68 Things to do before I die

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Published by: Joey on 27th Aug 2011 | View all blogs by Joey

I recently took one of those “How Long Will You Live” online tests that ask you about your health and habits – just for fun really. I did quite well actually as my expected death age of 86 years is 5 years ahead of the curve for my generation. But as this left me with 68 years left and 21% of my life lived it gave me some pause for thought.

The death of a cousin my age when I was a child had always meant I was without that child-like sense of immortality. I’ve always tried to do the things I want to do now instead of putting them off but in the last few years as I no longer have being underage to blame I found that I wasn’t pushing myself quite enough.

I’ve made bucket lists before but this should be different. 68 is a nice exact number. So the list will have 68 things on it. I will be sure to do at least one every year and when I do more than one to add to things so that there will always be things for the year to come. It's not in order, that would be too difficult.

I’ve been called morbid before but I don’t see death as a scary monster off in the future but more as an inevitable deadline we all must reach to visit the unknown. It might all sound a bit nuts but death is a part of our lives that no one ever seems to talk about.

As Peter Pan once said: to die will be an awfully big adventure.

And this my friends in what I came up with:

1. Go star gazing

2. Sail with Greenpeace on the Rainbow Warrior

3. Travel Italy

4. Go to New Orleans

5. Visit Athens

6. Get a book published

7. Get a first class degree

8. Do an MA in Oxford

9. Have a paying acting job

10. Sing on the West End

11. Climb the Old Man of Hoy

12. See Angel Falls

13. Reopen the Dublin Greenpeace Office

14. Save a life

15. Open a half-way house in Dublin

16. See the Midnight Sun

17. Travel Norway

18. See the Northern Lights

19. Climb Mount Olympus

20. Learn to play the guitar

21. Learn to swing dance

22. Give away half my things

23. Read all the books on my list

24. See all the films on my list

25. Make my own dress

26. Learn to scuba dive

27. Go to New Zealand

28. Learn Spanish

29. Learn Arabic

30. Improve my French

31. Write a book in Irish

32. See the sunset at the Murder Hole

33. Fall in love

34. Kayak down Glen Coe

35. Climb Ben Nevis

36. Swim in the Red Sea

37. See the Aga Sofia

38. See the Pyramids

39. Work on an archaeological dig

40. Drive around America in a VW camper van.

41. Do PR for a election campaign

42. Speak at a protest

43. Sing at a protest

44. Write my autobiography

45. Live without technology for a week

46. Plant a tree

47. Go to an opera

48. Meditate for over an hour

49. Spend a week by the sea – with no plans

50. Swim with dolphins

51. Build a tree house

52. Build something that will outlast me

53. Research my family tree

54. Volunteer with Focus Ireland or the Simon Community

55. Ride a motorcycle

56. Take dressmaking classes

57. Write a letter to your future grandchildren or great-grandchildren

58. Learn first aid

59. Give blood

60. Write to your favourite author

61. WWOOFing in Australia (working on an organic farm for board and food money)

62. Trek to Machu Picchu

63. Spend some time in a Buddhist monastery

64. Climb a redwood tree in California

65. Spend a week without shoes

66. Fly in a hot air balloon

67. Kayak around Ireland

68. Go to Japan for Sakura season

Comments

20 Comments

by Jess L 9 months ago

Wow, I don't think that's morbid at all. That's a great list of things to do. If I were to die with only a third of those ticked off I'd be happy, I know it. Good luck with them, Joey :)

P.S You should repost this when you've ticked a few off so we can follow it!
by Skylark 9 months ago

Great list, Joey and not at all morbid. I really like some of your ideas - sounds like it's going to be great fun. Though you might struggle with no.2 on the list unless you've figured out the mystery of time travel....you might want to change that to "Dive the Rainbow Warrior" as it is currently submerged in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand after sinking in Auckland Harbour in 1985. Mind you, it's well worth diving to as it's now an artificial reef and very pretty :-)
by Old Fat Prop 9 months ago

Interesting and enjoyable list.

But now of course to provide balance....lets see your list of how you have been spending your time on this planet so far......~What have you done so far?

