Sunday, January 22, 2012

Bucket List

Well, I don't usually plan that much- unless I'm forced to do so. But we all have to start planning eventually, don't we?
So, to start out- more short-term plans. Of course, I would like to figure out some way to stop procrastinating on just about everything, but... obviously that isn't going to happen. I've really wanted to take up another language for a while. I started Russian a while back, and maybe this time I'll actually stick with it. Other than that, I want to do something completely out of my comfort zone- be in a play or maybe something else- just something different.
For college, I think I would want to fly somewhere- conquer that fear, if I can. Or... maybe I could do something small, like make a piece of art. Right now, I can hardly draw a straight line, so that still might be a stretch. Actually, I doubt I'll ever be able to do anything that artistic, but I guess I could try!
And life... this is where it gets a bit more problematic. It's difficult to think about what I could be doing years from now. I guess what I really want to accomplish would have to be... to find a hobby other than reading or writing. I'll probably change my mind too many times to count, but I would just like to find something I love doing and hopefully I could pursue that hobby or interest.

Bucket list!

In high school, I would have to say the main thing would be getting in to a college in the New England/New York area. I would love to go to college somewhere up there, mainly near or in Boston or New York City. While others might like schools in places that are always nice and sunny, I love the north-east and its wintry glory. If I don't get in to a school up there or am unable to attend a school there and end up having to go somewhere like UK, I would at least like to live in Boston or New York City at some point.

My goal for college is a simple one. I want to be able to balance good grades and having fun. I hope to be able to get a good deal of studying and whatnot in, while still remaining social with my friends. I have other mini-goals for college, but they all fall into that having fun category. Plain and simple, I want to have a good time in college, but leave room for the school part.

I could go on and on about things I want to do before I die. But I would say the thing I would enjoy the most is traveling the world. I love traveling, flying, visiting new places and broadening horizons. I have already visited about 15-20 countries. I would like to get that number up to around 50 before I die. Maybe more, who knows. I'm setting the bar high. The main thing is visiting all the continents, though. I've got 5 down already, with South America and Antarctica left. Antarctica is actually probably the place I would love to visit the most; I could probably have written this part of the blog just on Antarctica. I don't mind when I will be able to travel the world. It could be during college, after college, or maybe when I'm older and can take my kids with me. It'll be worth the wait.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

not sure who writes on buckets

honestly, im a little intimidated this time. people like jake and macy have plans and goals. i have dreams. i have never really planned out my life. there are plenty of things i want to do that i dont particularly expect to accomplish, and iv never consciously divided my life into categories. but heres a go at it.

 High-school: one of betty white's steps to a long and happy life is merely "not die," this is a fitting start point. other than that, i wish to maintain a grade point average of atleast a 3, learn that atleast is actually two words and begin applying that. become at least decent in a paint medium, because i plan on going to college for art and iv only actually painted a couple of times, and make a relationship last at least two months, because iv failed at that one recently. at least i know one i can do.

College: this ones even harder. the only things i really think about in relation to college are how to get in and how to make use of the freedom associated with not being where i live. free association, however, says i should make a collage. so, my first goal is to not do that. and my third is to survive solely on coffee for a week., or atleast a couple of days. wait. crap. gotta go back to the highschool goals.

overall, there are very few things i want to do. i wish to record and release a mixtape to the best of my abilities, develop a clothing brand and sell at least 100 articles, do a gallery show with my own artwork, mayby publish a book, potentially of poetry, and then become tattood. these tattoos i wish to represent who i am, where i come from, and what i cherish. my dad, my mother, my stepmother, my little brother, and all my step and or half siblings, and the other people who have been part of building what i am and what i will be.

other than this, i want to get the most out of live for what time i have here, and pay the consequences when necessary.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Bucket list

My list of things to do before I die include:
1. Attending a football game at each of the sec football stadiums. This is something that I have wanted to do for a long time and I hope to do it before I die. The football tradition at many of these schools is a very special one. The fan support and dedication is a sight to see and I hope to one day to be able to witness all of these great traditions.
2. Go skydiving. Skydiving is something that I have always wanted to do ever since I went on my first roller coaster. The rush was so great that no matter how big of a coaster I go on I always am left with the feeling of wanting more. I can't imagine a greater rush then just jumping from a plane thousands of feet from the ground. I am certain I would not leave with that same feeling of wanting more.
3. Live for an extended period of time in a foreign country. Being able to spend a prolonged amount of time in a country far away would be special. This would give me the experience of being surrounded by this countries culture for a long time. I am sure that this would be a life changing experience that would give me a new outlook on life.
4. Attend a super bowl. This is the summit of sports dreams. The biggest game on the biggest stage. To witness in person this game that millions watch all over the nation would be beyond special. After watching this game no other sporting event would compare I in terms of importance and memorability.
These are just some of the things that I wish to do before I die. Most of them I wish to do in order to get a greater perspective and understanding of the things I love the most and the world itself.

