Before I'm 31

First off, I want to wish a VERY happy birthday to my amazing girlfriend. Hard to say whether or not I would've started this blog without her, but she has certainly helped me come up with the ideas for quite a few goals. Though we are half way across the country from each other there are very few people who have such an outstanding influence on my life, obviously for the better. So if you haven't, please make sure to wish her a happy birthday, and tell her she's old.

This goal came about yesterday while I was researching flights and traveling in general.

Take a standby flight.

The idea of a stand-by flight is really interesting to me. I know a few guys who did this while I was in Prague, but never knew very much about it at the time. One of my roommates had friends come to visit and they got their tickets through standby, and at the time I just knew they got really cheap tickets, I had no idea how. But after doing some research I think it's a fascinating idea.

Most flights have open seats and most flights are very expensive. But both the airline and the consumer (the person who wants a ticket) "win" by selling an unsold ticket on a flight at a discounted rate. This is basically what a standby ticket its; a person literally "stands-by" a gate until a flight shows up heading to their desired destination that isn't full.

I love airports and I love cheap flights, so this seems like an ideal combination for me. All I do is wait around an airport a flight to be departing with open seats on it, and then jump on that flight for really cheap!

Everyone wins! I get to travel, and not empty my bank account!

Thanks for reading, have a nice night, and I hope you like the new format! I'm so-so on it, so we'll see how long it lasts...

Own a camera I'm proud of.

I've had quite a few cameras over the years and don't get me wrong, I have loved them all.

But I've decided that I want a camera that truly captures the images I see before I embark on my next international excursion.

The problem with this goal is that I tend to go through cameras with breathtaking speed. Whether it is breaking a lens, destroying a battery, or losing the camera all together (though I still contend it was stolen...), I have terrible luck with cameras.

But I'm making a promise to myself, and to anyone else who contributes to my "new and amazing camera fund", that I will not make the same mistakes I've made in the past with this new camera.

While I am content with little Sony 10.1 megapixel I bought while in Prague (after my Kodak went missing/ may have been stolen) I know I need higher quality camera in order to truly capture whatever amazing sights I see on my next adventure.

Until then I'll keep replacing the AA batteries in my Sony, and relying on my "artsy shots" and "cool candids" in order to capture my travels.

But expect this goal to be crossed off my list before I board my next international flight.

Thanks for taking the time to read this entry. It's been a long day of English assignments and reading over job applications, so I hope this entry made some sense. While I can admit it wasn't as eloquently worded as I had hoped, I'm sure you'll still find the meaning behind this entry. Hopefully you can ignore my poor diction for the time being.

Again, sorry for the lack of updates over the weekend, and I can't wait to share more goals with you over the course of this week.

Have an awesome day!

So I don't allow myself to use Stumbleupon.com, simply because I waste far too much time as it is on the internet as it is. The last thing I need to do is use a website to track my interests and send me to sites I probably will like, thus wasting hours more of my life. But obviously I've found alternate ways to waste time while on the internet, and one of my recent favorites has become the "next blog" link at the top of every blogger.com page. If you look at the top center of my page I assume it'll be there for you too. It just says "next blog" and once you click it the system randomly sends you to another blog. I have no idea where it comes up with what blog is "next", but I have found it ridiculously addicting.

While cruising the "next blog" tab this morning I came upon this link.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtb_antz/4489348528/

Because of privacy rights I can't attach the picture to this post, but I promise it's not a virus.

I loved this picture, and after looking at it for a minute my next goal became glaringly obvious.

Stand on the equator.

I'll admit, this goal is just another excuse for me to travel. But if you know me then you know I have no shame in creating these types of goals.

Hope your day is going well! I'll be putting up my goal for today, February 27th, in a matter of minutes.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Again, I'm sorry. I use this blog as an escape from applying to jobs and/or doing work, so when the weekend rolls around and school and job applications are put on the back burner this blog seems become a casualty of the same fate. Again, for anyone who checked this page between Friday and now, I'm sorry.

Take a motorcycle trip of 500+ miles.

I've never ridden on a motorcycle. But from what I've read and heard it is supposed to be an amazing escape and very relaxing. That sounds pretty nice right now, so I figured I'd add this goal to my list.

Who knows, maybe I'll accomplish this goal in my near future!

Thanks for reading, and 2 more goals coming today.

Plant a tree.

Lots of trees get cut down every day, so I figure I should plant one and help the planet a little bit. I got this goal from a good friend I was fortunate enough to catch up with earlier today and immediately loved the idea.

While I planned to save this goal for a day where I had no goals in mind, today is one of those days...

I'm 15 minutes late on putting this goal up, but better late than never!

No real story behind this one, just something I'd like to do. Seems like a nice thing to do, and I love nice stuff.

See you tomorrow and thanks for reading.

Follow a musical act to three different venues.

Basically be a groupie for three concerts in a row.

Always wondered what it'd be like to be on tour, so I guess this could be a good start! I've also wondered if  bands play similar or even the same sets from night to night. I've seen a few acts more than once and know they play different music over the course of six months, but I wonder if some groups play concerts one night and don't the next.

