At the end of April, we posted an announcement on MacInsiders asking, 'What Do You Want to do Before You Die?' as a preview to a keynote speech being given by the Buried Life.
Recap: The Buried Life is a group of four guys from Victoria BC, who are traveling around the globe trying to complete their list of things they want to do before they die, and along the way help others complete the items on their list. While we were at CLAY TBL helped one of the CLAY staff complete one of the things on his list.
For those of us who attended, after CLAY we started writing our lists and sharing them with our delegates and others on the staff team. From what I have seen a lot of us have similar goals, and are interesting in doing them with each other, as well as helping each other complete them. I have also noticed that people I know who did not attend CLAY are starting to finish their own lists as well and share them with peers.
I interviewed TBL recently about why students and recent grads should complete their own lists, and turned it into an article which you can check out here. My list is part of that article, and I want you all to check it out. (Call me an exhibitionist or an extrovert, if you will).
What I want MacInsiders members to do is to write their own list and share them with all other users. I think this will not only help us set goals for our future, but also serve as a form of networking; where if one person has connections to a particular thing they can help someone cross something off their list.
Here is my list (in no particular order):
Figure out what is wrong with my wrist and get it fixed!
Go on Safari in Africa
Give a one-time donation of at least $1000 to the Hospital for Sick Children
Have a conversation with Taiaiake Alfred without being terrified
Learn to use a sewing machine and make myself a dress
Go see all of the major Mayan ruins starting with Chichen Itza
Buy a jackalope
Go to the Galapagos Islands and see Lonesome George
Complete a half marathon
Get married
Go to a shelter and bring home a dog (or two or three or 126284) to rescue and love
Get my MA and PhD
Swim with dolphins
Have an article published in a peer-reviewed journal
While travelling in New Zealand see an All-Blacks game
Figure out how to make pancakes without burning them
Go paintballing
Teach someone how to read
Spend nine weeks in Europe
Be the photographer for a wedding
Meet Orson Scott Card
Be able to design a website using Dreamweaver
Go dog sledding
Become fluent in Spanish
Be paid for a photo I have taken
Learn how to carve while snowboarding
Take engagement photos
Spend a few nights in a B&B in Gettysburg
Give an inspirational speech
Own a hybrid car
Knit someone a sweater
Be able to put down at least a $30 000 down payment on a house
Go to Mt. Rushmore with a huge sign that says ‘VANDALISM’ and stick it in the ground
Cook a turkey dinner
Spend one Dia de los Muertos in Mexico City
Learn how to drive standard
Meet an okapi
Get my right knee replaced
Go to a powwow
Read all of the Holy Books (the Old and New Testament, Quaran etc)
Teach a dog to do flyball
Visit every province and territory in Canada
Learn how to use PhotoShop
Get tattoo #2
See the Northern Lights
Have a pond in my backyard
Donate blood
Run a marathon
Visit Salem, Massachusetts
Learn how to play guitar
Own a donkey
Hang out with George Stromboulopolous for a day
Be able to read in French (and not just a cereal box!)
Get paid for something I wrote
Have kids
Spend at least a week in Chiapas with the Zapatista
Go to a shelter and rescue some bunnies and take them home to love
Learn to surf
Love my job
Take photography courses at a college
Use solar panels on my house for electricity and heating water
Know the full names of all of my great-grandparents and where they were born and died in addition to the same for my great-great grandparents and great-great-great grandparents
Go zip lining
Be an active member of a conservation group
See the southern lights
Give a lecture to at least 47 people
Cook a vegan meal with foods found within 100 miles from where I live
Get a pedicure
Honeymoon in Hawaii
Play on a soccer team again
Make sure my family knows I want to be an organ and tissue donor
See wild Australian penguins
Feed a zebra
Grow my hair long enough to be cut and donated
Stay in three haunted houses/hotels
Participate in a protest
See an NHL game
Have dinner at the Olive Garden
Stay up to stargaze, take star trails and see the sun rise
Go snowblading
Plant a garden that encourages visits from animals
Get my CPR certification and make sure it is always renewed
Dig for fossils
Jump in an enormous puddle and splash someone
Get a foam cheese hat at Lambeau field and wear it to a Packer’s game
Own a pair of diamond earrings
Take yoga classes
Save the life of a wild animal
Go bobsledding
Beat the crap out of a piñata for my 30th birthday…and again on my 50th
Have a blender
Travel the Grand Canyon via donkey
Windsurf at The Gorge…even if I can only do it for five minutes
Go on an Alaskan cruise
Lose 30 pounds. And hope I don’t have to do it more than once!
See a production on Broadway
Spend time reading in a hammock every summer after purchasing one
If any of you are ever interested in taking any interesting electives, I highly recommend Death and Dying. I completed the western experience and now I'm focusing on the eastern course. It really is an eye-opening course. I find that often people create these lists and assume that they have all the time in the world to complete them. "Oh, I'll do them tomorrow" you might say but for all you know today is your last day. Take advantage of the time you have because it's not guaranteed. My cousin died the day after his last exam in college. He pretty much graduated without the ceremony. He wasn't sick or anything. He just dropped dead randomly at the age of 20. So honestly, these guys have a great message. Create your list and start crossing them off today. =)
This things-to-do-before-i-die idea is pretty cool.
