The bucket's a bit lighter than it was in the beginning. There's still stuff in there, but a lot of it is out of the question these days. It's more of a measuring cup list now......a 2-cup one.
One of the list items that was always at the bottom of the bucket was to climb the 360 steps of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet and shout "MRS. HELDERMAN, YOU OLD B!TCH, YEAH, IT'S ME....I'M HERE!!!"
There is a story behind that, of course. My fourth-grade teacher, the afore-mentioned Mrs. Helderman (the mention of whose name causes a ripple of shivers across the nation wherever her former students may have scattered) was dedicated to sucking the life out of any student unfortunate enough to be in her class.
We had to do an essay elaborating on a place we wanted to go to when we grew up. I had read about the Dalai Lama's palace in Tibet and I was fascinated with it, so I wrote about it. She returned my paper and said, "Don't be ridiculous! You'll never go any place like that!" and made me write another paper.
OK, so I never DID go there and there's not a snowball's chance in hell I'll do it yet (the initial 360 steps alone would kill me, never less the 2000 steps once you get inside) BUT how! dare! anyone! tell an inquisitive and wondering child that they're not going to do something!
Anyway, it's still there in the bottom of my bucket and I take it out occasionally to chew on it and dream....
I HAVE seen the Taj Mahal at dawn and I have been to the top of the Eiffel Tower and I have swayed along with a snake charmer in Marrakech and I have crossed the Andes. I've been to a Papal Audience, I've stood in the Northern and Southern hemispheres at the same time, and I've ziplined almost a mile across a valley. I've prayed in the Blue Mosque and I crossed through Check Point Charley. I should be happy, but there's still that wanderlust in my brain if not in my bones.....
One of the list items that was always at the bottom of the bucket was to climb the 360 steps of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet and shout "MRS. HELDERMAN, YOU OLD B!TCH, YEAH, IT'S ME....I'M HERE!!!"
There is a story behind that, of course. My fourth-grade teacher, the afore-mentioned Mrs. Helderman (the mention of whose name causes a ripple of shivers across the nation wherever her former students may have scattered) was dedicated to sucking the life out of any student unfortunate enough to be in her class.
We had to do an essay elaborating on a place we wanted to go to when we grew up. I had read about the Dalai Lama's palace in Tibet and I was fascinated with it, so I wrote about it. She returned my paper and said, "Don't be ridiculous! You'll never go any place like that!" and made me write another paper.
OK, so I never DID go there and there's not a snowball's chance in hell I'll do it yet (the initial 360 steps alone would kill me, never less the 2000 steps once you get inside) BUT how! dare! anyone! tell an inquisitive and wondering child that they're not going to do something!
Anyway, it's still there in the bottom of my bucket and I take it out occasionally to chew on it and dream....
I HAVE seen the Taj Mahal at dawn and I have been to the top of the Eiffel Tower and I have swayed along with a snake charmer in Marrakech and I have crossed the Andes. I've been to a Papal Audience, I've stood in the Northern and Southern hemispheres at the same time, and I've ziplined almost a mile across a valley. I've prayed in the Blue Mosque and I crossed through Check Point Charley. I should be happy, but there's still that wanderlust in my brain if not in my bones.....
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