A New Perspective: July 2010

I recently took a family vacation to Ocean City, NJ. It was perfect timing: nationals had just ended and my body needed a well-deserved break. Now let me just start off by saying that Ocean City was the most touristy, materialistic place I had ever been to. On the boardwalk, t-shirts and ice cream were only a few steps away while band-aids and healthy food had to be searched long and far for. Even though I'm not really into the whole "being a tourist" thing, it was still the most fun I've had in a really long time.

It was fun because I was surrounded by some of my extended family. It was my parents, brother, sister, 5 little cousins, grandparents, 2 aunts, and 2 uncles. We all lived under the same roof for seven whole days. Yes, it was mayhem; but I wouldn't take it any other way. I love my family and without them, I wouldn't be where I am today...literally. My parents have sacrificed so much time and money so that I could climb. We aren't rich and we aren't poor...we get by. Because of this I have learned to love the little things, which is all that matters to me. The progress I make on a project, getting past a crux or just being happy to be climbing for the day. These little things along with a simple sunrise or knowing that you helped someone reach their goal are the things that keep me loving life.

So, I'd like to thank my family for helping along the way and teaching me how to appreciate what I have.

During our trip to Ocean City I took out my trusty Nikon D3000 and got some really good shots of the city and my family. My shots, unlike the show Jersey Shore, make the jersey shore look pleasing.