Wow. I only first mentioned this idea just over a day or so ago, and I have been amazed by the response. Today is the 1st July, and so seems like as good a day as any to begin the new blog for my new project.
I will continue to copy the blogs I write into the ALife4Sale blog for the rest of July, as some of it will be updates of the sale, and details of my departure date, but once I set off, this will be the only blog from then on.
So first, let me write a bit of an introduction about this for those who are new to this website, and fill you in on a little background.
My name is Ian Usher, and back in March 2008 I launched my website ALife4Sale.com. My plan was to sell pretty much everything I had, in one single big auction on eBay, and then be able to move on into the future, unencumbered by things from the past. There is much more on the reasons and the thinking behind this idea at the ALife4Sale website itself.
I knew I needed to get publicity for the fact that I was holding this auction, and a friend wrote a press release in the UK, and my old hometown newspaper, The Northern Echo, ran a story. Within two days my life was turned upside down, as newspapers, press agencies, TV shows, documentary makers and many more started contacting me from all over the world. Things went pretty crazy for a couple of weeks, but in terms of publicity, I could not have hoped for a better start!
Over the next 100 days, as I counted down to the start of the auction, I did a daily blog, filled with stuff about the auction, and other random thoughts. During this time I did not really know what the future held for me, and simply had some vague thoughts of future adventures.
But as the auction approached, prompted by some questions from followers of my project, a new plan crystalised, and the idea for 100goals100weeks developed.
I made a start on the website, but kept plans pretty quiet, as the auction needed to be a success before I could even consider trying to accomplish my 100 goals.
So on Sunday 22nd June the auction started, and ended just two days ago on Sunday 29th June. The final bid was a bit disappointing, coming in at AU$399,300, which was a bit less than I had hoped for, but is still enough to commit to selling, and setting off on my new adventure.
So I am now in the process of trying to get the sale sorted out, and finalised as soon as I can, and hope to be doing as I said I would, walking out the door with just my wallet and passport, by the end of July at the latest.
And then the journey begins….
I am doing some serious planning today, and will be trying to get the website sorted out a little more over the coming days. I am receiving an overwhelming amount of email, offering good wishes, and making suggestions for what could be added to the list (as I am offering the chance for you to choose and vote for 5 of the goals as yet undecided).
So once again, thanks to all for your interest, your messages of support on the GuestBook, and for your emails suggesting new adventures that I might add to my list. Apologies if I do not get back to you, there are already so many emails, and I am pretty busy still with interviews after the end of the auction. I am trying to read them all however, and I will give you some idea of the suggestions coming in, in tomorrow’s blog.
Back to some website preparation now….
Update 2020 – All blogs relating to the project can now be found at: IanUsher.com