Sunday was my birthday. I turned 48.
It’s not one of the big milestone birthdays like 40 or 50, just a run of the mill day that went largely unobserved. I received cards from family and friends, a bunch of emails and phone calls, even some instant messages wishing me well on my day. In between watching the NFL playoffs including my Giants’ exciting victory over the suckass Cowboys, I managed to treat myself to some homemade lasagna, a dish I enjoy but which takes a lot of time to prepare. My birthday gift to me.
But every birthday presents an opportunity to reflect on the past and contemplate the future. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions as much as I set out goals and objectives for the year. Pardon me for sounding so business-like, but helping nonprofit boards do strategic planning is what I do for a living so it stands to reason that I might also guide my own life so logically. As it so happens, a few weeks ago, I sat down and used the same procedures I use with organizations to set out a 3-5 year life plan for myself. It has more to do with putting my personal finances, career plans and home life needs in order.
As I plan for tomorrow, I do so with the awareness that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed to any of us. Even though I probably have fewer years ahead of me than I do behind me, today’s birthday allowed me to think about some of the fun dreams I still have and experiences I still want to have.
So, borrowing a page from the new Jack Nicholson-Morgan Freeman movie (and no, I’m not being paid for this plug), here are some of the things I still want to do before I “kick the bucket.”
Buy a house. Home ownership is still the American dream. I grew up in a house but ever since I was in college, I’ve been an apartment dweller. I presently own my apartment and plan to leverage it for my retirement in years to come, but it is still an apartment. A house has land around it.
Travel. I want to drive across country. My family did that when I was four years old and even at that young age it was one of my fondest childhood memories. I want to do it again as an adult. I also want to go abroad, visit London, Paris, South Africa, Brazil and China.
Write a stage play. Or more accurately finish writing a play and see it staged. I’ve got self-discipline issues when it comes to my writing. Deadlines help. I’m working on it.
Get licensed to sky dive solo. I’ve already done a tandem jump a few years ago and plan to do another probably in the spring. But I’d like to go through the process of learning to jump solo. Coupled with that dream, I’d like to
Learn to fly an airplane I probably need to do that sooner rather than later while I still have some eyesight left. But it’s a dream I’ve had since high school.
And just for the fun of it, I’d like to get my commercial drivers license. Not that I have any plans to be a truck driver, but I’ve always wanted to learn how.
Of course now, if I win the lottery, then I’m gonna get my CDL, buy one of those rock star tour buses and drive cross country, then learn to fly and take my self to Europe, Africa and South America, while my play is running off Broadway. You just watch me.
11 comments ↓
You go boy!!
I wanna be on that bus with you; I wanna be on that plane to Europe and Africa with you; and I wanna help you spend that Lotto money, too. (LOL)
Oh, I forgot, happy B’day!!
My beloved & I have a list on the ‘fridge — right next to the grocery list and the cat food coupons — called “Things To Do While We’re Still Alive.”
It includes items both quotidian and sublime: replacing the porch door ; watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade live; learning the alphabet in Arabic; seeing the Northern Lights.
In 2007 we got six done, and two are in progress already in 2008. Thinking about our lifetime as finite and full of choices, we feel more alive and spend our time better. The most important Thing To Do While We’re Still Alive? Item # 7: Review This List Often!
Bernie! I didn’t know you were 48! You have such a young, young spirit.
Happy B-Day!!!!
Bernie,
I feel like such an ass for forgetting it was your big day on Sunday, please forgive me. Happy Belated B’day! I wish you all the love and happiness your black gay body can hold. 48 huh? I hope I look as good when I’m 48 years young.
What a great list! Not a whole bunch of impossible things, but actually do-able items. I think you’ll be able to check everything off before….
Happy Day!
By the way, Happy Belated Birthday!
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY BERNIE!!!!!
(I must have some kind of a number disorder because not only do I not call people (numbers), but I also mix their birthday’s up (thought your’s was today)…OOOPPPSSS and I can’t balance a checkbook or a bank account to save my life. But I can remember good friends and good people from time to time.
Today is your time! Good luck on achieving your list of 3-5 year goals. Very impressive. So, did you leave something out that was somewhat obvious or is that area already taken care of ( i.e. a stable, steady, loving, happily functioning relationship)!
You (and I both) might want to make that one of our longer term goals (wait…a giuess I have to first create a list)…too long to write down right now and I cant even keep up with the present.
That Lasagna sounds heavenly. I am suppose to host a dinner for OBKF sometime before April 12th (maybe I can get your butt back up here one weekend and have your share that Culinary Arts Education that you received on some of us restaurant challenged Upstaters (Thank Gov. Sptizer for that one!).
Interested? I’d pay for the ingredients and provide a place for your to stay! We could invite all our your long lost and forlorned Albanian friends.
Then we can sit around and discuss how you are going to acheive those other items on your list :)!
Best of Luck to YA!
-Cordell
I like the idea of making a bucket list and having it available somewhere.
For some reason I am not that interested in going to china. I’m more interested in going to Africa (egypt and south africa) and Rome, Berlin, Reykjavik, Rio, Hong Kong, Athens and a whole host of cities.
Hope you had a wonderful birthday. I wish you all the best on your dreams.
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