bucket list

I like to think that most people have some type of "bucket list". That list - of things - you want to do before you die. For many, it's just a mental note - of things that you'd like to do some day. For others, like me, it's written down. And it's something that I reference once in awhile - to try to tackle one of the items.

I've been very fortunate. I've been able to do A LOT of amazing things that were on my list - including visiting Africa, traveling route 66, owning my own store, and learning to bake bread from scratch.

These last couple of weeks have found me able to complete one of my items that I thought had no chance after a few years back..

let me explain

Growing up - I always loved the Oprah Winfrey show. I'm a sap, and I loved her. Always wanted to see the show in person. So I put it on the list. The years flew by, me too busy to even think about going. So when she announced her retirement, I saw the realization that that one item would never get marked off.

sigh

And then last Thursday, I got an email. From Harpo Studios. Asking me to come to a taping...of one of Oprah's Lifeclasses...

Unable to find someone to go with, I made arrangements at work and with a friend, and my plans were set. Sunday night I headed to Monroe to stay with a friend, and Monday morning took off solo to Chicago. After driving around the neighborhood for 20 minutes looking for parking, I settled on a side street about 10 blocks away. Not deterred by the mist, I walked to the studio (only after turning the wrong way TWICE), and arrived. It wasn't long and we were inside, filling out release forms, and sitting in the holding area.

The show was about Family Secrets. I was only there to be an audience member, not to share a story - thank goodness! So they started calling the names of special guests, and those willing to tell a secret, when all of a sudden, they called MY NAME. Needless to say, my mind went crazy. "what did I write in my answer to the survey??? i have no secret to tell.. what is going on?"

Found out that they called me because I was solo - most are in pairs - and they needed me to fill in a row. THE FRONT row to be exact. YEP! Just because I was there alone, I got to sit about 20 ft from Oprah. The set was very cool - - very intimate. The "warmer" came out - and got us all excited - and then we got to preview a show airing on OWN this fall with the guest of our show - Lyanla Vanzant.

Then it was TIME. Oprah and Lyanla came out - and there were guests on Skype - and on phone - and in the audience. All very cool. A neat show - about not keeping secrets - but living the truth - owning your actions. VERY cool. Very moving.

And after the show, they kept the discussion going with our audience - and I even spoke. A relaxed, group discussion - so wierd to be there, in the studio, with Oprah and Lyanla, just "talking". She also came over to us after the show (I was seated next to some of her special guests) and talked personally with us.

So all in all, it was a WONDERFUL day, happy to mark that one off my list, and excited to have had the opportunity. My dear friend was watching the live stream on the web, and even snapped this picture of me. I'm front row, third from the right, on the aisle (in the green shirt).