12. Share your Bucket List

http://thesleepingsky.deviantart.com/art/Kick-the-Bucket-306382337

I have never taken the time to make up or really consider a bucket list at all before.  I know for some people bucket lists take on a very serious nature or more urgency when they know their time left here is limited, but in general I tend to think of making one as something of whimsical exercise.  I do not know if I deviate from the typical format when considering my bucket list because I think of the things on the list as things I would really very much like to do.  Not things that I HAVE to do before I pass on.  The things I have to do are much more boring to talk about and much more personal then the things that I want to do.  I think that there are so many things that I would love to do and see that I will probably have to try and limit this bucket list.  I know choices will have to be made and unless I were to fall into some sort of sudden fortune that achieving all of it would be rather challenging.  So here are some of the things that I think would bring me joy and are adventure's I'd like to take or things I might like to experience before I .... kick the bucket... as they say. 

1. Travel the World

Now travelling the World is a rather broad statement.  What I really mean by it is I would like to go to other countries in each and every continent (save for Antarctica probably) and meet the people, experience some of the culture, and most importantly eat some of the yummy foods while indulging in a few of their preferred libations.  A few of the places I would really like to visit include: Australia, New Zealand, more of Canada (I've been to Montreal once), Ireland, Hawaii, Spain, Japan, China, Fiji, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates (particularly Dubai), Israel, Greenland, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, England, France, Russia, Ecuador and Argentina, just for starters.  Too ambitious?  Perhaps.  I know I would not want to visit all the places in a rush, it would have to be over the course of several years.  I would also develop a much more specific plan for visiting particular places or cities in those countries, rather than the vague list I have here.  If I had to limit things to a more realistic or hopefully attainable goal then I'd likely have to list only 3 or 4 places.  If forced to choose, I really want to see the Grand Canyon.  I would love to spend some time at an exotic island, either in Hawaii or Fiji.  I would love to visit  Australia so I can know more about where Carlyn Girl lives and the culture and attitudes of those who live Down Under.  Finally I would want to visit either Germany and go on a German beer bar crawl OR France and go on a wine crawl with friends/family.  Haha. 

2.  See a San Diego Chargers American Football game live IN San Diego

I guess I may have cheated a bit on the travel the world thing with this one, seeing as it was not part of that, but it would require me to travel quite a distance seeing as I live in New York.  The Chargers are my favourite football team and I have never seen them play live and in person.  As a New York Mets baseball fan and a New York Islanders hockey fan, while I have not been able to frequent their games live and in person, being a native New Yorker I have seen both of them play on close to a dozen occasions all told.  I might have to settle for watching the Chargers play somewhere on the east coast against the Buffalo Bills (I have been to 5 Bills games before), The New York Jets or Giants or the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans or New England Patriots.  I picked those teams because they are either closest to where I live or closest to where I know some one who might go with me to a game.

3.  Run a marathon

Maybe I'll be one of those people who runs his first marathon when he's 50 or so, because I definitely have some work to do to be in shape enough to achieve this.  I did run quite a bit when I was in college and when I did, I rather enjoyed it.  So if I could get in shape again, I think that running a marathon is something I could enjoy doing.  It would not be with the goal of winning it.  I'm not trying to be the next Meb Keflezighi here.  I would like to do it for a sense of pride and personal achievement.  Maybe if it came down to it, I could settle and still be happy with running two half marathons and simply telling people, "oh yeah... I ran a marathon".  Haha!

4.  Really learn an instrument: either re-learn cello or learn piano

I played cello from 3rd grade until 12th grade, my senior year in high school.  I am NOT very good at reading music though.  I rely a lot more on learning music by ear.  I have not retained much if any of what I learned relative to reading music.  I found this out the hard way when I took cello up again in my junior and senior year of college.  I loved playing in the school orchestra again, it was a lot of fun, but I was not even half as good as I was back when I was a senior in high school.  Now it's been 16 years since I graduated college and last played the cello, so I'm guessing my skills have not magically returned during the absence.  I also LOVE piano music.  My sister mentioned that it's one of the best instruments to learn how to read music because it's played in so many different musical clefs.  As a cellist we played primarily in base clef and whenever we had to shift into a different clef I was like a little lost lamb.  I also sing in base clef so I've had by far the most experience with it.  My oldest brother said that he would like to take piano lessons some day.  I hope he does so, as he is a real music lover and was the only one of the four of us not to play an instrument growing up.  I think he did sing in chorus for a bit when he was in the younger grades. 

5.  Be able to do a whiskey tasting of high end whiskeys

I rather enjoy my whiskey and I've been fortunate to taste several excellent whiskeys.  That said, I'm not an expert and couldn't really distinguish many of the unique flavors or scents that a whiskey connoisseur might be able to.  I don't know that I desire becoming a connoisseur, but I've been to wine tastings and beer tastings before.  They are always fun to go on, and I think if I could go on a whiskey tasting with someone else who really enjoys whiskey (possibly my brother in law David), that it would be a really awesome experience. 

