(토요모임) [Aug. 01, 2015] Saturday meeting topic

[Scarlet]

Howdy ! 

It's me Scarlett !  

This week we have 2 topics. 

◈ What’s on Your Bucket List? 101 Things To Do Before You Die

◈ The bionic eye that could CURE blindness

Hope you enjoy the topics. 

With luv 

Scarlett 

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What’s on Your Bucket List?

101 Things To Do Before You Die

“Every man dies – Not every man really lives.” ~ William Ross

“The only people who fear death are those with regrets.” ~ Author Unknown

A few days ago, I was surfing online when I came across someone’s bucket list. It quickly inspired me to create my own list and write an article about it at the same time.

 What’s a Bucket List?

If you haven’t heard about the term “bucket list”, it is a list of all the goals you want to achieve, dreams you want to fulfill and life experiences you desire to experience before you die.

 Why Create a Bucket List?

If you don’t live your days by personal goals and plans, chances are you spend most of your time caught up in a flurry of day-to-day activities. Ever feel your days are passing you by without any tangible output to speak of? What did you accomplish in the past 3 months? What are your upcoming goals for the next 3 months? Look at the things you did and the things you’re planning to do next – Do they mean anything to you if you are to die today? Having a bucket list reminds you of what’s really important so you can act on them.

Even if you frequently live by goals or to-do lists, they are probably framed within a certain social context e.g. performance, career, health. A bucket list opens up the context. It’s a forum to set anything and everything you’ve ever wanted to do, whether it’s big, small or random.

It’s just like planning ahead all the highlights you want for YOUR whole life. Even though goal setting is already my staple activity, I still found many new things to do while I was writing on my own list. It was an incredibly insightful exercise. What’s more, coming up with my list gave me a whole new layer of enthusiasm knowing what’s in store ahead!

The objective of creating this list isn’t to instill some kind of a race against time or to create aversion toward death. I don’t see our existence to be limited to just our physical years on earth – I don’t see our existence to be limited to just our physical years on earth – our physical lifespan is but a short speck of our existence in the universe.

The whole point of creating your list is to maximize every moment of our existence and live our life to the fullest. It’s a reminder of all the things we want to achieve in our time here, so that instead of pandering our time in pointless activities, we are directing it fully toward what matters to us.

 Create Your Bucket List

If you don’t have a bucket list, I highly recommend you to create one. How much will it cost? Zero. How long will it take? Probably 30 minutes to an hour, or more if you get really caught up in the writing. :) What do you stand to gain? Significant clarity and focus on what you want from your life. It’s an invaluable exchange. :)

If you already have your list, take this opportunity to review it. See if there are new items you want to add-on. If so, add them in. Check if all the items listed are still relevant. If not, remove them.

Now, take out your pen and paper or open up a text document. Start writing down what comes to mind as you read these questions:

• What if you were to die tomorrow? What would you wish you could do before you die?
• What would you do if you had unlimited time, money and resources?
• What have you always wanted to do but have not done yet?
• Any countries, places or locations you want to visit?
• What are your biggest goals and dreams?
• What do you want to see in person?
• What achievements do you want to have?
• What experiences do you want to have / feel?
• Are there any special moments you want to witness?
• What activities or skills do you want to learn or try out?
• What are the most important things you can ever do?
• What would you like to say/do together with other people? People you love? Family? Friends?
• Are there any specific people you want to meet in person?
• What do you want to achieve in the different areas: Social, Love, Family, Career, Finance, Health (Your weight, Fitness level), Spiritual?
• What do you need to do to lead a life of the greatest meaning?

Come up with as many items as you can. The items should be things you have not done yet. Don’t stop until you finish listing at least 101 things! If you find yourself stuck, chances are you are mentally limiting/constraining yourself. Release those shackles – Your bucket list is meant to be a list of everything you want to achieve, do, see, feel and experience in your life. Check out the next section for added inspiration.

 101 Things To Do Before You Die

Here are 101 items to consider for your bucket list. :) Look through the list — any item that resonates with you? Take the items that resonate and use them for your own list! For your convenience, I’ve included useful resources (hand-picked by yours truly) to aid you in your bucket-list quest.

