Guest Post: Bucket List

So if you've been following me on Twitter or Facebook you'll know that I have been talking about having guest bloggers on my blog to offer a different point of view and different content. I present to you, Brian Smith

When I first volunteered to guest blog and write about my bucket list, I thought, “This will be easy.” After all, everyone has stuff they want to do and want to accomplish in life before they kick the bucket.

But it turns out that putting those wants and desires onto paper is a lot harder than I expected. What should be included? How specific should it be? Does every want and desire—no matter how seemingly trivial—be included or should a bucket list only include the really big things, the show stoppers, the stuff that will be legen—wait for it—dary.

Here’s the thing about a bucket list: It shouldn’t just be a wish list. It shouldn’t just be a list of all those wonderful things that would be really cool to do before you die but also really hard to cross off the list. Yes, climbing Mt Everest would be incredibly awesome. But, also, incredibly difficult to achieve. I once rode a tram 6000 feet to the top of Sandia Mountain in New Mexico. That is the extent of my mountain climbing experience. Climbing Mt Everest is not on my bucket list, no matter how incredibly awesome it would be.

A bucket list, however, probably shouldn’t contain the mundane, either. Unless you’re a risk of an early death, including “Living until I’m 60” shouldn’t be included. Finding that right balance, however, is tricky.

But I think I’ve done it.

Brian Smith’s Bucket List:

1. Drink a Bellini at Harry’s Bar in Venice

2. Stand in St. Peter’s Square and hear the Pope’s Easter address

3. Run with the bulls in Pamplona

4. Watch an FC Barcelona match at the Camp Nou

5. Attend the World Cup

6. Be in attendance at the NCAA Final Four as the University of Kentucky wins a championship in basketball

7. Cliff dive in Hawai’i

8. Visit all 50 states

9. Travel to every continent

10. Gamble at a high roller’s table in Vegas

11. New Year’s Eve in Times Square

12. Learn to play one song really well on the piano

13. Speak French fluently

14. Flirt with a supermodel

15. Midsummer’s Night Party at the Playboy Mansion

16. Take batting practice at a major league baseball stadium

17. Meet the President

18. Read the Bible from start to finish

19. Sky dive

20. Be a contestant on Jeopardy

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @briansmith31681 or check out my blog briansmith31681.blogspot.com

And, many thanks to Jenny for this opportunity. She rocks!