I started contemplating all those “some day I’d like to …” ideas and jotted them down. I was shooting for 100 goals, but since I’ve never been one to do anything in moderation, the number eventually doubled. Some things are silly (No. 32: Milk a cow), some adventurous (No. 4: Skydive), some educational (No. 20: Read the 100 best novels of the 20th century), and some will simply require me to be in the right place at the right time (No. 39: View a total solar eclipse). There are a lot of travel-related aspirations and unfortunately even a few which are no longer possible (No. 72: Fly on the Concorde). Suffice it to say that, much like me, my bucket list is a work in progress, ever-changing and still growing.
I tend to accomplish more with a checklist in hand, so for the past decade it has remained the method to my madness on most days. I also find in those “woe is me” moments when I reflect upon the things I’ve accomplished thus far, there is much I would otherwise not have done. Somehow my life doesn’t really seem to suck so much after all. (Remind me I said that, will you, because Lord knows I’ve got a loooooooonnnnnnnnnnggggggggggg way to go). Not sure who said it, but I have to agree … “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit, what a ride!’” Indeed, what a long, strange trip it’s been!
That being said, and since I still have many places to go, things to do and people to see, I thought I’d share my list. Who knows … you (or someone you know) may have the means to assist me in tackling my objectives. Got a koala to cuddle? An extra airline ticket to the other side of the globe? A hankering to go spelunking? In need of a partner in crime? If so, I’m your girl! More importantly, however, I hope it inspires you to think about what you’d like to accomplish during your lifetime. If you’ve ever thought about generating your own bucket list, my words of advice are simple: Just do it! (Wouldn’t that make a great advertising campaign?!?) You’ll find once you get your ideas on paper, you’ll make a ton of progress and have a blast in the process.
That being said, and since I still have many places to go, things to do and people to see, I thought I’d share my list. Who knows … you (or someone you know) may have the means to assist me in tackling my objectives. Got a koala to cuddle? An extra airline ticket to the other side of the globe? A hankering to go spelunking? In need of a partner in crime? If so, I’m your girl! More importantly, however, I hope it inspires you to think about what you’d like to accomplish during your lifetime. If you’ve ever thought about generating your own bucket list, my words of advice are simple: Just do it! (Wouldn’t that make a great advertising campaign?!?) You’ll find once you get your ideas on paper, you’ll make a ton of progress and have a blast in the process.
A word of advice though. If you’re in the housewares department of your local supermarket photographing buckets and hear a store-wide announcement declaring “Clean up in Aisle 3 … customer with camera in Aisle 7,” the first thing on your list should be to hightail it outta there!
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1. Forget how old I am and remember how young I am
