WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menolistal [men-oh-list-all]; the state of leaning out of the box a bit.

Image result for bucket listingAbby lab's mum LBJ posted last week about 'bucket lists'. I tend to think of these as being "not done yet, waiting to happen" kinda things, but Abby and her mum gave us more the BTDTTMTS** version. Which is fine too. It triggered a memory for me though. Waaaaaayyyyyy back at 1stYB^^, (almost exactly three years ago in fact), I was challenged by my good pal Aitch to produce a '50 things before I die' wish list. At that point I was still sitting in Sandeepany ashram deep under dissertation pressure and needing a bit of a 'vent' - she thought this might do. 


It just added more stress!!! Mainly because I am not someone who exists on wishes, to be honest. Very much take life as it comes at me and although there is a level of planning required when it comes to interactions with others, for myself there is little requirement. Life is simple and I like to keep it that way. What is more, there is a great deal of the BTDTTMTS in the YAMster's life; have been very fortunate in garnering significant life experience and walking the 'rim' of things.

Needless to say, then, I couldn't come up with 50 items. I barely could produce the original 40 that came out at the time - and there are some truly cringe-worthy items on that list. This is not going to be a re-post as such, but more of a review. A lot has happened in three years. Would a similar list appear were I to start afresh? If truly pushed, it wouldn't be all that different; as you will see, there is a bit of a theme and they are consistent with my character. There are several here I was tempted to strike out - just give the highlights, as it were. The list, though, speaks to a time in my life which held huge transformation and it ought to stay intact, but viewed with wiser eyes. Here, then, are the original 40 with new (and brief) annotations.

Wishes were prizes… (the "snowball's chance" variety of wishing)

Get stranded on tropical island - have visited many, just never got stranded.
Virgin space flight - hey, am a Trekker...
Never have to do another laundry - c'mon, who truly wouldn't wish this one?
Live in tree/cave - this kinda goes with the tropical island thing; unoccupied trees and caves are both becoming quite scarce however - prime real estate, as city folk suddenly rediscover their inner hunter-gatherer
Grow orchids - this was a space-filler item; but I don't have the best track record with pot plants of any variety, so the orchid is a symbol for that. (I did okay when I had a garden though.)
Sing at SOH - Having sung in Edinburgh's Usher Hall, there was a bit of me which fancied doing the same on the other end of the globe. Handel's Messiah, or Verdi's Requiem...
Meet;
Richard Branson
Nelson Mandela...   These were names just to represent my desire to always be in the presence of great people; I have had the great good fortune to be so anyway, so in some respects this one could be crossed off the list.
Mark every bird in ornithology books of OZ/UK - a Young Ornithologist member at school and a member of several bird clubs over the years, this is something which would be great to do; but it's definitely in the 'you gotta be dreaming' category.
Dance in Bollywood film... I was under stress remember... (but I do love a good bhangra...)
Know sanskrit by inserted chip tech - I can get by in Sanskrit; but our aachaarya did actually give up on me, saying I didn't have to sit the exams... I know what is necessary to teach without looking idiotic. Will have to settle for that...until the 'insert chip' tech arrives!

Distant horizons... (the "if $$$ fell from heaven" variety)

Play with tigers - it can be done! But it takes dosh. (NB - I would NOT attend the Thailand 'tiger temples' for such as this, as it is not at all a healthy situtation; the conservation parks such as Longleat, however, are a 'necessary evil' for the preservation of species - one wishes such places would become obsolete...)
High tea at Raffles - this one is a 'pie in the sky' filler... (all punning intended)
Ride in sleigh with reindeer - and Santa - He has his own television tubular channel... LOOK!!!



Ride in sled with malamutes - again, I say, it can be done - if ya got the dosh.
PhD comparative philosophies/religions - this was put in here even though I was studying PhD at Sandeepany, because the gurukula system doesn't actually provide a 'hard copy' certificate; the aachaarya will either permit one to go and teach - or not - and this is the acknowledgement of having attained the appropriate level. In the West, this takes a lot of explaining. If I'd had the years and the dosh and nothing else to do, then I might have taken this on.
Read and absorb every philosophy - looks the same, but is different. This is actually something I have been attempting to do throughout life; plenty of reading has been done - absorption is a whole different kettle of words.
Transcend/Moksha - every Vedantin worth their salt has this on the bucket list. Guess this ought really to be in the 'WIP' basket... 
Guest appearance on Graham Norton show - have been on a few telly shows - in relation to science and science fiction - this was just more about the stress valve of study, expressing a need to be involved in total fluff and nonsense, flapping the lips about nothing of any great importance whatsoever...

