Friday, May 17, 2013
Day one.
I apologize for the lack of attractiveness with this post. It's from my phone. Just going to give a quick recap of our day. We ended up leaving Columbia around 10am, and we completely demolished the 75 mile trip to Sedalia. We made it here about an hour and a half early and were able to find a campground with showers! We're heading out tomorrow to Kansas, which I'm not *too* excited about, but I guess I can't complain. I'll update tomorrow night with new pictures and hopefully a better description of our day. Since we've been here before, there's not much to say.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
We rode bikes and stuff.
Okay, I know it's been waaaaaay too long since I've updated this. For a long time there was nothing to post about, and then when there *was* stuff to post about I didn't want to do it without pictures. Here's a sort of quick update about what's happened since my last post.
First, I managed to get a hold of a bike for our trip. My uncle Andrew was cool enough to let me borrow his bike so that I could avoid paying $1,000 for one. I've ended up putting panniers, new pedals, a new saddle, and some water bottle holders on it. I still need to put some new tires on it, but overall it's a pretty great bike, and I'm excited to take it all the way to California. Andrew, if you read this, thank you so much. I'd also like to thank everyone who's been generous enough to help me get geared up for this trip. I probably wouldn't be able to go without you guys. <3
Second, after getting a bike and riding for a few weeks, Weston and I decided to do sort of a test ride down to Sedalia, which is around 70 miles away. We were able to get a feel for what the Katy Trail is like, as well as what it's like to ride longer distances. I can't speak for Weston, but the first day destroyed me. I was ready to die about 30 miles into it. The second day was much better though. We ended up plowing through it in about the same amount of time, but we managed our breaks much better on that day. We made it home with some sore asses, but at least we didn't die. There was some awesome stuff along the way to see, and I'm glad we went.
Overall, I'm even more pumped for our trip now. Riding to Sedalia was a pretty awesome experience, and I can't wait to visit places that I've never visited before. Weston managed to get a handful of pictures from this weekend, since I wasn't really able to. I'll have an actual camera with me next time, so expect a lot more. I'll post a link below where you can see all the pictures Weston took over two days.
Sedalia Trip Pictures!
-Michael
First, I managed to get a hold of a bike for our trip. My uncle Andrew was cool enough to let me borrow his bike so that I could avoid paying $1,000 for one. I've ended up putting panniers, new pedals, a new saddle, and some water bottle holders on it. I still need to put some new tires on it, but overall it's a pretty great bike, and I'm excited to take it all the way to California. Andrew, if you read this, thank you so much. I'd also like to thank everyone who's been generous enough to help me get geared up for this trip. I probably wouldn't be able to go without you guys. <3
Second, after getting a bike and riding for a few weeks, Weston and I decided to do sort of a test ride down to Sedalia, which is around 70 miles away. We were able to get a feel for what the Katy Trail is like, as well as what it's like to ride longer distances. I can't speak for Weston, but the first day destroyed me. I was ready to die about 30 miles into it. The second day was much better though. We ended up plowing through it in about the same amount of time, but we managed our breaks much better on that day. We made it home with some sore asses, but at least we didn't die. There was some awesome stuff along the way to see, and I'm glad we went.
Overall, I'm even more pumped for our trip now. Riding to Sedalia was a pretty awesome experience, and I can't wait to visit places that I've never visited before. Weston managed to get a handful of pictures from this weekend, since I wasn't really able to. I'll have an actual camera with me next time, so expect a lot more. I'll post a link below where you can see all the pictures Weston took over two days.
Sedalia Trip Pictures!
-Michael
Friday, February 1, 2013
I'm still alive.
It's been a minute since I've been able to post. I had a house move sprung on me a few days ago, so I've been dealing with that and haven't actually gotten internet hooked up to give some good updates. I'll do a quick one via my phone that will have to be a big paragraph. A few things have happened since I last posted. First and most important, I moved across town. I'm now literally 3 minutes of walking from The Arc. I've hit the gym every day since we've moved, and I'm really enjoying it! Second, I sold one of my most cherished possessions; my computer. I figured I need all the money I can get for my bike and supplies, so why not? Third, and I'm really excited about this one, I've picked out a bike! It's a bit pricey with a tag at $1300, but I'm in love with it. Hopefully I'll be able to make that purchase with my tax refund. That's all for now. I'll have the internet back on soon and I'll be able to post more frequently and Kerp this updated. As a side note, if anyone is looking for a gym partner, let me know! I enjoy going anyway, but having someone to go with is always great.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
...is this real life?
It's been about a week since I've gamed.
I've gotta say, it feelsgoodman.
I've still got the urge to play, but I have other things I can do to take my mind off of it. Although now I just spend every waking hour thinking and working on getting everything in order for my trip to California.
I'm finding that the excitement for this trip has put me into this constant state of happiness. I don't see myself coming down from this excitement high until I set foot back in Missouri with Weston. I'm hoping that I can make a bike trip out to the east coast a few weeks after our return though. I'd really like to head to Florida. There's a lot of neat stuff to see down there, and I'd really like to experience it all from a different perspective.
