~Monday~ By now, most people are familiar with the concept of a “bucket list.”
However, people who know me well might be surprised to know that I don’t have one, in spite of having my last wishes documented, including having:
- My cremation and memorial service all planned out, documented, and paid for
- My Last Will & Testament done
- My Living Will in place
- My financial power-of-attorney in place
- My health care power-of-attorney in place
- An “identity inventory” made out with all of my accounts (banks, investment, utilities, Internet, and so on) noted in them to more easily close out my life.
I suppose the biggest reason I don’t have a bucket list is because I’ve pretty much done almost everything I feel really strongly about doing while I’m here. After all, there is that little business about tomorrow being promised to no one.
With all that said, there definitely is one thing I haven’t done that I do want to do, and I’ve said before that I’d pay up to $5,000 to do it—if the opportunity ever presented itself.
This year in October, I’m going to reach the milestone “double nickels” age, and the last “big” thing I did for my birthday, was my 50th, in 2007, when I visited three places in Australia all listed in the book, 1000 Places to See Before You Die.
Imagine my delight then when my friend Bob alerted me to a concert that Barbra was doing on October 11 in Brooklyn. My excitement abated when the concert quickly sold out, but when they added an “encore” date on October 13th—my actual birthday—I jumped all over it online.
I was absolutely stunned when I chose, “Find the best seat,” and it came back with a $400-ticket that was still available. Obviously, I nabbed that faster than a minnow can swim a dipper.
Although a confirmation email has arrived, and the charge is posted to my credit card, it really hasn’t sunk in yet that I’m actually going to realize a life-long dream of mine on my birthday this year—and for less than 10% of my “top price,” at that. 
I’m sure as the date approaches, I’ll get all: (Hover over image.)
Now, let’s just hope she doesn’t cancel the week before like Adele did when I had 11th row seats for her concert last October in Durham, NC. Why, no, I’m not still bitter about that. Why do you ask?