5. Snorkel Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
6. Attend an Indianapolis 500 race
7. Tour Australia
8. Cruise the Nile in a felucca
9. Ride a camel
10. Tour the capitol building of all 50 states [19 to date!]
12. Attend a Super Bowl game
13. Visit the Eiffel Tower
15. Learn to downhill ski
16. Run in a 5K race
17. View Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado in Rio de Janero
18. Learn to play Chopsticks on the piano
20. Read the 100 best novels of the 20th century [22 to date!]
21. Celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans
21. Celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans
22. Attend the Olympics
24. Celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary
25. Obtain my associate, bachelor and master degrees
26. Go on an Alaskan cruise
27. Float on the Great Salt Lake
28. Ride an elephant
31. Own a fire-engine-red convertible
32. Milk a cow
33. Meet Rod Stewart
34. Join the Mile High Club
35. Visit the Temple of the Inscriptions of Palenque, Mexico
36. Ride a Harley-Davidson
37. Be published
38. Speak fluent Spanish
39. View a total solar eclipse
40. Climb Ayers Rock in Australia
41. Attend the Tournament of Roses parade
42. Visit the Taj Mahal
43. Stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
44. Ride a burro in the Grand Canyon
45. Walk down London’s Abbey Road in homage to the Beatles
46. Learn sign language
47. Volunteer at the Special Olympics
48. Drink mint juleps at the Kentucky Derby
49. Reread the original Nancy Drew mysteries [here's the story on this one]
52. Drink tequila on a beach in Mexico ... and swallow the worm
53. Give money and muscle to Habitat for Humanity
56. Bid at an auction
61. Paddle a canoe
63. Roller blade
64. Skinny dip
66. Make love in a limousine
67. Pay off my credit cards and go an entire year without accruing interest charges
68. Work the phones at a charity telethon
69. Shop along Rodeo Drive
70. Pay off my mortgage
71. Go from London to Paris via the Chunnel
72. Fly on the Concorde
73. Ride a horse on the beach
74. Visit the Great Pyramid at Giza
75. Stay at a dude ranch
76. Attend a NASA launch
78. Learn to juggle
79. Go on an African safari
81. Attend the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade
83. Make love in the ocean
84. Renew my wedding vows at an Elvis chapel in Vegas
85. Attend the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan
86. Fly a kite
87. Watch all the Oscar-winning Best Picture movies
88. Walk behind a waterfall
91. Drive I-5 from Bellingham, Washington to San Diego, California
94. Learn to say “I love you” in ten different languages
95. Eat lobster in Maine
96. Scuba dive
97. Visit the Sydney Opera House
98. Own a vanity license plate
102. Ride a cable car in San Francisco
103. Win a hula hoop contest
104. Visit Stonehenge
105. Vacation on Martha’s Vineyard
107. Have a walk in closet
109. Swim in all five Great Lakes [one down, four to go!]
111. View Old Faithful in action
112. Visit Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany
113. Tour California’s wine country
114. Make a gingerbread house
115. Cuddle a koala
116. View the sun rise at Haleakala Crater on Maui
117. Dine aboard the Queen Mary
118. Explore the Florida Everglades by airboat
120. Have my handwriting analyzed
121. Ride a double-decker bus in London
122. Live to celebrate my 100th birthday
124. Stand beneath a redwood tree
125. View a moose in the wild
127. Attend the Monterey Jazz Festival
128. Make love on a bearskin rug in front of a roaring fire
129. Find a four-leaf clover
130. Travel on a Mississippi riverboat
132. Ride the Orient Express
133. Visit Mount Rushmore
134. Purchase season tickets to both a sporting event and the theater
136. View Angel Falls in Venezuela
137. Attend a Michigan-Michigan State football game
138. Kiss the Blarney Stone
139. Visit a nude beach
140. View a meteor shower
143. Mow the lawn
147. Attend Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
148. Drink a bottle of wine that is older than I am
149. Shear a sheep
150. Be an extra in a movie
152. Learn to make pierogi
154. Receive a happy birthday message on the scoreboard at a baseball stadium
155. Drink cocktails in the Polo Lounge of the Beverly Hills Hotel
156. Visit the Parthenon
157. Float on the Dead Sea
158. Deep-sea fish
159. Invest in the stock market
160. Fire a gun
162. Ride in a hovercraft
163. View the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace
165. Drive on the German autobahn
167. Knit an afghan
170. Attend a sunrise service on Easter Sunday
173. Experience childbirth
174. Have a recipe published in the newspaper
177. Ride in a horse-drawn sleigh
178. Take a Dale Carnegie course
179. Eat escargot
181. Soak in a natural hot spring
182. Stay awake for 24 hours
183. Donate blood
184. View the seven natural wonders of the world
185. Put a message on a billboard
186. Receive a scholarship to help pay for my education
187. Pose for a boudoir photograph
188. Cruise the Greek Islands
189. Take a mud bath
193. Bake a pie from scratch
194. Return to the House on the Rock and actually walk to the end of the Infinity Room
196. Explore Mammoth Cave National Park
197. Read the Little House books of Laura Ingalls Wilder
198. Win more than $100 in the lottery
199. Compile a list of all the airports I arrive in or depart from
200. Attend a Shakespearean performance at the Globe Theatre in London
201. Drive Route 66 from Chicago to LA
202. Live my life with few regrets
4 comments:
~Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit, what a ride!~
I've always loved that quote, too!
Amidst the challenges, the tears, and the triumphs in life, I'll be pleased if I can even mosey in sideways, knowing I've lived life to it's fullest and appreciated each breath God gave to me. He never said it would be easy, but it doesn't mean we can't laugh and enjoy it along the way. I choose to enjoy it with friends by my side, sharing their joys and laughter, and sharing their burdens. I want you right there with me sliding in sideways to meet God with a twinkle in our eyes.
WOW! THat's quite a list (I don't think I've ever seen the whole thing).
1. You need to cross off #39 per your post.
2. I told you before, you're welcome to come over to my house and accomplish #143 (my yard's smaller then yours).
3. Good luck with #173, unless you have something to tell the family.
4. Do all thiese things need to be accomplished after the list was made? If not you have done #177 when we all went to Garland for cross country skiing. We even have pictures of it.
5. I should have figured it was you when I heard camera in aisle 7 at Meijer the other day! HA! Just joking.
As I have told you before, you have inspired me in many ways since we met. Another great blog post! With all this rain we've been getting, it shouldn't be hard to accomplish #189!
Wow! What a list! You are welcome to tackle the lawn mowing at my house at any time! Feel free to just do it. You don't even have to ask first. :)
When you go on an African safari... invite me! You could easily cross a lot of those things off your list quite quickly. Start with mowing our lawn, then go donate blood... Go home and bake a pie (You'll need the sugar after donating blood.) I'm sure we can find some kids that would gladly give you a "mud bath," although I bet that's not what your looking for. Next stop at the gun club and ask for a quick lesson, then go home and book your night at the Grand Hotel! (That one is on my list too!)While your in Mackinaw you can easily cross two more lakes off your list if you like to swim. I also can find you an elephant to ride... We see one every fall.
:)
Have fun!
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