146 Bucket list

My Depressing Bucket List 

Oh, dear Readers, just reread Savvy Trish and Savvy Frances. Depressed me! I fear I was never a beauty queen. The idea of an evening gown was just not my style. I took my Father and my camera to the prom for the school newspaper. 

My look then and now is country classic. No bling here! But I did do lots of drama--in high school and with the local adult thespian group--until Motherhood arrived. In one hillbilly play, A Feudin’ over Yonder (no Emmy for that author), I was Mountain Maggie, the hunch-backed white witch with a bag-lady outfit as I hobbled with my grandfather’s cane across the stage. 

The next year, I was cast as Mrs. VanderVanter, the snobby villain. I got to wear a mink coat (yep, it was real and it was really HOT). I even had a cigarette holder (with white rolled up paper tipped with red marker stuck at the end of it). Later, I was one of the three ladies-in-waiting in a local production of “Once upon a Mattress.” I surrender. You win! Both of you!

Thinking about theatre, though, brought me to my “bucket list.” And I loved the movie of the same name. 

I read 26 (using Google) randomly selected bucket lists by both noted folks and regular folks. So far, in my bucket are:

1. Never get cancer again

2. Have enough money to not worry about paying bills

3? 4? 5?

I am finding this very, very sad. Okay, depressing.

There is honestly no place in the world I yearn to go. I worked three summers as a travel agent and went all over Europe and the beautiful and exotic third-world countries I wanted to see traveling with my family. I loved St. Petersburg. My favorite cities are Italian--Florence and Venice. 

The best trip ever was Egypt--from Cairo to Aswan with two weeks of stops. This was long enough ago that we did go down into the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, rode camels to the pyramids, and saw many, many HUGE Ramses statues. 

In the U.S., I love New York City. I even used my slush fund for a tiny, teeny studio for several years. Oh, the energy, the excitement, the wonder. But, been there, done that, have lots of t-shirts, street corner bags, and pashminas.

Some of the bucket list ideas I read and my lifestyle absolutely did not click. I am a reader, game player, and believer in volunteering. I do not like the outdoors very much. Each season has its own particular beauty, but I like the outdoors from inside with a big window. I hate mosquitoes who can find me in a crowd!

Here are some of the Google ideas that made me laugh: Run in the Boston Marathon (yeah, right), take a cycling vacation (haven’t been on a bike in 30 or more years), parachute from a plane (hey, I don’t like to change light bulbs if I have to stand on a ladder), and learn to cook or sew. I cook well enough so that 

we do not go hungry, and--you will love this--got thrown out of Home Economics class in high school because my required apron that we all had to make fell apart. I laughed (oh, that was a BIG OLE NO, NO) and told the teacher “I could care less about aprons” (sassy!!!)-–“no one I knew ever wore them.” Off to the principal, wrote an apology letter, and transferred to the typing class. 

One decent site suggested we reimagine all the things we thought we would do from childhood until now and see what interests remained. 

When I was little, I wanted to be a Queen with lots of servants and beautiful jewels. (So realistic right along with all 6th-grade boys who want to be professional sports icons). 

The only recurring consideration I could find for the long haul was to get a Ph.D. I have looked into this several times. Why have I never done it? I cannot fathom a subject that interests me enough to put in all the work.

With majors in sociology and anthropology, lots of statistics, and a master’s in education, I have sophomoric knowledge on many topics, but never have I had a career passion. Never. No passions – lots of interests. 

Sad, isn’t it? Hmm… perhaps I should put in my bucket:

3. Figure out what I want to do IF I ever grow up.

I seek your guidance and your suggestions. What’s on YOUR bucket list that is non-athletic and not travel-based? Oh, and not dependent on being born royal. I would love to hear from you. I think I need HELP!

Not so Savvy Glenne