My Mom would always say that I had a list for everything. I'm a list maker. I love making lists. So, several years ago, I sat down and carefully wrote out my bucket list. I wanted my goals to be 1). attainable and, mostly, realistic, 2). safe'ish, 3). taking into consideration both the small and big picture, and 4). FUN!! It's exciting to have something to look forward to and so gratifying to fulfill a desire.
Bucket lists are as unique as the person writing them out. I'm sure many of the aspirations I've inventoried would be laughable to some, perhaps insignificant. But that's the beauty in a bucket list - IT'S ALL YOURS. You can add to it at anytime and you manage how quickly or slowly you cross off those items. You can conquer it alone, or with someone you love...or like. I truly believe that if you set your mind to it, you can achieve just about anything. So why not dream big?
JOY'S BUCKET LIST
1. Swim with dolphins
2. Get into a cage and swim with sharks (note: sharks are outside the cage)
3. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
4. Ride an elephant in India
5. Visit the Taj Mahal
6. Visit the pyramids
7. Swim in all the oceans of the world
8. Photograph every ocean in the world
9. Skydive
10. Visit Mount Everest
12. Spend the night in a haunted house alone
13. Sing in front of a large audience
14. Visit all 50 states
15. See the Northern Lights
16. Visit Sweden
18. Visit the Weribee Mansion in Australia
19. Sing "The Sound of Music" in the Alps
20. Learn Latin
21. Go horseback riding on the beach
22. Visit Greece
23. Visit every country in Europe and document it photojournalistcally
25. Sell one of my songs
26. Record an EP
27. See the Coliseum in Rome
28. Visit the birthplace of Jesus
29. Visit Golgotha - see the tomb of Jesus
30. Have my photographs published
31. Be hired by a magazine to travel and do photography
32. Meet Kiefer Sutherland
33. See a play on Broadway
34. See an opera in Italy
35. Sing on stage with Jeff
36. Visit all 7 continents
37. Make a terminally ill child's dream come true
38. Photo journal the day in the life of someone in a third world country
39. Teach the children's sermon at church
40. Have a baby and be a Mommy
41. Visit the birthplace of Motown
42. Take a photography class with Audrey Woulard
43. Spend the day taking pictures with Bryan Adams
44. Volunteer with Hospice
47. Meet Dr. Dre
48. Learn to play guitar proficiently
49. Perform one of my own songs live
50. Find that engaged couple I photographed last year (See story here)
51. Live/work in NYC
52. Meet Annie Liebovitz
53. Spend a summer in Montana
51. Live/work in NYC
52. Meet Annie Liebovitz
53. Spend a summer in Montana
I wonder how many people reading this have accomplished some of the things on my list? I wonder how many I've accomplished on yours? Sure, some of the items are kind of trivial and some are really moving. Some seem pretty far fetched, but I think they're all doable. I may have to get pretty creative with a few of these. I mean, I never expected in a MILLION YEARS to see the last living Temptation perform - mostly because I thought they were all dead - but when I read that Otis Williams was in fact alive and well (and, thankfully, still touring) I knew I had a shot. A shot indeed. I even shook his hand. That's, like, extra credit bucket list points!!
The list will continue to grow for as long as I have goals to accomplish. And, as long as there's breath in me, and the good Lord allows, I plan to journey on.
So, what's on YOUR bucket list?
