A few months ago, I was vlogging about what my life list includes and I very frankly said, I don’t have a life list.
I was pretty clear that if I kicked the bucket tomorrow, I’d have no regrets. And it’s true.
I’ve lived a pretty fulfilling life. I’ve had opportunities that I never would have dreamed of having as a little girl growing up in rural southern Maryland. I’ve traveled all over the world. Hung out with celebrities. Lobbied on Capitol Hill. Appeared on TV. Became a mom! What more could you possibly want or need?
And yet, I keep remembering the quote my older brother used in his yearbook profile for his senior year of high school.
“A man’s reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what’s a heaven for?”– from the poem “Andrea del Sarto” by Robert Browning
How did my brother get to be so wise?
We all need goals and aspirations. Something to strive for even if it’s unobtainable.
I often seem to be a sounding board for people, especially when they’re depressed. I often tell them that no matter what their situation, financially, personally, mentally, whatever, that it always helps to have your sites set on something. Something to work towards and something to certainly look forward to.
And with that, I decided to take my own advice. I decided to really think about those things that have been passing fancies that I might really actually like to do. So I finally came up with My Mighty Life Bucket List, inspired mostly by Maggie Mason at Mighty Girl and her related site, Go Mighty.
Without further adieu, my list (so far):
1. Learn to play a ukelele.
2. Find and return a lost pet.
3. Go to Japan.
4. See Yes in concert (only counts if Jon Anderson is at the helm).
5. Build a birdhouse.
6. Make a mosaic.
7. Learn to crochet a scarf.
8. Learn to knit a scarf.
9. Run a 5k.
10. Walk to the top of the Washington Monument.
11. Walk to the top of the Statue of Liberty (the crown and the torch).
12. While I’m at it, walk to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
13. Take a soak in the volcanic springs of Iceland.
14. Drink a glass (bottle?) of Dom Perignon.
15. Do a full yoga inversion.
16. Travel to Antarctica.
17. Go whale watching.
18. Speak at a blogging conference. (Come see me in Spetember!!!)
19. Practice yoga in Bali.
20. Hold a political office.
After I got to 20, I had to really start digging deep. But I felt like my list should be longer.
21. Attend a movie premiere in Hollywood.
22. Drive across the United States at a leisurely pace with no particular plan.
Todd Lappin via Compfight
23. Take an Alaskan cruise and train ride through Alaska on a glass-topped train.
24. Have a full body mud wrap.
25. Track down my 4th grade teacher, Miss Hoffman.
26. Catch some fireflies with my son.
27. Attend a surprise party FOR ME!
28. Stay in the Presidential Suite in a hotel.
29. Plant my very own garden.
30. Host my own show (TV, web, whatever).
31. Visit the White House.
32. Meet Meryl Streep.
33. Feel comfortable enough with my body to wear a bikini.
34. Have a professional photo shoot.
35. Visit the childhood home of my grandmother in the Bronx.
36. See Mount Rushmore in person.
37. Spend a second honeymoon with my husband in Sonoma.
38. Digitize and organize all my childhood photos.
39. Watch Citizen Kane.
40. Be a bridesmaid or matron of honor in someone’s wedding.
Sean Molin via Compfight
41. Have a two hour body massage (do they offer them?)
42. Fly overseas in business or first class.
43. Cook a surprise meal and drop it off for 5 of my friends.
44. Teach my son how to ride a bike.
45. Drive an exotic sportscar.
46. Volunteer for an overseas mission.
47. Schedule cataract surgery for my dog so she can see again.
48. Have an outdoor fancy lady garden party.
49. Attend high tea in an upscale tea room (Russian Tea Room, anyone?)
50. Find an amazing fossil in Calvert Cliffs.
I could probably keep going but I might be reaching, especially since the last thirty I came up with on the fly.
I think I’m going to find a way to keep this list front and center. Maybe even post on Go Mighty. But I think it’s time I start working towards some of these aspirations.
And as for the antithesis of my life list? Well, it’s almost easier for me to make a list of the things I definitely don’t want to do. Of that, I’m sure.
My Anti-Bucket list includes:
– Skydiving (no way, no how, no thank you)
– Bungee jumping (see above, only worse)
– Climbing Mount Everest (I’m content to watch documentaries and read books. No edema for me, thank you very much)
– Traveling to the Middle East
– Go swimming or diving with sharks
– Ski down anything other than a bunny hill
I think you get the idea. I’m not a risk taker. But instead of focusing on the things I know I don’t want to do, I’m going to focus on the things that still exceed my grasp.
