What is your life list (bucket list)

woodstock

woodstock

Final Approach
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
9,342
Location
Out of a suitcase
Display Name
Display name:
iTravel
Hi

I attended a Smithsonian Institution Resident's Associate Program speech last night. Ted Leonsis recently wrote a book called "The Business of Happiness" which (from what I can tell from the speech) is primarily autobiographical and partly imparting his wisdom on what it means to be happy, his "6 tenets for a life well lived". After the speech he autographed his book (I bought one and luckily was near the front of the line for the autographs). This man spoke for two hours (including the Q&A session) without a single note. Just stood on the stage and talked...

At any rate, the crux of the book is that when he was 27 he was on a plane that was in full emergency and they all thought they were going to die. He "made a bargain with God" that if he survived he would leave more than he took, and lead a life well lived. (Note: he had already sold his first company for 60 million dollars, at the age of 26 - this must have been nearly 30 yrs ago, you know, when "60 million dollars was a lot of money" har har).

The plane landed safely and shortly thereafter he made his life's list. 101 things he will do before he dies. He then set about "leading his life on the offense" and what a story. Yes, this 27 yr old had on his life list "own a sports team and win a championship". Well, he owns the Caps, there's one. He actually has done all but 19 of his life list items - a few of them can only happen after he dies (leave more than he took...)

At any rate, this is something that has been around the edges of my mind for a while. Some time in the next few years (TBD) I am taking a gap year and I have been thinking about my goals for that. I definitely do not want to just take a year off with nothing to show for it, time is too valuable to waste.

I haven't formally written anything down, but there are things that I've already done that I "always wanted to do" so I suppose they would be on the list. Seeing lavender in Provence in full season, seeing the Tour de France live, etc... Ted's list is very expansive and some of it is HUGE thinking (I peeked at the back of his book where his list resides). Some of his were less specific, almost easy (visit Paris, visit London, Rome etc. Hell, I probably myself had no less than 20 things checked off in common from his list already... the easy stuff.) Others were simply astounding given that a young man wrote them - and that he's achieved many of them.

At any rate, a lot of blather here. What are some of your life list goals? Easy, hard, you name it. Doesn't have to be travel related. I guess I need to set pen to paper and start organizing...
 
I have always thought about taking what you call a "gap year" or a year leave of absence but my employer doesn't offer anything resembling that option. I would like to travel outside the country and possibly volunteer outside the country. One place I've always wanted to see is Lhasa, Tibet.
 
time is too valuable to waste.
Click to expand...

I think that is the most important thing you wrote. All any of us really have is our time. The rest of the stuff is just extra and can change in an instant. It really bugs me when someone takes some of my time without permission, like standing in lines because of someones attitude, ineptitude, etc. As far as my bucket list, I really don't have one. I am getting on down towards the bottom of the bucket and can't really think of anything I really want to do that I haven't already done.
 
First item on the top of my list:

  1. Live forever and do stuff.
  2. Do more pointless stuff....
As soon as I finish item 1, I'll move on to the next item.
:cheerswine:
 
Years ago, when I lived on my sailboat, I read an article about cruising around the world. The author was pointing out that you should never arrange to meet anyone at any port until after you had arrived, lest you ruin you sailing adventure trying to get there on time. Cruising a sailboat is just that, sailing and enjoying it. Having the ability to change course and destination any time you want.

That has always stuck with me, and I am convinced that is how we should lead our lives. Making lists, having goals, and timetables, might seem sensible, but are we not risking ruining our adventure through life?

When I was a kid, I went downtown to enlist in the Marine Corps. A few doors closer was an Army recruiting office. They had a window display about the 101st Airborne Division, parachuting and all that stuff.

I went a few feet beyond, then turned around and joined the paratroops. That was probably the smartest or luckiest thing I have done in my entire life. I would not have my PPL had I not been brainwashed at an early age into never quiting. Same with my business. Paratroopers do not quit.

I have always joked about "blundering" through my life, but looking back, I always seemed to come out just fine in whatever endeavor caught my fancy.

Live your life the best you can, and always do the best you can at whatever you attempt, but be very careful about planing your life too exactly. Leave room to change your course and destination.

