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My 2008 Bucket List — Thank You, Jeff Pulver, for Asking

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The idea of a bucket list isn’t a new one or that exceptional. We used to talk about such things when we were kids. Then it was

If you had 6 months to live and all of the money in the world what would you do before you died?

A bucket list is just that

What would you do before you kick the bucket?

Jeff has added a new twist.

What things on your bucket list will you scratch off in 2008?

Jeff Pulver made a bucket list in response to the Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman movie by that name. But he didn’t throw out isn’t any nebulous challenge. Oh no! It’s what will we remove from our list curing 2008. As Jeff said,

In the spirit of the movie, and in the spirit of trying to make 2008 be the year that we all start to do some of the things we would like to accomplish one day, I thought it would be fun to reach out to friends across the blogosphere and ask them to share some of the things on their “Bucket List” they hope to remove during 2008. For some of us, these are not necessarily our “New Year’s Resolutions”, but rather things we have been meaning to do for some time that we WILL get done in 2008.

Then, tossed the ball to a few of us to respond — Chris Brogan, Liz Strauss, Jeff Jarvis, Fred Wilson, Andy Abramson, Steve Garfield and asking them to share their “Bucket List for 2008.”

How could I say “no” to that?

My 2008 Bucket List

In 2008, I plan to knock a few things off the list of “what I want to do while I still have time” list. . . I know these for sure.

  • To be paid to speak, teach, and have ideas, and to get to do so in more than one country.
  • To attend the social media breakfast in London that Jeff Pulver has on his list.
  • To be an integral part of launching an original idea — an idea in progress — and to see that it funds itself.
  • To decide which book I need to write and whether I need to write it alone.
  • To get to know at least one new person a week.
  • To spend a weekend or more at a vineyard with the friend I’ve known longest, a weekend, at least, with two other such friends, and several hours in person with my best friend from college..
  • To find someone who ‘s interested in getting this symphony out of my head and onto a musical score.
  • To travel with my son and to surprise my husband with something he wants but doesn’t need.

thank you, Jeff Pulver for inviting us to keep each other alive and thinking.

Of course, the giving back, the laughing, and the hanging out here with my friends goes without saying.

Now I pass this along in hopes that some others might share their list too, because I’m interested:Sashi Bellamkonda, Becky McCray, Mike Sigers, Ann Michael, J.P. Rangaswami, Anne Wayman, Glenda Hyatt Watson, and Mike DeWitt.

Actually, I’m really interested in everyone’s bucket list. What will you cross off your bucket list in 2008?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Comments

  3. I’m working on that this morning, as a matter of fact…

    A symphony; how fascinating! And I’d love to know about the array of books you’re considering.

    Mike

    Reply

  5. What a great idea! It sounds a lot better than resolution list 🙂

    Well, I have to make sure my license paper is finished. It’s on blogs and I’ve postponed it long enough. Then, start my own company and make it through the following 8 months without quitting my day job! oh, and of course the lovely part of traveling to 4 different continents.
    Another important thing is to finish the Latino dance lessons I’ve started with my boyfriend. Oh, sorry, finace 😛 Get my mom a cool massage chair I saw in the Netherlands, make time for an extra trip to Germany to see Mig…and the list could go on for a while now 🙂

    Reply

  10. hmm … interesting … i’m tempted to say “start working on my PhD” but that’s something that i want to do before i die – but not something i’d want to do if i only had 6 months to live. the distinction is interesting.

    if i only had 6 months to live – i think i’d just want to have as much fun as possible with god, my family and my friends. give away as much as possible. go out with a big grin not only on my but on everyone else’s face.

    Reply

  11. have you written other books liz, and I too am curious what the topic might be – fascinated actually

    with the 6 month premise I think I’d take the credit card with most cash on it and visit italy, eat and drink every italian speciallty known to womankind, rent a villa in italy, write while in italy, befriend an italian man …or two, bobby where are you when I need you ( 1978 bobby who owns a villa in italy – bobby )drive the italian countryside and rest peacefully in italy – should that be my demise

    however just know that in reality and in the i am turning 50 trip…ITALY is actually in the works

    since it’s a trip of a lifetime ( at least in mine) I have created in my head a trip not found in the travel tours – its going to take some creativity

    very fun question

    Mother Earth aka Karen Hanrahan
    http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com

    Reply

  13. Hi Isabella,
    The challenge Jeff put to us was to choose what we want to cross off our list in 2008.

    Those are the ones that I can commit for 2008.

    It’s kind of exciting to short list the list to what I want to do this year.

    What will you cross off your list in 2008?

    Reply

  14. oh boy, fate is kicking me! so back to the PhD – i JUST got an email from an ex professor of mine asking me to please please publish an article, even saying “how can i help?”

    is that a sign or what?

    Reply

  15. Hi Liz,
    A nice ‘bucket list’ you have there, good luck with achieving it all. I wrote a too on my blogging goals and plans for the new year. It included writing more guest articles, being more active in communities, traveling more, improving my graphic design skills and to learn CSS (more). I also want to invent something new.

