Thanks for your photos of some of your bucket list stops! When I saw the photo of you looking down to the valley, I instantly thought of Switzerland. I did that hike to the top of the Grosse Mythen - it was a little challenging! But what a great view! Along the way we say a Swiss family, and the dad was carrying a 2 year old on his shoulders - that seemed pretty crazy, but he was young and confident! Another hike like that is to the top of Angel's Landing in Zion National Park. The photos make it look so exciting and challenging, and it is, but really the path is at least 8 feet wide in the narrowest of places.
What I liked about the idea of a bucket list between friends, is that it is less about achieving the list, and more about spending time with a good friend.
Am in agreement with that, Tom. And I don't think the movie did much to explore it. The movie could have been much more, but turned out to be kind of dopey, as Roger Ebert pointed out.
Nice article, Doug. Some good advice I received from a friend years ago: Make a bucket list and limit it to five things. Place it in your wallet and share it with no one, not even your spouse. You’ll find that you won’t work on the list; the list will work on you.” I did, and it did!
This was 40 years ago, and I honestly am having a hard time recalling them all. One was to visit China (after the Nixon visit and before the modernization surge). Another was to own a BMW, of all things! Another was to read the entire Bible, cover to cover. And I think one of the others was to take the family on an undisturbed vacation in our boat in the Bahamas, which we did. And I just can’t remember the fifth one. But I remember the bucket list exercise quite well.
This was fun to read. You didn't say whether or not you went to China. My parents made the trip soon after Nixon opened relations, but before China was really set up to handle western tourists. I love the idea of taking the family on a boat. Since we're not sailors (and don't have a boat), our family gathered between Christmas and New Years at a VRBO in La Mesa, CA. Similar idea!
Great to share some conversation with you today at LJ's. Thanks for the article.
I enjoyed the conversation too. One day you'll have to introduce me to the owner!
My brother Dave, the etymologist, has these thoughts on the origins of "bucket list": https://www.wordorigins.org/big-list-entries/kick-the-bucket-bucket-list
Thanks for this! As your brother demonstrates, a discussion about the origin of bucket list would have required a separate post.
I'll stay with my description, while being grateful for the additional background. Thank you, Carlos!
Thanks for your photos of some of your bucket list stops! When I saw the photo of you looking down to the valley, I instantly thought of Switzerland. I did that hike to the top of the Grosse Mythen - it was a little challenging! But what a great view! Along the way we say a Swiss family, and the dad was carrying a 2 year old on his shoulders - that seemed pretty crazy, but he was young and confident! Another hike like that is to the top of Angel's Landing in Zion National Park. The photos make it look so exciting and challenging, and it is, but really the path is at least 8 feet wide in the narrowest of places.
What I liked about the idea of a bucket list between friends, is that it is less about achieving the list, and more about spending time with a good friend.
Am in agreement with that, Tom. And I don't think the movie did much to explore it. The movie could have been much more, but turned out to be kind of dopey, as Roger Ebert pointed out.
Nice article, Doug. Some good advice I received from a friend years ago: Make a bucket list and limit it to five things. Place it in your wallet and share it with no one, not even your spouse. You’ll find that you won’t work on the list; the list will work on you.” I did, and it did!
I agree - that's good advice. But now I'm curious to see your five!
This was 40 years ago, and I honestly am having a hard time recalling them all. One was to visit China (after the Nixon visit and before the modernization surge). Another was to own a BMW, of all things! Another was to read the entire Bible, cover to cover. And I think one of the others was to take the family on an undisturbed vacation in our boat in the Bahamas, which we did. And I just can’t remember the fifth one. But I remember the bucket list exercise quite well.
This was fun to read. You didn't say whether or not you went to China. My parents made the trip soon after Nixon opened relations, but before China was really set up to handle western tourists. I love the idea of taking the family on a boat. Since we're not sailors (and don't have a boat), our family gathered between Christmas and New Years at a VRBO in La Mesa, CA. Similar idea!