“One of the most burning questions participants ask themselves every year is: “Should I have a theme?” Themes are not mandatory, but definitely fun. They let your visitors know what to expect, and help you create posts that line neatly up from A to Z. They also have an added bonus: They let you participate in a whole separate blogfest!”
I always wait till the last minute to decide on a theme; usually, it feels too constraining and I wonder if I should’ve just gone with the no-theme theme on the no-niche niche blog. But then I couldn’t play in the bonus blogfest of The Great and Powerful A to Z Theme Reveal.
What’s broad enough to provide fodder for a whole month of posts, but narrow enough to be intriguing?
I was catching up with an old friend, the other day, and our conversation turned to finding our purpose in life. I’ve often wondered if I’m the one who’s out of step, never wondering about things like “finding myself,” or “what’s my purpose in life?” or “why am I here?” I’ve never felt a great rumbling of discontent in life, and overall, I’d say that I’m a happy person who has never left great damage or drama in my wake. Seems like that ought to be enough.
I haven’t cured cancer. But I’ve survived it.
I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about how I haven’t lived up to my full intellectual potential. I do have a keen awareness that all lifespans are limited, and there aren’t enough years ahead to learn and do and see all the amazing things there are to learn and do and see. “What if you learned you had only a month to live?” Every time that question comes up, I imagine myself sitting there with my mouth hanging open and my eyes wide, like a deer caught in the headlights. The only honest answer, obviously, is “Waste a good week of it, wondering where to start?” Kids, if you’re reading this, getting my affairs in order is probably the last thing on the list. I cannot imagine a more boring way to spend my last days on this earth. It’s unreasonable and unkind of me, but – hire someone to burn it all. I mean, to go through everything and deal with it.
But no, I’m not dying. Not any more than you are, and not any faster, anyway. I plan to live another forty years, at least. But forty is no longer “more than half my life.” And life, I’ve realized, is an E-ticket ride. As I was telling my friend, I would choose to go again – it’s been a blast, so far, even with all the glitches. The only imaginable disappointment would be if there’s nothing after death – even sleep has dreams. I don’t suppose I could miss anything, if there were nothing after death. But the thought of it makes me a little queasy now.
And so, that brings me to my A to Z theme reveal: My Bucket List. I’ve never really made one, and if I did kick it tomorrow, I’d honestly be content knowing I’ve lived fully. But there are so many things I’d do, given the chance – and it’s fun to explore them! Have you ever noticed how writing things down, sharing them, often leads to making them happen? Oh, yes… it does.
Only one thing I know for sure right now – it won’t feature Kopi Luwak.
Great idea for a theme and I’m looking forward to your posts, Holly. Like you, I’ve never thought about why we’re here or what purpose we serve, etc. Better to just be, yes? Being out of step is the norm for many of us and personally, I enjoy that. Good luck with the challenge!
That’s one of the lovely things about blogging – learning that you are never alone! 🙂 Thanks, Debbie. I agree, it’s fun to be a little out of step.
I have had my time Holly. I am ready to go if I am called. All I want is a remarkable prayer that old codgers like me recite.
अनायासेन मरणं विनादैन्येन जीवनं
देहि मे क्रिपय शम्भो त्वयि भक्तिं अचन्चलं
Hey Shambho, in you I have unwavering devotion and I wish only this grant from you, that is a life without poverty and a death that is without pain and trouble to me or others.
Guess that makes me an old codger… good prayer!
14 clicks later and FINALLY…got to your blog. PLease leave the url to your actual blog, though I was determined getting here was very challenging. I scanned and scanned and clicked on everything I could find on your g+ page, but most of those clicks are comments you’ve left on other peoples’s blog, not your actual blog. Then I clicked through your whole list of blogs current and not and finally…I feel like I should get a reward, lol! Thanks so much for visiting and commenting on Bridge and Beyond, nice to hear you make caps for the hospital. Ours have cut back on what they accept. I don’t know if they got too much or not the right type of fabric. Looking forward to getting better acquainted through a-z and will add you to the blog log of those who’ve visited. I don’t think of life as a bucket list, but think I’m in the minority, because many people have lists of things they want to do or places they want to go. I’m weird I guess. Anyway, hope to see you again Holly and best of luck with the challenge.
It’s your fault, Sandy, for installing a commenting system that gives readers 14 different options for connecting with your blog! LOL (If you look at my right sidebar, you’ll see the “Top Commentluvvers” box – I was returning your visit from there, and just used the default option on your comments. It took me about ten minutes of head-scratching to figure out what on earth you were talking about, here, because if you were referring to the A to Z Challenge, I’m pretty sure I left the blog link everywhere.)
One thing about hospitals is that they have to avoid anything made of wool or wool blends, and they don’t want to waste handmade gifts, so they’ll cut back when they have a surplus. I checked ahead with MD Anderson – they clearly still wanted caps, specified the yarn type they preferred, etc. Since some people, and presumably immunosuppressed people, especially, can react badly to wool/lanolin, it makes sense.
I don’t really think of life as a bucket list, either – more of a smorgasbord and an e-ticket ride. But if I were to make a list, the A to Z challenge seemed to present as good an opportunity to explore it as any. In reality, it would be more of a book than a list, and might take several lifetimes to get through it all.
If you’re weird, then you’ve come to the right place. Welcome!
I think this is a wonderful theme that will provide us more insight about you and inspire us to look inward. This is just the sort of theme to get readers talking, sharing, and thinking. That’s what blogging should be about. Kudos to you on this A to Z theme.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Thank you! I’m glad you think that about it, because getting readers talking, sharing, and thinking is what blogging is all about, for me.
I love this idea for the challenge. It is a similar path to the one I decided to take for the challenge theme. I look forward to following along.
Thanks! I just took a look at yours, too, and I’m looking forward to reading more throughout the month.
I think your theme is wonderful!
-Chrys Fey
Tremp’s Troops A to Z Co-co-host
Thank you, Chrys! 😀
Now that’s a unique theme. I don;t recall seeing a theme on a Bucket List. I look forward to seeing those posts.
Really? I’m glad. I was worried it wouldn’t be…unique enough. I’m enjoying the theme reveals. My problem is going to be sticking to a manageable number of blogs to read, I can see that clearly, now.
Hey there! I personally think that the theme you chose is a very special and great idea. I’ll definitely be coming back in April to check your posts! I’m really looking forward to it. All the best! (:
Thanks, Melody!
Sounds like a great month. I will definitely be checking in.
Great! Welcome. 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy my posts.
“Bucket list” is a good one! I don’t know how interesting mine would be: A = A nap. B = Beer. C = Chocolate. D = Dark chocolate. E = Eating….
Sounds like a good list to me! But then, I can do those things every day, really…
I love the idea of using a Bucket List as your theme. I’ve never made one. Is it too late? I don’t know. Good luck!!!
It’s never too late! Shoot, did you see the movie? NEVER too late. Might be too late for some things your younger self would put on the list, but always room for more stuff!
Great theme! In Hungarian, we call it “Boot list” because it’s things you want to do before you kick your boots up. But it also always makes me think of hiking and travel for some reason… 🙂
@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary – Epics from A to Z
MopDog – The crazy thing about Hungarians…
Similar origins, then! The expression, in English, is “kick the bucket.” (It could be my “daisy pusher list,” or my “frog list” (for when I “croak”)… I wonder how many expressions there might be for the concept, around the world, now that you mention it? What other colorful expressions are there for dying?