Thursday, December 22, 2011

Friendship is a Horizon

Friendship.
It's a force to be reckoned with.

What is your true meaning of friendship? Maybe, being able to talk to someone on the phone for hours?...or maybe knowing that someone will always have your back no matter what?...or maybe it's someone that you always have fun with?...or even someone that simply has a lot in common with you, and you never disagree on anything....?

Now before I say any more, I just want to clear the air: Before reading further, you need to understand the difference between acquaintances and friends. I'm talking about the true friends that you love. The ones that you expect your future children to call "aunt" and "uncle." Now then...

Friendship can come in many shapes/fashions/forms/variations/stages or whatever you want to call it. Think what you want, but to be quite frank, friendship revolves around one thing and one thing only: honesty.

Some of you might be a little surprised, but think about it. Would you ever expect one of your true friends to lie to you? Or would you expect them to be someone that they're not? Or talk the talk and not walk the walk? Would you ever expect your friend to give you bad advice just so you can feel better? Would you ever want your friend to steer you down the road less traveled just because it was easier?

No. You wouldn't. At least, I wouldn't. Not in a million years.

I want a friend that not only will always be there, but will always want to be there. I want someone that will tell you straight up how it is, no bull crap. I want them to have integrity. I want them to show that they care. I want them to call me out when I'm being stupid. I want them to tell me if something troubling is on their mind.

I want them to feel comfortable talking about anything and everything with me. I want them to have respect for themselves and others, as well as me. I want them have faith when others don't. I want someone to fight for me, not against me. I want them to know they're needed, and vice versa. I want them to love me at my best, and love me more at my worst.

I want them to believe in me. I want them to support me, even when they don't agree. I want them to trust me wholeheartedly, and know that the feeling is mutual. I want them to cry with me. I want them to see me vulnerable without judgement. I want them to accept me for me. I want them to be who they are, and no one else. I want them to appreciate what they have. I want them to see.

Find a friend you love. Hug them. Kiss them. Thank them. Talk to them. Appreciate them. Be honest with them. Love them. Show them. Always. Every day.

"Friendship is a horizon which expands whenever we approach it." - E.R. Harlip

What kind of friend have you been lately?

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Decisions

Bad is easy, good is hard. Lying is easy, honesty is hard. Losing is easy, winning is hard. Holding a grudge is easy, forgiving is hard. Sitting is easy, standing is hard. Doubt is easy, faith is hard. Talking is easy, listening is hard.

Passive is easy, acting is hard. Sex is easy, love is hard. Spending is easy, saving is hard. Telling a secret is easy, keeping a secret is hard. Making a promise is easy, keeping a promise is hard. Laughing is easy, crying is hard. Drugs are easy, abstinence is hard. Feasting is easy, fasting is hard.

Taking is easy, giving is hard. Playing is easy, working is hard. Fighting is easy, resolving is hard. War is easy, peace is hard. Killing is easy, reviving is hard. Reading is easy, understanding is hard. Falling is easy, getting up is hard. Friends are easy, friendship is hard. Following is easy, leading is hard.

Sleeping is easy, waking is hard. Touching is easy, feeling is hard. Failing is easy, succeeding is hard. Forgetting is easy, remembering is hard. Hating is easy, caring is hard. Jealousy is easy, trust is hard. Fake is easy, sincere is hard. Saying it is easy, meaning it is hard. Getting opportunities is easy, taking advantage of them is hard.

Secrets are easy, confession is hard. Mistakes are easy, correcting them is hard. Dependence is easy, independence is hard. Betrayal is easy, loyalty is hard. Dishonesty is easy, integrity is hard. Immature is easy, responsible is hard. Dying is easy, living is hard. Lusting is easy, loving is hard.

Easy = less.
Hard = more.

Be more. Trust more. Cry more. Listen more. Get more. Give more. Love more. Live more.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

7th Grade

She has committed,
the biggest of them all.
She lied to his face,
and slowly watched me fall.

