Mt. Rainier and Lenticular Clouds - Dec. 2008 copyright: JMM

July 14, 2014

Bucket List Completions, So Far.....

I have a somewhat unrealistic bucket list with items that include the Unst Bus Shelter in the Shetland Islands and beachcombing in Iceland and the Falkland Islands.  I have some realistic goals of course...on Pinterest I broke them down into separate boards to include 'Local/Doable', 'Canada', 'Possible' and 'Unrealistic'. Then I decided to do a 'Bucket List: Done' pinboard, which includes things that weren't necessarily 'bucket list' items at the time they were done (I never even heard of that term till the movie came out), but pretty cool experiences.  And anyway it makes me feel better about my incomplete list items, to see all the things that have been done.  Kate over at Another Clean Slate, suggested that I do a blog post with some of the things or goals I've accomplished in my life.  I've tried to reach back to some obscure ones from awhile back as well as a few new ones.

In no particular order, except alphabetical which is the way the pictures were saved, are some highlights from that Pinboard (all photos used are web images).

Completed Project 365/Photo A Day for One Year, in 2012.


Volunteered with the American Indian Movement in 1992 in San Francisco, the 500 Years of Resistance campaign.  We did a protest on Columbus Day and I was invited to a sunrise ceremony on Thanksgiving Day in Dolores Park.  Also ran a Leonard Peltier Support Group out of my apartment in Marin for a few years, in those days.

Saw "Beach Blanket Babylon" in SF a few times in the 1990s....a must see musical that's been playing nonstop since the 1970s at Club Fugazi.  Cannot recommend this show enough.

Met Bob Weir & Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead in 1990.

July 4th in Boston, 1986.  Every major city has fireworks on the 4th but Boston really knows how to do it right.

Crossed the Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver, BC, 2006.  My desire for good pics overrode my fear of heights.  

Crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in 1976 (dad was driving us home from Florida).

Did a helicopter tour over Cannon Beach & Seaside, Oregon, summer 2005.  Again, wanted good pics.

Saw David Cassidy in concert, 2006. Have loved him since I was at least 6.

Met the Clash backstage at Cape Cod Coliseum after their concert in 1982.  


I appeared on a segment about the 1960s on 'Entertainment Tonight' in the fall of 1989.  We were interviewed on the way into Golden Gate Park for a free Jefferson Airplane/Bob Weir concert, which is another bucket list thing, to have seen a free show in GGP.


Been to a gay wedding, in SF, 2008

Went to three Grateful Dead New Years Eve shows in 1989, 90 and 91.

Been to Glass Beach in Fort Bragg in the 1990s, before they closed it to glass collectors. My best and rarest pieces are from here.

Visited Gorham, Kansas, in 1989, where my other fave movie, Paper Moon, was filmed.

Been to the Hearst Castle in California, in 1986 and 1988, driving down the Pacific Coast Highway 1 both times.

Saw Jake the Alligator Man at Marsh's Free Museum in Long Beach, WA, 2005

Saw Jefferson Airplane at the Fillmore West and a free concert in Golden Gate Park, fall 1989

I'm somewhere in this huge crowd in Golden Gate Park for the incredible and free Laughter, Love & Music concert after Bill Graham died in the fall of 1991.  Musicians/bands included Journey, Santana, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, the Grateful Dead, John Fogerty singing Creedence songs with the Dead backing him, Joe Satriani and Joan Baez.

Trip to England in 12th grade, 1982, which included all of London, Windsor Castle, Oxford, a Shakespearean play in Stratford On Avon, Kent & the White Cliffs of Dover.  We also went to Paris but I absolutely hated France.

Rode the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls when I was 11, in 1975.

Saw "Top Gun" at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, 1986.

Made glass marbles and glass beads at The Bead Factory in Tacoma, WA, 2005'ish.

Saw Nelson Mandela speak at the Oakland Coliseum in 1990.

Two Monkees shows (w/o Mike) in 1986.

Drove to the summit of Pikes Peak, CO.  This is a web image but this was the exact weather I encountered up there.  37 degrees and sleet in July, 1989.

Saw Pyramid Lake in Nevada, 1994.  It could not have been more anticlimactic.

Met Red Green in Renton, WA, 2002.

Among many other things I've done in NYC, I got to see the Rockettes' Easter show in 1978 at Radio City.

The only 2 NFL games I've been to were the 49ers at Candlestick Park.  I was there the day of the Oakland Hills Fire in 1991 and ash rained down on us all afternoon, and the smoke covered the sun so much that the stadium lights were turned on.  Also saw a couple of Giants games at The Stick.
Drove:  Across the USA west in 1989 and east in 2011, Florida to MA in 1976 (well dad drove), and California to Washington State in 1999.  These are all the states I've been to or through, thus far.  Saw lots and lots of cool stuff, even just flying down the highways at 75 mph.  

