“Find the joy in your life” is what Morgan Freeman tells Jack Nicholson at the very end of the movie The Bucket List.  The concept of a bucket list is pretty simple: it’s a list of things you want to do before you die.  Whether you have written one down on paper or not, people usually have a mental list of a few things they would like to do someday.  Why not write it down?  There’s a sense of accomplishment that comes from physically crossing it off.

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Bucket Lists Can Be Serious or Fun
A lot of people who are diagnosed with terminal illnesses will create a bucket list.  There are kind people all over the world who work together to make their dreams come true, such as their favorite celebrity or athlete taking the time to meet them.  Sometimes people put realistic things on their list, and sometimes things that would only happen in their dreams.  I don’t think that there’s a right or wrong way to write one.

My Bucket List
On my blog, I have a bucket list.  Some of the things pertain to my career, and others, for example “go on the Bachelor,” are things that most likely won’t happen.  I think that it’s more than OK to dream.  And that’s what a bucket list represents to me, dreams.  Even if you can’t accomplish every single thing, it’s OK.  I think it’d be a crime to stop dreaming, no matter how old or successful you are.  

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Some people don’t always agree with bucket lists.  My uncle, for example, is an immigration lawyer in Portland, Oregon.  He has worked his way up to this point in his career by hard work alone.  He is very successful and generous.  He’s a great person, but his opinion is that we shouldn’t need a list of things to do before we die.  Do whatever you want, whenever you want, when you can.  

What do you think about bucket lists?

“I’m a true believer in Karma.  You get what you give, whether it’s good or bad.” -Sandra Bullock.

Sandra Bullock is one of my favorite actresses.  So when I found this quote by her, I liked her even more.  A lot of people say that they believe in Karma, but do they actually know the beliefs behind it?

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The Origin
Karma originated in ancient India and is used in the Indian religions of Jain, Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh.  In our world today, Karma is most often associated with the Buddhist religion.  The thoughts and beliefs differ slightly for each religion.  In Buddhism, there are many different classifications of Karma.  Karma comes from the five orders or processes that operate in the physical or mental realm:
1. Utu Niyama
2. Bija Niyama
3. Karma Niyama: order of act and result.
4. Dhamma Niyama
5. Citta Niyama 

How the Western World Interprets Karma
Many Western cultures have adopted the phrase, “what goes around comes around.”  This is their take on Karma.  For Christians, the idea of sin and judgement by God is a similar belief.  However, those who don’t believe in God, may believe in Karma because their view of the world is that of a deterministic universe.

Image from augustinarecla.files.wordpress.com

“As long as Karma exists, the world changes.”  This quote was said by Nina Hagen.  I think the idea of Karma helps the world.  If you want something good to happen to you, you do something good for somebody else.  There’s no harm in believing in that.

Does anyone else have a view on Karma? 

I was recently offered the chance to climb a mountain in Oregon with my uncle.  He’s very adventurous and in shape, and well, I’m not always either of those things.  But it seemed like a great opportunity to do something spontaneous, so I decided to research the preparation needed in order to accomplish this offer.  

The Venue
The mountain I would be climbing is part of the Three Sisters in the state of Oregon.  These mountains are the third, fourth and fifth highest in Oregon.  The Middle Sister is the one that I will be venturing up.  According to Wikipedia, the Middle Sister hasn’t erupted in about 50,000 years, which is always encouraging.

Image from vulcan.wr.usgs.gov

Preparing to Go the Distance
It would be silly of me to think that I could prepare for this by just doing my usual elliptical workout plus my elevated treadmill workout.  This is one million times more challenging than that, and if you can’t make it up the mountain, I’m pretty sure they just leave you there.  That would be disappointing to everyone, myself included.  Luckily, I have found a few ways to prepare for this climb:
1. Building strength- pushups, pullups, dips, squats, lunges, dead lifts, front squats, bench press, power cleans and military presses, as well as training with your climbing gear on.
2. Increasing stamina- aerobic endurance, stair climbing, long distance running and cycling and interval training.
3. Altitude training- increase your efficiency at altitude.
4. Climb, climb, climb- practice climbing wherever and whenever you can.