John
 
Last edited:
John Baker said:
Years ago, when I lived on my sailboat, I read an article about cruising around the world. The author was pointing out that you should never arrange to meet anyone at any port until after you had arrived, lest you ruin you sailing adventure trying to get there on time. Cruising a sailboat is just that, sailing and enjoying it. Having the ability to change course and destination any time you want.

That has always stuck with me, and I am convinced that is how we should lead our lives. Making lists, having goals, and timetables, might seem sensible, but are we not risking ruining our adventure through life?

When I was a kid, I went downtown to enlist in the Marine Corps. A few doors closer was an Army recruiting office. They had a window display about the 101st Airborne Division, parachuting and all that stuff.

I went a few feet beyond, then turned around and joined the paratroops. That was probably the smartest or luckiest thing I have done in my entire life. I would not have my PPL had I not been brainwashed at an early age into never quiting. Same with my business. Paratroopers do not quit.

I have always joked about "blundering" through my life, but looking back, I always seemed to come out just fine in whatever endeavor caught my fancy.

Live your life the best you can, and always do the best you can at whatever you attempt, but be very careful about planing your life too exactly. Leave room to change your course and destination.

John
Click to expand...

Having goals WITH cut and dried timetables isn't a good idea, but I think setting your goals down to paper (IE some sort of direction/plan, without being a slave to it) is a very good idea. Flexibility is very important though. I have friends who had goals and very specific timetables (have kids before mid-30s, retire at 50, etc) and unfortunately they cannot have kids and they are moving past the time they are comfortable adopting. Early 40s but I don't think they want to be old/dead when their kids are their own age. Long and short - everything they did earlier in life revolved around having kids (big house with many bedrooms, minivan before it was actually needed, etc) and now they likely won't have kids. I wonder what they gave up by buying the big house they didn't actually need.

I agree on avoiding plans to meet people before you are even there. I travel a lot and frequently like to meet up with people but I HATE making plans to do so until I am on the ground and have settled in for a few days. Who knows where that day may take me and if I have to cut something short to meet someone else's timetable it doesn't work for me.
 
The goal setters and the random walkers drive each other nuts because neither can understand how the other manages to get through life.

I did it without any lists, but by investigating things that looked interesting at the time. Fortunately, enough of them worked out and allowed me to get out early with enough marbles to finish the big game and go play some other games I liked better, some of which were at the airport.

At a high-school class reunion last night (not mine) I talked at length with a guy who said that starting in the 7th grade he wanted to be an electrical engineer, and wrote about it when he signed his name in other student's yearbooks. I asked him if he ever hated it along the way, and he said yeah, everybody who wants to do something all their life usually gets sick of it in their 40's but then they get over it.



woodstock said:
Having goals WITH cut and dried timetables isn't a good idea, but I think setting your goals down to paper (IE some sort of direction/plan, without being a slave to it) is a very good idea. Flexibility is very important though. I have friends who had goals and very specific timetables (have kids before mid-30s, retire at 50, etc) and unfortunately they cannot have kids and they are moving past the time they are comfortable adopting. Early 40s but I don't think they want to be old/dead when their kids are their own age. Long and short - everything they did earlier in life revolved around having kids (big house with many bedrooms, minivan before it was actually needed, etc) and now they likely won't have kids. I wonder what they gave up by buying the big house they didn't actually need.

I agree on avoiding plans to meet people before you are even there. I travel a lot and frequently like to meet up with people but I HATE making plans to do so until I am on the ground and have settled in for a few days. Who knows where that day may take me and if I have to cut something short to meet someone else's timetable it doesn't work for me.
Click to expand...
 
I have been so fortunate in my life, to go places and see things. I waited 20 years to get my ppl, but i got it. I get to fly my own airplane, that I can't afford, many places. I wanted to go to Gastons this past summer and give some airplane rides. A friend and his wife flew to AR. with me and made it possible. I got to spend a night at the farm with Diana, Kim, Barb and Tom. I have always tried to help others out, and I am blessed that it has come back to me.
One other time there was a thread about "Bucket lists" and I was honored that one poster said what he would like to do was go out to Oregon and fly into the Idaho back country with Bob Bement. It doesn't get any better than that! :wink2:
 
wabower said:
The goal setters and the random walkers drive each other nuts because neither can understand how the other manages to get through life.
Click to expand...
As a random walker in a sea (or maybe I should say a sky) of goal-setters I can relate to this.
 
wabower said:
The goal setters and the random walkers drive each other nuts because neither can understand how the other manages to get through life.

