This is the Wall. Last year a couple of people, and quite a few volunteers at First Christian Church in Venice, Florida got an idea to put up a wall where people could just come and write words. And the people just came and came. The Wall was meant to only be up for a week; but as neighbours walked by and traffic came to a halt a time or two....the Wall was kept up. There was some fear that as no one asked the local powers that be for permission that they might be forced to take it down....but, lo and behold; a letter came from the local council saying they loved it! You just never know who is going to like your wacky idea. You just never know.
This past year I took a leaf out of my English kids book where they and many of their peers took off for a year of travel after they graduated from "uni." (college/university). This isn't jet set travel, but a year of working in various short term places to fund a flight.
At a much older age, I decided to have a "Senior Gap Year!" This is the first year after retirement....and I have to say I used the money left to me by my mother when she passed away. In a way, the trip was to honour both her and dad; and to spend some time on my identity before this stage of my life filled up with "stuff." I want this stage of life to be done "on purpose," with purpose and with something I never had when I was working: work/life balance! 
(for my Senior Gap Year Road Trip blog, please see: www.kathleenmcanearsmith.com)

Check out the blog from a friend of mine in Australia.....and see what good idea you come up with in the New Year:
http://www.cicollective.com/blog/2013/1/7/a-new-year-and-new-ideas.html