Bucket List

High School - While there are several things I both intend to and hope to do in my career as a High School student, the most important thing to me is that I am accepted into a college that I like. As of now, there are several that I would love to attend, and several more that I am interested in. As a personal goal for myself, however, my top high school "bucket list"objective is to be accepted to Vanderbilt.

College - I have several, several personal goals for college as well, the top one of which being the most cliche, but not only do I want to graduate from college (Vanderbilt, if my high school goals play out correctly), I want a running start on life. What I mean by this is that I don't just want to graduate, I want to graduate with personal, business, and financial connections, a degree in something I want to do for the rest of my life, and a job that I have essentially been working my whole to achieve.

Life - I haven't set too many goals for my life after college yet, aside from being a successful engineer with a trophy wife. One goal I do have, however, is to own a pointer dog. I've never had a dog of my own, and ever since I've seen "Fox and the Hound," I have always wanted a hunting dog. This goal should be carried out before I'm done with High School, but under the extreme conditions that I graduate college without getting a pointer, it will be the first thing I do after I buy my first house.

A Lifetime of Serendipity


So several of you probably remember that over the summer, I had a bucket list-esque blog called 68 Days of Serendipity. Here are some of the things on that list, whether serious or silly:
http://pinterest.com/yesitskelsey/a-lifetime-of-serendipity/ and http://68daysofserendipity.blogspot.com/p/my-list.html

High School: I want that bonding time of a road trip with the girls. I don't really care where we go - Florida, SC, out west, heck it could be Gatlinburg - but I definitely want the experience before I go to college. I believe it may be the epitome of high school experiences; something to say that you really have grown up. We would take turns driving and just spend time in each other’s company before we split ways: something relaxing, fun, and just right.

College: I want to be a Speech-Language Pathologist, and so American Sign Language can be really helpful with that. I don't necessarily want to get a double major in ASL, but I want to take enough classes in college so that I am proficient enough to effectively communicate. Victoria and I have been dabbling in the language, with books, movies, and classes, but I do really want to know how to use in in the real world.

Life: One dream that I've had for a really long time is to own a cafe. I could just always see myself with my family, spending time at our restaurant. My kids would grow up around the kitchen, learning the lessons of working, and it would allow me to pursue a passion I am not going to school for. Even if it’s later in life - maybe when I retire - I would love to one day have a place where people from the community can come hang out, chat, and eat some yummy sandwiches and treats.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

38 down, 411 to go.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a big fan of lists. So it should be no surprise to you guys that I already have an extensive bucket list. I went through my bucket list and picked out some of the most important to me:

1. High School - All I want before I finish high school is my license. That is all. I have been eligible for quite some time now, and I still don't have it.
2. College - Before I finish college I would like to celebrate New Year's Eve in New York City. I've wanted to do this for quite some time.
3. Life - Before I die, I would like to do two things. Number one, live in New York City. It is basically my most favorite place on the face of the Earth. Number two, open a bakery. This is my biggest goal in life. Most people know that I love to bake, so this is a natural progression for me. And I hate being told what to do, so I figured I would enjoy being my own boss.

Something about a pail?

1. What do I wanna do before I get out of high school? I would probably say to stop accepting money to take the SAT/ACT for others under their name to give them a false accomplishment that will help them cheat their way past their competitors. When I hear my business decribed like that it makes me feel like an awful person, which is why I am going to stop before senior year. Early retirement sounds great to me, so I am going to make that my priority.

2. What do I wanna do before I get out of college? I would like to pull off the greatest prank of all time, upper deck someone's toilet. For those of you who do not know what I am talking about: first, I don't know what you're doing with you life. Second, it's basically an act of well how should I put this, "takin' the Browns to the tank, instead of the Superbowl" as some would say. Thus creating a very disgusting and frustrating clean up for the victim. A great prank such as this one, comes with great satisfaction, such satisfaction that you forget to even graduate college because your life is already fulfilled.

