October 4th-Day 4

Its Thursday so that means there is only one day left in the school/work week. You gotta push to the end everyday to be the best you can be. Today I started reading Drew Brees' memoir Coming Back Stronger. I usually don't like when people write an autobiography while they are young, but this book is incredible. Brees isn't just an incredible quarterback. He is a terrific man in every sense of the word. He works as hard as he can, he volunteers around New Orleans, he is a great father and husband, and is devoted to God. I highly recommend reading this book, it is an inspiration to anyone who picks it up. I was able to wake up early this morning to get my run in as I hoped. Hopefully I will keep being able to get up early and get a head start everyday. I practiced my handstand, moonwalk, some magic tricks and learned a new trick for winning a beer (even though I don't drink). My shading is improving and I will keep working at it as long as I can. I tried to start composing the song today, but I couldn't think of a good melody to start it off. I'm sure it will come to me I just have to keep at it. I am using my old Spanish textbook to refresh my memory of the language and it is helping me a lot. Today I'm writing about Taylor Cocciolone, who I got close to during my sophmore/his senior year of high school. We had a bunch of fun during Tour Choir in the bass section and during Les Miserables and Cabaret. I will always remember having the huge box of goldfish in the dressing room and when someone shouted when he did the Nazi salute during the show. Taylor was another who showed me the ropes of being an older guy in choir and the shows and it is great knowing him. Until tomorrow, here's to life!

"You build walls and boundaries when you give into your mind. Fear nothing and take control of who you are and who you are meant to be" -Joel Brown

Become Great

September 30th-Day 30 & Final Recap

1. Talk to a stranger everyday
2. Read two or more chapters of a book each day
3. By the end of the month, 50 consecutive push-ups
4. Take a picture each day
5. Write in a journal everyday
6. Get rid of one thing each day
7. Make someone feel good everyday
8. Learn how to draw a face
9. Master 5 card tricks
10. Practice a random skill each day (e.g. juggling, coin tricks, pen tricks, etc.)

It is officially the last day of September so it is time to look back at my progress over the course of this month. Goal 1: Talk to a stranger every day...this was the hardest goal for me since my friends would consider me socially awkward with first encounters. I didn't do this everyday like I hoped I would, but I have been doing more as the month progressed and am getting more comfortable doing so. Goal 2: Read two or more chapters of a book each day...this was one of my favorite goals because I love to read. I finished two novels, read numerous short stories, and a bunch of articles online. Goal 3: 50 consecutive push-ups...this is something that I have always wanted to be able to do and I finally did it today. Right when I woke up I knocked them all out and felt a surge of energy once I completed them. I am proud of myself for being able to do this for the first time in my life. Goal 4: Take a picture each day...this was one of the easier goals that I set for myself and usually was able to do it. What I would like to improve on is taking more diverse pictures instead of waiting until the day is nearly over to do it. Goal 5: Write in a journal everyday...I enjoyed doing this because I will be able to look back and see how I was feeling throughout the month. Also I can use the journal to work out any ideas that may be in my head. I have started to expand on this by carrying a marble notebook with me to write down things at random points during the day. Goal 6: Get rid of one thing each day...this was easier at first because I was able to discard things which I didn't use/need. But towards the end of the month it became more difficult because I had less things to choose from. I saved the biggest for last and am getting rid of my printer which doesn't work anymore (it stopped working this past week) and is just taking up space. Goal 7: Make someone feel good everyday...this was my favorite goal. I loved to write about my friends and felt even better when I saw a reply of gratitude. It is an incredible feeling that I want to continually experience. Goal 8: Learn how to draw a face...this was challenging for me. I never really saw myself as an artist but I got better the more I practiced. The picture above is something I drew this morning and was based off a picture of myself...lets just say I still have room for improvement. I am happy that my ability has gotten much better than it originally was. Goal 9: Master five card tricks...this ended up being one of the easier goals on the list and I plan to continue practicing and learning more in the future. I think it is neat to be able to find a person's card in a deck of 52. Goal 10: Practice a random skill each day...over the course of this month I have been able to learn a bunch of cool tricks. I know some simple coin magic, I taught myself a simple cup and balls routine, I can juggle three balls with two hands or two balls with one hand, and finally my penmanship with my right hand has improved since I started practicing. I also wrote a poem. I never thought I would do that when it isn't a class assignment. So that has been the month of September and tomorrow brings a new month and new challenges. So for a final time this month, here's to life!

