Local folks fulfill bucket list dreams
‘What’s on Your Bucket List?’ runs for six Thursdays on KEET-TV
“I’d seen so many older folks postpone or put off their interests and dreams. Their reasons were varied — financial limitations, no access to what they wanted to try, no idea how to go about making their dream become a reality, no one to do the activity with, or fear — the old inner voice yelling, ‘You can’t do that.’” — Tracey Barnes Priestley, creator/host of “What’s on Your Bucket List?”
A locally produced, limited series, “What’s on Your Bucket List?,” is premiering on KEET-TV Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
The six-part program — created and hosted by retired therapist and life coach, author and former Times-Standard columnist Tracey Barnes Priestley — follows 12 Humboldt County residents ages 60 and older as they fulfill their dreams. It runs for six consecutive Thursdays on the local public television station.
“I’d seen so many older folks postpone or put off their interests and dreams,” said Barnes Priestley. “Their reasons were varied — financial limitations, no access to what they wanted to try, no idea how to go about making their dream become a reality, no one to do the activity with, or fear — the old inner voice yelling, ‘You can’t do that.’”
Some of the featured segments follow a woman throwing out the first pitch at a Humboldt Crabs baseball game; a woman returning to play flute with the All Seasons Orchestra after a 25-year hiatus; an 82-yearold visiting Fern Canyon for the first time; a grandmother taking her two granddaughters on a tour of Holly Yashi; a man who longed to coach for Special Olympics; and more.
“I was surprised and gratified by the responses we received. People had such wonderful ideas. Deciding which ones we could do was challenging,” Barnes Priestley said.
Barnes Priestley initially came up with the idea for this series in 2018, and started to work on it with her friend and co-producer Jan Ostrom.
“Jan has an MFA in film and television production from UCLA and worked in LA at NBC for over 12 years before going on to teach at the university level,” Barnes Priestley said. “Honestly, I would be sunk without her. She has been my teacher throughout this entire process. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes with a show like this and, while the storytelling aspect felt comfortable to me, exciting actually, the technicalities of pulling it all together at times felt like a steep learning curve for me.”
Ostrom said: “This has been a wonderful show to work on, from the original concept of demonstrating and encouraging healthy aging to see that idea come to life.”
Initially, the two women put out a call for local folks 60 and older to submit a bucket list activity or something they wanted to experience. The response was overwhelming, Barnes Priestley said, with more than 50 submissions. The two then narrowed the list down to 12 people to fulfill their bucket list adventure.
Next, Barnes Priestley approached KEET-TV about working with the station on the bucket list project.
“A few years ago, KEET hired me, a complete novice, to do a six-episode program, ‘Conversations: Life in the Second Half.’ It was trial by fire. I had so much to learn, but I absolutely loved the experience. Both as a life coach, writer and playwright, I’ve long been interested in storytelling and this was just a different way to do that.”
She noted: “We also share producing credit with Sam Greene at KEET, who deserves a special shout out. Sam is so easy going, which is great considering how many hats he wears at KEET. On our show, he also directed, worked a camera and edited segments.”
Barnes Priestley, 69, says working on this project was, in some ways, on her own bucket list — along with a few other activities.
“Once this blasted COVID is over, I’ll return to editing my second novel. It was just about ready to send to my agent when the pandemic and the BLM movement hit. I need to revisit the manuscript and make some major revisions, I’m afraid,” she said.
“I want to finish the trip my husband and I were on in Mexico. We had planned for a month of language classes in Mexico City and Oaxaca when we had to rush home after two weeks because of the pandemic,” Barnes Priestley said. “We also want to return to making our annual trip exploring new waters in a beautiful wooden boat he built years ago. Next up, the Broughtons, islands in British Columbia. I’m also looking into improving my pastel skills.”
In the meantime, Barnes Priestley invites everyone to tune in Thursday evening
to watch “What’s on Your Bucket List?” and get inspiration on fulfilling their own bucket list adventures.
“Debuting under the current circumstances certainly
wasn’t in the original plan. I ask people to tune in, enjoy a happy escape and begin thinking about what things they might like to do now (if) it’s possible, and
then later, when we are free to move around again. Like so many of us, I feel robbed of this time. I want to take advantage of every minute once we can,” she said.