45 Questions

Found these questions on Lifehack, so I figured I’d answer them:

 

Would you rather…

1. Watch Star Wars, or Star Trek?
   Star Wars. I never got into Star Trek.
2. Read on a Kindle or paperback book?
   Paperback. Electronics just don’t feel the same when it comes to novels.
3. Go to a play or musical?
   I like both, but musicals are usually more fun.
4. Go to the theater or a movie?
   Theatre! Complete with British English spelling.
5. Hike or bike?
   I like both, but I would rather hike.
6. Wear jeans or chinos?
   Either is fine by me. Jeans are more stylish, but sometimes in Florida in summer, they’re just too damn hot. I’d still give the edge to jeans though.
7. Have a Margarita or Pina Colada?
   Margarita. It’s my drink of choice. Jimmy Buffet and I don’t give a shit what you think.
8. Drink a glass of Guinness or Fat Tire?
   Never had either, but I’ll stick with my Irish heritage and say Guinness!
9. Crash with friends or stay in a hotel?
   Crash with friends.
10. Visit Europe or Mexico?
    I’d like to visit both, but Europe is much higher on the list.
11. Vacation in Hawaii or Alaska, and why?
    I’ve been to Hawaii and enjoyed it. I’ve never been to Alaska, but I’d like to. I’d have to go with the one I’ve never tried and say Alaska.
12. Go skiing or snowshoeing?
    I’ve been skiing and enjoyed it. Never tried snowshoeing and hadn’t really thought of it being a ‘sport’. I think skiing would be more fun, but I’d pick snowshoeing just to give it a try.
13. Travel by plane, train, or automobile?
    Train. There’s something interesting about trains that feel like a call back to the old days. I’d like to ride a train through the middle of nowhere.
14. Enjoy a houseboat or speed boat?
    Houseboat. Extend the trip over several days.
15. Go climbing or zip lining?
    Done both. Like both. Climbing calls out to me, though, and I miss it!
16. Go to a comedy club or dance club?
    Dance club. I prefer to move around.
17. Have a night out or evening in?
    Depends on the day. Night out would probably be more fun. Though too many and I’ll probably be looking for a night in.
18. Watch TV or read a book?
    Read a book. Don’t do it enough, but TV is more garbage now than ever.
19. Go canoeing or waterskiing?
    I’ve gone canoeing and enjoyed it. I’ve never gone waterskiing. I’ll pick waterskiing for the new experience.
20. Camp in an RV or stay in a tent?
    Tent. #RealCamping
21. Use Facebook or Twitter?
    Facebook. I like to keep up with my family and friends who I don’t get to see much. Facebook is a better medium for that and it’s also where those people actually have accounts.
22. Choose a free trip or money?
    Depends. If the money is enough to pay for the free trip and then some, I’d take the money. But otherwise I’d probably take the trip.
23. Win the lottery or find your perfect job?
    Find my perfect job. ‘Perfect’ would mean it would offer 100% everything that I want, which would mean I could take time off whenever I wanted. I’d be happy with my perfect job and that’s all we really need, right?
24. Swim in a pool or the ocean?
    I like both. I’d pick an Olympic-sized pool over the ocean, but the ocean over a normal house pool. #ThisFishNeedsRoom
25. Travel by sailboat or cruise ship?
    Sailboat. I’ve been on a few cruise ships and I’ve enjoyed it. I’d even do it again in a heartbeat. But I’d love to travel on a sailboat, as I’ve never done it before.
26. Watch sports or play sports?
    Play sports. Until I’m exhausted, then I’ll watch some too.
27. Play dodgeball or kickball?
    Haven’t played either in so long, I’d be open to playing either. I’d probably pick dodgeball right now as I think it would be easier on my leg.

