EVERY DAY IN MAY CHALLENGE TOPICS DAY BY DAY

The ‘Bucket List’? Well, I thought I would add some flavor to this piece by explaining where the phrase bucket list came from. It is supposedly agreed it emanates from ‘kicking the bucket’ or dying. So, it is surmised that the list is a series of things you want to do before you kick the bucket. But, there is so much confusion re the ‘kick the bucket’ part, I decided not to write about that.

So, it falls to what are those things I really want to do…on my list? This is tough right now. I don’t really have the freedom to go many places for awhile. I don’t like doing too much day dreaming about such things. Seems a waste of mental energy. Either you are really going to do it in the next year of so, or don’t put too much thought into it. Just me, I spose. I mean, they have to be reasonable in scope (time, money, health, freedom). So here are a few I have considered: La Tomatina Festival, Sturgis Rally, Carnival in Rio and the Burning Man.

Now one can see the possibilities of a giant tomato food fight. But, regrettably, I am allergic to tomatoes.
At first blush the Sturgis Rally looks darn appealing don’t you think? But, in reality, I think I would have to fly into the Sturgis Municipal Airport and make arrangements to get into town and stand around bikes, because I really have never been very coordinated around motorcycles. So, I will have to pass on this. I know people that have made the trip from Oregon and truthfully, they stopped a lot, the ‘old ladies’ rode in the chase van quite a bit, and the guys said they would never do it again. And, they’re way more bad ass than me! 
Now if Carnival in Rio isn’t right up my alley I don’t know what is. And, look at those Ostrich Plumes! But, my wife found my travel brochures and did her own research about the cultural activities I was talking about and, well, that was that….off the bucket list!
The Burning Man gathering. Well now, being a frustrated ‘boomer’ I have fond recollections of the 60’s, and Woodstock and I saw Hendrix and Janis in Monterey, and I had long hair and a beard, and there is something chaotic and potentially wild when all kinds of goofballs gather in the Nevada desert. I just am not certain I can scratch this one off my list. I will have to think about this one. Oh who am I kidding. I am such a fuddy duddy now.

You know, I just have not really had time to complete a sincere bucket list. Some things have crept to the forefront this year: my dentist mentioned his trip to Chile and Argentina and suggested I look into it; I want to go back to B.C. and explore more lakes; Alaska….I have only done the Sitka-Juneau…take home 100#’s of salmon routine. What would it be like to truly fly fish for rainbows in Alaska? So many places I need to go to while health allows. Montana? Another bonefish trip somewhere tropical? More drift boat trips. Of course, it doesn’t all have to be about fly fishing does it? Realistically for me…one or two epic trips a year would be asking a lot. Damn that Ostrich Herl does look good though.

 

TOMORROW’S EVERY DAY IN MAY WRITER’S CHALLENGE TOPIC: NEWS