Bucket List Accomplishments

I make so many lists of habits and resolutions and goals. Honestly,  it’s all just like crack to me. Here are the accomplishments I have achieved off my 52 item long bucket list circa 2023.

• Jetski

When I was fourteen I was at our family annual reunion at Cape Cod. It is the best time ever. Playing games and drinking until 2 am (obviously I abstain from the drinking part), dancing on the beach, swimming in the pool. Before the sharks, we were able to go in the water (our resort is right on the beach). We are friendly with the owner’s family and one of their daughters had a jetski. She took me for a ride on the jetski and with the wind in my hair, waving to my dad back on shore I don’t think I’ve ever felt lighter. This happened during a difficult time in my life and so this brief moment of joy meant alot to me.

• Parasail

This happened when my family went to Sanibel Island the summer before college. It was my dad’s sixtieth birthday so together we went up in the air parasailing high above the beautiful, clear ocean. I think my dad got a little nervous but I had never felt calmer. The ocean breeze tickled my nose and I stared out as far across the light blue skyline as I can see.

• Have a book signing

 I had a book signing for my book The Meg (And Other Short Stories) at the cafe of one of my friends. I invited between fifteen and twenty of my closest friends. We sat in a circle as I read portions of my book. Then we went to the back room and I signed their books as they all bought copies. Then we all went out to a restaurant to celebrate. I felt honored my friends had given me their time and money. It is something any artist only dreams of. And my friends read the books over the next couple months and told me what they thought of it. Friends had even come from the city to see my book signing. I plan on having another one when my next book comes out.

• Have a book talk

Similar to a book signing, I paired up with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) during Sucide Prevention Month for a talk at my library. The people from NAMI talked about warning signs and ways you could get help if you were suicidal.  I read from my books and then I signed copies. I thought the audience would have to purchase a book but most of them had already purchased the copies. “I’m your biggest fan” a young girl told me. She was also my first “fan” that I didn’t know and she had no idea what that meant to me.

• Go tubing in the mountains

When I was thirteen we went on a really fun trip to the Adirondacks. After a hike, my dad, my brother and I all climbed into our own inner tubes in the mountains and followed a river, floating downstream. Some parts of the river moved more quickly than others. I loved it. It was stimulating and  relaxing at the same time. I look to doing it again

• Go camping

I went on an amazing camping trip when I was seventeen. I went with my youth group. We camped at KOA (campgrounds of America) which also had bathrooms and even chargers at each camp site. I learned how to use a compass, how to set up a tent and how to set up a campfire. I got drunk, ate bacon and played Chicken in the pool with the rest of the youth group. For three days I experienced alot. I also made up with one of the girls. Ever since she had arrived at youth group our relationship had been strained. Lying there in our tent we laid down our swords and decided to be friends.

• Go to a Renaissance Faire

I really enjoyed the Renaissance Faire a few years ago. I even got my hair done. Many women had their hair in intricate braids or plaits down their backs with flowers. But I tend to keep my  hair short so she made two small buds intertwined with flowers. I looked adorable. Almost adorable enough to forget about the fact that I didn’t have a corset or couldn’t drink mead. My second favorite part was throwing ninja stars.

• Go to a spa and splurge

When I was a kid, Grandma Betty promised “When you get older, you and I are going to the spa” As a tomboy I didn’t really relish the fact but I knew to be grateful. And when she died when I was twelve, I cried because I knew that would  never happen. I would  never visit a spa with her. But for my 29th birthday, me and my two best friends made up for that fact and we went to a spa. It was a revelation. It was paradise. There were pools we relaxed in, froze in, sweat in. I realized I was actually not too self-conscious being naked in front of about 40 other women. We sat in the huts and saunas. My favorite part was going from one of the huts to the freezing room and feeling the sweat freeze on our skin. We got massages (courtesy from my mom) and smoothies. We talked about —-’s wedding last year and —--’s wedding this year and someday it will be my turn. And we will definitely be back.

• Get a massage

I started getting massages in high school. I had never known anything could feel so good. One time after a massage, the masseuse sat down with my mom and I and said she could tell from feeling me that the excess weight I  carried came from my medication. I don’t know how she could tell that. Maybe it has a different feel from food?

I’ve done many things in my life. Starred in a high school play. Won a poetry slam. Won a foul shooting contest. And there’s so much more to do. Maybe that makes me happiest of all.