3. What do I wanna do before I die? As I mentioned before in a previous blog, I will charge the field at a major sporting event. I promise you that sometime later in life when you are sittting down with your family for the game and see someone evading fake cops left and right on the 50-yard line, you'll look at your kids and say, "I went to high school with that really great looking guy right there." There's not many things that will give you more adrenaline than charging a field in front of millions of people, unless you're getting chased by man hungry cheetahs, but then you aren't in front of millions of people, and you'll die when you get caught. Clearly, the pros outweigh the cons of charging the field, which is why I am going to do it before I die. I promise.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjKpQNaczo0&feature=related

Bucket List

High School- Forgive me ahead of time for having a cliche high school bucket list. But in all honesty, the only thing I really wish to experience as of now is receiving a 4.0. While I've always gotten close, it seems that a B typically gets the best of me.

College- While I will probably attend the University of Kentucky, one college I've come to fall in love with is the University of Toronto. There is something so compelling about living in a foreign country and being forced to assimilate. Currently, a few of my friends and I have decided that in the fortunate situation that we are accepted into U.T., we will attend, no questions asked.

Life- One major goal I wish to complete is to finally get my music career off the road. Most of my close friends are aware of my recent interest in hip hop music, and I have been desperately trying to create a mixtape before senior year ends. That being said, if I am ever able to dedicate time to my music and put together a legitimate project, I will definitely die a little bit happier.
I've made a few bucket lists before. Most of them are for things I just want to do at some point in time. If I were to pick something I want to do before I finish high school I would say that I want to go swimming with dolphins. It is something that I have wanted to do for a really long time but I've just never gotten around to it. I know it's nothing too ambitious or monumental but I reallyyyyy want to do it. And I'm hoping since in June I'm going to be going to Orlando with my club volleyball team I can do it then.
Something I want to do before I finish college would be to go to New York for new years eve. I always watch the ball drop on tv and it's always super crazy but it's something I want to try at least once in my life. I would want to go with friends and just have lots of fun an hopefully not get lost in the crowd.
Something I want to do during my life would be to travel a lot. I'm going to piggy back on Olivia's idea here and say I want to go with her to New Zealand and reenact Lord of the Rings and Narnia. We have actually had this conversation a few times before and we keep saying that we have to do this. We also want to go to some other foreign places like London and lots of places. We have been planning this since like sixth grade and if It doesn't happens hen I am going to be pretty disappointed. But since it's on my bucket list now I guess I have an official reminder that we have to do it.

Bucket List

High School: Complete Survive a Tough Mudder-A Tough Mudder is a 12 mile long military style obstacle course. It is one of the toughest events on the planet. And yet, I still want to try and do one before I leave high school. I don’t even know why. I’m just kind of bored with life. I need something to focus my life on. I need something to keep my life from being boring monotony. And I feel the best way to do this is to push my limits. Also, there’s one coming to Kentucky this October, so it’s readily available. So if anyone wants run one with me, there’s some information below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRwSqrfHdQg

http://toughmudder.com/events/kentucky-2012/

College: I really don’t have many plans for college. I have to make it through high school first. But in any case, I would kind of like to run a marathon. Again, it comes down to me not being bored with life. I need to have something to focus on or else I’ll become fat and lazy.

Life: BASE Jumping-I feel like I’ve mentioned BASE jumping before, but it just seems so interesting to me. It’s like skydiving, but with more adrenaline and higher risk. For some reason, the idea of jumping off of buildings and bridges appeals to me.

My Pail List (i dont like buckets)

Ill start with my life goals first. cuz they be ambiguous and generic

1. become famous for my music. thats literally the one thing on any of my lists that matters to me an insane amount right now.
2. skydive (generic)
3. bunggee jump(lame)
4. of course i have to meet Morgan Freeman. his voice is a cough drop for your soul
5. get married. LADIES IM REASONABLY ATTRACTIVE, THERES NO POINT GOING FOR JUSTIN BEIBER OR RYAN REYNOLDS.

Before high school ends:
1. be in senior benefits, just because im pretty sure itd be fun. i also think its important for me to prove to people who remember me as spazatron in middle school to fully realize ive changed and can do something worthwhile besides goof off and screw up.
2. have a semester of all A's
thats really all my goals in high scool, its not that important of a time in life to me.

