Fun Monday #27

  Tiggerlane, the Neophyte Blogger is hosting this weeks Fun Monday and here is her assignment for us....

Have you heard of The Bucket List?  Well, that's what I want from you! Make a list of things you want to do before you die. It must be at least five items - and you can make it as long as you desire. Photos are optional. And let's hear about some of the wackiest, most bizarre to-do's on your Bucket List!

This was hard!!  I thought about this assignment a lot.  Too much in fact.  I kept drifting to serious things for my bucket list.  You know, things like working on my marriage, being a better mom, making tons of friends, etc., etc., etc.  But thinking about it, really thinking about it, well, the marriage is what it is and it certainly takes more then just one person to make a marriage work.  My children?  I have a fantastic relationship with my children and one I'm proud of.  As for friends?  I'm a loner and a hermit by nature which means to someone like me?  If I have friends in my life then I have friends in my life, and if I don't?  Then I'm ok with that too.  All things I thought of and all things that are pretty darn good in my life.  But it doesn't focus just on me.  Which is what the Bucket List is all about...I think.  Coming to terms with who 'you' are.  Everyone who knows me knows I'm a wife and a mother first.  Those two things always come first.  But I'll bet you a gazillion dollars there's not a person in my life who knows who 'Joy' is.

So then I stopped thinking so much, stopped being all serious and got down to what the Bucket List is all about.  Taken from the Bucket List..."a desire to spend the time they have left doing everything they ever wanted to do before they "kick the bucket" and an unrealized need to come to terms with who they are."  Very cool.  And so who am I?  Well here's just a few of the things in my Bucket List to give you an idea.....

1. I want to travel.  Circumstances are that I will most likely have to travel alone and where I used to fear it would stop me.....I've decided it's not going to.  I've decided I'm going to be ok with travelling alone.  No way do I want to die without seeing at least some of this world.  Walking on that Great Wall of China, the mystical Egypt, going on an African Safari, the list is endless.  So much so that if I didn't travel?  And I died today?  It would truly be my biggest regret in life. 
2. For years now I have wanted to go dog sledding.  And when Gregg and the kids read this they will be rolling their eyes that I still want to do it.  Years.  I used to be quite obsessive about saying I wanted to go dog sledding too, but people got annoyed and thought it was stupid and I eventually just dropped the idea of going.  But today, on my bucket list?  It isn't stupid and I don't give a hill of beans who thinks it is.  I still want to go dog sledding before I die.
3. I want to see polar bears.  Again, for years now I have wanted to travel to Churchill, Manitoba and see the polar bears.  What's even nicer now is I have a really great camera so I can take some really crumby fuzzy pictures of those polar bears.  But at least I'd have pictures.  Much like the idea of going dog sledding it was a, ahem, stupid idea.  But not to me and before I die I would love to see a polar bear in it's natural habitat.....and before it becomes extinct.
4. I want to go white water rafting.  You know the kind.  Where there are a whole bunch of people in one of those big raft thingys and you have to wear helmets and life jackets and and.....ya.  I want to be scared out of my mind and scream my guts out.  Maybe even pee my pants a little bit because THAT'S how scared I'd be.  This would be a 'face your fear' type of thing because I've always been deathly afraid of the water, not to mention deathly germaphobic about what's in the water.  I was watching tv one day a couple years ago and this episode on white water rafting came on.  I was mesmerized by the fear people expressed but how fun it looked and I said to myself that some day I was going to go white water rafting and face this fear I have.  And I'm going to.
5. I want to see as many WLRA's as I can.  What are WLRA's?  Why that would be World's Largest Roadside Attractions of course.  You know, World's Largest Easter Egg, World's Largest Mushroom, things like that.  I got so frustrated trying to collect them, I eventually stopped.  Let's just say Gregg thinks taking pictures of these things are completely foolish so we never stop if we happen to be near one.  And if I do manage to convince him to stop?  Ugh do I hear about it.  But that's ok because I don't think it's foolish at all, so before I die I want to visit and take pictures of as many WLRA's as I possibly can.
6. It's been just about 7 years since my sister passed away and I still don't know if her ashes were spread or where they were put.  So before I die I would like to know.  Because if they were put somewhere I would like to go there and bring her flowers.  Because she deserves having a place where people can go and visit her....and because she loved flowers so much.

There you have it.  Ok that last one was a bit serious, but give me one will you.  Just six for the Fun Monday bucket list.  I have to say, once I got started I actually have a few more I added to my own private bucket list.

As hard as this Fun Monday started out to be, it ended up being a really fun assignment and I now have my own bucket list locked up away somewhere.  It sure made me think...in a non-serious good sort of way of course.