I cannot believe,
what she did to me.
It tears me apart,
that she can't hear my plea.

I was told to retreat,
and I probably will;
For I am not a fighter,
but just an ordinary Bill.

I was supposed to trust her,
and now I cannot;
And her smiles live on,
but I still might fall and rot.

I still cannot believe,
that I fell for that plan.
I can't even talk to her,
Can't even pretend to be a man.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Welcome to the Mind of Zackary Keaton Peddicord: Two-Part Finale

Love. Honesty.

Most people will agree that these two things go hand in hand. If you don't, you need to realize that real quick.

I've said it many times, and I'll say it again: You have to love yourself before you can truly love anyone else. You have to accept who you are, accept your own strengths and weaknesses, accept your hopes and dreams, accept your values, accept your wants and needs, accept your personality, accept your appearance, accept your abilities, accept your faults, and accept your fears.

Understanding who you are as a person is the first step in discovering true love within yourself. Being honest with who you are as a person is the second step. Embracing who you are as a person is the third.

When it comes to loving others, it's simple: repeat the above steps, but for someone other than yourself. Find out who they are: What makes them special? What makes them laugh? What makes them cry? What separates them from the crowd? What makes them smile? What drives them? What do they believe? Why do they believe that? Who do they love? Why do they love them?

True love can't be defined. It simply comes from every possible reason, or even no reason at all. When you truly love someone, or yourself, you'll know. You'll know 100%, and hopefully, you won't ever look back. And once that happens, you're that much closer to being happy.

-------

Of course, no love would be possible without honesty. Like I said, you first have to be honest with yourself.

When I say being honest with yourself, I mean keeping true to your beliefs, actions, words, lies, thoughts, feelings, loves, fears, heartaches, passions, emotions, dreams, wants, needs, prayers, and hopes.

When I say keeping true to all those things, I mean don't be a hypocrite. You only have one life, so what's the point of going through it if you're just pretending? Pretending to be happy when you're not, pretending to love when you don't, pretending to not have feelings when you do, pretending to be dreaming when you aren't, etc.

If you feel it, show it. If you want it, take it. If you love her, tell her. If you need it, get it. If you hope it, dream it. If you hear it, consume it. If you like it, do it. If you think it, write it. If you believe it, trust it. If you love him, hold him. If you miss it, reminisce it. If you talk it, walk it. If you regret it, forget it. If you hate it, protest it. If you catch it, run with it. If you fail it, prevail it. If you drop it, regain it. If you love it, live it.

Be true. Be honest. Be faithful. Be loyal. Be loud. Be proud. Be humble. Be responsible. Be you.

If you don't love yourself, you'll never love anyone else. And what's a life without love?...Honestly?

Friday, December 2, 2011

Welcome to the Mind of Zackary Keaton Peddicord: Part Four

Opportunities.

When I was growing up, my dad always told me, "You don't know until you know." For some reason, I've always taken that to heart.

There are tons of opportunities that fall at our feet each day. Some good. Some bad. My question to you is, "How often do you take advantage of those opportunities?" Yes, I know, why would I be telling you to take advantage of bad opportunities? I'm not. So, listen.

I've wanted to be a hundred different things in my life: dump truck driver, fireman, meteorologist, doctor, lawyer, athletic trainer, accountant, professional outdoorsman, NFL star, actor, writer, Sportscenter anchor, teacher, and basketball coach....just to name a few.

I never really was sure which path I wanted to take, so I just went with the flow. I took advantage of the opportunities I had, the people I knew, and the world I was exposed to; I've tried to live life day by day, and to never live with any regrets.

I've never turned down an opportunity to try something new. I eat weird things. I go strange places. I watch movies that look terrible. I talk to people that are intimidating. I listen to people that I think are annoying. I put up with things that frustrate me. I accept things that I don't fully understand.

