Buckets and Buckets - Isabel Jenkins

Before I finish high school, I want to put things into perspective. Right now, it feels like AP tests and GPA and the complexities of the future are consuming our lives. Don't get me wrong, I want a secure career to support myself, and I want to be successful. Like most others, I want flawless grades. But in the end, what does this amount to? It's all just letters and numbers. I hate that people feel as though these letters and numbers are more important than their own mental health. I don't want to fall prey. I will try my best, and I want to know that's enough.

Before I graduate college, I want to see more. If I go to school in Kentucky I will have lived here my whole life - a tiny state in a tiny planet in a tiny pocket of an endless universe. I want to explore another country, I want to be a hardcore tourist and take silly pictures and eat lots of foreign food and speak random languages with my bad American accent. I want to see the stars, even if it's just through a telescope in the yard.

Before I die, I want to be content. It doesn't matter if I'm rich or poor or successful or famous or just your local nobody. I want a family, a family bigger than the one I have now, and I want to get to know each and every member's heart. I want to be satisfied knowing that I've made a difference - even if it was the teensiest difference the world has ever seen, it still matters - I want to be content.

Assignment 18: Buckets and Buckets - Matthew Logsdon

I was asked to respond to this one too --

• What is the number one item on your bucket list before you finish high school?

Well I've finished school but somehow I'm still here.  I'd say in the next 18 months I'd like to have maintained my exercise regime and whittled away my 210 down to 175.  I'm currently hovering between 185 and 190 depending on the day, how much I've exercised and how poorly I've eaten.  I haven't seen 190 in at least 10 years so I'm already pretty pleased with how things are going.  In fact tonight I ran 6 miles- a first.  Ultimately I need to stay focused, allow myself to fail from time to time, and be ever mindful of the success I've experienced.  

But I also want to go to my first Gen Con.  Next August will be the first time this NERD - Gasitc experience will happen before school starts so I'm making plans to attend.  The problem is that it's pricey so I've got to start saving NOW! Tru-Dungeon here I come.  Don't Judge me!

• What is the number one item on your bucket list before you finish college?

Let's see - we're looking at the end of 5 years.  My kids will be 16 and 13.  I want to take my family to Europe.  I want to see the Grand Canyon and Yosemite.  I want to make sure that I've soaked them up 'cause I'll only have 2 and 5 years left with them.  Then they're gone.  

• What is the number one item on your bucket list before you finish living?

I want to live past retirement.  I want to visit SPACE.  I want to walk my daughters down the isle.  I want be married and see my 50th wedding anniversary.  I want to see my grandchildren.  I want the financial freedom to be a blessing to my children and grandchildren.  I want them to want to be near me.  I want to die with grace and dignity.  I want to have mattered.

Buckets and Buckets - Emily Cashman

Before I graduate high school I want to read more. I want to just in general dedicate more of my time to reading. I love reading and becoming immersed in a new story, but recently I find myself wasting time on my phone or laptop doing pointless things, so I want to make more of an effort to pick up a book instead. I went out this weekend and bought myself two new books and my goal is to finish both of them before January ends.

Before I graduate college I want to study abroad for a semester. I haven’t decided where I want to go yet, but I just want to experience a different culture for longer than a week or two on vacation. Everyone I know who was studied abroad really enjoyed it and always recommends it, so I definitely don’t want to miss out on that experience while I’m in college.

Before I die I want to go on a long backpacking trip. I really enjoy hiking and camping and rock climbing and I want to go on a backpacking trip that’s at least a few weeks long before I die. (actually preferably before I’m really old so that I’m still in decent enough shape to accomplish it) I’ve gone hiking a bunch and I’ve been camping too, but I want to spend a lengthy amount of time just away from everything and escape from the busyness of everyday life. 


Update (September 2015): I just want to share that I actually am still working towards my goal of reading more and since this post I've read 16 books, which I'm quite proud of myself for. Also, I think I'll be going on a NOLS trip this summer which is a 30 trip of hiking and rock climbing in the wilderness of Wyoming. I'm incredibly super duper excited that I might be able to complete this goal so soon because I didn't think I'd be able to do something like this until college or even after it. So yeah, I'm quite happy with myself for sticking to these goals and doing my best to accomplish them. 

