Thursday, November 16, 2006

Ten things I must to do before I die

This is a list I carry with me on my Treo and update regularly. Some of the things that used to be on there were "have kids," "build my own website," and "contact all my old girlfriends." Some things I've accomplished, others I've just crossed off. There's a certain resigned sadness to things crossed off because I know they won't be accomplished, and they're just taking up space on my list, and a great sense of satisfaction from checking off the ones I've done. But the rule is, you've gotta have ten-no more, no less, written down. And I oughta know the rules, because I made them up.

I'll update as they change. There are (in no particular order, 'cause I'm a no-particular-order kinda guy):

Write and illustrate a children's book
Paint a mural on a (inside) wall of my house
Build a treehouse
Make a time capsule
Write a novel
Write a screenplay
Win the lottery (of course, first I've got to play the lottery...)
Bunjie jump from a bridge
Spend a Christmas at Disney World
Go on a European vacation with the family

I guess the theory is that once I get all 10 done and don't have anything to replace them with, "it will be time for me to go, grasshopper." Either that, or be relegated to haunting my kids with my unfulfilled dreams.

Boooo.

5 comments:

Steve Buccellato said...

I have a similar list that I carry around: "Ten Things I Must Do Before I Kill Again."

your list is nicer.

Steve Buccellato said...

Well. it's been a couple of days since my smart-a$$ed response. Since then, I've thought about your list. I share some of those goals, like the Children's book one. I never had any interest in that until I became a dad, btw.

What I don't understand about your list is that you say you keep updating it. I suppose that means that once you've, say, had Christmas at Disney World, you can cross that off and add a new goal to keep you at an even ten.

But, that means that no matter what, you will die with ten unfulfilled ambitions that will have to "haunt" your kids!

Maybe that is your REAL goal! To haunt your kids! Your "One Thing I Must Do After I Die!"

Maybe if you just crossed off the goals as you achieve them, you'll feel a greater sense of accomplishment!

Sara Kocher said...

I disagree with you, Steve (respectfully, of course, don't want to be on some future hauntees list). I think having goals is a big part of what keeps life interesting.

But I do think Marcus should have a giant list of accomplished goals so any time he freaks out about the current ten, he can see how many he's already done. Plus it's a handy crib sheet for the future tell-all bio.

I need to write up a list of ten goals now...

Steve Buccellato said...

Actually, I agree with you, Sara. So there.

I was just commenting on Marcus's rules. they confuse me. He says he crosses out stuff routinely once he has either accomplished the goal, or decided it is no longer important or possible. But he ALSO says he doesn't want to leave a list of things to haunt his kids.

All I'm saying is that if you always replace the crossed-out goals, to keep the number ten, then there will always be ten unfulfilled goals when you die. That's all I'm saying.

Since I plan to live forever, this isn't a problem for me.

;)

mmclaurin said...

In general, my rules confuse me, too. I guess an addendum would be that I planned to STOP adding new rules when I reached a certain age. Like, okay, I'm down to the lkast third, time to polish it off. And the good news is, I don;t think I'm there, yet.

BTW, I just found out you guys have been responding! Cool. On the old blog I used to get emails. Have to see how to set that up again.