I did it without any lists, but by investigating things that looked interesting at the time. Fortunately, enough of them worked out and allowed me to get out early with enough marbles to finish the big game and go play some other games I liked better, some of which were at the airport.

At a high-school class reunion last night (not mine) I talked at length with a guy who said that starting in the 7th grade he wanted to be an electrical engineer, and wrote about it when he signed his name in other student's yearbooks. I asked him if he ever hated it along the way, and he said yeah, everybody who wants to do something all their life usually gets sick of it in their 40's but then they get over it.
Click to expand...

I am actually a little of each. Part of the reason I will write certain things down as a goal is because if I did not, much time would pass before I got around to making it happen!

My friend above (the husband) goes overboard and that would drive me crazy. This year they are on their umpteenth triathlon. I bet they'd still do that even if they had kids though - at least he would.
 
wabower said:
The goal setters and the random walkers drive each other nuts because neither can understand how the other manages to get through life.
Click to expand...

The world would be boring beyond reason if everyone and everything was all the same. It would just be a place full of mass produced cookie cutter people whether it's goal or random oriented.

The goal setters think I'm insane and the random walkers tend to think I'm lost at sea. That's ok though. Many need structure, others need variation in direction and some need the stability of what superficially appears as chaos which has it's own unique structure.

I use a goal as a direction of travel. Beyond that, life is all about journeying. YMMV.

<--- Caratacus Potts
 
I can't think of anything right now that must go onto a "bucket list", but if I did I'd forget where I put it when the time comes.
 
You have defined the inevitable juxtaposition that often occurs along the way. The goal setters become random walkers because they can no longer remember to make their list, and the random walkers have to make a list of the stuff they might do tomorrow if the mood strikes.

AuntPeggy said:
I can't think of anything right now that must go onto a "bucket list", but if I did I'd forget where I put it when the time comes.
Click to expand...
 
We have that conversation here as well. When she starts that conversation I remind her that I think my airplane, Porsche and guns are worth at least as much as her hard-drvie albums of pictures from China.
alaskaflyer said:
No particular life list though I keep telling myself: Experiences not things.
Click to expand...
 
wabower said:
You have defined the inevitable juxtaposition that often occurs along the way. The goal setters become random walkers because they can no longer remember to make their list, and the random walkers have to make a list of the stuff they might do tomorrow if the mood strikes.
Click to expand...

That's about the size of it.
 
alaskaflyer said:
No particular life list though I keep telling myself: Experiences not things.
Click to expand...

As soon as the things are gone, the experiences take care of themselves and there are a lot more far better experiences than before. Stuff just owns you and turns you into it's slave, not the other way around.
 
wsuffa said:
That's like asking "Jennifer or Bailey"....
Click to expand...

In a galaxy long ago, and far away, I was Johnny Fever in a city not unlike Cincinnati. Bailey...beyond a shadow of a doubt. She worked for us too. B)
 
I'll let you know how it turns out when the things are gone. So far, I'm liking them pretty well, and many of the experiences I've had have been due to the things I've had that permitted them. There's also an equal chance that the experiences will fade over time and you won't have much from them either. Different strokes for different folks, but sure not as one-sided as you describe.

fgcason said:
As soon as the things are gone, the experiences take care of themselves and there are a lot more far better experiences than before. Stuff just owns you and turns you into it's slave, not the other way around.
Click to expand...
 
fgcason said:
As soon as the things are gone, the experiences take care of themselves and there are a lot more far better experiences than before. Stuff just owns you and turns you into it's slave, not the other way around.
Click to expand...

I own a plane so that I can experience places and things that I would have a difficult time doing otherwise.

Poor "Charlie" suffers from a lack of polishing and general fussing over her. But she needs to understand that I value her for her utility (such as it is) - it is not a love affair. I keep her well-maintained, and somewhat well appointed because one wants to have serviceable apparatus, not because I have the hots for her.

