39 Things To Do Before You Die

I was inspired by my mom and her friend at Bottomless Lakes to construct a list of 75 things to do before you die. Obviously I said only 39 on the title of this post, but considering that I am a third of my mother's age, I should be allowed to write about a third less than she did. 

There are a few qualifications in writing the list:

1) The list can only be comprised of things you've done. This is not  wish list. 

2) It must be a one time thing, not a life changing beatitude. This is not Seven Habits for Blah Blah Blahs. 

As put by my mother and her friend, try to shoot for something high, at least 25. 75 is difficult. My mom stayed up for hours writing hers. If you only have 10, you need to live. 

My list:

1. Climb a rock climbing wall without the rope. 

2. Sled down a hill in the summertime. It's a little  hard, but if you get the hill wet with a hose you should slide pretty easy. 

3. Skinny dip in a potentially dangerous area. Let's say a red zone for bears, or something like that. 

4. Be a flower girl in a wedding. 

5. Swim the length of a small pool underwater. I admit that this is a small feat but just knowing that you can do it is quite satisfying. 

6. Write your own alphabet and memorize it. 

7. Stick to a particularly poorly written book series without stopping. 

8. Float down a river in an innertube. 

9. Go on a safari in a dense area of trees. It doesn't have to be an actual safari; I haven't really been on one. Just get in a jeep and drive up hills and through trees. 

10. Feed a hungry person. Just grab some McDonald's and give it to him. You can even give them spare change; anything to help.

11. Bodysurf in the ocean. 

12. Watch someone have a baby.

13. Experience an amusement park ride that you wouldn't generally take lightly. 

14. Follow an unfamiliar trail through the woods without a proper guide. Ethan and Winston and I went through a forest in the mountains without any idea where we were going. We walked dangerously close to ledges that fell to a fast-moving river. 

15. Collect the corpses of crabs on a beach. 

16. Visit a city much larger than your hometown. Think of how tiny you are. 

17. Grow some sort of plant. When it sprouts flowers or veggies you get so excited. Enjoy the reward! 

18. Get a pet and care for it as though it were family, even if the landlord doesn't  allow it.

19. Go to a wedding reception and dance like the world is going to end. 

20. Play along with your family and pretend that something is real for the little kids. Even if it gets on your nerves. 

21.  Help paint a demolition derby car by finger painting. 

22. Go to a rodeo and really watch it. Scream for the competitors, say "aww" when the riders go to slow. 

23. Perform for a large audience. 

24. Explore your neighbor's backyards. Be careful not to get caught; you don't want them to think that you're doing graffiti or ruining their gardens. Just explore. 

25. Make cookies and go doorbell ditching. 

26. Walk in a parade. 

27. Make a list of 39 things to do before you die. 

28. Create styrofoam boats and float them down the creek. I did this with my cousins. We put candy in the boats because they thought that fairies would receive them. This was what I meant by "play along" on number 20. 

29. Stick up for someone badly outnumbered. 

30. Visit a friend who decided to be home schooled  in the middle of the year. Tell them how much you miss them. Ask why they left. See how they've changed. 

31. Eat expensive chocolate. Learn to accept how much better than us the Europeans are at making it. 

32. Keep a journal. Express yourself and confess as much as you can to it. 

33. Commit to writing a book. 

34. Play on a team in a competitive sport. 

35. Go dune diving. Roll in the sand! Just try to keep it out of your socks. 

36. Visit Craters of the Moon. Feel the cool air on you're face in the caves, what a relief it is to escape the heat of the sun outside. 

37. Enter a contest and do something you're good at. 

38. Get really good at something ridiculous. For example, I entered a talent show and did a hula-hooping act. The audience really liked it, too. 

39. Go to a caucus meeting. Get involved with politics even if you're not old enough to vote. Rejoice when your favorite candidate get the most delegates.