Why I travel...

I travel because I value experience over anything and everything tangible. I travel to better understand the difference between wants and desires. I travel to better comprehend the variation and variety in the world, thus deepening the awareness of self and the role an individual can play in the global ecosystem. The earth is one big family.

I travel not to take pictures, to boast, or check an item off a “bucket list,” I travel to see the world through different senses. Through eyes that constantly search for their next source of food, ears always on the alert—anticipating another ambush, noses that scrunch from the wafting stenches of living in the slums, and mouths constantly smiling and laughing while surrounded by those they love.

I travel to wander…”Not all those who wander are lost”…I travel to experience adventure, serendipity, and spontaneity.

I travel to live life first hand, not through a television, tablet, or computer screen. I travel because I don’t want to live vicariously through others. I travel for me.

I travel because I feel a need to spread love and understanding. I travel to learn of heartache and injustice. I travel to raise awareness and learn how to help those who need it. I travel for them.

I travel to keep perspective, and to remember that I don’t need everything I have. I travel because I need the reminder that happiness is not attached to tangible objects, but to basic human interaction and connection. A smile can brighten one’s day, a hug can reverse depression, and a good deed can last forever. I travel to observe and watch, to interact and learn, to listen not to speak.

I travel to stay young and keep the childlike perspective. I travel to look with the eyes of a six-year-old, inquisitive and always wanting to know “why.” I travel for the discovery of truth.

I travel not to leave home or to escape my reality. I travel to remind myself how great life is: the phone call from a loving mother, the text from a special someone, sharing a hilarious YouTube video with friends, and having access to running water. I travel to turn good-byes into undefined see-you-laters. I travel, because without subjection to cognitive dissonance, how does one determine what one prefers, needs, likes, and loves. In the words of Augustine of Hippo, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” I travel to turn the page of my very own “choose your own adventure book” that is personally unique and never-ending.

I travel to extend my reach, to decrease my narrow-mindedness, for everyone on earth deserves to be heard, loved, and validated. I travel to not have regret. I travel to not lose time, but to make my dreams and goals become my reality and memories, not “what-ifs” and “maybes.” I travel to make time.

Make the time to listen, Make the time for love, Make the time to travel.

A Decade Since...

Today is a very significant day for me.

One this day TEN YEARS AGO I was told that I HAVE CANCER.

I remember this day as if it was yesterday. I was in a small hospital examination room and in walked some new doctor I had never met. Her name was Dr. Schiff and after a short introduction she relayed the news. You would think that a relationship with another person who shares this kind of horrible news shortly after meeting them would not progress into an amazing relationship.

However, that is exactly what has happened. On this day ten years ago I met the awesome, wonderful, and best doctor in the world. In the decade since we had that wonderful introduction I have put her through a lot. I am not the best patient in the world. I make a lot of decisions that give her stress, but I am thankful for her caring, loving, and mother-like approach she has with me and my cancer treatment.

The few weeks preceding this day I have done A LOT of soul searching and pondered a lot on the past decade of my life. That without Dr Schiff would most likely would not have happened.

In the Last Decade I have:

-Graduated from High School
-Survived a 1.71 G.P.A. during my first year at college
-Served a 2-year Mission for my church
-Had a academic paper accepted to a national conference
-Graduated from College with a B.A. in Communications
-Been a Best Man at a Friends Wedding
-Had Emergency heart surgery
- Made life long friends
- CouchSurfed numerous times at complete strangers houses
- Kissed a girl in a bar
- Bungee jumped off the highest indoor bungee jump
- Won a dance contest at a summer camp
-Traveled to eat amazing food
- Been to many concerts: Imagine Dragons, Fun., Head and the Heart, Sleigh Bells, and others
-Groomsmen in another friends wedding
-Attend my Grandfather's funeral of whom I was named after
-Been interviewed by the Seany Foundation to promote awareness for childhood cancer
-Been 94.1 Radio station in San Diego's kid of the week
-Drove 4 hours for a hamburger
- went skydiving
- Interviewed for a documentary about life after cancer
-Took a Road trip from Utah to Washington D.C.
-Had 10 surgeries
-Been to Australia, Canada, 26 states, Fiji
- Worked for the Make-A-Wish Foundation
-Been to 13 baseball stadiums
- Front Page Story written about me in the Daily Universe
- Attend the 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede
- 10 years of holidays and memories with my family
- Started a Masters program
- Been constipated many times
- Slept at Mark Madsen's house

I have been blessed with a lot of amazing experiences in my life since October 16, 2002. And after this time of reflection and self mediating I have come to the realization that most of these amazing opportunities would not have come to pass had it not been for having cancer.

