Sports and Literature

Today I finished writing a poem, crossing off another item on my list. For some reason, it was not on the one linked in the blog, but I added it and removed the streaming goal because I stopped streaming a lot. The poem is titled "Journey On" and it will be at the end of this post. In other news and activities, I played in a soccer tournament with some friends this past Saturday which was a lot of fun and got me pretty sore for the following days. It was nice to play soccer all day like I used to. I've also downloaded a chess app for my computer to try and improve my game. I learned the basics, such as how each piece can move when I was younger, but am not very good at the game so that is why it is on the list. That just about sums up what I've been up to!

With the wind at my back,

Will

"Journey On"

With the wind at my back,
I will journey on.

Through the mud and rain,
Through all the jurt and all the pain,
For all the ups and downs,
Across the countryside and through the towns,
I will journey on.

It started long ago,
Just a boy with a dream,
To see how far he could go.
He worked hard and paid his dues,
Not caring about what he'd lose,
He just journeyed on.

Along these travels,
Among the many things I learned,
 Is that you never know it all,
And everything is earned,
So I journey on.

Thus the road ahead never ends,
Doing my best to always grow,
With my family by my side,
The passion in my heart never will die,
And I will journey on.

Music and Inspiration!

My inspiration board

I can cross two items off my list! This past Thursday my friend Connor and I saw the Broadway musical Violet starring Sutton Foster and it was the best show that I've seen in a long time. The music was terrific, the script brilliant, and the acting and singing phenomenal. It is about a young woman named Violet (Sutton Foster's character) who is traveling from North Carolina to Oklahoma to see a TV preacher who she believes can heal her scarred face from an accident with an ax when she was younger. The story revolves around her travels on the Greyhound bus and the people she meets along the way. I would highly recommend this show to everyone, but it is only on for a couple more weeks so you would have to go soon. The other thing I did was start my inspiration board to hang in my room. It has my mission statement and things I want to do or get. It is a good way to keep in mind what I am working towards whenever I see it. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

With the wind at my back,

Will

So Far...

My summer break is surprisingly coming close to being half way over, if that point has not been reached already. Therefore I thought it would be a good idea to share where I am so far with my goals that I am working on before I head back to school. I have completed two items on my list, learn the Greek alphabet and finish an 1,000 piece puzzle. Even though I mess up occasionally with the Greek and I am certain my pronunciation is off with some, it was mostly a matter of repetition and memorization. As for the puzzle, I had a bit of help but overall it was fun to work on it with family and friends, seeing the picture finally come together (Follow this to find the picture). I am working on the other things on my list as the summer progresses and am looking forward to getting them done. Until next time.

With the wind at my back.

Will Luft

Guess who's back?

Hey guys I'm back to blogging! I originally started this blog to document a 30 day challenge in the fall of 2012. Looking back, it was a great forum to document what I was doing and to share my experience with others. It is almost two years later and up for more things to do and to improve! On the right of the page you can find lists of things I plan to do this summer as well as links to different site helping me on my journey. I am made a Day Zero list of 101 things to do in 1001 days and am using HabitRPG to track some of my habits. I'll keep you updated on what is going on and what I am up to. Hope you all enjoy and play it up!


Will
With the wind at my back

That Time Again!

Hello everybody! It has been a while since I last posted and a lot has happened over the past couple of months. Now the semester is almost over and final papers and tests are coming up. It feels like I started going to classes a month ago and now they are almost finished. I've been in a rut for a while so (through the advice of others) decided to start back up with this blog and my personal development. Its time to put my nose to the grindstone and work hard to make myself better. I've started to work on my Day Zero Project again and trying to create better habits. Life is an adventure and we must take advantage of all the opportunities we have to experience it to the best of our abilities. So for all those who are about finish up with school,  good luck with all your finals and tests and papers. I know how annoying they can be and how tempting it can be to procrastinate, but it has to get done so just start doing it. And the feeling of being done with everything makes all the work worth the effort. Until next time, here's to life!

Free My Mind

I have taken the past couple of weeks to complete Marc and Angel's 50 Questions that will Free Your Mind. They live up to the title and made me think deep and hard about my life and opinions. I highly recommend that people try this exercise for fun to try to put onto paper some of your views.

