Fun way to do a bucket list

[Amaranth]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61548427@N03/7275370802/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61548427@N03/7275370802/

Actual buckets are a great visual pun. Also could do something similar with paper fall leaves, flowers, stones, or grandmothers flower garden quilt pieces. Then when a bucket item is done, it could be moved to a second picture such as leaves on a tree trunk, flower garden, walls of a stone house, or grandmothers flower garden quilt.

[razz]

Wow, that will work well with the Artist Way course. Cute! Thanks for posting.

[bunnys]

Ok, not trying to be a wet blanket here.

I've been reading a little on Buddhism this morning (basic, introductory stuff on the 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path) and I'm wondering if we should maybe question the need to have and accomplish a "bucket list" to begin with.

When I think of this concept I don't think it is necessarily consistent my idea of living simply. At least as I understand both ideas. To me it's more about "getting" checks on my arbitrarily comprised list.

Any other thoughts on this?

[peggy]

Ok, not trying to be a wet blanket here.

I've been reading a little on Buddhism this morning (basic, introductory stuff on the 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path) and I'm wondering if we should maybe question the need to have and accomplish a "bucket list" to begin with.

When I think of this concept I don't think it is necessarily consistent my idea of living simply. At least as I understand both ideas. To me it's more about "getting" checks on my arbitrarily comprised list.

Any other thoughts on this?

I don't really see a bucket list as an arbitrary list of things. Each of us is born with higher intelligence than any other animal on earth. If your goal is to simply eat, poop and die, without leaving a footprint of any kind, then, ok. But because we have higher intelligence, and all the bells and whistles that come with that, namely curiosity, ambition, etc... there are certainly going to be things each of us wants to accomplish with/in our lives in order to feel it's been 'worth it'. That may only include growing the best iris, or baking the perfect loaf of bread, but each of those things could be a mental 'bucket list' as it were. I don't think a bucket list is only superficial adventures or useless boxes to check. I think a bucket list is simply those things each of us want to accomplish, which can include reading and understanding Buddhism!;)

[iris lily]

Ok, not trying to be a wet blanket here.

I've been reading a little on Buddhism this morning (basic, introductory stuff on the 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path) and I'm wondering if we should maybe question the need to have and accomplish a "bucket list" to begin with.

When I think of this concept I don't think it is necessarily consistent my idea of living simply. At least as I understand both ideas. To me it's more about "getting" checks on my arbitrarily comprised list.

Any other thoughts on this?

I can somewhat get behind the sentiment that our lives shouldn't be exercises in striving toward this or that because that state of being doesn't allow for us to just BE and smell the roses. But I mainly believe in moderation in all thing including the adoption of zen principles. Zen is good, zen in excess is not. So, make a short bucket list and enjoy the planning and anticipation of those things, but don't forget to enjoy being in the now.

[bunnys]

I agree with both of you. And (as a disclaimer, I know virtually nothing about Zen or any other form of Buddhism, just the basics.) I also think that since I agree with the basics as part of my natural sentiments about life and my place in the world, it's easier for me to understand it. Kind of a preaching to the choir thing.

That said, I think a lot of that "bucket list" seems to be framed in the idea that "I must accomplish check, check, check..." I know I have FREQUENTLY been guilty of it myself.

And I certainly want to do more with my life than eat, poop and die.

[creaker]

One shortcoming of a bucket list is it just shows things you want to accomplish. It would also be interesting to compile a "bucket list" of all the things I don't want or care to accomplish in this lifetime - because each would require consciously letting it go, acknowledge that these are the things I've decided I'm not going to visit in my life. Kind of like decluttering possibilities and getting rid of the ones I'll never use.

I think it would be a much harder list to build.

[iris lily]

I also see a bucket list full of things that I WANT to do, not full of ""should dos." If it is a should it doesn't belong in a bucket list.

That said, I've pretty much completed my bucket list. Anything here on out are not lifelong held dreams but are things I'd kinda-sorta-wanna do, and I can give any of them up at a moment's notice to be replaced with something else.

[creaker]

I also see a bucket list full of things that I WANT to do, not full of ""should dos." If it is a should it doesn't belong in a bucket list.

That said, I've pretty much completed my bucket list. Anything here on out are not lifelong held dreams but are things I'd kinda-sorta-wanna do, and I can give any of them up at a moment's notice to be replaced with something else.

Extra credit :-)

[ApatheticNoMore]

I don't like the bucket list concept. Do you imagine it matters whether you accomplish that list of things when you die or not? I don't. Rush, rush, rush and accomplish the list and you still die (but at least in the meantime you had something to feel guilty and stress about! oh I'm not accomplishing x, y, z .... oh noes). Having a list of things to look forward to (even if just for the next few months or year), that I could get on board with.

[razz]

Whew, what a series of limiting comments on the term bucket list.

Bucket list to me means the joys that I would like to experience, the things that I want to learn, the skills I want to develop, the adventures that I have not yet experienced, the places or items of beauty that I wish to yet see, the taste/smell/hear/see/feel senses that I can look forward to exploring, the growth of family and friends as they progress (eg., I want to what DGS will become as he gets older). As IL mentioned, it is the anticipation that makes bucket lists a treasure to have on hand and a visual image helps to clarify.

[Square Peg]

I like the idea, but don't like the term because to me it is more of a negative, impending death instead of celebrating life.
I also dislike Jack Nicholson, and the term always brings him to my mind.

[pcooley]

Ok, not trying to be a wet blanket here.

I've been reading a little on Buddhism this morning (basic, introductory stuff on the 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path) and I'm wondering if we should maybe question the need to have and accomplish a "bucket list" to begin with.

When I think of this concept I don't think it is necessarily consistent my idea of living simply. At least as I understand both ideas. To me it's more about "getting" checks on my arbitrarily comprised list.

Any other thoughts on this?

As long as you are non-attached to your bucket list, you're good to go.

[Amaranth]

I'm with razz on the use and intention of the bucket list. But if the name is what's tripping things up, would calling it
A list of potential Artist Dates
be more comfortable?

To me calling it a wish list seems to imply a lack the intentionality of doing the items.
Calling it a goal list seems to make it more like a job rather than a way of adding interest, adventure, and joy to life.

So maybe a Joy and Adventure list?

Or if you take the first letters of the key words of types of things that might be on the list:
Joy
Beauty
Education
Adventure
Travel
Skills

you get the acronym JBEATS which is kind of catchy.

And I totally agree that the point would be to be fully present in the experience rather than to dash through something in order to check it off.

So.........what's on your JBEATS list?

[Bomahmie]

I have always had a "Dream List", as a kid I kept a diary, and at 10, I started thinking about what I wanted from life. In the 5th grade,it was mostly materialistic things, such as a TV and VCR in my bedroom. Then at 16, it was Prom. Over the years its been fun to see how I have changed, and how my interests and desires have changed. Now that we live the SL, my dream have turned to adventures. Item 5 on my list is Overcoming my fear of Sharks! This what originally helped me see that my dreams were being ignored for my desire to have more stuff. I wasn't acomplishing my life goals because I never had the money to go anywhere. Now I save for exeriences, not clothes. I believe its our experiences that make us who we are, not our stuff.