We all have our bucket list .. well some version of it, even if it's only in your mind. The other day I saw someone tweet about a reverse bucket list. A what? So of course I had to go look. If you don't want to click the link, it's just a way of counting the good stuff that you've already done.
My first thought is "If only I had some accomplishments to look back on" - but then I thought about it for a minute. My list isn't nearly as awesome as hers (of course now I've added more items to the bucket list), but for now ... here's my reverse bucket list, in the order that they come to mind.
1. Learning to Mountain Bike - and getting back on the bike after breaking some bones in my pelvis in a fall.
I always say in my next life I won't wait until I'm in my 40's to start mountain biking, and I'll do it in Saskatchewan. But here I am at 45 and finally getting the hang of riding some of these North Shore trails. On a good day, I can even make my way respectably down a black diamond trail. Respectable by my standards. I took a nasty fall at the end of my first season and ended up with 2 broken pelvic bones. I was so hesitant to get back on the bike for my second season, but I'm happy to say that I still love mountain biking.
2. Learning to Snowboard
I look down from the chairlift at women struggling to snowboard and I am always amazed that I stuck with it long enough to actually get it. It's a frustrating, tedious learning curve - but once you get it ... the thrill is hard to beat. I'm not a bad-ass awesome snowboarder, but I'm good enough to have fun doing it.
3. Riding the inaugural Whistler Granfondo
For many roadies this is just another ride - but for me, riding the Whistler Granfondo this was a huge achievement. The climbs were tough and Whistler is a bloody long way to ride. Driving from Vancouver to Whistler, I am still amazed that I rode my bike all that way. It's like driving up to Cypress, and being so pleased that my legs can take me up that climb on a bike.
4. Getting comfortable enough to go on solo outside adventures.
For years I thought if you didn't have anyone to do stuff with, you just didn't do it. For example, I've wanted to snowshoe for a long time, but never had anyone else interested. Then I found a snowshoe program at Grouse Mountain and got really comfortable being outside. I realised that some things were ok to do alone. Now I'm happy to hike or snowshoe alone or go skiing and snowboarding alone. I've even camped alone and traveled alone. I'm always extra cautious and sensible on a solo adventure, because the risks are greater. The downside is having no one to share it with, the upside is making all your own decisions without having to accommodate anyone else.
5. Travelling alone around France.
My brother and I had gone to watch some of the Tour de France in 2009 - that was probably one of the biggest thrills of my life standing on the sidewalk as the bikes and cars fly by. My brother went home a week later and I went to London for a week to visit with my niece. Upon my return to France I had two weeks on my own before my daughter arrived for a climbing competition. During those two weeks I took a train to the Dordogne region, rented a bike and rode endless country roads. Riding past century old churches, chateaus and rivers that have flowed for more time than I can even imagine, took my breath away. I kayaked down the Dordogne, explored tiny villages and a million times over I thought "Am I really here?". I traveled to Richlieu and explored a magical walled city with a rich history. I whiled away hours in the park watching the locals, and sat in the square watching the kids splash in the fountains. All my big girl self.
6. Becoming an Indoor Cycling Instructor
I'm not quite there yet .... but getting closer week by week. It seems I'll have the opportunity to teach a few songs at the Monday morning class at my local rec centre, and keep building on that until I teach the full class. Baby steps.
7. Scuba diving along the Great Barrier Reef
We had the opportunity to go to Australia a few years ago. I don't know if I'll ever have another chance to go to Australia, so I went and got my dive ticket so I could dive along the Great Barrier Reef. Getting my dive ticket had been on my list, and the Australia trip was the impetus I needed.
8. Inspired people to do things
I'm always thrilled when people say they've done something because I told them it was so much fun. This includes going to a Zumba class, or trying a knitting project. I've taken a friend snowshoeing for the first time, and she loved it. Of course she's never asked to go back out again, so she may not have liked it at all.
9. See Les Miserables in London
When coming to Canada almost 24 years ago, Les Mis was my first introduction to musical theatre. The wonder of it left me speechless. Over the years I've seen it on stage more times that I can remember in Toronto and here in Vancouver. As much as I loved it, I wondered what it would be like in London or on Broadway. When I went to London in 2009, my niece and I bought cheap last minute tickets to a matinee production. It was every bit as magical as I dreamed a dream in time gone by - oh sorry .. every bit as magical as I dreamed it would be.
10. Black Tusk in Garibaldi Park
For 16 years we've lived in Vancouver, and each time we drive to and from Whistler I look out for Black Tusk. I always marveled at it, and wondered how far away it is? How do you get there? Who are the people who actually make their way there. Last September, for my birthday, we went backpacking to Garibaldi Lake. On our second day there we hiked up to Panorama Ridge and skirted all the way around the foot of Black Tusk. Awe inspiring does not begin to describe it. Now I drive to Whistler and look up at Black Tusk with a smile, knowing I've been there.