My list? my life has already exceeded my wildest expectations. I should probably look into a "my Name is Earl" type list to try and get some of these stains off my soul but there you go,
by Weens 9 months ago

Great list Joey, and I'd urge you not to put off any of them if you get a chance to do them. Who knows what tomorrow may bring. I'm glad that I backpacked around the world before I got ME as the likliehood of me ever doing it again, is less than slim. I was quite old to be doing the backpacking around the world bit. I never took a gap year, as I was stricken with Chrones disease. Once that was controlled with medication, I went to work. At thirty three, I decided there had to be more to life than just working, so I took my belated year out, and what wonderful experiences I had in that year. If I'd had a wish list, I'm sure I would have done half of them in that year. So if the opportunity arises, grab it with both hands and enjoy.
by AlanP 9 months ago

Once I thought I would swim in all the oceans of the world. At the age of 25 I had two to go, which is still the case. That same year I had a choice to fly back home or come by train on the trans siberian express - all the way. I chose to fly, which I now regret, of course. I do sometimes think I made some poor choices, over the years. It's always later than you think so you go for it.

You can do 7 and 8 in one act, btw.
by Joey 9 months ago

Thanks everyone and I will of course keep you updated. Oh and Skylark, there is a new Rainbow Warrior, the Rainbow Warrior II I should be specific.

I decided to go with number 60 and write to Alan Garner on a card a made last night (at like four in the morning right after writing this) and I posted it today.
by Kate7 9 months ago

Good list doll, now get on with it lol!
by mike 8 months ago

I have done nothing i wished to do - which is morbiid. Shouldn't no 7 be at no 1?
by Joey 8 months ago

Well I won't graduate for four years so not really. They're not in order anyways.
by Weens 8 months ago

One down, sixty seven to go.
by Joey 8 months ago

Number 22: Give away half my things; is very nearly complete. I've been working on this one all summer (I'm such a pack rat and yet I hate having too many possessions weighing me down - bit of a paradox I know) But it's day two of the mega-clear out and I'm only a wardrobe away from having sold, thrown up or given to charity half of my crap over the summer. Whoop!
by Skylark 8 months ago

Good one - I could do with clearing my stuff out too. I've already had my hubby telling me that about the Rainbow Warrior - makes sense now! Though the original is still worth diving :-)
by Joey 8 months ago

Well that can be part of 26 learning to scuba dive
by Skylark 8 months ago

Oh yeah, good point :-)
by Noodledoodle 8 months ago

Wow Joey! That is some list! All wonderful things - many of them very giving of yourself to others which I admire immensely. A lot of those things I would like to do and see myself. Honeymooned in Dublin, have had many there before and since. To sample seafood in Dublin is amazing ... don't know if jasko's is still there? St Paddy's day on O'Connell St, Malahide and the cream of any place I have ever visited, The Skerries. Wonderful country you have, not sure about Kayaking in Glencoe. I ski-ied in Glenshee, came away with an iceberg attached to my ass! :-)
by Joey 8 months ago

Thanks! If you're back you should really try the markets, there's one in temple bar on Saturday's that does the best food.

Oh Glencoe is in Scotland though, it's up by Fort William, I was there in early July and just fell for the place. I'd probably do that at the same time as climbing Ben Nevis.
by Joey 8 months ago

Number 22 done
by Joey 8 months ago

Number Nine: Paying acting job is done. It wasn't glamorous, just an featured extra part in the Irish soap opera Fair City but I'm on screen pretending to be drunk and they pay me so it counts.

I'm keeping blog entries now on my progress through the list as I'm trying to do as many as I can this year on at least in the next few years rather than putting things off.
by Kate7 8 months ago

This is an amazing list. If I could manage half then I would be happy.
by zomb00 8 months ago

Glencoe ! I've been there :) I'll move to the Highlands when I get the chance. Beautiful countryside, and the people seem alright.

Nice list, though a bit far fetched in some aspects . . . yet I'm a silly cynic, so ignore me; shoot for the stars, and don't waste time considering how you'll come back down til you've ran out of fuel :-)