Bucket List – Things to Do Before I Turn 21
- Visit Versailles
- Take a Photography Course
- Learn to Play the Guitar
- Publish Something (!)
- Host a Dinner Party – and Invite People (!)
- Have a Portrait Painted
- Learn a Foreign Language
- Be An Extra in a Film/Television Program
- Do My Own Laundry (!)
- Get a Move On With My Driving (!)
- Be a Zoo Keeper For A Day
- Be More Charitable
- Volunteer To Help
- Go Somewhere Unfamiliar
- Sing karaoke
- Go 24 Hours Without Technology
- Watch A Sunset
- Be Brave
Create a Dream Home – For When I Move Out (Goodness Knows How Long It’ll Be)- Plan An Awesome 21st Birthday Party (!)
“We all have mixed feelings about life but it is never too late to turn over a new leaf. Soon, you’ll start to see that each day is precious and living is something worth keeping for”.
June 2014
Sunday 1st June 2014
During May, I tried to concentrate on my bucket list. It sounds lame but I was bored and had nothing to do.
I manage to complete two tasks; one on the tenth – my dream home and the other on the eighteenth of May, which was to travel somewhere unfamiliar.
For my dream home, all I did was copy, paste and print pictures from the Internet. Then, I cut, and stuck them onto sheets of paper. I completed this task on Eurovision Night. The contest this year was in Copenhagen, Denmark. Our entry for the UK was Molly who sang “Children of the Universe”. She was really good. We didn’t win; the winner was Conchita Wurst from Austria. She sang “Rise of the Phoenix”. I think Austria deserved to win because their entry and the Netherlands’ entry, “Calm after the Storm” by the Common Linnets were amazing.
On the eighteenth, Mum and I went to Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire to attend a lecture about Henry VIII.
The talk was supposed to take place in the parish church. Mum and I were waiting outside in a small quite. But the lecturer was nowhere to be seen. Inside the church, it was very quiet. A few minutes later, a gentleman came in; he asked if we were here for the lecture.
“Yes”, we all replied.
The man apologised for the confusion; he said there had been a venue change. The lecture was now taking place at the Memorial Hall. We started walking out of the church and were taken up to the hall. We arrived in time to start. The hall was packed with people.
The lecture was interesting. Our lecturer, Doctor David Starkey shared new information he had found in historic archives and is going to put them in his new book.
Doctor Starkey also mentioned facts about Henry VIII; I remember two of them:
- Henry loved his first wife, Katharine of Aragon – he was the first King, since Edward IV to marry for love (although their marriage was arranged for political reasons). Henry VIII’s father, Henry VII tried to talk his son out of the marriage but Henry disobeyed his father and followed his heart.
- Anne Boleyn wasn’t very pretty but used her charms to be Henry’s queen. Poor Henry couldn’t bear to let go of Katharine.
Before the lecture, I heard opinions from people. However when I saw Doctor Starkey, he was a very nice person, with a wonderful sense of humour and is extremely clever. Seeing Doctor Starkey was a privilege.
I’m trying to be kind to myself, while making decisions. In this early stage, I’m starting to mature and I have Renée Zellweger to thank. Her appearance in “Bridget Jones’s Diary” has taught me to be happy with myself.
One of these women who I look up to is my cousin. Her name is A.
We try to spend time together; A and I go out on weekends and the holidays. These outings help me to socialise and gain my independence while having fun. Ann and I have been to splendid places.
On the fifth of May, we went to Bletchley Park. The grounds are like a university campus. It has a beautiful estate, luxurious gardens, a post office, World War Two bunkers and a cinema. I cannot find the words to describe Bletchley; I highly recommend visiting this place. It is amazing to see where the code breakers spent their days during the war.
A week later, we went to the Carters Steam Fair. I’ve never been to a Steam Fair before and I was very excited. My youngest cousin, J came with us.
Song #1: House of Fun by Madness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIacAO4Ttyk
This song reminds me of the time at the fair; I loved spending my time there because I had so many happy memories; I would love to there again.
First, the three of us went to the Fair Arcade and played machine games. Then, J had a go on the Coconut Shy before he and I went on the dodgems. J drove the car but he kept bashing into the other cars.