What’s on your list?
22 comments
The White House is on my list, too. We should go together!
Dude I am so with you on your anti list :). And yes, there are places that offer two hour massages. I’m with you on that one! HOW AMAZING!
I am definitely not a risk taker. I used to have dreams of skydiving and bungee jumping but now, the thrill is gone. I see at least that you are willing to start getting your hands dirty!
As for the massage, when I was in Raleigh, I went to Massage Envy every month for a 1 hour massage. I haven’t had one since I moved. My poor aching back 🙁
I really want to make a mosaic and tour the country in an RV too (sans kids of course)!
I came across Go Mighty a few weeks ago and was intrigued. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish!
The thing is that I have all the tools to make a mosaic. I bought a book a few years ago and for my birthday that year, my husband bought me everything I needed including snippers. I’ve just never done it. I want to do a mosaic birdbath. Maybe this summer!
And the only thing that stops me from my RV dream is the cost of gas. I think motels and a hybrid would be cheaper!
Lots of traditional and more fun 5ks in the Baltimore area. Have you thought about the Dirty Girl Mud Run in August? Also, what are you speaking about at Type-A?
I love GO MIGHTY! Here’s my life list. http://clevercompass.squarespace.com/weblog/2013/1/7/my-life-list.html
Here’s the thing. I want to run a 5k for the sense of accomplishment. But I don’t have a burning desire to run. So I want to do it but not really. My neighbor just invited me to a color run sort of event in Timonium, I think. I’l definitely check it all out. My other neighbor often does the mud runs.
At Type-A, I’ll be talking about cause blogging and how to put the ACTIVE in activism! Off to check out your list…
You really should learn the ukulele! It’s pretty easy to learn and because it’s so small, fits everyone’s hands. They have great little ones on amazon for $40. =)
I taught myself to play the first 3 strings of the guitar but my fingers could never quite reach the other strings. I was thinking the ukelele might work for the exact reason you mentioned. I just might do it.
Let me know when you’re coming to town and it’s a deal! I grew up in this area and can’t believe I’ve never been.
I haven’t been brave enough to share my life list, but I have one. There’s always people that have already done the things and tell me how wonderful they are. Nobody could write a list without somebody already doing the things on it. I like your list; it’s a great mixture!
I think it starts by simply writing it down. I really thought that there weren’t any big ticket things for me but they don’t have to be big ticket. And they don’t all have to be under your control. It’s simply a way to dream!
My grandmother attempted to teach me how to play the ukelele – but, alas, this kid has ZERO musical talent.
She did, however, manage to teach me how to knit – something I continue to enjoy to this day. Maybe fellow knitter Mindi (of Simply Stavish) & I can teach you next time we’re all at a conference.
And I’m always up for tea time! I’ve never done tea at the Russian Tea Room, but my two favorite spots for tea time are the Huntington Library’s Rose Garden Tea Room in San Marino (CA) and the Fairmont Empress in Victoria (British Columbia). Shall I make us a reservation?
Tea, knitting, and old-fashioned music? I think I’m becoming an old lady. Pardon me while I go sit in my rocking chair…
Actually I really do like rocking chairs 🙂
Heading to BlogHer by any chance?
What a great list! I have never made one, mostly because I’m afraid that I’d come to the end of life only to see that nothing had been crossed off.
But I’m with you on the anti-list. Completely.
I live life with (mostly) no regrets. I don’t look at this as a To Do list. I look at it as a “what can inspire me to get moving and doing today.” If I cross just one of the things off my list, I’ll be happy!
oh I love this! I’ve got like a mental list going on but I’ve never written it down…..Which is odd for me because I love lists! 🙂
I thought I didn’t have a list. But I did. It was just all mental. So one day I started taking notes thinking someday I might have enough to write a list. Then I just sat down and wrote it. Go do it!
Do you have Eddie Veddar’s CD of ukelele songs? Adore. I also love Mumford & Sons, Alison Krauss and Nickle Creek for their use of the tiny instrument. Funny, I always found Tiny Tim odd, but he was best known for the ukelele.
I love the variety and random nature of your list. I’ve also never written one down, I think you may have inspired me. I’ll see you in September! That is the plan at the moment! You should rent an RV and travel to Atlanta that way! Maybe I should fly from Denver to you and we could get a gang to bust out a road trip?!
I would totally do the RV thing if I hadn’t already bought my plane ticket. And you know what other instrument I LOVE? The banjo, which I think some of those groups use too. But alas, my hands wouldn’t be able to reach those strings.
Okay, need to do the RV trip to another conference!
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