BLOG, the Second

I realize now that the “Yearlong Bucket List” I posted (and then revised and re-posted later) was – in both incarnations – total hype. Wishful thinking. Additionally, I didn’t take advantage of some great opportunities I had because in those moments I was circumstantially driven rather than vision-driven. So I am now revising it and making it out of courage rather than hype. I am still learning, and this is a recurring lesson for me. I love that it is, by the way, because I know that my lack of vision-drivenness and detail-orientedness are two HUGE barricades to the life I want to live. Thank you, Ryan, for creating such clarity in your life that you are able to once more whittle this list down to a more correct form.

TO ACCOMPLISH WITHIN THIS YEAR
(JUNE 25, 2009 – JUNE 25, 2010)

1. Learn Italian
2. Learn French
3. Have completed my personal brand
4. Have committed 100% to and taken 5+ steps toward fulfilling my personal brand.
5. Take an auto class: learn the basics of cars and how to fix an automobile.
6. Document ALL volunteer hours I serve.
7. Document EVERY item I donate, along with the amount of its value.
8. Have taken one quantifiable step toward beginning a (meaningful) non-profit.
9. Live a self-disciplined life.
10. Live a peaceful, joyful, fulfilled life.
11. Live healthily.
12. At least biannually [revised from “quarterly”], throw fun, engaging, fabulous parties that are talked about (for joyful reasons) long after they occurred.
13. Know basics of simple, elegant ballroom dances.
14. Read King James’ Bible.
15. Study Buddhism
16. Go to Iceland [revised from “Gili Meno in Bali”] for two weeks and live in introspective silence. *Note: I changed this to Iceland because in the two weeks I was there I accomplished exactly what I intended I’d create in Gili Meno, and did so being able to speak to others instead of limiting myself to “introspective silence.”
17. Read one book every two months [revised from “per month”].
18. Save money wisely.
19. Spend money wisely.
20. Know money (though I now realize that this will probably be an ongoing lesson for me).
21. Take $3,000 [revised from “$30,000”] home to my personal bank account every month.
22. Go, with my significant other, to Africa on a research trip for my non-profit, Educate Africa.


For those who are curious what I end up deciding to do with the other items that remained on the old list: they are saved in a Word document on my Desktop and will be revised/revisited at a later date (probably within the month), at which point I will separate them into goals for future years. Once I’ve finished that process, I will post the lists up here.

With Honesty,

Ryan!

Notice Me?

This is very funny and was inspiring to me. It is from Seth Godin's blog. I believe it and I hope that this is something my blog does (the "far better than being noticed" part...Lol.) To be honest, I think lately my blog has become more of just a noticing-type of blog rather than a "here, please learn from me" blog like it started out as. Please leave me feedback on how my blog achieves or doesn't achieve this, on a scale of 1-10, one being lowest. Thanks! :)



"Notice Me"

If the new web has a mantra, that's it.

So much time and effort is now put into finding followers, accumulating comments and generating controversy... all so that people will notice you. People say and do things that don't benefit them, just because they're hooked on attention.

Attention is fine, as long as you have a goal that is reached in exchange for all this effort.

Far better than being noticed:

* Trusted
* Engaged with
* Purchased from
* Discussed
* Echoed
* Teaching us
* Leading

BLOG

I haven’t written a blog in a long time. Wow, it’s been a while! I haven’t been here. Ever since I returned from Iceland, I haven’t quite been here…I’m not exactly sure where I’ve been, but I know I haven’t been HERE. Tonight, I am back to here. But I’m new. I’m renewed. I’m climbing up, pushing the muck to the side, and loving my journey. No one else has the exact ladder I have and I love that. Mine is a bit wobbly, it’s very, very tall, it is scary as hell, and it has a LOT of soda pop at the top of it (Mug, Pepsi, Coke and orange soda to be specific). None of this will make sense to any of you in the way that it does to me. And I find joy in that. I like the thought that I can have my own private thoughts that no one can truly access but me. ☺ I am powerful. And it’s kind of scary. But honestly, what isn’t scary to me? I like the fear. I don’t like when I stall myself because I am afraid, and tonight I see myself as Omnipotent. I am not a victim tonight, and that feels really good. “And when you’re sick, you seem to think you’ve failed eternally.” For those of my readers who feel that way, know that that lyric is true in my experience, but it’s not reality. Unless you want to make it YOUR reality. I don’t know why, but I do know that that sentiment was meant to be shared by me tonight. Maybe it’s just for me. Maybe it’s for if I ever forget that in my future and I get to have proof to myself that I know I can overcome everything I want to as long as I choose to want to. I am so grateful for my life. For life in general – the fact that I can breathe, and talk, and walk, and catch (albeit like a typical gay man), and scream, and sing, and love, and hug, and kiss, and cuddle, and listen, and plan, and empathize, and be free from the trapping tethers of judgment, and hear (different from listening), and see, and smile. And eat dried apple chips. These things are freaking delicious! Thanks, mom!


I am so intricate. I started out writing “complex.” And right now, I realize that that word connotes negativity in today’s world, so I chose to substitute it with intricate, which I feel is much more me, anyway. Heidi, I change your word to intricate.


We are all so intricate, aren’t we? Unique and beautiful. Please leave me a comment telling me how intricate, unique and beautiful you are. Just in case I’ve missed it. Thank you – very, very much.


Can You Feel Me Embracing You?


Ryan!