Chase Your Bliss Into the Abyss and Enjoy the Journey…

With one week left of work to go and Kaitlyn soon to be on her way to Tampa to take The Florida Bar exam over two glorious days of awesomeness I’m sure, the hours are ticking away before we embark on our flight to Madrid. Many people have been wondering how it is we can afford such an endeavor. Our budget is upwards of $15k a piece, though we would obviously like to keep it as low as possible. In addition to my stupendously paltry salary at the FJA from 8-5 plus each day, I also filled my days moonlighting as a tutor for five area kids, Craigslisted my way into being the “Senior Editor” of a pretty cool novel entitled Mid Ocean by Todd Cimino (oddly enough, the brother of the guy who did the movies The Deer Hunter and Footloose), worked as a U.S. Census worker, and even dabbled into the fine arts, almost becoming the next Bozo the Clown, classically trained in the school of balloon sculpting (for hire upon returning to America, fyi!) However, the bulk of my funds will be coming from stocks I have from when my father died when I was two. Whatever inheritance I had was invested and grew to a decent sum of which I was always told would go towards a down payment on a house. Now being 27 and having a plethora of friends that have flipped the switch and become “adults” with their houses and kids on the way and careers and whatnot, many of them have conveniently pointed out how an extra $15k would be a mighty fine down payment. However, that time will come soon enough and I’ve actually kind of been looking forward to it, which is a strange concept for me since I still feel like I’m 12 and “adulthood” has always seemed so foreign. I guess I’m a-growing up…

On that same note, I’ve recently been on a quest to better understand and know who my father was, since I was so young when he died. From what I know, he seemed like the kind of guy that would completely support a trip like this and encourage us every step of the way. He was a stoic man, soft-spoken with a voracious appetite for knowledge. While in high school in 1958 he wrote:

How many people of this present day world filled with fads, two tone automobiles and brand names know the true meaning of non-conformity, and how many of these people of the Atomic Age know how to trust their own judgment of the radio or television announcer…However it is to be expected of people who were bottle-fed with a background of harsh or coaxing words urging them to fly from their homes instantly and buy this or that. This is a minor evil of the younger generation.

Where is the person who would trust himself? He is the black sheep of the family circle, an outcast, and why? Because he knows his own mind. The world offers no reward to he who trusts himself, his mind is his own reward. Is that not enough?

I freaked out when I read this for the first time because it sounded so much like something I would say.

I never knew my dad nor will I ever really know if he would approve or disapprove of this round-the-world jaunt. But what I do know is that he would want me to follow my heart, “trust myself” and not be afraid of putting $15k towards “non-conformity” rather than a mortgage payment and doing it all with the girl I love.

Anybody can take a trip like this. Money and time are purely subjective. If you want to this, you can. If you want to move to LA and try to become a movie star, you can. If you want to become a doctor or start a bakery or write the next great American novel, you can, and you should. It’s all about priorities and what you make important in your life. Don’t be afraid to “trust yourself,” as my dad would say, and follow your dreams. Chase Your Bliss Into the Abyss and Enjoy the Journey…

Snyder Climbs Into Our Journey!

I just talked to none other than Chris Snyder and he is going to accompany us along the journey from Cairo to Luxor and hike Mt. Kilimanjaro with us! For those of you unfamiliar with this person, Chris Snyder is my best friend in the world, my fellow Niceville High School and University of Florida graduate, and my roommate for most of the past 9 years. Before Kaitlyn came along, Snyder and I were dubbed "heterosexual life partners." Snyder actually got Kaitlyn's number before I did as a matter of fact.... Anyway, Snyder is Mr. Outdoorsman, a triathlete and all about nature. He will add a great deal to the trip and the climb and help to motivate us, push us along, and keep us safe while exploring Egypt and Tanzania. He just finished up his Masters program in sustainable energy from FSU and was recently studying abroad in Denmark. I haven't seen him since last year and look forward to our reunion halfway across the world!

(He doesn't have the moustache anymore...unfortunately.)

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