Are you content right now with the life you're living? Do you think there could be more? Have you skipped out on opportunities that now drive your conscience insane? Have you had an influence on other people in your life? Do your peers listen to what you have to say? Do you say anything that's worthy of listening? Have other peoples' lives been better because of you?

These are the questions you need to ask yourself. Find your opportunities. Live your opportunities. Don't wait around forever, because life might just pass you up before you know it.

Eat. Sleep. Ask. Tell. Travel. Dance. Kiss. Cry. Ride. Dream. Love. Be loved. Live.


You never know until you know; and you never know when your next opportunity might be your last.
Don't miss it.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Welcome to the Mind of Zackary Keaton Peddicord: Part Three

Time.

Have you ever sat down and thought to yourself, "Where did the time go?" I have, plenty of times; and I'm only 22 years old.

It seems like these days, people are always wishing away time like it doesn't even matter. Always looking forward to the next big day, the next football game, the next birthday party, the next date....What's the rush?

At some point in time, you need to realize that time is one of the most valuable assets we have. Time is constantly changing. Time stands still. Time is tested. Time goes on, and on, and on. Time is wasted. Time is cherished. Time is captured. Time is lost. Time flies.

When you were in elementary school, you eventually wished it away to be in middle school. Then, you couldn't wait to be in high school. High school was great....sports, girls/guys, driving, dating...but then of course you can't wait to be in college. Then once in college you've got parties, tailgating, finals, all-nighters, mid-terms, more responsibility...and then you start counting the days until you graduate so you can get out there and make that money....Funny thing is, don't you always feel like you could go back to the good ole days?

Stop. Look. Listen. Feel. Love. Give. Give more. Soak it in. Breathe it in.

The moment you start living with regret is the moment you start living without complete and utter happiness.

One of these days, you'll realize that time flies faster than the speed of light.
One of these days, time will catch up to you.
One of these days, you'll wish you had been in the moment.
One of these days, you'll want to go back to that very spot in time.
One of these days, you'll want to remember better.
One of these days, you won't be able to reminisce.
One of these days, you'll wish you'd never passed up that opportunity.
One of these days, you'll wish you had said yes.
One of these days, there won't be a tomorrow.



Then what?

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Welcome to the Mind of Zackary Keaton Peddicord: Part Two

Dream.

It's a word that's used so lightly these days; and I'm not talking about the dreams you have in your sleep, although I'll save that topic for another day.

I'm talking about your aspirations. Plans. Goals. Whatever you want to call it. Things you want to accomplish before your body dies. Places you want to go. People you want to see....and most importantly, the person you want to be. I want you to think about what drives you. What keeps you going each and every day? What makes you wake up in the morning?

A dear friend once said, "I feel that a person’s happiness comes from the pursuit of their passions."

I believe that to be 100% accurate. Open your eyes....Seriously, open your eyes. Look around. Think about your situation and tell me what you see. Do you like what you see? Do you love what you see? Do you need someone to open your eyes a little further? Tell me more. 

I believe that you can't truly be happy until you realize what makes you happy. Figure it out. Now. Take that, do away with everything else, and don't ever look back. Ever.

Please don't sit back and be content with what you have now because it's comfortable. Don't be content because that's what you're used to. Don't get used to something that doesn't make you happy. Don't settle for less when you could have more. Don't be mediocre when you could be great. Don't pretend to be happy when you really aren't.

Now. Stop looking around, and look at yourself in the mirror. Tell me what you see. Do you like what you see? Do you love what you see? You have to love yourself before you can honestly love anyone else.




Do you like dreaming of things so impossible?
I do.











Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Welcome to the Mind of Zackary Keaton Peddicord

Patience.

When it comes to patience, it can be one of two things: the best decision possible, or the worst decision possible. For some reason, there's never any middle ground at the end of the day. You're going to be left with exactly what you've been waiting for, or the complete opposite. And, who's to say that you have to know exactly what you're waiting for? Why can't you just be waiting for a random something? Anything? Someone? Anyone?