September 29th-Day 29

Today is the second to last day of September...I can't believe this month is just about over now. The picture above is a face that I drew today with one of the best noses I have ever done. I'll draw another face tomorrow and post that as well as a finale of that challenge. I was able to get a lot of things done today and feel really good. I exercised, practiced my magic, and got rid of a book that I don't plan on reading anytime soon. It is amazing to look back and think about everything I have done in this past month. It feels tremendous to have accomplished so much. Today I'm writing about John Martin. He was the choir president my freshman year of high school and he is one of the nicest people I know. John is incredibly friendly and is passionate about social issues. I admire his bubbly personality and his ability to easily have a conversation with people. I will always remember John as the priest in Les Miserables from my freshman/his senior year. Until tomorrow, here's to life

September 28th-Day 28

Today was a great day to relax but still get stuff done. I still worked out, and I even wrote some poetry for fun. I can't say I ever have done that before. I practiced my card tricks and wrote with my right hand. I also played around with some music for the first time in a while which was a lot of fun. Today I'm writing about my wonderful mom, Virginia Luft. It is her birthday and I felt like I should give her some web-based spotlight. I can't imagine growing up with anyone else as a mother and I have no idea how she is able to handle all of us kids (there are six of us). Especially when neither Lindsay nor I could drive and help her out. My mom is gorgeous,  can laugh at a good joke, and loves us no matter what. I love her so much and she deserves to hear it everyday. She has done a tremendous job raising my siblings and I and I'll always be indebted to her because she has done so much for me. So Mom, thank you so much for all that you do and I love you so much. Until tomorrow, here's to life

September 27th-Days 24, 25, 26, and 27

http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2011/08/24/7455589-libyan-rebel-pledges-to-give-gadhafi-hat-to-his-father

I want to make sure people know that I did not take this epic picture which is one of my new favorite photographs of all time, thus becoming my wallpaper. But its been a few days since I last posted anything here but I've had good reasons...Monday night I was playing soccer and had an essay to write, and the other days I was just kind of lazy...at least I am back tonight. I've talked to more strangers in these past few days than I have probably in this entire month. I complimented random people, went to an business seminar type thing, and just asked questions of people. It is interesting to hear what people have to say. I started to read The Time Machine by H. G. Wells and it is fascinating. I like it more than both The Sun Also Rises and  Hard Times. Unfortunately I am going to have to take a break from it and start looking over Hard Times again for class...but thats what I have to do to succeed. I keep exercising with my 50 push-up goal in mind and I will do it on Sunday. My writing ability with my right hand is improving and I keep practicing simple coin tricks and a cup and balls trick. I can now say I have mastered five different card tricks with some other fun things with cards as well. My drawings of faces are getting better, I just need to practice shading in order to create depth and shapes of the nose, eyes, and jaw. Today I am going to write about James Hawkins, a man who helped me make one of the best decisions of my life. When I was only a freshman in high school, I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to try out for Tour Choir (Northport's select choir) because I was in Boy Scouts at the time. During the annual choir walk-around, I was sitting around people listening to them since I was shy and didn't say much. When I was asked whether or not I would try out I replied "I wasn't sure" and James told me that it is worth it. And boy was he right. He took me under his wing and helped me throughout the year, and was also influential in getting me to try out for Les Miserables. He is deeply passionate about what he does and will never give up on his team (Proof-->he is a Mets fan). My favorite memory that I have with him is during one of the show rehearsals, we ripped the brim off one of my hats and the next day James gave me his Houston Astros hat, which I still wear on occasion. I don't know what my life would be like if he hadn't been there to convince me to try out for Tour Choir and it was one of the best influenced decisions I have ever made. Until tomorrow, here's to life

