OyChicago blog

Hiking in Torrey Pines National Park

I couldn't read Jane's post last month without stopping to day-dream about my own bucket list. I've thought about my list before from time-to-time. I was very fortunate that my parents traveled extensively with me during my childhood and instilled in me the same love of travel that they share. As a result, my bucket list has always been just a long list of the places in the world I want to go visit that I haven't been to yet. But Jane got me thinking, isn't there more I want to accomplish in my life than just traveling a lot?

The other night I couldn't sleep— something of a reoccurring problem— so I started to write my own bucket list. (It was better than counting sheep.) I thought I'd share it with you Oy!sters. Travel will always be my number one passion, but trips are no longer the only items to make up my list. I realize this list will change (probably dramatically), but I like having it written down in a public space— maybe it will get me to accomplish some of these.

Here's my bucket list:

Swim with the sharks.

Climb a man-made landmark like The Great Wall of China or the pyramids in Egypt. Climb a nature-made landmark, Mount Everest is probably aiming a little too high, but something along those lines.

Set up at least a dozen couples and dance at a few of their weddings/Become the (nice) Patti Stanger of Chicago to my friends and family.

Live in a city other than Chicago for at least a year, preferably in Maui.

Learn to surf.

Hiking with Jason in Waimea Canyon in Kauai

Become a bigger risk taker professionally/start my own business.

Get a Master's degree for fun. I've finally come to the realization that I'm never going to do anything with my undergraduate degree in history, but I still want to "waste" more money and make it a Master's.

Write a historical fiction book.

Learn to relax. Be less stubborn.

Get married and have at least one kid.

Bake a delicious cake and eat the whole thing myself without feeling any guilt.

Perfect my Spanish.

Jump out of a moving helicopter into the ocean and/or go sky-diving.

Get involved with politics again and advocate for causes I believe in. (I was very involved in politics in college but my pessimism and life have gotten in the way in the past few years.)

Visit all 50 states… I'm close on this one, I've been to 46 of them.

Visit at least the following places: Panama, Belize, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica, Ireland, Scotland, Amsterdam, Greece, Croatia, Fiji, Bora Bora, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand…

So… tell me…what's on your bucket list?