An Existential Bucket List for the Gorey Minded

Dear Reader, 

After many months and uncounted hours of meditation, I have come to the following conclusion. 

Humanity will go extinct. It may take millions of years, or perhaps only a few hundred, but I fully believe it will happen. So unless another intelligent species comes along and develops a love for anthropology, there will be no-one to see what we've done. Depending on how things end, that may be for the best. Either way, this renders the idea of creating a legacy fairly meaningless. In lieu of that, what's a person to do with their allotted time? 

I recently read that artist Edward Gorey was a man to whom nothing ever really happened. Instead of travelling, he "journeyed vastly between his ears." I identify with that. I AM that. 

Curiosity is my closest friend. If it ever leaves me then I'm done for. 

I want to continue learning, discovering, and being surprised every day of my life. 

I want to master my chosen skills. 

I want to figure out how to be myself. 

I want to be useful enough to earn my keep but not so useful that I cease to be me.

I want to help more cats. 

I want to understand people. Like really deep down, on the level of evolutionary psychology. 

I want to ponder the big questions. 

And I want to harness the absurdity of it all. 

This is my existential bucket list. How ironic then that none of these wants have a well defined end point. My success can be measured only by progress, not completion. The side effects of pursuing this list will be the images and writings that I create along the way. I won't get to check anything off but I WILL die trying.

Mirthfully yours, 
Annie