From the eyes of a 34-year old, who is sometimes happy, very introspective and often confused too.

But my eureka-moment came when i realised that unless i have a bucket list, i may be living my life a bit like the chicken who doesnt know when it will be out on the butcher’s table and be slaughtered.

No, i need to take more control of things. Even though i cant control the eventuality; i can still take charge of what i do upto that moment.

This bucket list is whatever came to my mind, in an hour of deliberate, solid and brutally-honest thinking. This represents my whole value system, who I am and what i want to be.

I am putting it out for all to read, for two reasons — (1) I want this pressure on me, to show myself out there (2) so that anyone who stumbles upon this post can do a similar exercise for himself/herself…

(1) Earn ****** INR every day.

Life is Expensive! Or for that matter, most of the stuff anyone puts on their bucket list comes for a price (unless one wants to ‘sit under the shade’ all day as their only entry)…

I am not overly materialistic, but you still have to earn to afford experiences. So earning X-amount of money is right up there on priorities list!

I am not sharing my actual number here because it shouldnt let anyone judge me.

(2) Write several books

Now that I am a proud author of a published book — The RoadTrippers 1.0, i have that bug for life.

Part of the reason is to be remembered, but more of it comes from love for creating a story!

This is more of a “keep walking” kind of a goal.. must strive to write (and get published) a book every 3-years…

(3) Achieve the desired body

if someone says they are looking at health/ fitness as ‘the goal’ and not an envious body; they are lying. Its like saying — you have a large, successful business but no money in the bank 🙂 would you take that?

I want the perfect chest, the perfect back and ofcourse the perfect health too. Asking for too much?

(4) Keep her happy…

Now this is an on-going thing.. but also a very rewarding one (if you get it correct).. happy wife = happy life.. i cant make 365 days special for her, humanly impossible to do so.. so i shall strive to atleast make 1day (her birthday) special in some way..

(5) Travel to Greece and Spain

how can any bucket list be completed without loads of travel? i have been lucky, to have traveled a lot already… so the list now has Santorini, Greece as well as parts of Spain left..

(6) Travel to Rio De Janeiro — Brazil

This is strange.. Brazil’s beaches, lifestyle etc may be attactive, but to an athiest (me), what has always attracted me the most is this Christ’s statue.. maybe because it stands for redemption?.. will find out when i get there

(7) Visit the Pyramids in Egypt

again.. more than countries in totality, its certain images or ‘being there’ attracts me.. Egypt’s Pyramids, mummies, their legendary stories have always been a point of fascination for me and will go there in this life certainly!

(8) Buy a convertible

This is more of an emotional thing, stuck around with this thought for 8–9 years now. even though its not exactly a practical thought (Indian conditions!) but what the heck. Self-Pampering is a must in life..

(9) Start a Cafe/ Coffee Shop

This is again a thought nurtured for a very long time. It doesnt have to be a run-of-the-mill setup though to make money — a proper chill-out space is what i am looking to do.. someday… and this one is strictly for the heart…

(10) Sponsor a child’s education

As the caption says, it will not be for the recipient, but it will be for the donor. The delight/ satisfaction i mean.

if i really could, i would start a school. but considering that it isnt happening (being practical here), i would sponsor someone for the entire stretch. As Mother Teresa famously said — “you dont have to feed a 100, you have to feed just 1”

(11) Go Sky-Diving

not an adventure sport junkie, this one has caught my fancy from zindagi-na-milegi-dobara because i have always imagined myself like a bird and flying like them..

(12) Learn the guitar

The sexiest instrument ever… any music lover cannot stop from being attracted to it… only a lucky few play it… need I say more?

(13) Learn to Meditate

life has to have a certain depth.. it cant be about living in the moment and not have time to introspect.. meditation however is a conscious, hard state to achieve and will probably need a lot of practise/ patience…

(14) Learn Wine Appreciation

this is for fancy.. it still intrigues me, seeing connoisseurs stir glasses as if they are separating m&m from a chocolate fountain!

(15) Travel alone and sit silently for a couple of days

this is a twister… i need to do this periodically — maybe once a month/ a quarter/ an year but i need to do it to me..

being an introvert, it shall help my inner-self shed the skin i put around me for living in society.. some “me” time.. and there has to be no-one around when i do so.

(16) Get an Interview in Delhi Times

are we allowed some vanity here? who wouldnt like to be featured in the “go-to media” of their city?

Its not that i have a definite plan of ‘how to get there’, but would like it to happen.. someday..

(17) World Cuisines — Try them all!

How can a foodie’s list be completed without it? last count, i had 20 known/popular cuisines in-mind..

1-INDIAN 2-ITALIAN 3-CHINESE 4-JAPANESE 5-LEBANESE 6-INDONESIAN 7-SCOTTISH 8-FRENCH 9-THAI 10-SPANISH 11-GERMAN 12-KOREAN 13-SOUTH AFRICAN 14-CARIBBEAN 15-AUSTRALIAN 16-GREEK 17-FILIPINO 18-MEXICAN 19-BRAZILIAN 20-AMERICAN

but i dont mind the list growing …

(18) Attain Enlightenment

This is a double-edged sword,,,

as the cliche goes — one sees light from holy abodement when they are dying.. i’d like to see it and achieve it while i am alive and not on deathbed…!