The EPW Bucket List: Who Wants to Join Me?

Posted on 20. Jan, 2010 by Elizabeth Potts Weinstein in Blog

What’s a bucket list?

A “bucket list” is everything you want to do before you “kick the bucket” — everything you want to do before you die.

The first time I made a bucket list was in my freshman year of high school.

It was 1989. Sitting in the back of an auditorium filled with 1600 honors students, while one of those Tony-Robbins-wanna-be hyped up motivational speakers yelled at us from the stage.

His big speech was trying to inspire a bunch of high school students to make a list of 100 for their lives:

“Studies show that only 4 of you in this room will actually do it, but making this list will change your life! Decide today to be one of the 4 people!”

So, I decided to be one of the 4 people.

And I made my first bucket list.

That original list has passed into history – maybe it’s in a box at my parent’s house, I’m looking for it the next time I’m in town – but I’ve kept that original list & all the additions in my head for the last 21 years, checking things off as I go.

Today is the first day I’ve shared them in public. And, the first day I’ve asked for help.

I’m posting my bucket list for you for three reasons:

  • to hold me accountable,
  • to see if you have resources to help make them happen, and
  • to see if any of you want to come along.

So, do you want to join me on an ? Look below, and take your pick. ;)

The EPW Bucket List (in no particular order):

  1. walk on the moon
  2. see the sun rise over the earth from space
  3. spacewalk
  4. land a plane
  5. ride in a fighter jet
  6. skydive
  7. skydive solo
  8. learn to swim
  9. learn to swim underwater
  10. dive off a diving board
  11. learn to scuba dive
  12. finish an Ironman race
  13. learn to salsa dance
  14. learn to tango
  15. learn to belly dance
  16. learn to fence
  17. chase an eclipse
  18. explore the Galapagos Islands
  19. explore Antarctica
  20. explore New Zealand
  21. explore Alaska
  22. explore Japan
  23. explore China
  24. explore India
  25. explore Morocco
  26. ride a hot air balloon over the plains of Africa
  27. hike across the Grand Canyon, rim to rim
  28. hike the narrows in Zion Canyon
  29. spend the night camping in Canyonlands
  30. watch hot lava pouring from a volcano
  31. climb a glacier
  32. climb a tall famous mountain
  33. learn to ski or snowboard
  34. learn to speak a foreign language well enough to get along in that country
  35. sing karaoke [to do 3/15/2010 at sxsw #techkaraoke]
  36. learn to play the piano
  37. learn to play the guitar
  38. write a song (lyrics & music)
  39. learn to horseback ride
  40. drive a race car really fast on a race track
  41. learn to ride a motorcycle
  42. go into a random brick-n-mortar bookstore & see my book on sale
  43. be on national TV
  44. speak on a stage with 400+ in the audience
  45. get paid thousands of dollars to speak to an audience
  46. write a fantasy fiction novel
  47. write a screenplay
  48. make a music video
  49. make a full-length movie
  50. have a one-liner in a big-screen movie
  51. have a TV show
  52. host a live event
  53. get a tattoo [DONE!! 2/11/2010 with Allison Nazarian]
  54. play poker in a vegas casino
  55. go to the airport & get on the next plane to where ever & go w/ the flow
  56. go dog sledding

DONE! — Completed Bucket List Items):

Listed in order of completion, starting with bucket list stuff completed in the 4th grade.

  • learn to not-drown
  • get to go in the deep end of the pool
  • get a ribbon at the science fair
  • sing a solo in front of a crowd
  • write a poem
  • storyboard a music video
  • write a short story
  • learn a musical instrument
  • complete the high ropes course
  • orienteer through the woods without an adult
  • slow dance w/ a boy
  • dance in a musical
  • fly in a plane
  • go to space camp
  • successfully land a plane in a real fighter jet simulator
  • sing in the choir
  • water ski
  • take a public bus by myself
  • have sex
  • drive a car
  • learn to play tennis
  • backpack overnight & sleep under the stars
  • backpack & camp overnight alone
  • go rock climbing
  • go rappelling
  • be on the varsity team
  • place at a track meet
  • explore Hawaii
  • learn to play racketball
  • get drunk
  • go spelunking
  • teach a class
  • smoke pot
  • eat in a fancy restaurant & order a bottle of wine
  • move to California
  • fly in a private plane
  • live in my own apartment
  • fly first class
  • eat real sushi
  • gamble at a real casino
  • get a piercing
  • finish a marathon
  • buy a new car
  • take a train across the country
  • stay in a 5 star hotel
  • explore Australia
  • walk through a rain forest
  • see the great barrier reef
  • start my own business
  • have a client who pays me money
  • be featured in the newspaper
  • give birth
  • write & publish a book
  • be on TV
  • be on the radio
  • have a radio show
  • stand at the rim of an active volcano
  • buy one pair of really expensive shoes (6/5/2009)
  • throw a party & have people show up (first tweetup 10/14/2009)
  • catch a cab by myself in NYC (10/16/2009)
  • sing a song to other people (posted the video online 10/21/2009)
  • navigate the NYC subway as an adult (12/31/2009)
  • let another person control an (1/8-1/10/2010 adventure w/ Ori)

What’s on your bucket list?

