Just like having a social security number, or a DNA, or fingerprints, or the stain of original sin, is everybody required to be the author of one of those “bucket lists”?
Octo-woman has been reading about it and has learned that such a list is supposed to be a compilation of exciting or challenging activities that one hopes to experience before one kicks one’s proverbial “bucket”.
She is chagrined to admit that she has never composed such a list – but that is about to be remedied.
It is recommended that the bucket list be publicly announced to family and friends so that the goals are clearly defined and so the successful outcome of these endeavors can make everybody resentful and jealous.
As you can see, I’ve been diligently working on this challenge, but, so far, this is how it looks:
MY BUCKET LIST:
1. _______________________________________________________________________.
2. _______________________________________________________________________.
3. _______________________________________________________________________.
4. _______________________________________________________________________.
This is because all of the ideas I’ve had for it seem like they may be a bit unreasonable. Take this weekend’s multi-billion dollar lottery, for example. I considered the winning of it to be on the top of the list but it occurred to me that greed is one of the Seven Deadly Sins and I don’t need any more of those cluttering up my official report card by broadcasting it on my bucket list. (Of course, I do plan to share every penny of my winnings with you, or, alternatively, I’m going to spend it all on candy. Careful planning is so important.)
Another possibility for my bucket list was competing to win a place on the U.S. figure skating team so I can win a gold medal at the Olympics. My great grand-nephew A J Fitzpatrick may do the same later this month when his U.S. team of wheelchair basketball athletes win their place at the Paralympics in Paris next year.
I’m sure A J would have been very proud of me, but, sadly, I had to cross the activity off my list, because, first, I’d have to take lessons to learn how to figure skate, and I can’t because we don’t have any ice here, and besides, I don’t have any skates. It just didn’t seem like a workable plan. As ever, you can always count on Octo-woman’s clear-headed grasp of realism to step in and save the day!
It would be exciting to list that I’ll be getting scheduled for my first face lift this year, but unfortunately that ship has already sailed and sunk. Even if the cosmetic surgeons would accept hopeless cases, with my luck, they’d probably assign it to the same guy who did the work on Michael Jackson.
Everything I can think of is riddled with bottlenecks. For instance, it would be an honor to put on the list that I am expecting to be appointed to serve on the Supreme Court but I have reason to believe they might be picky about the law degree that I don’t have. I hope you can see why I might be getting discouraged.
So there you have it. Consider my Bucket List, bare naked as it is of any hopes and dreams of achievement and adventure. But at least I’ll have all that candy to binge on.
Now that’s a bucket list I can support! Oops, except I don’t like beer! How about Rum Cream? That’s great over ice! I’ll go with 1. Ice 2. Rum Cream 3. Touch an Olympic Medal (come on AJ I’m counting on you to get me across that finish line) I’ll keep thinking about that 4th item and get back to you.
I’ll help with this bucket list!
I guess I look at your bucket list from a different view. You have led an astonishing life. What more is there to do!!
Live life to the fullest, and love your family.
How about that memoir (hint, hint)?
From Gary:
You have, with rapier-like wit, poked enough holes in the credibility of the bucket-list notion to drain its significance; but don’t kick it down the road.
I agree with everyone’s comments above! You’ve accomplished everything that you have set your mind to do. And you have never stopped! What about your 10,000 hours of piano playing! You don’t need a bucket list. You have already filled an ocean sized bucket of many adventures and achievements!!!
Gwenie All that you have accomplished and continue to accomplish would certainly make your Bucket list shrink.Your recent amazing piano playing accomplishment is a blinding beacon to everyone. You can do anything and will continue to cross off new adventures. However you do have a tiny problem with your internal airport navigation decisions .
Mark M