I’ve been writing the ultimate to-do list – a bucket list, if you will. Nothing in particular has prompted it and the last few days of 2010, my 43rd year, aren’t especially auspicious. It’s just that time is passing and, if I’m going to get Things done, I’d really better get cracking. The past 12 months have seen me gone from thanking my lucky stars and clinging to metaphorical wreckage to actually considering being able to plot a course. Of course, you can’t have a course without a destination.
So in no particular order:
See the aurora borealis. A long-held ambition that even defied a trip to Iceland.
Fly a seaplane to some fabulous Scottish West Coast island hideaway.
Become comfortable with public speaking, maybe even enjoy it.
Climb Kilimanjaro.
Visit the Australian rellies, in Australia.
See my sons all settled in homes, jobs and lives that make them happy.
Learn to salsa dance.
Get a novel published.
Go on a yoga retreat.
Fit back into all those clothes.
Work less.
Ski more.
Get a non-fiction book published.
Conquer the clutter (or at least make peace with it). Picture shows today’s step in that direction.
Have a lovely garden.
Learn to take good pictures with my lovely new camera.
To be the kind of confident freelancer who can pick and choose.
Visit Russia.
Visit India.
Stay in an ice hotel.
Visit New Orleans.
Learn to say no without feeling bad.
Go fire walking.
Travel on the Orient Express.
Spend a night in New York.
Learn to paint, and I don’t mean emulsion.
Continue to share daily conversations with my lovely husband.
Continue to spend memorable times with my fabulous family.
Finish the Times crossword.
See the RSC at Stratford.
Climb more mountains.
Go back to live in Cumbria.
Cook more food for more people more often.
Don’t leave a day unseized.
So there you have it, the List as it stands. I expect there will be additions and amendments.
What’s on yours?
I like your list, and there are some I would be happy to do with you. Now I suppose the next thing is to prioritise them – but maybe that's getting too earnest about it. Then again, it can be useful to know your limitations so you can let yourself off the hook occasionally. And another trick that gets you through is to learn to like the things you have to do.
Enough of the philosophies and cliches – enjoy working your way through your list!!
Great list, I'd like to do some of those myself.
I've been working on my own list, but I'm struggling with it to be honest. Maybe I don't have enough ambition? I'll give it some more thought.
Oh Ellen I love your list and share many of your ambitions. I have always wanted to see the Aurora Borealis and would definitely have that at the very top of my list along with visiting Nepal and cycling from John O'Groats to Landsend.
I have climbed Kilimanjaro and would do it again in a heartbeat – it was amazing.
I have been thinking a lot lately about the 'seize the day' approach to life and have already put it down as a New Years Resolution. What a way to live.
Great Bucket List – have fun! xx
May all your wishes come true. And I'll let you have the promised type drawer to help with the clutter-conquering next time we manage to liaise.
xxx
Anonymous! That would be lovely. Let's get going.
not Supermum, I don't think they have to be fantastically ambitious. Mine aren't really. Just what you fancy getting done but are too busy with the boring business of life.
Louisa, Thanks very much. Good luck with yours.
Deb, The type drawer will be brilliant. Thanks very much. I'm woman, hear me sort out clutter! xx
Excellent list – can I join you on some of them too?
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Great list. I have rellies in Oz too, got a lot of saving to do before we get there though!
XxX