The Bucket List I Never Planned on Writing

 

I just completed a Lifespan Calculator assessment, and the findings suggest that I shall live to the age of 90. Considering my mother and grandmother made it to 92 and 99 respectively, it makes sense. I don’t use tobacco, rarely drink alcohol and there are no Biden signs in my yard. If my wife doesn’t rent a woodchipper I am probably safe.

 I am approaching my 70^th birthday and for the last 45 minutes I’ve been contemplating writing out a bucket list, because in the future I might not remember what I wanted to do before I die. I will post it below – with extremely little thought. That is how I roll. Let’s have it. My list in no order (although it would be cool if some of these things happened while I still can enjoy them:

 . Spend an afternoon (morning or evening would work) with all my grandkids (at different times) so I could really get to know them and let them know me better. Eventually they might read my stories and want them to know I wasn't as creepy as I appeared to be.

. Travel – if it has a beach and the sun, I’d be happy, but I would love to visit DC with my wife or any place she might suggest. We haven’t traveled since the Pandemic, and I miss it.

. Quick working away from home – not today, or soon. I feel healthy enough to work, but I’m not always going to be young and the drive to and from Nashville is 45 minutes each way.

. Take a trip to my hometown (Coldwater, Michigan) and have coffee with old friends. Social media is great for bonding, but I’d like to make an extra effort.

. Take myself seriously as a writer. If I accomplish this, others might follow, but what I think about myself is most important. I am working on this.

. See my brothers again without involving a funeral. Sorry for how I put that, but we’re all “getting up there” and although we got together last year, I miss them.

. To win a Bram Stoker Award – testing to see who reads this. I don’t want to swamp you with items connected to writing, but with 20 years left this is important to me. I write daily (or plot out pieces of stories) and plan to have 3 novels completed in the next two years. Hopefully some shorts as well (that means available for readers).

. Be a better husband – in case she reads this I will make it short. I’ve got a wonderful wife and want to make her happy. I can be quite irritating at times.

Stopping at eight items, otherwise it would be forced, and I can always add more (I have 20 years). I’ve always thought bucket lists were stupid, but I think we all have them. We just don’t write them down.

 

Have a great day.