Erin’s Bucket List

A while back (as in two years ago), when I wrote about our trip to Chicago, I mentioned my and Steven’s bucket lists, but I didn’t share them.

It’s true that once upon a time we sat down and wrote one together. However, in the two years and two moves since, I have no idea where it is at. So I’ve decided to write a new one.

It’s such a blog cliche. The whole bucket list thing. Just like the “year-in-reviews” at the end of each year. But whatever. I happen to love both of those things.

I’ve given this a lot of thought, but I’m sure it will change. It would be fun to revisit this every few years and make adjustments. That’s probably not really the point. But I’m also a bit of a different person than I was five years ago. And I’ll probably be a bit of a different person five years from now. I’m sure a lot of this list will stay the same. But some of it will probably change.

So, in no particular order, I present MAH BUCKET LIST, YO.

• Write and publish a book
• Spend (at least) two weeks in Europe
• Visit all U.S. national parks (heh, there’s 58)
• Be a parent
• Take my kids to Disney World
• Run a half-marathon (read more here)
• Travel to San Francisco
• Travel to Maine
• Earn an advanced degree
• Be an aunt
• Run a marathon
• Compete in a triathlon
• Meet Elizabeth Warren (!!!!!! read more here)
• Meet Anna Quindlen
• Own a home
• See The Lion King on Broadway (did this when I visited NYC in 2011!)
• Earn a placement medal in a race
• Visit Alaska
• See the northern lights
• Become a contributor to an online progressive publication
• Explore my family tree
  • Interview/write about a long lost relative
• Maintain my ideal weight
• Go snorkeling
• Travel to Chicago (read all about it here)

• Go skiing
• Go parasailing
• Completely surprise my husband
• Fly in a hot air balloon
• Buy a stranger’s food or drink behind me in line
• Watch the sun rise
• Witness a solar eclipse
• Plant a garden (and successfully grow things!)
• Become a real wine drinker. Like, know about wines.
• Visit all 50 states
• Swim with dolphins (did this on our honeymoon!)
• Be someone’s maid of honor
• Volunteer at a hospice
• Try out vegetarianism for a month
• Practice meditation
• Travel to New York City (read a little about it here)

• Whole-heartedly and completely apologize to someone I have hurt in the past  (I have done this, and it was really hard….but 100% worth it. I should never consider this “checked off and done” though. There will alway be a need for it.)
• Forgive someone who has hurt me in the past — let go of that grudge!
• Fly first class
• Go on a cruise with my family (ok, so I’ve been on one…but it was in middle school! I’d love to go with my husband and the kids we hope to have someday)
• Create meaningful societal change (very vague….but not sure how to define this right now)
• Cultivate a connection with someone of a different race, background and/or upbringing than me
• Dine out at a restaurant we can’t afford (I’ll never get Steven to go for this one!)
• Play hooky with my husband for a day
• Host Thanksgiving dinner
• Bake bread from scratch
• Go camping
• Teach a child to ride a bike

There you have it! What’s on your bucket list?