[Emerald]

I was surfing the web recently and found The Personal Excellence Blog by Celestine Chua and an article there.
This article instantly reminded me of the movie �Bucket List� starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman telling the story of two terminally ill men who decided to fulfill some of their dreams before they kick the bucket.
Both made me think: do we really need to wait until something bad or inevitable has to happen and makes us cherish our lives and our dreams? Why not to create you Bucket List or your Wish List right now?
We all have our small and big dreams but unfortunately quite often many of them are taken away by daily routine. (worn away?) Sometimes people want to do so many things that all the wishes we have might be in a slightly chaotic state and it is hard to sort them out quickly. How to live your life to the fullest, how to fulfill as many dreams as possible? I agree with Celestine the list will help you, will make you stay focused on the things you want to achieve in your life and do whatever you wanted to do. I think it will allow to minimize pointlessly wasted time and as Morgan Freeman said at the end of the movie "to find the joy in life".

The blog inspired me to create my own list, here are some points from it
Fly a hot air balloon
Have a baby
Improve my English (I'm sure many of us will have it in common )
Visit THE Grand Canyon
Travel around Provence
Visit Brugge
Learn how to bake a homemade cheescake
(1 missing article in a fairly obscure place)
So what do you think of creating a Bucket List? Do you think it�s useful?
And of course what�s in YOUR Bucket List?

[Utaku]

Very interesting topic is proposed. :roll: It needs some time for the thinking. I won't write the bucket list. But I'll try to undestand who am I, what I'm having now, what I want. I'll try to build my upstairs of purposes.
At that moment I remember we aren't alone in this world (it is real cool). We care about some near people we have got. Some of them can't survive without any a little our attention. Their wellbeing is my permanent chain of the best choices. This is our life in episodes of such nature, in the correlation what you can, what you want, what you must do. Unfortunately What you want is far away from What you can, worldwide, of course. But the thought is very interesting. Thank you.

[Elle]

People are often afraid to wish. And this is the result of education in each individual family. :cry: If every day a child and then a teenager is told what he or she must do, he or she will loose the skill of wishing. Of course there are some essential things which are really must be done. But parents should leave their children a space for freedom. When children become adults it's very difficult for them to remember what they really wanted. It is a chance to earn living for psychologists ;). But people really can help themselves by writing their own Bucket Lists. The trick is don't stop your dream view, just relax. it is very useful, because even if you won't achieve your greatest goals (who knows, may be you will), you'll have a chance to understand yourself better. So, don't be afraid to dream!

[Olga]

A lot of thanks, Emerald! That's a very interesting topic. I think everybody has his or hers Bucket list, but doesn't think about it every day like something important. For example, I also have a Bucket List for a week, for a month, for a year. (1 missing article; some missing words)
My favorite "work" is writting BL on 31th of December. I do that on the big paper and put in the daily... so I can look in it every day... In my opinion, it's very useful. I assure if you write your wishes on the paper and look at it sometimes... and may all your wishes come true ;) This list might help you to understand yourself and be closer to your wish. (2 missing articles; 1 misapplied article; some missing words)
Don't be afraid of your wishes and don't worry if sometimes they don't come true. (1 missing preposition)
As for my BL... (do you mean 'as for'?)
1. This year I'm going to India. I did something for that - bought tickets, read travel guides, booked a hotel. My motto is If you want something do it. (1 missing article)
2. Buy a new car (rephrase)
3. Change my job if I can't buy a new car :lol: It's a joke (1 missing article)
4. Take courses to be person who understands wines (1 missing article)
5. Watch a movie just only in English :) (1 missing article or messed up number)
6. That my Mammy and Daddy will be healthy. Most of all I want that.
7. Be nice, polite and do many good little things

[Emerald]

First of all I would like to thank you all for your cheerful attitude and for all your thanks! This is first thread started by me on the forum so it's very re-assuring to have and see all you answers here.

