spread the word!

Considering I am trying to solicit sponsorships and donations for my own project here and to be able to make it to Alaska this summer, I must be crazy to post something here in support of another organization trying to solicit too. Well, call me crazy.

I have enough loot to live for the next few weeks and that’s it. After that? Part of my adventure is figuring it out and having faith. I fully understand the fact that I could be working at a Mickey D’s in South Dakota in 2 weeks and not make it to Alaska until much later than hoped, so we shall see. I will make it no matter what so I refuse to worry. I’ll make it work somehow, as I know I’d be a killer burger flipper. One exciting part of my journey to my 50th state, was that I’m going to be able to stop in Vancouver to meet Sean Aiken of the One Week Job. I’ve written about him before. I just got an email from these guys and apparently he and his partner in crime Ian are scrambling to get a last chunk of $ to complete their documentary film they’ve worked so hard on.

Now, CNN and others alike are most certainly not calling me for interviews yet, as they have these guys, but in an effort to keep paying it forward and because I wholeheartedly believe in what they’re doing, I wanted to post a link here where you can donate if you’d like. (It’d be a total bummer if they’ve gotten this far and weren’t able to cross the finish line.) I have to believe that there are people out there reading this that have or know someone who has extra $ and would like to put it to good use somehow. My vote if you want to give/donate- give/donate to people like Sean, Ian, me or other Generation Y-er’s like us. We’re young energetic, driven people who are swimming up stream in a sea of fish going the other way because we want to follow our passions, and use our skills to live the life we imagine. By doing this we’re confident we’ll influence other young people to do the same, and perhaps in turn, happier, healthier humans will be roaming the earth and be empowered to make it a better place. If you can’t donate cash or don’t want to, that’s Ok. Just please pass this on to others and make sure you spend your day tomorrow doing something you love. That’s all we really want to see. (Sean and Ian, I’m speaking for you here, but trusting you’re cool with that and we are on the same wavelength anyway.)

Good luck with your last few bucks guys. Hope this helps! All I ask for is a coffee when I make it to Vancouver:)

not brilliant, not clueless, but juuust right

I know all of you out there who thought I was nuts not to use social media outlets are exclaiming I told you so! You’re right. There were a lot of reasons I was anti-Facebook, Twitter, etc. before (don’t get me wrong, I still think they are slightly annoying, invasive and take more effort than i’d like to maintain) but they are pretty incredible tools, and I’m loving them right now. I’ve connected with hundreds of people in the past few weeks. I’ve gotten encouraging messages from old soccer teammates who I haven’t seen in 16 years, who instantly “get” why I’m doing this trip, I’ve heard from elementary school friends’ moms, and found other people I’ve met in my travels who have profiles and they’re in their 70’s. It’s great.

I’ve been teased many times in the past and am sure will be in the future about being so behind the times. I figure if I am like the bazillionth person to buy or use all the new shiny, fancy tools and items, by the time I start, either everyone I know will be such pros they will be able to teach me about them in 2 minutes, or instead of spending top dollar the second these items come out, by the time I get around to purchasing one they’ll only be 2 bucks.

I can’t lie, it’s actually fun to live a bit behind and old fashioned. I’m strategically making a life out of taking advantage of modern technology to advance, but using old-school practices on a daily basis too. I feel this way, I’ll be able to continue to connect with all varieties of people. I’ll reach the goals I have, advance in the areas I want to, while appreciating the little things and not ever forget where I came from. I’ll take the “Duh Diane! That has been around for years! Where have you been?!” any day, because I can always tease right back with a “Yeah, well I bet you don’t know the land area or capital of Alabama punk! I do because I still use paper maps!” (Laughing. These conversations really happen.)

Adding Facebook and others to my life, I’ll use them along with still sending snail mail, I’ll keep eating food from country bumpkin diners right along with eats in 5 star restaurants, and I’ll always be able to do a keg stand, but love sipping a cosmo too.

The Birkenstocks will sit indefinitely right next to the Kenneth Cole’s.