MGF Interactive: Things to Do Before I Die

Has anyone seen that Kohler Water Fixture commercial? You know the one I’m talking about, right?

This is the one where the old Italian lady is on her deathbed and explaining to her family that they must not mourn for her. She’s lived a full life and is listing her many experiences to the daughter sitting at her bedside. And by all accounts (and translations), she had some fun! But then she turns to the window of her room and she sees this young woman about to slip into this GORGEOUS bathtub. The old lady pauses. Then she wrinkles her brow and then exclaims, “DAMN!” Her face at that moment is so full of regret for never having experienced that bathtub. She then takes her last breath and collapses onto her bed.

Now, I’m not too sure I’d be pissed about dying before getting to bathe in that bathtub. But the look on her face is something I probably could relate to. As a lover of life (and acceptor of death), I don’t want to miss out on experiences that can enrich my life. And there are certain things in life that I want to do before I’m an old woman in bed telling my family not to cry.

Yeah – I have a “To Do Before I Die” list. But honestly, WHO DOESN’T?! And even more blunt: EVERYONE should have a list drawn up. The best part about this list is that it’s constantly changing. If you were to take a list I wrote when I was a teenager and compared it to the one I wrote when I was 25, they’d be completely different lists!

And that’s a good sign! It means I’ve accomplished a lot about what I set out to do in life. And it means there’s so much more that I haven’t! These things don’t always have to be about getting famous or rich – they can be little things too!

So with this in mind, I thought I’d share my current list with you all:

Drive/Ride a Formula-1 race car at Le Mans – Forget the Ferraris, the BMWs, Mercedes, and even (BIG SIGH) the Aston Martin. I want to ride in something that was built purely for speed and performance! Now, I realize at 5 foot nuffin’, handling all that horsepower is like a butterfly trying to fly against a 75 MPH wind. So – if I can’t drive it – I’ll be happy to turn to my driver at the famed Le Mans race track and say, “Twice around please…and make it snappy!”

Design and make a wardrobe for an entire work week – During my long confinements – I mean summer vacations – at home, I pretty much was on my own for entertainment. So a few of those weeks, I was really into digging through my Grandmother’s scrap cloth bag and made the most FABULOUS strapless dresses and skirts for my Barbie doll using a few pins and some velcro! My love affair with clothing is still going strong today – with me being my own personal Barbie. But I’ve always had this urge to create my own clothing. I figure an entire week’s worth of outfits would be enough to fill the hole. I guess I should figure out how to sew first, huh?

Write a Screen Play – This works on so many creative levels for me! When I think about stories and writing – I always say I think like it’s a movie! So why not write one? Besides, if Ben Affleck and Matt Damon can win an Oscar for their screenplay, a schmuck like me can write one.

Raft down a Class 5 rapid - Five years ago, Lenny and I purposely got in a raft with my family and shot the Kings River Class 3 rapid. THAT WAS BETTER THAN ANY ROLLERCOASTER EVER! I seriously want to do it again. The next step would be cool – but I want a Class 5. When you have to put on a wetsuit and don a helmet just to get down a river…that’s some SERIOUS thrill riding there!!

Address a body of government (state or national) – It’s an ego thing here, pure and simple. I’ve been in front of people since I was a kid. The Family Ham wants to grow up and say something important. I have something to say – and I want to make a difference in someone’s life.

Act in a play – Back to the Family Ham thing…I was made for the stage. I’m ALLLLL about playing drama! My high school drama class gave me only a sliver of the thrill I think acting on stage is. Seriously though, I don’t care if it’s just community theatre at this point. My inner actress is ready for her soliloquy.

Memorize and play “Aragonaise” by Jules Massenet on the piano again – I spent four months learning and memorizing the 5-page version of Jules Massenet’s most memorable piece of music for a summer piano competition. I was 16 and had been playing piano for 10-years and loved it! For me, “Aragonaise” was that PERFECT piano piece. The sound was huge, the technique had to be fearless, and the finger work had to be DEAD ON. I wasn’t ready for that piece at 16; and sadly, it’s been 11-years since I’ve played regularly on a piano. But whenever I get home to San Diego – I always sit down and try my hand at recapturing the magic. I long to do it again – but this time with the perfection it deserves.

Live abroad for at least half a year – If work provided me an opportunity, or if Lenny were given a chance to teach abroad…I’d take it in a heart beat! I’ve lived in the U.S. all my life and through travel, I’ve experienced different cultures and ways of thinking. But the thought of immersing myself into something truly different and out of my comfort zone would be an experience beyond experience!

Be interviewed by someone famous/Interview someone famous – My theory about fame is this: ANYONE can have their 15-minutes of fame. But you would have had to do something really worthwhile to land on Oprah or Tyra’s talk show couch! You must have done something big to have Barbra Walters sitting across from you asking questions and trying to make you cry. If I only get 15-minutes…I want to make it count! But if that’s not in the cards – I would kill for the opportunity to interview a celebrity, world leader, or a normal person with a huge story to tell. Everyone makes their mark in this world, it doesn’t matter which side of the microphone you’re on.

Dance the tango – Thankfully, this one might be coming off the list soon! Remember that movie “Scent of a Woman?” A blind Al Pacino suavely and successfully navigates the floor with the pretty Gabrielle Anwar while the band strikes up the tango. At the end, Anwar’s boyfriend comes up and says, “You finally found someone to tango with you!” OMG – I so want that! The tango is like any other dance in the world! It’s strong, it’s soft, it’s sensual, and it’s passionate! I hear a tango beat and all I want to do is fly across the floor! Maybe Lenny and I will finally get our chance in our upcoming dance class!

What about YOU, MGF Faithful? What’s on your list of things to do? Tell us what wish causes family and friends to tell you that you are crazy! Tell us what you would most regret NOT doing before you take the Big Sleep.

SEND IT IN!!! Let’s share in the goal setting! Submit your To Do List to moderngirlfriday@yahoo.com. In the subject line, put “Things to Do Before I Die.” I’ll post the best lists up next week!