A Year to Live (here)
I hate when people say you should live like you're going to die tomorrow. Or even next year. That's just a terrible way to prioritize. If was going to die next year I would have great life insurance, plane tickets to Thailand and and no real job or savings account.
That said, the perspective granted by finite time can be pretty cool. Tyler and I are talking about potentially moving away from here, maybe even as soon as next year, and it has me looking at the DC area a little differently. Mostly just more appreciation, a little anticipatory nostalgia. But there's also a feeling of, for lack of better word, greed: I want to hoard as much of this as I can have if it might be gone soon. I get advance warning, I might as well use it. We spent yesterday hanging out with Tyler's family, and I imagine we'll make a point to do more of that. Friends, too are easy to imagine missing and thus an obvious priority.
I'm trying to make a list of other things, the less routine things, that I should make a point to see and experience and enjoy, rather than regret not taking advantage of while I have the chance.
So, help me out, what must I do? Mostly I've been thinking specifically about DC and Maryland, and here's what I got so far:
East Coast Bucket List
- See the ponies at Assateague
- The Smithsonians lots. Free museums. Specifically:
-- Natural History: hang out with the megatherium, revisit shiny rocks
-- Picnic the arboretum, finish touring the asian gardens
-- Spend some time in the Freer and Sackler galleries - I love these and have not been in years
- Screen on the Green
- Take advantage of free jazz at the Kennedy Center
- Go to the National Aquarium (I've never been)
- Hike on the Appalachian Trail
- Ride these roller coasters everyone is always talking about
- See an outdoor show at Merriweather Post Pavillion
- Go up the Washington monument (?)
- At least one more CCRG bout
- Make it to the High Zero Festival
- Folklife (have to go the first weekend)
- Policy lectures at any of the thinktanks blocks from my office
- Ice skate in the Sculpture Garden
What else, internets?
That said, the perspective granted by finite time can be pretty cool. Tyler and I are talking about potentially moving away from here, maybe even as soon as next year, and it has me looking at the DC area a little differently. Mostly just more appreciation, a little anticipatory nostalgia. But there's also a feeling of, for lack of better word, greed: I want to hoard as much of this as I can have if it might be gone soon. I get advance warning, I might as well use it. We spent yesterday hanging out with Tyler's family, and I imagine we'll make a point to do more of that. Friends, too are easy to imagine missing and thus an obvious priority.
I'm trying to make a list of other things, the less routine things, that I should make a point to see and experience and enjoy, rather than regret not taking advantage of while I have the chance.
So, help me out, what must I do? Mostly I've been thinking specifically about DC and Maryland, and here's what I got so far:
East Coast Bucket List
- See the ponies at Assateague
- The Smithsonians lots. Free museums. Specifically:
-- Natural History: hang out with the megatherium, revisit shiny rocks
-- Picnic the arboretum, finish touring the asian gardens
-- Spend some time in the Freer and Sackler galleries - I love these and have not been in years
- Screen on the Green
- Take advantage of free jazz at the Kennedy Center
- Go to the National Aquarium (I've never been)
- Hike on the Appalachian Trail
- Ride these roller coasters everyone is always talking about
- See an outdoor show at Merriweather Post Pavillion
- Go up the Washington monument (?)
- At least one more CCRG bout
- Make it to the High Zero Festival
- Folklife (have to go the first weekend)
- Policy lectures at any of the thinktanks blocks from my office
- Ice skate in the Sculpture Garden
What else, internets?