Buckets and Buckets- Emily Chavez

Before high school is over, I simply want to embrace everything I can. I want to go to more basketball games, study harder and be willing to try new things before I enter college. I know high school is supposed to be a time to learn about yourself, and instead of stressing about the next 4 years of my life I want to appreciate today.

Before college is over, I want to become very knowledgable in the field of communications at a college I love. I would really love to make this my career and I believe this path gives me so any options in the future, in terms of professions. 

Before I die, I want to go on as many missions trips as possible. I'm not sure if that'll will be one more or twelve more, but these trips are experiences that you simply cannot begin to put into words. There is great power in helping others who can give nothing to you in return and it is a passion of mine to travel and to help.

Horray for Hollywood- Caroline Totty

Two films by Tim Burton I watched were Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They had some similarities such as Johnny Depp was a main actor in both of them. They also were both sort of obscure and fantasy like. They were filled with bright colors and fantasy worlds. In Alice in Wonderland it was the rabbit hole she fell through and in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory it was the magical room with all the candy trees and chocolate river and candy grass. However, there are obviously some differences such as plot, wardrobe, etc. Both these movies are based off books so he had to basically follow the plot in the book. In Charlie in the Chocolate factory there are some gray scenes such as when Charlie is with his family in their small excuse for a house, but in Alice in Wonderland there are basically no dreary dark scenes about Alice like that. It has a lot of color in the setting and wardrobe and props. That is a direct comparison of the two films. In my opinion, they are both very good and Tim Burton is a great director although he is a little different.

Buckets and Buckets - Kate Sommer

1)  Recently I've been spending a lot of time on the website etsy. Since I was little I've been a creative person and etsy has given me the idea to actually do something with the things I create. So the top thing I want to accomplish before I graduate High school is to start my own etsy shop. I like to make bracelets and also like to paint so those will probably the 2 main things I sell on my shop. I went to Michael's yesterday and got a couple things that I would need to start making more bracelets and I'm gonna try and start making things in the next couple weeks. So I think this goal is very attainable, I don't know how successful it will be but I can try my best.
2) My best friend and I have always talked about going traveling together. Given the fact that we're probably going to end up going to different colleges we want to be able to spend as much time together outside of school as possible. So before we graduate college, my number one goal on my bucket list is to go traveling with my best friend. Whether it be a road trip around the country or a trip to England, I want to be able to have memories like that with my best friend.
3) Music has always been a huge part of my life. It's been one of the only things in my life that has constantly been there and gotten my through the hardest times. So the number one thing I want to do before I die is to see all of my favorite bands live. I've already seen 3 and I'm going to see another one in August. I love going to concerts because I love te feeling of being there with people who share your love for that music and being able to be in the same room as someone you look up to. I realize that my list will constantly be changing but before I die I want to be able to say I've checked off every band/artist on that list.

hooray for Hollywood- Zachary Whitehouse

Steven Spielberg is one of my favorite directors. He directed my favorite set of movies, Jurassic Park. He directed the Jurassic Park movies and also a movie that is wildly different, Lincoln. Lincoln is a wild historical drama that follows the life of president Lincol. It is fflawlessly done in a very insightful manner. It really taught me about our past president. In a total different realm, the Jurassic Park movies are complete fiction. It sets the place of an island where dinosaurs live and are imprisoned in a park, Jurassic Park. Jurassic Park is yet to open and they are giving a tour if the park that is hopefully going to be open. This is complete fiction as compared to the historical drama Lincoln that follows facts and has ton of research into it. Both films are expertly directed that keep you watching the whole time. Jurassic Park is completely action packed and Lincoln has very little action in it yet Spielberg gets you to put all of your focus into the movie.

Buckets and Buckets- Zachary Whitehouse

Highschool- By the time I finish highschool  I want to be in the top 15% fory graduating class. This will help me get into more prestigious colleges and maybe get scholarships. I want to go to the gym on a regular basis and gain weight and muscle in order to get into better shape. This way I can be the best version of myself. I want to join the bowling team senior year to give me something fun to do and male me more well rounded. I want to run 10 miles at one time by the time I finish high school as my previous high is 6 miles. I want yo be in better shape. Being in the top 15% of my class is my number one goal by the time.iI finish highschool so I can get into the college I want to.
College- my bucketlist for college is going on a rroad tripto the west with a good pack of friends . I want to travel out west over the summer before college is over. I also want to go white water rafting by the time college is over. I want to get a good paying job to help me get through college. Taking a trip out west with a select group friends is most important because I want to find a life long group of friendsand also rrevisit some of the western states I'vealready seen.
My bucket list for life is to go sky ddiving. I also want to ride in a hot air balloon and to travel to Scotland and Ireland. Traveling to Scotland and Ireland is most inportant in my life bucket list because this is something I'vealways want to do and places iI've wanted to see.

