On the too-rare occasion that I find myself watching an episode of a little show called 30 Rock, I usually laugh so hard I puke. Ok, not really, but I do miss a lot of hilarious jokes because I'm still laughing at previous ones.Not long ago, I caught an episode in which Jack is turning 50 years old and he's just come across a list that he wrote in fifth grade of goals he hoped to accomplish by his fiftieth birthday. They include "go to Disneyland, ride in an airplane, kiss Peggy Fleming, live in a house with stairs, beat up a Russian," and that old stand-by, "hit mom with a car." Oh Jack, you are terrible.
If I am not mistaken, I too made a list - in sixth grade, I think it was - of things I wanted to accomplish in my lifetime. Wouldn't it be fun to find it and see if I've actually made any headway? I'm spending this weekend at my parents' house in Utica, so I will have the chance to try to dig up that list.
Jack has accomplished all but one of the childhood goals on his list by age 50. (He has not yet managed to befriend Batman.) But despite his many accomplishments, Jack realizes that he is not really that happy. Isn't it nice to know that the realization of happiness is a complex and ever-evolving personal process? So I will be sure not to take it too hard if I have not completed many of the items on my own list. Still, it would be fun to check off at least one or two...
WOW!
ReplyDeleteI think your right it was in 6th grade. I remember that assignment very vividly. One of the top goals I put was "Get Drunk." I remember having to stay after class to talk to the teacher about how in appropriate it was. She, I can't remember which teacher it was, was so mad about it that I had to stay after school and have the principle and my dad come in. It got really funny after that because my dad was on the school board at the time and knew exactly what I wrote the night before. It was nice seeing him stand up for a 6th graders goals in life. Even if "Getting Drunk" was considered an inappropriate goal at that age.
I really wish I knew where that list was. At least I can say I've hit one of the goals many of times. lol
Sean