Posts Tagged ‘travel’

Connections


24 Jun

Day 23 of the #Trust30 writing project- Who is one person that you’ve been dying to connect with, but just haven’t had the courage to reach out to? First, reflect on why you want to get in touch with them. Then, reach out and set up a meeting.

 

I have been mulling this topic over for a few days now, and am still not convinced about who I want to meet. How indecisive of me. Before this goes on any later, I figure I should pick someone; and that someone is Anthony Bourdain.

I remember the first time I saw him on TV was for previews of his A Cook’s Tour show on Food Network. He seemed like such a badass, and his first episode was in Japan. What more could I want?! He smoked, he swore, he ate great food from around the world; and made me want to be a chef. Granted that vision as a profession was short lived, but he put that idea in my head about how great traveling is. I went out and bought his first book, Kitchen Confidential and just tore it up. I NEVER do that with books! I bought his next book which was the inspiration for the TV show and tore that one up as well. So what is it about him that is so appealing?

I love the style in which he writes; it’s very gratifying to me. He says what he is thinking and doesn’t try to sugar coat it. I have been an avid reader of his ever since then. I would love to have a job like his. Travel around the world, try new foods and write about them. The second time I went to Japan, I made sure to keep a travel log. When I got back and read it to my father, the first thing he said was, “Did you do anything else besides eat?” I was so engrossed with the food and culture there that I didn’t really think of anything else. It was all I could do to get my thoughts on paper. But I digress.

So why haven’t I reached out to him. Time. Location. Stardom. Lowly Peon. Who knows. Maybe it never really dawned on me to try and connect with him. I follow him on Twitter, what else should I do? Maybe write a letter? No one ‘writes’ anymore. It’s all emails and tweets these days. Maybe that would be a start. So my next job would be to compose a letter. Here’s to hoping I follow through and get a reply.

Top 3 Dreams- Only Dreams or Doable?


17 Jun

 

Day 18 of the #Trust30 writing project- Write down your top three dreams. Now write down what’s holding you back from them.

 

My top 3 dreams huh? Running on a very strict schedule today so let’s see if I can knock this out with the correct amount of effort.

#1 Get back to Japan

#2 Travel to Scotland/England

#3 Have a meaningful relationship with my son

 

Dream 1/2- The only thing holding me back from these are the money factor. I know it is a bit of a cop out to say that but it is true. The question is how do I come up with the money. I’m sure that there is enough money to be scraped around from here and there to make these dreams come true. I just have to evaluate what is important to me and make the necessary adjustments.

Dream 3- The only thing keeping this dream from happening is me. As long as I make the effort, I know that this dream won’t be a dream but will be a reality.

Matt to the Future


16 Jun

 

Day 17 of the #Trust30 writing project- Decide what you want the future to be and make it happen. Because you can. Write about your future now.

 

If you could create and design your future, what would it be like. For me that is an easy question. I would want a future where my family and I could travel at anytime to anywhere in the world. When I was growing up, my parents and grandparents both played hosts to exchange students from abroad. Keeping in touch with them and being exposed to their cultures had a profound effect on them, as it did me, later on in life. Being exposed to other cultures helps to put your own life and culture in to perspective. A world where I could present my son with a wide diversity of cultures to experience.

Both my wife and I would have jobs that are flexible enough to take vacations a few times a year. Granted this is a dream world, so how do I make it possible? I have to work on developing my brand as well as those pipe dreams that I am always thinking of. Curb the spending, go full force on the job hunt, and most importantly- take control. I am the only one holding myself back and blaming it on the economy or my job will not solve anything. The future is obtainable, but are you up to obtaining it?

Past Me/Future Me


07 Jun

Day 8 of the #Trust30 writing project- What would you say to the person you were five years ago? What will you say to the person you’ll be in five years?

 

I must be getting old. It’s hard to remember that far back.

5 years ago huh? Let’s see, I’d been married for nearly a year, been back and forth between a couple jobs, and was trying to decide on what to do with my life.

Past Matt, I offer this advice to you:

Pick a path and stick with it! All things in life that are worth doing will have hardships. There is no easy road in life that is worth following, so trudge forward with your head held high.

Future Matt, I hope you’re doing better than I am right now. Little Daniel is going to be running around being manic like you were as a child and giving you more gray hairs than you have now, but I know you couldn’t be happier. Don’t give up on your dreams; any of them. Whether it’s getting back to Japan, running your own business, developing apps or cooking, NEVER stop dreaming. That’s what makes you you and no one can take that away but you.

Dream on brother man, dream on.

One Place in the World…


04 Jun

Day 5 of the #Trust30 writing project- Not everyone wants to travel the world, but most people can identify at least one place in the world they’d like to visit before they die. Where is that place for you, and what will you do to make sure you get there?

 

“Is there anywhere else you would want to go? Anywhere?” I can hear the groans coming from a mile a way. Those who know me, know that there is only one other place in this world I’d rather be in. Japan. Granted there are a few other places like Scotland and England that I would love to visit, but Japan is my second home. Home is where the heart is as they say, and mine belongs to the land of the rising sun.
As of this writing, it’s been exactly 13 years since my first visit to that magical place and 8 since I was there last. So much has changed and happened since the last time my wife and I was there, that I feel the need to visit it again before it sinks into the ocean. I am looking for a job currently that will bring in some extra income to help us pay the bills and save some on the side. I would love for my future son to be able to go back with us and see what another countries culture is like when compared to ours. We may be a like, but there is so much more that separates us as well.
Of course there is always the easy solution to getting back there.
Win the lottery.
If that were to happen, it would be more than just my family going back with us; we’d be bringing our friends as well to share in the love that we have come to know from our second home.

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