So I went onto YouTube to watch a few videos, hoping to clear my mind out enough to find some coherence, and found this:
Beautiful, no? Some of hers were so close to some of mine that I felt like sharing. In the spirit of Kristina's video, then, here are ten things I want to do with my life. Apologies for writing it in a list instead of doing it up in a lovely video with music, but I don't have a video camera, and I don't trust my webcam to make me look attractive. :)
Oddly, this is a little more terrifying at thirty-three than it would have been ten years ago. More personal. And harder. I've done some of the things I've always wanted to do—I've gotten married, recorded a CD, gone to Europe, written a novel, owned a horse... and I'm starting to think that getting fluent in a foreign language doesn't have enough of my priority... but my life hasn't ended yet, and neither has my capability to wish.
- Publish the book I've written.
- Write and publish another... and another... and more.
- Turn around and help another author get published and get recognized.
- Have or adopt at least one child.
- Grow old with the man I've loved and married.
- Find some way to make a lot of people's lives easier, happier, more comfortable, better.
- Live up to the Beatitudes.
- Give someone the encouragement they need to succeed at whatever it is they're supposed to do.
- Help get Gregorian chant back into the Mass.
- ...and one purely selfish one, just for the heck of it: Go to a big Harry Potter convention, like LeakyCon, with at least a couple of friends. HP is one of the most communal things I've been part of online, and one of the loneliest things I've ever been part of in person. Someday, I'd love to amend that last part.
What about you? It's a personal question, I know—but feel free to share as you wish.
And yes, I know I link Kristina Horner a lot. Also, that I'm doing a lot of lists of ten lately. The standard book-related top ten should post as usual tomorrow. :)
I think I share your 1-3, myself. And I would be thrilled to be one of the friends included in 10. (I just decided yesterday that I wouldn't even think about going to LeakyCon this year...sigh.)
ReplyDeleteI think--I hope--I've done and will continue to do 8. Seven is an ideal, I think; it's Oswald Chambers who says that the Sermon on the Mount is child's play--except that there are the Beatitudes, and they change everything.
Five for me is yes and amen, just with a different gender noun.
As for making my own list--I dunno... I guess I want to attend at least one of my grandchildren's weddings. And graduations--things of that sort.
My list is somewhat jumbled. #5 is definitely a top one, although again with that old traditional gender noun difference. :)
ReplyDeleteAnother is to skirt the line between being called a cat fancier & being called a crazy old cat person.
Finally get around to reading The City of God.
I'm sure there's others.
Mr. Pond, regarding number 8--well, you already encourage me. :)
ReplyDeleteRegarding number 10, I had a very similar sighing moment over this year's LeakyCon. Someday, when I'm making money enough to afford such things, let's plan on it! If we could get a group of Hog's Head friends there, I just might die of happiness. Hint, hint, George. :)
Here's to long life and happiness with those we love!
George, I'll never call you a crazy old cat person. Although I have enough trouble with one cat. I don't know how you manage sixteen. ;)
Well, I've already been to one big HP convention, Azkatraz. I'm not sure my wife will be giving me the okay to go to another one for a long time, especially if they're in Boston or Orlando.
ReplyDeleteOk, I know you wrote this months ago, but I just discovered it. I like it. I like the 10 things to do in life, even if I can't really put 10 together in my mind to want personally, I don't know why, my wants are too fluid to hold onto I guess. :)
ReplyDeleteI was sad to read the "loneliest thing I've been a part of in person" bit, even not liking Harry Potter at all. It's funny, isn't it, how our loves can isolate us so completely in the real-world communities we find ourselve living in, even if they're not so isolated in the world at large? I was told by a friend up here that "art is stupid" once, and sudden realized that in some essential way, I'm completely isolated from my neighbors here, no matter how friendly they are, a connection is missing...so despite not understanding your love of Harry Potter, I do understand the isolation that comes from loving alone. :)
Masha, it's hard for me to imagine the outlook on life that could call art stupid. That must have felt like a personal attack, unless the person spoke in utter ignorance of your nature.
ReplyDeleteI shouldn't complain too much--I do have friends who at least like Harry Potter, and Lou has accompanied me to my (few) wrock shows when he can. But so many people think it's evil, and most of the rest just aren't interested. So yeah... I think 'the isolation of loving alone' is part of being human, especially in our modern world. But it certainly isn't pleasant, and it can be downright painful. :)