on a Sex and the City Tour
Belt Showtunes at Marie’s Crisis Cafe
Go to the Cloisters
See an Off Off Broadway Show
Eat a Cookie from Levain Bakery
Food & Drink
Have a Drink at the Top of the Standard
Eat a Cookie from Levain Bakery
Eat a Sandwich at Katz Deli
Eat, Drink and Sail the Hudson with North River Lobster Company
Have a Drink at the Stonewall Inn
Entertainment
See a Broadway Show
See an Off Broadway Show
See an Off Off Broadway Show
See the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall
See a Performance at the Apollo Theater in Harlem
See a Show at the Comedy Cellar
Wolo Blog author Zekee Silos, aka The Friendliest Person in the World, would like to point out that “Okay, so while the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island aren’t technically in Manhattan, the tour leaves from Battery Park in Manhattan (and yes, there are tours that leave from Jersey, too, but who thinks of Jersey when they hear these landmarks?).”
#bucket list#bucketlist#new york#nyc#manhattan#new york city#wolo#wolo rewards#we only live once#wolowednesday#weonlyliveonce#broadway
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Announcing Wolo Wednesdays!
What’s up, Wolo World? We are excited to announce Wolo Wednesdays, where we highlight different categories and topics of items to add to your bucket list Wolo list! Each week, we will dive a little deeper into a different city, category, holiday or other fun theme for you to explore and add to your own lists!
We couldn’t be more excited to kick off our first Wolo Wednesday highlighting Mardi Gras, which is this Tuesday, February 28. Fat Tuesday, as translated from French, was known as the final day to eat richer, fatty foods before fasting for Lent in many sects of Christianity. Today, it is synonymous with massive parties, from the parades and bead throwing in New Orleans to the extravagant and sparkly costumes at Carnaval in Rio de Janiero. Below, you will find some of the other parties around the globe, as well as a few additional items that may give you a bit of a different kind of Mardi Gras experience. Also, check out some of our latest additions to the Experiences section!
Mardi Gras
Experience Carnaval in Brazil
Attend Mardi Gras in New Orleans
Experience Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney
Experience Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama
Experience Mardi Gras in Goa, India
Catch an Orange at Le Carnaval de Binche
Volunteer at Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney
Throw beads from a float at Mardi Gras in New Orleans
Dress up in a traditional Carnaval costume
#bucketlist#mardigras#wolo#we only live once#wolorewards#carnaval#rio#new orleans#mobilealabama#bucket list#wolowednesday
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The Thanksgiving Family Bucket List
At Wolo, Thanksgiving is one of our favorite times of the year. Not only is it a holiday that is centered around delicious food and a giant, stuffed turkey, it’s also a great opportunity to get together with family, share stories and experiences from the past year, and let the people we care about most know how much we appreciate them.
In addition to appreciating a good feast, the folks at Wolo love sharing their bucket lists with friends and family. That’s because every time we do this, we’re pleasantly surprised and excited by the dreams and ambitions we never realized we had in common with the people we’re closest to. If you’ve never done this before, give it a shot at Thanksgiving dinner or while everyone is happily digesting their feast in the living room. We think you’ll be just as happy with the results.
Something important to keep in mind is that bucket lists come in all shapes and sizes. It’s best not to limit yourself by only thinking about the “once in a lifetime” trips (although those are really exciting and can be a great place to start.) Bucket list experiences can range from things as big as going on a Safari in Africa or Scuba Diving the Great Barrier Reef to things you can achieve locally like learning how to make pasta, taking a dance class, or volunteering for a cause you support.
Sharing your bucket list with loved ones also creates an easy way to set common goals like becoming closer as a family or learning about new countries and cultures. The bucket list family does a great job of this and has a pretty inspiring story that’s really fun to watch unfold.
We especially love bucket list sharing around Thanksgiving because it provides lots of unique inspiration for Christmas shopping. You might even find that you buck the habit of buying material gifts for your family and friends and instead help them experience something on their bucket list (or better yet, check it off together!)
After all, studies show that long after that new TV or gadget has become old news, experiences will continue creating happiness for many years to come, especially when that person has the chance to share the story with loved ones again.
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