On March 29, 2009 I developed my "Top 10 Things to Do in Michigan This Year" in a blog. The list went as follows:

1. Go do something in the UP.
2. Visit the Detroit Institute of Arts.
3. Watch the sun set at Sleeping Bear Dunes.
4. Try 12 different independent microbrews.
5. Go mushrooming.
6. Purchase a vegetable share from a CSA.
7. Spend time on Mullet Lake with my family.
8. Go to an unusually themed festival.
9. Attend a county 4-H fair.
10. Share a meal with 50 people I have never met before.

The results:
1. I made in as far north as Mackinaw City but never crossed the bridge. FAIL.
2. Went there on a day they were closed and ended up in Greektown. FAIL.
3. Made in as far west as Grand Rapids. FAIL
4. Sipped high-quality Michigan beer from Founders, Bells, Rochester Mills, CJ's, Arbor Brewing, Dragonmead, Atwater Block, Arcadia, Jolly Pumpkin, New Holland, Mackinaw, and HopCat. SUCCESS.
5. Never made it any where near a mushrooming sight. EPIC FAIL.
6. Did not purchase a vegetable share from a CSA but did purchase a whole MI raised steer. PUSH.
7. I did spend a couple of weekends up north. SUCCESS.
8. No unusually themed fairs but I did manage to go to the Earth Festival in Rochester and the Organic Festival in Milford. FAIL.
9. I did not attend a county 4-H fair because I was accomplishing #7 the weekend of the Oakland County Fair. FAIL.
10. This was accomplished in a slew of restaurants and truly one of the best perks of doing what we do. We enjoyed tapas in Grand Rapids, pierogies in Hamtramck, coal oven pizza in Farmington Hills, fudge in Mackinaw City, hummus in Ferndale, bologna in Yale and lots of coney dogs. SUCCESS.

Without making a whole lot of excuses, I have spent most of the year building the business side of the Made in Michigan Movement which keeps me business every day. I admit, I could have done better and will make more time to finish this list in 2010, in addition to a new Top 10 list to accomplish. I still have .300 success rate and by baseball standards, that's Hall-of-Fame material. However, I will set my sights much higher.

To the fine folks in the UP and the Lake Michigan shore, we're coming your way on the 21-day tour. I will continue additional pursuits on #4 and #10--just because. In regards to #2, I will check their website before I go but I did manage to make it to the Art Festival in Grand Rapids. #6 will be taken care of this Spring but in all fairness, I did spend over 50% of my shopping dollars at open-air and farmer's markets last year. #5 will be taken care of when we go to Mesick--those morels don't stand a chance this year. #8 will be done at a variety of themed fairs this year--particularly the Yale Bologna Festival. While I'm "full of it," my hopes of becoming the Bologna King at the Festival have already been squashed because I fail to meet the residency requirement. I'm lobbying for an honorary crown and will no doubt get my picture taken with the Queen.

2010 is going to be a blast.