Reckless and Wild

Seems to be a growing trend of mine... Supporting "reckless ventures". Well you know what? Someone I look up to is my age and dreamed of sailing around the world. A rogue wave rolled her boat in the middle of the Indian Ocean and paused that dream. She said "A lot of times, the things that are most worth doing involve risk", and she is right.

You can't change the world watching TV or playing video games. You can't change the world just by dreaming about it. You have to act. You have to DO something.

I'm not saying that I am going to be a world changer, or that I'm striving to do that. Honestly, if I change the world doing what I love, great. That would be awesome. But to even do what I love, I have to DO something.

I love a good adventure. And I'm beginning to realize there is no bigger adventure than life itself. There are a lot of things I want to do in life, but life is the ultimate adventure. There are a handful of words that get me excited- adventure, map, diving, compass, ocean, beach,... you get the idea. Indiana Jones is my style of life, not Jersey Shore. I understand this isn't very appealing to most people, heck I'm not sure if I'm cut out for it. but I will give it my best shot.

Please realize you are in more danger driving your car to work than being bit by a shark. Also you have a greater chance of dying from a soda machine than a shark attack. Yes I realize they are wild creatures and if I look like a seal or turtle there is a good chance I may get attacked. Thank you for the warning, but I have been watching shark week for many years.

People who do "reckless" things are the ones I look up to. They know what living life is about. And in the reality of it all, it really isn't that reckless. Dictionary.com defines reckless as "having or showing no regard for danger or consequences; heedless; rash". The ones I look up to, my mentors, really aren't "reckless" then according to the definition. They know the risk, they know the dangers, they know the consequences of their actions. The people I look up to aren't reckless; they are dreamers who have dared to go beyond their dreams and make them reality.

I realize what is adventurous for me may be way beyond what someone could ever consider doing. Take diving for example. I have been certified for 3 years. I am a Rescue Certified diver. The sheer idea of just snorkeling freaks some people out. I get that. I can see how fish coming up to your face can freak you out. I got bit by a fish on my lip and looking back, its hysterical, but if you don't like fish, I'm sure you would have had a heart attack. I do my best to be understanding to people who get freaked out by water, really I try.

In my opinion, its all about upbringing. I was raised swimming, going to the beach, collecting rocks in the desert, spending a week in Baja once a year, traveling, etc. I was lucky to have a very diversified childhood. Some one who has stayed in one state their whole lives boggle my mind. But that is just because I was raised in car rides and airplanes. I respect those who are happy staying in one place for their life. To me that is reckless. I couldn't imagine "putting my eggs in one basket" as the saying goes. Not until I have settled down with a family, but even that I can't imagine myself doing for some time. Out of all the things I want to do, settling down with a family would be the craziest most reckless thing I can think of doing.

One of the things I am learning, is to be understanding of someones view and opinion when it doesn't really mesh with mine. Its hard, because when I try to be understanding, it seems like the other person keeps trying to impose their idea on me. And it seems you can't stand firm on your view without insulting the other person, when THEY are the ones imposing the idea, and you are just saying "Yes I know the risk" or "No this is what I believe but I value your view".

When someone says to me "Oh! You scuba dive?? Isn't that dangerous? How can you not freak out being surrounded by water and only have so much air?" I just laugh and smile saying it really isn't horrible, you get trained on how to use the gear and watch your air supply. Then the person shakes their head and call me crazy and the topic moves on.

It puzzles me how some people can be happy living in a safe little bubble. I have grown up in the "RCS bubble" my whole life and can't wait to punch holes in it and breathe the fresh air. I know it won't be easy, but I can't wait. The idea of something new excites me. To each his own I guess.

If you are understanding and open to my view, I'll be open to yours.

My final words for this post are just gonna be words of encouragement to try something new. Try to break through your bubble. It won't be easy, it might not be glamorous, but just try. "In stepping out and trying to achieve great things, the only way [you] can truly fail is never to try at all" ~Abby Sunderland

Bucket List

The other night I was reading some friend's statuses on Facebook and thought "I wanna do that" and "I wanna go there". I have been meaning to make an actual list sooner or later, so I figure why not now? I will keep adding to this list as I go about in life. These are in n particular order...

