Greetings my lovelies,

My Not-So-Ordinary Bucket List of Adventures, Curiosities, and Things I Haven’t Done Yet

Since this is the year of firsts, I’ve been thinking about bucket lists lately. You know, those collections of things people want to do before they kick the proverbial bucket? Usually, they’re filled with climbing Mount Everest, running marathons, visiting every continent, or doing something so spectacular that the entire internet needs photographic evidence.

Well, I’m not climbing Mount Everest. I have absolutely no desire to freeze my ass off while struggling to breathe just so I can say I stood on top of a mountain. And while we’re at it, the Grand Canyon doesn’t particularly interest me either. Yes, I know it’s magnificent. Yes, I know people travel from all over the world to see it. Good for them! I’m perfectly happy admiring someone else’s photographs.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t have dreams, curiosities, and a rather interesting collection of things I’d love to experience.

At 55, I’ve already lived a little. I’ve ridden horses, danced, painted, played the flute, taken photographs, entered drawings in art contests, roller-skated, ice-skated, and driven a stick shift. I’ve explored historic places, experienced things I still can’t entirely explain, and collected memories that could probably fill a book.

Speaking of books, writing one happens to be on this list.

What I haven’t done is experience everything that makes me curious. Not even close.

And the older I get, the more I realize that I don’t want a life measured entirely by accomplishments, responsibilities, and how many things I’ve managed to check off a list. I want experiences. I want beautiful places, unexpected discoveries, laughter, adventure, a little romance, and occasionally something that scares the absolute hell out of me.

So here it is. My unconventional, ever-growing, completely personal bucket list.

🌵 Adventures Closer to Home

Let’s begin with something that might sound ridiculous considering where I live. I’ve never been inside one of Tucson’s local casinos. Not once. I’d love to go, walk around, enjoy the atmosphere, maybe have dinner, and see what all the fuss is about. I don’t need to come home with a jackpot. Although, if the universe feels particularly generous, I’m not going to argue.

Then there’s Bisbee, Arizona. I’ve heard about its historic streets, quirky shops, colorful buildings, and old mining-town character, but I’ve never visited. Jerome is another place calling my name, with its hillside buildings, winding roads, ghost stories, and fascinating past. Give me a town with history, unusual shops, and a few good stories, and I’m interested.

I’d also love to visit Rocky Point, Mexico. There’s something about the thought of standing beside the Sea of Cortez, feeling the salty breeze against my face, listening to the waves, and watching the sun melt into the horizon that sounds absolutely wonderful. I’m not interested in sailing across the ocean, mind you. I’ve ventured into ocean water up to my knees, and that was plenty. I prefer knowing exactly where my feet are, thank you very much.

Ronnie and I have also talked about renting a cabin on Mount Lemmon and taking the dogs with us. I can picture the whole thing: towering pine trees, chilly mountain air, a cozy cabin, coffee in the morning, and our dogs enjoying the change of scenery. Maybe a little snow outside, warm blankets inside, and absolutely nowhere we need to be.

And because I adore Christmas, I want to experience the North Pole Experience in Flagstaff. The lights, decorations, festive atmosphere, and all that wonderful holiday magic? Yes, please! I want to feel like I’ve wandered straight into a Christmas story.

🏔️ Mountains, Forests, and the Places Calling My Name

Colorado is high on my list. I want to see the Rocky Mountains, those enormous peaks rising against the sky, the forests stretching across the landscape, and the beautiful little mountain towns tucked between them. I’d especially love to experience Colorado in autumn, when the aspens turn golden and the air carries that unmistakable crispness of the changing seasons.

Montana is another dream. Wide-open spaces, mountains, forests, wildlife, and those magnificent skies. There’s something appealing about standing somewhere surrounded by nature, where the scenery is breathtaking and the noise of everyday life feels a million miles away.

I want to see California’s giant redwoods, too. Not just drive past them, but actually walk among them. Imagine standing beneath trees so enormous that you have to tilt your head all the way back just to glimpse their tops. The earthy scent of the forest, the soft ground beneath your shoes, the filtered sunlight, and the quiet. That sounds like my kind of magic.

And I want to take a scenic train ride. An old-fashioned train winding through mountains, forests, and valleys, with beautiful scenery passing outside the windows. I don’t particularly care whether it’s a vintage steam train or something a little more luxurious. I just want to enjoy the journey without worrying about traffic, directions, or where the next gas station is.