How long are you supposed to wait? "What if this storm ends, and I don't see you, as you are now, ever again?"

These are things that perplex me. These are questions that cause me to think. A lot. Sometimes too much for my own good.

I've always been a firm believer of going for the gold, leaping before you look, and watching Christmas movies every month of the year. But is that always the right mentality to have? Some say yes, some say no. C.S. Lewis says, "Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn." 

With patience comes time, and with time comes experience; therefore, with patience comes experience. So....where does that leave us? Are we saying that you get experience by being patient? Hell no. That makes no sense. That says that I can get experience by sitting patiently. There's a hole in that equation somewhere. Doesn't add up, and I'm damn good at math.

I want substance. I want consistency. I want a face. I want tangible. I want confirmation. I want solid.  I want to hold. I want to be held. I want to feel, see, touch, hear, grab, kiss, scratch, and hit. I want more. 


Patience gives me none of that....or all of that?






This is part one. 
To be continued.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Song Titles

Wow. Open your eyes. You could be happy, and make this go on forever. One night is not enough in NYC. Set down your glass, and please just take these photos from my hands. It's beginning to get to me. Ask me how I am. Making enemies? Black and blue? On/off? Grazed knees? Tiny little fractures? Give me strength. Somewhere a clock is ticking, and it's the only noise.

Run. Steal. Make up. When it's all over we still have to clear up whatever's left in my arms. The last shot ringing in my ears is half the fun. Cartwheels are downhill from here. Absolute gravity. What if this storm ends?

You're all I have. You could be happy, and make this go on forever...or I could stay away forever. I was never gonna fall in love again if I'd found the right words to say. Same? The planets bend between us in this warmer climate. We can run away now they're all dead and gone, so if there's a rocket tie me to it.

We're chasing cars and headlights on dark roads while being chased by....I don't know what. Lifeboats? Engines? Spitting games? A disaster button? Just look at the finish line.

Favourite friend/velocity girl/perfect little secret: batten down the hatch, crack the shutters, and take back the city. There's chocolate and dark Roman wine on the golden floor. Make love to me forever under firelight. When you're right, you're right.

So: shut your eyes, with hands open, crazy in love, and just say yes.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

If you jump, I'll hold your hand.

Don't look before you leap, just do it. Jump.

Sometimes life gives you lemons. I say, make lemonade. There are tons of things out there for people to live for: money, success, winning, sex, drinking...but some things are better left lived, and not lived for.

These days, it seems like people are getting too caught up in the material things in this world. It seems like every day, everyone cares way too much about the future, way too much about tomorrow, way too much about what people think, and way too much about how they're gonna be judged in the morning when their small town wakes up and reads the morning paper. The way I look at it, you might not even wake up the next morning to read the paper.

So, yes, I'm talking to you right now. You.

Read today's paper. Fly 7,564 miles to see your boyfriend. Stay up all night just for the fun of it. Take too many days off. Schedule a trip to Miami on a week's notice. Drive above the speed limit every once in a while. Go swimming in the winter. Play a sport that you're terrible at. Be cocky. Have an extra beer. Go buy too many pairs of shoes. Take a cold shower. Eat after 10pm. Work a 15 hour shift. Tell a few white lies. Buy a boat. Fall in love. Take a leap of faith. Go with the flow. Shoot for the stars. Dream. Remember to breathe. Don't look back. Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present. Drive 500 miles to see her. Dance, even though you look like an idiot. Sing out loud, even though you sound awful. Send too many text messages. Talk on the phone for 7 hours. Laugh too much. Cry too much. Kiss too much. Go for the gold. Talk to strangers. Play the cards you're dealt. Love life.