Before college ends:
1. i need to attend a class on dance. that sounds really lame, but hey, guy+dance=guy who get chicks. easy shovenist math
2. ive always wanted to make a full metal suit that you can actually wear. sure, itd weigh a ton, but it would be good to klnow if anyone ever tried to rob or kill me, id have a B.A. suit of armor.

wei's bucket list

The number one thing on my high school bucket list to show school spirit. I sadly do not own any Henry Clay spirit wear(no one told me to get a free shirt freshman year!), and I haven't attended any HC sporting events in my two and a half years at this school. My goal is to buy myself a nice sweater or shirt and go to a football, soccer, volleyball, and basketball game before I graduate.

My college bucket list is harder because so much of my life during those four years are currently in question. I don't know where I'm applying. I don't know what state I'll be in. I don't know what I'll major in. But where ever I am, I will want to keep in shape. I want to complete a triathlon, because that is the traditional test of endurance over three activities. I don't have to win or even get a good time, but I won't be happy if I'm the last one to cross the line.

Ohh man, this is the big one. My first two goals were very youthful: being a raucous fan at a high school game and showing off a feat of athleticism. My lifetime bucket item will be one that I can work on finishing all the way into my oldest days. Chess has always fascinated me. Two equally matched armies facing off in a battle of wits. I'll need something to keep me entertained when I'm old and something to keep my mind sharp. Becoming a chess master seems like a great way to spend my last years.

Buckets.

So my Bucket List is as follows:

- See Doc Severinsen in concert (which should hopefully be happening this summer, he’s visiting Danville for Vince DiMartino’s “retirement” from Centre!)

- Be awesome (already done with that one)

- Be selected to be a member of the All-State symphonic band, whether I do it or not.

As you can see I tend not to plan in advance. I go with the flow, so to speak. Planning in advance is not in my vocabulary, unless someone else does it for me. However, I need to fit the three things to get credit so here goes:

High School – The Doc Severinsen concert, since that is close at hand.

College – Compete in National Trumpet Competitions. UK attends these yearly with their top trumpet section, something which I hope to be able to do with them, if I choose to attend UK.

Life – Establish a family, get a job that I like, be happy. All that Jazz.

I have so many great ideas for my future it’s not even funny.

Bucket List!

I love bucket lists! Here is mine currently...

-slide down the pole at a fire station
-use a whole tube of chapstick
-go to Dylan's Candy Bar
-have one of those perfume bottles with the little ball thing you sqeeze
-have a #1 foam finger at some sporting event
-be a part of a flash mob
-stay in cinderella's castle
-work in Disney World
-go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
-be the maid of honor in a wedding
-learn ASL
-own a teacup pig
-go to the olympics
-drive an indycar
-watch the ball drop in NY at the new year

Before I finish high school.... One thing I really want to do before I graduate is be a part of a flash mob. I was sort of in a flash mob group a year or two ago, but I wan't able to go to most of the meeting and rehearsals so I was never actually in any of them. Also, I was supposed to be in one of the flash mobs at school, but I ended up getting sick and not being able to do it. So before I leave I want to be in one. Hopefully it will be one of those really awesome ones with like a million people, but a small one would be fine too.

Before I finish college.... I want to learn American Sign Language before I get done with college. I want to be fluent before I graduate. I think it is so cool. Kelsey and I have been learning a few words here and there, but there is no way we would be able to carry on a full length conversation with any depth. Hopefully I will be able to put this on my resume when I start applying for jobs!

Before I finish life.... I want to go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Ever since I was little my family wakes up to watch the parade. One day I hope to take my kids to the actual parade because it was something I wanted to do as a child. I think it would be an awesome experience, something I want to do at least once before I die.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Bucket List

1. Before I finish high school, I will go sky diving. I would go right now but you have to be 18 years old. But next september I will turn 18 and force someone to go with me. I dont love heights but I dont hate their either. I merely want to skydive to have the experience and be able to say that I have done it. The actual action itself may be fun but base jumping or bungee jumping is similar and requires less training. But i will go sky diving.

2. There isn't a singular event that I wish to accomplish in college. But in college I will most likely make a bucket list of activities that I would do. Most would be too explicit for this blog, but one would definitely be staying awake for three or four days straight to see the effects. That'd be a fun experience, yet I'd want my bucket list for all of college to be beyond an individual event like that.

3. Before I die, I will live in a Spanish speaking country and become fluent. My grandfather was fluent in spanish, being from Cuba. Also, it's a great language to know and being bilingual increases many perspectives in life. By brother did a mission trip in Bolivia and he was already close to fluent, and this helped him greatly to become more able to speak Spanish. I would live in Spain, Argentina or a higher quality of living Hispanic country if I could. But I will most definitely live in a spanish country, either a month or a year, until I am able to fluently speak spanish. I can already read, listen, and write perfectly, but my speaking has a way to come

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Yin-Yang, Do-Try

I love bucket lists.  They force a person to step back a second and ask herself, "What do I really care about?"

