Comments on: I once saw a commecial where someone said they wanted to visit the Great Wall of China before they died http://www.holaisabel.com/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/ Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:48:13 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Adria http://www.holaisabel.com/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/comment-page-1/#comment-14856 Adria Fri, 21 Sep 2007 04:33:28 +0000 http://holaisabel.com/blog/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/#comment-14856 A few months ago I saw a list on someone's blog: 100 things I want to do before I die. It got me thinking. I should do a list, but I don't think I have 100 things. So far on my list: run a marathon, travel to Israel. A few months ago I saw a list on someone’s blog: 100 things I want to do before I die.

It got me thinking. I should do a list, but I don’t think I have 100 things.

So far on my list: run a marathon, travel to Israel.

]]> By: Inscrutable Exhortations » Blog Archive » Before I Die http://www.holaisabel.com/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/comment-page-1/#comment-14826 Inscrutable Exhortations » Blog Archive » Before I Die Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:57:48 +0000 http://holaisabel.com/blog/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/#comment-14826 [...] Isabel has opened up a terrific and overwhelming train of thought for many people by asking, “Do you have a list of things you want to do before you die?” This seems to be a somewhat common list to make, especially recently (or maybe I’m just noticing it as a trend because I’m getting older and older even as we speak). There are even multiple books on the subject, wherein other people give suggestions for things that it might be good to do before death. Clearly we are talking about things outside the realm of get your affairs in order. We are talking about things like Write the next Great American Novel and Skydive. I’ve never made such a list and don’t expect I ever will. For one thing, I don’t expect that such a list is ever complete. Just as one thing is checked off, ten more will need to be added. It doesn’t seem possible that everything on the list will ever be accomplished … and would you really want it to be? Imagine how one would feel on the day that the last item was checked off. What’s left, then? Why get up tomorrow? So why write it down at all? Why check off items? I feel that the process, in a sense, takes away some of the joy of living. (Maybe it’s just me, but isn’t the whole idea of making this list a thoroughly western approach to life? I don’t expect many Buddhist monks participate in this experiment. And how many of these lists, do you suppose, are written on a ratty old piece of paper, tacked to the dashboard of a battered old truck? I expect the vast majority reside on hard drives of one kind or another.) The process of making such a list would drive me crazy because it could never be long enough. If I even started such a list, it would consume my thoughts, sucking valuable energy away from the other lists that are begging to be written and maintained. I wouldn’t want to leave out anything. It would concern me, and I think by now we all know that I’m a worrier. So I keep instead a fuzzy outline in the back of my mind. I know several of the places in the world that I hope and plan to visit one day; I have an understanding of a few basic personal and professional goals; and I know that I’m going to one day have a guinea pig farm. What about you? [...] [...] Isabel has opened up a terrific and overwhelming train of thought for many people by asking, “Do you have a list of things you want to do before you die?” This seems to be a somewhat common list to make, especially recently (or maybe I’m just noticing it as a trend because I’m getting older and older even as we speak). There are even multiple books on the subject, wherein other people give suggestions for things that it might be good to do before death. Clearly we are talking about things outside the realm of get your affairs in order. We are talking about things like Write the next Great American Novel and Skydive. I’ve never made such a list and don’t expect I ever will. For one thing, I don’t expect that such a list is ever complete. Just as one thing is checked off, ten more will need to be added. It doesn’t seem possible that everything on the list will ever be accomplished … and would you really want it to be? Imagine how one would feel on the day that the last item was checked off. What’s left, then? Why get up tomorrow? So why write it down at all? Why check off items? I feel that the process, in a sense, takes away some of the joy of living. (Maybe it’s just me, but isn’t the whole idea of making this list a thoroughly western approach to life? I don’t expect many Buddhist monks participate in this experiment. And how many of these lists, do you suppose, are written on a ratty old piece of paper, tacked to the dashboard of a battered old truck? I expect the vast majority reside on hard drives of one kind or another.) The process of making such a list would drive me crazy because it could never be long enough. If I even started such a list, it would consume my thoughts, sucking valuable energy away from the other lists that are begging to be written and maintained. I wouldn’t want to leave out anything. It would concern me, and I think by now we all know that I’m a worrier. So I keep instead a fuzzy outline in the back of my mind. I know several of the places in the world that I hope and plan to visit one day; I have an understanding of a few basic personal and professional goals; and I know that I’m going to one day have a guinea pig farm. What about you? [...]

]]> By: KARA! http://www.holaisabel.com/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/comment-page-1/#comment-14824 KARA! Thu, 20 Sep 2007 01:35:40 +0000 http://holaisabel.com/blog/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/#comment-14824 I love how he stuck the "be with you forever" all casual like. Very sweet. I feel a bit inspired now to make a list! I love how he stuck the “be with you forever” all casual like. Very sweet.

I feel a bit inspired now to make a list!

]]> By: metalia http://www.holaisabel.com/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/comment-page-1/#comment-14821 metalia Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:07:12 +0000 http://holaisabel.com/blog/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/#comment-14821 "Be with you forever." AWWW! So sweet...and now I'm going to start making a list of my own. :) “Be with you forever.” AWWW! So sweet…and now I’m going to start making a list of my own. :)

]]> By: Lindsey http://www.holaisabel.com/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/comment-page-1/#comment-14814 Lindsey Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:36:42 +0000 http://holaisabel.com/blog/2007/09/17/i-once-saw-a-commerical-where-someone-said-they-wanted-to-visit-the-great-wall-of-china-before-they-died/#comment-14814 I don't really have a concrete, specific list either. I mean, there are a few places I'd really like to travel. I'd like to have kids. I'd like to buy some nice furniture for my house within the next few years, but furniture isn't really a "life" goal. I remember we used to have to write lists of goals when we were kids. I wonder what I wrote. I'd have to think about this for awhile. I just don't have specifics like the king does. I don’t really have a concrete, specific list either. I mean, there are a few places I’d really like to travel. I’d like to have kids. I’d like to buy some nice furniture for my house within the next few years, but furniture isn’t really a “life” goal. I remember we used to have to write lists of goals when we were kids. I wonder what I wrote. I’d have to think about this for awhile. I just don’t have specifics like the king does.

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