Posted on 03/07/2008 4:48:43 PM PST by WFTR
Welcome to the Weekend Singles Thread!
For a few months this winter, I regularly saw ads for a movie called The Bucket List. I haven't seen a movie in years, and I was never all that excited about seeing this one. However, the ads made clear the theme of the movie. Apparently, two old friends make a list of things that each of them would like to do before they die or "kick the bucket" as the old expression goes. They decide that they will do these things together, and the rest of the movie is about their adventures as they do the things on "the bucket list." I'm sure someone who saw the movie will eventually post to tell me where I'm wrong about the plot of the movie.
While I don't particularly care about the movie, the idea of a "bucket list" is interesting and could make a good discussion topic. With that in mind, I'll throw open the thread for discussion of bucket lists. I'll ask a few questions, and folks can improvise as they wish.
1. Do you have a specific, written bucket list, a rough idea of things that you'd include if you did have a bucket list, or does that idea not appeal to you?
2. If you have a list, what's on the list? If you don't have a list, what are some ambitions that would be on the list?
3. Are the goals on your list things that have been ambitions for much of your life or are they things that you thought that you'd like to do as you grew older?
4. Do you like the idea of fulfilling these goals steadily as you go through life or would you have more fun going back and doing them all in a spree when you're at retirement age or nearing retirement age?
Please give us any other thoughts or questions that you might have.
Bonus Questions:
1. The stock market dropped below 12000 today. What, if anything, does that change mean to you?
2. Have any of your pets done anything noteworthy this week?
3. What time do you like to get up on the weekends?
I had one big lifetime dream. Of going to Hawaii and I’ve been there, it was wonderful.
Was the term “bucket list” originated with this movie or has it always been called that? I never heard it until I saw ads for the movie.
I have not seen it but the previews show two old men who decide to live out their dreams. If anyone has seen this movie can you tell me how do they afford to do things?
Are they wealthy? I see them skydiving and such that calls for travelling around and all that costs money and yet they start out looking like they are laying in a nursing home or something. Not that wealthy people can’t be in a care facility. I’m just wondering how they do all this.
I also want to see the movie, so I hope nobody spoils it for me.
As for the stock market and such...both of my sons worked for the same company for quite some time. Both are looking for new jobs this week.
Not really, but I'm stupid about the stock market. What does bother me a lot is the surrounding news of economic woes and recession and unemployment. People around me are nervous, too. This is real and looks like we have hard times. I've been wondering when Freepers will admit it. Usually when there are unemployment and low money-type threads a lot of people post that it just isn't so.
2. Have any of your pets done anything noteworthy this week?
I got a hamster about a month ago. Really sweet. My cat is fine, he's about 7 years old now and I just cannot believe it. Many times I feel he is bored and I'm so tired all I can do sometimes is rub his head or massage his back while I'm laying down. I know he'd like more interaction. LOL I see advice sometimes on how to spice up your love life but never anything on how to spice up your cat's life.
3. What time do you like to get up on the weekends?
Up until a few years ago I'd sleep all day long only getting up in the early evening to go get something to eat and watch tv usually starting around 8:00 p.m. I kid you not.
But now I wake around 6:00 a.m. and may doze back a while or get up and make a pot of coffee and Freep. I like to do a daily jigsaw puzzle on the computer. On Sundays I check out Postsecret.com. I rarely nap during the day anymore. I do like to stay up late. I still like that. Once I heard the compulsion to stay up late and fight sleep is a way to try to put off tomorrow. I think there is something to that. When I'm upset about something I just hate to go to sleep because when I wake up not only is it tomorrow already but in the couple seconds of awaking it is like I have to re-learn my problem.
I have seen the movie(twice actually on big screen)
It is enjoyable & fun. No spoiler’s here from me - but to answer one question.. one of the men is very wealthy & bankrolls the expeditions..
My list is much too long to put here .
Snow storm here. Might watch a few DVDs here or might just sleep some more.
hope all have a great weekend!
Bill
You ask good questions, but I don’t know the answers. Maybe someone who has seen the movie will post.
I’m sorry to hear about your sons. Layoffs are brutal. I still don’t have the wealth or benefits that I would have had if I hadn’t suffered a layoff in 1994.
1. No bucket list. Haven’t gotten around to writing things down.
2. I probably don’t have a written list because I’ve done the big thing I wanted to do, which was get a PhD and be a professor. Now that I’ve done that, I can start thinking about other stuff.
3. Now that I have the kind of job where I have months ‘free’ at a time (haha, I’m supposed to be researching and writing then), I can really spend time doing a few things. My alumni society offers a lot of trips; I’d like to go to the Galapagos, I’d like to do some simple things like going to different food festivals around the country, but I guess I don’t have too many things on my wish list. Mostly I want to get out of debt and get tenure. : )
4. I think it’s better to try to do things as you go thru life. You may not make it to retirement.
The loss of jobs is a bigger concern to me than the low value of the stock market. My net worth goes down when the stock market is down, but the stock market will go up again. As long as people have jobs, can pay their bills, and have enough money and discipline to save, they can get through a low stock market. In fact, if someone has the discipline to save and invest, the low times are the times to buy stocks.
I’m glad you’re enjoying your hamster. Do you have a hamster ball that allows him to run around the floor? Getting him a hamster ball might spice up your cat’s life but not in a way that you or the hamster would like. My sister used to have hamsters occasionally, and she had the old hamster balls. They were funny.
I knew that you would have seen the movie. Is my introduction even close to being accurate?
I also figured that your list would be too long to post, but are there any items that you would share?
Bill
If you like the idea of a bucket list, you need to start developing one this weekend. Please give us any thoughts that you have so far. Will the list involve travel? relationships? education? foods?
I know what you mean about wanting to buy in the market. I'm holding off until I know how low things will go, but I plan to get further into the market when I think we've reached the bottom. I've heard that the government is buying a great deal of ammunition to replace all that's been used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Commercial ammunition is getting more expensive. In hopes of riding that trend, I bought some Olin/Winchester last week, but I missed the timing. I'm already down about 5%. Still, I believe that the stock will be a good buy over time. If you don't find a stock you like, would you consider buying an ETF? I have some of them, and they just follow the broad market.
Bill
Working as a professor should give you opportunities to pursue some goals. Seeing festivals around the country shouldn't be too hard or too expensive. What food festival would be first on your list? If you have time and don't need great luxury, travel can be fun without being that expensive. If I reach the point of teaching, I'll probably try to teach in summer school most of the time and take either fall or spring semesters off. My favorite time to travel is the fall, but some spring trips could be a great deal of fun. If you are going for tenure, you won't have that luxury for a long time.
The other thing that I'd like about teaching at the college level is the ability to take a pleasant walk nearly every day. If I were in that situation, I might be able to lose some weight and generally get a clearer head. Walking relaxes me, and college campuses are great places to walk. I'd find time in the day to leave my office and walk around the campus.
Bill
pretty close Bill..
but there is much more to it in the self learning both do along the way. I think older folks would enjoy it more than younger.. JMO.. I recommended it to my prostate cancer support group & those that saw it really, really enjoyed it. Hit a little too close to home for many of them
It was better than my wildest dreams and I’d live there if I could. If son who lives there gets married there, I’M GOING.
I don’t know how, but I’ll have to go.
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