The Bucket List

The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, was a movie released several years ago. The premise was simple enough. They both had terminal cancer and they both decided to live life to the fullest. They created a list of things they wanted to do before they died....kicked the bucket, if you will.

The movie was a big hit and it seemed like everyone not only HAD to have a bucket list, but they had to tell everyone what was on that list.

You couldn't listen to the radio without hearing about the host's bucket list. If you watched a talk show, invariably either the interviewer or the interviewee would bring up their bucket list. At the time, I thought the whole thing was just plain silly.

Then last year, I got the cancer diagnosis. Lying in a hospital bed, spending half days in a chemo chair, and driving to and from doctor and lab appointments gave me a lot of time to think about things I had done and things that I wanted to do.

Then it finally dawned on me that I actually did have a bucket list. I started it when I was about 9, and added to it as I got older.

Every year when I was in elementary school there was an awards ceremony held at the end of the year. Certificates were awarded for perfect attendance and receiving straight As all year. Certificates of appreciation were also awarded to students for serving on student patrols, library aides, etc.

I wanted one of those certificates!

I finally was able to score a perfect attendance certificate in sixth grade. Then I set my sights on getting straight As. It had to be straight As in conduct, as well as course work....so that made the goal a little more challenging.

I managed to do it...can't remember if it was junior high or high school, but I did get straight As one quarter.

I went to a technical school after finishing high school. The course I selected offered a joint program with a local college. If you completed the technical school course and completed one year of study at the college, you were awarded a two year Associate's Degree. It took a while, but I eventually got the degree. Then to make a long story short, I eventually decided to go after the Bachelor's Degree.....and I graduated magna cum laude, to boot.

So, after all this time, not only did I have a bucket list and didn't realize it, but I had a bucket list before having a bucket list was cool...to paraphrase an old Barbara Mandrell song.

Now I've decided the bucket list needs to get updated. Not that I'm planning on kicking the bucket anytime, soon, but it is nice just to have a list of goals to achieve and cross off the list.

So...here's what I've got so far.

1. Have a short story published. I'm not sure what that story might be, yet.

2. Document my lineage to see if I could get a DAR or UDC membership. Not that I would actually join, but it would be nice to know that I could if I wanted.

3. Visit all of the sites where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived when she was a little girl. I just loved these books and I'd love to see where she actually lived. Of course, I'm gonna be mighty disappointed if I find out that By The Banks of Plum Creek is the Plum Creek Sewage Treatment Center.

4. Go to Switzerland to see the Alps. The Sound of Music is one of my favorite movies. I've been to Germany and Austria and while there, we actually did a cheesy Sound of Music Tour. We saw where some of the movie was filmed as well as where some of the actual real events took place.

5. Drive the entire length of the Pacific Coast Highway. I've done bits and pieces, but I'd love to take a week and go from start to finish.

6. Finish all of my "in progress" cross stitch pieces before starting anything new. I am making some headway on this goal. I'm down from five unfinished pieces to three.

7. Take a European Riverboat Cruise. Just because.

8. Take the official test to get into MENSA. If that little snot Sebas from The Regular Guys show can get in, I should be able to.

That's it for now. I'm sure that other items will be added, but this is a start.