Dreaming in color and Living in black & white

I think that at some point (or several points) in everyone's lives, we all wish we could be someone else. The grass is greener on the other side, right? But I'm sure everyone finds that once they get to the other side, it's not all it's cracked out to be. There may be pros to living a different life but there are cons as well. But no one ever thinks about that, I think... myself included. Instead of thinking that it's always chocolates and roses for someone else, we should focus on what chocolates and roses we have in our own lives.

Oftentimes, I think about what my life would be like if I made different decisions. Would it be for the better or for the worse? There are a lot of positives in my life right now but there are also a lot of negatives. It all boils down to which one I think one outweighs the other.

It's a unique concept to consider - dreaming in color and living in black and white. When we dream about our lives, the future, and what we can accomplish, we feel empowered and we're ready to forge ahead full speed. But as soon as we stumble across an obstacle, like a rippling brook with no stepping stones, we stop still in our tracks, plop down on the side of the riverbank and whine about how it's impossible to get across.

Figuratively, when I daydream about my life's potential, I dream about clouds in shapes of ice cream castles and of rainbows with colors that don't exist. I dream about the impossible and for a split second, I feel that it IS possible.

It's really up to ourselves to stop thinking about what our lives would be like if we were someone else or if we took a different path. Our lives is what it is. We cannot change the past but we still have a chance at the future. I know - easier said than done, right?

One of the things in life that really bothers me is when someone wishes he was someone else, preferably a famous person. Sometimes, if I'm in the mood, I'd ask them why. Most often, I hear these reasons: money, fame, fun. Life's easier for them. They don't have to struggle with money, they seem to always have friends around them and there's always something to do. That may be very well true on the surface but inside their private lives, how happy are they? If you watch E! and other interview-type shows, you'll see that they expose just how unhappy the rich & famous were. Many of them struggled with loneliness, even when they were standing in the middle of a crowded room. Many of them suffered from drug and alcohol addictions along with many other unthinkable horrors.

Do you really want to be like them? I sure hope not. Accept your life for what it is and if you're not happy - do your damnest to change it.

MY Bucket List...

Here's another movie I watched recently - The Bucket List. I watched this a couple weeks ago with a male friend and even HE shed a tear or two at the end. This is an amazing movie. It's not a gushingly fantastic movie that's just awesome in every way possible... and maybe it's not a blockbuster like Iron Man or the upcoming Batman, and it definitely doesn't have any out-of-this-world stunts and special effects but this movie is amazing in a really quiet way. It really makes you think.

Summarily, it's about two old guys who basically get the death sentence. They have months to live so they decide to do everything they ever wanted to accomplish before they "kicked the bucket." I've thought about this for a couple weeks and am ready to post my own Bucket List. Of course, this list would probably need to be updated a million times because I'm not planning on croaking anytime soon. Knock on wood.

The items on this list aren't listed in the order of importance. It's just all random and everything that I can think of so far. You might find some of these things silly and laugh or think I won't be able to accomplish it but hey, at least I made an honest list.

1. See real reindeers
2. Visit Egypt and see a real mummy
3. Learn to snow ski
4. Visit Antarctica
5. Recognize all the constellations in the sky
6. See another planet with my own eyes
7. Make someone's life worth living
8. Laugh until I pee (I'd say laugh until I cry but I've already done that)
9. Find complete happiness
10. Live my life to the fullest
11. Skydive at least a couple more times
12. Watch a sunrise over a lake/mountain
13. See a shooting star (I ALWAYS miss it!)
14. Learn to water ski
15. See Ireland
16. Write a book
17. Contribute to the Deaf society somehow
18. Go on a cruise
19. See the world (which is redundant since I've already listed Egypt, Antarctica and Ireland)
20. See all the classic movies recognized as the best in Hollywood
21. Try everything, anything at least once (this should be my mantra)
22. Be adventurous and spontaneous
23. Go to law school
24. Put someone's needs before my own
25. Find my purpose in life
26. Own a husky
27. Swim with the dolphins
28. Bungee jump
29. Go scuba diving
30. Swim with the sharks (not in a cage and no, not with the huge dangerous ones)
31. Learn to surf

That's it so far... but like I said, I'd probably have to go back and revise it often as I come up with new things. Here's a challenge for you: Write your own bucket list and keep it around. Maybe it's just the little encouragement that you and I need to live our lives to the fullest.