In other news, I'm planning on participating in a bike-ride to raise money and awareness for multiple sclerosis! My friend Brooke told me about it and I was instantly hooked on the idea. The ride isn't until September though, so I've got a little bit of time to knock out still.
I've gotta say, it feelsgoodman.
I've still got the urge to play, but I have other things I can do to take my mind off of it. Although now I just spend every waking hour thinking and working on getting everything in order for my trip to California.
I'm finding that the excitement for this trip has put me into this constant state of happiness. I don't see myself coming down from this excitement high until I set foot back in Missouri with Weston. I'm hoping that I can make a bike trip out to the east coast a few weeks after our return though. I'd really like to head to Florida. There's a lot of neat stuff to see down there, and I'd really like to experience it all from a different perspective.
In other news, I'm planning on participating in a bike-ride to raise money and awareness for multiple sclerosis! My friend Brooke told me about it and I was instantly hooked on the idea. The ride isn't until September though, so I've got a little bit of time to knock out still.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Severing the ties
Today is going to be a big day for me. It might sound like it's not, but it is.
Today is the day that I delete everything and say goodbye to online gaming.
I've quit two or three times in the past, and it didn't last long, so I'm making sure I won't go back this time. I don't want the temptation to be there ever again. I have to say that it's a little bittersweet though. I've literally poured my heart and soul into that game. Throwing it all away feels almost liberating, but at the same time it feels weird to destroy it. I've just finished deleting all but one last link to my online gaming. I've promised a good friend that I'd help him out tonight in game, but at ten o' clock, my final character gets the axe.
I'm not regretting it so far. Tonight I will officially break the chains of this addiction, and it's up to me to keep them off.
Edit: I also forgot to mention, I have a partner who's riding with me to California. WESTON AND MICHAEL AGAINST THE WORLD.
Edit: I also forgot to mention, I have a partner who's riding with me to California. WESTON AND MICHAEL AGAINST THE WORLD.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Not even 24 hours later...
And my plans have changed somewhat. A friend of mine proposed the idea of biking over walking. I was initially apprehensive of the idea because I was worried about what would happen something happened to the bike before I reached my destination. I suppose that would definitely suck, but then I'd just end up doing what I had planned in the first place. I think I'll be able to enjoy the trip just as much, if not more, if I ride a bicycle, too. I'll be able to give myself a little more lee-way with miles, and of course I'll be able to stop and enjoy stuff along the way. I'll be shortening my trip down to 32-40 days, which I don't really mind when I think about it. I loved the idea of walking there, but biking will be just as great.
To be honest this doesn't change much. I'm still considering leaving on the same date and just taking my sweet time getting there, but I'll just have to see what happens.
This one time...
My name is Michael Marberry. I'm 20 years old and I'm making life changes.
This blog is going to be my journal for a long time. I'll be sharing my experiences, feelings, and pretty much everything else on here for all to see. This is the start of my new beginning.
Sometime in 2007-2008, I was introduced to an online game called World of Warcraft. I had no idea what the game was about, but it hooked me instantly. After one night of playing, the game was all that I could think about. I even stopped reading my cherished Harry Potter books so that I could play more, which says a lot, because I love Harry Potter like a fat kid loves cake. I quickly allowed the game to take over my life. I let the game affect my home life, every job I've had, and every outside relationship with just about anyone. I quickly went from playing 5 or so hours a day to nearly 12 hours a day every day. I eventually dropped out of school and obtained my G.E.D at 16, and at that point there was nothing standing in my way from playing the game all day, every day.
Looking back on it now, I should have just kept reading Harry Potter. I could have stayed in school and eventually have gotten my C.N.A. I was employed as a nurse aid with a local nursing home in August 2010. It was such an easy job when I think about it. I made pretty nice amount of money and had the hours I wanted, which were completely based off of when I played the game. I'd go to work at 10pm every night, work til 6am, play the game til 10, sleep til 7, play til 9:50, then go to work. Every. Single. Day. I didn't mind it either. I thought I was livin' the life. In December of 2010, I ended up getting fired from that job. Instead of going to my C.N.A classes to obtain my certification so that I could keep my job, I decided to just stay home and play instead. Getting fired didn't bother me too much either. I looked at it as an opportunity to play more. From that point on, I've maintained a pretty steady level of playtime until now. I've somehow managed to warp every schedule I've had ever to fit my preferred playtime. I've logged exactly 506 days of playtime on that game. Imagine sitting in a chair for over 12,000 hours. I clearly made some really good choices.
Hopefully you sort of understand where I'm at now. I came to the stunning realization this past New Years that I've literally wasted 5 years of my life. I missed out on a lot of experiences and opportunities by putting a game before absolutely everything else.
It's a new year though. I'm making changes here and there, and cutting World of Warcraft out of my life is my number one priority right now. I'm hoping it will be as simple as just deleting everything and moving on for good. I've 'quit' in the past, but I only managed to stay away for a short time. This will be long term. This will be permanent.
