I have been working like crazy lately, but I only had a six hour shift today so I thought I'd clue you all in on some good news! But first, let's just lay down some obvious facts.
1. I am travel-deprived. Before Florida, I never had left the Northwest/Midwest.
2. I am impulsive. Skydiving, bridge jumping, the whole nine yards.
3. I am getting a steady flow of paychecks. Having a job tends to do that.
So put it all together, and what do you get?!
You get me randomly buying a plane ticket for November to go to NEW YORK!!!! You have absolutely no idea how excited I am. Of anywhere in the country, NYC is the place I've always wanted to visit the most! I love big cities, and I just feel like I'm going to love it there! My roommate here at the DCP is from New Jersey and lives only about an hour away from the city, so we're going to stay at her house for the five days that we are there. In addition to NYC, we're going to be exploring Philadelphia and parts of New Jersey. And you better bet I'll be lugging along my camera to document the whole thing!
That's what I love about experiences like college, study abroad, or internships. You meet so many people from all over the world, which gives you the chance to learn more about those places, or go experience them for yourself! In two months, New York. Next year? Who knows! Right now, I'm just going with the flow and taking advantage of every opportunity life throws my way!
Update:
Read about my experience in New York City HERE!
Welcome back to Thoughtful Thursday here on All Roads Lead To Nowhere! Let's talk about money, shall we? For our entire lives, this is the reason we slave away for eight hours a day. But it doesn't start here, it starts way back when we were kids. Time and time again, it was drilled into our heads that we need to get a good education, so that we can get a good job, so that we could make good money, so that we can live a good life. But as we all know, that money goes to pay off college debts, credit card bills, rent, gas, and much more. It isn't until we are old and retired that we have the time and money to do anything. But are you really going to live out your dreams - travel the world, skydive, swim with dolphins - when you're 80 years old? Stay with me, there is a point to all of this.
This post is absolutely contrary to the mantra that has been instilled in my mind since birth - save every penny, save every penny! But you know what I think? You can spend a bit here and there if it makes you happy! No, this doesn't mean go spend all your money on clothes, alcohol, and video games. Spend it on something that will broaden your horizons - see the world, try new things! I had to remember that when I went skydiving, or when I moved across the country to Walt Disney World. It was worth it because of the experience I was gaining! So go out there, spend a little cash (please, don't get yourself into debt) and do something you've never done before!
I had actually begun planning this before I created my bucket list, and it wasn't until yesterday that I finally completed this task. I teamed up with my good friends Jordan and Mollie to produce a mash up of Fix You by Coldplay and Beautiful by Christina Aguilera. It took a couple weeks for me to complete an arrangement, then a couple more weeks as Jordan and I figured out instrumentation and harmonies. We began by recording the instruments first, then I had to edit all of it. When this was done, we were able to record vocals, then I headed to my computer to edit some more.
On top of this, we decided to make a video to post on YouTube, which you can view HERE, or at the end of this post. In the beginning of this video, I explain our inspiration for doing this project, as well as our objectives. In a nutshell, Faith, Jordan's little sister, has a rare childhood autoinflammatory disease (CAID) called Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis (CRMO), in addition to Juvenile Arthritis. She has had two collapsed vertebras and multiple lesions in her fibula, tibias, sacrum, and femurs. She has also gone through surgeries and radiation treatment. Yet despite all of this, she does not let her disease define her. She always displays a positive, optimistic countenance and is an inspiration to me.
Stop CAID Now is an organization founded by Lisa Moreno-Dickinson, a mother of two boys that suffer just like Faith. CAID is a general classification for 29 different, very rare childhood autoinflammatory diseases. To learn more about Stop CAID Now, visit the corresponding tab at the top of this page, or click HERE.
To help support this cause, purchase our cover song on Bandcamp.com HERE. All proceeds will benefit Stop CAID Now. Thank you!
They say it's the happiest place on earth, but I used to only imagine fanny packs, sweaty parents, and spoiled children. Of course I watched my share of Disney movies as a child, but I was never "raised on Disney", I guess you could say. Plus, I knew all my money would be going toward college, so I never raised my hopes about going to Disneyland or Walt Disney World.
Then the Disney College Program came along - an opportunity where I can advance my education, work, and enjoy the parks here in Orlando! After a few days of check-in and training, I finally had my orientation yesterday, which was technically my first day of work. You know what that means?! We got our park passes, so today we hit up Magic Kingdom!
I didn't get to the park until a bit after noon, but I was able to ride the Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Roller coasters are definitely my thing, so Space Mountain is currently my favorite attraction. I was also able to experience the infamous jumbo turkey leg and pineapple dole whip. I wasn't able to finish the turkey leg, but I'm sure the caloric intake was still ridiculous.
But my views of the Disney parks have definitely changed. The experience there truly is magical, and I couldn't help but smile the entire time! It is definitely something that takes time in order to have the full experience, which is why tomorrow night after work, we're hitting up Hollywood Studios!
This is where I'll be working for the next four months!
To read more about my Disney College Program, visit my secondary blog HERE.
I have recently learned that travelling often is not just an indicator of a good job and plenty of money. It is a necessary activity in each of our lives, for if we do not explore the world in which we live, we will remain ignorant forever. When I was younger, I had only explored the tiny northwest corner of the United States. I had no desire to go elsewhere because I had seen all the pictures, heard all the stories, and googled all the necessary information. Somehow, I was conditioned to be content with my ignorance of other cultures. And not only that, but you don't notice this ignorance until you break free of it altogether.
Once I went off to college, I noticed this ignorance as I simultaneously discovered a world of possibility. I cant help this thirst for knowledge - I want to learn the languages, immerse myself in the cultures, and see all the sights with my own eyes! To start of this life-long adventure, I am exploring my own country. Orlando, the top tourist destination on this earth. Each day, I will have the opportunity to visit with people from around the world, people who have experienced what I yearn to experience. And hopefully, by the end of these four months, I will know what part of this beautiful planet I want to explore next.
So once a year, go someplace you've never been before, not because you have the money to do so, but because you are curious and have a never-ending desire to learn.
