The Bucket List

A month ago, I watched the sterling 2007 movie “The Bucket List.” I actually had an idea of what the movie was about even before I watched it. However, I still ended up very impressed at the flick’s conclusion. I won’t spoil anything about the movie because this writeup is about the idea of having a bucket list.

A bucket list – the way I see it – is about having a list of items that you want to do before your life ends. This includes your life’s dreams and the achievements you want to have. It could be your way of measuring success in life, but it could just be a simple list of your dreams – extreme or not – so that you aim for something.

Two Fridays ago, I watched an NBA game (Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks) at the Philips Arena. I did not actually cross anything off my bucket list because I have already watched an NBA game three and a half years ago. However, it got me into a realization that I am living a dream that I once had – watching NBA games and living in Atlanta (which is my first favorite U.S. city, thanks to my fandom to the Atlanta Braves). It was a fun game because I got to watch the Atlanta Hawks pull off a huge comeback (thanks to ex-NBA stars Tracy McGrady and Jerry Stackhouse). I ecstatically cheered with the audience as Vladimir Radmanovic’s game-winning three. With this, it finally inspired me to write about a journal entry which I planned to write since August 2009.

The main characters in “The Bucket List” wrote their dreams when they knew they have a few days remaining in their lives. It was heartwarming because they got to make the most out of it with little time left. To cut the story short, I am writing about my bucket list (past and present). I am still young, but it is never too early to have a bucket list. It is better to dream early.

My Bucket List:

1.    Live in the United States for a long time (long is relative but for me, it would be at least a year. It has been two months so this continues to be a pending item)
2.    Watch the Atlanta Braves play in Turner Field.
3.    Attend a live NBA game. – Done
4.    Witness a championship victory by my favorite sports team. Done – three times care of Ateneo Blue Eagles
5.    Experience bungee jumping or skydiving. I could have done this in Macau Tower but it was too expensive then. I ended up sky jumping. I would’ve put it in this list but I never planned sky jumping before so that would be cheating
6.    Experience white water rafting. I could’ve done it in Costa Rica but the landslides postponed this dream.
7.    Own a Greg Maddux jersey. Done
8.    One of my NFL teams wins the Super Bowl. Not a goal since I do not play football, but still. It is a dream. By the way, this is done.
9.    Own an autographed baseball by Greg Maddux or Chipper Jones. Done.
10.    Watch a live NFL game.
11.    Watch the Duke University Blue Devils play. This might come true provided that Duke advances to the ACC Championship Game. Scratch that. This blog entry was way overdue that my planned ACC Tournament Championship experience has ended (minus Duke)
12.    Go to a Smashing Pumpkins concert.
13.    Witness Paramore perform live. Done, and Hayley Williams even pointed at me then.
14.    Attend an Incubus concert. Done.
15.    Own a Utah Jazz jersey. Done.
16.    Utah Jazz wins the NBA Finals. I believe. It will happen eventually.
17.    Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox win the World Series. Done, done and done (Boston won twice)
18.    Win a fantasy NBA, NFL and MLB league. 1/3 done.
19.    Go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower.
20.    Go to England and see the Big Ben.
21.    Walk at the Great Wall of China.
22.    Have a mini-theater inside my house
23.    Stroll the streets of New York City
24.    Watch a game at Fenway Park.
25.    Watch either the Foo Fighters, The Cure or Death Cab for Cutie perform live. Last year, Death Cab was in Atlanta. This year, Death Cab performed in Manila. Ha ha
26.    Go to San Francisco
27.    Visit my relatives in Los Angeles.
28.    Experience snow. Done.
29.    Watch a Formula 1 event.
30.    Earn a medal in school. This was one of my earliest dreams. Done.
31.    Watch a WWE event. I will soon cross this out this coming March 26.
32.    Own a BMW, Mercedes Benz or an Audi car. I doubt I will spend tons of money for a luxury car (I’d rather spend it on a house), but hey, this is about dreaming.
33.    Own a business. Technically, this is done.
34.    Shake hands with Norman Black. Haha! I actually never planned for this but hey, it is bucket list material. Done.
35.    Experience jet skiing.
36.    Go to Las Vegas
37.    Experience pitching in a standard size baseball field.
38.    Go to another European country aside from France and United Kingdom.
39.    Experience my team winning a basketball tournament. Done.
40.    Watch an Ateneo-La Salle championship game from the patron seats.
41.    Learn to play golf.
42.    Witness a Filipino win a gold medal in the Olympics.
43.    Own a large house that has a bar and a walk-in closet.
44.    Be a manager.
45.    Learn how to cook. Done
46.    Marry a lovely wife and have kids.
47.    Work in an NGO or give something back to society before retiring.
48.    Donate at least a million pesos to charity.
49.    Visit and pray at the Vatican City.
50.    Live a happy life.

Side Note: Even if I cross out everything in this current list, I will still create a more entries. That’s how life works out. You just keep on dreaming and setting goals for yourself. Live on.