So I've decided to make a rule for life. Each year, I have to have a minimum of three adventures. An adventure is defined by a few characteristics:

a. said adventure must take place at least 30 minutes away from the town in which I reside at the time

b. said adventure must call for at least one full day

There are no real rules on the adventure past this...except that the idea is mainly to just forget about real life for a time. Sometimes these adventures may be planned, and sometimes they may be spontaneous. Even if the adventure HAS been planned, it can be considered null and void if I do not fully enjoy myself and/or I think about real life / take care of real life responsibilities while away. Furthermore, adventures may happen on accident - these can count as one of the three if they meet the stipulations. I can say with confidence that I am on year 3 already.

2008:

March - road trip with Jessica Lee around Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina

July - flew to Chicago alone, road a subway for the first time, explored the city alone, and flew back to Nashville that night (one of my favorite experiences.)

August - ran (power-walked) a half-marathon at Virginia Beach with sister, cousins, and Erica Osborn. then explored DC on foot, which was quite painful post-marathon.

September - drove ridiculous night hours with Jay Ferries in the middle of a week..to Chicago, again..to see Sigur Ros in concert

2009:
March - road trip to Savannah with three life long friends. Saint Patricks Day madness.

August (through December) - transplanted to San Diego, lived with 59 others in one house, and lived out of a van for ten weeks
December - spontaneous road trip to Los Angeles in an unbelievably crammed car to eat fried chicken and waffles


2010:
So far..I have New York City with Kendra in May.
I'm hoping to find myself in the pacific northwest at some point..and I want to venture with a like-minded friend somewhere around East Texas..explore a small, random town..hike..take fun pictures.


Lately I've been concentrating on really being alive. Alive in the small moments and the big. Alive around people that don't make me feel too alive, and alive around the people that re-open my eyes to beauty and laughter. And it's adventures such as these that help me remember to be alive. I cannot wait to see what this year will hold! I'm working out in my head ways that I can make an intentional effort to get outside my comfort zone in some way each week.