September 23rd-Day 23

I finished The Sun Also Rises today and even though it took a little bit to grasp the Hemingway's idea, I enjoyed it a lot. He really illustrated the plight of the "lost generation" and how they struggled to find a purpose in life. There have been times that I've felt "lost" but I find a way and get back on track. Then again, I don't think there is necessarily a track that one is supposed to stay on. Each person is different and goes through different experiences to become who they are. I did my push-ups for the day, I still wonder whether or not I'll be able to do 50 at the end of the month. I practiced my magic some more today and also began learning a new card trick which is coming along well. I never write about writing in my journal, but I have been fairly consistent with that in case you were wondering. Today I'm going to write about James Renna. In all honesty, I don't know him very well but what I do know is that he is comfortable with who he is. He has created a persona for himself which he owns and I admire him for doing that, especially since some people don't like him for it. He is who he is and that is something everyone should strive to achieve. James is also passionate about music and is following his passion to become a DJ which is something I would love to do. Well that is all for today so here's to life

September 22nd-Days 21 & 22

These past two days have been fairly typical with nothing major to report. I've been working on my goals but I still can do a lot better. I've learned a new magic trick and practiced writing with my right hand. I'm exercising and working on making my life better. Having support around me helps more than anything so thank you to all who do support what I am doing. Today I'm going to write about my friend Matt Kunkel. I met him while I was a junior and we became friends during the show. He probably knows as much about theater as anybody I know and his dedication to it is immense. Matt is a great director, stage manager, actor, and I think he can do any part of a production which is incredible. I'm excited to see what he has in store for his senior year and where he will go in life. I'll write more tomorrow, until then, here's to life

September 19th-Day 19

This picture is of the vision board that I have been working on. On it are physical things I want to have, people who inspire me, and my bucket list. This past month has changed my life and I want to inspire others to change for the better. I know it sounds crazy but it is all in the attitude. I never thought I could just be more of a positive person, but here I am and it feels great. Today I'm writing about someone who I didn't know particularly well in high school, but I admire him all the same. Nick Bruno is the most talented photographer I have ever met or seen pictures from. And what is amazing is that he isn't just great at photography. He is a truly skilled sculptor and artist in every sense of the word. He has found his niche and I am always astounded when I look at what he has done. Here is a link to his website and I highly recommend checking out some of his work: Nicolas Bruno Photography. Today school resumed and classes were enjoyable and made me think about free speech (more on that will come in my other blog). For my random skill today, I choose to practice a new coin trick as well as practicing writing with my right hand. Tomorrow it will be time to learn a new card trick to add to my growing collection which is better than I thought it would be. Instead of drawing a face today, I practiced drawing random items around the house trying to get better at making things look realistic. Today was fantastic and I hope everyone has a great day tomorrow. So until then, here's to life

September 18th-Days 17 & 18

Yesterday I traveled back home to New York after a wonderful weekend trip to visit Allie. And for the past two days I have been having fun bonding with my brothers, Tom and Nick, and my Dad while the rest of my family was away. In this past year I have started to get along a lot better with my brothers and whenever we go out together now we can have a blast. We joke, laugh, poke fun at other people, and make amazing memories. I can't wait for our next adventure we all go on together. I practiced the card shuffle I was learning on Sunday again and have got it down pretty well. I haven't read yet, but will before I go to sleep tonight. I feel like I am getting stronger and I am seeing results from my exercise which makes me want to do more. It is hard to believe that the month is almost over and I need to start thinking about new goals for the month of October. Until tomorrow, here's to life

September 16th-Day 16

Today was just a day for relaxing...until I had to spend three hours at the MCLA library  because Allie had study hall. This was good for both of us though. We were both able to get a lot of work done without distractions. I was able to do most of my homework so the rest of my break will be full of fun, I taught myself a new card shuffle, wrote a post for my other blog (It Is The Simple Things), read some more of the  book, and just browsed the web for fun. The Sun Also Rises is a very interesting read, especially since I can somewhat relate to the main characters as being "lost". Then again, I have found my way a bit, this blog being a large part of which is good. I am still searching for some answers that I will find. Today I am going to write about Pj Basel, a friend who is in his senior year of high school. I have known him since he was a freshman and I was a junior. He has grown so much in the years that I have known him and he has become a great guy. He is a great musician, athletic, funny, and we have shared unforgettable experiences with each other. From the shows we did to going to the Chelsea FC vs. PSG soccer game at the new Yankee Stadium where we yelled our hearts out. Even though he can be annoying, he is a great friend who is loyal to those who deserve loyalty. I hope he enjoys his senior year and all the experiences that go along with it. Until next time, here's to life

