50 Thing I want to accomplish

1. visit 100 countries
2. sail the Mediterranean
3. live in Indonesia
4. bike coast to coast
5. do a walk-about across Australia
6. plan a wedding
7. grow a garden with over 25 variety of plant
8. own a sailboat
9. play in the waves of the Indian ocean
10. teach for a year
11. do a triathlon
12. run through big bend
13. hear my own child laugh
14. be on a grass roots campaign in Washington DC
15. visit each US State capital
16. play the piano
17. make a quilt (or at least finish the one I’ve started)
18. change some aspect of the internet
19. be in a Broadway play
20. meet the most important leaders
21. meet Eminem's daughter
22. Learn to love salad
23. Eat the best chocolate and drink the best wine in the world
24. play tag with Michael Phelps
25. paint a painting to hang in my living room
26. run a 7-minute mile
27. work for Weiden + Kennedy
28. Work in a coffee shop
29. Watch the imploding of Texas Stadium
30. play softball every summer
31. feel the sand in my toes
32. help discover a cure for breast cancer
33. read the top 100 classic novels
34. create ads for top brands like Nike, Coke, etc
35. play rugby
36. buy a pair of TOMS
37. learn money management
38. pay off debts
39. have intellectual conversations with my parents
40. meet the man of my dreams
41. raise a puppy
42. impact someone each day
43. learn about religion
44. attend Christmas service in the Vatican
45. go skiing in Chile
46. learn to fly a plane and drive stick shift
47. buy a mac book pro
48. not be so OCD- let the small things go
49. know I am always loved
50. ALWAYS BE ME!

Last Lecture

I recently read the Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. I found it to be very touching and thought provoking. I had heard the background story on the book, so I went into to it expecting to cry and feel down for a few days after reading it, but it actually made me smile, made, me think, made me feel joy, and it did bring a few tears to my eyes. If I were in Randy's shoes I have no idea how I would handle myself- I feel as though it definitely would not have been with the grace he did. If I had to give my last lecture/ talk with one last person I do not know how I would feel, much less what I would say. I often think about things like this and stories such as Randy's do hold a special place in my life. When I was three, my mom was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and the doctors did not give her a good/ positive diagnosis. Stories like Randy's make me think what it would be like to have lived 19 years without my mother. Although, I can't dwell on the past or dramatize events so long later, it is a sort of wake-up call to remind me how different my life could have been.

The Flow Rider

Today my group and I worked on our third project together and it was actually a very rewarding experience. We choose to do "Flow" and demonstrate a swimmer going through a moment of "Flow". I did not know any of the three other group members in my group, but we all were able to work together so well, to produce what I think is a really great product. I usually hate group work this time of the year because schedules are crazy and it is so hard to coordinate times to meet, so going in the group meeting I did not have the most positive attitude. The outcome of the experience was really great though. I think for the first time in a while, a group I was in actually listened to one another and played off of each others ideas. We each took things we were good at and expanded on them. We worked for about four hours, but got the entire thing done. Not only does it feel good to have something out of the way and as if I accomplished something, I did not leave the experience wishing I had not wasted hours of my life. I am excited to see how we are evaluated and what the reaction to our machine is.

Summer Plans

What are your summer plans? Oh, where are you going this summer? Will you be in Dallas this summer? So, yes, it's time for the typical end of the spring semester questions and this time I am totally prepared to blow peoples socks off!

I am going to take two classes during Summer One, work a ton to make lots of money, work-out extra hard to loose some weight...and go to AUSTRALIA!! Yea, that's right, one continent not many Americans frequent. I am totally stoked about the trip and wish I could leave tomorrow (especially since I have a test tomorrow I have yet to study for! ha). I will be there for two weeks so I plan to do a lot of beach sitting while reading a few good novels and take some amazing pictures. I know that the experience will be awesome and I am thrilled to be going.

It's things like this that I enjoy most about life and living...getting out an exploring, seeing the world, and being somewhere different in a different routine for a while. Traveling truly does open the mind to new ideas and allows more knowledge to be stored for later on in life. Too bad there are very few professionally traveling jobs in the world today...

Tattoos

Are they artwork? Are they pure insanity? Are they just "for fun." What constitutes a creative tattoo versus a just plain weird one? When I was 18 I got a tattoo and definitely do not regret it and I would not regret ever getting a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th like many people I know. I have recently seen a lot of signs across the metroplex for ink removal shops and the services they can offer...to this I wonder, "Really, is it that bad?" To me it seems as if one spent the time, money, and energy so many years earlier in getting "inked-up" that the tattoo would provide lasting memories. If the memories are bad, then why erase them? They made you stronger, they made you who you are today, and they can only prevent you from doing something irrational in the future, right?

Now I am not saying for everyone to go get all "tatted-up," but it is a fun experience as a whole, especially if your not one to often be found among the crowds that frequent tattoo parlors.

Sharpie Fun

On Thursday during class, Dr. Griffin said that the best thing to do for "Concepting" is to get a pack of Sharpie markers and go...since I really want to be part of the Method Creative, but am having somewhat of trouble coming up with am idea that i truly feel is profound, I went out Friday and did just that...I bought 2 24-packs of Sharpie markers- both fine and ultra fine point. With one of the packs of markers came a plain bag that you could "decorate" using your newly purchased markers. Because last week was so draining both emotionally and physically, I spent about two hour on Friday afternoon sitting in front of the television watching all my recorded shows that I have missed and just doodling on the bag...nothing fancy or artistic...just doodles that meant nothing. I don't even intend on using the bag other than maybe for groceries, but I would have to say that it didn't turn out too bad. It was very nice and relaxing to do nothing, but still use my hands to create something that didn't count for anythings. I really wish in my schedule I had more time to do stuff like this...just the mind numbing stuff that no one grades or judges, the little task that make you smile and are done for no reason at all other than "because"...

Tweet Tweet. Twitter

Twitter anyone? So, I gave in and got a Twitter...I know, I know just one more thing to clutter up my life and make me "waste" time...but I did it, and for once I actually am ahead of all my friends! None of them have a Twitter account yet....now you have to understand, I was the last to get myspace, the last to get facebook, the last to get skype, the last to close my myspace, the last to get a mac, etc. etc. when it comes to new technologies....The little bit that I have used Twitter I really like it. I think that although the best way to describe it is a "bunch of facebook statues," but I also think that it is more than that. I have connect to various news organizations and potential leads for internships and opportunities in my future. I find myself constantly looking at web-links that others put on their updates. Thus far, I have found Twitter to be a great source of new information varying from the old information that I am always feed. It is also interesting to look at the changing face of Twitter and see how it will shape the internet, social interactions, and media over the next few years. Although many say Twitter is just a trend, I definitely think that it is here to stay, or at least for a while...