Yes, I have cancer and it is an intergal part of my day-to-day life; however, it does not define me as a person. That being said I am glad that I have cancer. It has molded me into the person I am today by effecting my personality and outlook on life.

Although sometime it sucks being stuck at home sick and depleted of stamina to go about day-to-day activities ..I would not trade not having cancer for anything.

So, I raise my glass and toast the amazing Dr. Schiff, Cancer, and living each day positively. Here is to another 10 years of school, traveling, eating, treatments, surgeries, and constipated nights.

Cancer cannot take away your will to live...Only you can!

Here is a motto I live by: What is the point of extending life if you are not going to live it!

Trip to Canada...cleaning the airport?

I recently returned from a three-week trip to Canada. It was to spend some time with a friend from my mission, and to see his stomping grounds. I have A LOT of food places to blog about, but I will start with one of the more odd experiences I have had this summer. The first Friday I was in Canada I was volunteered to help my friend's dad clean the carpets at the Calgary airport. It was an interesting experience and another random thing to add to the "completed" side of my bucket list. 

Here is my badge...

and a picture of me with the machine I pushed for 6 hours around as we cleaned 8 air bridges.

It was a fun experience and another item to add to the randomness list of my life.

A visit to Galveston Island

Galveston Island is about an hour or so drive Southeast from the City of Houston, TX. It was interesting to go see the "beach" at the Gulf of Mexico. I stuck my feet in the water and it felt like a jacuzzi. It was crazy how warm the water was.

We made a pitstop for lunch at the restaurant shrimp & stuff

I order this fish and chips and it was really good!

The fish was cooked wonderfully. the fish was moist and tender, and breading was crisp, flavorful, and not overly oily. 

I give the fish a 4 out of 5 bald heads. 

(I am a hard critic here because I grew up in San Diego where I have had many a delicious fish and chips).

I give the chips a 1.5 out of 5 bald heads.

The chips were nothing special. A step above the frozen one you can buy at the grocery store.

After lunch we went to and watched a short film about the great hurricane that destroyed Galveston in 1900.

Here are some pictures of the aftermath:

It was cited that it was the worse natural disaster in American history. You can read more about it READ ME PLEASE!

Afterward we drove to the Houston Space Center and took an awesome tour; followed by another baseball game. 

Annual Baseball Trip with Dad--Part One: Houston

Every summer my father and I go on a baseball trip. I look forward to it every year, and it is always a great time and we are slowly reaching our goal to watch a baseball game in every stadium. This summer we went to Houston and Dallas to watch baseball and eat delicious food. We grade every stadium but the architecture, design, and by the food offered at the stadium.

Houston was our first stop. We  planned it that for the two games in Houston, the Astros would be playing the Padres. Both my father and I were pleasantly surprised by Minute Maid Park in Houston. Here are a few pictures of the stadium.

The outside is very beautiful looking and it has a roof closed during the hot, humid midwest summer. They can close the roof and pump the A/C during the game.











Here is a picture looking out to right field. This was our view for the first game, and then we sat in the first row in right field for the second game. It was fabulous and as usual my father likes to talk with everyone around us. During the second game he did some friendly trash talking with the lesbian couple behind us; however, we never really went through the proper introductions, and the couple called him Padre throughout the course of the game.

Now on to the food at the ballpark. My father good BBQ Brisket Nachos, and they were DELICIOUS! They were the best nachos that both my father and I have had at a baseball stadium. It had corn, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and of course cheese. It was fantastic.

