50 Things I’d Like to Do Before the Gig is Up
by Larkin Vonalt
Almost a quarter century ago, in Zurich, at the grave of James Joyce.
Okay, not a song- more like a set list. Still, getting to half a century tends to make me want to order my priorities. Here are fifty, in no particular order. When I finish the list, then I can sleep. Comments are welcome, of course.
- Have a little absinthe with friends
- Learn to fly
- Visit my friend DG at his bookstore in Bangkok
- Buy a little wooden boat to sail
- Go riding again.
- Publish the damn book.
- Publish the damn book
- Publish the damn book
- Exact some justice for the dead women of Livingston, Montana—and Nelson, too of course
- Make the US20 trip from sea to shining sea.
- Rent a cottage on the Island for a month. Eat lobster rolls every day.
- Spend more time on Folly Beach
- Visit my mother-in-law’s village in Toisan.
- Morocco, at last.
- Trap, neuter and release the alley cat colony behind the house
- Get the Nikon cleaned, get rid of the dust spots.
- Find more grace.
- Go back to that part of Mexico where there are no tourists.
- Work to implement a no-kill philosophy in every animal shelter in America
- Make peace with those that haunt me.
- Put radiant heat and slate floor in the kitchen.
- One more litter of puppies.
- Sit on Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings front porch.
- Learn to count to a hundred before I lose my temper.
- Reykjavik
- Get all the filing finished.
- Paint the bedroom the color of the sea. What color is the sea?
- Help the boy launch himself
- Learn to use my grandfather’s Speed Graphic
- Westminster one more time
- Yo-Yo Ma, live.
- Drive La Carrera Panamericana, an antique car road race across Mexico.
- Forgive myself for all the things I screwed up
- Make flan, well.
- Finish the kennel.
- Be more charitable.
- Have a little old car—a Deux Chevaux or Morris 1000 or Volvo PV544
- Doze at the Metropolitan Opera
- Help lift the Jane Reece neighborbood back on its feet.
- Find an Hermes shawl in a thrift shop. I can dream, can’t I?
- Paddle: in a boat, on a lake, on a river—or just myself in some body of water
- Make Baked Alaska. Or hell, just eat one.
- Have a conversation with Steve Martin. Or Stephen Colbert. Or Stephen King.
- Buy a new toilet for the downstairs bathroom. I really hate that toilet.
- Afternoon tea. Often.
- Paris, again.
- Meet a dancing bear.
- Learn to observe without judgment.
- One more beer with Harry Crews.
- Cuba, before.
Well crap, now I really have to do it.
Hmmm…on hiatus today for National Day of Service – will be something interesting to think about while working; will make a nice post when I get back.
I love the accountability of the web.
Get to it, lol.
Great list – what is US20 trip?
*heading off to create her own list – inspired*
US 20 runs from Boston to Newport, OR– it was one of the first trans-national highways. The road passes through many fascinating places, some kitschy, some touching, some of great historical significance. I always thought it would be fun to do a book, but I never, strike that, haven’t gotten to that yet. I’m glad you were inspired, looking forward to your list. (smileyface)
You could come sit on my porch….my grandfather sat on MKR’s porch, I’m sure…he designed her books.
Relly, that’s such a neat thing to know. I have a first edition of The Yearling, and will look at it with new eyes now. (We can actually all go sit on her front porch– her wonderful little house is well-preserved in Northern Florida.)
I’m thinking 6,7 & 8 are also 9, so yes. Publish the damn book! Muskrat & all. As for 17, she is still lurking around my 2nd floor hallway and quite peaceful. And 33; easier said than done?!
Dear B.
Yes, 8 is also 9, 6 and 7 are other projects. I have not forgotten. I will never have forgotten. Love.