What's on your list...

Bucket list. That list of things you want to do before you die.

Over the weekend, Pg Boy and I were just having our usual conversation and our topic led us to talk about bucket lists.

Do I have one? He asked.

I'm not sure, but I think he's the first one to ask me that. And I think it's the first time I really thought about whether I have one.

Hmm, as it turns out, I think I don't have one. LOL! Or I never really bothered to make one up.

It's somewhat ironic given that I'm usually one who likes to plan stuff.

But thinking about it now, I guess the reason why I don't really have a major list is because I have been fortunate enough to have been able to do things that I really want to do. Some were on purpose. Some were because the opportunities came at the right moment.

For example, volunteering. Back in my uni days, I considered taking a year off to do volunteer work. I knew about the Jesuit Volunteers Program. I knew about the Gurong Pahinungod of UP. Due to other bigger responsibilities, I didn't get to do this. However, I did end up having volunteer work as a career for three years or so. Having been part of the Pahinungod in UP Manila was equally as enriching and fulfilling as doing a year with JVP or GP, I guess.

I dare say, even more.

The three or so years with Pahinungod have definitely changed my perspective about a lot of things. It also instilled in me a strong sense of volunteerism, one that I'd like to think I still carry with me these days.

What else?

To be able to publish something with my name in it. By some stroke of luck (?), I did. First, there were the number of articles I wrote, which somehow made it to national dailies.

Then, of course, there was ICON. We were a bunch of dreamers who wanted a local magazine for the local LGBT community. We were happy getting our hands on Out, or Instinct, or whatever other mag was there. But still, we craved for our very own.

And we did it. It happened at the right time at the right place with the right people. While the magazine may no longer be in circulation and though it was very short lived, I will always be proud of ICON.

The most recent one thing that could have been in my bucket list is being able to work in Singapore.

That dream was three years in the making. Haha! Since my first visit to SG in 2008, I have already fallen in love with it. But it took me three years to make it happen. With the support of people who believed in me, I was able to finally do it last year. Whooopppeee!!!

And there are other things I can think of.

So I guess you can somehow say that the things that are supposed to be in my bucket list have been ticked off quite early?

Still…

I started thinking about what else could be in my bucket list.

In no random order:
1.) A white Christmas.
2.) Machu Picchu.
3.) Europe - for the art.
4.) On a whim, going to Changi Airport and choosing some random destination to fly to at that moment
5.) On a whim, going to one of the really, really high-end stores in MBS or in Orchard and getting myself something without having to ask the price.
6.) Have a stroll at one of the parks in Tokyo during Sakura season.

These are the things that came of the top off my head. Some are quite shallow. Hehe! But hey, it's my list. I get to decide what goes into it.

How about you? What's on your list?