Inspired

I found this great new show on TV today. Being super bored at home for 3 months can’t be good for me… but you know what? I’m discovered some great TV:

Chuck
How I Met Your Mother
and today’s…
The Alaska Experiment

Have I ever mentioned that I love the Discovery Channel? You know, I’ve never brought that up with people, but I really do wonder if that’s “not cool” or “dorky”. I don’t really care, but I do wonder sometimes….

Anyway, back to the main point. I love The Alaska Experiment (by the Discovery Channel, in case you haven’t figured it out)!! It’s about 4 groups of people, who agreed to spend 3 months in Alaska on their own, in 4 different locations… kinda “Christopher MacCandless” style, except without the dying and getting eaten by a bear part… And with cameras!

I’ve caught the first two episodes, but it’s been amazing!! They live hard hard cold tiring hungry lives out there in the wild.. really made me appreciate (once again) the lovely daily amenities I take for granted. And I was just thinking today how funny it is that we’ve taken for granted all the people roaming around at 100 km/h, sitting in metal boxs with wheels, which were assembled thousands of kilometers away!!! To my credit, I actually thought of this BEFORE watching the show, just so you guys know that I don’t need a show to remind me to be grateful, heh heh heh.

But I digress. This guy caught a forearm + sized salmon, with his bare hands! They swim up streams in Alaska at the end of Summer to lay eggs, and sometimes they bury their heads under the sand. Apparently when they do that, they think others can’t see them. (Kind of reminds you of the Chinese proverb about the thief who covered his ears when he struck a bell by accident, thinking that would stop others from hearing it ring too). So the Alaska guy just reached in and grabbed it by the tail! How cool is that?

I’ve had 3 months to spare before starting work. And how have I spent it? Gyming, getting lasik, physiotherapy for my back, getting my teeth checked – sure, all things that improve myself… but I wish I had spent that time planning some crazy trip out into the wilderness!! I mean, that’s something you won’t forget.

Before, I would have just told myself, “Leo, you just aren’t the adventurous sort of person, it’s nice to dream about it. But get real – you wouldn’t like backpacking around, and not showering for days!”. But you know what? I’m inspired… and when my back heals, I promise I’m going to find someone to really “get back to nature” with me, on one of my work vacations. Australia would be perfect for that, I’m sure. =)