Same with my cars. Gone are the days where my identity was wrapped up in with my four-wheeled transportation choice. I take pride in keeping our six and eleven year-old vehicles well maintained - mostly because I don't want to be stranded somewhere.

I enjoy the art of photography and painting, and we have nice, moderately-priced pieces in our house, many of which were done by friends. I prefer landscapes and nature scenes because it speaks to me of places I've been, or places I want to be. I don't covet art for art's sake.

Now, you want to talk about places I've been, things I've done and what I've seen? Now I can get excited :cheerswine:
 
Last edited:
wabower said:
Different strokes for different folks, but sure not as one-sided as you describe.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying you have to stand around naked in a field with nothing at all to enjoy life.
I'm saying you have time to enjoy life and do things when you're not having to maintain 175 cars in the garage, a 65 room house house, 85 airplanes and resetting 6,342 clocks throughout the house twice a year because of daylight savings time. That's somewhat of an exaggeration but you should get the point. Then again, some people need that kind of thing to feel they have a purpose so YMMV.
I knew someone that believes nothing is more important than having more possessions than anyone else and the one with the most toys when they die wins. (I'm not sure what they'll win when they're dead but whatever) Last I heard, they were over a year into a move from one small house to another and they were still excavating stuff they don't even use from the old house. Imagine your buck list consisting of "two days every week for over a year to move stuff from one house to another."
 
Last edited:
I'm loathe to make a list, only because so many of the truly awesome experiences so far have sort of fallen in my lap unexpectedly, in the form of opportunities. That randomness sweetens it for me.
There are times when I am drawn towards a goal, and I will do whatever it takes to achieve it and get tremendous satisfaction from it, but ticking items off a list is just not the way I would choose to do it.
 
John Baker said:
Live your life the best you can, and always do the best you can at whatever you attempt, but be very careful about planing your life too exactly. Leave room to change your course and destination.
Click to expand...

Those are words to live by.
 
What Al Pacino did in Scent of a Woman. I would keep my eyes open in the Ferrari.
 
I want to vote for another BUSH for president
 
fgcason said:
As soon as the things are gone, the experiences take care of themselves and there are a lot more far better experiences than before. Stuff just owns you and turns you into it's slave, not the other way around.
Click to expand...
I can see that point, but I don't think this is universally a good thing.

I agree that there's no point in owning a lot of "things" - like furniture, old books, etc. But owning a pet, for example, is different. Or an airplane. Or a fun car. All of those enable more experiences and, in case of pets, add some dimensions to those experiences that aren't easy to describe.
 
sba55 said:
I can see that point, but I don't think this is universally a good thing.

I agree that there's no point in owning a lot of "things" - like furniture, old books, etc. But owning a pet, for example, is different. Or an airplane. Or a fun car. All of those enable more experiences and, in case of pets, add some dimensions to those experiences that aren't easy to describe.
Click to expand...

Nevermind. I was just saying there's a difference between owning a dog and a car and airplane to enjoy life vs having a warehouse of junk that will never be used that eats up all your time and resources just to retain possession of it just in case it might be useful one of these days.
 
Your lifestyle appears to be consistent with your beliefs. We have talked about selling it all and going sailing or doing the full-time RV gig, but the scales have never tipped far enough to make either an attractive proposition. I don't think that will change, so we'll just continue to make the best lemonade we can.

fgcason said:
Nevermind. I was just saying there's a difference between owning a dog and a car and airplane to enjoy life vs having a warehouse of junk that will never be used that eats up all your time and resources just to retain possession of it just in case it might be useful one of these days.
Click to expand...
 
Write a book that will enlighten humanity and bring an end to all totalitarian ideologies. Humanity will then live in a state of freedom, without oppresive governments of any type.

Yeah, I know, it will NEVER happen. :rolleyes2:
 
Capt.Crash'n'Burn said:
Write a book that will enlighten humanity and bring an end to all totalitarian ideologies. Humanity will then live in a state of freedom, without oppresive governments of any type.

Yeah, I know, it will NEVER happen. :rolleyes2:
Click to expand...

How about "write a book that will show up on Amazon".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top