Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another. – John Dewey
And so it begins – the very first entry in my brand new blog. I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now, but wasn’t quite sure how to start. I don’t want to write my autobiography as my initial post, but rather assume you’ll get to know who I am, what I’m like, where I came from, and where I’m going throughout the process of this little project.
Circa 2005 or so (yes, blogs actually existed way back then!), a group of girlfriends and I created an anonymous blog whereby we all chose pen names that were variations of one another and we masked ourselves from ever being traced. While my real name obviously isn’t Georgia Barbie, many people recognize this handle as belonging to me and by tying this blog to my Twitter account, I’m definitely not attempting to remain incognito this round.
I know, I know, get to the point. Rather than bore you with the typical “getting to know you” stuff, I figured I’d GO BIG and share with you my recently completed bucket list. The fact that many of you know my true identity means that (a) you can and should hold me accountable for completing this list and (b) if you’re so inclined, should help me mark these items off, if possible.
Putting together the contents was somewhat difficult in that I have many habits I want to form and things I need to get better about doing in general. I did my best to keep these types of items off the list, but a few that were somewhat borderline may have snuck in. Also, this list is by no means comprehensive in that it’s everything I want to accomplish for the rest of my time on Earth. I still plan on continuing all of the volunteer and charity work I’m already involved with, visiting the places and doing the things I always have, and being the person I’ve become over the last 34 years. This was simply a means for getting a wish list down on paper and a fun way to attempt to ensure I accomplish so much more.
So, without further adieu, and in no particular order, here is my official bucket list:
1) Tour Napa Valley
2) Tour Sonoma Valley
3) Visit Italy
4) Visit Greece
5) Go on a cruise
6) Attend a Red Sox game @ Fenway
7) Attend a football game @ Notre Dame
8) Start a (new) blog
9) Parasail
10) Learn to play the guitar
11) Buy a house (not another condo, townhouse)
12) Skydive
13) Attend a football game @The Big House (preferably Michigan vs. Ohio State)
14) Go camping overnight (Eek!)
15) Become a godmother and/or an aunt (I’m gonna need some help here, people! (Hint, Hint.))
16) Learn how to tie a tie & a bow tie
17) Learn to cook at least 5 yummy dishes (without any occurrences of food poisoning.)
18) Go to the Kentucky Derby (NOT in the infield)
19) Tour Oakland Cemetery
20) Spend a major holiday with my dad’s side of the family
21) (Re)learn Spanish
22) Get in my ideal shape & stay that way.
23) Take over the selection process for my grandfather’s scholarship
24) Serve on the board of a non-profit
25) Knit or crochet a scarf. Wear it. (Hopefully get a compliment or two.)
26) Start (and more importantly, complete) the “happiness project” 5 year journal
27) Relearn Cannon in D on the piano
28) Go on a mission project overseas
29) Take dance lessons of some sort
30) Go to a Badger game and “Jump Around”
31) Read all the books I’ve purchased through the years and never gotten through
32) Create a scholarship
33) Tour SweetWater Brewery
34) Sit court side at an NBA game
35) Own a spice rack – and use them!
36) Fire a gun (at a shooting range, of course!)
37) Make a difference in a child’s life
38) Learn to (really) play tennis
39) Have drinks at the Sun Dial
40) Salsa (or another Latin dance) IN a Latin American country
41) Attend a college football championship game (obviously prefer UGA to be participating!)
42) Confidential #1
43) Confidential #2
44) Confidential #3
45) Confidential #4
46) Visit the Australian Outback
47) Run (really run) a 10k
48) Attend a taping of a talk show – Ellen, Late Night, etc
49) Own my own business(es)
50) Re-do the pamper pole @ the UGA ropes course – not be afraid to jump this time.
51) Lay out and look at the stars, maybe even learn to recognize a few of them
52) Visit all 50 states
53) Live at, or at least own a place, at the beach
54) Read the entire Bible
55) Attend an MLK Jr service in person
56) Go to a drive-in movie theater
57) Find my soul mate
58) Learn (attempt) to surf
59) Take a road trip on a whim
60) Make some jewelry – actually sell or wear it
61) See all the movies people make fun of me for having never seen (this could be its own bucket list!)
62) Take an actuarial exam
63) Go to the (new) Coke Museum
64) Get 2000+ (LEGIT) Twitter followers
65) Go to the Dekalb Farmers Market
66) See penguins in their natural habitat
67) Go to a Super Bowl
68) Take Sanford to a beach to frolic in the sand & water
69) Help others accomplish their bucket lists
70) See the Packers play @ Lambeau Field (Yes, I’m from Green Bay & have never been)
71) Take an improv comedy class(es)
72) Kayak on the Chattahoochee (w/o getting E coli)
73) Go to Johnny’s Hideaway
74) Attend Gasparilla
75) Do the CNN tour
76) See the North Georgia Mountains in the fall
77) Visit the Baseball Hall of Fame
78) Watch the sunset from a boat in the middle of nowhere
79) Grow something (maybe not an entire garden, but SOMETHING) & eat it
80) Pay for a stranger’s meal
81) Attend an awards show (ESPYs, music awards, etc)
82) Go to a rugby match
83) Take a photo of everywhere I travel
84) Write a book. Publish it.
85) Learn to meditate. Do it often to help manage stress.
86) Take a voice lesson (or a few, depending on how long it takes them to tell me I’m terrible!)
87) Take a photo with Santa (seriously never done this!)
88) Sleep on the beach
89) Attend an Easter sunrise service on top of Stone Mountain
90) Be a part of a radio show
91) Trace my family tree
92) Visit Niagara Falls
93) Design a dress. Attempt to sew it (and then have a professional complete it /redo it.)
94) Get over my fear of horses – feed one, ride one, face their super scary teeth.
95) Mentor someone; keep in touch with him/her
96) Vacay in the Virgin Islands
97) Bottle feed a baby animal
98) Stomp grapes to make wine
99) Establish and/or run a non-profit of some sort
100) Forgive all who have wronged me
Loved crossing #8 off the list with the start of this blog and look forward to y’all following me on my journey as I mark these off one by one in the coming weeks, months, and years!
