Day 369: Scotch

     I'm all about getting cultured. Trying things to expand my pallet and my mind in hopes of becoming a more civilized gentleman or whatever. Scotch seemed like one of those things that would help me shoot into the stratosphere of classy stuff to try. I decided that it was my time to distance myself from crappy canned bear and the occasional White Russian, to something more mature. I inlisted the help of the a middle aged lady behind the cash register of a tiny liquor store to help me decide just how to introduce myself to this beverage. She said something along the lines of "Well, ummm" I waited for her to continue. "You get what you pay for with that stuff". Genius. I took her advice into consideration while browsing, but threw it out once I caught a glimpse of the prices. So I settled on the single cheapest bottle of scotch in hopes of appearing more prestigious than I actually am.    
     From there I poured a glass and threw in some stones (rich people talk for ice) and gave it a sip. Terrible. It looked like gasoline, smelled like sharpie, and tasted like whiskey filled mosquito bites. But it's not about flavor, its about class and pedigree!
     Here's the footage, straight from the horse's mouth!

Day 368: Frisbee Golf

     Call it Frisbee Golf, or disk golf, or frolf or whatever. Its that spot played by frat boys and dudes that go on that dumb The Chive website...Or so I thought. It's actually way more fun than I thought, even with an assortment of crappy, broken frisbees. Rather than bore you with words, I made a video of the fun outting for you to enjoy. Watch Mouse throw it everywhere but the hole (is it even called a hole? It's more like a cage, or metal dreadlocks on a pole). Hit me up, we'll play sometime!

Day 367: Prank Call

     Yeah I know that it's juvenile. And I also know that it was not the over the top kind of experience I would have chosen to do for my return to the project. But you see, I have a really god excuse. See...it was late, and I was already a couple episodes (epi's for short) in on some Netflix. The bed was super comfortable annnnnd yeeeahh. So if it isn't obvious, I should just let you know, it was super hard to find motivation to start this project. Ryan texted me, because he too agreed to try something new everyday. In fact, he's the reason why this thang is even happening...again. We had been talking about trying it for weeks now, and then (in the middle of my Netflix comatose) he texts me. He says that we should officially start the resolution and I (hesitantly and tiredly) agree.
     But here's the obvious problem, the night is getting late (and yes, 8:00 PM is now late by my standards) and my motivation is out on holiday. I didn't want to disappoint Ryan on my first day back, but I also didn't want to get up either. So after tossing some ideas around with Stef, we settle on something that I could do without even getting out of bed, prank call someone. Deciding who to call was the easiest part. Obviously we would prank call Ryan, that way he would know that I did something new, and I could also ask him if I was believable.
     The good news is that he didn't know it was me calling (from Stef's phone). The bad news is, I'm not sure if I was believable still. See, as the phone rang and I waited for him to pick up, I quickly crafted my character, but I probably should have spent some more time on it. I wanted to sound totally different from my normal self, so I tried to imitate the voice of an aggressive, loud mouthed thug named D-Harm. I even had a back story for him. See, D-Harm trying to reach his friend Trey, because Trey was supposed to pick D-Harm up from the bus stop a few hours ago. Then D goes into some inaudible rant about having some girl eyeballing him from across the street.
     Although I was rather proud of my character, Ryan didn't get to fully appreciate my art of prank calling. Apparently he was at a noisy gym when I called and couldn't hear any of D-Harm's threats. Ryan eventually hung up the phone, and D called back and left a lengthy voicemail message (that I'd like to post here if I can get a hold of it) for him.
     I don't think that I was the most believable, but it seemed like Stef thought it was funny, and it was sort of excited waiting as the phone rang. Not sure why I never did this at a more appropriate age...like 7.