Buckets and Buckets- Anne Russell

For starters, I know Axel Liimatta! He and his family used to go to our church-really neat family. I have also been out to the ranch where he now lives and works:) Just thought that was cool!

1. Before I finish high school, I really want to go rock climbing. I went once in middle school and I have been dying to go back ever since. It was one of the coolest things I've ever done. You find out that you're stronger than you thought you were and for me, I became aware of my adventure-seeking nature that shows through more and more each day. Granted I should probably get in a little better shape before I venture back out there, but those things can go hand in hand as my top priority before high school comes to a close.
2. Before I finish college, I want to study abroad and live for a long period of time in a foreign country, preferably a spanish-speaking one. I really want to get out of my comfort zone and be a part of a completely new community and embrace the people and their unique culture. I also want to become fluent in spanish and be able to communicate freely with a whole new sphere of people. That will open up more opportunities to share my faith in Christ and spread his love.
3. No matter how cheesy this is, before I kick the bucket, I plan to get married to someone for whom my love is selfless, someone who makes me helpless to change the way I feel. (I totally stole that from Ben Rector, who is amazing and if you have not listened to his music, that should be on your bucket list before finishing this week honestly). But really, I want to find someone who is as passionate about music and serving Christ as I am and who will make a great father. Goals. Literally.

plastics- Mckenna Elliott

Throughout my 16 years of existence, I have been given so much advice from many different people, but there's on particular piece of advice that has stuck with me. "You can't control how others act and feel, but you can control how you react and how you adjust to situations." Although I am unable to remember who gave it to me and when, it has had a lasting effect on me. 

There have been many instances where I have had no idea what to do or how to handle a situation, but then I remember this advice and realize that I am able to anything and everything that I can to change my attitude, outlook, or actions to achieve the outcome I desire. It has helped me through many difficult situations, as well as everyday experiences. It has helped me through rough patches in my life, as well as things as simple as dealing with dumb drivers on the roads. 

The lasting impact this advice has had on me is the reason I will always remember it, and why it has stuck out even when I've forgotten ever ounce of advice and direction that I've ever been given. 

Buckets and Buckets-Leah Noble

1. Before I finish high school I would like to get good enough at playing the guitar to be able to join the youth band at my church. Playing guitar has quickly become a passion of mine and I would love to be able to share that with others. I also would like to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout high school.

2. Before I finish college I would like to travel to Europe, especially Spain, France, and England. I have always wanted to visit Paris, London, Barcelona, and all the different well known and interesting sites that Europe holds.

3. Before the end of my life I would like to live in Texas for a period of time. In 7^th grade I went on a trip to Texas with a school club for a national competition in Dallas and quickly fell in love with the state and its culture. I visited again, this time to Houston, a few years later and loved it even more.

Assignment 19: plastics

Most of the advice we receive in our lives is unsolicited and quite frankly inane.  However, every once in a while we get a real gem and changes our trajectory.  What is the one piece of advice given to you that has stuck?  Explain its effect.


Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, February 1st at 11:59 pm

Hooray for Hollywood - Isabel Jenkins

Big Hero 6 has a lot to offer. This movie features an unprecedented hodgepodge of differing cultures, themes, and genres all taking place under the masterfully crafted skies of San Fransokyo. The elements combine in perfect harmony to create a roller coaster ride of emotion, with the diverse cast of characters generating consistent laughs and some truly heart-touching moments. Although the primary audience is children, Big Hero 6 tackles some mature situations, from the woes of adolescence and its "pre-pubescent mood swings" to the deeper conflicts that come with grief and loss. Yet this is effortlessly balanced out by cartoonish shenanigans, action sequences, and charming lab geeks. 

Every character is wonderfully thought out, with their quirks and interactions making the team instantly lovable. However, the true star of the show is Baymax, a marshmallowy robot who was created as a healthcare companion. Baymax cannot even emote, but he is so awkwardly endearing and has arguably the biggest heart of all. Granted, it does not go without imperfections - the occasional clunky dialogue, the unresounding antagonist, the slight predictability - but Big Hero 6 is inventive, beautifully animated, and irresistible fun.

