#54 - life list aka bucket list

i first heard of a life list when i saw this episode of scrubs called "my old lady", it was episode 4 of season 1. this clip features a great song and my second favorite version of it, "hallelujah" as done by john cale. my favorite is brandi carlile's version (duh). it definitely brought me to tears but also made me think of what it is that i wanted to accomplish in life. whenever the end comes i want to know that i don't have much on my list left. i've always had ideas of what would be on that list but never wrote one.



there is a new movie coming out called "bucket list" starring jack nicholson and morgan freeman about two old guys with cancer. basically they decide to do everything on their list (things to do before you kick the bucket). seeing the trailer for that movie brought back that scrubs episode and encouraged me to write mine. i am not dying or even close but if i make that list now i can actually have time to do the things on it and enjoy it. a lot of the things on my list have to do with travel and experiencing new cultures/things. i stumbled upon this site called SuperViva and here is my life list.

so far my list is over 170 things to do, some examples:

• mardi gras in new orleans
• swim with sharks
• see aurora borealis
• write a book
• build a house
• live in italy

my goal is to complete 90% of the things on my list before i die. i don't know how much time i have so i better get started! i have a few things on that list i know i'll do this year. woot!

being young, i know i have years to get things done on my list. the things i haven't yet done are not important yet because i know i have time. i don't know how much time but living healthy is a good way to ensure at least decades. i work in a nursing home and have these conversations with old people all the time. i ask them what their life was like and how they lived so long. getting to know them as they used to be is a lot different than who some of them are now.

i lost one of my dear residents on friday. let's just call her "mary", fictitious of course but i abide by HIPPA regulations. she has lived at my facility for at least ten years, probably more. she was a very interesting lady, graduated from reed college, married and widowed twice, and liked politics. she was involved in politics earlier in life and liked to talk about it. whenever W would come on tv she would just scoff, that made me laugh. she enjoyed watching animal planet and had this picture book called "stuff on my cat", hilarious pictures of cats with random things on them. i don't think the cats enjoyed posing for these pics but it was entertaining. many people i worked with thought mary was unfriendly and mean. they didn't get to know her. i went on a little vacation for the holiday and when i returned, i heard in report that she was on hospice, lost 10 pounds in a week and wasn't speaking. so i knew she was going to die. i didn't have her in my section that day so i thought i'd drop in and say hi. her face was hollow and body thinned out, she looked close. i said hi and when she saw me her eyes lit up. i told her i missed her and she said "i missed you too." i gave her a hug and went back to work. the next day she was in my section so i was glad. it was her day for a bath and i tried to keep her comfortable during it. i knew she was in pain and was so tired. she was ready to go. when i put lotion on her arms and legs she looked relieved and comfortable. she slept most of the day and when i was done i went in and said goodbye. i knew it would be the last time i saw her so i just gave her a kiss and said "i love you". that was it.