My Bucket List

So Much to Do, So Little Time

I have a lot of respect for accomplished people; people who have set goals and achieved them.  Examples? People who can speak multiple languages, are experts at certain hobbies, have mastered musical instruments, have several degrees or have accomplished feats of physical strength and endurance.  Yes, Olympic athletes come to mind.  My talented husband also comes to mind.  He is very musically talented (piano, guitar, trombone in high school, a little bass, drums and is teaching himself banjo), and  he is getting his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.  Smarty pants.  We both speak some Spanish, but we’re getting rusty.  I have accomplished cousins, uncles, friends and acquaintances. 

Now that I am married and becoming a real adult, I have to start thinking about the things I want to accomplish while I am still young.  I’ve still got a few years before Robert and I want to start thinking about kids, so in the meantime, I’ve got some living to get done while I’m not completely tied down.  So, I’ve started a “Baby Bucket List” comprised of all the things I want to accomplish before getting pregnant (hopefully, we won’t have any unexpected bundles delivered before then). 

Baby Bucket List:

Go to Europe with Robert

Go to Vegas with Robert

Get a Master’s Degree

Run a 5K

Live in a big city (Chicago maybe?)

Ride on a motorcycle

Go para-sailing

Go to a Dallas Cowboys football game

Go to the 2016 Olympics

Improve my Spanish

Relearn to play piano

Learn to play guitar

Get a puppy

Enter a play in a festival

Get involved in theatre, even if only as a hobby

Refresh my martial arts

Take a yoga class

Get more involved in church and charity work

These are goals that I want to achieve so that my kids can someday look back and maybe think, “Wow, my mom used to be cool,” and maybe be proud of me.  I also want to have lots more fun before I pile on more responsibility like children, a mortgage, car payments, etc.  I don’t really understand people who get married very young (I know, 23 is young, too), settle into boring jobs, buy a house in their home town and start popping out babies right away.  If that’s you, congrats!  You are living the life you want to lead!  I’m just not ready for that (although, ask my husband, I freaking LOVE babies).

I’m also working on my “Life Bucket List,” most of which will take longer to accomplish or take more money than what we’ll be making in this decade.  This list focuses on the kinds of things I want to be able to look back on when I’m old and be proud of, things that will make my obituary more interesting.  I want to use the talents, blessings and abilities God gave me to enjoy the life I lead and to explore the world around me.  Luckily, I’ve already completed some of the things I’ve wanted to do.

So, before I can build that list, I have to check off what I’ve already done.  This is the fun part because I get to feel really cool for a little while.  Here goes.

Accomplished:

Gone to Europe (England and France)

Gone to the top of the Eiffel Tower

Visited Shakespeare’s grave

Gone to Canada and Mexico

Learned to surf (a little!)

Visited Hawaii

Visited the Bahamas

Gone on a cruise

Gone mountain biking down a mountain (Mt. Shasta)

Learned to ski (intermediate, thank you!)

Owned horses (childhood dream fulfilled by age 12)

Visited New York

Seen a musical on Broadway

Spent New Year’s Eve in Manhattan

Learned to sew

Taken a swing dance class

Learned to water ski/wakeboard

Learned martial arts

Gone to Disney World

Seen the Grand Canyon

Seen Mount Rushmore

Seen Mt. St. Helens

Seen one of the Great Lakes (Just Lake Michigan so far…)

Written a full length play

Been in a television commercial

Been in a radio spot

Got a bachelor’s degree

Written and passed my Honors Thesis

Planned a wedding

Got married

Lived outside of Texas

I was really lucky to grow up with a family that was very active, loved to travel, and loved to experience life.  I could list many more wonderful experiences that I have been lucky to have (going camping, going to Major League baseball games, visiting national parks and seeing tons of cities and landmarks).  My grandparents were able to go on lots of exciting trips and adventures, and God willing, Robert and I will have the resources some day to do the same.  Here are some of the things that I hope to experience and accomplish in my lifetime. 

Life Bucket List:

Stay married

Have children

Own a home

Visit all 50 states

See Niagara Falls

Tour the California Wine country

Complete a triathlon

Visit at least 6 of the 7 continents (not too sure about Antarctica)

Go on an Alaskan cruise

Visit the Mediterranean Coast (Specifically Italy and Greece)

Visit the Vatican

Visit Israel

Climb a mountain

Ride in a helicopter

Go white water rafting

Go scuba diving

Go whale watching

Go on an African photo safari

Go hunting

Go deep-sea fishing

Have a play produced

Have a career in theatre or the arts

Get paid to act

Make generous monetary donations to worthy causes

Learn a third language

Read all the books on a “must read” list

See ever movie that’s won an Oscar for “Best Film”

Get my Concealed Handgun License (if I ever move back to Texas)

These are just the things I can think of.  I truly hope I can accomplish these goals and more, because I feel that a life not well-lived is a life wasted.  We live in an incredible world in a blessed nation.  We have abilities, talents and intellect that can be put to use.  It’s possible, however, that I may not accomplish half of the things on this list, but if I broaden my horizons, better myself and enrich the lives of others, I’ll consider it a success.  There’s a lot to do before I die, and who knows how long I have?  Excuse me while I go run a couple of miles, start working on my next play and look up a guitar tutorial.

Checking things off my list.  One day at a time.