The Anti Bucket List

It's not that hard to make up a Bucket List, things you'd like to do before you kick the bucket. What about an anti-bucket list?  It means: What are things you don't want to do, ever? Here are some of mine:

• I have no desire to climb a mountain, in fact, I think people who do are crazy.

                                                                                                                   How is this fun????

• Also, it would be just fine with me if I never flew in a 4-seater plane again.
• As a sub-category, I plan to live happily without discovering zip lines, carnival rides, bungie jumping, sky-diving, or anything else involving being many feet above the ground. 
• I intend to never eat an insect, in any form, even chocolate-coated.
• I can be content to never go on safari, great photo ops or not

• Nor do I have a burning desire to visit Siberia.
• I am one of about five people on earth with no body piercings whatsoever, and I'm fine with that.
• I'll never get a tattoo.
• Cruise? No, thanks. A couple of thousand people stuck on one ship? No.
• Or, take a ride in a submarine. Nope.
• I'll never run for political office.
• I'll never enjoy meetings.
• And I'm never going to like ice-breaker activities.
• Hitch-hiking, no.
• I'll never be a smoker. Doesn't appeal to me a bit.
• Drinking alcohol or taking drugs, nope. 
• Las Vegas has about zero appeal to me. Pay for a plane to take me somewhere to waste money?
• Swimming with sharks? Um, no.
• Attend a high school reunion.
• Run a marathon. Or, run a 3K. Or, just run. I don't run.

• Become even remotely interested in sports, but especially football, basketball, soccer, cricket, volleyball, or boxing.
• Become a slave to my phone.
• Eat one of those 1000 year old eggs. Yech.
• Get arrested or go to jail
• Learn how to use Excel. I just can't think of much that's more boring than queries and formulas. Blech.
• Learn how to play the bagpipes. It's a shame, I know.

Here's a good assessment of why 'traditional' bucket lists are basically stupid: https://zenhabits.net/anti-bucket/

 

What about some anti-bucket items that might make life a little better? I hope I never...

• Contribute to someone's unhappiness
• Avoid helping when I can help
• Ignore those who are in need
• Turn a blind eye to a problem
• Become apathetic about justice
• Turn cynical and give up on a frustrating world
• Lose my sense of humor

• Decide to do nothing at all rather than something 'small'
• Forget how good I have it
• Become unappreciative of my health, and forget to take care of myself
• Stop learning
• Stop sharing knowledge
• Stop noticing the world and people around me
• Dismiss nature: The perfection of a flower, the sun, the moon and stars and clouds, the busyness of animals and insects, their perfect instincts

• Become less than kind and respectful as much as possible
• Miss an opportunity to say I Love You to people that matter to me
• Lose gratefulness for every little thing, because they are big things
• Give up on anything, especially myself.

What would you put on an anti-bucket list?


Here's to 2018: Cheers!!
And let's get rid of the bucket.

 

 

My Favorite Things

Some of the things we like best about life aren't always things. Give some thought to what your favorites are this holiday season, and how we're all wealthy in small ways.

 

Here are a few of my favorite things....

• The smell of rain
• Thunderstorms

 

• Puppies
• Kittens
• The first tulips in spring

 

• The sound of wind chimes
• Going barefoot on soft grass
• Singing
• Cupcakes
• The Library!!!

 

• Children with their front teeth missing
• Snow that falls in clumps
• A blizzard
• Soup
• Receiving a letter or a package in the mail
• Holding a baby as she sleeps
• Hearing a great song for the first time
• Cheesecake
• Rainbows

• Having a day all to myself
• The sound of snow crunching under my feet
• The smell of a campfire
• Small town parades
• Hot apple cider
• Being unable to stop laughing about something

 

• Oboes
• A full tank of gas
• A sound sleep
• Otters

 

• Butterflies
• Taking one perfect picture
• The entire season of Fall
• Most of Winter
• Sitting on a dock in summer with my feet in the water
• Completing a project and knowing it turned out well
• Plays and concerts
• Smores
• A great haircut

 

• Sitting with a quilt tucked around me, reading a great book
• Walks
• Warm cookies from the oven
• My grandmother's pocket watch

 What are your favorites?

Summer Essay Series #1: Gratefulness Journal

Things I Am Grateful For Today:

For the sun, shining warm and bright, making everything clear and positive-looking
For the residual scent of the rain that fell last night, gentle thunder announcing itself

For the ability to see. Birds, grass, water, flowers, and most importantly, people
For my little car, dependable and fun to drive, it gets me where I need to go
For music....what would life be without it??
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=funny+music+car+sing+sister+shape+of+you&&view=detail&mid=A04F8D7D2C5F89D14F16A04F8D7D2C5F89D14F16&FORM=VRDGAR

For being able to walk. For having shoes to wear--lots of them
For the changing seasons, which I love so much

For clothing, so much that I could clothe several other people, and a warm coat for winter.
For a roof over my head and a place to rest at the end of the day

For electricity, clean running water, heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer.
For not only having enough to eat, but having so many choices

For being safe at home, in my city, in my country.
For the people I care about, and because they are doing well.

For interests that fulfill me and challenge me
For having access to good medical care when I need it
For having a say in who governs my country, and when I disagree, the freedom to express that
For various kinds of help that's only a phone call away


And, I am really grateful for work that has purpose: I get to see people succeed.

What are you grateful for today?