#NLR – Just for fun: my personal “Bucket List”

Friday – February 10, 2023

Hi friends. I am so burnt out — I have been working 17-hour days nearly every day since October, and now I am just trying to keep up and play catch-up with things I am behind on! I have been writing so much, and answering so many questions (about Lead, Lead-poisoning, Lead in consumer goods, etc.) online recently that I barely think straight! I am so thankful that Carissa and Katie are helping me get through this time, though — and I could never fully, or sufficiently express enough gratitude for their help with my business and my life!

I have more writing to do in the next 48 hours than is physically possible, and I just cannot focus right now (I probably need a nap)…so I thought it would be useful to take a little “break” and write something short and fun (#NLR = Not Lead Related!)  — for my kids, for my family, for myself.

I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit recently… my “Bucket List” — ya know, things I would like to do “before I kick the bucket” [don’t worry — I don’t have any specific reason to think that’ll be any time soon, mind you]! So here you go (I may add to this later!)…

1. Attend the Met Gala! 
   • I have always been a follower and fan of fashion and costumes [I started doing costume design when I was about 7 years old!]. As a college student in New York I used to do off-Broadway costume design (& costume building) for my work-study job in my first two years as a freshman and sophomore at NYU. As a mom, being a costume designer for my children (for their holiday costumes and performances — and later, including their work now as professional working adult musicians) is one of my greatest joys. [Now that they are adults, I still love seeing my sons up on stage wearing things I picked out for them or purchased for them to help “jazz up” their presentation a bit!] When we had a total-loss house fire in 2002, I lost my entire costume collection — a collection I had spent more than 25 years building (beginning when I was a child). In the context of who I have become since then, I don’t really lament that loss now – as so much of it was toxic (I just didn’t know that back then!), but I do really miss that part of my life.
   • Each year when the Met Gala comes around I love watching the “red carpet” and checking out all of the interesting designs, and learning about the stories and ideas behind each piece (as well as the materials used, and construction techniques) – it is so much fun! Attending that gala, and getting to see all of those wearable works of art in person would be a thrill beyond measure! It would also be fun to work with someone to get dressed for the occasion [but after 20+ years of almost exclusively wearing Birkenstock sandals, Lucky Jeans and Old Navy tank tops, I am not sure I could still pull off wearing a dress — and I know wearing heels would be 100% off the table!] I think that if I did have the opportunity to attend the Met Gala I would want to have all of my young men with me (and my “old man”, too!) Wouldn’t it be fun if my kids got to perform their music at the Met Gala and I went as their guest?! [Maybe one year the theme would be the “The Swing Era” (or something similar) and they would hire my sons to be the dance band for the event — with all the early-20th-century jazz and swing that they play!]
2. Get the most expensive package pass for my family to attend the Sundance Film Festival for the full duration of the festival and (with my husband and kids) attend as many film screenings (and after parties) as humanly possible during that time!
   • I had so much fun back in 1994 when I worked with the Mill Valley Film Festival; it was one of my favorite experiences ever — being behind the scenes and helping to pull-together nearly two weeks of events, screenings, parties, and more! I love the art form and storytelling medium of film so much that I would like to have the same experience, but on the other side (not behind-the-scenes). I would like to rent a house in the area for my family to stay for the duration of the festival and just soak it all in and enjoy the work of other filmmakers (especially more “experimental” film projects and documentaries!) and connect with other filmmakers in person, too!
3. Attend the Oscars
   • Similar to what I have shared above (about fashion, costumes, and film!) I would love to be in a room with all of that talent and to have the opportunity to appreciate all of the people and the event. Even better, if some day I could attend as a nominee — for working (in some role) on a “Best Documentary”-nominated film project (or as an expert advisor on a narrative film about Lead-poisoning, perhaps?), or something similar! I have so many documentaries in my head that I hope to see on the screen some day [and will start working on some of those once we are fully recovered from our Federal Civil Rights legal battle of the past 7 years — so I hold out that this could be possible!] In the meantime, if you know someone who is going, and they have a “plus one” but just don’t know who to take as their guest (!!!)… please think of me! 🙂
4. Attend the Grammys  
   • This one is for my kids… but if one of them ever gets nominated for an award for their musical achievements, we have an agreement that they will bring me as their date! [They are all so talented, I am certain there will be some amazing recognition in their future!]
5. See my kids’ band (The Rubin Brothers) perform on Stephen Colbert’s show
   • I think there’s a distinct possibility of this actually happening some day, too! Wouldn’t that be fun?! [When I was a little girl I used to stay up late watching Johnny Carson – and I dreamed of being on his show. I don’t remember what I imagined my 8-year-old self would have been interviewed for, but it was a dream of mine when I was little! I don’t have those aspirations for myself, now – but for my kids.]
6. Take a two week vacation with all of my good friends who have helped me through the past seven years.
   • This is something I have fantasized about a lot over the past seven years (just to keep me going through the tough times)… going to an island somewhere with 10 or 15 of my friends and their children. Renting a house or two (with a chef and housekeepers!) and spending two or three or four weeks just hanging out and enjoying each others’ company (after all the legal nonsense is over — to celebrate!)

That’s all I can think of for now… it’s fun for me that I have a place I can share this!