Buckets and Buckets-Noah Welch

Before I finish High School, I would like to –  Maintain a 3.9 GPA. My grades in high school are extremely important to me and I would like to be accepted into the best college possible.  My grades are of paramount importance to achieve this goal.  I would have loved to maintain a 4.0 but Spanish and I have disagreements. 

Before I finish College I would like to- Be accepted in to law school. I want to be a lawyer when I grow up and passing the LSAT and having the grades to be accepted into a prestigious program is important to me.  Preforming well in college is a priority for me, so I can achieve my goals.

Before I die I would like to- Build a personal library. Books are a fantastic way to pass time. I would love to have a house with a huge library, comfortable chairs and floor to ceiling shelves piled to the brim with all sorts of books. I would have sky lights and a huge vaulted ceiling.  I would also have a fantastic desktop located in this area.

Buckets and Buckets- Amelia Rogers

1.   Before I finish high school, I would like to have all A’s for every semester. I know it’s not the most important thing in the world, but I have made it this far with all A’s, and it’s always been a personal goal of mine to keep all A’s through high school.
2.  Before I finish college, I want to study abroad. I’ve only been out of the country once, and I would love to travel and live somewhere completely different for a semester. I would really like to go to Europe, because there is so much to see there. Specifically, I would love to go to Mars Hill, where Paul preached the sermon recorded in Acts 17.
3. Before I finish living, I want to go the either the college football or the college basketball championship (or both!). These two sports are the only two I seriously keep up with, and I would love to see the championship for either sometime (preferably featuring Kentucky, but I’ll take whoever.)

Hooray for Hollywood- Amelia Rogers

I don't really know how the Rotten Tomatoes link thing works, but here's my review of Big Hero 6.

*Spoilers*  Big Hero 6 is a hilarious, touching movie for anyone to enjoy. Great for families, kids, or really anyone who’s up for a feel-good, happy story. Though the parents are missing, this movie features a great family dynamic, and strong sibling relationship, as well as supportive friends. This strong family/friend group helps each other through the passing of older brother Tadashi, whose caring personality leads to his ultimately sacrificial death. Main character Hirro is a creative young genius, and the movie encourages this creativity. Hirro is also a growing kid, on the verge of his teenage years, trying to figure out what he wants to do with himself and his life. This makes him and endearing and relatable character for all ages. Big marshmallow “health care companion” Baymax is adorable and hilarious throughout the movie, providing a great balance of lighthearted and serious moments. The ultimate message of the movie is the importance of family and friends, and the beauty of sacrificial love. A great movie, and definitely worth the watch. 

Buckets and Buckets - Caleb Combs

-Before I finish high school, I would like to have a semester with straight A's.  This was once something that I was able to achieve without much difficulty.  However, as I have progressed in my academic career, it has become increasingly difficult to juggle my academics, soccer and social life successfully.  My busy schedule combined with some laziness on my part tend to lead to a couple of my classes falling short.

-Before I graduate college, I want to have a solid understanding of how my life and future are going to play out.  Where my future is headed is currently a mystery, and I hope to develop a plan for my future while still getting the college experience.

-Before I die, my hope is to attend the FIFA World Cup.  I am a huge soccer fan and to see a game on the biggest stage in soccer would be huge for me.

Hooray For Hollywood - Emily Cashman

Here's my review of The Imitation Game, and I posted it on Rotten Tomatoes but I don't know how to link it.

The Imitation Game was a very, very good movie. I hadn't known anything about the Enigma or much of the WWII stuff at all before seeing this movie. It was fascinating to watch and go along with the characters as they figured out how to break the code. John was my favorite character, but that’s only because I like the actor, Allen Leech (he also plays Tom Branson in Downton Abbey which is a fantastic show by the way). The ending was quite sad because I didn’t know that the English government did that to homosexual men and it was just horrible. But overall I liked the movie so much that right after it ended I went to Joseph-Beth and bought Alan Turing: The Enigma because I wanted to learn more about him and the Enigma. I recommend this movie to everyone, well maybe not little kids because they might get confused.

Hooray for Hollywood- Emily Chavez

Okay so I want to do the movie review one but the server is down at Rotten Tomatoes so I'm just typing it here.

