1. Learn Morse code
2. Join a protest
3. Apprentice to a master sushi chef
4. Write a musical play
6. Travel as a crewmember on a sailing ship
7. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
8. Build a treehouse
Five years later and much more the responsible adult, here are some things I would add:
9. Make a quilt
10. Publish a novel
11. Memorize the constellations
12. Start drawing a long-form webcomic (maybe even finish it)
13. Learn how to spin a car 180
14. Get my black belt
15. Fund a scholarship
16. Go to Antarctica
17. Bake a good loaf of sourdough
18. Dive with a whale
19. Play the fiddle
20. Shoot a clay pigeon
The list is always changing. I crossed out the original #5 and #6, since those two are (dun du-du duuuh!) ACCOMPLISHED!
In their place I'll put:
5. Try jellied eel
6. Get a PhD
And I've had plenty of chances to try to shoot a clay pigeon...I just haven't hit one yet.
But last year I did begin another one of my long-time goals - I started sponsoring a child. She's six, she lives in Mozambique, and the few letters and drawings we've exchanged so far have been wonderful. I'm excited to be in her life as she grows up. I hope I can help inspire her to stay in school as long as possible. I worry for her and the gender constraints she might face as a young woman in Africa. Maybe someday I'll get to meet her. What an amazing day that would be!
(Edit: Yikes. The above sounds...sanctimonious. Complete fail in tone. Really I just wanted to say !!!!! but that's kind of hard to put into words. Seriously, people, I'm super excited about my sponsor kid. That's what I get for writing while I'm distracted.)
Back to the list, though, it's really not all-inclusive. There are so many things to do, learn, make. Life, why are you so short?
Fair disclosure: I haven't included any goals that are imminently about to be fulfilled...
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