The Best Option

Upon occasion, we are forced into a situation where we have to "choose the lesser of two evils". This suggests a point at which a person must decide upon an action which is not particularly desirable, but is nevertheless the least undesirable of the options available.
But what about when a person must choose from a number of equal (or at least comparable) decision in which all of the options are desirable? This is the dilemma I currently find myself in.
It would take far too much time and effort for me to outline all of the possibilities that I am considering for not-so-distant future endeavors. Thus, for the sake of preserving my sanity, I'll truncate the list to the following:

-driving the 3000+ miles from Denali Park, Alaska all the way down to southern California, stopping in several places to camp, visit friends, and explore cities along the way
-teaching english in South Korea, Japan, Peru, or Argentina
-moving to western Australia, Vancouver, or god-knows-where
-travelling to Peru to explore Machu Pichu
-overwintering in Florida, Hawaii, or somewhere tropical while working as a scuba divemaster

These are just a few of the options that I'm currently considering. So, when I hear people whinge about having to choose the lesser of two evils, I have difficulty empathizing with their plight. I recognize that I am in an incredibly privileged situation, but I nevertheless believe that many of us have a choice about the options we garner for ourselves. And so, for as long as I can get away with it, I will continue to dream big and out of proportion to the realities of an existence in which a day is just 24 hours, and a fortunate person lives to see just his or her 80th year.

Friends to Friends

Having just returned from Germany back to California, I find myself reflecting on one particular lesson learned on this trip. Several times, Aaron and I spoke at length about the remarkable family of friends that Matthias and Melli have been able to surround themselves with. It was so clear, from both the wedding and every other social occasion that we attended, that their friends are as thoughtful, generous, and loving as anyone could hope for. Repeatedly, Aaron and I were amazed and humbled by the lengths to which the Roses' friends go in order to express their affection for the newlyweds. They've set a higher standard that I now aspire to attain.
That being said, it was absolutely fitting that I should depart the company of such incredible friends (Matthias, Melli, and Aaron specifically) and be greeted by John-Paul and Andrea Tyler upon return to California. I met the couple while attending university in Northern California, and since that time our relationships have developed into something beyond simple friendship. They've shown me such unwavering love and support that I struggle to come up with a description of our relationship which is both adequate and accurate.
There are times in my life when I question the nature of friendship. In particular, I wonder if perhaps friendship is only possible when there is something tangible to be gained from such an intimate relationship with other people, beyond simple enjoyment of each other's company. If that were the case though, I could consider several of my friendships in which I can honestly say that I have no idea why they keep me around. Maybe it's a lack of self-confidence, or simply an inability to understand what they "gain" in the equation, but I sometimes look at my few-but-great close friendships and think to myself, "How did this happen? Why are they still talking to me?". After hearing their repeated efforts to explain their motivation to me, and which I still fail to appreciate, I've resigned myself to the much simpler approach of thanking my lucky stars. I've got it good. Not only do I have a family whose support and encouragement of me (despite the plethora and myriad of stupid decisions I've made in my life) borders on the insane, but I'm surrounded by a handful of friends who have no obvious (to me, anyways) explanations for treating me the way they do, but do so regardless.
It is with them in my life that I am able to achieve any and all of my personal successes, and I will forever feel indebted to them all.

Berlin, bombers, and biking buddies

Aaron, Matthias, Melli, and I have just returned from Berlin, where Melli was working at a conference to promote her company. The conference took place at the Berlin airport, and (fortunately for us guys) was presented in conjunction with an incredible airshow. I'm not generally that big on planes, cars, or anything else that goes vroom, but this was amazing! There were fighter jets from Switzerland, helicopters from India, and military transport carriers. There were helicopters that did barrel rolls upside-down (is that even possible?!), and the world's largest passenger jet: the Airbus A380. That sucker was HUGE! It currently holds more than 500 passengers, but is projected to hold 1,000 when they redesign it in the near future. Despite it's gargantuan proportions, the most amazing thing about it was how incredibly graceful it was. It took a surprisingly short stretch of runway to take off and, once aloft, was able to maneuver in tight turns that I wouldn't think any large passenger plane should be capable of. I tell you, it was a thing of beauty.
And then there was the B1 bomber. The announcer warned us to cover our ears when this thing took off because of the noise, but I tell you, he couldn't have prepared us for just how loud it really was! I had fingers jammed in both ears, and it still sounded like I was close enough to count the screws on the landing gear! What's more, the roaring jet engines set my chest to vibrating so much that it made me laugh like a tickled baby. Unbelievable!
Other highlights from the 4 day trip included getting a personal tour through the Reichstag (German parliament building), watching the sun set at the captivating Jewish memorial, biking through Tiergarten (Berlin equivalent to New York's central park), and seeing Aaron get assaulted by a woman dressed as a zombie.
Ahh, the good times...