September 10-Days 9 & 10

Once again, I just really wanted to go to bed last night. But that didn't keep me from working on my goals. These past two days have been very successful in terms of the 10 goals I am focusing on. I drew half of a face that looks pretty decent yesterday, but when I tried to do a whole face today, the results didn't quite come out as nicely. This is a picture of an artsy craft I made the other day by melting crayons on a piece of wood and taping off the areas for the mouth and eyes. I have nearly mastered a third card trick already, so at this rate I might be able to have more than five in my repertoire. For my random skill these past two days, I have continued my practice of the piano. I am teaching myself to be able to play chords along with songs for now. I can almost play Apologize by OneRepublic which is one of my favorite songs. And even more good news: I finally finished reading Hard Times. It was an interesting book, but definitely not one of my favorites. I'm excited to return to reading things that I prefer. Today my person of interest is Maria Garvey, who is one of the sweetest, and most talented people I have the pleasure to know. Maria is a phenomenal dancer and singer who I'm sure will make it far on the stage or screen. I cannot ever remember her being mean to anyone which I admire and she can by hysterically funny and make anyone laugh. I want to wish her the best of luck in college this year and to have a great time. Until tomorrow, here's to life

September 4th-Day 4

Today started out rainy but I kept positive and the day turned out all right. I enjoyed all three of my classes and got all my homework for tomorrow done. I read a bit more of Hard Times again today and am understanding more of the themes that Dickens is presenting to the reader. I started to practice a new card trick which is coming along well and I practiced some slight of hand tricks with coins as well. I went on the chat site Omegle to talk to a random person because I am still nervous about approaching a random stranger and starting a conversation. I ended up talking to a man who is about to finish up his time serving in the US Army. We talked about how very few people make the sacrifice to serve this great country and fight for all we live for. It reminded me of all the times I sang patriotic songs at the VA and how honored I felt to do this for the veterans. I am forever thankful to all those who serve in the armed forces of the USA and protect what we as a nation believe in. Today the random person I came up with is Lars Farber. He and I have had some great times over the past years from playing volleyball in middle school to after-prom of my senior year. He is now a freshman at James Madison University and I wish him the best of luck in his endeavors. I'll never forget the adventures of after-prom and all the laughs we have shared. Until tomorrow, here's to life

September 1st-Day One

Today is was the first day in my self-imposed 30 day challenge. Everyday I am going to choose a random person from my friend list on Facebook and write something about positive about them. The person chosen today is Chris McLeod. I first met Chris in 6th grade and we became friends throughout middle school and high school. I always loved to play rugby with him and seeing some majestic sights in Europe after our junior year. He is smart, funny, and a fun person to hang out with and it is unfortunate we don't get to see each other as much because of college. Now on to my day. I woke up early to go to a soccer tournament in New York City (the picture was taken on the drive home) which led me to meet a couple new people who I would play with. It was fun even though we didn't win a game. I reached a new high juggling three balls after I got home-88. I hope by October I can easily reach 100 juggles. I found a pullover fleece in my closet that I purchased when I went to Boy Scout camp in 2007. I can't remember ever wearing it so its fitting to be the first thing I get rid of in my cleanse. I have mastered the card trick called "Jack the Bounty Hunter". To perform this trick I have an audience member take a card and memorize it. And then &*^&%%###$%^(*&*%%%^#@%&^*@$%%$(_?>"{}&$*!!+~=_*. I'd never reveal the secret. I have started to read the classic novel Hard Times by Charles Dickens, mostly because I have to read it for a class this semester. But it is good to read classic literature anyways, like how I read Dante's Inferno this past month. Working on nine of the ten goals is a great way to start the month (I'll work on the face tomorrow). Until tomorrow, here's to life!