What's on your "Walter Mitty" Resume?

After watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, I connected with the idea of creating an entirely new resume that gave more insight to my life than simply where I put in most of my hours for the day. I looked around online to see if anyone else got something from this ā€œnew Walterā€ and it seems that California Experiment shared my thoughts.

Walter's Old Resume:
  • LIFE MAGAZINE - Negative Asset Manager, 16 years. Reference: Sean O'Connell (address upon request)
Walter's New Resume:
  • One of 3 known non-Navy SEALs to helicopter ā€œfree releaseā€ in gale-force waters (North Sea).
  • In a single day: Biked, ran, and long-boarded over 17 kilometers to Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption.
  • Scaled highest peak of Noshaq Mountain (northwestern Afghanistan face)
  • On Icelandic fishing trawler, earned keep as boatswain (unpaid deckhand) for one day.

I’ll be adding my own experiences here as I remember old memories and make new ones.

"To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life."


  • After summiting my first 14,000 foot peak, I napped in the back of a pickup on a dusty Colorado road as I moved to the next campsite.
  • I’ve been caught in a sudden downpour and near flash flood while hiking in Utah canyons.
  • In the middle of a nonstop day exploring New York City with some of my closest friends, I took a nap on the rocks in Central Park.
  • I’ve visited the worlds most dangerous hot dog stand.
  • Through an open tent on the Yosemite Valley floor, I watched and was lulled to sleep by moonlit Winter rockslides.
  • A giant sea turtle once smacked me in the face with his fin while SCUBA Diving in Hawaii. I later ran out of air at 40 feet. Unrelated.
  • I’ve been on family trips to see ancient petroglyphs in Arizona and played soccer with local kids in the mountains of Romania. 
  • I’ve personally seen [what I consider to be] the original stealth aircraft, the Lockheed YO-3A Quiet Star, in an Edwards Air Force Base hangar. 
  • I cooked and ate a fish I caught with my bare hands in a Colorado stream.
  • I’ve gone skinny dipping with my wife from a pitch black beach in Hawaii.
  • I climbed halfway into the cockpit of one of my favorite planes, an F-8 Crusader, at an air and space museum before almost getting caught.
  • I’ve walked 42.5 miles in 14.5 hours. 
  • The first vehicle I ever bought with my own money was a motorcycle. 
  • I searched for and found a shark tooth on the shores of a North Carolina beach.
  • I came in 2nd place in the first mountain bike race I’ve ever entered. 
  • I’ve followed bear tracks up a snowy trail on a Virginia mountain.
  • Twice I hit a steel target at 1,000 yards with a bolt action rifle.
  • I got my first tattoo while on vacation in Hawaii. Got my first speeding ticket that same night.
  • I dropped a cantaloupe out of a high rise hotel window into an alley in London. It sounded like a gunshot. 
  • I turned a 1 day visit into a 3 day, 1,100 mile road trip through California.
  • Drove 40 hours with a buddy to camp and mountain bike for 10.
  • I held newborns with AIDS in a Romanian orphanage because others were afraid of contracting the disease and didn't spend time with them.
  • I’ve nearly run over an armadillo while mountain biking in Texas.
  • Soaked my feet in an alpine lake at an altitude of 12,830’ after a week of hiking.
  • Got extremely up close and personal with Bull Sharks (and many others) during a shark feeding dive in Fiji.
  • The 837 photos I’ve shared on Google Maps have a total of 5,054,394 views.
  • Invited by Unsplash.com, I was part of a panel at the SoHo Apple Store that gave a talk on how to take better iPhone photos in front of over 70 people.


What’s on your "Walter Mitty" Resume? 

Items of Want 003

The Strong Brand Zippo


I don’t smoke but I would love to carry this every day and see what kind of patina develops. Looks to be the perfect item to hand down to the kid someday. *May not be available for purchase anymore.

[Acquired] Matte Metal Chicago Comb Model No. 1


Ever since I started working on my beard (not really working, just letting it go), I’ve loved running a comb through it. This comb would have a permanent position in my back pocket when not in use.

The Field Notes ā€œEveryday Carryā€ Memo Book Cover


I see this being perfect for travel but I’m sure it would be handy for general daily use as well. Sometimes I want my Field Notes to stay a little more clean and protected and this fits the bill.

[Acquired] Danner Bull Run Work Boots


I’ve never had a pair of Danner boots, let alone tried them on but I keep hearing great things about them. I’d love to lace these up and put ā€˜em through their paces for years.

The Standard Memorandum Notebook


I decided to add this to the list because it was released just after publishing and I think it’s a great idea. I currently write down what I do on a daily basis online but having a dedicated paper book has such a different feel.

— Check out past Items of Want —

Items of Want 002

MWC Submariner Dive Watch


There’s really not much to like about it. Automatic movement and classic diver styling at a fairly affordable price.

Orvis Wool Blend Beer Cozy


Even though I’ve never spent an early morning standing in a stream trying to catch dinner, I can see this koozie/cozy fitting in nicely around the camp fire. *May not be available for purchase anymore.

Poler Stuff Outpost Jacket


I’ve heard good things about Poler Stuff and really like the color and design of this jacket. This may be the first piece of gear I order from them. *May not be available for purchase anymore.

Best Made Co Sebenza


Stainless steel blade, titanium handle, clean design, and Made in USA. Idaho to be exact. This is one limited edition knife that I wouldn’t mind carrying and using every day.

— Check out past Items of Want —

Dispatch 103

  • Oil Landscapes Transformed into Mosaics of Color by Erin Hanson Ā» Colossal
  • 20 Things to Know Before You're 30 Ā» Relevant Magazine
  • The Pursuit of Happiness Ā» Outside Magazine
  • "Matchbook riff: Have a big goal. Point your compass in the right direction. Know that calm seas never made a good sailor. And when you get past the point of no return, and wash up on the right shoreline, burn the goddamn ship." Ā» Bill Roden
  • "Giving away your knowledge doesn't devalue your work. If your greatest skill is software know-how, you've got bigger problems at hand." Ā» Justin Mezzell