Utaku said:

Very interesning topic is proposed. It needs some time for the thinking. I won't write the bucket list. But I'll try to undestand who am I, what I'm having now, what I want. I'll try to build my upstears of purposes.

for Utaku: I�m just curious why don�t you want to create your Bucket list, do you have any specific reason? Do you consider it useless? You said that you will build you pyramid of purposes (as I would call it). Will you hold all your aims in your head, aren't you afraid to forget something?
I agree with Elle you might simply forget at your thirties what you wanted when you were 20 and in you forties what you wanted when you were thirty. But it doesn�t meant that these things were not important, they can�t be forgotten because of all our duties and busy days and because people sometimes postpone things and wishes that can make them happy. I think that Bucket List is a kind of a reminder for you about what you want to do to live interesting life and to make life interesting for people near you.

[Emerald]

Olga said:

For example, I have Bucket List for a week, for a month, for a year. (1 missing article; some missing words)

Olga, this is really nice to understand that there are people who also do the lists, some of my office mates are making fun of me because of my daily lists :D.
Nice and very good and kind wishes.
I also create the lists for a day and for a week, but these lists I call THE TO DO LISTS. ;)
They mainly consist of the things that I have do. These are my duties. And a Bucket List for me is a list of a lifetime, that what I was trying to say. A thought just came to me, just imagine a feeling when you cross out a point from you Bucket List.
For example to visit India -> CHECK! To make a parachute jump -> CHECK! This must be thrilling, a way more interesting than crossing out "to meet with client" or "to buy a present for a friend" :lol: Right?

[onlooker]

I stick to an Utaku`s opinion, it`s difficult for me to write the Bucket List. I call such List- "My plans" and try to fulfil each point of the plan logically and persistently. The plan changes often as I fulfil my wishes and new desire appears.
And my main wishes are non-material, they depend on my efforts very little. I suppose that most people have the same wishes as parents` health, happiness of children, peace and stability in the world and so on.
If I cannot achieve the result , I change my attitude to this wish, I take fails easy. I know that destiny provides me only with the best and at proper moment. Your can`t escape your fate! What`s the use to attach to unrealizible? Be the change you want to see in the world.

[Emerald]

onlooker said:

And my main wishes are non-material, they depend on my efforts very little. I suppose that most people have the same wishes as parents` health, happiness of children, peace and stability in the world and so on.

Dear Onlooker,
nothing personal... but what you are saying is pure gibberish! Yes your main wishes are non-material, mine either. Happiness and health of our beloved people. But fulfillment of this wish lies in direct connection with your efforts. So that makes that kind of wish FULLY dependent on YOUR efforts. How could you say that it depends but very little?
For example my simple wish to learn how to bake a cheesecake when fulfilled will gather my relatives and friends together, will make my husband smile and be happy cause he is a real sweet-tooth. This will bring a moment of happiness to my family for sure! Plans often change, you are right. But the things that will make you, your family and your friends happy are unlikely to change. And your attitude towards it won't change.
Peace and stability is a good wish but too common and vague. Simple question: what will your wanting of peace and stability in the whole world give exactly to your child or parents? I think the wish like arranging a trip to (___) (insert the name of the country you and you child is longing to visit) will give visible results of happiness and delight. Bucket List doesn't imply the notion of failure. You simply make your wishes come true and live your life to the fullest.
Your post only makes me more confident that Bucket List is a useful thing to avoid vague wishes and being as close as possible to my own happiness and happiness of people I love.