Comments

[Hootin' Anni]

Mmmmmmmm, dog sledding would be a lot of fun, I'd think!!

My Fun Monday is posted. I had a good time this week, voicing my opinions on Fun Monday.
Happy week to you.

[rotten correspondent]

I think dog sledding sounds like a blast, too.

Happy Fun Monday!

[Ann]

Great list. I LOVE roadside attractions. We don't really have them here in Ireland, but I hear that they do in Australia. (And of course the States.)

[junebug]

My family (the five of us) went white water rafting in Colorado last year. It was the most fun I have ever had. I laughed the whole ride. And paddled. And got wet. But mercy it was fun. I can't wait to go again.

[Mahala]

There's a booming white water rafting business here. My mom worked in the office at one for a few years, I could have gone for free, but I never did.

[Robocop]

Great list. I hope you find out about your sister in the near future.

[Jan]

Great list. I know where your sister is, she's in your heart. Pick a "place" (maybe a corner of your yard) to send you wishes and flowers.

[Emily]

I've always wanted to go white water rafting too...I think it looks like a blast. I have to admit your desire to go dog sledding does crack me up. Just seems so random....but maybe up in Canada it's not that random. Here in Kentucky? Very random. Haha

[junebug]

I'm back to comment again. I do not think that your list is stupid. I could so totally agree on dog-sledding and seeing polar bears in their natual habitat. I would love to walk on the Great Wall and see the Great Pyramids too. Those roadside attractions are fun to photograph. My husband would stop and let me take pictures but we hardly ever travel very far. Now my dad would hardly ever let us stop anywhere when we drove to grandma's house. I would just beg, please let us stop at Will Roger's Memorial or see the arch in St. Louis, this was a yearly trip. We never did. My husband took me to Will Roger's finally. But that was the way my dad was back then, just stick with the plan, no detours. I hope you can accomplish all on your list!

[Karina]

OOOH, Polar bears! That's a great goal, I'd love to see them in their natural habitat too! And travelling is always a great goal, and I'm glad you've decided you can do it alone if you have to!

I too have a pretty big water related fear, so I'm pretty sure I couldn't do white-water rafting...but I almost put skydiving on my list.

[jill]

i really hope you get to do #7, because that's just too sad!

[frannie]

great list!!!!

[ellen b]

What a great adventurous list you have! I hope you do set out and travel on your own...

[ellen b]

OOps I forgot to say that it would be super cool to meet up with Curtis in the grocery store and have him come home and cook for me! Such a cute Australian!

[Peter]

Get to it!!! that list seems to be wqell thought out and do-able.

[Frances]

I think pics of WLRAs are fabulous!
I'd love to to do the same.
Hope your travels will take you through New York,
Frances

[denise]

Great list Joy!

[susan]

OK, your list scares me. You are way more adventurous for me. Having your toes fall off because they were frostbitten while dog sledding? Having a polar bear eat your left arm? Half drowning while hurling down a raging river? No thank you! (OK, so it sounds like fun! Gregg just needs to be thumped on the head so that you can get those great pictures of WLRAs.

[Heather]

Traveling is on my list too. Egypt & Africa are places I'd love to see. Great list Joy.

[Judy]

Joy, great minds think alike because I have made a bucket list too and alot of the things you posted are on my list. I always travel alone so that is never a problem, I too want to see the polar bears and although I did not have dog sledding on my list, I think it would be great fun. I do have ski diving on my list. If you ever want to travel together, I am your gal, I have been to China but only to Hong Kong and did not get to see the Great wall, that is still on my list. I had ice fishing on my list and this past December did that with my sons and had a blast, will do that again too.
Thanks for a great fun Monday and another glimpse at my friend Joy.
Hugs,
Judy

[chrisb]

You won't need to travel alone because there three things on your list that are on mine! I do hope you get to find out about your sister's ashes and get to take flowers.

[Lisa's Chaos]

Come with me to WLRA! I'll help, I know where a few are. :) I don't thinking dog sledding or polar bears are stupid either. :) They have sled races here this time of year but we've been, I would like to see that.

[Carrie]

Dog sledding ~ take me with you! How fun would that be (except for the freezing part.) And white water rafting is a must! We did it last year.

[aims]

Well - I can solve #4 for you quite easily...my brother's business in Sundre....

www.otterraftingadventures.com

we need to talk....

[Sandy]

I would love to travel part way with you on your roadside attractions tour! That sounds like such fun and talk about photo ops!

I loved your list and that you still have your very own non-wife, non-mom desires.

Great job.