Interstellar Review:

Interstellar was hands down one of the best works of cinema I have seen in my life time. It has an intriguing plot with great special effects to back it up and the movie left me thinking about our world and the worlds beyond it.

Matthew McConaughey plays a farmer from the future, in a world where the only real occupation needed is farmers. M.M. however is sent on a special mission to find an inhabitable planet to replace Earth. Earth is falling to pieces and they need a plan B. So much of the plot is impossible to explain. There are also parts in the movie where the plot was very slow moving and you got a little bit bored. Also, it was an incredibly long film and by the end I was eager to head out. Nevertheless, the film was mind blowing. The special effects portrayed outer space unlike any other film ever has before.

I would recommend this to all teenagers and adults. I do suggest you come with your brain ready to work, because this film requires a lot of thinking.

Hooray for Hollywood-Leah Noble

Recently I saw the films Divergent and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, both action movies whose plots revolve around teenagers our age. Most of you are probably familiar with these movies which are both based off of top selling novels. These films have very similar plots having to do with not conforming to an oppressive government structure and, specifically in Divergent, learning to accept who you are, even if that means rebellion, a distinct feature of Mockingjay. These productions probably have more similarities than differences, especially when considering the plots. Tris (Divergent) and Katniss (Mockingjay) both have to recognize their role in causing changes in order to better the lives of the people of their nation, uniting factions (Divergent) and districts (Mockingjay).

The filming of these movies also was very similar, but did contain some slight differences. Both contain little exposition, which causes some confusion, especially in Mockingjay. The action scenes of both films are comparable, but the special effects in Mockingjay were much more intense and extraordinary. Whether it is the characters themselves or the people who played them or even the writing, in my opinion, the cast of Mockingjay, especially Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), put much more emotion and feeling into their characters than in Divergent.

Overall, I enjoyed both movies thoroughly, but liked Mockingjay more. I may be somewhat partial, having followed The Hunger Games story from the beginning, including reading all the books, but I thought there was more action and more moments that had me on the edge of my seat. I always know a good action movie is one that makes me jump from something unexpected happening, and Mockingjay did just that.

Buckets and Buckets- Caroline Totty

High School- Get into the college of my choice. One of the main reasons for high school is to work hard to get accepted into a University you would like to attend so I feel like getting into that college of choice would be on most people's bucket lists. It is definitely my number one thing because I feel like for high school I didn't have all that much of a choice of where to go, but for college if I have a good resume and transcript so many doors are opened up. College determines so many things such as where you will potentially live and work when you get out of college, who your friends will be, your favorite sports team, etc. I know I will be happy where ever i end up but getting into the college of my choice would be the best feeling.

College- By the end of college I would like to know where I am heading with my life. My worst nightmare would be to get out of college and have no idea where to go from there. I would like to have an internship or something of the sorts set up for after college before I graduate.

Life- The number one thing on my bucket list before I finish living is probably to travel the world. Yes, that is cliche but who doesn't want to see the world? We live on this huge planet with so many different cultures and historic ruins it would be a shame to not travel and miss out on seeing all of that. It would also be nice to be married and have a family to travel with and that's probably tied for first place on my lifelong bucket list.

Buckets and Buckets- Kaitlyn Nunnelley

Before I finish high school the number one thing on my bucket list would have to be finish the rest of my semesters with all A's. I haven't gotten all A's since I've been in high school and I have a better chance at doing what I want to do with my life the better my grades are. 

Before I finish college I want to be set in what I want to do. At this point I want to be an OB-GYN but who knows if I have the talent to do that kind of job. I'd like to be prepared enough to get into medical school and be able to finish it.

Before I die all I can ask for would be to be successful (and wealthy), have a healthy, happy, and beautiful family, and to be surrounded by love. Before I die I'd want my family to be happy and well off. I mean what more can you ask for?