 

 

Get to know someone new when you learn how they think:

1. Who would you want with you if you were stranded on a deserted island?
   Barrack Obama. I’d be rescued fairly quickly.
2. If you could do anything you wanted right now, what would it be?
   Drive up to Massachusetts and visit my family.
3. If money was no object, what would you do all day?
   Travel. All over the place. I want to see it all.
4. Where do you most want to travel, but have never been?
   Ireland. It’s been on my list for a long time.
5. What is your favorite memory?
   I really can’t think of a ‘favorite’ memory. I have a few good memories that come to mind. When I was three I remember playing with my best friend, Mary, putting on as many bracelets as I could fit onto my arm. I probably looked like a toddler Liberace. I remember sleeping over her house one night when I was about five and staying up until midnight for the first time to try and see the Sandman. We didn’t see him. I have fond memories of most of my years through grade school and hanging out with friends, from jumping off swings at recess to skipping class in high school, to climbing on top of the catwalk to take a senior photo. I have good memories of rock climbing at Aiguille in Longwood, FL. I also have positive memories recently of all the fun activities I’ve been doing, such as hang gliding, swimming in springs and the ocean, swimming with manatees, hiking around Florida, taking a roadtrip up to Georgia and climbing mountains, driving twelve hours solo to and from the Outer Banks in North Carolina to see my sister and her family. Turning 21 and going up North, going to the strip club with my brother and getting a lap dance. Some naughtier memories…. Lots of bonfires, Patriots games, Bruins games, concerts, Red Sox, Celtics, Relay for Life, karaoke, taking a cruise by myself. Lots of good stuff. No favorites.
6. Who is your favorite author?
   I don’t really have a favorite author.
7. What is your favorite book?
   The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Although, I like the presentation he did better, but the book adds onto it.
8. What was your favorite activity in gym class?
   In Elementary School – Freeze Tag. In Middle School and High School – Soccer and Football.
9. What has been your biggest challenge?
   Trying to recover from shoulder surgery. It’s been almost 18 months and I still have problems with it. Ugh!
10. What is your biggest success up until now?
    Probably the progress that I have made since my shoulder surgery.
11. What does your perfect day look like?
    Traveling, trying new things, and being with my friends and family.
12. University or life experience, which do you feel best prepares you for life?
    Life experience. College isn’t real preparation.
13. What is the one thing that should be taught in school that isn’t already?
    Life skills. Real life skills. They try and touch on it occasionally, but they never seem to get it right or focus on it enough.
14. If you were to create a piece of art, what would the subject be?
    Depends on my mood. I suck at art, so I’d probably do something abstract. However, I do love nature scenes.
15. What one thing would you change if you had to do it over?
    That’s hard to say due to the ‘butterfly effect’.  If I change one thing in the past, I change who I am. The farther back I go with my ‘change’, the larger the ripple created. A few regrets I would list would be moving away from Massachusetts (though I didn’t have a choice, as I was nine, and I also have made a lot of great friends in Florida), not standing up to bullies in school, and dislocating my shoulder (if I could prevent that, that would be fucking awesome).
16. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
    A few selections: I’d like to go back to the age of the dinosaurs, especially to see a Triceratops, my favorite dinosaur. Going back to Ancient Egypt and see the pyramids be built would be cool. I’d love to see Medieval Europe – the knights, the battles, how people lived. 1776 to see the American Revolution. 1969 to see man walk on the moon for the first time. Anytime between 1992 and now to give my younger self some advice.
17. What does your life say about you?
    Like Bon Jovi says “It’s my life!” I got mine, you got yours. You live yours, I’ll live mine.
18. How would your friends describe you?
    Odd, quirky, a little outside of normal. Will sing or dance at random times. Makes horrible jokes (both unfunny and politically incorrect). Unique. Unpredictable.

Top 7 Places: Mountains I Want to Summit

Another top 7 list because I’m lazy – and possibly getting sick. Here’s a list of the top 7 mountains that I want to summit. No rules on this one, but they ended up being pretty dispersed anyway, so yay!

 

7: The Matterhorn (Swiss Alps)

One of the most popular mountains to climb, The Matterhorn rises high in the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. No confirmed Yeti sightings have come forth yet, but there’s still a chance.

 

6: Mount Katahdin (Maine)

The highest point in Maine, Mount Katahdin is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. For most thru-hikers, hiking northbound means Mount Katahdin is the end of the AT. Supposedly, it’s a pretty spectacular finale to a four-to-six-month trek.

