What's In Your Bucket?

[Mike Clifford]

Over the years, we've seen hundreds of threads on various fishing websites flaming the people we see among our rivers and streams fishing next to the infamous "bucket".

Who hasn't gotten a little closer, just to get a look into the bucket and to ask "Any luck?"

Sometimes the implausible becomes evident....the owner of a particular bucket is looking forward to spilling it's contents back at home for a little "filet of short smallmouth".

Yes, it happens.

 

We've even seen people argue about the merits and methods of continuing the discussion with an obvious poacher. Including the usual talk of kicking the bucket, physical contact and whipping out the cell to report the infraction....all while hoping we see somebody dragged off to jail.

 

 

For the purposes of this discussion, we're going to ask a simple question of you, the reader.

 

"What's In Your Bucket?"

 

What if you were to make a list and stick it in a bucket we look into each and every day?

If somebody was to come up to you and ask to take a peek in, what would they see in your bucket?

 

What's a Bucket List?

 

If you haven't heard about the bucket list, it is a wish list of all the goals you want to achieve, dreams you want to fulfill and life-experiences you desire to experience before you die. The term is inspired by the movie The Bucket List (2007) about two terminally ill men (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) who set off to achieve a list of things they want to do before they die.

 

Why Create a Bucket List?

 

Why have a bucket list? If you don't live your days by personal goals and plans, chances are you spend most of your time caught up in a flurry of day-to-day activities. Ever feel your days are passing by without any tangible output to speak of? What were your accomplishments in the past 3 months? What are your upcoming goals for the next 3 months? Look at the things you did and the things you're planning to do next – Do they mean anything to you if you are to die today? Having a bucket list reminds you of what's really important so you can act on them.

 

 

Starting modestly with just this year, do you intend to:

Change the World?

Write a Book?

Fish More?

Share the Outdoors With Your Kids More Often?

Work Harder Towards Conservation?

 

 

 

 

So, for starters in what I hope becomes a long (and civil) thread-

 

What's In Your Bucket?

[Mike G]

Mike,

 

Nice intro to the topic.

 

I am surprised that there are still not takers. However, a bucket list is a serious challenge since each item is preceded by the words, "before I die, I want to ______," You have made it easier with some questions:

 

"Starting modestly with just this year, do you intend to:

Change the World?

Write a Book?

Fish More?

Share the Outdoors With Your Kids More Often?

Work Harder Towards Conservation?"

 

Can I do this immodestly by naming a few things that may take 5 or 10 years assuming I live that long?

[Mike Clifford]

The only rule is that there are no rules in the topic.

 

Still trying to figure out my own Bucket List!

 

BTW- after posting the thread, I actually looked up the movie and watched it.

Stunningly good.

[Mike Clifford]

Not quite there yet with my list.

Nothing to see in my bucket...yet.

 

How is yours coming along?

 

Had to ask myself some pertinent questions first:

 

• If you had a year left to live, what would you do?
• If you won the lottery, where would you go and what would you do…?
• If you were on your deathbed, what would you most regret not having done…?
• If you had an upcoming high school reunion, what would you like to be able to tell your former classmates you've accomplished?
• You've died and are listening to your eulogy, what are your friends and loved ones saying about you?
• If a Genie granted you 3 wishes, what would you ask for…?

[Mike Clifford]

1. Heed the words of the late Jim Valvano.

"To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry.... that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."

 

I did all of those today.

 

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="

name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

 

 

 

2. Listen to somebody else's story, and not utter a word until they have finished completely.

 

3. Inspire somebody every single day.

 

4. Be inspired by somebody every single day.

 

I make it a point to do this in my daily agenda, whether through the internet or written word.

 

5. Take a long ride in a hot air balloon.

 

6. Catch 10 species of fish in one day.

Not as easy as you might think.

I've tried, but have yet to succeed.

 

7. Make a profound difference in the world without the use of internet or electronics.

I'm a huge fan in the use of emerging technologies to better our world. That's the Easy Button.

A personal challenge is to make it happen without any of it.

Through our own personal brand.

Walking into a room and throwing down something so powerful, simply through the spoken word, everyone present is inspired to follow suit.

 

8. Pass the torch.

Fish more, promote conservation less.

It's somebody else's turn.

 

To be continued.

[Mike G]

Mike,

 

Nice intro to the topic.

 

I am surprised that there are still not takers. However, a bucket list is a serious challenge since each item is preceded by the words, "before I die, I want to ______," You have made it easier with some questions:

 

"Starting modestly with just this year, do you intend to:

Change the World?

Write a Book?

Fish More?

Share the Outdoors With Your Kids More Often?

Work Harder Towards Conservation?"

 

Can I do this immodestly by naming a few things that may take 5 or 10 years assuming I live that long?

 

Mike Clifford,

 

Thanks for leading the way. Just dealing with a statement that starts off “before I die” is a challenge let alone putting the answer up here.

 

As I said, here is my 5 year bucket. That will bring me to age 73, God willing. I will reassess things once I get to that point. I am limiting it mostly to specific things I wan to do in regards to fishing though I am starting off with a goal in literature. I will spare you things like trips to places like Niagara Falls and Disneyland.

 

Within the next five years:

 

1. In War and Peace near the end, Pierre says something like, “Knowing the truth is only half of life. Sharing it with others is the other half.” I want to find out, chapter and verse, where that quotation is.

2. I want to catch a five pound Smallmouth Bass on a fly.

3. I want to catch an eight pound Largemouth Bass on a fly.

4. I want to catch a legal Musky hook and line.

5. I want to get an article in the Bronzeback Bulletin.

6. I want to get a fly in Fly Tyer.

7. Without adding to the burden on the ISA officers, I would like to do what I can to see ISA play a leading role in reconstituting the National Smallmouth Alliance. I will hold further comments on this one for another thread if the interest is there.

[Guest rich mc]

mike g, next months newsletter articles are due 3-10. rich