Here are my answers:

50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind

1)      How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

a)     I would be 18 years old because I am still struggling to figure myself out, I just started at a new college and I still know very little about the world.

2)     Which is worse, failing or never trying?

a)     Never trying is worse. There is always a lesson that can be learned.

3)     If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?

a)     We do so many things that we don’t want to do because it is what society expects of us and sometimes it is the best way to learn. Even though we might not like something, it isn’t an excuse to not do it.

4)     When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

a)     So far in my life, I will have said more than I have done. But recently I have been trying to do more and I plan to continue to live this way the rest of my life.

5)     What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?

a)     The thing that I would most like to change about the world is the availability of a good education for everyone, no matter race, gender, age, nationality, or anything.

6)     If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?

a)     I would be rich if I could listen to music, play/coach soccer, and help people learn about anything and everything.

7)     Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

a)     I am trying to do what I believe in but sometimes I settle for the easy path.

8)    If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

a)     I would try to finish school earlier so I could have more time to travel and read which would give me better lessons than in school.

9)     To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

a)     I haven’t controlled much of the course of my life so far. I usually just let things happen and respond.

10) Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

a)     I am worried about doing the right things, but once I start something I worry a lot about doing it right more.

11)  You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do?

a)     I would be upset and tell them the truth about my friend. People are entitled to their opinions but these opinions should have truth within them.

12) If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?

a)     Learn as much as you can from everyone. Everybody is a teacher in some way and has something that can help you along in your life.

13) Would you break the law to save a loved one?

a)     There are definitely some laws that I would break in order to save a loved one.

14) Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?

a)     Unfortunately I haven’t. From what I have heard, this can be incredible.

15)  What’s something you know you do differently than most people?

a)     Something I know I do differently than most people is that I try to explore all my enjoyments. I want to do everything that makes me feel good and I see a lot of people put things on the backburner because they aren’t “useful.”

16) How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?

a)     Each person is different and has a brain that is wired uniquely. Just because I love soccer, my sister or anyone else can not like it.

17)  What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?  What’s holding you back?

a)     One thing I haven’t done that I really want to do is go to London and see Chelsea FC play a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge. I am being held back by the cost of the trip and the scheduling of school and the soccer season.

18) Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?

a)     I am holding on to the memories of high school that I should probably let go. It was a great time for me but it is holding me back now that I am in college.

19) If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?

a)     I would move to London because it is a great city with lots to do and it is the home of Chelsea FC.

20)    Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?

a)     Sometimes I do press the elevator button more than once. I am sure it doesn’t make the elevator faster but I do it in case the button wasn’t originally pushed all the way.

21) Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?

a)     I would rather be a joyful simpleton so I could enjoy my life and all the wonders that surround me.

22)Why are you, you?

a)     I am me because of how I have grown up. My parents and religion have taught me about morality, I have explored different things to find my likes and dislikes, and the summation of all that I have learned makes me me.

23)Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?

a)     Not always. A lot of times I sit waiting for people to text or call me with plans instead of making them myself and inviting others.

24)Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?

a)     Losing touch with a good friend who live right near you because friendship can withstand physical distance but not emotional distance.

25) What are you most grateful for?

a)     I am most grateful for all the opportunities that I have had that have sculpted my personality into what it is today.

26)Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?

a)     I think that I would rather never be able to make new memories because all my memories and past experiences have defined me as an individual and I would never want to lose that.

27) Is it possible to know the truth without challenging it first?

a)     It is not possible to know the truth without challenging it first because it is too easy to accept something on blind faith and it is only through active discovery that the truth can be uncovered.

28)    Has your greatest fear ever come true?

a)     Luckily my greatest fear has not come true.

29)Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset?  Does it really matter now?

a)     No I don’t. I honestly cannot remember what I was extremely upset about five years ago. It feels like an eternity has passed since then. Thus it does not matter now.

30)    What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special?

a)     My happiest childhood memory was making my middle school soccer team in seventh grade. I was so nervous because I had never made a team which I had to try out for and I was ecstatic when I was told I made it.

