On the twelfth day of Manliness, my true love gave to me: An assignment to write my own bucket list. The Art of Manliness "30 Days to a Better Man" series recommends that we all take the time to create this very informative, potentially time consuming version of the ultimate 'to do' {before we die} list. Here's what the AOM author has offered up:
Why Have a Bucket List?
As Chris pointed out in his post, when we were kids, we all had dreams of cool and exciting stuff we wanted to do when we grew up. I remember dreaming about going to Japan and learning karate. But something happens when we become adults. We become more cynical and start thinking big adventures aren’t prudent or reasonable. We think we’re too busy to do anything extraordinary. And we’re surrounded by ordinary people who aren’t doing anything special either. So we settle and stick with doing what’s safe.
Of course, no matter how deeply we bury our dreams, regret over their demise will still come bubbling to the surface. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to look back on my life wishing I would have done x, y, and z when I had the chance. I am convinced that all men are made for adventure. And when there’s no adventure in our lives, a little part of us dies.
If you feel like you’ve been in a rut or that you’ve become too boring, creating a bucket list is the first step to adding a little more excitement back into your life. A bucket list can act as a road map to a life of adventure and fulfillment.
I believe that this is a great task before us – but one that requires some forethought and self reflection. After much mulling about, I have compiled mine. Just like everything else in my life, it runs on a bit aimlessly, so I will ask for your patience:
- To fall head over heels in love (as Will)
- To get married, and have a huge, amazing, super fun wedding with all of my incredible friends and family there to help me celebrate (with photobooths on site to commemorate the day!)
- To have a family that I adore, kids whom dazzle and fascinate me, and a partner that inspires me beyond belief – one that I choose to be with every single day, as we reinvent ourselves, and keep earning each other's attention, love and affection
- To get published in various magazines, and in turn, get a few of my autobiographical memoirs published, with rave reviews – and make six figures from my writing
- To return to making documentary and narrative films someday
- To get my own talk show or travel show someday (think Graham Norton)
- To be a guest on Graham Norton's show someday
- To be a guest on Oprah one day (and to have something I say give her an "ah-ha" moment, and to make her laugh)
- To travel all through out the older, cultural centers of Europe
- To buy an old farmhouse in Vermont, and fix it up myself
- To open my own restaurant, maybe an Inn
- To be the Best Man at a friend's wedding (and make a funny, yet poignant speech)
- To make a commencement speech for a small liberal arts college
- To invent something that radically improves the state of people's lives
- To be on the Board of Directors of a socially conscious Non Profit
- To become a philanthropist supporting at risk youth, (esp GLBTQI), the arts and animal rescue leagues
- To generously thank everyone who has supported me (through very thoughtful gifts)
- To build a very extensive, and provocative art collection
- To personally fix up a few old classic cars (like BMW 2002s, old Ford Pick Ups from the 1940s, or teeny Fiat L500s)
- To get in shape, and get voted "Sexiest Man Alive" on some completely ridiculous, yet harmless list. (heh...)
- To meet Betty White & Shirley MacLaine (and find a time machine to go back and meet a young Paul Newman and Jack Lemmon)
- To learn how to be an amazing dancer (with all the old school standards like tango, waltz, foxtrot, etc up to contemporary dance moves~~~)
- To get a hair transplant (wah!)
- To grow an incredible, burly full beard (and look hott!)
That's a good start, right? What's on yer list, yo?
No comments:
Post a Comment