And why not…? (the "could be done if I tried" variety - or "we're getting a bit more real here")

Himalayan yatra - since original writing, this was partially achieved! Could do more.
See Canada/Alaska - as of time of this post, am about to make this partially true also - visiting the East coast of Canada!
See Russia - This one may have to be added to the distant horizons basket
Ride the Ghan - another one which could be done - does involve dosh, but still a possibility..
Meet the blogdogs and other mates - this one ought to be shifted down into the Work In Progress basket - have met several and am about to add a lot to that over the next month!!!
Visit every ruin in the UK - this one needs shifted into the 'never gonna happen' basket - (did I make one of those?)
See Shakespeare's work at Stratford - still vaguely possible - actually there has recently been a very wonderful series on BBC of the 'Royal Histories' of old Will's; Plantagenet plunderings and all that sword-clashing stuff... satisfying enough.
Devise and present a stage show - just vague
Write books that sell - the writing is going on - its the rest which needs (mega87) work...

WIP (the 'work in progress' variety - where wishes become more like goals)

Own another telescope - this one requires the $$$ but is still on my list, just had other priorities. Was once very involved with astronomy in Sydney - so this one may belong more correctly in the BTDTTMTS category.
Live in clear view of E and W horizons - the YAMster's hutch almost fulfills this - big tick!
To know a thing or two more - daily manage to tick this one - it's a perennial
Be surrounded by animals/nature - still haven't added any more animals of my own, but nature sure abounds round here
Sell Mandalas - kinda-sorta on the way... have had the RedBubble shop running for a year now and a couple of the mandala designs have sold
Produce the cartoons - this one related to work done at the ashram wherein an entire story-telling enactment was undertaken with cartoons and puppetry... notions of taking it further...














Get the spiritual blog going - Big Tick!!!
Be on others' blogrolls - another big tick; this was put out there because original posts were only three months into this blogging malarkey; now am well embedded and others seem to like having me around
Visit every sacred place - I had this here? More like the 'wishes' category this one; but it would be lovely...............wait up...what's that?... in typing that, I got 'the message' that the whole of Earth is sacred - even where you sit right now... so big tick on this one then.
Run spiritual counselling/healing setup - this one is again closer to BTDTTMTS, given I ran a health practice for 15 years; but the refinement is finding the spiritual aspects of life - even for those professing no 'faith'. Big stuff, too much for this synopsis.

**BTDTTMTS (the "Been There Done That Too Many Tee Shirts" variety)

...I think I added this in just to make up numbers! To actually list all the escapades and things out of the usual daily living experience would bore the pants off most - some of the list above could actually be moved here now anyway. I leave these last two, simply because they were examples of the strife the YAMster often walks into - and walks away from. They got posts all of their own, hence the linkies.

Climb Uluru
Scuba diving

(post-Post note - I have absolutely no idea why the post is appearing in technicolour, 'coz the draught is all in B&W... is this another sign that making up such lists is like walking the rainbow looking for gold???)

OH, and ^^ = first year blogging, in case you'd remembered to wonder what the shorthand was ...or had you lost all will to live by now?
J

6 comments:

  1. A very interesting list. I don't think I would want to make a list at this point and time. It might be depressing since there are things I would want to leave on it that have absolutely NO chance of not only happening but even in a scaled down form. But on the flip side, it might be the first step in making something happen. Hmmmm . . . much to think about. See you next week!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  2. IMPRESSIVE LIST...

    WE think we would do better at listing the thingys we have DONE and WISH we Hadn't. Like when SHE was here visiting and Ernie Dribbled... OR the time I accidentally came out... in front of Company... wearing one of mom's BRAs... Don't LAUGH... I SAID that it was an ACCIDENT. That thingy just Wrapped itself around me and WOULDN't let go.

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  3. Crikey Aunty ..... Mum got tired just thinking about your list. I sure hope you live forever cause you'd have to if you are going to achieve all that. The one I liked best was the east west aspect thingoe. Something Mum's always wanted too. As it is we have to settle for getting up early and heading to the beach for the morning sunrise with an uninterrupted view of the horizon and to the river or Mt. Timbeerwah for an uninterrupted view of the sunset. Makes me happy too. Mum wouldn't make a wish list. She just takes each day as it comes. So far it's working out alright for her. Crikey that Frankie and Ernie are funny buggers, aye??
    Oh and thank goodness you explained the BTDTTMTS thingoe. I was really struggling with that one. I got the SOH but then I'm smart, aye?? I would like to ride on Santa's sleigh!!!!!!! AND I'm sure glad you got on my blogroll .....

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  4. List? I'm a more fly by the seat of my pants guy well if I wore pants.

    Aroo to you,
    Sully

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  5. I love your list I only would replace doing laundry with cleaning windows... I hate it :o)
    thanks for the video, we will ponder about a motto for next christmas... well the weather looks like november, so we have not much time :o)

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  6. I'm not into those kinds of lists, you are much more anticipatory than I!

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