Thursday, September 21, 2006

what about you?

Once, a few years ago, some friends of my husband's asked me an interesting question. It was: What is something you want to do before you die?

Weird in that I had never been asked that question before, not by any girlfriends, not by anyone. So.. I sat there and thought about it and said, "well, I'd like to swim with dolphins". And thinking about it now, this is still something that I'd like to do, but I wouldn't put it on the top of my list.

I've done a lot of things but there's still many things that sound like they could be life changing events - and, for me, that makes all the difference. For one, I'd love to go on a safari or live like Jane Goodall for a while, altho my husband would totally disagree w/ it. But, there's just something about the idea of living in the jungle, getting up at the crack of dawn and watching monkeys all day that sounds really appealing to me. Yeah, maybe I'm strange, but really, it sounds fabulous. The thought of being out there w/ nature... hearing the sounds of nature... I think it would make me feel alive.

Plus, you don't have to worry about the bitchy women at work being nosey and all the gossip they insist on spreading (I hate this more than anything and had a taste of it yesterday), you don't have to worry about make-up or if you look fat... and you get to sit in complete silence, except for the monkeys, take notes if you wish and be a spectator of true nature and life at work. I love animals, so this sounds like a dream to me. What a great escape!

There are so many things that I'd love to do before I die... and yeah, it may sound morbid, but have you ever thought about it? I could mention all the crazy stuff that I haven't yet done, but when I really think about it, I would love to have more life changing events happen in my life... things that really make me a better person and have a impact on my soul. Do I think living w/ monkeys could do that??? Well, altho some may think me crazy for saying it, I do. Or maybe it's just the thought of getting away and being free of some of the burdens that these day-to-day struggles can bring to your life. Not that there wouldn't be stress in that environment because there is... for any of you that have watched Jane Goodall at work or seen the shows or read up on anything that she's done... there's a whole set of probs that come w/ that. But still.... I'm a daydreamer, what can I say!

I'd also love to travel thru Europe w/ a backpack for several months, but only if I had no worries attached to it. Worries w/ money or job safety... and I'd want to take my mother. Not that she'd backpack... but I'd love to travel w/ her.

I'm sure others can come up w/ all sorts of things that I haven't thought about cuz when I sit here and think... I can't really come up w/ all that much. I wonder.... is that's good or bad?! Shouldn't I have a whole list of things or something?

Some other things that I'd like to do are: take my husband to the Grand Canyon and hike that w/ him. I would like to do this before I get old and gray, and before I have trouble walking! ;) I would love to run a marathon. And I'd love to have the money for a sailing cruise - one of those where they take care of your every need and there's only like 6 or so other couples on board... and it would last like 30 days or longer. That would be a little slice of heaven... I'm sure. I'd also love to live in the country again or someplace w/ a lot of nature.... I hate cities... and I don't like lots of noise, busy streets... and the likes. It's funny but when I was younger, I couldn't wait to leave Indiana... I hated the small town quality of it. But now, I long for it.

What about you guys? I know lots of ppl like to do daring things and wan't to try sky diving or jumping off of cliffs and such before you die, and I guess there's a lot to say for that.. but it doesn't really interest me.

13 comments:

Veeeva said...

I'd want to publish a book..a diary maybe... not the "i did this today" diary..but more like my mental garbage typed in crimson & enclosed in velvet cover.

Jahooni said...

I would love to travel the entire United States, travel overseas (which hopefully will happen next year ;-) )

I would love to take my mother on a cruise.

I would love to see my grandchildren born (okay I am rushing things since my daughet is only six!)

Leilouta said...

What is something you want to do before you die?

Have a house at the beach or at least a house with a swimming pool.

Take a cooking lesson with my husband.

Travel for months without having to fly ... I know I am weird.

Also, I would like to find some of my mom's relatives...

MSB said...

sky diving was on my list, but i've already done that. been to the grand canyons, but looking at it/taking pics was enough for me. seen the falls. hmm, not sure what else i'd like to do that's 'reasonable'.

i'd love to be able to quit my job, live in diff countries for months at a time, learning the language and culture then moving on to the next.

Munther said...

Hello tooners,
Well, I have loadsa todos on my list. But the main one would have to be backpacking in south east asia ! Would love to go to all the exotic countries like Cambodia and Vietnam etc

The Moody Minstrel said...

This is an interesting coincidence, but on the blog of one of my longtime friends she brings up the question, "What would you do for (and/or with) me if I had only one more day to live?"

It makes it all rather more complicated, doesn't it?

The Moody Minstrel said...

Just for the sake of being proper, here's the link to the article on Kami's blog.

Veeeva said...

hey! y did u want a zoology degree? and what did u get instead?

i asked u this on my blog btw ...

Anonymous said...

I just have to drive around the world in my car...that's a must. Publishing a book is another...and as shameful as it may seem...learning to swim. Almost drowned when I was 7 years old and I've literally been hydrophobic since. Any good swimming instructors around?

Susan said...

Where to start?? Lots of travel, including a trip through Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. Lots of volunteer work in some impoverished nations. I'm a teacher, so that's how I would like to contribute.

The safari? I did that a few years ago in Kenya-a camping safari. Despite being desperately ill from the side effects of anti-malarial medicine, I absolutely loved it. Sometimes I think I belong in Africa. I whole-heartedly recommend you do it, tooners. Oh, and all these things I want to do? My husband would never dream of any of them! That's ok. I don't mind doing them on my own or with a friend.

Peceli and Wendy's Blog said...

Oh a scary thought that we put off, don't we!
I had better clean up my house and all my diaries and files because I don't want people reading some of the stuff! They'll reckon - what a weird mind that one had!
No desire to travel far, nesting is becoming more my scene because the imagination, memory, books etc. are enough.
Death is not really scary though, it's the process - when you see elderly friends suffering or in those sometimes awful nursing homes.
W.

Puppy said...

i would travel to the places where i was happy.

It depends how much time i will have, to be honest. Or if you as what i would like to do before i die, it will be not necessarily in the following order, so I would like to spend more time with my parents and family, relatives, I would want to have my ACCA qualification, to have kids, to jump from the plane with parachute of course, buy my own car, be able to help poor people, travel to the countries I never been, I would also like to open my own consulting company, I would want to attend my sis wedding and see her kids. I guess there are some stuff I want to do but they are not in my mind right now.
The main thing is to keep dreaming, the time we stop dreaming or have no dreams, we are dead.

Lets stay alive :)

Puppy.

Um Naief said...

wow, you guys have some really great things on your list! leilouta, i'd like to have a pool too! i'd love to be able to go outside and swim whenever i want. the hubby is way different than me in his wants before that time comes, i guess he's more of a daredevil than i am...

you guys have really made me think of a lot of things. and thanks to all of you new posters. i can't wait to check out your blogs. :)