I got gourmet sliders. They were pretty solid for a hamburger. I have had better, but I have also had worse. 

Houston we have a problem and I that is all for this post.

Pictures of Fiji

For those who don't know....I worked for about three weeks in Fiji during the month of June. It was terrifically awesome! Meet some amazing people, had a life changing time, worked hard, and got more mosquito/spider bites than I had gotten in my entire life up to that point.

Anywho, here are some pictures.....

this is a picture of the resort that we stayed at for the first three days on the island of Waya Leilei. This island is about a 1 and half hour boat ride from Latoka (a city on the main island)

the huts that we slept in

on the morning of the last day we hiked to the top of this rock and had an amazing 360 view of the beautifully blue Pacific Ocean.

Our bus got stuck in the village that we were building toilets

here is a group working on a toilet. The Fijian in the forefront with the blue shirt is named Billy. He was a preacher at the local methodist church.

here is a tie that a good friend from Italy gave me. I wanted to give her a thank you shout out!

Summer Update

This summer has been absolutely amazing so far! I have been traveling, eating, serving, driving, flying, sleeping, and getting pretty gross spider bites.

So here is the update so far:

Driving:

Utah to Washington D.C.: aprox 2,122 miles

Utah to Phoenix, AZ: aprox 632 miles

Utah to Vista, CA (Roundtrip): 1372 miles

And countless driving around town and to and from airports.

Flying:

Dulles, VA to SLC, UT: 1,842 miles  Flight Time: 3 hours 39 minutes

SLC, UT to Long Beach, CA (Round Trip): 1188 miles Flight Time: 2 hours 23 minutes

Los Angeles, CA to Nadi, Fiji (Round Trip): 11,004 miles Flight TIme: 21 hours 5 minutes

Totals:

Driving: 4,126 miles

Flying: 14,034 miles

Flight Time: 27 hours and 7 minutes

There is the update of my traveling so far this summer. I still have Houston and Dallas, Texas; Calgary, Canada; Rhode Island; Baltimore, Maryland; and a road trip from Virginia to Utah before my summer will be over!

Also: My birthday was yesterday and I listened to my favorite song as a both reflected on the past year and planned for the upcoming one. Life is so EXCITING! even with cancer.

Here it is:

"Embrace the past so you can live for now!"

A Decade Since.....

This upcoming October will be my ten year anniversary since I was originally diagnosed with cancer. The ride that my life has been since that day has been better than any roller coaster you can ride at Six Flags, Knott's Berry Farm, and even Cedar Point. (Apparently ever world record involving roller coasters is there)

My hair, color of my skin, weight, eye brows, appetite, social life, brain, family, urine, vision, friends, dating life, endurance, and everything in my life has been directly or indirectly effected by cancer since that day.

However, this is not a time to be sad, but rejoice in the great things that life has to offer. One of my blog readers and friend, the wonderful Joy Jenkins, has decided to raise money( in my honor) to benefit the American Cancer Society. It is because of this society and their desire to rid the human race of cancer that I am still alive today and able to write these words.

My wonderful sister Emily made me an awesome tribute video to celebrate my 10 years of victory against cancer.

Please go watch it on YouTube at the link below.

Please Click Me

I would ask you to help me celebrate my 10 years of victoriously fighting cancer by clicking on the link below and donating to the American Cancer Society. I have never asked you, my faithful blog readers to donate money, and it is not in my personality to do so. But, this is to good of a chance to help a friend of mine raise money to fight the ugly desease that is cancer.

Click Here to Donate

Donate to celebrate my 10 years of victory, donate to prolong my fight, donate to help the millions of people out in the world that face cancer everyday. We (cancer patients) want nothing more than to be cancer free. It is a single small wish. We are tired of being sick. Help against the fight.

Here is a poem I often reflect on during my "down" moments.

"What cancer cannot do"
it cannot steal eternal life
conquer the spirit
suppress memories
Kill friendship
cripple love
corrode faith
shatter hope
destroy peace
silence courage
and invade the soul


and I add...It cannot and will not kill me. 


One dollar goes a LONG way. Please donate and spread the word!