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  • Regarding items 14 and 15 on your bucket list, once you learn belly dance, and take the opportunity to perform in front of people with half your body exposed, you will never worry about your body again. Belly dance is such a celebration of life, of women with all their curves and scars and jiggles in varying places. I studied it for 7 years (starting in my 40's) and the sensuality and free expression guides my movements to this day. The next dance I learned was Argentine Tango, thought that I had mastered solo dance and it was time to dance with a partner, and to give up control on how that dance went. Tango required me to tighten the exact opposite parts of the body as belly dance, and to loosen the parts that b.d. wanted me to keep firm. It was quite an adjustment. I'm still working on Tango, in myself and to find a good lead to learn with me. Dance is ALWAYS on my list of what brings me back to myself and fills me with energy, and as in introvert, when I dance solo I am in my own little world.
  • My degree is in Music Theory and Music History, with a minor in vocal performance. IF you need help composing any of your music, I'm there! I'll even put it on my next album! :-)
  • Nice list! Well done on everything you have completed so far!

    Could I be so bold as to join you on numbers 19 and 30 - both bucket ambitions of mine?

    (and no "Explore South Africa" on your list? #wtf)
  • Yes! Salsa dancing is life-changing. Learn it! It's fun, and sexy, and exhilarating, and great cardio. Did I mention fun? I posted a video on my blog today of my salsa dance performance last night. Woot! FUN!
  • I have never made a bucket list... I'm such a non-list type of person that it seems unfitting for me to make a bucket list. I love spontaneity and living each day as it comes.

    But I love your list! You are going to be very busy.
  • You know, to be honest, I've never put together or even put much thought into a bucket list. Maybe I should get on it eh? Btw, thanks for stopping by the live show earlier, not sure if you caught my tweet. Hope I didn't bore you to death ;-)
  • Love this! I still have not made my list. But I have some idea what would be on there.

    One of the things is to learn how to salsa dance. I love to dance, but haven't done lessons in forever. If my friend Lewis Howes makes it to SXSW this year I'm sure he will help us track down a salsa club in Austin! So you could cross that off your list.

    But I think tonight is the night I put pen to paper and write the list in my journal.

    @jhaubein
  • I am so excited if your friend can come and we can go salsa dancing in Austin!! I did take one salsa dancing lesson like 12 years ago, but I didn't feel like I really *know* how to dance yet.

    I'm excited to see what you come up w/ for your list! :)
  • remarkablogger
    I was talking with Clay Collins on the phone once and he said something that's really stuck with me, and it seems appropriate to share it with you here. He told me has two lists: the "bucket list" and the "fuck it list."

    Whatever doesn't go one, goes on the other.

    I'm sure Virgin Galactic will be happy to have you on board. :-)
  • That's freaking awesome, of course Clay does. Mine may be called the "fuck that shit" list.
  • Alison Kramer
    i love your sense of adventure!
    Three things i really want to say:
    My mom's a piano teacher
    Why don't i have your book?
    and i LOVE that you know the date that you bought very expensive shoes :)
  • Those shoes were important, and bought the day before Scott's tweetup in June, so I'll always remember that weekend's dates!

    I don't know, I'm selling the book on clearance now http://growupstrategies.com
    (will be writing the Live Your Truth book this year, once the story arc has some more clarity)

    Awesome re your mom. Does she teach piano by skype? ;)
  • Alison Kramer
    maybe i should get her to make a video for you of a first lesson, that would be awesome!
  • The only goals of yours I would be willing to join you in doing are karaoke, which I've already done and LOVE to do and learn to salsa dance. But my partner would never agree to go with me as she is convinced she has absolutely no ability whatsoever! So unless we find salsa line dancing, we might have to cross that one off the list.

    My list has shortened over the years... help my son heal enough to be happy as an adult, fulfill my life purpose through becoming a successful author, live in a log cabin on a lake and create enough time freedom to regularly spend lots of time with family and friends.
  • I have taken one lesson in salsa dancing, and they actually start you out in a line, so you could at least do lesson #1 w/ me! :)
  • That would be awesome! :)
  • Hilory
    There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you will accomplish every item on the list-looking forward to seeing the movie:)
  • Thank you Hilory. :)
  • Wicked awesome. Skype me from the moon.
    I think Bucket List impt for our venture -- #putitongooglewave
    love ya!
    Alli
    (Known you less than a year and 2-3 on the list already we have done together. #cool)
  • Obviously, I will only be able to go to the moon if I can twitter from there. Or at least text message. #idontaskformuch
  • It's interesting if you look at things that are *not* on my bucket list or completed bucket list items. Like getting married, buying a house, etc. ... don't forget, just because some things are on other people's lists does not mean they have to be on yours. :)
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