Thursday, September 16, 2010

I've Decided It's Important to Have a Bucket List

It's my BIRTHDAY EVE! My birthday's tomorrow (Friday) and I'm turning 35.

And I've been thinking a lot, as always, about what that means to me.

The funniest part about 35 is that I feel like now I've just started living!

I am in my happy place!

I feel like my whole life leading up to this point has been one giant class. A learning experience, a dress rehearsal and now I'm finally on stage for the big show.

This past year has literally been one of the best of my entire life. Between my little toddler men and my marriage and doing triathlons and meeting new people and finding new loves and passions and throwing cautions to the wind, I really haven't quite enjoyed life like I have this past year.

34 was good to me.

Really, really good to me.

Which got me to thinkin. I got a lot I wanna do. A LOT.

So I've decided it's important to have a bucket list and for the following reasons:

Because so very often, you find yourself wanting to do something, and you can't figure out what. Perfect time to tackle something on your bucket list! Or you find yourself wanting to take a trip. But you don't know where to go. Bucket list! You find yourself lost and you need inspiration. Bucket list! There are a ton of things you want to see and do before you kick the bucket but you have them in no organized fashion and you're flailing about in your life stuck in the mundane. Bucket list! You've stopped enjoying life and you want to start again. Consult the bucket list! There are travel specials on Travelocity and you can go to England roundtrip for $100. Bucket list!

The bucket list is an important friend! You must have it to consult! You must organize your thoughts in one giant to-do list! That's what I've decided.

So I've decided to write one and this is it. It seems I add more as I check them off, but that's ok, right?
  • Run the Brooklyn Bridge
  • Run the Golden Gate Bridge
  • Go to San Francisco
  • Go to Alcatraz
  • Watch a shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral (November 1st! We have tickets!)
  • Go to the Olympics (as a spectator. I think my Mary Lou Retton days are over.)
  • Go back to school to get my Master's in Journalism
  • Teach high school journalism
  • Teach a spin class
  • Live in New York City (again)
  • Own or rent a condo on the beach to go on the weekends just to write. With wine handy.
  • Write a book
  • Finish a marathon (January 2011. Disney.)
  • Take a photography class
  • Go to the following: Ireland
  • Italy
  • France
  • Germany
  • Germany again
  • England
  • Design and complete NICU bags for NICU families
  • Design and complete NICU journal for NICU mommies
  • Take my children to a pow-wow on the Mohawk reservation in Canada where my family lives
  • Go camping with the kids
  • Open a tea room with my mom
  • Take a public speaking class
  • Take an acting class
  • Do an Ironman 70.3 (November 14th)
  • Do an Ironman 140.6
  • Go to one of those places where you stay in a cabin with a glass bottom in the middle of the crystal blue ocean water, like in Tahiti or Bora Bora
  • Cross-country roadtrip with my parents, sister and all the kids and husbands in an RV
  • Two words: CHRISTMAS CRUISE!
  • Travel to and provide aid in disaster relief or poverty stricken region
  • Travel to and provide aid in disaster relief or poverty stricken region with the kids (when they're older)
  • Blow off Thanksgiving and volunteer in soup kitchen
  • Travel for a running, biking or triathlon race anywhere really really fun and far
  • Do 10 one-armed pushups like Demi Moore in GI Jane
  • Shave my head
  • Finish my tattoo (or get another)
  • Learn to play the guitar
  • Get a guitar
  • MHC.
  • Go to Mardi Gras and get lotsa beads. Lots.
  • Go to New York City for the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11th and meet my friends who I lived with and worked with there in 2001.
  • Go to the Statue of Liberty. I know. I've lived in New York and I've never been. LAME.
So that's what it looks like so far. I will continue to add and cross off but I'm just glad I have a point of reference now!

Have you ever written a bucket list? What's on it?

12 comments:

LKPheartsfood said...

I have "The List," though it pre-dates "Bucket List" terminology! So far I've crossed off moving to NYC before turning 30, doing the Trapeze, putting my feet in the Pacific, doing standup comedy, and seeing France, Italy, Russia & England. I still want to (among other things): Learn Gaelic, get fluent in my Russian, go back to F, I, R, E, and see the rest o' Europe, and seeing our family's roots in Ireland. I'm making good progress but I have a way to go. I also have never been to the Statue, and she's my GIRL! Been past it to Ellis Island, but not on Liberty Island. Hmm...add that to my list!
PS: What is MHC?

Unknown said...

Mile High Club?

Unknown said...

Um, and Happy Early Birthday since I won't be near my compuper tomorrow! Have an awesome day!

Kelly said...

I love the idea of making a bucket list. My birthday is tomorrow too, so I might have to make a bucket list as well! :) Happy early birthday!

Jessi said...

I, too, have a list...but it is only a compilation of 30 things to do in the next year. Just trying to live more intentionally. If you're interested, I can send you an invite to my separate blog.

I think your list is AWESOME! I, too, would LOVE to stay in a glass bottom hut...SO amazing!

Unknown said...

Wow, that is an amazing list. You worked in NYC in 2001? Me too! I was three blocks away from the WTC and was caught up in the madness. A link to my post about it is on my blog.

*Lissa* said...

Is MHC really what the above commenter said? FUNNY.

I love your bucket list and many of the same things would be on mine!!!

Anonymous said...

You *know* I have a bucket list.

And you realize putting it in really small lettering makes it stand out more? : )

And I'm driving tomorrow so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Pubsgal said...

How much do I *love love love* that coming to San Francisco and running the Golden Gate Bridge are on your bucket list? TONS!!! :-D

You know, I don't have a bucket list, at least written down. I think about the first 20 or so entries would be "Go to Hawaii again", so that might be kind of dull.

P.S. - Saw a Lady Liberty costume on one of the costume shopping web sites and thought of your little guy and his crush! ;-)

Roo said...

Hmmm...no reply to MHC, huh? ;)

I need a bucket list. Ireland is definitely gonna be on mine.

Beki said...

I *totally* know what MHC is! That's on my list too! ;)

I've lived in the Bay area (California) nearly all my life. I *just* ran the Golden Gate bridge for the first time (amazing!) - and I've NEVER been to Alcatraz. However, I've been to NY once and went to the Statue of Liberty. LOL

Great list! I need to write mine down too!

maggie said...

First, Happy Birthday!

Second. Add to list - visit Japan, stay with Maggie, have cool times. Fixed.

Also. Love the idea of blowing of T-day to volunteer in a soup kitchen. That is one of mine. Love your list. :)

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