Friday Fun: My Side Effects May Vary Bucket List

I have already reviewed the amazing Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy, you can read that here. But in the book, Alice – who is dying – creates a Bucket List. I have always wanted to create a bucket list. So I will. Right now.

1. To take The Tween to Paris

In my last semester of graduate school, I was planning a trip to Italy. Visiting Italy has always been my dream. But during that last semester I discovered that I was pregnant with Thing 1. Now a Tween, she is obsessed with Paris. So my dream has changed: I want nothing more in life than to be able one day to take her to Paris and experience this with her. I want to see her dream come true and share it with her. We have redone her room in a Doctor Who visits Paris theme. She swears I promised her that if she made all As and Bs in High School I would take her (wouldn’t I have said all As?). And of course I want to bring my fantastic husband and Thing 2 as well, because I am all about my family.

2. To write a book – which just came true!

I have always been a reader. And I have always dabbled in writing, mostly poems. Actually, mostly bad angsty teenage poetry. In the 6th we made boys in our classroom. Mine was the compelling story of a shoe that hated being one of a pair, she wanted to be unique. So she set off on her own, arriving at a carnival, only to discover that she really did want to go home and be with her family. Yes, it was as bad as it sounds. I have long discovered that I am not a fiction writer. Or a good poet. But I can share my passion for being a YA librarian. Thus my book. But I would also like to write a book about the #SVYALit Project (see #3), because the cause is so important to me. So I hope that I am not done with this one yet. Also, I would love to turn my The ABCs of HG: An Unconventional Picture Book into a real book with medical information about Hyperemesis Gravidarum at the beginning or end and sell it so I can donate all proceeds to the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation (www.helpher.org).

3. To end sexual violence against everyone

Seriously. I’m tired of hearing stories from the people I love and from the teens I serve about the damage that has been inflicted upon them. It’s not okay. Ever. We need to change the culture. As a corollary, I would like to one day be able to sit at a dinner with Christa Desir, Carrie Mesrobian, Trish Doller, Elizabeth Fama, A. S. King and Laurie Halse Anderson and say thank you so much for all of your hard work on this project and for your inspiration and support.

4. To have season passes to a local amusement park

Yes, I realize this is shallow. But The Mr. and I have always struggled financially, working hard but making little. It’s a really big deal to make enough money to go to Six Flags or Disneyland or wherever we might be living at the time. This week is Spring Break and we were going to take the kids to Six Flags, until we realized how much it would cost. And I know that we are not alone. I think all of the time about the number of kids that will never get to walk with barefeet on the beach, will never get to experience the joy of jumping on a plane and visiting a new place, and will never get to go to the nearest theme park. Which is why I also try and use this platform to raise awareness about teens and poverty. But one day, I hope to have enough extra cash lying around to buy season passes, mostly because it would mean that we aren’t eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches the three days before the next pay day as we wait to have the funds to go grocery shopping. And I guess the corollary is that I would like to find a full-time teen services librarian job once again so I can make this happen, but also because it would mean the downward trend in libraries was no longer so downward.

5.  To go to Comic Con in San Diego 

I fully embrace my geekdom. I have loved Science Fiction and Fantasy since before I left my mother’s womb. I need to be here among my people. It would have been nice to have gone while Buffy or Firefly were still on the air. Or last year when Doctor Who was celebrating its 50th anniversary. But I’ll take any time over no time. And I really want to be able to go with my husband, who I adore, and Mary and Mike, my mentors and adopted family who share my Sci Fi passion.

I have a few other little dreams. Like, I would love to be on NPR. And yes, I know that also proves what a geek I am, but I listen to it as I drive back and forth to work and it makes my bucket list. I would love to go see an episode of Sherlock or Doctor Who being shot, preferably with Tom Hiddleston as a guest star (wouldn’t he make a great guest star on these two shows?) I would love for my husband to get a job with regular hours so that he could spend more time with his girls (he is a great father) and be in better health. And I used to drive every Sunday to eat dinner with my friends and adopted family and I would love to be in the position to do this again. And I would love to have all the time in the world to finish my ever growing TBR pile. But that’s every book lovers dream.

But all in all, I’m very happy with my life. I’ve had an awesome week. I have some awesome friends and co-bloggers here at TLT. And my family, well they kind of rock.

Be sure and read Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy. And don’t forget to make your own bucket list.

Filed under: bucket list, Julie Murphy, Paris, Side Effects May Vary