🎷 A Little Southern Charm and Some New England Witchiness

Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana, are both on my list.

I want to experience the history, architecture, atmosphere, and culture. New Orleans especially fascinates me with its French Quarter balconies, historic buildings, music, folklore, and mysterious stories. I want to wander through the streets, admire the architecture, explore the shops, and experience the personality of a place unlike anywhere else.

And then there’s Salem, Massachusetts.

Oh, Salem!

As someone who identifies as a witch and has always been fascinated by history, mythology, spirituality, and folklore, Salem is somewhere I would genuinely love to experience. The historic buildings, old streets, witch-trial history, little shops, and New England atmosphere all appeal to me.

I’d love to visit during autumn, when the leaves are changing and the air has that wonderful chilly bite. Although I might prefer to explore without being swallowed by an enormous Halloween crowd. I want to experience the town, not spend my entire visit looking at the back of someone’s head.

🌍 Across the Ocean and Into History

My international wish list is fairly ambitious, and I make no apologies for that.

France, Italy, Greece, Ireland, Scotland, England and other parts of the United Kingdom, and Germany all interest me.

I want to see castles, ancient ruins, cobblestone streets, little villages, beautiful countryside, historic churches and cathedrals, and buildings that have stood for centuries. I want to experience places where history isn’t simply something you read about in a book. It’s right there beneath your feet.

Greece holds a special fascination because of my lifelong love of Greek mythology. Athena, Artemis, and Hekate are all part of my spiritual exploration, and the thought of visiting places connected to those ancient traditions is incredibly appealing.

Ireland and Scotland call to the part of me that loves green landscapes, misty hills, Celtic folklore, ancient stones, and mysterious castles. Germany has its fairytale villages and Christmas markets. Italy has its history, art, architecture, and gorgeous countryside. France has its charming villages, cafés, and beautiful historic streets.

Will I see all these places? I don’t know. But I’d certainly love to try.

🎈 Apparently, I Have an Adventurous Side

Here’s where things get interesting.

I want to ride in a hot air balloon. Imagine floating above the landscape as the sun rises, watching the world slowly awaken beneath you. The colors, the quiet, the view stretching toward the horizon. That sounds absolutely incredible.

I also want to go skydiving.

Yes, skydiving.

Apparently, I’m perfectly willing to jump out of an airplane but have serious reservations about venturing into ocean water beyond my knees. Make that make sense. I can’t, and frankly, I’m not going to try.

Ziplining is another adventure I’d love to experience. Soaring above the trees, feeling the wind rush past, and looking down at the landscape below? Sign me up!

I also want to learn ballroom dancing. I already know how to dance, but ballroom dancing is something different. There’s something romantic about the idea of learning the waltz or foxtrot, especially if Ronnie would learn with me.

And then there’s writing a book. Not because I need to become some famous author or land on a bestseller list, but because I have stories, thoughts, memories, and experiences worth putting into words. Whether that becomes a memoir, a collection of essays, or something entirely unexpected remains to be seen.

🐋 The Wild Things I Want to Witness

One of my biggest wishes is to see a whale in the ocean.

Not in a tank. Not performing tricks. A magnificent, wild whale swimming freely in its natural habitat.

I want to watch that enormous tail rise above the water, hear the splash, and maybe, if I’m lucky, witness a whale breach. There’s something extraordinary about sharing even a brief moment with a creature so enormous and powerful.

I’d also love to see kangaroos and koalas in Australia.

Now, here’s the problem with Australia.

The kangaroos? Adorable. The koalas? Absolutely precious.

Those enormous spiders and snakes? Oh, HELL NO.

I have no desire to discover a spider the size of a dinner plate hanging out where it doesn’t belong. So Australia remains a possibility, preferably involving a reputable wildlife sanctuary and absolutely no surprise encounters with oversized eight-legged residents.

👻 Ghosts, History, and Things That Go Bump in the Night

I’ve already had a couple of unusual experiences in places famous for their ghost stories.

Ronnie and I stayed at the Tombstone Bordello in the Madam’s Quarters. In the middle of the night, I woke up to what sounded like someone going through our bags.

Ronnie?

Snoring away like he didn’t have a care in the world.

There I was, scared out of my mind and excited at the same time, listening to what sounded like someone rummaging through our belongings. Nobody else was in the room.

I’ve also visited Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. While reviewing video I’d recorded during our visit, I noticed soldiers walking in the footage. I hadn’t seen them while I was filming. Unfortunately, I no longer have that recording, and I really wish I did.