Whenever you're ready to jump, I'll be there....waiting for you to grab my hand.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

ME

Go.
i love life. i love playing with kids. i'm a workaholic. i love thunderstorms. a child's wisdom amazes me. i can't stand paying to park. i owe everything to my mom. trust and love go hand in hand. my faith in people is sometimes a weakness. i hate liars. i wish i could travel more; someday, i will. i don't like clowns. i could lie in bed and think all day. music soothes me. i can't waterski. everything happens for a reason. i hope i'm half the person my mom is when i grow up. i wish i was with you right now. i don't walk on the cracks. i love driving, anywhere, anytime. i doodle in class. i need to go to church more. i love making money. i have too many basketball shorts. my shoes are HUGE.

i hate rude people. peanut butter is awesome. i love winter. i love summer. i want to go to Australia. i will love my children unconditionally. i hate failing. if at first you don't succeed, don't go skydiving. i think a lot. i love big cities. i love the country. i wanna go fast. my ankles hurt. cruise control is ok, too. politics are over-rated. the woman that truly knows me is the one i want to be with. cracker barrel > IHOP > waffle house. life is bigger than you and me. i appreciate everything i have. surprises are the best. my hands get cold a lot. i love dressing up. i'm afraid. i love sweats. bills suck. i don't trust police officers. i can count the people i love on two hands. i can count the people i trust on one.

i save money. i like being on time. i love to color. i like salmon. hurricanes are cool only if they're on tv. wedding crashers = absolutely amazing. i love to text. i zone out a lot. what we do now echoes in eternity. i'm wondering. i look forward to the future. i know who my best man will be. family first. i have lots of patience. i can't do math in pen. i want to sleep. i notice the little things. i'm superstitious. i'm OCD about some things. i love clean sheets and a made bed. i'm not photogenic. i'm spontaneous. if you jump, i'll hold your hand. i want to jump out of an airplane one day. i want some sweet tea. if i can't wear my flip flops, i'm not going. i want to read more.

i could play Su Doku all day. i'm not bad at chess. i appreciate my friends. i love eating out. hoodies are cool. i've been attacked by a wild turkey. i'll destroy you at scrabble. dashboard confessional can go. i don't like nuts, unless at Texas Roadhouse. khakis are my thing. onions give me heartburn. i've been told that i smell good. i will be successful one day; by successful, i mean happy. i'll walk with you. i can't sleep when i'm hot. candles are the best. thank you for listening. i like to observe people. i'm picky when it comes to clothes. i LOVE carolina basketball. i love bread.


I love LEGOS. deep water scares me. i've jumped off a bridge. crunchy shrimp is heavenly. just do it. i can't draw. i used to know the books of the Bible, and all of the state capitals. i ate lobster in Martha's Vineyard. failing to prepare is preparing to fail. i once spit gum off of the empire state building. driving at night to techno is awesome. white men can jump. i want to hold you. spoons and scattergories at Christmas. i want to laugh. clouds are great. don't worry. cream cheese on my bagels. i think you're awesome. get your weight up. i miss my kindergarten class. i'm not afraid of commitment. march madness is better than the super bowl.


tell me something.......anything. i'll pray for you. thanksgiving meal is number one. i want to travel to europe. i love making faces. i hate wet socks. i'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. i'm very random. i'm very routine. you're not alone. don't eat the last cookie. go with the flow. i'm brutally honest. i seem like a jerk sometimes. i'm amused by the simplest things. i hate awkward silences. your word isn't shit if you're looking away. i hope you're as happy as you're pretending. i hate shakespeare. follow your heart. it's about that time. listen to your gut. i like my eggs over medium. i don't eat oats. i love doing laundry. i keep my car clean. i cut my own hair.


One day there won't be a tomorrow. a fairway's a fairway's a fairway. i miss you. i'd love to be an actor. coffee in the morning is bliss. i love the rain, unless it's cold. i have hot flashes sometimes. my heart beats abnormally hard. i can't help it. i love to shop. milk duds at the movies. tattoos are cool when they mean something. i love having someone to talk to. i'll listen to you. give me a pillow. hold me. please. be yourself. i love life. i love you.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Write a Letter to Yourself

Write a letter to yourself. Read it later. What do you think it will say?