Image from Shanghaiist.com

Whether or not I choose to climb the Middle Sister, I now know a few helpful ways to prepare for it.  I think it would be an amazing experience.  To anyone who has experience with climbing mountains: any other tips you would like to throw my way?

Image from korblaw.com

Some people strive to be the perfect college student.  Me on the other hand, I have a different agenda.  Grades are important to me, but I don’t spend all my time in the library. College is much more than purely academics, and the people who say otherwise clearly didn’t do it right.  

Five Mistakes it’s OK to Make
Making mistakes is a part of life.  To be honest, I think life would be pretty boring without mistakes.  Making and learning from them is how you grow.  Here are five mistakes that I think it’s OK to make in college:
1. Don’t worry about your grades. (obsessively, anyways)
2. Skip a class or five.
3. Don’t join a fraternity or sorority.
4. Fall in love.
5. Don’t go home on the weekends.

Image from lookatmyhappyrainbow.com

Grades are obviously important, but they aren’t everything.  Join a bunch of extracurricular activities, you might stumble upon your passion that way.  Skipping class is natural, whether you’re actually sick or hungover.  Just don’t miss to much work.  Fraternities and sororities are great ways to meet people.  You should cultivate friendships that aren’t pre-made for you.  Falling in love is self-explanatory, it’s a great feeling.  You came to college for a reason, and I’m sure you or your parents are paying a lot of money to live there.  Respect that and don’t go home every weekend.  You’ll miss out on so much.

Twilight Grad Speech Said it Right
In the third movie of the Twilight Saga, the character Jessica gave her valedictorian speech.  I’m aware that not everyone is a fan of these movies, but I think her speech has a lot of good points.

“When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up.  Our answers were things like astronaut, president or in my case… princess.  When we were 10, they asked again and we answered: rockstar, cowboy or in my case… gold medalist.  But now that we’ve grown up, they want a serious answer.  Well how about this: who the hell knows?  This isn’t the time to make hard and fast decisions.  It’s the time to make mistakes.  Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere.  Fall in love, a lot.  Major in Philosophy because there’s no way to make a career out of that.  Change your mind.  Then change it again because nothing in permanent.  So many as many mistakes as you can.  That way, someday, when they ask again what we want to be… we won’t have to guess.  We’ll know.”

Please refer to the comments or questions link to let me know what you think!

We’ve all been there: broken-hearted and hopeless.  It’s the relationships that we truly thought would work out that are the hardest to get over.  I’ve had my fair share of break-ups, some easier than others and some that took a lot out of me.  With the help of some other sources, I decided to share a few helpful tips on getting over a break-up and moving on.

Image from sadmuffin.net

It’s OK to Cry
You should never feel stupid for being upset.  The relationship obviously meant a lot to you, so it’s natural to feel down for a while.  Depending on how the length of the relationship, this phase could last awhile.  Although it’s perfectly OK to be upset, you can’t let this phase take over your life.

Cut All Ties, Immediately
There is no use in trying to work things out.  It ended for a reason, there’s no point in trying to talk it through after the initial split.  The longer you stay in contact with your ex, the harder it is to move on.  True, it is hard to stop talking to someone who has been an important part of your life, but you have to keep your space until you are able to have a purely platonic conversation.  

Image from collegenews.com

Don’t Shut Your Friends Out
Your friends may understand more than anyone what you’re going through.  It will be hard to be alone for awhile, so surround yourself with the people who care about you.  They will keep you busy with happier things, but be there when you’re having a rough day.  It also helps to hear someone’s opinion that is outside of the situation.    

Out with the Old, in with the New
Stay active and positive.  Life will go on, and that is a fact.   Find ways to stay busy and new forms of happiness.  Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and keep busy.  I usually lose 15-20 pounds when I go through a rough break-up.  It will boost your confidence and add to your new found happiness.

Break-ups are a normal part of life.  It’s a universal experience, and although there is no full-proof method for moving on, these are just a few tips that might help!

