A bucket list...really??

So today, one of my fellow teachers posted on Facebook that she was able to mark one more thing off her "Bucket List" because she ran a full 5k (way to go Beth!!)  That got me thinking about this whole Bucket List thing again. My youngest daughter has one. I'm sure it's written down somewhere. She has all kinds of crazy stuff on hers. I shiver when I find out some of the things she has already marked off her list!

So I was wondering what people actually put on their lists. Where do you go when you want to find out something like that? Google, of course.  I googled Bucket list and sure enough...there were thousands of entries. As I was perusing some of them, I asked myself the question "Why??" What would be a reason for wanting to make an actual list of things you want to do before you "kick the bucket"?  One of the websites I came across had some pretty good insight.
http://personalexcellence.co/blog/whats-on-your-bucket-list-101-things-to-do-before-you-die/
Quotes like “Every man dies – Not every man really lives.” ~ William Ross
Whoa...that's pretty profound.  Here's something else the author of the website says about bucket lists:

"Why have a bucket list? If you don’t live your days by personal goals and plans, chances are you spend most of your time caught up in a flurry of day-to-day activities. Ever feel your days are passing you by without any tangible output to speak of? What did you accomplish in the past 3 months? What are your upcoming goals for the next 3 months? Look at the things you did and the things you’re planning to do next – Do they mean anything to you if you are to die today?"

I started really thinking about what I want to DO in my life. Do I have goals? I have accomplished quite a few things in my life...nothing majorly huge, just life stuff. But what do I want to do NOW? What do I want to accomplish? So here it is...edition 1 of Kim's Bucket List (these things are in absolutely NO order. The randomness of the list is a good picture of the randomness of my brain!)

Kim's BUCKET LIST

1. Stay in a Suite in a fancy hotel in Chicago
2. Own a Ford Mustang
3. Lead someone to Christ
4. Take a photography class
5. Take a cake decorating class
6. Wear a size 6 (in something other than underwear)
7. Run a 5K
8. Run a 10K
9. Build a deck on my house
10. Write something that gets published (DONE!! 6/8/12!)
11. Have my own business
12. Help someone achieve his/her dream
13. Own a full blooded doberman
14. See my youngest grandchild graduate from college
15. Get my teeth fixed
16. Have Lasik eye surgery
17. Have 100% of my students pass the CRCT
18. Make someone laugh really hard
19. Take a vacation with just me and my hubby to Gulf Shores (or similar beach destination)
20. Buy my kids and grandkids whatever I want to buy them at Christmas
21. Visit Naomi and her family for a week or so
22. See all three of my girls graduate from college
23. Give a large sum of money to a missionary
24. Pay off my student loans
25. Take a carriage ride in St. Augustine with my hubby
26. Retire
27. Have a pool at my house
28. Meet (or at least see in person) Guy Fieri
29. Spend a week seeing the sights and eating the great food in Chicago
30. Take all the kids and grandkids to Disney World
31. Build something with my dad
32. Do an in depth topical Bible study
33. Memorize all the names of God
34. Learn how to can
35. Get my personal trainer certification
36. Teach an aerobics class
37. Take ball room dance lessons
38. Run an organized race with Kelly
39. Volunteer at a shelter on Thanksgiving or Christmas
40. Own a pair of Chacos
41. Eat at Paula Deen's restaurant in Savannah
42. Plant a plum tree
43. Visit at LEAST 25 restaurants featured on DD&D
44. Have a photograph that I take, hanging (framed) on my wall in my house
45. Motivate someone to change their life

So there it is. One thing for every year of my life thus far. I'm sure there will be more additions to the list as I think about it. Now it's time for me to get off here and go plant a tree or somethin'!