Apparently I've Lived a Little More
It's been a good nearly-11 years since I posted a "bucket list"-type list of things, measures by which one could measure if they've "really lived." At the time, I was able to check off 37 things.
Now, let me say - more than a decade later - it's hogwash to think a list can tell you if you've "really lived." The measure of one's life is far too subjective and personal. There are people who haven't done a thing on this who are far more fulfilled with their lives than some who check every box.
What this is, then, for me is simply a list of experiences I have enjoyed (in bold) or have not gotten to enjoy (regular text). Some might still plausibly happen, so I've put those in italics.
If you want to do the list yourself, awesome - post it in the comments or link it, or share it on social with me.
******************
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (does marching band count?)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Bathed in a river (it was a lake)
7. Been to the Taj Mahal
8. Walked on a glacier in Alaska
9. Caught and held a snake
10. Spoke in front of a big crowd
11. Bungee jumped
12. Had a whirlwind love affair that broke your heart
13. Found an arrowhead or fossil
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Rescued an animal
16. Ate sweet breads, glands or tripe
17. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hiked to base camp on Mt. Everest
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Watched an animal being born
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Learned a foreign language
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (the one at the Venetian in Vegas DOESN'T count)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Stayed up for more than 24 hours
31. Trained a dog to do cool tricks
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (been to Germany, and even the region they're from, though not specifically the cities my ancestors were born in)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Can drive a stick shift car
37. Won over $1000 in a raffle or lottery
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
42. Been serenaded
43. Visited Africa
44. Walked on a beach by moonlight
45. Broken a bone (it was a stress fracture so not sure it counts but I'm bolding it anyway)
46. Started your own business
47. Quit a job because you were totally unhappy
48. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
49. Been to the Eiffel Tower
50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51. Kissed in the rain passionately
52. Played in the mud
53. Gone to a drive-in
54. Been in a movie (I could still be an extra)
55. Visited the Great Wall of China
56. Joined a prayer group
57. Taken a martial arts class
58. Visited Russia
59. Served at a soup kitchen
60. Gone whale watching (but we didn't see any)
61. Received flowers for no reason
62. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
63. Gone sky diving
64. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
65. Bounced a check
66. Flown in a helicopter
67. Saved a favorite childhood toy
68. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
69. Eaten caviar
70. Pieced a quilt
71. Stood in Times Square
72. Toured the Everglades
73. Been fired from a job
74. Seen the changing of the guards in London
75. Broken something extremely expensive
76. Been on a speeding motorcycle
77. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
78. Published a book
79. Visited the Vatican
80. Got a tattoo
81. Been to a coffee shop in Amsterdam
82. Seen the aurora borealis in person
83. Read the entire Bible
84. Visited the White House (been to the outside)
85. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
86. Had chickenpox
87. Saved someone’s life
88. Sat on a jury
89. Met someone famous
90. Joined a book club
91. Lost a loved one
92. Toured the UN
93. Hiked to Machu Picchu
94. Swam in the Indian Ocean
95. Conversed with someone when neither of you spoke each others language
96. Dirty danced
97. Been stung by a bee
98. Acted in a play
99. Had more than 5 surgeries
100. Threw a surprise party for someone
49.
Not bad at all.
Now, let me say - more than a decade later - it's hogwash to think a list can tell you if you've "really lived." The measure of one's life is far too subjective and personal. There are people who haven't done a thing on this who are far more fulfilled with their lives than some who check every box.
What this is, then, for me is simply a list of experiences I have enjoyed (in bold) or have not gotten to enjoy (regular text). Some might still plausibly happen, so I've put those in italics.
If you want to do the list yourself, awesome - post it in the comments or link it, or share it on social with me.
******************
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (does marching band count?)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Bathed in a river (it was a lake)
7. Been to the Taj Mahal
8. Walked on a glacier in Alaska
9. Caught and held a snake
10. Spoke in front of a big crowd
11. Bungee jumped
12. Had a whirlwind love affair that broke your heart
13. Found an arrowhead or fossil
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Rescued an animal
16. Ate sweet breads, glands or tripe
17. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hiked to base camp on Mt. Everest
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Watched an animal being born
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Learned a foreign language
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (the one at the Venetian in Vegas DOESN'T count)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Stayed up for more than 24 hours
31. Trained a dog to do cool tricks
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (been to Germany, and even the region they're from, though not specifically the cities my ancestors were born in)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Can drive a stick shift car
37. Won over $1000 in a raffle or lottery
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
42. Been serenaded
43. Visited Africa
44. Walked on a beach by moonlight
45. Broken a bone (it was a stress fracture so not sure it counts but I'm bolding it anyway)
46. Started your own business
47. Quit a job because you were totally unhappy
48. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
49. Been to the Eiffel Tower
50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51. Kissed in the rain passionately
52. Played in the mud
53. Gone to a drive-in
54. Been in a movie (I could still be an extra)
55. Visited the Great Wall of China
56. Joined a prayer group
57. Taken a martial arts class
58. Visited Russia
59. Served at a soup kitchen
60. Gone whale watching (but we didn't see any)
61. Received flowers for no reason
62. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
63. Gone sky diving
64. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
65. Bounced a check
66. Flown in a helicopter
67. Saved a favorite childhood toy
68. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
69. Eaten caviar
70. Pieced a quilt
71. Stood in Times Square
72. Toured the Everglades
73. Been fired from a job
74. Seen the changing of the guards in London
75. Broken something extremely expensive
76. Been on a speeding motorcycle
77. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
78. Published a book
79. Visited the Vatican
80. Got a tattoo
81. Been to a coffee shop in Amsterdam
82. Seen the aurora borealis in person
83. Read the entire Bible
84. Visited the White House (been to the outside)
85. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
86. Had chickenpox
87. Saved someone’s life
88. Sat on a jury
89. Met someone famous
90. Joined a book club
91. Lost a loved one
92. Toured the UN
93. Hiked to Machu Picchu
94. Swam in the Indian Ocean
95. Conversed with someone when neither of you spoke each others language
96. Dirty danced
97. Been stung by a bee
98. Acted in a play
99. Had more than 5 surgeries
100. Threw a surprise party for someone
49.
Not bad at all.
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