My Anti-Bucket List

There’s something in the ubiquitous craze of bucket lists that doesn’t exactly sit right with me. First, if they aren’t simply a mere reminder of death/dying, they seem outrageously long and in effect, unrealistic. They bring attention to the end of your life, when they should be bringing attention to your life right now. What I am a big advocate of, is living in the moment. The here and now. I want to take advantage of my youth and my health as I have it. Sometimes bucket lists seem like a way of postponement. An excuse to wait.

This is me trying to be more opinionated. I didn’t make a New Years resolution, but if I did, it would be to be more opinionated. This may seem like an odd one to some people, but I have strong opinions on lots of things but mainly keep them to myself because I’m convinced that no one cares. This has stemmed from being bombarded by people’s Facebook statuses every day giving me day-to-day plays of their life . . .  and of course, I absolutely couldn’t care less: the baby advice, baby photos, gym schedule, or mind blowing pointless selfie shots.  Some people will care, but most people won’t. The one thing I am truly passionate about is writing and living life to the fullest I can, which is how this blog was born. People in the blogosphere do seem to be reading my posts, and taking the time to comment . . . so that is my cue to keep going.

So what are we waiting for? Waiting until we have responsibilities like bills, a career, a house, a child? Waiting until our sense of adventure and physical vigor fizzle out? Why do we wait until we are old or terminally ill until we decide to actually begin living items on the list?

I completely understand the idea of writing everything down that you would really like to accomplish, and seeing what it looks like on paper. Although we always have the tendency to procrastinate, like we do for things we don’t particular enjoy – cleaning the house, going to the dentist, etc. But not truly tackling anything on our lists ever would be procrastinating living and the things that would bring us true happiness and joy. So we have to just find a way to do it and then do it. Do the things you’ve always dreamed of but never thought it was a good time. If you are healthy and physically capable, then that sounds like a good time to me.

Start saving, stop spending. Start seeing, stop imagining. Start living, stop dreaming.

So in contrast to the bucket list, I present my anti-bucket list, a list of things I will never do (as well as things I will never be) while I chase and accomplish all the experiences I’m currently after. I want to live my life here and now, not wait around until I get a chance to kick the bucket first.

• I will never have a big, traditional wedding. This tradition is just simply not me. I prefer not to drop a lifetime of earnings on a ceremony that would mean the same sans wedding.
• I will never let my independence slip away. Regardless if I am in a committed relationship, engaged, or married.
• I will never own a cat. It is dogs I have the soft spot in my heart for.
• I will never go on a fad diet or detox. Eating healthy with a wide variety of foods, combined with frequent exercise – that’s the way it should be. Getting up, moving your ass and enjoying all the delicious foods in this world. I’m not wasting my youth and health while I have it.
• I will never tell a child there is no Santa Claus. There is a part of me that still believes in him! I want him to exist so badly, why would I crush a child’s spirit who does believe?
• I will never peel the skin off a vegetable before eating it. The skin is where the nutrients are! What’s with people peeling off cucumber skin? Is the two calorie cucumber slice too much? Or the people who eat kiwi with a spoon to avoid the skin? The skin is meant to be eaten and holds many nutrients.
• I will never be a picky eater. I enjoy eating pretty much anything, and will never be the person who picks mushrooms or onions out of sauces or sandwiches.
  
• I will never run a marathon. I’ve hiked to many beautiful places, and I do enjoy the occasional jog! But the idea of running 26.2 miles just to run . . . not for me.
• I will never wear fake anything. No fake hair, fake nails, fake boobs, fake tan, fake eyelashes. I am comfortable in my own skin.  :)
• I will never pay for designer anything. I don’t care that much. Plus it sends a materialistic message that I don’t care to send.
• I will never smoke a cigarette. Unhealthy, unattractive, all-around awful. Never.
• I will never be too old for Harry Potter.