Introduction Part Two

Hey! Hello there, remember me? ...It's me, Kyle...The kid that did all those strange thangs back in 2011. Look, I know that introductions can be awkward, and I can only assume that a re-introduction can be as well, so I'll keep it short for you. Back in last few days of 2010, I wasn't very happy with how things were in my life. They weren't terrible, but they certainly the way my imagination and pop culture had led me to believe it would be either. I assumed that I'd be living the adventurous life that they advertise through characters on T.V. I expected to sail exotic seas and travel the globe with nothing more than an Indiana Jones style wardrobe and a killer tan promptly after high school.
     Unfortunately, my high expectations were met with the devastating reality of what its actually like to be a 19 year old dish-washing college dropout. Fortunately for me though, I realized that my dreams of sailing with a tan just a few shades darker than a sweet potato would not happen over night. Rather, I knew that if I made it a daily priority to do something new (have a new experience, learn a new skill, try a challenge or whatever), then I would be inching myself closer and closer to the mindset and eventually, the lifestyle of the kind of Kyle I'd like to be. An adventurous, cultured, well traveled son of a gun. And then I'd work on the tan.
     So, for my New Year's Resolution for 2011, I challenged myself to try something new everyday. Annnnd, if you're a fan of the blog I kept the accounts for that year (I imagine you might be, cause this is the very same blog) you may remember some of the things I did. If you're not familiar, of you'd like to see what I look like without a beard, you can take a stroll down memory lane and read about some of the wildness that went on by scrolling down. My favorite memories are probably the Ghost Pepper Challenge, the time I Juggled Fire, or even I claimed Ownership of Jupiter's Moon IO. Good times man, gooooood timessss.
     To wrap things up, I had a great time doing this project. I met tons of people, explored places and things I never dreamed I'd see, and found out some things about myself that I otherwise would have been ignorant to. The project was so fun, that I (with a bit of convincing from a friend) have decided to reinstate my resolution to "try something new everyday." My friend Ryan (the one who did the convincing) is taking part of it as well. We've already done a couple challenges and I be sure to add them to the blog so ya'll can read about em. So yeah, be on the look out for some weirdness!

We're ready

Day 367?

     It's been a long time -too long if you ask me- since I've paid a visit to my old stomping grounds of yester-year (2011). I'm writing for a couple of reasons. First of all, I'm writing to you to say hello, "Hello there, It's been a while. I hope you're doing well, you look lovely today." Check.
   
     Also, I am writing because I can't help but feel like there is some unfinished business that I should tend to, both for myself and for those of you kind enough to stop by. I am very proud and thankful for this little project of mine, but recently this inconclusive feeling has really started to bug me. The project was great, in fact, I think it's exactly what I needed. Never in my life was I so excited. Excited to go out and try something, or to simply try to try something. No longer did errands and chores clutter my life, for while I submerged myself in this project and this blog, all I could see were opportunities and chances to experience life in a genuinely novel way. I wasn't forced to try new things, rather, I was allowed (or maybe more accurately; given an excuse) to pursue anything. And I did not let my license to experience "any and all" go to waste. With it I traveled thousands of miles throughout the South-West, met some incredibly lovely people (many of whom I still keep close), and tested my commitment and comfort-zone in some very uncomfortable and awkward situations. New found lessons, skills and anecdotes flooded my repertoire, from the trivial to the life-saving. I mean seriously, do you think I was the kind of guy who would use repertoire in a sentence before this blog came about? I owe the project immensely for improving virtually every facet of my life.
   
     This little project gained a lot of momentum and potential, not to mention notoriety. All of the attention and positive things that have come from this resolution of mine are something that I'm really proud of. They're accomplishments that I could not (and lets be honest, would not) have even deemed worthy of attempting not too long ago. But here's the problem. Recently, It's become clear that allowing myself to leave this project in a state of stale and inconclusive unrest would be a great injustice and a flat out waste. What. A. Shame. The Kyle from Day 366 wouldn't allow that shit, not for a second. And I've decided that that's the kind of Kyle that I am and, and also, the kind of Kyle I plan on continuing to be. Basically what I'm saying is, I'm not done with this project. The structure may not be as strict, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm more than ready to try some things that I'll surely regret!

Day 367? Nah, more like challenge 367. With all that said, I'd like to introduce you to my blog. A humble little place where I document the improvised bucket list of my life. Challenge 367 is on its way.

My name is Kyle Garlock, and I'm done half-assing and double-taking.

Facebook- Kyle Garlock
Youtube- Medeyumskateboards
Instagram- @Medeyum
Twitter- @Medeyum
Google+- +kyle garlock

Ending Chapters-part 2

   

     It is my distinct pleasure to report to you (from the comfort and safety of the ground) that my skydiving challenge was total success. Sarah and I made the mistake of watching YouTube videos of skydivers last night, which made for a quite car ride to the hanger. But weirdly enough, all of my anxiety and worries seemed to abandon me as soon as we reached the offices and began signing our lives away with the scratch of a pen. Even when we were suiting up in our purple sky-soaring outfits, Sarah and I were joking around as if we weren't about to fall 12,500 feet within the next half hour. I'm not sure if it was the adrenaline, but loading into that rickety tin-can of an airplane, was a completely different experience to watching the skydive videos the night before. When we we're watching the footage, my hands were sweaty and my heart was racing, but today, I felt calm, I felt fine. I was so calm that I even remember pointing out a house as we flew overhead that had been painted a disgusting shade of orange.

