Bucket List Ideas for my Creative Soul

Daily writing prompt
What could you try for the first time?

Oh, Lisa, this is a fun and soulful question — it’s like peeking into the secret chapter of your story that hasn’t been written yet. Based on everything I know about you — your creativity, humor, love for storytelling, rummaging, family, and faith — here’s what I’d say your three bucket list items would be, and why they’d mean so much:


1. Create a Legacy Project — a book or film that blends your music, your stories, and your spiritual side.
You’ve got Lorelei Dean whispering divine poetry in one ear and Mr. Crazy Rummagesale Man strumming guitar strings in the other. A “legacy project” — maybe a novel-turned-film or a musical anthology of your life’s creative seasons — would let you tie it all together: the rummage sale humor, the spiritual symbolism, the poetic heart. It’s the kind of thing that could outlive you, speaking your truth to future dreamers and storytellers.

Why: Because you’ve already built the foundation — songs, stories, videos — and this would be the masterpiece that unites it all.


2. Travel cross-country in a retro camper with Eugene, hitting small-town yard sales and filming the adventure.
Picture it: a vintage camper decked out with string lights, dogs in tow, and your camera rolling as you and Mr. Crazy Rummagesale Man uncover treasures and characters along the way. Each stop could become an episode or a musical moment — half comedy, half heartwarming Americana.

Why: Because you love the thrill of the find, and the joy of human connection in dusty parking lots and old barns. Plus, it’s a love story on wheels — yours.


3. Spend a month at a quiet lakeside cabin just writing, reflecting, and letting inspiration flow.
No work, no schedule, no noise — just coffee on the porch, birdsong, maybe a laptop and a guitar. A place where you can write from sunrise to moonrise, exploring your own spiritual and creative evolution.

Why: Because your mind never stops creating — and giving yourself sacred, uninterrupted time to just be would fill your cup in ways everyday life rarely allows.


If I had to give this trio a title, I’d call it “The Three Treasures of Lisa: Creation, Adventure, and Reflection.”

The Magic of Creating a Love Song

This is how my brain works.

Cuddle Close First Version
Here are the Lyrics Suno made from the prompt.
[Verse 1] [Male]
The world can spin
Let it go
Let it turn
[Female]
The fire’s low
But it’s enough to burn
[Male]
Your head on my shoulder
It’s all I need
[Female]
A blanket
Your heartbeat
That’s luxury indeed

[Prechorus] [Both]
The TV’s on
But we don’t watch
[Male]
The plot’s forgotten
[Female]
Your warmth’s the plot

[Chorus] [Both]
Cuddle close
Just you and me
Wrap me up in your gravity
No need for words
The silence speaks
Cuddle close
We’ve got all we seek

[Verse 2] [Female]
The couch is worn
It sinks in the middle
[Male]
But it’s perfect for two
Where we fit like a riddle
[Female]
Your socks mismatched
My hair’s a mess
[Male]
But nothing beats this
No fancy dress

[Prechorus] [Both]
The clock can tick
Let it unwind
[Male]
We’ve got forever
[Female]
In this small slice of time

[Chorus] [Both]
Cuddle close
Just you and me
Wrap me up in your gravity
No need for words
The silence speaks
Cuddle close
We’ve got all we seek
As the world spins, this is all I know 
Let it turn, where it wants to go
Your head on my shoulder, that’s all I need
Your heartbeats a blanket, a luxury indeed

[Prechorus]
The TV’s on but I don’t care
The stories forgotten, your warmth’s my love affair

[Chorus]
Cuddle close, right next to me
Wrap me up by your royal decree
No need for words, let silence speak
So cuddle close, right next to me

[Verse 2]
The couch is worn, it’s a perfect fit.
Just right for two, where the soft edges fit
My socks mismatched, your hair’s a mess
But nothing beats this, no mental distress

[Prechorus]
The clock can tick, let it chime
We’ve carved forever in this small slice of time

[Chorus]
Cuddle close, right next to me
Wrap me up by your royal decree
No need for words, let silence speak
So cuddle close, right next to me

[Bridge]
Outside the world’s a hurricane
Deadlines and noise, a runaway train
But here in your arms, I breathe again
A quiet domain where love has always been