31) At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?

a)     When Chelsea scored a tying goal against PSG when I went to see them live at Yankee Stadium, I felt more alive and passionate than ever. It was a dream come true and I sang/screamed my heart out like never before.

32)If not now, then when?

a)     Maybe when I have money to actually do all the things I want to do.

33)If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?

a)     Time. Time is something we all have to lose because we cannot live forever.

34)Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?

a)     Yes, when I’ve been given advice. It is those conversations that have helped me make some of the biggest decisions of my life.

35) Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?

a)     People often misinterpret ideas that religions present and follow their ideologies to extremes where they cannot accept another person’s view.

36)Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?

a)     Yes, for example genocide is without a doubt evil and music (in general) is without a doubt good.

37) If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?

a)     I would not quit my job. The money would help but not be able to support me for the rest of my life.

38)    Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?

a)     I would rather have more work that I enjoy doing because then it does not feel like I am working and time flies.

39)Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?

a)     Not quite a hundred times, but life does get repetitious. I’ve just come to a new environment so it is still a bit different than what I am used to.

40)    When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?

a)     Today when I posted a reply to someone on a website. I posted my belief which was different than most on the forum so I did not know what to expect, but I have faith in my conviction.

41) If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?

a)     I would visit my family, my girlfriend, and my best friends.

42)Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?

a)     I do not think that I could give up ten years of my life for fame or beauty. There are better things that could happen in those ten years that I would not want to miss out on.

43)What is the difference between being alive and truly living?

a)     Being alive is simply going through day to day without a larger picture in mind. Truly living is having experiences and striving for a larger canvas to paint your life’s story on.

44)When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?

a)     At the time that everyone else is doing wrong, then it is the time to throw caution to the wind and do what you know is right.

45) If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?

a)     Today’s society sees mistakes as bad. People are afraid to be wrong and be labeled as incorrect.

46)What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

a)     If I knew nobody would judge me, I would give up the desire to find a job and devote my life to learning.

47) When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?

a)     This past weekend as I meditated after I had just woken up.

48)    What do you love?  Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?

a)     I love my family, friends, girlfriend, and my God. I express my feelings to these people because they deserve to know.

49)In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Or the day before that?

a)     Unfortunately, probably not. I would love to have a memory of everyday of my life, but it isn’t feasible. It is best to remember the best things that happen to make life special.

50)Decisions are being made right now.  The question is:  Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

a)     I am making some decisions for myself. I listen to people and accept their guidance, but the final decision is up to me alone and nobody can tell me exactly what I should do.

The Next Step

I survived the first week! To people who are not necessarily that close to me won't understand why, but this is big step for me. I love my classes and I've managed to make some good friends, which I always thought might be difficult. I finished another book on my way to 100 in 1001 days. Titled, More With Less, it was about the state of humanitarianism and what needs to be done to prepare for disasters, both natural and man-made. There are many different ways that people can help and I think the important thing is to not only focus on the initial recovery stage and on the restoration and preparation stages which would alleviate the stress which would result from the disasters. Everyone needs to do their share in order to make the world a better place.

Happy End Of The Year!

Where did the year go? It seems like this year flew by faster than any before. But what an incredible year. So many amazing things have happened both around the world and in my own life. My life has drastically changed from 2011 and I love where I have ended up at the end of 2012. And I could not have done it without my girlfriend, my family, my friends, my teachers, and everyone around me. Thank you to everyone who has entered my life and helped me become who I am today. I have learned more than I thought I would at the beginning of the year and cannot wait to move on with my life.
Now we must all look to the future and what 2013 has in store. Personally, I am starting a new chapter in my life by going away to school for the first time since I dropped out of Dickinson College. Everything happens for a reason and now I am excited to continue my educational career at Fordham University! One of the things that I am most excited for is something I found on the Internet at dayzeroproject.com. It is a place where you can create a list of things you want to accomplish within whatever time frame you want. The most popular is a 101 Things in 1000 Days list, which is what I created. I strongly encourage everyone to do the same. It reminds me of what I originally started this blog for-my thirty day challenges. If anyone does create their own accounts and lists, click this link and follow me and I will follow you back and send encouraging messages. This is what I will be mostly posting about now as I work to do everything on my list.
So to end this year as I have ended every post thus far, here's to life and an amazing year!