january 10, 2011 // the plan

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I'm taking one month - that's it - to do something that I've wanted to do for years. Since middle school, I've had this dream of writing and illustrating a children's book. I've come up with idea after idea in my mind, but I've never put any of them down on paper. That's about to change. I have a goal of writing, illustrating and (hopefully) publishing a children's book by the time I'm 25. Well, here I am.. a little over a week into my 25th year.. it's time to get this ball rolling. I'm going to give myself a thirty day challenge. I'll be driving up to Montana (where my good friend Sarah lives) to work on the book. Why? Well.. why not? I originally wanted to take my trailer up there with me to sleep in, but snow is preventing that from happening. I have no heat, and I'll end up a children's-book-writing-sicle if I do that. Instead, I'll be renting a room and spending most of my days at local coffee shops. There's something powerful about deadlines.. especially for a procrastinator such as myself. I have the story for my book all plotted out in my mind.. now it's just a matter of getting it out of my head and into the world. Here's my route:


I don't know what it is, but something is spurring me on to go do this thing. A lot of it probably has to do with all of the awesome inspiration I've digested from my time with Roadtrip Nation. How could I not pursue my dreams when I've heard interviews like these?!




Also, I'm kind of crazy about this interview: RTN Interviews Christian Jacobs.. but I can't figure out how to embed it on my blog! It's definitely worth the watch. Christian Jacobs is AWESOME.. he might be my next "Neckache of the Month"!

..and.. oh my YES... if nothing else, please, please, please watch this interview with sneaker artist, Van Taylor Monroe. I get goosebumps every time that I watch it.. Uh! So good!

Besides loving everyone that works at Roadtrip Nation, I love all that being a part of the movement has taught me. There are millions of people in this world who aren't doing something with their life that they enjoy. Of course, we all need money to survive.. and sometimes that means doing things that we don't love in order to pay the bill.. but there are also millions of people who are pursing their passions in life. I think the difference between the two groups is a matter of being brave enough to try to do that thing that makes you.. you. Sometimes following a dream means putting it all on the line.. maybe surviving on peanut butter and jelly for a while in order to get that thing.. that gift that only you can give to the world.. out there.

I'm out of work right now. I'll be dipping into my savings in order to make this thing happen.. but if I never do it, I'll always wonder, you know? Getting a book published seems like a long shot from where I'm standing right now, but I'm hopeful. The unexpected happens. People who paint sneakers get in the Wall Street Journal.. and then The Smithsonian (I'm telling you.. watch that Van Taylor Monroe interview!) I've always loved art and storytelling. That picture up there? That's me (as you probably guessed).. happy as a clam with a paintbrush in hand. I totally believe that we know from a young age what we love, but somehow some of us lose that along the way. All the noise gets in the way and we buy into the lie that in order to be successful we must do this or be that. I'm going to put it all out there.. I'm going to be purely myself and see what happens. Here we go!

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