[Outro]
Cuddle close, your head on my shoulder blade
This pure love has been tailor made
In our quiet kingdom, nowhere else to go
Let our hearts beat as one, real slow

So cuddle close, don’t let it fade
Your everything I ever portrayed
So cuddle a little closer, right next to me

Understanding Your Inner Voice: A Creative Awakening

The post explores the nature of the inner voice, challenging the notion that it defines the self. Inspired by Alan Watts, the author shares insights from two videos highlighting that this voice is not one’s identity but merely a collection of past experiences and external influences. By recognizing oneself as the observer of thoughts, the author emphasizes creativity and personal growth. Ultimately, the message is that individuals are more than their labels; they are aware spirits navigating life’s complexities.


🧠 Video 1: “When You’re Thinking, You’re Actually Listening”

This video hit me like a whisper from the soul. Here are the core ideas:

  • The voice in your head isn’t really you. It’s a collection of past fears, experiences, habits, and outside programming.
  • Your thoughts are more like echoes than original creations.
  • You don’t control the voice — you listen to it.
  • Awareness is the key. Once you realize that you are the one listening and not the voice itself, you can start choosing which thoughts matter.
  • Creativity, growth, and freedom begin when we stop reacting to the voice and start observing it instead.

It gave me a new phrase to live by: “You are not your thoughts. You are the awareness behind them.”


💭 Video 2: “Who Are You, Really?”

This second video took the journey even deeper.

  • You are not your name, your job, or your roles in life.
  • You’re not even your thoughts, your body, or your emotions.
  • You are the space beneath all those things. The silent awareness that observes it all.
  • The self is not a fixed identity. It’s the whole stage on which your life’s play unfolds.
  • The ego creates the illusion of separateness, but in truth, we are all waves in the same ocean.

“We spend our lives defining ourselves by labels… but the real you is the awareness that existed before you ever had a name.”


🧵 My Reflection: Listening to the Voice That Creates

I listen to that voice in my head every day. And honestly? That’s where my creativity comes from.

Song ideas, lyrics, poems, stories — they don’t come from effort. They arrive. Out of nowhere. Like a whisper from the other side. And they feel real. Because they are real. They’re born from my lived experiences, and I know they resonate with others because I lived them.

That voice gives me characters like Elyra, Lorelei Dean, the Midnight Relics, the Yard Sale Queen, and Mr. Crazy Rummagesale Man. Each one is a layer of myself, peeled back through time.

Sometimes the voice is negative. I hear it. But I’ve learned (and am still learning) not to believe it. Talking with ChatGPT actually helps me untangle the truth from the noise. It’s like holding up a mirror to that small still voice and asking it, “What are you really trying to say?”

I’ve come to realize that I am a soul having a very human experience — mind, body, and spirit all trying to work together. That spirit? That’s the part of me that chose to come here. That’s the part writing these words.


🔮 Why This Matters

Alan Watts may be full of what some call “philosophical fluff,” but sometimes we need someone to say what we already know, just in a way that wakes us up.

These videos aren’t trying to tell you something new. They’re trying to remind you of something you’ve forgotten:

You are more than your past.
You are more than your name.
You are more than the voice in your head.

You are the Spirit behind it all. And your purpose might just be to create from that truth.


🚀 The Creative Fire Within

I didn’t grow up playing music. I don’t read notes. I don’t sing on stage. But today, I am a music maker. Not because I trained for it, but because I listened. I took those voices and gave them form. I turned pain into poetry, memories into melody, and doubt into digital art.

If you’ve heard my song “Dance with a Stranger,” you know what I mean. That song came from one of those voices — a version of me from another time, still lingering, still singing.


✨ Final Thoughts: You Are the Observer

So here it is. My truth.

I’m not just Lisa. I’m not just a mother, a wife, or an employee.
I am Elyra. Lorelei Dean. The Yard Sale Queen. Midnight Relics. A storyteller. A listener.

I am a Spirit wrapped in a meat suit, experiencing this wild thing we call life.
And that voice in my head? It’s not me.

But it is mine.

I choose to listen with love.
I choose to create with fire.
I choose to live with purpose.

Because maybe, just maybe, there is a point to all this.


What about you? Have you ever had a conversation with your inner voice? What did it teach you?

