My New Chimerical Kit

My good friend Christina and I have been participating in NaNoWriMo together for two years now.  Next year, we were contemplating choosing a storyline and characters and each writing our novel using the agreed upon plot and setting.  I’m not sure how this is going to work out, but it sounds rather interesting.  I was also recently inspired by my Twitter-bud, @melissaoyler and her friend (Amy) who are choosing a random topic and then each blogging about it.  Christina and I thought this would be an awesome way to test out our ability to write individually on a collective topic.

You can read about Christina’s bucket list here.

Why this list might suck

I can’t remember where we saw the idea, but two weeks ago I came across someone’s “Bucket List,” a list of things to do before you kick the bucket.  The list I saw had 100 things on it.  I have to admit, this week, I’ve been busy.  I had intended on working on this list for two whole weeks before posting.  I haven’t so much as written a draft!  I’m such a bad blogger.  In fact, this whole thing is incredibly off the cuff and barely thought out; which really isn’t like me at all.  In fact, I’ll be lucky if I can get 20 things before the end of the day.

So without further ado, I’ll get started.  Things in bold type are things that I have already completed.  Things in italicized type are things that I’ve started, but haven’t finished.  If I think of it, I’ll put a % complete next to those things in progress.

By the way, I peaked at Christina’s list and noticed that she only got to 75 (for personal reasons) so that’s the mark I’m shooting for.  75 things to do before I die, some of which may be completed or in progress.  I have to say there are probably already things that I have done that I wanted to do that are not included for the simple fact that I’ve checked them off and now don’t remember that I wanted to do them before I died.

Before I die…

By the way, I just want to emphasize that since this is completely off the cuff, these are listed in absolutely no particular order.

1. Stand in all of the five oceans of the world. - 60% complete
2. Own / show a championship Dalmatian at Westminster Dog Show.
3. SCUBA dive in Grand Cayman.
4. Eat at Hell’s Kitchen.
5. Get a Master’s degree.
6. Travel to Iceland.
7. Own a Mini Cooper.
8. Get married and raise a beautiful child. – 50% complete
9. Become fluent in Italian and own a flat in Italy.
10. Go on safari in Africa.
11. Become a published author (success of book is irrelevant).
12. Own and race the #1 North American ranked Dalmatian in NAFA (flyball). - 7% complete
13. Tour Napa Valley wine country on a bicycle.
14. Travel to all 50 states. – 50% complete
15. Swim with the Dolphins.
16. Write my family’s genealogy.
17. Read the entire works of Shakespeare.
18. Own an RV.
19. See the great pyramids of Egypt in person.
20. Participate in an archaeological dig at Jamestown Island, Virginia.
21. Become an archaeologist.
22. Learn to salsa dance.
23. Participate in an archaeological dig at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania (preferably with the Leakeys).
24. Swim in the Devil’s Pool at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
25. Write an awesome iPhone app.
26. Take a tour of my “homeland” in Scotland, hear stories of the clan, and visit the castle (maybe get to stay overnight).
27. Cruise the Amazon.
28. Fly over the International Dateline on my birthday.
29. Get my pilot’s license (then I’ll be certified on land, under the water, and in the air).
30. Become a certified SCUBA diver.
31. Take an EarthWatch expedition.
32. Drive Rt. 66.
33. Be quoted in a newspaper article. (You can read them here and here and here.)
34. Compete at the World Cynosport® Flyball Championships (winning isn’t necessary, just playing!).
35. Travel to Venice, Italy and stay at the Hotel Cipriani. (#33 wins extra special bonus points because my DH proposed in the Piazza del San Marco.)
36. Climb to the top of Notre Dam in Paris, France.
37. Design and build my dream house.
38. Become a member of the NSDAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution).
39. Become a member of the Jamestown Society.
40. See the National Museum of the Native American Indian in NYC.
41. Climb to the top of the Empire State building.
42. Visit an ashram and do yoga with a guru in India.
43. Travel to Rio de Janerio, Brazil and walk along the beach at Ipanema.
44. Learn to play the violin.
45. Sing at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
46. Write a great work of fiction. – 45% complete
47. Have one or more of my own works of photography hang in a gallery.
48. Be debt free.
49. Get a tattoo.
50. Have laser vision correction, maybe.  (Actually, this still freaks me out, but I’d love to have 20/20 vision without correction.)
51. See the Rosetta Stone in person; see the back of the Rosetta Stone in person.  (And, in case there is any confusion I used the italics to put emphasis on what I want to see not to indicate that I’ve seen the back of the Rosetta Stone.)
52. Meet the President of the United States; doesn’t matter which one so long as he’s the active President.
53. Swim with the Stingrays.
54. See the 7 Natural Wonders of the world (which I’d actually accomplish 2 of them by doing #23 and #41). – 14% complete (if you count flying over the Grand Canyon in Gulfstream 5 as seeing the Grand Canyon.)
55. Travel to Bethlehem, Israel.
56. Ride through the Panama Canal by boat.
57. Learn to ride a horse.
58. Travel to Morocco.
59. Learn to sail.
60. Learn to cook. (Seems silly, I know… but there was a time when I would have starved if there wasn’t someone to do the cooking for me.)
61. Complete the Platinum Level recognition for the Dalmatian Club of America Distance Logging program with Magnolia. – 13% complete
62. See Niagra Falls.
63. Swim with the Manatees.
64. Visit Alaska.
65. Learn to skeet shoot.
66. Win an athletic competition of some sort.
67. Spend a week in Italy traveling to the major cultural centers.
68. See Chichen Itza.
69. Drive through Red Wood forest in California.
70. Take my cousin on a trip to Europe (location yet to be determined).
71. Own a car for pleasure (i.e., a convertible that you only drive when it’s pretty out).
72. Master Ardha Chandrasana without props.
73. Be flexible enough to do Natarajasana.
74. Become a professional genealogist.

Update:  If you happened to read this post before 1432 on Friday, March 6, 2009 you will have noted an incredibly cheesy #75.  After thinking long and hard about this entry over a nice, ice-cold McDonald’s Sweet Tea I have decided that #75 isn’t a bucke list item.  #75 is more of an ideal to live by.  Therefore, with no regret what-so-ever #75 has been deleted.  Perhaps I will replace it, perhaps not.  Either way, I think 74 items for an off-the-cuff list is pretty good.  Serves me right for waiting till the last minute.

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