In my lifetime and that of my peers, technology seems to always be advancing.  Every time I turn around there’s some type of new gadget buzzing the streets.  The latest in the tech world is the idea of Augmented Reality.  A more simple example of this would be seen in the NFL during televised games.  The yellow “first down” lines that the audience sees while watching, aren’t actually there.  The latest hype in the AR world are Google Glasses.


Image from techcrunch.com 

Google’s Future Product
Google Glasses  are Google’s newest and most hyped project.  With these glasses, you will be able to see the weather news, reply to your text messages, use a GPS, check-in and so much more, all without the touch of a single button.  All your social networks and sites will be built into one that you can bring wherever you go.  Seems like a great idea, right?

I’m Not Sold
In the video “Project Glass: One day..,” the character is shown using the glasses throughout one day.  It seems really cool, to be honest, however I’m not sure that I would enjoy walking around talking to myself.  I realize that once the glasses become more popular, it won’t seem as weird, but that just turned me off.  Also, who knows when these glasses will actually become available for consumers.  According to The Washington Post, people are concerned that Google has released this idea without having the actual technology to produce the product for another few years.  

If everything comes together, I think this product would be fantastic.  I wear glasses myself, so I think I could get used to the idea.  Only time will tell whether or not this product will rise to all the hype surrounding it.

What do you think?

I grew up in Warren, Pennsylvania, where the population is 9,710.  I am currently a senior at St. Bonaventure University, located in Olean, New York, where the population is 14,452.  Neither of these locations fall under the category of a thriving metropolis.  A lot of my life has been spent trying to make due with my surroundings and making fun out of nothing.  It might seem like there’s not a single thing to do in this area, but sometimes you have to dig a little deeper.

Nothing to Do in Olean, Let’s Go to Warren!
During my fall semester of my sophomore year of college, a group of friends and I found ourselves in an annoyingly familiar situation: boredom.  It was one of the first weekends back, and we didn’t have a lot of work.  The weather was gorgeous, but nothing seemed to catch our eyes on campus.  Then came an idea, let’s go to Warren.  ”Why?” was the question that everyone asked me.  My answer: the Kinzua Dam.

        

Warren County’s Beauty
The Kinzua Dam is located in the Allegheny National Forest in Warren County.  It’s one of the largest dams in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River.  It created the deepest lake in Pennsylvania, the Allegheny Reservoir.  It takes about 10 minutes to get there from my house in Warren, and about 45 minutes to get there from St. Bonaventure.  Along the sides of the road, there are several pull off spots where you can climb down to large, semi-flat rocks.  People use these for sun bathing, partying and jumping off in the Reservoir to swim.  A few miles down there is Elijah Boat Launch, which is also home to a 20 foot rock.  This was our adventure: jumping off.

                

It’s the Little Things
All five of us conquered the rock, even though it was nothing new to me.  Spontaneous things don’t always have to include crazy things like skydiving.  They can be as simple as driving an hour south to jump off a 20 foot rock with some friends to cure boredom.  It’s nice to get away and just be in the moment, forgetting all your troubles.  I suggest things like this to help liven up a boring day.  Little things can make all the difference.

          

Anyone ever visited the Kinzua Dam?

Please submit any comments or questions by clicking the comments or questions button!

           

“You Only Live Once, that’s the motto..” You only live once, a powerful phrase turned into the acronym, YOLO, that’s taking over Twitter hashtags by the R&B artist, Drake.  Sure, it’s just a song, and sure, people may be taking it a little overboard; but that doesn’t mean that the thought should be taken any less seriously.  

Image from Google Images

Drake on YOLO
I don’t think that Drake knew how fast this idea of YOLO would spread, or how many lives it would touch.  In a video interview with Tim Westwood, Drake discusses the phenomenon of YOLO.  He says, “I think that rap, hip-hop and music in general has always been about being young, man, and feeling young, and kind of feeling a little bit rebellious, and feeling like, you know, let’s live life to the fullest.”  With the number of people talking about and tagging YOLO via social media, it seems that Drake’s motto has touched many lives.