As of January 11th, I've decided to take my 506 days back. I've begun planning a walk to San Clemente, California. Now, I've already had a hundred people tell me how idiotic of an idea that is. I will admit, it still sounds a little crazy to me even. I have a few reasons for wanting to do this walk, but the main two are pretty simple. First off, I have friends that are taking an "Epic Road-trip of Dreams" this summer, and their destination is San Clemente. I was offered a ride, but I'd rather walk and see everything up close. It's a nearly 2000 mile journey, and I couldn't be any more excited to be doing it on foot. My second reason, and definitely what is pushing me to do this, is sort of tied to my story above. The majority of my friends and acquaintances have played or are currently playing the same game that I let swallow my life, but this can extend to anyone who's in a similar situation, or a completely different one even. I'm hoping that maybe this will inspire someone to do the same thing I'm doing. I'm hoping that this will help motivate other people to drop whatever it is that's holding them back and finally make some changes that are for the better. I've been unhappy with my life for a long time, and I attribute that to the fact that I've kept myself in chains by playing a video game too much.
I'm leaving Columbia on April 1st. I have 75 days from today to get everything planned out and to be prepared for an 80 day journey. I've got a long and expensive road ahead of me, but I couldn't be more excited.
Walking to California is just my beginning.
It's time to say goodbye to the prison I've kept myself in.
I'm taking my life back.
This blog is going to be my journal for a long time. I'll be sharing my experiences, feelings, and pretty much everything else on here for all to see. This is the start of my new beginning.
Sometime in 2007-2008, I was introduced to an online game called World of Warcraft. I had no idea what the game was about, but it hooked me instantly. After one night of playing, the game was all that I could think about. I even stopped reading my cherished Harry Potter books so that I could play more, which says a lot, because I love Harry Potter like a fat kid loves cake. I quickly allowed the game to take over my life. I let the game affect my home life, every job I've had, and every outside relationship with just about anyone. I quickly went from playing 5 or so hours a day to nearly 12 hours a day every day. I eventually dropped out of school and obtained my G.E.D at 16, and at that point there was nothing standing in my way from playing the game all day, every day.
Looking back on it now, I should have just kept reading Harry Potter. I could have stayed in school and eventually have gotten my C.N.A. I was employed as a nurse aid with a local nursing home in August 2010. It was such an easy job when I think about it. I made pretty nice amount of money and had the hours I wanted, which were completely based off of when I played the game. I'd go to work at 10pm every night, work til 6am, play the game til 10, sleep til 7, play til 9:50, then go to work. Every. Single. Day. I didn't mind it either. I thought I was livin' the life. In December of 2010, I ended up getting fired from that job. Instead of going to my C.N.A classes to obtain my certification so that I could keep my job, I decided to just stay home and play instead. Getting fired didn't bother me too much either. I looked at it as an opportunity to play more. From that point on, I've maintained a pretty steady level of playtime until now. I've somehow managed to warp every schedule I've had ever to fit my preferred playtime. I've logged exactly 506 days of playtime on that game. Imagine sitting in a chair for over 12,000 hours. I clearly made some really good choices.
Hopefully you sort of understand where I'm at now. I came to the stunning realization this past New Years that I've literally wasted 5 years of my life. I missed out on a lot of experiences and opportunities by putting a game before absolutely everything else.
It's a new year though. I'm making changes here and there, and cutting World of Warcraft out of my life is my number one priority right now. I'm hoping it will be as simple as just deleting everything and moving on for good. I've 'quit' in the past, but I only managed to stay away for a short time. This will be long term. This will be permanent.
As of January 11th, I've decided to take my 506 days back. I've begun planning a walk to San Clemente, California. Now, I've already had a hundred people tell me how idiotic of an idea that is. I will admit, it still sounds a little crazy to me even. I have a few reasons for wanting to do this walk, but the main two are pretty simple. First off, I have friends that are taking an "Epic Road-trip of Dreams" this summer, and their destination is San Clemente. I was offered a ride, but I'd rather walk and see everything up close. It's a nearly 2000 mile journey, and I couldn't be any more excited to be doing it on foot. My second reason, and definitely what is pushing me to do this, is sort of tied to my story above. The majority of my friends and acquaintances have played or are currently playing the same game that I let swallow my life, but this can extend to anyone who's in a similar situation, or a completely different one even. I'm hoping that maybe this will inspire someone to do the same thing I'm doing. I'm hoping that this will help motivate other people to drop whatever it is that's holding them back and finally make some changes that are for the better. I've been unhappy with my life for a long time, and I attribute that to the fact that I've kept myself in chains by playing a video game too much.
I'm leaving Columbia on April 1st. I have 75 days from today to get everything planned out and to be prepared for an 80 day journey. I've got a long and expensive road ahead of me, but I couldn't be more excited.
Walking to California is just my beginning.
It's time to say goodbye to the prison I've kept myself in.
I'm taking my life back.
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