1. Dive the Great Barrier Reef
2. Dive the A,B,C Islands in the Caribbean
3. Visit the filming sights for the Pirates of the Caribbean films
4. See all 7 Wonders of the World (new 7 and original 7)
5. See Mt. Everest (maybe climb it)
6. Get my pilots license
7. Become a Dive Master
8. Dive in a/ pilot a submersible (this one is real and in the works!)
9. Sky Dive
10. Dive the continental divide in Greenland
11. Travel to every continent
12. Travel around the world
13. Dive with Great Whites
14. See "Air Jaws" in South Africa
15. Get my captain license
16. Go on an African Safari
17. Meet the Cousteau family
18. Get a cake from Ace of Cakes
19. Meet my favorite Hollywood actors
20. Swim in Jellyfish Lake in Palau
21. Own a Yellow/White/Green/Blue Jeep Wrangler
22. Work at Disney World Orlando in EPCOT in their fish tank
23. Experience a hurricane
24. Touch lava (with a stick of course)
25. Go Paint balling
26. Drive a real NASCAR race car
27. See baby turtles hatch :)
28. Watch a shark pup hatch
29. See a foal being born
30. Start a fire by rubbing two sticks
31. Drive all of Route 66
32. See the "green flash" at sunset
33. Sail around North America
34. Sail through the Panama Canal
35. Sail around the world
36. Have at least one friend from every major country
37. Learn to play the Ukelele
38. Backpack Yosemite/Yellowstone
39. Backpack Ireland
40. Swim in the Dead Sea
41. Visit Caesarea (Its by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel area)
42. Tour Greece
43. See the ancient ruins in the Yucatan and in South America


And many more to come :)

"A lot of times, the things that are most worth doing involve risk" ~Abby Sunderland

The Simple Life

Everyone has their place where they are happiest. The place where they are totally at peace, can relax. That place for me is in Baja California about 13miles south of San Felipe in a camp called Rancho Laguna Percebu. i have been going down there since before I was born. No really, my mom went down when she was pregnant with me. So literally I have grown up my life making a trip once a year for a week down there.

I remember catching a scorpion and taking it back for my pre-school class. Or another trip where we stopped on the road because a tarantula was crossing, and I hop out to get a closer look... and to hold it! Mind you I was probably around 7 or younger. No fear as a little kid! I also remember the times when we came across rattlesnakes or a sidewinder! Super rare but always exciting.

Baja always holds some form of excitement, in small ways or big ways. This trip nothing super exciting happened... bit of a wind storm one night and I got covered in salt pine needles (hey its better than mosquitoes!!). And there was the several nights of lightning storms off the horizon. They were so awesome! Sometimes you just see the sky light up and if you are lucky you can catch a glimpse of actual lightning bolt! So i guess you can say an all night lightning show exciting!

I found something that we have never seen before.... a shark tooth!!! Crazy I know... well for us it was. We have found every kind of shell, and even the rare stingray tail barb... but NEVER a shark tooth. I'm guessing its a hammerhead because we have seen small ones on the beach in town that fishermen catch sometimes on accident and just toss them aside.

I want to get this off my chest... Honestly if I was the only person down at our house in Baja, with none of the neighbors around, I would spend the day in "the buff". No joke! Its soooooo hot down there that any small amount of clothes are just a burden. Now I know you think this is weird... but c'mon, if no one is around, why not? It was nice air drying at our neighbors house (they were not home dont worry!) after taking a shower... Im just being honest here!

Anyways, Baja is my second home. Granted it is just a step up from camping... Glorified camping really. No running water, you have to get it trucked in from ton, so limited water supply. No real electricity, all solar. So eco-friendly there. But no TV, no internet, no cell phone. Pure simplicity. And I love it! Life is so simple out there.

This year was a shorter trip, but worth every minute. No trip is ever the same. But every trip holds that same excitement and just pure Baja.