Thoughts From a Balcony

   This was a long course, and these are my final thoughts. My favourite assignment all year was definitely the Bucket List Project. I feel this way because it was the project where I had the most freedom and I could make the project fun. For every other project, I tried to make them fun as possible and it just was not possible. During this project, I made it as enjoyable as I could. On the flip side, my least favourite assignments were by far the reading and writing reflections weekly. They were long, repetitive and kind of pointless to do every single week. I mean, I am somebody who doesn't really read  but the people who are bookworms probably have a completely different opinion, but it's my final thoughts so the bookworms don't matter right now. Every Friday we read for the whole class. I feel as though I wasn't the most productive person in the class when it came to Fridays. I only read one book this whole year. I think that we could have used Fridays for something more productive. Such as assignments and continuing with the lesson. You can always read at home, but you can't really teach us anything when we aren't in class. We should make the most of it when we are in class instead of using it for just reading. Monday written reflections were absolutely brutal. I mean really, who wants to reflect on all of your assignments and reading EVERY SINGLE WEEK. This is just my opinion. As mentioned, they were long and repetitive. Falling behind in reflections is the worst. The WRN was a good idea. I am not a fan of taking notes, but the WRN actually helped me with assignments. It is as helpful as you make it. Although, the blog was a lot funner than the WRN. I love the idea that you let us add personal additions of anything we wanted. The more freedom the better! You could have made the blog as fun as you wanted, after all it's YOUR blog. Twitter was really fun. I loved tweeting. I like that you made twitter challenges every now and then so it would keep out Twitter accounts active. I usually tweet on a regular basis, on my non-school friendly account. Tweeting on my school-friendly account was different, and I thought it was be boring at first but it ended up being just as fun. The integration of technology in the course was a good investment. I don't know about everybody else, but I would rather type than write any day of the week! In my opinion, everything is funner on the computer. As a reader, I learned that I will never enjoy reading because there is ALWAYS something funner I can do that read. As a writer, I learned new writing techniques and that quantity doesn't always matter if you have great quality. Quality over Quantity. As a thinker, I realized that I have to start being more serious about everything because being silly isn't always the best option all the time. As a creator, nothing. I don't have much to say about Ms. McLauchlan's teaching, except that you should mark and give out progress reports earlier so that us students know how were doing in the class. In my case, you marked things in bulk instead of one at a time slowly. I thought I was doing pretty well in the class, then you gave us a progress report showing how we did, and boy was I wrong. I didn't realize that I should start working harder because I didn't know I wasn't doing too well, and then it was a little too late. Advice for CW students of the future, don't fall behind in the boring reflections. Secondly, the class is only as boring as you make it, so make the most fun you can out of it!

#3

3.) Reverse a call the referee has made.

If you've every played a sport, you would think the referees are your worst enemies at some point. You might have even argued the call they made. Arguing sort of gets your point across, but if you getting the called changed would really show them who's boss.

#2

2.) Hide under a bed at Sears, then throw a party when the mall closes.

Who doesn't love parties? I mean really, everybody loves parties. The thing with parties is it's always hard to find a place to have a party. You have to worry about parents, the size of the house, things getting broken, etc. The mall covers all of the worries and it would just overall be a great time.

What have I learned ?

Doing this project, I learned how much fun you can have with life. I mean, you only live once so why don't you make the most of it. Live it no regrets. At the same time, I learned that I can't screw around my whole life and need to start taking things seriously. But until that time, let me enjoy my immaturity.

Now What?

I didn't forget that thought I kept in my head while making this bucket list. I promise that I will cross of ten things of this bucket list no matter what it takes at the absolute minimum. That is why some of the things on my bucket list are very realistic, such as get a tattoo and drinking blue gatorade from a windex bottle. These things are a little less crazy than the others. There is no special way of getting these two things done, It's just upto me to go and do them. There are a couple things in my bucket list that really jump out at me. The two things I really want to focus on are win an amount of money in six figures and crash a prom in the states. The key to crossing these two things on my bucket list is to just have the right mindset. I have recently watched the Buried Life episode when they won $250 000 and made it seem pretty simple. The Buried Life is my motivation for all of these bucket list items. I am going to undergo this mission by continuously saving up atleast $2000 every summer and betting at the casino everytime I make $2000. Eventually, I plan on making this amount of money and build up o an amount in six figures. Secondy, I want attend a prom in the United States. My plan for completing this task is to simply find a few friends as crazy as I am and just doing it the Buried Life style. I mean hey, didn't the Buried Life start off as a bunch of crazy teenagers? They make sneaking into big events really easy. When (not if) I cross these things off my list, I will continue and strive to get the minimum of ten crossed off items on my bucket list, and won't give up.

Ever since I made this list, I have so far completed crossing off one item. Which was #12 hitting a game winning shot. It was during the graduating all-star game. It went into quadruple overtime and it was getting late so the officials decided to make a rule; next basket wins. With about 2 minutes left I dribbled the ball to the elbow of the key, pass faked to somebody and threw up some garbage jumpshot and it suprisinly went in! It may not be a big deal to you, but it is something on my bucket list! I think this is a great start to my quest in finishing atleast ten things. 1 down, 52 to go.

Animoto Video - Vince's Bucket List.

#25

53.) To continue The Buried Life when the four men are done.

Alright, ever since The Buried Life has been introduced to me they have been my idols. They're mindsets, goals, look on life, and interests are all similar to mine! There's nothing I want more than to be a part or continue the Buried Life when the four men are done.

#24

52.) Date Selena Gomez.

What can I say? The girl is gorgeous. She is also a part of the Disney Channel! I loved Disney when I was a kid and always will. Now that she's broken up with Justin Bieber, it's my time to shine.