[Ksenia]

Emerald, thanks a lot for this idea. It looks very interesting! Although I don�t write tense! the bucket list how you suggested I see that it can be useful. I would have started to do it if all my wishes hadn�t fit in my head. I see so pure image in my mind: what I wish, when I want to achieve my dreams, how many preparatory steps I should do etc. In this way all these things are arrayed around the time line. And� I don�t know how I can pass this image on a paper without a quality loss. Anyway it is not just a list with check marks for me, although an idea is the same.
1 missing article, 2 misapplied

In addition I suppose the bucket list simplify tense! a life. I mean it �dumb down� tense! the image of your future life. It can be some model of your future life but it just a simplified model which doesn�t include many things. As I say if you want to achieve your dreams you need more comprehensive image. Actually there are wishes like �I want to be more patient, or more intelligent, or�� You can�t measure it, because there is not any standard. You can�t program things like love, relations, health etc. I mean you should try to do all what you can. Of course a lot of depends of you but there are some cases when you can�t do anything. Anyway the note like �fall in love� and �to cook a cheesecake� is different. Do you agree?
1 missing article, 1 misapplied; 1 missing verb

As well there are things that you can do right now. Word order! For example, if you want to stop smoking you should just stop to smoke! Check the use of stop! If you continue to defer, you�ll never do it! Have you seen the cartoon �Up�? What happens with their �bucket list�? (I mean the album and the image on the wall)

So I believe it is a good idea if it helps you to achieve your wish; if you begin to see a way which guides you to the purpose. But at any rate this should help you. If not you�ll just waste your time.

[Emerald]

Ksenia, I�m glad you like the idea and yes, I agree that there are different types of wishes and goals. Yes, some wishes are simple to achieve, some require patience and step-by-step attitude and not all the wishes can be fitted into a Bucket List format.
And thank you for mentioning the cartoon UP! 2 missing articles- I've found only one, where is the second?
This is exactly what I don�t want to happen with me. Ellie died and didn�t get a chance to see the lost Land although she was dreaming about it since childhood! Me, myself, I have been having this wish to fly on a hot air balloon for 6 years and the wish is still there! There were times that I didn�t even recall it....and what I�m afraid of is that there might be so that I will never fly and when I�m an old lady with a grey hair too weak to climb even on a chair I would definitely regret not doing it. People in big cities are now working and working, earning money without stopping to think �what do I really want, when I was truly happy last time, what do I want to achieve� and this make me sad. I believe that creating a Bucket List is a great exercise simply to stop and to look inside oneself. 1 misapplied article

What I wish to everyone is to find your joy in life, it�s never too late. Remember mr. Fredrickson?

[Ksenia]

Quote

I believe that creating a Bucket List is a great exercise simply to stop and to look inside oneself.

I absolutely agree with it! Plenty of people just earn money, sleep and eat! They wait right moment for marriage, children, travels� Stop waiting! Do it now!
(1 missing article and 1 missing preposition)

[Olga]

Emerald, I agree with you and now I know what the future name of my list for day - THE TO DO LIST :).
Can you come up with a new interesting topics, ideas? (1 misapplied article; 1 missing verb)

[Lana]

Emerald, thank you for coming up with such a great theme � dreams, wishes and plans! I add �plans� to the enumeration, because I like it when your dreams and wishes become your plans, which you can turn into reality in due time.
I cannot agree more with an article that you should have dreams. Not only ordinary wishes, but crazy dreams which cross your mind just once and you threw them away as the lunacy. I wouldn't write the Bucket List because I think it is not necessary to have it written on paper. But I do have a lot of dreams and wishes in my mind. When the time is right one of them comes up and if I have enough time, money and other necessary things it will come true. 1 misapplied articles
Emerald, now I can help you to live out one point of your Bucket List! I am talking about �Learn how to bake a homemade cheesecake�. I am mad about cheesecakes myself (with my sister supporting me) and I like baking it at home for celebrations and on weekends. I highly recommend you the cook book �Sweet Stories� written by Alexandr Seleznyoff. There are some recipes of really delicious cheesecakes in that book. Just be careful, they are rather difficult. But it is worth efforts! Or you can find some recipes on his website <!-- m -->http://www.chefalex.ru<!-- m -->. 1 missing article
Returning to my Bucket List, I do not know if I ever have an opportunity to live it out or not. But if I had I would like to try this:
- learn to dive with an aqualung (having tried it once in Egypt I became crazy about it. By the way I have already chosen a diving school, so I just need choose time to start classes). 1 missing article
- visit Africa (I mean I want to see the jungle, lions, giraffes etc.)
- grow the most beautiful violet in the world (I am fond of growing violets)
- learn some other foreign languages (maybe Arabic).
I wish all your dreams will come true!