I really like these ones you mentioned:
Give a one-time donation of at least $1000 to the Hospital for Sick Children
Go paintballing
Spend nine weeks in Europe
Meet Orson Scott Card
Go to Mt. Rushmore with a huge sign that says ‘VANDALISM’ and stick it in the ground
See the Northern Lights
Learn how to play guitar
Hang out with George Stromboulopolous for a day
Love my job
Stay in three haunted houses/hotels
Have dinner at the Olive Garden
Stay up to stargaze, take star trails and see the sun rise
Jump in an enormous puddle and splash someone
Go bobsledding
Beat the crap out of a piñata for my 30th birthday…and again on my 50th
Go on an Alaskan cruise
Own a house with a secret room/passage
I have to admit though, there were a few things on that list that didn't really make any sense to me.
9. Complete a half marathon
-why half?
22. Be able to design a website using Dreamweaver
-is that really so important?
43. Learn how to use PhotoShop
-again...not sure what the significance of PhotoShop is in the grand scheme of things
81. Plant a garden that encourages visits from animals
-Nice idea, but a garden that attracts animals will probably end up getting eaten by said animals
It's really hard to make one of these lists. Some of these things are intentionally frivolous.. they're more of things to do soontime but still things to do. And heck, blenders are amazing! Today I made strawberry lemonade and am quite happy. I'd be heartbroken if I lived life without a blendar. haha
Last edited by temara.brown : 06-04-2009 at 09:19 PM.
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9. Complete a half marathon
-why half?
Because 20k is a long distance...I used to run cross-country in high school and found 5K difficult.
22. Be able to design a website using Dreamweaver
-is that really so important?
It's a useful business skill, so I'd say yes. I'd like to work up to designing my own website to use for business purposes, so having the skill would definitely cut down on costs. Furthermore, it's something that can set you apart in the journalism field.
43. Learn how to use PhotoShop
-again...not sure what the significance of PhotoShop is in the grand scheme of things
I take a lot of pictures, and I'd like to be able to edit some of them so they look better. Knowing only LightRoom just doesn't cut it. Could also help facilitate #25
81. Plant a garden that encourages visits from animals
-Nice idea, but a garden that attracts animals will probably end up getting eaten by said animals
But that's my point. Feeding wildlife without interfering is the best way.
48. Run a marathon
-well that explains #9, lol!
It's double the length. Small steps make attaining goals easier.
51. Own a donkey
-???
I've always loved donkeys.
..and finally:
91. Have a blender
-...???? you've lost me on this one..
My mom refuses to get a blender. She doesn't see the purpose of having one. I, on the other hand rather like smoothies and other blended beverages. I don't think it's a good idea for me to get one until I figure out where I'm going to be in the next two years.
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McMaster Combined Honours Cultural Studies & Critical Theory and Anthropology: 2008
McMaster Honours English with a minor in Indigenous Studies: 2010
Carleton University Masters of Arts in Canadian Studies: 2012 (expected)
We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed in universities, looking uncomfortably into the world we inherit. -- Port Huron Statement
It doesn't matter what is on the list as long as it's your own. Why do people want to swim in a huge pool of spaghetti? That's kind of weird. However, it gives their lives meaning. What gives one person's life meaning might have no significance in another person's life. I actually prefer the things on my list that seem insignificant to others, it makes it more "me" It's sad that we all want the same things in life. It kind of makes me wonder if I have my own identity or if I'm just a conformist
I agree that the most random and insignificant goals can really be the most meaningful. I would rather have "small" goals that I can actually accomplish than 100 goals that I wouldn't have the time or resources to do.
This reminds me of the orientation I went to last summer at Mac. We were given paper and markers, and told to draw a "life map" of academic/life goals. Very simple activity but it really helped to gain perspective, and something I still continue to do.
I recently finished one of my goals- learn how to spin yarn. Something a lot of people probably wouldn't understand, but was an interesting experience for me. My favorite of your goals was no. 31- knit someone a sweater
Yeah, these lists are always going to appear random and weird to people who don't share your goals or interests...
Lorend,
Thanks for explaining your reasoning. Although, to be fair, I was really just being an argumentative troll, so don't worry about it! :p
I think the main reason I was confused about your "Have a Blender" goal was because it seems like a relatively simple matter of purchasing one - simple enough, that it seemed out of place on a grand list of things to do before one dies. I have never heard of a blender being so epic... but I guess making your own smoothies and milkshakes is pretty awesome. I can't believe your mom wouldn't get you a simple blender! How strange.
Are there any other kitchen appliances she opposes?
Program: BA (Hons) CSCT and Anthropology, BA (Hons) English & Indigenous Studies
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Interestingly enough, my mom offered to buy me a blender last week, but I turned it down because where I will be in September is kinda shaky at the moment.
My mom just seems to think a blender serves no purpose. I dunno? Ummm...she technically is a little bit against toasters I guess. We have never had a toaster, only a toaster oven. But that's because a toaster oven has multiple functions while a toaster can only toast. I think?
__________________
McMaster Combined Honours Cultural Studies & Critical Theory and Anthropology: 2008
McMaster Honours English with a minor in Indigenous Studies: 2010
Carleton University Masters of Arts in Canadian Studies: 2012 (expected)
We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed in universities, looking uncomfortably into the world we inherit. -- Port Huron Statement
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