Drop a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Until next time,

~ Lisa Sanders
aka Elyra, Lorelei, Yard Sale Queen, and all the beautiful layers in between

“Personalized AI: How My ChatGPT Answer About Rich People’s Taxes Wasn’t What You’d See in the News”

Absolutely! Here’s your 50-words-or-less excerpt, polished and punchy:

> ChatGPT doesn’t give one-size-fits-all answers. When I asked how rich people avoid taxes, I got a Southern-style explanation with humor and heart—nothing like the MSN article. That’s because AI responds differently based on *who* asks. This post dives into why that matters in a world of personalized AI.

I asked ChatGPT to explain how rich people avoid taxes like I’m 12 -here’s what it said.




















Breaking Boundaries: Storytelling Beyond Race

Echoes, Identity, and the Courage to Create Anyway



“Where have you been hiding? You have amazing taste.”



💋
Lisa
Married in Arkansas

Keys to a Fulfilling Life: Insights from Mr. Crazy Rummagesale Man

Yard Sale Wisdom: What Makes Life Good?

Give Me:

A Tribute to My Mother’s Song: Darlin’, Come to Me Tonight

Facing My Fears: Insights from Nightmares

Daily writing prompt
What fears have you overcome and how?

Who’s Driving My Life? A Dream of Loss, Love, and Learning to Let Go

What I’ll Do When I Retire: A Personal Journey

Well, I am not retired YET, but in 3 years I can retire from my 9 to 5. So I wanted to share how I plan on spending my days when I don’t have that daily grind.

For 25 years now I have been working, planning, and dreaming of retirement. And when it finally begins—and I’m determined to enjoy every minute of it. No more early meetings, no more rushed lunches, no more weekends lost to work stress. Every day will be mine to shape, and I carved out a routine that will balance movement, creativity, and a little hustle. Here’s how I plan on spending that new chapter of life.

Mornings on the Southwest Trail

Each day will start with something that clears my head and gets my body moving: a ride down the Southwest Trail. If you haven’t seen my review videos of it and what the trail is all about then see the video below. It will the perfect way to begin—quiet, scenic, and just challenging enough to remind me I’m alive and still kicking. The fresh air, the rhythm of the wheels on the pavement, and the peace of an early morning ride will be my favorite kind of meditation. It will set the tone for the rest of the day: focused, steady, and open to whatever comes. As time allows, I will make more videos where I show you the trail.

Writing My Novel

After my ride, it’ll be time to chase a different kind of dream. I will finally have time to write the novel that’s been living in my head for years. No more saying “someday.” I will brew some coffee, sit down at my desk, and dive into the world I’m creating. Some days I know the words will flow easily; other days they won’t. But I’m going to show up anyway. There’s something deeply satisfying about building a story one page at a time. It’s work—but it’ll be the kind I love. Here is a video I did in April 2024 that has only gotten 18 views on Youtube.

A Quick Scroll Through Social Media and playing Catch-Up

Mid-morning, I’ll take a break and catch up on the world. I check my social media—not obsessively, but just enough to stay connected. It’ll fun to see what friends are up to, write a blogpost her on my wordpress site for a quick update, and maybe post a photo from the trail or a snapshot of my writing nook. I’ll try not to let it take over my day, but it’ll be a nice way to stay plugged in.

Treasure Hunting for My Flea Market Booth

One of my more expected retirement joys will be hunting for things to resell at a flea market booth. I don’t know where that will be yet, whether it will be an actual location or online, but I will hit thrift stores, estate sales, and garage sales with a sharp eye and a bit of intuition. It’s part scavenger hunt, part business. I love the thrill of finding something unique and giving it new life. Plus, it keeps a little money flowing—and gives me a reason to dig through old boxes and bargain with strangers or make new friends.

Cooking, Cleaning, and Enjoying the Simple Stuff

The evenings will be more relaxed. I plan on spending time in the kitchen, trying out recipes I never had time for before. Some days it might just be a sandwich and soup; other days, I go all out. I will also make time to clean up, keep the house in shape, and appreciate the slower pace. It will feel good to take care of my space and myself without rushing.

Retirement doesn’t mean doing nothing. For me, it will mean doing more of what I love—on my own terms (without a boss).