800 Things I like

stocking the fridge, having someone cook for you, people who aren't french, people who think they are funny, not knowing cursive letters, the position of your head when u bite a taco, viewing everyday surroundings with a tourists' eye, briefcases, the correlation between sunglasses and "being cool", fruit salad, accidently saying 'you too' when someone wishes you a happy birthday, wool socks, dinner with laughter, people who try to take pictures of themselves as if they are having fun, not looking back, the people who never realize "you had to be there" jokes never work, thinking about what it would be like to teleport, the shrug of the shoulder when things don't get done, the winged hairstyle after wearing a hat when your hair was wet, ''do not disturb'' signs, fake smiles, dentists who want you to carry on a conversation with their hands in your mouth, looking back on the past with as much pleasure as you get as looking forward to the future, refunds, how different music has different affects, jazz, making people guess when you know they don't know the answer, letters from close friends in far places, al green, the awkward silence in an elevator with someone, a perfectly timed conversation just long enough for the elevator ride, the corner of the bed that is so hard to reach when putting on new sheets, when friends stop by, having way too much of something, Neiman-marcus, not noticing the freezer hum until it shuts off, perfect balance on the subway without using straps, newly pressed pants, not getting lost in a new town, numbers, switching to whole wheat bread, telling yourself "i will keep it clean from now on" after cleaning your room or house or car when really you know it will be messed up again in a few weeks, marinating, people who say "no problem" when it was actually a problem, horoscopes, having too much time, baths, kids imagination, giving thanks, power-steering, jeans you can sleep in, watching old couples and their lack of conversation, heated-blankets, roommates who want to always talk and don't get the hint that you don't want to talk, lights that dim, orange, hiding notes for a loved one, hula, sweat suits, bottom of the grand canyon, fanny-packs, the person at the theatre who tears tickets, scheming, stretching and making noise, comebacks to 'shut up", khaki walking shorts, running shoes, the little things that make your day go right(very few red lights, good food), go-getters, learning, the Snapple pop, Styrofoam, letting someone know they have a horrible tattoo, hondas starting, light keychains, toast, pulp, drinks that are cold without ice, free refills, walking around a swimming pool, cheese graters, cruise control, hand sanitizer, making people guess, "never mind", the first few bites of a pancake, the quick wave when someone lets you drive ahead of them, metal, fabricated stories people tell, old people who are angry, knowing how many kilometers per hour you are driving, 747 planes, being a night person, fake smiles, bowling noises, rear-view mirrors, "wrinkle-free" not really being wrinkle free, tool trucks, yellow lights, rewinding tapes, coming up with ideas, desire to pull emergency brake while driving, generosity, the word "moonshine", "last" button on tv remote, noticing bugs on someone else, adding, getting new brakes, the desire to own a motorcycle, cleaning off your desk, treating yourself to a massage, complimenting a total stranger, babies' lack of reflexes, fruit salad, people-watching, money counter, powder-fresh, jump starts, throwing up, finding old pictures, money in the laundry, love-making, water beds, trap doors, chair-lift, swim meets, forgiving someone, pikes peak, pound cake, bathroom books, welcome mats, circular driveways,when people think they are funning by saying "kodak moment", blowing the wrapper off of a straw, koala bears, sod(the grass you roll out), v formations of geese, old report cards, clothes hangers, home movies, sending a letter, lunch money, rent-a-car, shoes, people who understand there is a lot to me, when i tell someone my birthday is april fools and they tell a horrible joke that i have already heard(i.e. "o you must be a joke"), the silence after they tell that joke, eating good, not smoking, tic tac toe, old wives' tales, magic shoes, score keepers, eating dough, bread makers, cashing in your chips, double beds, waking up with 5+ text messages, long lasting batteries, waking up then going back to bed, pretending to listen, people who think they are original by dressing like every other person who thinks they are original, wind, public transportation, the really small fee of overdue library books,overeating during holidays, libraries, poetry, writing something that you fall in love with than forgetting to save it and deleting it than having to re-think of those feelings/words/rhymes again to re-write something better, saying "what" even though you heard what they said, liking the people you work with, handshaking, baby powder, rear-window defoggers, jalapenos, coin drawers, cargo pants, black pants, huge bags, buy one get one free, vintage, old phones, down-shifting, quincy market in boston, impatiently popping the toast up and down while waiting for it to cook, filibusters, senior year, tires, breaking windows, diving, limes in water, misting indoor plants, eating what you like, having talkative friends, house guests, inventing a new dance, writing, the gift of life, over-tipping, etiquette observation, someone calling and inviting you to lunch, phone calls from friends just to say hello, 'selling like hot cakes", temptations, rhetorical questions, cardigan sweaters, mopping, clearing your head, mischievousness, pistachios, the thought process that goes into answering "paper or plastic", one-room schoolhouses, the boxed area on a US map where the 49th and 50th states are located, screen doors, kleenex, patters, hat hangers, dozing off, people who give examples, cheese, what is inside a mountain: more dirt?, creating exotic life stories for people who walk by, white cotton t-shirts, same-day dry cleaning, opening packages, mail, knock-knock jokes, eating in the kitchen, ravioli, frisbees, jenga, getting out stains, consecutive numbers, driving alone, filling out "how was the service' cards, being serious with someone who is usually a jokester, turning your pillow over to find the cold side, plant signs on sticks to tell what kind of plant it is, saying "sure", the blatant lies that mothers tell to scare their children away from doing things, indentations that appear in the carpet once furniture has been moved, the chip that breaks off in the dip, fake-throwing a ball with a dog and watching how confused they get, strangers that you see more than once, eliminating morning mouth, serving breakfast or lunch to someone you know, staying in the tub for longer than it takes to get clean, chap stick, body wash, "how we met" stories, the word '"things", watching an animal