#23

51.) Play Russell Westbrook 1 on 1.

Russell Westbrook is the point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the same position I play. Not many people are a fan of him because he doesn't really pass the ball or play his role. Although, I am a huge fan of his playing style. If I could play him one on one I could experience his playing style in real life!

#22

50.) Invest in gold.

Gold can make you a lot of easy money. Who doesn't want easy money? 

#21

49.) Sleep at the Playboy Mansion.

I saw the Buried Life sneak into the Playboy Mansion, the place looks ridiculous. I want to feel how they felt when they snuck into the mansion. 

#20

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43.) Get into a club with a fake ID.

Before I say anything, NO I have not been to the club with a fake ID... yet. Everybody says clubs are fun and all that, to get in a club with a fake ID would make my night so much more fun. The whole night I would have so much adrenaline.

#19

34.) To say, " Hi, I'm Vince and you're watching Disney" on the Disney Channel.

As mentioned, I love disney. When you're a kid, anybody who was on the Disney Channel other than evil villains was a childhood superhero. Maybe I could be remember as a childhood superhero to a kid someday.

#18

30.) Moonwalk at the Grammy's.

Again, I want to be on national television and be remembered for something. I want to be the guy that when people see me they would say, " That's the guy who moonwalked at the Grammy Awards! That guy's awesome!"

#17

20.) Start a herculean (large) snowball fight.

I kind of like seeing people suffer as cruel as that sounds. Not any severe sufferings, but small ones. Such as being frozen cold by getting nailed with a snowball! I think a huge snowball fight would be really fun. I also really like dodgeball, but this game would be so much more serious.

#16

19.) Ride a killer whale and not die.

I love animals, and I love swimming. You can always ride animals on land, but when can you ever ride an animal on and in the water? I think this would be really fun!

#15

17.) Win the Fear Factor.

Same as Glee. I like being on national television, but not a small part of a small show. I want to really be noticed. Winning the Fear Factor would get all eyes on me.

#14

16.) Sing on Glee!

I always wanted to be on national television. Not to be some guy walking around in the background of a scene, I want to be somebody who gets the spotlight. Singing on Glee would definitely get me the spotlight.

#13

15.) Get a tattoo.

I've always wanted a tattoo since I was about 14. Now that I am old enough to get one, I really don't want to be in that much pain for several hours. My goal is to man up and actually get this task completed.

#12

13.) Dunk.

I'm pretty short for a basketball player. To dunk in a basketball game would somewhat prove that height doesn't matter.

#11

12.) Hit a game winning shot.

I've actually finished this one ever since I made this bucket list. I am a huge fan of basketball and it really impacts my life. To hit a game winning shot would be really sweet and the feeling you get after winning your team the game is unreal!

#10

11.) Play a perfect game of bowling.

This basketball season we went to Regina, and Coach Tackie treated us to a game of bowling. My team lost but I had a lot of fun. Although, the winners seemed like they were having more fun. I really wanted to experience that.

#9

10.) Drink blue gatorade from a windex bottle in front of people.

I am sort of a jokester and like to pull pranks. This thought crossed my mind when I was a little kid. You know, when you pretend candy sticks are cigarettes and that tic-tacs were drugs.. Yeah, drinking blue gatorade from a  windex bottle falls under that category and I think it would be really fun.

#8

9.) Take a picture with One Direction.

Ever since about a couple months ago, One Direction has been my favourite band and I listen to them daily. Who wouldn't want a picture with your favourite band?

#7

8.) Sneak a criminal out of jail without being caught.

Everybody screws up once or twice. I'll find somebody in prison who seems like a nice person and seems to deserve another try at the real world. Everybody deserves a second chance.

#6

7.) To get " verified " on Twitter.

I tweet constantly, and I tweet so that people can see my tweets and even enjoy them. If I was verified I would have more followers and lets get real, the checkmark you get beside your name is awesome.

#5

6.) Sneak onto a random plane with my friends.

I like to do crazy things. What can I say? On top of that, being with your friends takes away some fear and adds a whole lot of fun.

#4

5.) Throw an overnight party at the school.

Same thing about the party at the mall. It would be a great time and it could also be a party to reminisce all your moments you had in high school!

#1

1.) Become a mascot in Disney World.

I would like to be a mascot in Disney World, even for at least one day. When I was young and when to Disney World at the age of one, I would always run to a mascot with a huge grin on my face a long with many other kids. I just want to experience what it would be like to be on the other side of that situation.

Author's Note

     I go by the name of Vincent Munoz, but most people call me Vince for short. I am a seventeen year old high school student who stands at a astonishing five feet and nine inches. Basketball is really plays a big role in my life, my family is the peanut butter to my jelly, I like to say I am a little out of the ordinary (Let's get real, we all are in a way) and I have no idea what my future has is store for me. I like to stick out, and sprint through the finish the line. I thought to myself, maybe making a bucket list can help me be a little different from anybody else." not just any bucket list with things that are very realistic and rather easily achievable. One that has the ability to blow ones mind after crossing one thing off. The Buried Life is my inspiration, motivation, and they are my idols. So I decided to make this bucket list! This bucket list couldn't consist of all very unrealistic goals that would be nearly impossible to complete, so I made sure I threw in some easier things I can achieve to keep my confidence up and strive for the nearly impossible ones, key word: nearly. As I was in the process of "bucket-ing" my list, I made a promise that I would do at least ten of these things at the least before I die. If I didn't make this promise, what was the point in writing down everything I wanted to do and not even try do cross some things off? If you want something, you got to go and get it yourself. This world isn't a charity.