Those experiences have stayed with me.

So naturally, I want to participate in an actual paranormal investigation.

Give me a historic building with a haunted reputation, a group of investigators, some equipment, and an opportunity to explore. I want to hear the stories, investigate the history, and experience the atmosphere for myself.

Would I be scared? Probably.

Would I be excited? Absolutely.

Would Ronnie sleep through the entire thing? Based on previous experience, there’s a decent possibility.

🏰 A Little Movie Magic and Disney Happiness

I want to visit Universal Studios Hollywood.

And when I say visit, I mean actually go INSIDE.

I’ve driven past it before. That’s lovely and all, but driving past the entrance doesn’t exactly count as experiencing the park. I want to walk through the gates, enjoy the attractions, take the Studio Tour, and immerse myself in the movie magic.

I also want Ronnie and me to take a proper Disneyland getaway.

Not a hurried day trip. I want us to stay overnight, spend one day at Disneyland Park and another at Disney California Adventure, and actually enjoy ourselves without watching the clock.

I want the castle, the attractions, the music, the shops, the nighttime lights, and all those little details that make Disney special.

Yes, I’m 55. Yes, I still love Disney. And no, I don’t believe there’s an expiration date on enjoying a little magic.

🍽️ About Those Food Adventures…

Now, traditional bucket lists often include trying unusual foods, exotic dishes, or eating something with an alarming number of legs.

That’s probably not happening here.

I’m a picky eater, and I also have food allergies. I’m allergic to onions, and after experiencing scombroid poisoning from yellowfin tuna, I’ve chosen to avoid it.

So while someone else might be excited about sampling every unusual delicacy on the planet, I’m perfectly content finding something I know I can safely enjoy.

That doesn’t mean food can’t be part of an experience. I’d love to enjoy breakfast in a charming French café, discover a cozy bakery in a historic village, or have a romantic dinner overlooking the ocean.

Sometimes the memory isn’t about eating something extraordinary. It’s about where you were, who you were with, and how the moment made you feel.

💜 This Isn’t a Race Against Time

The funny thing about putting this list together is realizing how much I’ve already experienced.

I’ve learned skills, visited fascinating places, tried different things, explored historic towns, and collected stories that still make me laugh, smile, or occasionally wonder what the hell happened.

And yet, there’s still so much I want to see and do.

Some of these dreams are enormous. Traveling through Europe or exploring the Rocky Mountains will take planning, money, and time. Others are wonderfully simple. A casino evening in Tucson, a weekend in Bisbee, or a cabin getaway with Ronnie and the dogs could happen much sooner.

I don’t need to accomplish everything on this list to consider my life meaningful. I don’t need to turn every experience into a social media performance, either. Some moments are meant to be enjoyed without worrying about whether anyone else finds them impressive.

What I want is to keep being curious.

I want to smell the pine trees in the mountains, feel the ocean breeze against my face, hear the whistle of a train winding through the countryside, watch Christmas lights sparkle against a winter sky, and stand beneath ancient redwoods that have been growing for centuries.

I want to laugh with Ronnie, take photographs, discover new places, learn something unexpected, and occasionally do something that makes me wonder whether I’ve completely lost my mind.

And maybe that’s the whole point.

A bucket list shouldn’t be a collection of obligations disguised as dreams. It should be a celebration of everything that still makes you feel excited to be alive.

Mine isn’t finished. It probably never will be. I’ll add things as they come to me, change my mind about others, and hopefully cross off quite a few along the way.

Because I’m not interested in spending the rest of my life simply counting the years.

I want to fill those years with experiences worth remembering.

And if that means riding in a hot air balloon, chasing a little Christmas magic, investigating a haunted building, or finally walking through the gates of Universal Studios instead of driving past them, then so be it.

Life is meant to be lived, not merely observed from the sidelines.

Although, for the record, I will happily observe Australia’s giant spiders from several thousand miles away.

Some boundaries are nonnegotiable. 😂

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Now it’s your turn!

What’s something you’ve always wanted to experience at least once? It doesn’t have to be expensive, adventurous, or particularly impressive. Maybe it’s a place you’ve dreamed of visiting, a skill you’ve wanted to learn, or a little experience you’ve never gotten around to trying.

And what’s one thing everyone seems to have on their bucket list that you couldn’t care less about?

I’d love to hear your answers. Who knows? You might inspire me to add something new to mine!

Until next time, keep living vividly. 💜