The Adventures of Ren LaForme and the Grand 27

My friends Tara and Hannah exchange the gift of a series of challenges every year on their birthdays. Last year, they let me in on the fun. 

In honor of my 27th birthday, here are 27 challenges I must complete before Oct. 4, 2015 (a year from the date they issued the challenge). Acts toward completion are listed under each one. Assistance is encouraged... I'm not doing well so far.

1. Take someone under your wing (no, not literally)

1. Brand New at Jannus Live on Oct. 26 
2. Will Johnson at Craftsman House on Feb. 18 (Thanks, Andy, for arranging this show.)
3. Neutral Milk Hotel at Ruth Eckerd Hall on May 4
   
4. Darius Rucker at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater (Thanks, Taylor, for plotting.)

1. Went to Miami on Oct. 22 to Oct. 23 to give a talk at the LAB Miami
2. Went to Nashville from March 16 to March 18 for a work trip

1. Your Fathers, Where Are They? And The Prophets, Do They Live Forever? by Dave Eggers
   
2. Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer 
3. Authority by Jeff VanderMeer 
4. Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer 
5. The World of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin
6. How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
7. Early Bird by Rodney Rothman
8. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
9. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Thanks, Julia, for the recommendation.)
10. The Invasion (Animorphs Book No. 1) by K.A. Applegate (throwback!)
11. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson (Thanks, Tara!)
    
12. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed (Thanks, Katie!)
    
13. The Pharmacist's Mate by Amy Fusselman (Thanks for the free books, Roy!)
14. On Writing by Stephen King
15. The Little Book of IDEO (Thanks, Allie!)
16. The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin
17. The One Day by Donald Hall

Did this one a few times. ;)

Tattoo!

Hotel Floridan Bar in Tampa on February 26

Falling Rock Tap House in Denver, Colorado, on May 6

Cookie Monster at ONA (The voice actor/main puppeteer for the past 13 years was there, too.)

Flew a sweet whale kite at Pass-A-Grille Beach on April 18. Thanks, Katie and Jamie, for supplying the kite. And thanks, Katie, for this incredibly flattering picture of said flight.

I'm self-limiting this to top five easily attainable beers (in the Tampa Bay area). The spirit of this challenge seems to be to share good beer with more people, so I want to make sure it's all within reach. I'll share these at my birthday party on Sept. 19.

Surette Provision Saison by Crooked Stave

Wild Night Honey Cream Ale by Swamp Head

Cream and Sugar Please by Cycle Brewing

Rapp Gose

The rest and a tasting date TK

U Guessed It by OG Maco 

TKTK

Started a new podcast with Jamie and Ben that's better than anything I've ever done.

1. Roman Holiday (Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn) on March 29
2. Re-Animator (So campy! Thanks, Joel, for the rec.) on April 15
3. Fantasia (on some random night when I was drinking. Seriously never watched this in my adult life.)
4. Cinema Paradiso (Thanks again, Katie) on September 13

• Consider it a first draft.

Done