The Camel, the Absinthe and the Kongos!

The pressure is on - big time - to continue blogging at the end of my original Giving a Toss series.  The problem I was faced with, however, was the subject matter.  What on earth would I write about?  Then inspiration sorta hit as I was driving to work one morning and Goldfish's Get Busy Living started playing on radio.  What about a bucket list?  Except that a bucket list is made up of shit to do before you die.  I instead decided to rather do a Fucket List - shit to do while I am still alive. And then write about it.  The list will include all manner of kak - from the inane and simple like baking a cake from scratch, to the bigger, more adventurous type of stuff like climbing a mountain and whatnot.  Something else to note is that yes, I have done some of the things below in the past, but that doesn't exclude me from wanting to do them again!  I can also do them as and when I choose - which means the posts will either come fast and furious, or slow and steady(ish).

So here is what I have so far - in no particular order of desire or completion schedule (subject to change with complete disregard for your feelings):

1.  Bake a cake from scratch.  No pre-mixes or anything.  Everything from scratch.
2. Have one successful camping trip.  Emphasis on "successful".
3. Climb a mountain.  Preferably a small one.

4. Master the art of stand up paddle boarding.
5. Take a pole dancing class.
6. Sing one entire song in public (not necessarily all by myself).
7. Be part of a flash mob (even if the mob is only made up of two!).
8. Learn to ride a bicycle without falling off.
9. Having something I have written published.  By someone other than me.
10. Learn how to swear in at least 4 different languages (one of which must be sign language).
11. Go an entire day without swearing even once.  Not in any language.
12. Ride a camel.

13. Go to an outdoor music festival.
14. Have an artsy, slightly risque photo shoot before everything has sagged to below my knees.
15. Invest in something or other on the stock market.
16. Write a poem.
17. Get another tattoo - but this time with colour.
18. Learn a dance.  A real one - not just me moving my hips, waving my arms and making duck lips.
19. Make a candle.
20. Do something really nice for a complete stranger.
21. Write a letter to someone famous .... and post it.
22. Go to the ballet.
23. Go to the opera.
24. Make a paper lantern which, when lit, will (apparently) fly into the sky.

25. Find a waterfall and stand under it.
26. Dye my hair (or a piece thereof) some extreme colour - like pink or blue or purple or some such.
27. Take a photo a day for 7 days of something which specifically catches my eye.
28. Read the entire 50 Shades series.  (hehehe). Aint nobody got time for this shit!
29. Read the biography or autobiography of someone I truly admire.
30. Successfully make a macaroon.
31. Sleep under the stars.
32. Milk a cow.

33. Go to the drive-in.
34. Go for a run with Mojo.  And then the next day with Sandy.
35. Make a bar of soap.
36. Learn how to hula hoop.
37. Launch a message in a bottle into the ocean.
38. Donate blood.
39. Go on a hike. A long one.
40. Build a sand castle.  A big elaborate one.
41. Draw or paint something - and finish it. Other than the house.
42. Make a tie-dyed something or other.

43. Run into a shop dressed in a Victorian outfit (or spacesuit) (!!!) - and shout "what year is it?".  When someone responds 2013 shout "it worked" and run out again. (Uhm thanks Delia .... I think!)
44. Cut my hair.  Off.
45.  Make butternut and sweet potato soup from scratch, and not ready-made from Woolies!
46.  Run a race - a short one!
47. Have High Tea at the Mount Nelson / Table Bay Hotel.
48.  Go wash penguins when they get all gross and oil slicky.
49.  Go paintballing.  With girls.
50.  Do not say the word "no" for an entire day.  Other variations, however, are allowed!
51. Visit a medium.
52.  Survive to July 2061 to see Haley's Comet return!
53.  Carve a face into a pumpkin.
54.  Play beer pong.
55.  Eat ice cream for one day.  Only ice cream. Or maybe custard. Or ice cream and custard. 
56. Go white water rafting. Again.
57.  Drink a shot of Absinthe.

58. Learn to play a didgeridoo.
59.  Go for a session of reflexology.
60. Host a dinner party in the dark.
61. Go to the Sexpo!
62. Celebrate a birthday with Cassi - either hers or mine or some strangers, but celebrate regardless.
63. Get yet another tattoo (yeah I know) but this one has to include colour! 
64.  Do the Impi Challenge. 
65. Vine Hopper Wine Tour Stellenbosch.  'Nuff said!
66. Go on a helicopter ride.
67. Fly a kite. Don't judge.
68. Spend an entire day at a spa getting pampered.
69. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or animal shelter or children's organisation other than the one I work for!
70. Go to a big fat Greek wedding.  Best I meet some Greek folk then right ....
71. Go vegetarian for one week.  Ok 5 days.  Please note I said vegetarian and not vegan!
72. Dance in the rain.  The gentle, sweet rain - not the gail force hail infused rain we get sometimes!
73. Zipline.
74. Make and use a water slide in the back yard! 
75. Swim in the sea during a rain storm.
76.  Run and finish a half marathon.

Clearly this list is subject to change and adaptation and personal interpretation. :)  I have a camping trip coming up soon, so will be doing my best to sort No 2 quick smart!  I actually feel like Earl right now, knocking shit off his karma list.  Boom!

Also - and this is an essential element - there are very few of the above items which I can do alone. But most of them I cannot do alone. So .... if you wanna be my partner in crime in any specific item, yell!! Loudly.

On that note, the lyrics from The Kongos, Come With Me Now come to mind:

Afraid to lose control

And caught up in this world

I've wasted time, I've wasted breath

I think I've thought myself to death

I was born without this fear

Now only this seems clear

I need to move, I need to fight

I need to lose myself tonight

See you soon my beauties!
T
x