Maybe.....I hope you do big things in the future....or you better be a bad ass when you read this in 10 years. Though, I'd probably say thanks. But not just to me. It would go a little something like this...

Thanks for saying I couldn't. Thanks for pushing. Thanks for being yourself. ...for never looking down...for telling me Yes...for always believing....thanks for those two-a-days in summer in 95 degree heat...thanks for hitting me in the face...thanks for screwing up...for pissing me off... for getting on my nerves... for making me finish my food before I go play...for taking me places...

Thanks for looking at me like I was stupid...for giving me motivation, a chance, a light at the end of the tunnel... for pressing play.. for screaming when it didn't matter, and when it did matter.. for crazy speeding tickets, on and off the road.. for taking me on the path less traveled... for making me follow someone else.. for letting me talk when I wanted...

Thanks for making me give that speech... for making me look like an idiot... for embarrassing me in front of the entire class.. for calling me out for being an ass... for listening...for speaking... for reading... for fearing...for paving the way, to failure... for being patient...for depriving me...for angering me...for showing me that happy is a real thing... for being a bitch...for not doing your homework... for jumping and holding my hand... for eating without me... for driving in the wrong lane...

Thanks for driving drunk...for believing that you could be anything you wanted, and giving up... thanks for hanging me out to dry...for holding that umbrella when I couldn't... for making me brush my teeth with words..for shoving that down my throat...

Thanks for loving...for caring...for hugging...for being an idiot...for letting me shoot....for letting me shoot and miss, badly.... for holding my coat while I run through the rain... for making due...for knowing I won't win...for leaving...for visiting...for being ridiculous and talking anyway...for giving me batteries...for kissing...for giving me that ticket...for making the goal unreachable...for trusting...for betraying...

Thanks for the card....for the advice... for the inspiration....for the drive... for the attitude...for the table... for the wheels under me... for writing on the paper... for showing me that... for everything you never were... for the flowers...for pointing...for whispering...for looking...for acting...for the telescope..

Thanks for the crying...for the confidence...for the humility...for this...for floating alongside... for the medicine... for the stories...for the experience...for living it up... for the flames....for cracking the shutters... for letting me in and shutting me out... for sitting on top of the roof... for flying away... for never trusting anyone... for f*%@ing with my head...for sitting on the branch with me... for the truth... for the ride... for saying all the wrong things at the right time...for the doubts..

Thanks for the tree...for lying when you had to...for heating me up...for being a big kid...for making me proud..for the silent music...for the motion pictures... for the art...for the pictures worth 999 words... for enjoying yourself...for having no regard... for not giving a shit... for getting away with it... for hitting with the big stick...for serving it up on a platter...for the will...for the whiskey...for the suitcase..

Thank you for you. For me. For us. For them. For her. For him. For it. For these.

Thanks for saying I couldn't. Because I did. I am. And I will.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Wow.

It's been a while.

So, since the last time I've blogged, I've improved my golf game by 10 strokes, received a degree from UT, traveled through 5 states (two more to come this weekend), been to a music festival, eaten authentic BBQ in Texas, went backstage and met 30 Seconds to Mars, bartended a wedding, seen more armadillos in the past week than in my previous 21 years, bought a boat, slept through dinner plans, seen a lot of people I wanted to see, seen a lot of people I didn't want to see, played two golf tournaments, driven over 2,000 miles, been blown off multiple times, seen my best friend shave his head, went turkey hunting, seen the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders tryouts, flown in an airplane for the first time in 15 years....and after all that, I'm still alive. Thank goodness. Now, that's a lot to have done in 3 weeks, so let's see a few pictures from the journey.

This is the awesome jumpsuit that my brother Casey, and his wife Kristin got me for the concert. The theme was military night, and it was absolutely amazing. 


Me with 30 Seconds to Mars.
 
 
Megan from work made Abigail and I a graduation cake!!!


