Category: Why on Earth?

20Zing! or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Listen to my Heart

Travel, explore, learn.

If I were one to have a mantra, I suppose that might be a contender. It certainly sums up a lot of what I have done in my life, and what I want to continue to do with my future. Since many of my closest friends follow a similar life approach, we moved forward from a tightly-knit Kentucky community to a nationally scattered support group. However, we’ve agreed that once a year we will re-join forces to bring in each new year together.

2010 – We kept warm with positivity, love, and cheer in Chicago, IL.

2011 – We kept cool with adventures, mountain hikes, and green chilies (ok, not so cool with that one) in Las Cruces, NM

 In lieu of new years resolutions, during our time together we complied the following list of phrases that we wanted to incorporate into our year. They became our 2012 Zing! Phrases.

1. Upfront & Flawless
2. No repeats
3. It’s a lot, but I like it
4. Experience the experience
5. Be a better person
6. No fear in the New Year
7. Elevate (AltiTUDE!)
8. Dark and Dirty!
9. Advance the night
10. Respect the process
11. Loose/Lucid/Limitless
12. One step ahead
13. Graduation or Death!

If this year was to have 13 mantras, I suppose these would be contenders.
I am trying to lead this post towards the eventual answering of the inevitable question on your mind:
“Why on Earth would you want to do such a thing?”


Short answer: so that one day people will be asking, “Why on Mars would you want to do such a thing?”
Why did I feel so inspired to apply? In yesterday’s video post, Dr. Tyson speaks about how we want to feel connected, feel relevant, feel like we are participating by just being alive. To add to this, I propose that we also want to able to make impacts, make changes, make things different by working hard and devoting our lives to doing. 

When I read that first article introducing me to the concepts of the study, my initial response was: I would be perfect for this. Close article. Back to thesis writing. Reopen article. This would be perfect for me. Close. Write. Reopen. I could help send a manned mission to Mars. It’s a lot, but I like it. Repeat. It’d be difficult, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a lasting impact. No fear in the New Year. And so, exactly one month ago, I decided to apply.

2013 – We will be together once more in a currently undetermined location. Perhaps it will be my last hurrah before traveling to Hawaii and entering the analog habitat for the first of 120 days. Travel, explore, learn.

Questions of the Day:

Fellow applicants, what prompted you to apply?
Readers, is this project something you would consider? Why or why not?

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