Anyway, not much to this goal to be honest, just kind of a cool idea that popped into my head while sitting on the couch with one of my roommates listening to music.

See you tomorrow.

Ok so if you read my goal from 2/19/2011 then this goal probably doesn't make very much sense. But then again, jumping out of an airplane or off a 16th story platform doesn't make very much sense if you have a terrible fear of falling either, but I've done both of those (re-reading this I realized neither one of those makes very much sense even if you don't have a fear of falling, but you get the idea).

Take a ride in a helicopter.

Preferably this goal would be accomplished looking over something really awesome. Maybe the Grand Canyon, or some beautiful waterfall in Central or South America, ideally I would be able to see something I never would've seen without being in that amazing vantage point.

Yes I can admit I will be a nervous wreck for a majority of the helicopter ride, probably imagining the propellers cutting and me falling to my tragic death and destroying some stunning waterfall in South America. Not only perishing in a freak accident, but also ruining a natural wonder of the world,  really horrific way to go. But after after safely landing I'm sure it'll be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, so I feel an obligation to add this idea to my list to ensure I face my fear yet again.

Maybe I should accomplish 2/19 before I attempt this goal, that would probably be the smartest way to go about it. But no promises, I'll accomplish goals as the opportunities present themselves!

Have a great day.

First of all, happy birthday to my sister Chloe. I have THE MOST amazing sister in the world and I couldn't be a luckier brother. I feel fortunate to have her not only as my sister, but also as a close friend. Side-note, she's the girl in my profile picture on facebook who makes me look half decent, just in case you'd never met her before. Happy 20th Chloe, can't wait to come home and celebrate it with you soon.

In honor of my favorite sister's b-day I'll keep the family theme.

To be an extra in a movie.

Not a "save the world" goal here, I know, but something I still really want to do.

My dad was in a movie, just in case you didn't know. If you haven't seen it I'd be happy to show you sometime. The VHS box proudly hangs on my wall, and if you look hard enough you can absolutely find it. While he was snubbed for an Oscar that year I still think it is one of, if not THE greatest supporting role ever in a movie, and I think anyone who's seen it would agree.

So to be in a movie is simply carrying on family tradition. It would be disrespectful not to!

No idea what movie, or when I'll get around to this goal. But I will defiantly let you know when I finally accomplish it.

Hopefully we can rent out a theater and have a whole screening party. I want a red carpet and the E! channel to be there, nothing less.

Thanks for reading, glad to be back on schedule, and expect another post in the next 16 hours.

QUICK NOTE: There are now "Like", "don't like" and "I'll put that on my list" (or something like that...) options down at the bottom of each response. They are completely anonymous, so if you don't like a goal feel free to let me know! But I would love to get some feedback and see which goals people like the most or weren't a big fan of. So please take a second after you read to click a box if you'd be so kind. Thanks and sorry for being days behind, again, catching up within the next 24 hours.






I live my life by many mottos, but when that I always keep in the forefront of my mind and commonly preach to others is "no regrets".

It's simple, yet extremely important in my opinion.

Everyone makes mistakes, and to learn from your mistakes is an admirable quality; but to dwell on your mistakes can be one of the biggest hindrances to progress anyone can make in their life. In order to move forward, to truly learn from your mistakes and alter your life so you do not make those same blunders is crucial in order to efficiently use your time, in my opinion. And time flies by, trust me, I realized it one day and the next day I started this blog.

With that tangent aside, I realize an enormous mistake I made in my past and absolutely learned from it. The lesson I learned from it is why I created this goal.

Help with Natural Disaster Relief Efforts


After Hurricane Katrina a culturally vibrant city had been nearly drown. I had seen pictures of Bourbon Street, and dreamt going to an amazing atmosphere like Mardi Gras, where people flooded the streets enjoying a celebration. I imagined a city where jazz filled the streets, and amazing southern cooking was on the menu at every restaurant. But in 2005 I sat and watched the news with my parents as a city I dreamt of visiting became the epicenter of one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States.

New Orleans was needed help and fast. I'll never forget seeing the pictures of the Superdome filled with people in need of food and shelter as their homes were now impossible to get to under feet of water. I still can't help but become a bit agitated while reading George Bush's chapter on Katrina in Decision Points, his book about his time as President.

Those people needed help in order to survive. Other Americans needed help and I was no where to be found.

I'll be honest; I'm not brave enough to join the Armed Forces. I'm far too scared to fight for my country overseas. I know for a fact I don't have the courage to do so at this point in my life, and that is what makes me respect those in the Armed Forces as well as veterans for their amazing strength and courage.

But just because I'm too much of a wimp to fight in war does not mean I can't help my country.

I passed on helping Americans in a time of need, and that is not a mistake I plan to repeat in the future.

Before I'm 31 I will help those in need following a disaster. I hope I never achieve this goal only because there is never another disaster that effects the lives of so many in such a terrible way. But if another disaster does occur I can't wait for at least one of my readers to be headed there to help with me.