 

5: Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)

The tallest mountain in Africa, it is considered the easiest of the Seven Summits to climb, being more of a hike to the top than a technical climb. The mountain has many different regions ranging from rainforest to mountaintop.

 

4: Mount Denali (Alaska)

Also known as Mount McKinley, Mount Denali is the highest point in North America. It can be extremely dangerous to climb, just like most mountains on this list.

 

3: Mons Huygens (Moon)

The tallest mountain on our orbiting satellite, Luna – more commonly referred to as the Moon. With much-reduced gravity, the climb should be considerably less taxing, but having to plan to bring enough oxygen and somehow find a way to eat and drink in a spacesuit protecting you from certain death would be a tough technical obstacle to overcome.

 

2: Mount Everest (Himalayas)

Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on our planet, but nowhere near the most difficult. People practically get ferried up the mountain nowadays, but a good combination of hard work and support would satisfy my desire of standing on top of the world. I bet the view is spectacular.

 

1: Olympus Mons (Mars)

Olympus Mons is the tallest mountain on any planet in our solar system at a height of nearly 22 kilometers, three times higher than Mount Everest. How cool would it be to stand atop the tallest planetary mountain in our solar system?

Top 7 Places: States I Want to Visit

Here’s a list of the top 7 states (or sometimes groups of states) that I want to visit. Some I’ve visited before, but not for long. I’ve excluded four states from this list – Florida, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island – because I’ve spent so much time in those states already.

7: Wyoming/Idaho/Montana

Yellowstone National Park, the first national park, covers a large portion of Wyoming and smaller portions of Idaho and Montana. With many scenic vistas, Yellowstone is on my list of places to visit.

6: Alaska

I had the chance to visit Alaska several years ago when my parents went on a cruise there, but I passed it up because “what is there to see in Alaska?” I missed that opportunity, but really, I don’t think cruising around Alaska is the way I want to see it anyway. The largest of the United States, Alaska has plenty of scenery to behold, but the one thing that sticks out in my mind is Mount Denali (aka Mount McKinley). The highest point in North America and one of the Seven Summits, Mount Denali calls out to me.

5: California

I’ve actually been to California several years ago. I spent a couple days in San Diego, a couple more in Los Angeles, and a couple more in San Francisco. Back in those days I was a TV junkee and I thought LA would be the coolest place. During my trip, I loved San Diego and San Francisco, but LA left a lot to be desired. However, now I’m much more into nature and so I’d really like to visit Yosemite National Park and also hike the John Muir Trail, which starts in Yosemite and continues over 200 miles to Mount Whitney.

4: New Hampshire

As someone who was born in New England, I have a strong emotional connection with those six states. However, I’ve spent ninety-nine percent of my time up there in the lower three states – Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. I have ventured into New Hampshire once to go skiing for several days, but I’d love to take more time and really get to see New Hampshire. Aside from the natural aspects of the state, I also feel a connection to their more Libertarian political ideology.

3: Tennessee/North Carolina

I’ve been to North Carolina a few times, most recently I drove up there and to the Outer Banks to see my sister and her family while they were vacationing there. I’ve also been in the Greensboro area for work a couple times. When I was a kid, my family took a trip to Tennessee, though I don’t remember much. Now, I’d like to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as well as hike the portion of the Appalachian Trail the runs mostly down the border of the two states.

2: Maine

Maine was another state, like Alaska, that I thought didn’t hold anything that I’d want to see. However, being more in tune with nature in my more recent years, I’ve found that it holds quite a bit of wonder to behold. I’ve heard great things about Arcadia National Park, which I’d love to see. Plus, Maine is one more state that the Appalachian Trail runs through (and ends at for Northbounders). Two things I’ve had a craving for are snow and mountains. The Northeast has many scenic vistas and Maine is no exception.

1: Colorado

Often considered by me, and possibly others, as something of a flyover state, not only have I heard great things about the scenery and the state from people I know, I also value their political ideology, much like New Hampshire. I’ve never been to Colorado, or pretty much anywhere near it. It’s definitely on my list now, though. I hear the mountains are spectacular.