Today is not my day.
– I made coffee without the coffee.
– I got a big splinter in the side of my left pinky finger.
– I was late for work because I had to remake the coffee and awkwardly use the tweezers with my non-dominant right-hand to remove said splinter AND because I had to kill a huge spider.
– I dropped my drink and spilled Sprite everywhere.
– My chicken wrap that was supposed to be sans onions had extra onions and now I can’t get rid of the awful taste after just one bite (and I even spit out the onions and immediately ate a Starburst).
– My entire lunch is in the garbage can and the whole rooms stinks and I’m hungry.
A co-worker, who happens to know I’m a big fan of Christmas (probably because I am playing Christmas music in my office) and apparently also knew that I’m having a tough day because he saw me spill my drink, left me this note on my desk while I stepped into the little ladies room to dry off the Sprite that got on my shoes. He’s sneaky. But it worked — I smiled, remembered that there are 53 days until Christmas, and I was instantly happier.
Sometimes it’s the little things. Fortunately, it is not the end of the world and tomorrow is going to be a better day, I can feel it in my bones…or maybe that’s the sleet/rain stuff that’s falling from the sky…
Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about bucket lists. Random, I know. We all joke about what we want to do before our final days, but do people actually keep track of these things? Do people make real bucket lists and cross things off as they complete the items?
I concluded that a bucket list is merely a goal list.
What is a goal? In order to answer that, you have to know your angle or your perspective. What is achievable? What is unrealistic? So you want to bungee jump off a bridge, but do you really want to bungee jump off a bridge? Bungee jumping seems like something a lot of people put on their bucket lists, but I’m guessing most people only do this because bucket lists are often far-fetched “totally awesome” ideas of what people think they want to do before they die — assuming they have all the courage in the world.
Royal Gorge bridge |
Let’s be real, people. Bungee jumping is not for everyone. Especially not for this girl.
Everyone is different. <– That’s nothing new. Therefore, everyone has different abilities and goals.
I don’t have a bucket list, or at least I don’t think that
I do. What I mean to say is I don’t have a physical hand written list.
There are places I want to go, things I want to do, and I definitely
have goals, but am I supposed to write them down? Maybe I should. If I
do, do you think it would be wrong to include a few things I’ve already
done so I have a few already accomplished items on my bucket list? I think that might boost my self-confidence, motivating me to be proactive and cross off a few more items…
Live in another countryGet a master’s degreeClimb a mountainEat healthierSee a castleDrive really fast on the autobahn- Rescue a dog
- Take a photography class
- Get another degree but in Communications or something completely
different from engineering or maybe I’ll just be really ambitious and
get my PhD. - Run a half-marathon
I really don’t love running – in fact, I might hate it – but I want to
run a half-marathon someday. Probably not in the next few years, but
maybe that will be something I do after I have a baby to get my body
back to pre-baby shape. (Don’t shake your cranium at me, I know it’s possible for women to get their pre-baby bods back after having a baby and I’m determined to [someday] be one of them. Bam.)
It’s just food for thought, isn’t it?
Remember what I said about it all being about your perspective? Check this out: a ten-year-old boy that I know had to make a bucket list for a school assignment. It’s a little long, but be sure you read to the very end…you’ll be glad you did.
A 10-year-old’s Bucket & Goal List
key: X – probably never going to happen; * – favorite
- skydive
- invent
- zipline
- climb the 7 Summits (*)
- fly on an airplane
- go to London
- be a billionaire
- visit New York
- learn another language
- float in space
- visit another galaxy
- make a video game
- get my own TV show
- operate a wrecking ball
- serve in the military
- go the Great Wall of China
- find treasure
- fly
- bungee off Mt. Rushmore (*)
- race car driver
- insane motorbike stunt
- get abducted by aliens (X)
- get my own Lego set
- go to a foreign country
- save the world (X)
- win Wipeout (X)
- hang glide
- win the lottery (X)
- go to the center of the earth (X)
- win the Olympics (*)
- jump into earth from space (X)
- meet a celebrity
- be a Lego designer
- be a celebrity
- play in the major league
- play in the NFL
- design a TV show
GOAL: To win the Olympics
Steps to reach the goal:
- Train
- Train harder
- Train even harder
Things that might get in the way of reaching the goal:
- Injuries
- Not making it in
- No money for equipment
Why is this goal important?
Lots of money for winner, bragging rights.
GOAL: Bungee off Mt. Rushmore
Steps to reach the goal:
- Practice
- Bungee off the school
- Bungee off the football dome
Things that might get in the way of reaching the goal:
- Too long chord <—————————————————– I CAN’T QUIT LAUGHING!!
- Injuries
Why is this goal important?
It will be cool.
See what I mean about perspective?
To this young man, climbing all 7 Summits and floating in space are perfectly plausible past-times (I threw that tongue twister in there on purpose. You’re welcome.). And, knowing this kid, maybe someday he actually will go to another galaxy…just so long as he comes back.
Getting abducted by aliens? No way, jose.
😉
So, my dear readers, think about this: What’s your perspective? What’s on your bucket/goal list?
Anybody care to share?
Kristin Lynn says
a few of my bucket list…
ride in a hot air balloon (check)
get a master's degree (check)
get married (almost there…)
get maltipoo (getting a puppy when I move to TX)
visit best friend in Germany (some day soonish hopefully!)
Tamera says
I have marked a bunch of things off my bucket list. I keep adding to it as well.
It's a fun process. Your goals change as you get older.
cburtnett says
I agree with Tamera! I have added Germany to my bucket list