Sunset from the bridge in Gulf Shores.


Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at Hangout Music Fest in Gulf Shores. Seriously, one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen.


So you know you're in Alabama when they seriously serve a pair of Duralast pliers with a crab leg dinner. But it was a delicious, delicious feast.


So it was storming in Knoxville when I flew out to Dallas. After we passed through, this was the view of the storm from the other side. Pretty sweet.


Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders tryouts. Yea, be jealous.


This is what draft beer is served in when you're in Texas. An enormous, glass, man goblet. 


So we went to this bar in Fort Worth where you can actually sit in a saddle. A saddle. Yea, I felt out of place due to the fact I left my cowboy hat and tight jeans in Tennessee.


More to come.




Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Skydiving.

You never really realize what you're getting into until you hop in that plane. You take the training courses, watch the videos, and sign all the papers. But nothing can compare to actually getting in the plane and jumping out of it. You can watch others take off, jump out, and land safely. They tell you their experiences while still gasping for air immediately after they land. Their words are broken, and you can tell by the look on their faces that the experience is unforgettable, life-changing, surreal, motivating, exhilarating. You want that for yourself. You want to experience that joy, excitement, fear, nervousness. You want to experience all those feelings that other people have.

Finally, your plane takes off. The tiny plane shakes so much during takeoff that you think it'll blow away with the wind at any minute. I'm strapped to the instructor, literally sitting in his lap like a child in the mall sitting with Santa.  "We're at 5,000 ft," he says. This is the moment I've been waiting for. This is the moment I've envied all this time. I've watched everyone else do it, and now it's my turn. "6,000 ft." I look next to me only to see my "big" brother with his eyes closed. "7,500 ft." I can see the sun outside slowly sneaking behind the horizon. My brother scheduled the last flight of the day for this very reason. "10,000 ft." I'm thinking to myself, "Should I be doing this? Should I want what others have had so many times? Am I going to be that tiny percentage of people that don't make it safely? Will my parachute malfunction?" Too late now. No looking back.

"11,000 ft." Only 1,000 more feet until we jump. Holy crap. Holy crap. Holy crap. We're really doing this. People are going to be so jealous when they see our faces. People will finally want everything I have had in this moment. Can't wait. Let's go. Let's go. Let's GOOOOOO. Then we jump.

Everything is going so fast that you can't even think. You live in the moment like never before. My cheeks are so cold yet still on fire. I look over to see a guy taking pictures of us the entire way down. I see lakes, fields, clouds, the sun. I'm seeing everything from a completely different perspective than before. This is freakin awesome. I wanna do it again already. The ground is speeding up at us at ridiculous speeds. Everything getting bigger, bigger, bigger. Cars that look like ants become, quarters, then basketballs, then the ground is almost right there. The exhilaration. The nervousness. Everything I thought I ever wanted. Right in front of me. For only a couple quick minutes. Everything they had, everything I have. Blood pumping adrenaline pulsing through every inch of my body. I want this forever.

"Wait, where's the parachute?!" I yelled.

Then. I woke up.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Quote of the Week

"If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." - Alan K. Simpson

Monday, April 11, 2011

First Blog

So. This is going to be fun. I've decided to start a blog. It will not be the typical, "Regurgitation of my daily activities" type of blog. Most of the time people don't care what you do throughout your day unless something exciting happens. For instance, I'm really intrigued about the daily routine of my best friend, Logan Monday, who is living in South Korea right now while teaching English. He also has a blog if you're interested: www.livinginsouthkorea.blogspot.com

However, for the rest of us, we are pretty much living our every day lives to the best of our abilities. I, for example, will be graduating soon from the University of Tennessee, and then will be entering the job market. That in itself is not very exciting to read about, but, all of the problems, struggles, ideas, observations, thoughts, wants, needs, hates, loves, laughs, questions, curiosities, secrets, feelings....That's what you want to read about.

That will be Living In Words.
Let's go.