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift." - Kung Fu Panda

Weekend Fun

I didn't make it back the next day like I thought but oh well. What am I going to do about it? I had a pretty interesting 4th. I spent the day swimming in luxury. Let's just say I could have sworn I was in Florida. Details not important here - just that I had a nice time. My friends and I headed back over to that house the very next day for some more fun in the sun....until UFC came on. Sure, that was fun for the guys at the party but how lame is watching two guys beat each other to a pulp? If they're that sadistic/masochistic on pay-per-view, I wonder what they're like in bed. Scary.

To top it all off, I watched another movie: Sweeney Todd. I really liked that movie! Maybe I'm just weird but I was just so fascinated by the whole concept, the wardrobe, and the cinematography. The movie's really sad too. I would recommend anybody who hasn't seen it to go out and rent it.

Earlier today, something occurred to me. As much fun as I'm having this summer so far, I think I can literally feel my brain cells disappearing. If it's possible at all, I feel like I'm dumber (save your wisecracks, J). There's just something about summer that makes everybody's brains turn into mush. Yeah - I think it's the sun, it's too close to our heads.

I don't think I've had a decent fulfilling conversation with anybody about anything lately. We've all just been talking about nothing. Mindless, carefree conversations that really don't mean anything but just to bond and pass the time. God knows I went through enough of that the past weekend. I can only remember 3 different sets of conversations (in different variations) throughout the entire weekend: sex (when you put together a lot of tipsy males around a couple of females, that's all you'll ever hear. I think I've heard enough comments to last me a lifetime), sports and gossiping about others.

How is it possible to go through an entire weekend talking to people but not really coming away from it with anything at all? Fun and games is alright for a while, but eventually - there's just gotta be some substance in the conversations if you want to stay sane and feel intellectually stimulated. I know I'm craving for it.

Intellectually stimulate me... please!

Confessions of a summer addict

Confession #1:
Please forgive me for I have cyber-sinned. It has been 29 days since my last blog. What can I say? I've been busy. I've been enjoying my summer, it's actually turning out to be a very entertaining one. My days have been nicely balanced to the point where I'm absolutely lazy on some days and fairly active on other days. Of course, my definition of "active" is getting out of the apartment for a couple hours a day. I have to admit - I think I've been a lot more lazy than I have been active. What have I been doing? Mostly, I've been sleeping in, watching movies and seeing friends. I work and do homework on the side. Obviously, it's not a huge priority for me. In the summer, I don't think it's anyone's priority.

There's just something about summer that makes me feel different. Maybe it's the trickle of sweat dripping down my neck. Gotta love Texas in the summer. If you can't make it in the heat in the south, you can't make it anywhere else - that's for sure. Whenever summer rolls around, I get itchy. There's places to go, people to see, things to do. I've done my share of seeing and doing this summer mixed in with a whole lot of nothing - the best kind of nothing.

I have another confession to make. I'm a fun-loving addict. If I had the money and no responsibility to work and school, I'd be out of here exploring the world right now. I'd be trekking in the Andes, swimming with the sharks and sleeping in the Amazon. Well, maybe not. But you get the idea. Summertime just brings out the best in me, I guess. I get adventurous. I want to do this and that. I guess it's up to me to make it happen.

Let's play a little word association game here. When I think summer - I think beaches. I think swimming. I think of beautiful paradise islands with the water so clear, you'd see yellow puddles whenever you peed. Yes - the water's THAT clear. I've fallen in love with these two pictures that you see here. In a nutshell, they describe what I think summer should be.

Ready for a 3rd confession? I've become addicted to the TV and the Bachelorette. Yes - sad, isn't it? I've been following the series closely, which is surprising. I've come to learn that summertime also means a multitude of reality shows. There's so many that have come out just recently that I've been prone to watch.

Wipeout, Bachelorette, America's Got Talent, The Mole, I Survived a Japanese Game Show (and later, Last Comic Standing). This summer's reality show line-up is pretty interesting. I've been entertained by them so far.

Well, I'm going to cut this blog short. Like I said, there's places to go and people to see. I'm off to a friend's house for dinner and some movies tonight. But I'll be back - hopefully tomorrow.