Trout, Hannah: Bucket List

Life certainly finds a way of tricking those with whom it is bestowed. When existence seems to consist of nothing but an endless cycle of the mundane and the meaningless, most people tend to forget that they possess the power to turn it into something extraordinary.   

On the day I draw my final breath, I want to know that no matter how imperfectly I lived; I lived to the fullest. I believe the completion of the five items on my bucket list would allow me to leave this world knowing I did just that. 

The top priority on my bucket list is to see my favorite band perform live. From the moment I heard the album Out of Time, R.E.M. enchanted me. They described perfectly in words I could never find my southern and solitary teenage years. To this day, I consider their music one of my closest friends. R.E.M. is the one group I would pay ridiculous amounts of money to hear in person. 

Before I die, I also want a chance to visit Italy. I imagine that Italy is nothing but museums full of priceless art, the kind of scenery found in storybooks, and food that puts Olive Garden’s to shame. Although I doubt my visit will actually live up to these expectations, I still want to see Italy for myself. 

The next item on my bucket list is to master my skill on the guitar. One Christmas, my parents surprised me with a gorgeous black acoustic guitar. I was thrilled for all of five minutes until I realized I had not a clue of what to do with it. Eventually I tried my hand at a few simple chords, and I fell in love. I hope one day my talent will blossom beyond that, and I can play for the enjoyment of my family and friends. I do not consider myself a devout person, but if I were to select any text to follow religiously, I would choose 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Listening to every album included is by far the most daunting task on my bucket list, but for comprehensive knowledge of all the classics, it is a fair price to pay. 

Finally, I would like to write my own screenplay at some point in my life. So often in everyday conversation do I find myself thinking, This would make a perfect scene in a movie. I would love to apply some of my own experiences to write something that is meaningful to me, even if it is never published.  Although my life is probably far from over, I hope to begin these goals soon.  After all, there is no better time than now to start living.