[Helena Bonham Carter]

WOW!!! I LOVE this topic. Big thanks to Emerald! And thanks for reminding the movie �The Bucket List�. It`s just great!


You are so right, we all should make our own wish list and bucket list too. We should put our thoughts together.

Before making my own list I guess I should start with my understanding of what the Bucket and Wish Lists means. I think there is a huge difference between them. Bucket List is more like �What I wanna do before I die � . Bucket List is a list of things that a person always wanted to do, but they were not so major and a person would love to do them before death. And a Wish List is a list of things that a person is so have to do and so want to do, It`s really important for her/him. (2 missing articles; the last sentence needs to be rephrased)

So I`m going to start with my Wish List `cause It`s more important to me.

Wish List:
1) live & work in Europe (Provence or Italy)
2) open my own restaurant
3) learn everything I can about hospitality management
4) make something that�s never been done before, something really magnificent (talking about dishes)
5) have 3 or 4 kids and be able to raise them (I mean financially)
6) learn French
7) learn Italian
8) grow grapes and make my own homemade wine

Bucket List:
1) Travel all around the world
2) Get to Formula 1 (especially to Monaco�s one)
3) And join the race myself
4) Go to space
5) Win a Jackpot
6) Jump with a parachute
7) Learn how to operate a plane
8) Save someone`s life

[Emerald]

Lana said:

Emerald, now I can help you to live out one point of your Bucket List! I am talking about �Learn how to bake a homemade cheesecake�. I am mad about cheesecakes myself (with my sister supporting me) and I like cooking it at home for celebrations and on weekends. I recommend you the cookery book �Sweet Stories� written by Alexandr Seleznyoff. There are some recipes of really delicious cheesecakes in that book. Just be careful, they are quiet difficult. But it is worth efforts! Or you can find some recipes on his website <!-- m -->http://www.chefalex.ru<!-- m -->.

Lana, thank you so much for the link and book suggestion. They are really helpful.
You also might like this link http://www.foodnetwork.com I found there almost 300 recipes of different cheesecakes. I will let you know how it went when I finally bake one.

[Emerald]

Helena Bonham Carter said:

Before making my own list I guess I should start with my understanding of what the Bucket and Wish Lists means. I think there is a huge difference between them. Bucket List is more like �What I wanna do before I die � . Bucket List is a list of things that a person always wanted to do, but they were not so major and a person would love to do them before death. And a Wish List is a list of things that a person is so have to do and so want to do, It`s really important for her/him. (2 missing articles; the last sentence needs to be rephrased)

Helena, I'm glad you liked the topic, I really do.
speaking of the difference between wish list and bucket list...hmmm...never thought about it this way. An interesting approach...
Well, yes your wish list is more like a planning list with ahead going plans. As for the bucket list I truly agree with you that it do consists of the things that you want to do before you die. All the craziest ideas are more than welcome there. It's like having serious plans and having crazy and stupid ideas in mind?at the same time. Both have the right to exist and there is nothing to be ashamed off. Sometimes this is so much fun to do something crazy that nobody expects from you.

Speaking of my Bucket List. There is a point about a hot air balloon. I was so close to it, almost had an opportunity, check the websites talked to the right guys... but it is too hot at the place where I'm now; so hot that they don't fly even in early mornings or late evenings. They will continue flying in autumn only. So my dream still stays with me. and you know what first I was disappointed with the lost chance but now I can say it's good to have a dream...let it stay with me for a while. ))

[Lana]

Emerald, thank you for your link! There are so many great recipes on that website! I will try them all without doubt!