    Reply

  16. Ah Mother Earth,
    But what things will you stratch off your bucket list in the year 2008? What things have you been thinking you’ll do someday that you’re going to do this year?

    Reply

  18. Wow… To cross off my 2008 List: 1) Research an idea I have and either a) go for it or b) give myself permission to let go of the idea, and 2) Get to know more people and make friends in the blog communities.

    Liz, you GO, girl, with your bucket! 🙂

    Reply

  19. Hi Mother Earth!
    Italy, I think that may be where that vineyard is that I go to. 🙂

    Your list sounds wildly wonderful and wildly you!

    The book titles I have would probably surprise you. They surprise me in many ways. 🙂

    Reply

  21. Meaning to do?

    I’ve been caught up with all the things I need to do this year, I don’t really have anything I want to do planned. Except for maybe these few.

    I do want to get at least a upper second class for my honours degree this year.

    I do want to walk on stage during graduation and finally finish 5 years of university and 2 degrees to boot.

    I want to be less stressed out despite the monumental task ahead that is my honours.

    I want my relationship with a friend I just met to mean enough that she’ll keep in contact after we part.

    I want to have a Christmas and New Years season with people that I will cook a feast for rather than being alone like I did last year.

    I want to spend as much time with my girlfriend because after April, it’s a long long time to miss someone who always watches my back, especially in a tough year ahead.

    I want a new laptop for myself. Nothing too fancy. Nothing too flash. Just a laptop. For me to do work.

    Woo…ok maybe I do have a lot of things on my list. Doesn’t mean it’ll work anyway. But we can always try. That’s the point ain’t it?

    Reply

  22. Travel, creation, and meeting people are on my “bucket list.” Meeting new people is grand, but getting to know acquaintances better is also high up there. Maybe in 2008 I’ll be lucky enough to meet you face to face!

    Travel… new places are important to me, but getting to know old places better is important too. What are we social mediacrats doing in Chicago this year?

    Creation? I’m afraid to list it or I might jinx it.

    Reply

  23. Hey Edrei!
    You’ve got a smiling face here. And you can cook for me any day of the year . . . I know a few friends we could plan a party, but I’m guessing that you’ll do well on your own.

    I’ve read your blog. I know how incredible you are.

    It’s funny how when I’m feeling stressed the best thing I can do is stop doing what’s stressing me and look at the trees, or the sky or especially the stars. Even if it’s only long enough to remember what they look like.

    You’re not a stranger . . . 🙂

    Reply

  25. Hey fp!
    Absolutely, if you’re in Chicago, you got a date!
    Creation . . . you won’t jinx it. You’ll make it certain if you say it out loud.

    Travel yeah. Every place is magical to me.

    I like how you think about acquaintances. After all, you’re already not a stranger anymore. 🙂

    Reply

  27. Liz —

    the list to do for 2008 really is about writing for me, what if it could be something I could do and make a living at …and LOVE??

    and it’s about getting stronger – really strong physically and emotionally

    continue to lose weight — if i go at the pace i have been at methodically – i’ll be a size 14 by the end of the year with a total of 84 lbs lost !!

    so tell me the name of that italian vineyard

    and if you feel like sharing titles and topics for books I am all ears, i make a great cup of tea !!

    Mother Earth aka Karen Hanrahan
    http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com

    Reply

  28. Hi Karen!
    I hear you getting stronger every comment you write. So you must be getting close to picking up a pencil to scratch off that one. 🙂

    I’ll let you know which Italian vineyard.

    Too many book titles to talk about. 🙂

    Reply

  29. RE: Getting music out of your head; here’s how you do it.

    You need 2 things: 1) a cheap little Casio/Radio Shack style keyboard, and 2) some alphabet stickers.

    Then, go online and get the notes for the keys. You can find a good guide here:

    http://www.musictheory.halifax.ns.ca/3keyboard.html

    Stick the letters for the notes onto the corresponding keys on the keyboards. For sharps you can just write in the sharp symbols but it’s pretty easy to remember that the sharp keys are black. 😉

    Play around with the keyboard until you hear the fundamentals of the song in your head coming out. Once this starts, grab a pen and paper and write out the notes as you play them.

    Once you have the basics of the song written down, find someone musical to transpose your song to a musical score…they will also be able to help you with things like timing and volume, etc.

    Presto! You have a song!

    Reply

  30. Hi Scott!
    I gotcha! But I’m not sure you fully understand . . . this is an orchestra. I hear most of the instruments.

    And my goal is to meet someone who wants to do that. I don’t especially want to do that alone. 🙂

    Reply

  31. Oh. Wow! Well, then I guess you need to get a bunch of keyboards. 😉

    Seriously though, when I used to do composition it always helped to get the main theme of the song down, and then the “orchestral” elements such as the harmonies and beat just kind of emerged from that theme. It’s kind of hard to explain but when it happens it feels the same as when you’re really in the Zone while writing. If you get my meaning. 😀

    Reply

  32. Hey Scott!
    I so started laughing at your very first sentence!! 🙂

    I get your meaning, but there’s a reason you quit doing composition and a reason I never started.

    I’m getting 2-3 businesses off the ground.

    Reply

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