10/06/2002 Entry: "lazy"

I ought to update, but I am feeling rather lazy, so I will attempt to give you an outline of events but will probably just tangent off on something.

RAGBRAI has come and gone. It was FUCKING AWESOME. I have too many stories to relate here, you'll just have to wait until this year's photo expose'. (You can find last years here) I'm actually having a rather hard time adjusting back to real life and work. I really really love biking all day and having no stress or responsiblity. I met up with some of my friends from the last two ragbrai's who are currently biking across country. They started two months ago in portland and are hauling all their own stuff. They are all younger than me. They live off 50 bucks a month and eat out of dumpsters. (which works suprisingly well) I am very envious of their lives. I want that freedom, I want to see the world. I'm sick of staying in one place. *sigh* Too bad I already made a life decision to do microbio and attempt to save the world. However, in the back of my mind I have the plan hatching... once I get out of college and grad school, the second I start to hate my job/career and it becomes meaningless, no matter where I am or how much money I'm making, I am going to say fuck it. I will grab what savings I have, hop on my bike, and go. I will travel, I will see the world before I die or am physically unable to. I will walk or bike it, fuck cars. One goal is to hike across india with a few friends. I think that would be amazing. I'm currently trying to convince Mark to bike cross country with me next summer. Wish me luck.

I've kind of known this for awhile, but I guess I've finally realized it's true: There are two ways I will be happy in life. I will either find someone I love and settle down with them, or I will find no one, and instead travel the world, with a few friends (hopefully) seeing as much as possible and seeking adventure. Currently I am living neither life, but that is ok for now. I will eventually live one of those lives. I don't need comfort or security to be happy. I definately don't need money to be happy. And if I can't be with someone, I will instead use travel to be happy.

After going back and forth in my head for a year or two, I am now 100% going to join the peace corp when I get out of college. I still have my goal of saving the world, or doing all that I can. This way I can do that AND travel. I believe that is the life I will eventually have, because that is what I want, and it's something I can make happen myself. The other option, falling in love and settling down, is pretty much up to chance. And, since I'm going to turn 22 in 16 days and have never even been close to having a girlfriend, I don't see that happening anytime soon. If RAGBRAI taught me anything this year, it was that I can overcome any insanity with the help of physical exertion, exploration, and freedom.

Speaking of exploration, you iastate folks will he happy to hear that I finally climbed Gilman hall tonight. Included in the climb was climbing Physics and the building in between the two (the roofs are all joined) It was fairly hard and probably very risky since I did it about 9:30 pm. BUT I did it, am unscathed, and very satisfied. :) It was cool as hell up there. I'm going to bring a camera up next time.

Uhm... I got naked in the peterson pits lake before RABGRAI with Al and Sticky. Uhm... I plan on getting naked there again soon. I tried last night, but people were there. So... yea... FYI, I found a good naked place to go in Ames if yer careful about it. A certain often naked chick with an apparent rat fetish should appreciate hearing that.

*look up* Yup... a tangent. SUCK IT TREBECK! Oh yea, and you CF people are slow, I knew about rejected MONTHS ago. In fact, we (Mark and I) yelled parts of it at other riders on RAGBRAI as we passed them. Such as "MY SPOON IS TO BIG!" , "I AM A BANNANA!" and of course "MY ANUS IS BLEEDING" which, in some cases, was almost true since we were on a bike seat for 8 hours a day.

Thank You, Please Drive Through.