SPONTANEOUS FRIDAY

To Bucket List or Not to Bucket List

We live in a world of bucket lists. At least I do. I think the reason many of us do is to avoid as many regrets as possible when our final day arrives.

Years ago my big regret was travel. Being from the Northwest I travelled all over the west coast. From Alaska to the southern tip of Baja. I saw it all. But when it came to traveling east Utah was my limit.

Thankfully all that changed by way of a ten day trip to the deep south. A year later I added New England to the list.

This morning, however, my bucket list traveled to another direction –

 

The Anti-Bucket List

Yes, I had no idea one existed either.

It all started when my pesky cat, Flash, thought it was a great idea to plop a dead snake on my lap. After a few choice words along with the removal of the dead snake, I decided to create my very own Anti-Bucket List.

By the way – This is Flash:

 

Don’t let the photo fool you. He has a sick sense of humor.

 

How to Create the Anti-Bucket List

To start with let’s get the dead snake out of the way. In fact let’s broaden the scope and say anything dead on my lap is a bad thing.

Following close behind I’d have to say being stuck in a spider’s web is right up there. In other words, me trapped like the guy in the movie The Fly. Google the ending and you’ll know what I’m talking about.   

Spider webs and dead things are easy but, I asked myself, what about the true annoyance of life. Things that my OCD and other mind controlling stuff would easily place on the list.

 

Little Annoyances Big Problems

• The first would be a cluttered work area that never gets clean. Think of a bad dream running over and over in a vicious cycle.

 

• Another thought would be a work area deep inside a cold, dark concrete cave. The old Kingdome in Seattle comes to mind. Trust me, I spent many summer days watching terrible baseball while trapped inside that ugly concrete bubble.

 

• Moving further down the list, how about my favorite pens permanently replaced by cheap knockoffs. For all of you writers, you know what I mean. We love our favorite pens.

 

• American football becoming illegal. With all the head injuries this may one day be true.

 

• Spending months on an outline full of chapters I hate or eating peas every night and never getting the taste out of my mouth. I’m not sure which ones worse?

 

• Becoming a Panster – No! Not again!

 

• Spending my entire time and money at a writer’s conference pitching to agents. Please stop me!!!

 

• Follow the advice of every critic and trying to please all of them.

 

• Give in to Netflix every time the mood strikes.

 

• Wave the curfew on my soon to be sixteen year old daughter.

 

• Give the neighborhood’s semi-wild cat a hug. I still have the scars.

 

• No pizza for life.

 

• And finally – No carbs ever!

 

Let’s face it, some things we should never do and some places we should never go. But at the same time we should all be allowed to enjoy life’s rewards…..

…….in Moderation of course.

So there you have it, my very own Anti-Bucket List. I have a feeling it’s going to grow.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to eat Pizza.

 

Happy Friday Everyone!!!

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