Bucket List
The plan is to add at least one new item every time I tick one off!
- Write at least one book (and get it published)
- Run for political office (and preferably win)
- Own a boat large enough to sleep at least four people
- Work for myself, or at least as a freelancer
- Own a dog, preferably one that likes boats (and cats)
- Visit Africa. Preferably Tanzania; a doctor friend of mine has spent some time there and raves about how wonderful it is
- Visit the Canadian Arctic
- Visit Antarctica
- Visit Atlin, BC, where Mr E Man spent the first few years of his life. I’ve seen the family photos. It looks stunning.
- Visit New Zealand
- Kayak Haida Gwaii
- Kayak the Galapagos
- See
Waleswhales from a kayak and/or from my hypothetical boat - See great apes in the wild before they go extinct, if it is possible to do so without further endangering them. First choice
a sasquatchorangs, then gorillas, bonobos, and finally chimps (which are still totes awesome even if they are my last choice) - See a Canucks game in another city, preferably during the playoffs
- See an England game in the football or (preferably) rugby world cup (I’ve already seen Scotland get destroyed by South Africa in the rugby world cup at Murrayfield)
- Go into space, if it is possible to do so without bankrupting myself or the climate
- As a consolation prize for probably never going into space, fly first class on Virgin. Apparently you get free manicures and shoulder massages in your seat
- Ski a black diamond run with style and grace and without whimpering, all previous attempts having been the opposite
- Do a bobsled run
Easy peasy, right? I already own a nautical compass… I’ll buy that boat piece by piece if I have to!
2012 Resolutions
- Build a personal website that can function as an online bio, writing portfolio, and general purpose landing page for new contacts who are likely to be put off by some of the sillier content of my blog and Twitter feed
- Use said website in emails to my federal member of parliament and municipal government representatives inquiring about volunteering opportunities
- Volunteer for my federal MP and/or municipal government representatives
- Be more assertive at work, especially when it comes to protecting my weekends (and my sanity!)
- Write at least a first draft of a book proposal
- And a short story
- Do something new, scary, and/or challenging (along the lines of Vancouver Change Camp or a new outdoor activity) at least once a month
- Write and snail mail at least one proper letter per month to a friend or relative
That should be enough to keep me busy for a while!
You should all resolve to VOTE for your favourite comment of 2011. Just 2 days left before the polls close!
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Love both of these lists! I also need to be more assertive at work, especially doing work other people should do (but don’t, because they know I’ll do it).
We should form a support group or something!
I’d like to, but I’m too scared
Mwah-mwahhhhhhhhh (that’s my sad trombone sound).
😀
“Visit New Zealand”
Let me know if you ever take that one up. I know the country reasonably well, partly through being alongside (some of) Dad’s efforts to get photographs for his landscape books. And doing a little wandering of my own 🙂
I’d like to write a book at some stage, too. And to travel to far too many places to list here. (Funnily kayaking Haida Gwaii was something I dreamed up (i.e. wistfully) when hoping to get work in Vancouver.)
Will do!
My former PI did a kayaking trip in Haida Gwaii while I was still working for her. She’s usually an extremely prosaic person, but came back using words like “magical!” and “Ewoks!” I already wanted to go, but that intensified the urge!
When you get to my age you’ll find that waking up in the morning without parts of oneself falling off is as good as it’s going to get.
What Henry said.
Aren’t you currently writing / rewriting / editing about five books, Henry? 🙂
Nice lists. So far, my 2012 resolutions include:
1) drink less coffee
2) be less lazy
Neither would be terribly hard to accomplish.
Happy 2012, Cath!
Happy New Year!
Less caffeine and more activity seem mutually exclusive, if you ask me, but good luck with those and any other resolutions you may have!
Those are ambitious lists, Cath! I like them. And I want to visit the Arctic with you!
Let’s totally do it!
Assuming you want to go in summer (if not then you’re going on your own), I can’t do this year but 2013 is a possibility!
Yeah, summer for sure! Let’s pencil it in for 2013! (Unless I decide to do some courses abroad, which I might. I’ll keep you posted!)
Nunavut? So we can see the coast?
(Visits Expedia)
HOLY CHRIST it’s expensive! $2,500 each way with stops in Toronto and Ottawa in June 2012!
Better start saving!
One of my 2012 resolutions is the same as yours. BUT WHICH ONE?
See you in my MP’s office!
I love those lists, too, Cath. Writing a book is more a wistful dream of mine than an actual bucket list item. But I think a short story for 2012 is a do-able goal for me (and one that I am adding now). Love your other 2012 goals–concrete and specific! That’s the way to go! =) By the way, what book and short story are you thinking of writing? (if you don’t mind sharing)
Go for it! We can have an online support group!
Part of me really wants to be more specific about what I have planned, but the rest of me thinks it might not be a terribly good idea just yet. There’s a (very unlikely to materialise but if present then possibly very disruptive) intellectual property issue I’m a bit worried about, for starters. My bro-in-law has a background in IP law and is around this week, so hopefully I’ll get to see him before he leaves and pick his brains for a while!
I’d happily join your online support group! As soon as I finish my slides for this Friday’s talk (can you seen why I’m on the Internet right now? =)
Ugh, IP issues. Hope your brother-in-law has some good advice for you there!
Good news – he says I’m 100% fine! That’s what I suspected, but it’s good to get expert confirmation!
I think I’ll still hold off on disclosing my ideas though, at least until I’ve reached the content-deciding and proposal-writing phase. I’m still in the finding and reading related books phase, before I even start doing more detailed research, so it’s very early days. And I’m still trying to form good habits, i.e. doing some work every single day! I was doing OK until I came back to work 😀