One for the bucket list...

Everyone sort of has a bucket list - you know, as in the movie 'The Bucket List'' (I really loved that movie!).  For the two of you who never saw or heard of the movie, the bucket list refers to a list of things you want to accomplish before you kick the proverbial bucket. It may not be on paper, just a list floating around in your brain, where you mentally tick off items as you accomplish them and say to yourself, well, that's one for the bucket list.  Of course, the probability of having a bucket list in your mind (or even on paper) increases with age, as the gap between now and kicking the bucket narrows - so my guess is that a lot of people my age have one by now, whether they know it or not.

My bucket list is pretty extensive. And, it's all in my head - I do not have anything written down. But, I can tell you that I have accomplished a couple of items I have always considered bucket list material - such as running a marathon (or two), plus,  I have accomplished some others that I didn't even know were bucket list material until I had accomplished them!  And of course,  I have many bucket list things yet to do and yet to complete. It's really all about setting goals and challenging yourself to do something new - something different, something to add to your list of accomplishments. 

Which brings me to my latest challenge, learning how to play the Saxophone. Now that's an original bucket list item - and until a month ago, I didn't even know it was on my list! It all came about because of Gerry, the man who has captured  my heart.  Gerry  plays many instruments, mainly the Oboe (which apparently is impossible to play) the English Horn, the Saxophone, and of course, the piano. When you are in the presence of such talented people, well, you feel compelled to better yourself, at least I do - so when Gerry offered to teach me how to play the Saxophone, I jumped on the idea!  I can do that, I thought, as I conjured up visions of myself playing some cool jazz!

So  - here  I am, driving all my neighbours up the wall on week nights as I come home from work and sit down with my borrowed Sax and attempt to blow into it. I say attempt, but really, I can proudly say that tonight, I think I have finally mastered that part - it took a whole lot of blowing hot air & spittle without so much as making a sound before I finally got to this point, but now  I can put the Sax to my lips and get an instant sound. It's more of a bleet than a note, but hey - it's a sound! Now, that I can actually make noise with the thing, I can start working on playing a few notes and see if that will end up making some kind of tune.  I don't give up easily - I will succeed (if it kills me)!  I may get an eviction notice signed by all the tenants of the convent - but regardless, I will persevere.  How else will I be able to play that cool jazz one day!  I say, we are never too old to learn something new, and, as I am also realizing, we are never too old to annoy the living daylights out of our neighbours!  But I don't mind-it's about time I raised a little hell....