Horray for Hollywood-Noah Welch

WARNING THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE MOST RECENT HOBBIT MOVIE

The two movies I will compare are The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (TBFA) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of The King (RTK).  Now a full disclaimer before I start the comparison, both these movies are fantastic and I enjoyed them immensely. Both movies had excellent battle scenes with armies so real you could almost believe that each person was real. However one thing I loved about RTK was the exposition.  I liked the backtracking that helped ease the audience into the story as opposed to the horrible opening of TBFA.  In TBFA I was disappointed that Smaug was so easily dispatched. It felt cheap and lame. In both movies the wonderful savior eagles could have solved most problems.     I also think that the characters were better developed in RTK. I cared more for Legolas and Gimli than the unwashed horde of dwarfs that were in TBFA. I also thought that the villains in TBFA were not as well developed as in RTK; I honestly couldn’t tell which orc Legolas was fighting on the collapsed tower in the TBFA. In my opinion there was much better drama and tension in RTK, I worried more for the characters I knew would survive(in RTK) than the ones that would die (in TBFA).  In both movies there were some great and hilarious characters. My favorite side character had to be Dain in TBFA; he was a great character even though he had few lines of dialogue. Both movies also had spectacular moments from the elf lord in TBFA slicing off the heads of orcs, while riding his moose, or Legolas in RTK slaying an Oliphant and his crew.  In conclusion both movies were fantastic, but I enjoyed The Return of the King more because of its more complete story, more identifiable characters and the fact that it was based on one book instead of 1/3 of a book.

WARNING THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE MOST RECENT HOBBIT MOVIE

Hooray For Hollywood - Kate Sommer

Review on Into The Woods posted on Rotten Tomatoes

Being a Disney/fairy tale fanatic I was immediately interested in seeing this movie. I however didn't know, at first, that it was based on a Broadway musical,but I was soon filled in by my friends.All of the music in the movie was great and the cast performed it flawlessly. I really enjoy musicals because the music gives you something extra to enjoy than just the acting or production of the film. I really enjoyed the twisting together of the classic fairy tales and it reminded me of a play i did in elementary school. The casting was brilliant and I enjoyed seeing people I knew from other movies and tv shows in these classic roles. I especially enjoyed Johnny Depp as the wolf because he plays creepy characters so well. I also really enjoyed the fact that they made Chris Pine look slightly creepy as well as trying to make him seem as charming as possible. It really brought out the thought that maybe he wasn't as good a guy as stories have you believe. Overall the movie was great and I would recommend it to anyone, especially fans of Disney, Fairy Tales, or Musicals.

Hooray for Hollywood - Anthony Tamasi

I watched two comedies, both written, at least in part, by Seth Rogen. The first of these movies, Superbad, was about two outcast high school guys who get an invite to a party, and have a goal to 1. lose their virginity and 2. Acquire alcohol for the party.

The second movie, The Interview, was about two guys who are a part of a TV show that reports "news". News like TMZ, not "actual news" as another man in the movie points out to them. They somehow get an interview with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and help the CIA in killing Kim. 

There are similarities between these two movies in that in both, the main characters are a little odd, and deemed lesser than their peers. In The Interview, the characters are told that they do not report real news; In Superbad, the main characters are portrayed as weird and outcasts through their actions, how they act around others, and how their peers treat them (not very nicely). 

Both movies were very funny, but it shows how comedies seem to follow an equation these days, and I think that's a shame. I do however still appreciate the comedy, and love the laugh they give you. 

Will Mathews- Buckets for buckets

Before I finish High School-

 Before I graduate I would like achieve one semester with all A’s. This is something my parents have always expected since my sister had a 4.0, but it is something I have never achieved due to lack of effort and the more rigorous courses I took. It will probably have to be next year since I am unsure whether I can get an A in AP physics.

Before I finish college-

I would like to simply know what I want to do with my life. As of right now I have some basic ideas, but nothing that I can say “yes this is what I want to do with the rest of my life.” So hopefully college will help me decided what I want to do.

Before I die-

Well I would hope that before I die I would see my grandkids at least graduate college if not watch them get married, so I guess one goal is get married and have kids. I have a few other fun type goals, I would like to go to every baseball stadium in the country and watch a game. As well as backpack my way through Europe or at least a lot of the western America because hiking is one of my favorite things to do.

Anne Russell-Hooray for Hollywood

I'm having trouble figuring out what link to put from my Rotten Tomatoes review so I'll just copy and paste my review here.

(Into the Woods) I actually had not heard of this production before I went to go see it and was surprised to find out that it was a highly acclaimed Broadway musical. I didn't even know it was a musical until right before I went to see it! While it is over two hours, it doesn't ever drag because new characters, stories, twists, and plot points are constantly being introduced. Since I had never seen it before, I was fascinated by the interweaving of many well known fairy tales, watching all the different worlds collide. Despite the common knowledge of the plots of these fairy tales, I was on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. The casting was flawless. Acting and singing both were spot on. Either they used autotune or just picked some dang good singers because I never heard a foul note, which is very impressive considering the intricate and unique melodies. The ending (no spoilers) was quite a surprise, though. I didn’t feel entirely satisfied by the unexpected turn of events, but at the same time I don’t believe I would have felt satisfied with the happily ever afters of the original tales after they had all impacted each other. Either way, it is a very creative tale with beautiful music to aid in the telling and I definitely recommend it!