sleep, fully-charged cell phone, being considered funny, over-exaggerating, carrying an unsafe amount of items just so you don't have to make a second trip-no matter how short the trip, pretending, suddenly remembering a dream you had the night before because of something that happens during the day, scrambled eggs with cheese, door hinges, people who try to be sly and check out their reflection in windows, people who quote several movie lines, plastic red cups, yelling bingo, pastels, seeing-eye dogs, surge protectors, intercom systems, saying "follow that car", catching a type-o, cold hands, magic tricks, adding a comma to an uppercase O to make it a Q, mini fridges, "better safe than sorry", buying classic shoes, reaching out to people, matching, bleach pens, 12:34, secret doors, standing up straight, bran muffins, playing Yahtzee, unexpected phone calls, being glad you're together, life choices, home movies, christmas lights, planes with propellers, gentlemen standing when a woman sits, taco dinners, leaving the mall parking space during christmas or busy season and thinking about selling your space to someone else, mechanical pencils, 75 degrees, shaving, inventions, the fridge egg holder, food thats crispy on the outside and soft or chewy on the inside, lighted swimming pool, little boxes of cereal, not having to be the one to talk just to keep a conversation going, when the fourth wheel on a shopping cart doesn't want to work, women who go to work-out in dangly ear-rings and makeup, being on time, not helping people move, saving gas, good music, jazz, how every picture of you is when you were younger, piers, funny license plates, bullet form, poetry, horrible names, hats, green, orange, purple, boarded up windows, 24 hour places, staying faithful, placing a penny on a train track and waiting for the train, carry on bags, perfect timing, karma, people who don't think before they speak, new abbreviations created since the internet(L.O.L.), buses, feeling like you are helping the cops when you give information after seeing an accident, remembering a dream, wanting something, bread boxes, not liking old english font, telling people that their tattoos are not cool, growing out of something, sunsets that take longer than normal to set, reading lights, memory foam pillows, not drinking the milk after eating cereal, picking at someone's brain, answering a question with another question, wearing glasses so no one can see your eyes, showering after a long day, waking up feeling refreshed, praying, wondering, living like a homeless person sometime, helping people, u.s.p.s., a sibling around your age, procrastinating, not caring about granite countertops, trying to understand why people use big words then ask "do you know what that means?" instead of just using an easier word, crossing your arms while walking, downloading pictures, staring at someone, billiards, learning about someone, girls that don't have red hair, not knowing what pinnacle is, cuddling with a warm body when you are cold, staying on the computer looking at ridiculous websites all night, the sun that comes through your front windshield and wont let you see, remembering having to hold hands to cross the street, a child's innocence, people, human nature, telling someone that their shoe is untied and feeling like you just saved them from some great harm, spraying too much cologne and not knowing, names that end in a vowel and the last name starts with a consonant so it sounds like one word, not answering someone when they ask you how you're doing and seeing if they notice, learning, meeting new people, knowing stores that target certain niche markets will not succeed(i.e. grandfather clock repair store), walking close to a stranger to make them feel uncomfortable, spelling a difficult word right on the computer so you don't have to see the little red line appear under the word, writing a list of things that make you happy, cheering up someone else, the instinct that makes you roll down the window when it smells like cow waste outside, our flag, wondering how long it takes for an 18 wheeler to get washed, eating right before going to bed, soft cushions, wondering if cows know they are about to be killed for meat, difficult goodbyes, boarding a plane first, the hopes of success, never wanting to get out of bed to go pee, going to sleep earlier than you usually do, falling in love, meeting someone, never finishing a crossword puzzle, red, really good smelling foods, showering twice a day, traveling alone, telling stories, not seeing someone for a while and noticing a change, being bugged by someone, telling someone they dropped something, eating outside, drive-in movies, shirts that don't try to be funny, people who wear shirts that try to be funny instead of just being a funny person, not swinging your arms when you walk and feeling really weird, old folks who pull their pants over their belly button, girls that walk with their chest pushed out, not remembering your favorite movie when someone asks you, calling to say goodnight, buffalos, messenger bags, massages, telling someone they are not funny, creating a story for someone who walks by, royal blue, calling people out, thinking about what you would name your child, roller backpacks, the difference between butter and margarin, being flabbergasted, snooze button, jazz music, saving something(on the computer) often so you don't lose it, throwing grapes up in the air and catching them in your mouth, vegas strip, a child learning their alphabet, men who still wear flat tops, being sincere, getting in a debate, public speech, being nervous, waiting too long for the person behind you when holding the door open, food courts, vietnamese food, staying healthy, driving safely, big luggage bags, snow cones, things that give you goose bumps, predicting something correctly, gambling, the noise trucks make when they back up, teaching someone how to do something, knowing how you make someone feel, wanting to be like the kid from home alone when you were younger, being mad when a light burns out, pointing at people and then they notice you pointing, saying things that don't make sense, being able to crush people with your fingers when one eye is closed, making sandwiches, noticing someone telling the same joke twice, people who reminise too often, wondering when cars will be replaced with flying cars, inside jokes, yawning, singing "and many more" at the end of the birthday song and noticing you are the only one singing it, quick answers, getting mail that isn't bills, stretching out to reach the parking lot ticket dispenser, ladies who don't swear, roll-on deodorant, hash brown pancakes, getting to work on time, air force one, teaching friends how to flirt, winning, squirrels bushy tails, kaleidoscope, late check-out time at hotel, new england, asking someone why they thought their last joke was funny even though it was not, finishing things you never wanted to start.

