Bucket List

I am sure you have had this experience:

One day, you hear the word "dystopia" (or some word equally obscure) and you think, "Hmmn.... I haven't heard that word in ages!" --And then the next day, you are sitting on the train, and someone says, "What a dystopia we are living in." --And then the day after that, you are at work, putting your bagged lunch into the refrigerator, and one of your co-workers mentions that China is in such a dystopic state, and there must be something that can be done. At this point, I usually think to myself, "Have I been in a cave, not noticing this word, or is it that I just happened upon it three days in a row, by random chance?"

Over the past few weeks, this has been the case with the "bucket list."

I always have a "to do" list, at least in my head, of things I want to accomplish. So even though it was never formalized, I guess that was my "bucket list." I just didn't know that at the time.

Two years ago, my friends told me about a friend of theirs, who had been dating a woman for over 7 years. The woman wanted to get married, and their friend dragged his feet about making the commitment, saying he still had things he wanted to while he was single (in the legal sense of the word). One day, his girlfriend sat him down and said, "Okay. We are going to make you a bucket list of things you want to do while you are single, and you can put anything you want on this list, but after you finish doing everything on the list, we are getting married." And that is exactly what happened.


Well, in the last few weeks, I have been thinking (and hearing) a lot about bucket lists again. People have been talking about what they want to do before they move from their apartment, or what they would like to accomplish at their current job, or finish before they die.

Here are a few things that are on my bucket list (although not all of them - a girl has got to keep some things to herself!). These are (it will be obvious in a moment) in no particular order, and may be added to (or subtracted from), at any time. I reserve that right.

• quilt a duvet cover (from my beautiful Marimekko fabric!)
• start a design firm
• camp (in Hawaii)
• make more time to sew much, much more than I currently do
• travel to many more places (there are too many to list)
• hike the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, from France to Spain
• see the Grand Canyon
• buy a house and restore it
• design my own house, and help build it
• stay out all night clubbing in Copenhagen again
• help people plan and pull off their weddings
• take a class in sewing
• take a class in pattern-making
• write a children's book (about chickens)
• write a follow-up book (!)
• visit family more
• volunteer at a retirement community
• rescue a dog/cat
• get my PADI certification for scuba-diving
• teach classes at a college or university
• travel to give lectures
• learn French
• become fluent in Spanish

There are probably many things I've forgotten.

What is on YOUR list?