The Phenomenon of YOLO
It seems that YOLO is spreading with every tweet or post on the Internet.  Drake told Westwood that people are tattooing the acronym on their faces.  It has real meaning behind it, but some people are taking it a little too far.  For example, yelling YOLO after throwing a sandwich during class as the picture below shows.  Even though some people might over exaggerate the phrase, it still has a powerful message.

What YOLO Means to Me
As unfortunate it has been, through the past few years of my life I have known people my age that have passed away.  Three have died in a car accidents, and two in their sleep.  They were my colleagues in college and fellow graduates of my alma mater.  After witnessing the tragedy that their family and friends went through, I realized something.  You only have one life to live.  Make sure you do the things you want to do.  It’s OK to make mistakes, they can bring great memories and life lessons.  You never know how much time you have left, so make sure you make the most of it every single day.

What does YOLO mean to you?  Any thoughts?

Cause marketing has been around since at least 1976, when one of the first campaigns was launched between the Marriott Corporation and the March of Dimes.  Since then, it has helped plenty of organizations raise money and companies earn profit.  Although it seems like a nice idea on paper, it has grown to be a controversial subject in the world of marketing.  

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
As I’m sure you know, cause marketing efforts have the ability to help out an organization tremendously.  I, myself, have had the pleasure of working with my part-time summer job to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the March of Dimes.

                                                Image from Google Images
After seeing the amount of money customers donate each day, it puts a smile on my face to know that I helped in some way.  Cause Marketing does have its skeptics, however.  Does all of that money really go to the causes?  If so, how much?  A blogger named Kate Olsen takes a look at all sides of the issue.  
The Good:

1. Cause marketing works and it seems it’s here to stay.
2. Smart cause marketing efforts are connecting the target markets of both non-profits and brands.
3. Many campaigns use a celebrity spokesperson in an effective way.
4. Data is cheap and readily available, making it easier to measure impact and results.
5. Brands and causes have more owned social media channels.
6. Social media and the explosion of owned media channels makes it easier for smaller causes to collaborate with brands.
7. Causes are learning how to leverage other assets beyond money.

The Bad:

1.  Jurassic Park Syndrome
2. Crowdsourced Philanthropy

The Ugly:

1. Causes should never be used as camouflage or insurance for a brand.
2. Celebrities should think twice before starting their own foundation.
3. Beware of agencies and consultancies that pop up claiming to be experts in cause marketing.
4. Campaigns that promise $1 per tweet or a matching grant per sign-up are ineffective.

Direct Donations are Decreasing
Consumers often purchase items that are linked with a cause because it makes them feel better, and they want to donate money to a cause.  However, a study by a researcher from the University of Michigan showed that “A CM purchase decreases direct donations from individuals.  Even if a purchase on cause marketing is costless to the consumer, direct donations still decreases.”  The study also showed that total donations to the cause decrease with cause marketing, and it decreases consumer happiness.  

I thought that maybe my mind could be changed, that these games could become addicting or even fun.  However, after experimenting with virtual goods, I have realized that my first impression was correct.  This just isn’t for me.

My Attempt at Farmville
Looking back, I wish I would have purchased a different game.  The whole idea of Farmville is unappealing to me.  The farmville card, however, was the only one I could find at the store.  So, what the heck?!  I gave it a try.  I was in the midst of planting and harvesting my crops, and I realized that I could never get into this.  I didn’t even use all of my money on the card.  

                               Image from Google Images
What was Missing?
Besides not having any interest in Farmville, there are several reasons as to why virtual goods are not my thing.  First of all, I don’t have the time to play and keep up with these games.  I am a dual degree student and the editor of my college yearbook.  I find myself very busy these days, and when I do have free time, the ideal use of it wouldn’t be used for playing a game with real money.  Second, after talking in class on Wednesday, the target market was revealed, and I am not a part of it.  This doesn’t surprise me.  My newsfeed is clogged with Farmville posts from my great Aunt and my friend’s mothers.  

Maybe in the Future
I understand why older adults on the go, especially mothers, are the target market.  If I was a stay at home mom, I would have the time to keep up with these types of games.  However, I do not see myself ever using actual money to purchase something that’s not tangible.  I still believe my money would be of better use towards my children, groceries or other things of importance.

Would you ever purchase virtual goods and why?