1. Travel all around the world 2. Learn a new language 3. Try a profession in a different field 4. Achieve your ideal weight 5. Run a marathon 6. Take part in a triathlon 7. Take up a new sport 8. Go scuba diving / snorkeling and experience marine life up close 9. Go skiing 10. Trek the Inca Trail 11. Go horseback riding 12. Do an extreme sport 13. Climb a mountain 14. Learn a strategy game 15. Connect with past teachers 16. Let someone know how much he/she means to you 17. Give a heartfelt surprise to someone 18. Perform a kind deed without expecting anything in return 19. Make a difference in someone’s life 20. Be a mentor to someone 21. Pursue your passion 22. Start your business 23. Fly in a hot-air balloon 24. Sing to an audience 25. Do volunteer work 26. Befriend a stranger 27. Get a drink for a stranger 28. Walk/Dance barefoot in the rain 29. Run barefoot 30. Experience a sunrise/sunset 31. See the Northern Lights 32. Witness a solar eclipse 33. Go stargazing 34. Plant a tree and watch it grow 35. Get a pet 36. Publish a book 37. Do public speaking in front of 1,000 people (or more) 38. Throw a mega party 39. Get a complete makeover 40. Learn wine appreciation 41. Join a social etiquette class 42. Be a matchmaker: Introduce your single friends to each other (the rest is up to them!) 43. Go on a blind date! (for the singles!) 44. Further your education 45. Play a (new) musical instrument 46. Win a lucky draw 47. Take up dancing 48. Learn a martial art 49. Go on a road trip 50. Backpack across at least 10 locations 51. Pack your bags and set off for a random location with no itinerary 52. Protect dolphins and marine life 53. Live in a different country for at least 6 months

53. Live in a different country for at least 6 months 54. Act in a film (self-production or otherwise) 55. Get featured in the media for something you are proud of 56. Knit a scarf 57. Create your dream home 58. Whip a home-made meal for your loved ones 59. Bake a cake for someone special 60. Go deep into the heart of Mother Nature 61. See snow (if you haven’t before) 62. Live through 4 seasons of the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter 63. Read a book on a subject you had never thought of reading 64. Volunteer at a hospice 65. Fly a kite 66. Fall asleep on grassy plains 67. Contact a company you like just to thank them for their great product/service 68. Try out vegetarianism for 21 days 69. After that, try veganism 70. Followed by raw veganism. Then conclude which is the best diet for you. 71. Fold 1,000 origami cranes and give them to someone special 72. Conquer your biggest fear 73. Tell at least 10 people about your bucket list and encourage them to join you! 74. Go on a meditation retreat 75. Experience an OBE (out-of-body experience) 76. Start a movement on a cause you believe in 77. See cherry blossoms in Japan 78. Bury the hatchet with people whom you had conflicts with in the past 79. Get closure on any past unhappiness 80. Organize a picnic outing 81. Do something completely crazy and out of character 82. Fly first class 83. Hit bull’s-eye on a dartboard 84. Visit a volcano 85. Fly in a helicopter 86. Meet someone you can only dream of meeting 87. Tell your parents and siblings that you love them 88. Ride a roller coaster 89. Go on a cruise 90. Try frontline jobs for the experience 91. Fall in love 92. Be in a conscious, fulfilling relationship  93. Go on a romantic getaway 94. Do a somersault 95. Visit a castle 96. Change the world 97. Help someone in need 98. Learn sign language 99. See the Mona Lisa (in Louvre, in Paris) 100. Go to a costume party and dress up as your favorite character 101. Gain enlightenment

Article source : http://personalexcellence.co/blog/bucket-list/

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<Questions>

Q1. What is a Bucket list? Can you make a definition of this concept? 

Q2. Do you have a Bucket list? What is the top 3 items on your list ? and Why? 

Q3. What if you were to die tomorrow? What would you wish you could do before you die?

Q4. What are your biggest goals and dreams?

Q5. Some have a bucket list and the others does not. What difference could you find

       among these two groups? Which group are you involved in? 

Q6. From the article, you can find 101 things to do before you die. 

       Please share your best 10 choices from the list and reasons for your choice. 

Q7. How to live a balanced life without losing your focus on you life? 

       Please share your tips with us ! 

