By Shannon Williams
Well, after the last couple of weeks of being “sandwiched” and focused on what I needed to do for others, this week, was a Big Bucket List week for me !! So what is a bucket list, we all know it is those things that we want to do, before we “kick the bucket.” But is it a real list that we write down, and when do we start it? Is it like retirement, in that some people have a master plan doing all kinds of research while others just fly by the seat of their pants and hope it will all come together. I am assuming that most of us are somewhere in the middle.

I don’t have a written Bucket list, but when I turned 60, it became a term that I was using more often and I started to really look at what I could do before the end of my life. Money, time, your health and how big of a fool you might make of yourself all have to be taken into consideration when making the plans for your own list. I have had to take some things off the list. I always wanted to learn to sail some sort of boat, but I fear that that has sailed right past me. I don’t think I would be able to physically do it and also would not want to put anyone else at risk. I am not good with directions with a map, google and my phone all telling me where to go, and trying to figure out the whole port and starboard thing would be a challenge for me. I thought I wanted to jump out of a plane, but that really does not appeal to me anymore, so that one has been crossed off the unwritten list.

So, what did I do? I SAW ANDREA BOCELLI in concert!!! Ever since I saw and heard the fountains at the Bellagio when they opened in 1998, I knew I wanted to see that artist in person. Well, it took me from 1998 till 2021 to do it, but I finally got to see the man in person. After I heard his music at the fountains, I brought his ROMANZA CD and I worn it out. His recording of Con Te Partiro (time to say goodbye) has been heard by so many people and I have heard it so many times, but each time it just takes my breath away. To hear it live and with the Houston symphony was unreal. I have long been a fan of symphonies and have seen several BIG ones, but this was my first time to hear the Houston symphony along with their chorale, and they are so good. The sound was done so well that you would never believe we were in a basketball arena.

My good friend, Debbie, from my home town came down to go with me. I knew it was not going to be my husband’s cup of tea and did not want to waste the cost of a ticket on someone who would not love it as much as I would. It was one of those evenings that everything just fell into place without a worry or care. We stayed at one of the big hotels downtown, and as we checked in, I asked what was the best way to get to the Toyota Center. We could have walked but were not to keen on walking back that late at night and I was not thrilled with driving and parking and finding the car. The hotel told us about “JoyRide” it a golf cart service for Downtown!! It was delightful; the driver was very entertaining and made the short ride very fun. We picked up another couple of people who were also going and she made sure we knew where the pick-up spot was. It was just so easy and a fun way to get from a hotel to events in Downtown. I will use them again for other events I want to attend in Downtown. We had a small dinner of tapas at a place close to the hotel, we did not want to stuff ourselves with a big meal so it was a small plate dinner for us.

His daughter appeared and sang with him, and wow, can she sing! He did mostly aria’s which were not in English, but you really don’t care, as this is music that you feel and the beauty of the Italian and Spanish language, made you not really care that you could not understand the words as you felt them. He had several guests, most I had not heard of but were at the high caliber that you would expect. One was a woman who played the cello and did Roxanne with just her and the cello, using her hands and the cello to play the rhythm parts. It was unreal, I have not been able to find her name, but will continue the search as I am sure she has some youtube video out there somewhere.

He came back for three encores! I would have stayed all night if he would have kept singing, but all good things have to come to an end. Someone asked me what number this was on my bucket list and I had to admit that I don’t have them numbered, but it certainly is the best thing I have done from any bucket list I might have. So, don’t wait, get going on your bucket list and I hope it is as wonderful as my evening was.

[Oct-26-2021]