What our soldiers fight for #1: Dance Clubs.

I button up my shirt and check my teeth in the mirror one last time. Head into the kitchen and high five my two friends waiting for me with cups in hand; we raise the drinks to our mouths and one screams, "wait, let me put on the music." The latest Top 40 song is conveniently already cued up, so he turns it on with 'max volume.'

This, my friends, is the beginning of another night out on the town. But its not just any night, its tonight, and 'tonight's gunna be a good night..."

We confidently make our way to the club and get in line behind a school full of guys with popped collars and blazers and girls with heels and little black dresses. The music is pounding inside and gets us amped and even more energy is running through our veins now. We finish off the spiked cranberry juice we carried in a bottle, all so we can enter the club "ready". So ready. As the alcohol starts to set in, the knees and hips loosen up and the hands start to clap a little bit. Something in the back of my head says "this is not you", but the rest of my body is ready. The half hour wait is of no concern, cuz we enjoy the preview of the upcoming potential dance partners, maybe even talk to one or two before the suave approach comes later in the night. The wait is almost over, the door is getting closer to and the forever-cool bouncers are making way for the beautiful group of girls that squeeze past the line with a simple kiss on the cheek and a four-finger wave from the friend as they lead their way into the club. But in that group, looking close enough, you notice one of the girls looks a bit uncomfortable and, as you will see her later dancing with her friends who both have dance partners or again texting by herself by the bathroom, she just doesnt look like she belongs here. In fact, a lot of the groups of guys with their pointy-toed shoes and over-gelled hair and perfectly groomed 'ungroomed' look dont seem as though they belong here either....the more you look around, who does belong here...is this what life is all about?

These two hours in this room with loud music, intoxicated kids, and overdressed college students make so much sense by drink number five, but as the liquid confidence wears off and the drunk egos are moving and talking more now than before, the meaning of a 'good night' seems to be unimaginably superficial.