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The bionic eye that could CURE blindness: 

World first as British scientists save the sight of 80-year-old man in astonishing breakthrough that could help thousands

• Ray Flynn received artificial retina for dry age-related macular degeneration

• The 80-year-old is first person to have treatment that could help thousands

• Surgeons implanted chip at back of his eye in 4-hour procedure last month

• Retired factory supervisor can now make out shapes with his eyes closed 

By BEN SPENCER, MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 18:34 GMT, 21 July 2015 | UPDATED: 07:42 GMT, 22 July 2015

A revolutionary bionic eye implant has restored the sight of a British man.

Ray Flynn, 80, from Audenshaw, Manchester, has become the first patient in the world to receive an artificial retina for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of eyesight problems in the UK.

Hundreds of thousands of those with the affliction could benefit from the technology, which was previously used only for those with a rare eyesight condition.

Surgeons at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital implanted a chip at the back of Mr Flynn’s eye in a four-hour procedure last month.

The retired factory supervisor can now make out shapes with his eyes closed – proof that the system is working.

Since he was diagnosed with AMD eight years ago Mr Flynn’s eyesight has progressively deteriorated, until he could only see clearly out of the corners of his eyes.

Now the £80,000 procedure has given him back his central vision, allowing him to read a newspaper without a magnifying glass for the

Surgeons will now insert the Argus II retinal implant into more patients over the coming months to demonstrate that it can work for a variety of patients. They hope that eventually the system will become available on the NHS.first time in years.

Age-related macular degeneration affects 500,000 people in Britain, 85 per cent of them with the dry form of the disease. It occurs when the cells at the middle of the retina become damaged, resulting in a loss of central vision.

The bionic system works by transferring video images, captured by a camera in special spectacles, into electrical impulses that can be read by the brain.

The electronic signals are sent wirelessly on to an array of electrodes placed over the damaged cells at the back of the retina.

The impulses stimulate the retina’s remaining cells, resulting in the corresponding perception of patterns of light in the brain.

The patient then learns to interpret these visual patterns to regain some visual function.

Mr Flynn said he is taking things slowly as he gets used to the system but is already benefiting in his everyday life.

He said: ‘Before when I was looking at a plant in the garden it was like a honeycomb in the centre of my eye. That has now disappeared. I can now walk round the garden and see things.’

His system was turned on for the first time on July 1, and tests showed that he could make out the outline of people and objects even with his eyes closed.

Professor Paulo Stanga, consultant ophthalmologist at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, said: ‘Mr Flynn’s progress is truly remarkable. He is seeing the outline of people and objects very effectively.

‘Ray had to do everything with his peripheral vision – it’s very tiring, it is exhausting.

‘This is new information that Ray’s brain is receiving and his brain now needs to get use to interpreting it.’

The Argus II retinal implant was previously used on 130 patients with the rare eye disease retinitis pigmentosa. However, those patients, unlike Mr Flynn, had no peripheral vision.

The new system is thought to be the first in the world that combines artificial and natural eyesight, with the electronic images in the centre of the eye melding with natural images from the surviving peripheral cells in the retina.

Professor Stanga said he hopes the system, developed by US firm Second Sight Medical Products, might be used for patients with other vision problems.

But he said scientists have not yet worked out how to use it for patients who have been blind from birth, because those patients have never learned how to process the electrical impulses from the eye.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3169864/Eye-sight-breakthrough-thousands-UK-scientists-invent-BIONIC-EYE-save-sight-80-year-old.html#ixzz3hQsnFf2W 

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<Questions>

Q1. What would you say about this revolutionary technology 'bionic eye' ? 

Q2. Do you have good eyesight? How has your eyesight changed over the years?

Q3. If your eyesight is not good enough, have you ever thought about taking a eye surgery? 

Q4. If you go blind due to the malfunctioning of your body system, 

       would you have this treatment for your vision enhancement? 

Q5. What bodily functions are you worried will disappear when you get older?

Q6. What does the expression‎ 'seeing is believing' mean?

Q7. Have you ever watched the movie 'Perfect Sense(2011)'? 

       From the movie, humankind is losing their sensory perceptions one by one 

       due to the epidemic spreading throughout the globe. As each sense is fading away, 

       people are struggling to adjust themselves on the new life.  

       If you are in their shoes, what would you do with a sense of loss? 

       How will you react to it?