Life Lists
Sunday, October 22, 2006 at 03:33PM I love the Ellen Degeneres show. This year, she has added a new theme. People are supposed to develop "life lists" of things they'd love to do in their lifetimes. I've fallen for it and here's mine. Or at least this is the one I have today. It may change tomorrow.
Karen’s Life List
1. See Tom Jones with my son (he loves him too) before he won’t want to go anywhere with me (saw Tom, but missed the window on the son going)
2. Move to Maine or New Hampshire and live in a little cottage for the rest of my days, after getting my son’s college paid
3. Finish one of my books/ideas and try to see if it’s worthy of being published
4. Put my son through college in one year (not quite a year, but I done good)
5. Have enough money to spend a year recording stories of people in a nursing home, keeping them company and publishing their stories
6. Go on a missionary trip
7. Take a trip on the Oslo-Bergen railway
8. Visit Prague
9. Spend a month writing in Florence, Italy
10. Forgive people/stop judging people so quickly
11. Finish blanket I started for my son when he was a baby
12. Sell my house in Mississippi
13. Make a new friend
14. Fall in love
15. Write a short little book of gratitude for the people I have known
16. Stop watching so much television (getting there)
17. Stop being scared of people and life
18. See Vancouver
19. See Alaska
20. Find a church or philosophy that suits me
21. Get a Master’s in English so I can teach (maybe)
22. Drive the Pacific Coast Highway
23. Have an article published in a magazine
24. Invest in a silent retreat in the winter
25. Learn Italian
26. Take an algebra class because I loved it in school
27. Raise some money for a good cause where 100% of the funds go to the cause
28. Get involved in campaign funding reform (www.just6dollars.org)
29. Do or say something kind every day
30. Learn about a different religion or two
31. Spend Christmas in Lake Louise or Quebec City
32. Buy a car that doesn’t use traditional gasoline
33. Help an elderly neighbor rake leaves or do a chore
34. Fly in a small plane over New England in the fall or Hawaii or both
35. Work in a bookstore or a café
36. Try a fancy recipe with a friend
37. Dine alone in public and be comfortable doing it
38. Dress up and have a romantic, fancy, leisurely, candlelit dinner with someone I love someday
39. Go back to Chicago and stay at the Palmer House or NYC and stay at The Plaza
40. Take a bubble bath
41. Lose some weight to feel a bit more healthy (work in progress, but healthy yay)
42. Buy new living room furniture
43. Changed to: Library Express volunteer sign-up and use for interviewing, collecting too
44. Go to a play by myself
45. Own and use a treadmill/elliptical
46. Smile at strangers more (ongoing)
47. Work on a screenplay or get to watch the writing process of turning a novel into a movie or play
48. Figure out what to do with myself since my 16-year-old son is all of a sudden never home
49. Help a single mom who is helping herself
50. Learn how to take great pictures
Reader Comments (1)
So, that leaves me with a challenge for you - sorry for 'coaching' but you know me, I see a talented person going through growing pains and my natural reaction is to encourage them to embrace change and new opportunities. As humans, we all tend to yearn for a new door once in a while, yet we fear what's on the other side - even when it's good.
My challenge to you - organize your list. This has several purposes one of which is helping you the next time you have 'A Different Day'.
How bout a Travel List ranked 1 to X - that's an Algebra thing;) - 1 being the most challenging to pull off and X being the last item that is the simplest trip to do.
Then how about a Writing List - same thing 1 is the most challenging X the least.
I also see patterns for a Learning List and a Volunteer list and a Self-Improvement List. I would try to not to put an item on multiple lists even if it applies. Which list fits the best for each item should be the goal.
Now, for each list, write an asterick next to each item that requires money. Go ahead and put 2 asterisks if it requires mucho dinero.
So, I'll close with my thoughts on your list.
#1 - oh my, is Austin prepared to see his mother launch Tom Jones' legendary souvenir??
#9 - See you there! That is also on my list ;)
#10 - Highly recommend - funny thing about life, it will move on even if we don't, eh? Learn the lesson, forget the experience.
#14 - An ex-girlfriend's sister once gave me great wisdom when she asked how how her sister and I could come together to create 2 when neither of us was whole. It took 3-4 years, but within months of finding my wholeness, I met my love - my wife.
#17 - ah, conquer this and you will move immediately to the front of the line. This is the trap of most people you know - even those you feel are happy and successful.
#22 - recommended amendment: Drive the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible. There is nothing like it - also recommend going North to South.
#30 - love wikipedia.org - I have studied quite a bit about the Middle East and a multitude of religions there. Of course, I highly recommend doing the unusual as I have done and actually LISTEN to the next Jehovah's Witness that knocks. I met a really nice family and got to know them over a summer and learned alot about their drive.
#37 - see comments on #14 and #17
#39 - my absolute favorite spot in Chicago is the Palmer House - a thought: stay around Christmas holiday.
#48 - I think this great list just gave you the ability to check this one off.
#50 - I made a modest living in LA as a photographer. Professional photographers average about a good picture out of 6 and 1 great picture out of 50. It's good to learn basics about lighting and framing, but nothing is better than taking lots of pictures. Check out http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2/3/38&pq-locale=en_US
Hey, you've inspired me to go back and check on my list. I hope you see something in what I've shared. The next time you have 'A Different Day' - pick from the bottom of the tree on one of your lists and 'just do it'. The reward will surprise you...
Cya!