Thanks for reading.

Come back to an Arizona basketball game after I graduate.

As I sit on my couch with my roommates watching Arizona vs. Washington State I realized I'm really going to miss going to basketball games so often. I'm obviously also going to miss college, more than I even realize now.

So plain and simple, I have to come back to my alma mater after I graduate for a basketball game.

Sorry for the short entry but I have to get back to watching the game!

See you tomorrow.

Invest in the stock market.

This is something that defiantly intrigues me, but something I know absolutely nothing about. I get the general concept behind buying stock, but I have no idea what the price of a share is, how many shares to buy, how often to buy and sell, and where I could buy a cool suit so I could blend in with the guys who invest in stocks and then sit around in upscale "lounges" and talk about recent investments (hope that happens in real-life, not only in American Psycho).

So once I start making money I defiantly plan on setting some aside (no idea how much, again, I don't know what I'm doing quite yet), then calling a friend who is a finance major, or who interned for some investment firm in NYC and asking them how this all works.

After that I plan on making millions or possibly billions of dollars thanks to my investments and then buying an island. Houses are so 20th century, islands are the next generation; you heard it here first.

Ok, well I'll let you know when I buy my stocks and what in. That way my loyal followers can invest with me, we can all make millions, and our islands can be near each other. Wow, I can't wait.

Until then, thanks for reading and see you tomorrow.

Stay up for 72 straight hours.

The human mind is an amazing place. Just as quickly as you can become engrossed in your own mind, you can also become disoriented.

After failing to get to bed before midnight tonight I'm left with a conundrum I've faced countless times over the past 4 years; should I lay in bed with the lights off attempting to fall asleep so I can wake up at 5 am to study for my test at 8, or should I just stay up till 2 and sleep till 7 am?

Yes, I know, neither option is ideal. Sorry Mom, but every now and then these kinds of nights come around. I've tried my best to avoid them over the years, but a lack of preparation for a test combined with my anxiousness for the impending morning makes it impossible to relax, even at the point of exhaustion.

While laying in bed mentally drained but physically apprehensive, I began to wonder; how long could I stay up?

I love sleep, don't get me wrong. If you ask my roommates they'll tell you I'm the first in bed almost every single night. I do tend to get up early, but by 11 pm I'm defiantly excited to climb into bed and call it a night.

So as I laid in bed my mind began to wander.

I began to think of what could possibly be on my test in the morning. I then began to think of material for the stand-up routine (a previous goal). I then started to think about how long my computer had been on, and I was unable to recall the last time I had completely shut it down. This was about the point I caught myself and realized my thoughts were becoming a bit erratic. My mind was leading me to strange and obscure places that I'd rarely encountered, and I quickly noticed I was just wasting precious time. So instead of meandering through whatever course my mind decided to take me on next, I figured time would better be spent staring at Powerpoint slides until I bored myself to sleep.

And I ended up here.

I've never stayed up 2 nights in a row. I can't even recall the last time I've stayed up 40 hours. But I'm intrigued by the idea of 72 straight hours of no sleep. I don't know if it's physically possible (for me), but I'm certainly willing to try. And as I said to start this post, the human mind is a dense and fascinating place. Under the influence of a severe lack of sleep I can only imagine the journey my mind would take me on.

Just thinking about this has tired me out.

Hope you are all sleeping and read this at a decent hour, ideally when it is light outside and you don't have a test in 7 hours.

Thanks for reading, and sleep well whenever you do get your rest.

Head to the airport and take the next flight out of the country.

Visit Machu Picchu

Learn to write legibly with my left hand.

Read an entire book in one day.

So after talking about this page with a few people, most of which I trust a great deal, I've decided 2 things.

Ok, so I'm a bit tired tonight, so am going with a goal that doesn't require much of an explanation or back-story. If you know me, or have even read my previous goals (i.e. goal #1) you obviously saw this goal coming.

This goal kind of sounds like a good excuse to lay on the couch for countless hours, and it just may be. But regardless it is a goal I want to accomplish, so put your mockery aside.

No real story behind this one, just an obvious purpose.

Ok so for me this one was easy. This past weekend I went and saw stand-up comedy for the first time in a long time, and it made me realize how amazing being on stage in front of a live audience must be. After meeting the comics after the show I realized the transition they went through. From their normal, calm demeanor off the stage to their amazing, captivating presence on stage; their transition was extraordinary.

First, sorry for the inexcusable time away. I hope this won't happen again, because the whole point of this blog was to keep up with it and make sure I make goals everyday. But in my defense I did think of a goal each day, I just never found the time to sit down and put in the time to write an entry. While the goals are ultimately the most important part of this blog, I do like to rationalize why I've created a goal, both to myself and to whoever decides to read my tangents.

Go back to Prague.

Interview both my Grandmothers about their life stories.

Make a documentary.

There have been tons of intriguing ideas that flew through my head as today progressed, but most came and went. Nothing seemed to have the allure that entices me to add it to this list, something I feel I NEED to do before my 31st year arrives.