Kicking the bucket...

Just this morning I was asked about upcoming travel. I mentioned riding the Seattle-to-Portland race as a one-day event in July. "That's on my bucket list," my questioner said. "Kicking the bucket" as an image for dying has existed since the 18th century. It was popularized in the Justin Zachman screenplay for the 2007 movie "Bucket List." Since then it appears people have forgotten or ignored the fact that it's a metaphor for death. The characters in the film have both been diagnosed with terminal cancer. This is a device to release them from duties of any sort. They go off to use up their accumulated funds on stunts and adventures. It's a clever comic premise, but why wait for a terminal diagnosis? Implicit in the setup is the notion that we each have years ahead to devote to travel and variety. But we don't. So if there's anything else you intend to do in your life, move it up!