Kick That Bucket .... list

Don’t ever tell me about your bucket list. 

Ever!

Kick your bucket list!

I absolutely loathe the term ‘bucket list’.

It bugs me hugely. 

I hear folk using that term so often.  Its connotation is contagious, death-defying.

What it literally means is one consciously sits and writes down a list of things to do BEFORE YOU DIE!! 

Before you kick the bucket!

For goodness sake, why on earth would you be preparing for death by writing your ‘bucket list’??

Want to write a list of things you want to do, then do it NOW, before you even begin to thing of dying. 

Why wait until you know you are going to die before writing a ‘bucket list’?

I’ve heard folk in their 20s and 30s talking about “… it’s on my bucket list…”  For heaven’s sake. Don’t you know what that connotation means?  You’re anticipating your death already?

Oh what a positive outlook to have in your 20’s and 30’s….

I’ve had folk tell me recently, ‘it’s great you’re doing things on your bucket list’. 

What bollocks.

BOLLOCKS, BOLLOCKS, BOLLOCKS.

If I ever had a bucket list how would anyone know what would be on the list. I'm not doing things on my 'bucket list'.

Sure, I have things I’d love to do.  Or aspire to do.  BUT THEY ARE NOT ON MY ‘BUCKET LIST’!

They are on my, 'gee, that would be good to do' list.

The term ‘bucket list’ became popular due to the movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.  The movie about 2 men who had terminal cancer, were soon to die, so wrote their ‘bucket list’.

I went to that movie.  I left that movie feeling hugely depressed.  Felt I should go home and slit my throat.  That phrase - I found it morbid, ghoulish, depressing, pessimistic and … deadly. 

It was one movie I NEVER recommended anyone see. 

Why go to a movie to remind you that you are going to die, so write a list?

If you must write a list of things you want and have always wanted to do – well, do so.  WRITE A LIST!  NOW.  And call it ‘A list of things I’d like to do’. 

Or ‘Things to Do’  Or, ‘My next goals’.  Or …  name it anything POSITIVE. 

Like ‘Anything is possible TO THE WILLING MIND’.   

If you want to go to Outer Mongolia, go to Outer Mongolia.  If you want parachute out of a plane, parachute out of a plane.  But don’t ask me, it’s not on my ‘want to dos’.  And never will be.  If you want to try NZ’s Got Talent, audition.  If you want to dance naked on a beach, do it. But make sure it’s pitch dark and no police, or me, are about.

If you want to try eating 12 Double Whoppers in one go – do it – but ask me to help…

And for goodness sake.  Why wait until you are going to die before doing what you want to do.  Do it.  Now.  Or, plan to do it now.  Whether it will be 4 days away or 4 decades – if you feel the need, plan it now.

As an aside.  In my life I have had many buckets.  At the moment I know I have a red one, a white one, a blue one, another blue one, another white one.  And a grey collapsible one (which is useless – it collapses all the time). Indeed, I have lots of buckets.  When my mind pictures those buckets all I can see is all the work they have had me endure when using them.  Washing.  Gardening. Mixing concrete. Mixing compost.  Worm-post.  Slime-post. Flushing out stinking, blocked drains.  Cat poo.  Dog poo. Horse poo (thought it was good for the garden, it’s not).  Chicken poo.  Chicken poo pallets.  Work!  Dirty work!

So why magicalise a bucket? 

It’s shite.  Literally

Conclusion

Should I ‘kick the bucket’ today, tomorrow or next week I will go knowing that whenever an opportunity has cropped up and there was a possibility or feasibility that I could do it, I have done it. 

This year a perfect example.  Another go at parasailing, despite knowing I hate heights.  Walked the Kepler, cause the opportunity came up.  Rewalked the Tongariro Crossing, despite vowing never to do it again, but the opportunity came up.

Climbed Mt Snowdon.  Cause the opportunity came up. Got here to Wales and the UK, because if I worked it right it could be feasible – despite obstacles.  Next I knew, I was with my mates in Nice.  Monarco.  Cannes.  Because it was a window of opportunity.  I grabbed it.   Nowt to do with buckets.  Or bucket lists.

Actually, if I think of all my life of buckets – the most vivid is those buckets of poo’d nappies by sons gave me back in the 70’s.  In the days when we had real nappies – and had to soak the poo off.

Told you, buckets go with shit ….

Thinking of climbing a mountain soon ....