Hate is a strong word, so I refuse to use it freely and without real purpose, conviction, or sincerity. With that being said, I hate clubs. I hate everything about clubs. Being a young guy who certainly enjoys having a good time, being around beautiful people, and listening to good music, I have tried to like clubbing; I have even gone through weeks of time where I convinced myself that I actually like clubbing. But as I clear-minded and soberly write this, I can finally make these statements with the upmost sincerity. I have been to bars and discos in dozens of countries, with everyone from celebrities to Christian missionaries, in cities with great vibes and cities with no vibe, I have tried...boy have I tried. There are many reasons I so viciously despise these places; allow me a paragraph to explain just a few.

Seattle is a wonderful city with so much to do and a picturesque landscape; however, I do not like the people so I could never imagine myself living there. On the same note, there are some cities that are very average yet have amazing people. Needless to say, a lot of experiences we involve ourselves in, whether it be traveling, dating, or dancing, generally can be either a great pastime or a complete bore depending on the people you come across. I can confidently say that clubs have a conglomerate of the worst people. From the attention craving girls(who push guys away once they get that attention), to the socially challenged 'dudes' who threaten other guys with violence and win over girls by pushing free drinks in their face. The awkward conversations and attempts at being normal only force us to become less normal in search of that right mentality that is appropriately adjusted to be the perfect person to party with. Going into these places knowing it is full of creepy dudes and girls who dress like prostitutes may be appealing to some, usually those who love to sit around and recite memories of previous times they got drunk..but its fair to think differently of those people too. Every person inside the club bothers me, so much so that I find it amusing at how terrible these people are...or how terrible they become once they set foot in the club. From the overpaid cleavage-clad bartenders to the steroid-packed meat head Im-important-nowhere-else-in-the-world-except-at-this-door bouncers, I cringe simply thinking about these people. I know, I know, if it bothers me so much "just dont go Nick." But this pastime is such a part of our culture, and age group, that Id find it very difficult to completely avoid ending up in one of these places.

Those who are socially incapable of making friends and being physically with one of the opposite, or same, sex live for the club; the intoxication floods out the fear of rejection and the vagueness at the beataroundthebush attempts for a sexual encounter make the venti-sized liquids tax you for $9. Clubs will always serve a purpose and a demand...I suppose no blog entry or one-man boycott could make much of a difference. Next time, I will just find a quiet corner to enjoy a good conversation and a front row seat to the dry humping in red carpet outfits...'with a little bit of lime.'

One Year Later

"I should like to spend the whole of my in life traveling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home." — William Hazlitt



Michael Keaton did a movie in the 90's called Multiplicity, and there is seldom a day that goes by that I don't think of that damn movie and the idea behind it. Brief summary: a man who never has enough time for the things he wants to do is offered the opportunity to have himself duplicated. Sounds perfect ay? Some of us find ourselves wanting to do so much yet we don't have enough time in the day or love to give all the different things we are interested in. This is exactly why choosing a significant other to spend the rest of your life with is called 'settling down'; because we decide to relax and settle on just one person instead of chasing all the other love interests we may have in our life. Choices are a pain to make, arent they?

Well this is what is on my mind today; not the chasing love interests part, but the fact that sometimes in order to get the most out of something it is best to put all of our focus into that task; directing 100% of our focus and energy on that one idea. Far too often I am asked, "Well what are you going to do next," but thats the anxiety of life, its always about whats next...why not just about whats going on right now? I am so focused and dedicated to what I am doing at most moments that I rarely consider what's next. It may or not be a good thing, I guess its just the way I 'tick'; enjoying the moments as they come and disregarding them as they pass.

This year has taken me all over; literally and metaphorically. From skipping rocks in Italy to snorkeling in Malaysia; from meeting new people to ignoring old friends...haha, life has been good and I decided to take a year off to get some stuff out of my system before I try to settle down and start something of a 'normal life'; much rather sit down in some business office knowing I had a fulfilling year than sit there and crave the open road and underpriced massages. I had an opportunity to give myself a good time and take a break, so I took it. In this land of opportunity we can not regret the things we do...only the things we did not. I made sacrifices and put a lot of things on hold to pursue a new happiness, but I am forever thankful for the chance and where my traveling took me and my mind.

--First I learned how to travel, then I traveled to learn.--

Whats next?

This is what freedom sounds like:
No need to trump the past or overwhelm myself with thinking of the future...I am alive, healthy, and ready to make the most out of the life I choose for myself...and maybe invest some money in that whole cloning thing.


"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

Back at it- UPDATES COMING SOON

"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." -- Robert Louis Stevenson