I'm an innate dramatic person, so I play around with the you-have-six-months-to-live scenario more than a normal person probably does.  And Kelsey Rose and I have our short-term bucket-lists (theirheadsintheclouds.blogspot.com).  But this question's a pinch different, by dividing life up into those three segments, I've gotta figure out what I want out of that time, and roll from there.

Good thing a super pensive song called Dirty Rain came on my Americana station on Pandora (the most well-cultivated station I have). 

The defining characteristic of High-School-Macy is this: high-powered.  While I don't actually like that as a primary human descriptor, it reflects well the opportunities, networking, and passion that have all converged into the perfect storm for me here in the next coupla years.  Take, for example, tonight.  I am JAZZED.  I had so little homework that I got to spend my night working diligently on Y-Club/other self-selected projects, and I have more energy than I've had all week.  During KYA week, I slept about 5 hours a night, but I burst energy.  I love what I do, so I plan to capitalize on high school as my "doing" period.  Fittingly, my #1 high school bucket list item is all about that doing.  I want to get 750 hours of community service during junior and senior years.

And I think that's an interesting transition into my vision for college.  Because I despise Service "HOURS."  Putting in time at a non-profit does not truly represent a servant lifestyle.  My britches get all in a knot (maybe too much Americana) when I think about people who spend 100 hours at God's Pantry without realizing that conscious interactions with those around you peg servant leadership more than their weekly scheduled activity ever could.  If high school's my "do" period, then college'll be my "try" period.  I want to open myself back up to new experiences without the pressure of performance.  I want to attend all the guest lectures, serve on an insane number of boards, learn as much as I can about as many different things, and BE THE CHANGE I SEEK.  So, #1 on my college bucket list is to be vegan for 1 year.  No animal products, no processed sugar.  Nada.  I'm already pescetarian, so I hope the transition will occur as smoothly as possible. 

I suppose by somehow directing my educational periods down those two avenues, I hope to achieve some sort of adulthood happy-medium.  The perfect zen between do-try.  I want to be radical.  That crazy hippie mixed with the conservative church mom.  The surgeon who isn't afriad to go without a bed, a meal, or a shower.  Represetative of that time in my life, I want to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.  All 2,000+ miles of it.  It should take about 6 months.  And those would be some of the best 6 months I'll've ever spent.

I shocked myself just now when coming up with these ideas.  On each of the items, I caught myself thinking, "Be realistic."  But here's what I say to that, I AM being realistic.  I define what is real, what is true, what is possible in my life.  By being "realistic" now, I set myself up for mediocrity.  I must dream big, define who I want to be and what I want to do with all the passion, all the zeal, all the tenacity I can must.  And then follow through with the determination that innately lives within each of us.  The success of your life is directly proportional to the scope of your dreams. 

My Bucket List

The number one item on my bucket list before I finish high school is to succesfully do my mentoring project, and apply to at least 5 colleges. This is something I want to do because i'll never know how many colleges I could have gone too if I don't apply to a lot of them, and its a decent amount of work.

The number one item on my bucket list before I finish college is to study abroad. My cousin told me about he studied abroad in Australia for a semester, and what a good experience he had. I hope to hook up with a program in my college that will allow me to go somewhere like Australia or Spain for a semester.

The number one item on my bucket list before I finish living is to start a family. This ones pretty much a given, because part of living life to its fullest is to start a family and pass on your genes, traits, and profession on to your children, so that your legacy may live on, even after you die. Some people may want to land on mars, or be the president, but i think having a family is just as important.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Assignment 17: Buckets, Buckets

Welcome to your first blog prompt for 2012! Yay!

A bucket list is a list of everything you want to accomplish before you kick the bucket. That doesn't mean you can't have such a list for specific aspects of your life as well.

To begin the year, generate your own bucket lists - one for high school, one for college, and one for life. Then, write about the priority on each list.
  1. What is the number one item on your bucket list before you finish high school?
  2. What is the number one item on your bucket list before you finish college?
  3. What is the number one item on your bucket list before you finish living?

(This blog is inspired by Rob Schrader, Bella Gomez, Matthew Gross, Victoria Salsman, and Aaron Meek. Thank you!)


Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, January 22 at 11:59 pm