6.  Go to a New York Mets game at Citi Field with my entire family

I brought this up to my family members last year and originally hoped that we could actually do this, this year.  Time and distance  are the biggest obstacles in the way because most of us still work (all of us except for my mom) and we do not all live close together. My mom and oldest brother Robert's family are only about an hour and a half drive away from me (we're about 3 hours away from Citi Field) but my sister Heather and her husband David and my brother Clifford and his wife Tracy and son Tristram live in Virginia and Pennsylvania respectively, each 7-8 hours away and much further from Queens, New York where the Mets play.  As I said, I've been to Mets games before, but our entire family has never been to a game together.  None of us have yet been to a game at the Mets new Stadium, Citi Field which opened a few years ago.  I think it would be awesome for all of us to go to at least ONE game together.  Even though some family members are not really baseball fans.  Right now my mom and I have discussed it and are tentatively trying to figure out something for 2015.  With dad having passed he of course can not go, but he'd be with us in spirit.  This is probably one of the things on my bucket list that I consider most tangible, and as such I really desire the chance to make it work. 

7.  Take up a new sport

I've mentioned this as a goal on my adventures before.  It is something I have not yet done, but see as attainable and something that I would really like to do.  I most often consider trying to learn curling.  It looks like a fun and interesting sport that combines athleticism and logic.  To me it seems in a way like athletic chess or checkers, except with teammates.  I love all those aspects.  The team aspect, the strategy and the fact that while physical it does not appear to  require that you over exert yourself.  I also like that it is on ice and I have never really done any sports on ice.  I've never played ice hockey or ice skated even.  Nor have I ever been on a bobsled or anything like that.

8.  To meet some of my on line friends

I know that online friend meet-ups can create all sorts of issues.  How well do we really know the people we meet on line?  The more people who meet, the more personalities you're dealing with, and as such, not everyone will get along or enjoy the meet up necessarily.  Having a plan is good and important so that you don't end up doing nothing or taking up too much time deciding what you want to do, but not everyone follows a plan once it is made and that can be frustrating too.  When you meet it's probably best to meet in a place where no one lives too near to because they might feel the pressure or obligation to "host".  There are inherent concerns when meeting people in a strange place who you've only met in the online setting.  All those things have to be considered, along with other factors I'm sure.  Everyone has different finances and the ability or inability to afford to do different things.  I've heard of horror stories and bad or simply not very fun experiences from some people who have done those kinds of meet ups.   Sometimes I think the fewer the people the easier.  It also takes more trust though because you want everyone to feel and BE safe. 

Those are all important things to consider.  I think preparation is important, but when you've developed a bond and a friendship on line over several years, you usually share at least a few interests in common having formed that bond.  Therefore you should be able to find agreeable and fun things to do together, and hopefully have trust and feel safe around each other. 

9.  Learn how to dance

I feel like I'm a horrible dancer.  Well... I've seen video... so I KNOW I'm a horrible dancer.  That does not stop me from dancing at weddings and the various and sundry affairs that people generally dance at.  Yes, even though it's been a while, I've danced at my fair share of clubs over the years too.  One of these days I'd like to take a few dance classes in a variety of different dance styles to improve my "moves" on the dance floor.  Hopefully some day there will be at least ONE wedding video out there that I can watch without having to hide or cover my face.  It's not like I need to see myself and think I'm the best out there.  I simply would like to not have to stand out by virtue of having two left feet.  You must know your limitations and the simple ambiguity of blending in would satisfy me to no end! Haha!

10. Attend a Renaissance Fair

This definitely seems like an attainable goal to me.  I would have to do some research.  I know that we have some local Renaissance Fairs.  I do not want to go to just "any" Renaissance Fair though.  Ideally I would like to find out about one that has a very good reputation.  I've been to all sorts of fairs and festivals over the years but never attended a Renaissance Fair.  I am usually up for doing something new and different.  I don't know if people dress up in character or try to dress to reflect the period when they attend a Renaissance Fair or if they simply go to watch.  I think it would be kind of cool to get into it and feel apart of the Fair.  I don't have the desire to participate in jousting or anything like that.  I don't want to be a performer, but the idea of immersing myself in the experience around the performers might be fun.  Hopefully I could go with someone or multiple someones who were excited and eager to experience the Renaissance Fair as well.  The best part of any place you visit or event you experience is the people who you experience it with. 

As I mentioned, there are soooo many things that I would put on this list, and while these are not all of them, I think that they are a good starting point.  Actually listing them actually seems to inspire a bit more motivation to make them more of a reality and not merely a dream.  I am pretty sure I will not do all of the things on my bucket list.  I think that the goal is to try and do as many as possible, but NOT with the expectation to just cross them off your list, but with the expectation of having a new and/or fun and or exciting experience.  It will be really wonderful if at some point later on in our blog I am able to write about actually completing some of the things on my list.  This is/was a really fun exercise for me to take part in and consider.  I highly recommend that people create a bucket list and hopefully having done so, they, and I, having done so myself now, find inspiration to carry through with as many of the things on our lists as we can.