Friday Stuff

I used the term "bucket list" on Facebook this morning while sharing a Groundspeak video Annie posted about the past year in geocaching.  

Annie is the "Voice of the Hamsters" at Groundspeak, so if you view the video, do listen at the beginning.  

She's enjoying her hamster role immensely, even providing us some exclusive samples of her chirping talents one evening this week.

While sharing this video site, I suggested that Facebook friends add geocaching to their 2012 bucket list. 

That got me to thinking about my own bucket list.

Hard to fill it quite like I did in 2011, with that Ireland trip and all, but I'll make an effort. This past year definitely stood out as for the memory books for so many good reasons.

Now, it's time to look forward and hope for the trend to continue.

Of course, knowing that the "Medicare" birthday is coming up reminds me that decision-making will play a role. 

I think when the time comes in June, I'll just post a bunch of "Plan" choices up on the dart board here in my office and let the dart decide---if the dart hits the board, that is.

Since it's the "Medicare" birthday year, with luck, I'll also reach the point of no longer pondering the thoughts expressed in that country tune "When I'm 65."  

I know one thing:  I'll not take for granted one moment from that point on because life with good health will continually become more precious. 

I told Annie the other day that sometime I'd like to load up the two Border Collies and take off by myself for a road trip.  Maybe this will be the year to do it.  Having those dogs with me would add a lot of bravery to my cowardly ways.

Plus, it would be nice to see if I could pull a trip like that off, like I used to do in my 20s. 

The route could be determined by where good friends from the good ol days (those before 65) happen to live.  Of course, maybe they won't be home cuz they're on the road doing precisely the same thing I am.

My longtime friend Susie pulled off a nice bucket-list project this past summer, taking off with her husband and a friend into the back hills of Colorado via horseback, staying for a week. 

I think that would be nice, but I'd need more than Border Collies to do that cuz they may not protect me from all the mean bears at night.  Plus, the dogs don't like going with the horses.  Have to work on that idea.

I keep telling Bill this is the age when we've gotta do these things--especially the traveling part---cuz we never know when life can change dramatically. 

For now, I'll just keep the 2012 adventure bucket cleaned out but ready for ideas. I'm sure brainstorms will unfold as the days roll by. 

There's no doubt there will be geocaching, hiking, picture-taking, gardening, horseback riding, visiting with friends and family and taking off on down roads untraveled.  

Somehow, I don't really think a "plan" is really all that necessary----instead, we must simply seize the opportunities as they come along. 

One thing is for sure---when I'm 65, I'll have that Medicare plan all figured out AND hoping I don't need to use it for a long, long time.  

Happy Friday.