A and I went on the Chair-O-Plane, Jubilee Steam Gallopers, Sensational Octopus and Excelsior Steam Yachts. Some of the rides, especially the Octopus made me feel dizzy. While we were riding on the Octopus, we saw fireworks. There were so many colours, roundels, willows and round shells; it was impossible to miss.
Also, I tired Candy Floss for the first time. It was very nice but very sticky.
On the twenty-forth, A and I went to Peterborough for the day. In the morning, we visited the Cathedral and went on the Tower Guided Tours. We walked five levels of stairs and squeezed through narrow doors. The central tower (which is the main tower) was one hundred and forty three feet high. I was very nervous when I looked down, trying to view the Nave and the altar. My stomach was churning, my palms were sweating and my head was spinning. However, I managed to conquer my fear of heights. The highlight of the tour was the roof; we saw the town from a bird’s eye view and it was breath-taking.
Another memorable moment for me was Katharine of Aragon’s grave. Katharine is a special person at Peterborough Cathedral; she receives flowers, and dried pomegranates and ministers hold special masses in her honour every year.
When I looked at her grave, I realised how strong, brave, clever and independent Katharine was. Katharine was loved by the English people and had done marvellous things for them. She even founded a girl’s school in Oxford, King’s College.
After lunch, A, and I walked around the shopping centre and paid a visit to the Peterborough museum. Inside, there was an exhibition, celebrating the life and work of the poet John Clare. Then, we went upstairs to see more displays, including the Napoleonic Prison Camp and the Victorian Operating Theatre. The theatre was scary with white sheets; a bucket full of blood, tools and the operating table. I didn’t know what to make of it.
The next day, A, my aunt, my parents and I went to Ashridge Park to meet my older cousin, F and her parents. We went for a walk around the woodland, had a picnic and played ball games.
I also go out with my friends. One of them is a boy, called I who also has Autism and is three years older than me. Last time, we went to Convent Garden to visit the London Film Museum. In the museum, there was a special exhibition, called “Bond in Motion”; a collection of vehicles, used in the James Bond movies from Dr No to Skyfall. There so many cars, bikes and submarines to look at.
“It’s every boys dream”, I’s mum said; she’s right.
Along the way, we meet another friend, R. He is an artist and paints about how he sees Asperger’s Syndrome. I first saw R’s work last summer. At the time, I was working on a project for Drama school.
My peers and I were given choices to research categories, businesses or a people in the performing arts industry. I decided to work on Autistic individuals.
R was holding an exhibition in Rickmansworth. Mum and I went and were inspired by his work. I put him in my project and the rest is history.
Then, I meet R, face-to-face at the Autism Road Show a few months later; he was displaying his work and I had a look.
When we were at the museum, R said he was in London for the day. It was nice to see him again and managed to catch up while looking at the cars.
At Drama school, rehearsals for my end of year show have been intense. Nearly everyone in the class aren’t getting on, and getting into full arguments; some of them have been confusing individuals with completed stage directions. The stress is unbearable.
I try and I work hard but there are things I’m not good at. Accents are my biggest problem. In the show, I have to speak in a cockney accent. I can listen to audio tracks online and repeat them around the house. When I perform on stage, it’s a catastrophe! My voice changes and I lose focus.
One of my friends who has epilepsy, has offered to help me. Every lunch time, he helps me with my lines on the school balcony and gives me tips about what I should before the show. He is an inspirational person, a great friend and teacher who would happily give advice to anyone he meets. My friends and I really like him.
I’ve had positive moments too. In a couple of rehearsals, I’ve been learning to trust myself and my peers in class work. However, I need to push myself to the next level otherwise I would go back to square one.
Song #2: Try by Simple Plan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPDmpdT_lxY
This song explains my effort and aim to get my acting skills right for my end of year production; every time I listen, I think of my past before my time at Drama school and the times my friends, and I were up on the balcony, rehearsing my lines and the effort it took for him to make me believe in myself (to which I am very grateful). This has made our friendship stronger since then and looking back on this time, making me smile.
I’m also trying to relax and make business-like conversations (if I get angry), to be a fair team player and be kind to myself. It’s hard but I’m doing everything I can. I need to face my problems; I will not fall. I will stand tall!
actingmylife 