     Mentally, the plane ride was a lot easier than worried it'd be, but physically...it was a different story. The ride up to the jump off point will probably get nominated for the "most uncomfortable situation I've ever found myself in" award. We all faced the back of the plane as we sat in the harnessed laps of our instructors. The plane's engine sounded about as feral as my moped, and the wind outside couldn't disguise all the disheartening noises that the decrepit aircraft made. And worst of all, my harness seemed to be holding a cruel grudge towards my crotch.

     But soon enough, we made it to our elevation and shit started to get real. The door, which must've been 4 feet tall, was raised, and a light accompanied by a buzzer alerted us that it was time to abandon ship. Slowly and awkwardly, each pair of students and instructors made their way to the opening. My instructor and I were to jump last, so we watched as each hesitant jumper finally made it to the plank, and finally took the plunge. One by one, the plane emptied of the unstable thrill-seekers that were just sitting next to me. It was just me, my instructor, and a pilot in basketball shorts left. I was nudged by my instructor towards the door where my sister had just stood and told to "hang on". 

     And then something amazing happened. I remember seeing my feet and the Earth below me as the frigid air whipped past. I saw the mountains from above, and as we tipped further forward than I'd ever feel comfortable with, I saw the foothills; vague green and yellowish-brown patches stretching towards every horizon. The lakes and reservoirs were tiny blue blotches. I was wide-eyed and speechless as we fell from the plane. It was loud, and it was cold, and it was over way too soon. As I fell helplessly through the atmosphere with nothing but fabric to save me, I tried to take as many mental images as possible. I wanted this experience to be preserved in my mind for the rest of my life (which felt about a minute away at the time). My mouth was completely dry and my lungs struggled to breath in the harsh wind, but I didn't care. I had done it, I had taken the jump, and I had completed my project.

     And as the ground came into focus again, the parachute was pulled and we glided back towards the airport (but not after some sweet parachute whips and spins...and even more punishment to my balls). Landing was smooth and Sarah and I celebrated our survival with some chipotle. 

     So was the project a success? I'd say totally. If this project hadn't taken over my life for the entirety of 2011, I'd be a very different Kyle today. I'd still be a part time dishwasher with a "to-do" list as opposed to a "done" list. I wouldn't have found myself in many of the often strange but always fascinating situations that made this last year so memorable. And I certainly would not have jumped out of an airplane. 

     Thank you, and if you'd like to check out whatever I'm up to lately, you can click here. Thanks!

Ending Chapters

     Months have passed since my last post, and to be honest, I didn't think I'd ever update this blog again. Once the project, and all the momentum that it carried, had finally died down, I quickly found myself falling back into the daily routine that had grooved my agenda for so long. Late night charades of ill-advised challenges no longer hung in the back of my mind. I was free to accept or decline any opportunity. The problem was, I've become increasingly more afraid of becoming the sheltered hermit of a person that I used to be. Was I slowly reaching for my old shut-in habits? Was I destined to live a life of monotonous wasted time? I didn't want my year-long experiment to be all for naught.
     Luckily, I received a text message from my sister a couple days ago that would help me answer these burning questions. She told me that she'd be in town later this week and was wondering if I was still up to go skydiving with her. I had promised her that I was all for skydiving way back when (back when the thought was just being conceived, and there was no airplanes in sight) and it wasn't till my phone buzzed with her invitation that the threat of a catastrophic mid-air scenario started to play in my mind.
     I'll admit it, I never thought I'd be the kind of guy to willingly jump out of the sky, but if I recall correctly, that's what this whole project was about. It was about forcing opportunities upon myself and opening up to what's around. So I figure, this skydiving outing is the perfect setting to test how effective my project was. I want to see if I've conditioned myself to try new things enough to try something as niche and risky as skydiving. I want to prove to myself that the project wasn't a waste, that I've learned and grown and become a better person because of it. And that I'm the the "life-enthusiast" that I so often praise myself as.
     I ironed out the details earlier this morning, and it's official; we're on the first jump tomorrow morning. How bout one more "new thing" challenge, for old time sake. It's about time I see if the experiment is the soaring success I claim it was. Let's do this shit.