I’ve been acting for years as if I had a bucket list. I suppose this phrase came into the common lexicon after that rather middling movie I just didn’t care about, but I actually DO have a bucket list. I’ve had one since I was about 13, although I haven’t written it down to formalize it for some years.
That’s probably because it has evolved over the decades. I’m going to put my bucket list in this post, unedited by wisdom or years or fear of judgment. Any items that I’ve accomplished will be in green.
1. Marry a girl who will be my true love and whom I will always be able to stop, watch, and then think, “Wow, I’m a lucky guy.”
2. Live a life that is worthy of being blessed by a sizable family. Value that family every day.
These first two might be cringe-inducingly cutesy and sweet, but by the right ankle of Athena, they have always been my top two items. My love for my dear wife is the thing that drives all that I do and want to be. I can’t believe I got her.
I would never get in a time machine to travel to my past, or do anything to change anything else in my past, nothing at all, for fear that it would change other things and start a chain reaction that would see me forfeiting a chance at being with Annemarie.
3. Become a traditionally published author– books on the shelves, with a living, breathing readership.
4. Achieve bestseller status with my books.
5. Achieve #1 NY Times bestseller status with my books.
6. Skydive
7. Live in Japan and learn Japanese (light green because I can speak and understand Japanese, but not read and write it yet)
8. Visit England
9. Visit Scotland
10. Visit Paris
11. Visit Ireland
12. Tour the Middle East, especially Egypt, Israel, and India
13. Tour Europe extensively
14. Tour Africa
15. Tour Australia and New Zealand
16. Tour, substantially, important historical locations in the USA
17. Go on an extended LDS Church history tour
18. Visit China and the Great Wall
19. Visit Tibet
20. Learn to play the guitar
21. Learn to play the piano
22. Write songs
23. Be present at a Steelers home game, in my full Steelers regalia
24. Be able to attend more than one Steelers home game
25. Fly an airplane
26. Fly in and also control a helicopter
27. Visit Alaska
28. Run in a Ragnar
29. Complete a triathlon (lowest level)
30. Return to fighting weight (which for me is about 200 lbs)
31. Sing a Les Miserables solo
32. Be a regular actor on the stage (I’ve done community and some other theater. Doesn’t count yet.)
33. Write a good play
34. Be able to speak 10 languages (I’m at four)
35. Work as a public servant in elected office
36. Become an accomplished Toastmaster
37. Learn to ballroom dance with my beloved
38. Get my beloved back into school for as long as she wants
39. Become an accomplished small-talker (seriously… no, seriously)
40. Have a home with a large bathroom that accommodates a very large tub and shower as well as a jacuzzi out back
41. Be able to live off the grid if needed
42. Own one or more horses
43. Take the entire family on most of the travel mentioned above
44. Celebrate an anniversary in Hawaii
45. Read To Kill a Mockingbird
And that’s it. Do you have a bucket list? Is mine too ambitious? Not ambitious enough?
Nice bucket list! Not too ambitious. Lots of good things to shoot for. I always believed if you’re goal is something specific, you’ll recognize the opportunity better when it comes.
You’RE goal? Blah. 🙂
Dangit; you noticed the typo before I could give you a hard time about it. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. You have a pretty great list too, I must say.
And I’d have to agree that it’s not a very ambitious list if one of the items is to finally read To Kill a Mockingbird.
I do have a bucket list, but it’s not officially written down anywhere. So, here’s a few I can think of off the top of my head. I’m not putting anything on here that I have done, because I don’t remember doing anything that was really on my bucket list. (Note: I am leaving off at least one thing, because I’m not quite sure if I really want it on my bucket list. It goes on and off a lot.)
1. Marry someone who loves me, and who I love, in a temple.
3. Have at least one child, biologically.
2. Graduate from University.
3. Visit Australia.
4. Drive the full historic Route 66. Stop at random diners and hotels.
5. If I don’t get married, become a crazy cat lady, with a max of 5 cats.
That’s all I have right now. Check back in 5-10 years and it’ll probably have changed.
Hi Sarah,
Nice list so far. I’m not sure you can be a crazy cat lady with only 5 cats. I think double digits is pretty much the minimum standard there. 🙂
Jared,
Good point about the cats. 😀
Read TKMB. For the love, I practically have it memorized. You’ll think of it most days for the rest of your life. (unless you have no soul)
Yes, ma’am. I’ll be starting it soon.
Bucket list:
1. Go back to school…and finally graduate.
2. Volunteer in Africa.
3. Compete in a triathlon (maybe we can do this together?).
4. Visit Australia and NZ.
5. Visit England.
6. Visit Japan.
7. Learn French.
8. Learn Japanese.
9. Visit Ireland.
10. Visit Scotland.
11. Be a good mom.
12. Appear in at least 1 feature film.
13. Buy a house close to me for my mom.
14. Go back to France.
15. Spend a significant amount of time volunteering in a 3rd world country.
16. Visit Thailand.
That’s all I can think of.