What's on your list?
My first thought is "If only I had some accomplishments to look back on" - but then I thought about it for a minute. My list isn't nearly as awesome as hers (of course now I've added more items to the bucket list), but for now ... here's my reverse bucket list, in the order that they come to mind.
1. Learning to Mountain Bike - and getting back on the bike after breaking some bones in my pelvis in a fall.
I always say in my next life I won't wait until I'm in my 40's to start mountain biking, and I'll do it in Saskatchewan. But here I am at 45 and finally getting the hang of riding some of these North Shore trails. On a good day, I can even make my way respectably down a black diamond trail. Respectable by my standards. I took a nasty fall at the end of my first season and ended up with 2 broken pelvic bones. I was so hesitant to get back on the bike for my second season, but I'm happy to say that I still love mountain biking.
2. Learning to Snowboard
I look down from the chairlift at women struggling to snowboard and I am always amazed that I stuck with it long enough to actually get it. It's a frustrating, tedious learning curve - but once you get it ... the thrill is hard to beat. I'm not a bad-ass awesome snowboarder, but I'm good enough to have fun doing it.
3. Riding the inaugural Whistler Granfondo
For many roadies this is just another ride - but for me, riding the Whistler Granfondo this was a huge achievement. The climbs were tough and Whistler is a bloody long way to ride. Driving from Vancouver to Whistler, I am still amazed that I rode my bike all that way. It's like driving up to Cypress, and being so pleased that my legs can take me up that climb on a bike.
4. Getting comfortable enough to go on solo outside adventures.
For years I thought if you didn't have anyone to do stuff with, you just didn't do it. For example, I've wanted to snowshoe for a long time, but never had anyone else interested. Then I found a snowshoe program at Grouse Mountain and got really comfortable being outside. I realised that some things were ok to do alone. Now I'm happy to hike or snowshoe alone or go skiing and snowboarding alone. I've even camped alone and traveled alone. I'm always extra cautious and sensible on a solo adventure, because the risks are greater. The downside is having no one to share it with, the upside is making all your own decisions without having to accommodate anyone else.
5. Travelling alone around France.
My brother and I had gone to watch some of the Tour de France in 2009 - that was probably one of the biggest thrills of my life standing on the sidewalk as the bikes and cars fly by. My brother went home a week later and I went to London for a week to visit with my niece. Upon my return to France I had two weeks on my own before my daughter arrived for a climbing competition. During those two weeks I took a train to the Dordogne region, rented a bike and rode endless country roads. Riding past century old churches, chateaus and rivers that have flowed for more time than I can even imagine, took my breath away. I kayaked down the Dordogne, explored tiny villages and a million times over I thought "Am I really here?". I traveled to Richlieu and explored a magical walled city with a rich history. I whiled away hours in the park watching the locals, and sat in the square watching the kids splash in the fountains. All my big girl self.
6. Becoming an Indoor Cycling Instructor
I'm not quite there yet .... but getting closer week by week. It seems I'll have the opportunity to teach a few songs at the Monday morning class at my local rec centre, and keep building on that until I teach the full class. Baby steps.
7. Scuba diving along the Great Barrier Reef
We had the opportunity to go to Australia a few years ago. I don't know if I'll ever have another chance to go to Australia, so I went and got my dive ticket so I could dive along the Great Barrier Reef. Getting my dive ticket had been on my list, and the Australia trip was the impetus I needed.
8. Inspired people to do things
I'm always thrilled when people say they've done something because I told them it was so much fun. This includes going to a Zumba class, or trying a knitting project. I've taken a friend snowshoeing for the first time, and she loved it. Of course she's never asked to go back out again, so she may not have liked it at all.
9. See Les Miserables in London
When coming to Canada almost 24 years ago, Les Mis was my first introduction to musical theatre. The wonder of it left me speechless. Over the years I've seen it on stage more times that I can remember in Toronto and here in Vancouver. As much as I loved it, I wondered what it would be like in London or on Broadway. When I went to London in 2009, my niece and I bought cheap last minute tickets to a matinee production. It was every bit as magical as I dreamed a dream in time gone by - oh sorry .. every bit as magical as I dreamed it would be.
10. Black Tusk in Garibaldi Park
For 16 years we've lived in Vancouver, and each time we drive to and from Whistler I look out for Black Tusk. I always marveled at it, and wondered how far away it is? How do you get there? Who are the people who actually make their way there. Last September, for my birthday, we went backpacking to Garibaldi Lake. On our second day there we hiked up to Panorama Ridge and skirted all the way around the foot of Black Tusk. Awe inspiring does not begin to describe it. Now I drive to Whistler and look up at Black Tusk with a smile, knowing I've been there.
What's on your list?
what a great idea ms monierakins! thank you for inspiring ME to write a "reverse" bucketlist. <3
ReplyDelete