Buckets and Buckets - Anthony Tamasi

High School-

The number one item on my high school bucket list is to reach 14 feet in pole vault. I just started pole vaulting last year, but it is something I really enjoy doing. I have committed a lot of time and energy to pole vault, and I hope that before these next two years are over, I can add a few more feet on to my PR. I did not like it at first but it is something I have grown to enjoy, and being the competitive person I am, I want to do the best that I can.

 

College-

The number one item on my bucket list for college is to try out fraternity life on campus. I have not participated much in social events during high school, and instead dedicated most of my time to school and sports. I want to be more social in college, through being in a frat. Even if just for a little while.

Life-

The number one item on my bucket list for the rest of my life is to travel. I do not want to live the rest of my life, only seeing Lexington, and some other parts of the United States. I want to go out in the world, and experience the vast array of cultures and their traditions. I believe that it would be a great learning experience.

   

Buckets and buckets- Mckenna Elliott

Before I finish high school: 

1. Read 50 books

This is the most important one on this list because I have so much to learn, and I'm only a junior so I have so much time to enrich my mind to the fullest with information. I have a newfound interest in books because they give me feelings that the real world cannot and help me discover new things about myself. When I read, it seems as though I have no stresses or worries or cares in the world. Due to the fact that I have been, and will be, reading many types and genres of books, they will teach me how to deal with many situations in the real world. It is one of my coping techniques. Therefore, reading 50 books before next May when I graduate will be beneficial to my mind, body, and soul. 

2. Visit nursing homes and learn about ailments 

3. Do hot yoga

4. Go to a Buddhist or Jewish church or ceremony to learn about the religion firsthand

5. Meditate

6. Get in touch with my soul

7. Go camping at the Gorge

8. Road trip with my friends 

9. Do something nice for someone I don't know 

10. Clear 9'0" in pole vault

Before I finish college: 

1. Figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life!!!!!!!!

This is the priority of this list because every day I get stressed out because within the next 2-3 years, I need to know what I want to do for the rest of my life. This scares me because I am only 16 and I am being faced with decisions that could affect the course of the rest of my life. I want to be able to painlessly choose my profession, and I hope that once the time comes, I won't have to choose, but I will just know what I want to do.  

2. Test out sorority life (even if it were just for a little while)

3. Discover all genres of books and read them so that maybe I will be able to find who I am in college

Life bucket list:

1. Visit at least 10 famous historic sites around the world.

This is the most important thing on my life bucket list because I love learning about 20th century American history, as well as world history at that time. By the time I am old enough and have enough funds to do this, there will be even more historic sites around the world to be visited. It would be awesome if I were able to do this because I would be able to travel and see the world, as well as enrichm my mind. 

2. Figure out a way to repay my parents for all they've done

3. Live in Florida 

4. Go on a cruise around the world

5. Visit every European country

Hooray for Hollywood- Mckenna Elliott

I watched two romance movies, both books by Nicholas Sparks that were turned into movies. The first one, "The Notebook", was the story of an old couple and how they met and fell in love. The movie is narrated by the man because now that they are old and grey, his lover has Alzheimer's and cannot remember so he is, so he reads her the story to help her remember them together. 

The second movie I watched was "The Vow", the story of a young couple who fall in love and are engaged, until one day they get in a horrible car crash and the girl can't remember who the guy was, but can only remember her previous fiancé before him. 

There were many similarities in these two stories, and the common pattern that they followed seemed to be the story of young love that is interrupted by one life-changing event. Both movies depicted both the hardships and the euphorias experience by a young couple who are madly in love. Yes, these movies were intriguing and engaging, but they were way too similar and I wish that not all love stories in movies were the same. 

Assignment 18: Buckets and Buckets

Welcome to your first blog prompt for 2015! 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 Axel Liimatta - former academy teacher - my friend and former colleague that inspires me to live every day more fully)

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, January 18th  at 11:59 pm