Crossed into Yosemite National Park from the lesser-used, but jaw dropping, magnificent eastern entrance, over Tioga Pass, in 1988. 

Been to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood in 2008, which served as the external shots of The Overlook Hotel in 'The Shining', one of my fave movies.

There was no time to stop and see everything on the 2011 trip east, but Wall Drug in Wall, SD was a must see.

Wyeth family exhibits at the Brandywine Museum, in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, 1993.

Saw Yul Brynner in one of his last 'King & I' performances in Boston, 1984, just a couple of months before he died.

Participated in a Guiness Book of World Records attempt at creating the world's longest strand of beads, at Shipwreck Beads in Olympia, WA, December 26, 2009.  Our strand crushed the old record at almost a mile long.

This summer I hope to hit a few more on the Local/Doable Bucket List!!  Now if only I could win the lottery, I could see everything on every bucket list!!

22 comments:

  1. You are very persistent. Not many folks can say they accomplished their list. I wish you much luck on the lottery. You are so close.

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    1. Thank you! I would like to see some more stuff on the 'local/doable' list this summer and one is definitely going to be done in August. Probably the best one of all. I'm very excited.

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  2. This list is better than most bucket list wishes. I love David Cassidy too!!!!!

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    1. Thanks! He is a wonderful entertainer and musician. I have been saddened by his last few brushes with the law with DUIs and such and hope that he's getting that under control.

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  3. I'd say this is quite a completion bucket list. Most people would love to do even a few of these things!

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  4. Wow! Amazing! The Alligator Man looks like a spectacular experience. Such great accomplishments, JoJo. Wow! Thanks for sharing!

    Sonnia

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    1. Thanks! Yeah that alligator man is a hoot. He's like the mascot of Long Beach, WA. EVERYONE goes to see him at Marsh's Free Museum, which is a real throwback itself.

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  5. That is a fantastic list of achievements. Now gotta go Google the Alligator Man. Wish I could say I had achieved nearly as much.

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    1. I think if you, and everyone else too, sits down and thinks about all the stuff they've done and seen in a lifetime, they'd be pleasantly surprised. This is just a tip of the iceberg from my 'completed' pinboard.

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  6. Gosh JoJo, I am in awe - and envy - of all the things you've seen and done! I've also been to London and Windsor Castle - but don't think it counts when they're on my doorstep LOL!
    I also saw Yul Brynner in The King and I at a London Theatre - cried just as much as when I see it on the telly!
    Suzanne @ Suzannes-Tribe
    x

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    1. Thanks!! Wasn't Yul just great? It was obvious that he was quite sick when I saw him, but he powered through and put on a great performance!

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  7. Anonymous7:40 AM

    Look at you, meeting all those rock stars. I'd love to meet some! Especially Ozzy…he's getting pretty old. I didn't even know there was a glass beach. Very cool. I've crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel a few times. Such a beautiful view. Must be why they charge so much for the toll.

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    1. I wonder what the toll was in 1976 when my dad drove? I also met Elvis Costello, also backstage at the Cape Cod Coliseum. I'm such a 'star collector'.

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  8. Lordy, have you ever done and seen a lot ! That is truly one impressive list and I bet it was just the tip of the iceberg as there are often so many small things that are done that we tend to overlook or forget about.

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    1. Yeah I had to wrack my brain to think of all the cool places I've seen and stuff I've done. As I said, seeing it laid out on my pinboard, well over 200 things, makes me feel better about the things I still want to do but probably never will.

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  9. WOW, you have checked a lot off that bucket list! That is awesome♥

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    1. Thanks Kathy! Like I said, hoping for a few others in the next month or so. :D

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  10. You went to the Bill Graham memorial show? NOW I'M OFFICIALLY JEALOUS! I would be jealous of Bob and Jerry, but I know TONS of people who met them, I was just never one of the lucky ones. :(

    Smoking dope with Allen Ginsburg is still the thing I've done that impresses everyone most; but then again, half of lower Manhattan could once claim that, right?
    LOL

    (Still afraid to go back to Pinterest, even though people keep friending me, or whatever its called. I have no idea how it works!)

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    1. I never mentioned that I was at Golden Gate Park for that show? Well I lived on 20th x Geary so it was a short drive/walk for us. I think we drove because we had backpacks, a cooler and blanket. That would've been a little long of a walk to the Polo Fields.

      VERY COOL about smoking w/ Allen!!! WOW!!!!

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  11. Very cool bucket list! I've been to a few of the places you mention. I was close to the suspension bridge but didn't have time to go to it. In 1981 I saw David Cassidy when he was starring in the stage production Little Johnny Jones.

    You've seen some outstanding concerts.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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    1. Thanks Lee! Isn't David a great performer? I adore him.

      I know I haven't seen a ton of concerts like some people, but I've been pretty happy with the ones I have seen. Ringo Starr & his All Starr Band 1995 was also an amazing concert with the lineup at that time - John Entwhistle, Mark Farner, Billy Preston....

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