Thursday, January 07, 2016

Bilbo's Bucket List, Updated for 2016


The last time I updated my bucket list (the things I want to do/accomplish before I "kick the bucket") was back in August of 2010, so I figured the start of a new year was a good time to take a look at my list and see if it still reflects my goals. Let's take a look ...

1. Dance at the weddings of all my grandchildren. If Ava (the youngest) gets married at 21, I'll be 81, so that's probably still doable.

2. Hold my first (at least) great-grandchild and tell him/her stories. Still doable.

3. Visit Vienna (Austria) and St Petersburg (Russia). I'm pretty sure I'll get to Vienna once I've retired, because it's not all that far from Germany. Not so sure about St Petersburg ... it rather depends on whether or not we're getting along with Mr Putin. Perhaps I'll replace St Petersburg with Helsinki or Stockholm (I've been to Oslo and Copenhagen). I'm also adding Warsaw, Budapest, and Prague to the list.

4. Take a really long cruise with Agnes, to Australia or across the Atlantic to the Baltic or something. Yep ... still on the list. But I think I'd also add a nice river cruise, either the length of the Rhein or the Danube (which would help with #3, going by Vienna, Budapest, and Prague). We love cruising.

5. Dance a waltz with Edyta Sliwinska. I'd still love to dance that waltz, but I think I'll add Sharna Burgess as a possible partner, too. Or why not dance with both of them?


6. Get my PhD. This may not be quite as doable any more, as I haven't been able to narrow down the field of study I want and the topic I'd want to do my dissertation on. Perhaps I'll aim just a bit lower and go for a second Masters degree, either in Political Science or Linguistics. Perhaps with a paper that connects linguistics and politics. Hmmm ...

7. Publish at least one book. My mother told me once that she thought I had at least one good book inside me, and who am I to disappoint her? Once I'm retired and have more time to write, this may be one of my first activities.

8. Publish at least one article in a magazine. This is probably easier than the book, and so maybe I'll try this to get myself into the writing habit for the longer book.

So, that's my slightly-revised bucket list for 2016 and beyond. We'll see how it goes. And as for you, Dear Readers, what sorts of things are on your bucket lists? Leave a comment.

Have a good day. Don't kick the bucket any time soon.

See you tomorrow for Great Moments in Editing.

Bilbo

9 comments:

eViL pOp TaRt said...

I'd like to have two children, one of each. And some grandchildren someday.

Linda Kay said...

It's been many years since we were in St. Petersburg, but it is really a must see if possible. Warsaw and Prague are also very different but so much history and European beauty. Each of these three cities is very unique, but Prague stands out as the best of the three.

Gonzo Dave said...

I'm an outdoors person. I plan to hike the Appalachian Trail end-to-end; go four-wheeling in all 50 states (on consecutive weekends, so it'll take a year); and do some long-distance bicycle rides - like maybe Key West to Maine.

Mike said...

You can add to your trip to Australia by visiting Amanda.

Prague was nice, and walkable.

Atomic Dog said...

I would like to do the Appalachian Trail, starting in Georgia all the way up to Maine. Mt. Washington is the tricky part.

Elvis Wearing a Bra on His Head said...

I would like to be a daddy soon. We're legit and working on it.

Hell Hound said...

Vienna is a great city for its art, architecture, and culture.

Bilbo said...

I see a lot of votes for the Appalachian Trail, children, and the grand cities of Europe. Thanks for the comments, everyone ... let's all work on those lists!

Dave Hess said...

Pls let have the details when you book that Rhine cruise, so we can go down to the river and wave as you cruise by.