One year since when...!?!

ANYONE wrote the last (lost) post on this Godforsaken website/blog.

Gap Year...Just a little late

I have given this a fair amount of thought and I think we should take the BD on the road. After starting my new job, I found that it is very similar to my old job. New city, new people, new things to explore, still getting paid 1/2 of everyone else my age. It is a strange thought how quickly supposed passion runs thin. Couple that with the fact the other half of the Bray Dichotomy is now single, I think the brothers Bray need a gap year.

The gap year concept is something I was not very familiar with until a couple years ago. I was checking some guests into the hotel who were dropping their kids off in Seattle as they began their gap year. I inquired about what was planned and the locations that were on the agenda. Instant envy.

Just out of university, 23 years old, traveling the world for one year. Volunteering, working, backpacking, exploring, losing yourself and finding yourself at the same time. After proposing the idea to my realist of a brother, he suggested we start throwing keggers to pay for the expedition. I love the energy. He is absolutely right, though; how are we to afford taking a year off? How much money should we start with? Where should we begin? How will we communicate with the folks back home? I remember hearing about this guy: http://liveoffgroupon.com/ and soon realize that with the advent of social media, people will pay for almost anything as long as it reaches the masses.

This is just the beginning. I will continue to look for ways to save money and increase interest in The Gap Year Project. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

A new city and the sudden realization that nobody reads this.

Hello, I'm writing you now from San Francisco, Ca. It's hard to believe that I am on to my fourth hotel. I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be my last hotel but I have no fucking idea what I'm gonna do next. As fortunate as I feel about "knowing" what I wanted to do growing up, I think I may have been a bit too specific in my major: Hotel Management. Kinda hard to get a job in Marketing with a degree like that. It's all about how you market yourself. Maybe it's just the typical jitters involved in a new place, but I'm missing Texas more now than I have in a long time. Christmas was great. It was spent with family in Southern California. With a three year old niece, I'm now realizing that my domination of presents is over; it's about time. I guess with old age comes the actual enjoyment of giving rather than receiving. I wonder if anyone ever reads this thing. If so, are they concerned that the content is nil? There isn't any form or structure, just thoughts on the screen. Scrambled thoughts at that. There isn't really a roadmap when I sit down and start typing. I guess this is a pretty good representation of what is really going on in my head: nothing. Just thoughts. Random thoughts. Like a slideshow of things thought about. I wish I could string them all together but that just isn't the case. I like how when people talk about other people who have changed jobs and the person they're telling says, "That ABSOLUTELY fits him! Why didn't I see it sooner?!" I wonder what people say about my career. Do they say that? If I change it, will they say it? There's only one way to find out. My Houston trip has been planned for March and I can't be happier about it. Back to the thought about not having a plan on here: some people use the blog as a way to reach people. Not here. In fact, what this has turned into (notice only one author) has become something completely different. No longer am I concerned over the response: there isn't one. Just easy reading with no life pointers or weight loss tips or anything that can actually benefit your life. Just mine. In fact, I think I wouldn't care or even notice if not a single soul read this. It's a strange thought. At age 26 I think I write at a 18 year old reading level and it scares the shit out of me. Someone asked me what my dream job was. I responded, "a travel writer" without really thinking. I would hate that because I know deep down that only a publication like "Ranger Rick" would pick me up. Even then, some of this stuff is FAR below the high level of journalism of such an esteemed publication. I was told yesterday that "journalism is what is killing writing". What the fuck does that mean?

Let's give it another shot

DISCLAIMER: NO DIRECTION WAS THOUGHT OF PRIOR TO WRITING THIS. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

Good afternoon. Wow. It has been a long while since I've written on this. I've just recently purchased a MacBook and am still getting used to it. I find it stupidly awesome and am giddy like a schoolboy with the new toy.

In the many months since posting, there have been some major changes with the Bray Dichotomy, none being very important. My older brother, The Alex, is now living in Moscow......Idaho. Whew. I bet you thought he was a turncoat for a minute there! He is studying law with aspirations of becoming an environmental lawyer. Aside from being away from family and being bored off his white ass, it sounds like he's doing well. He decided to leave SoCal and a failing business to broaden his horizons and get learned!

I have been in Seattle all this time but have taken a job promotion and will be relocating to San Francisco. THIS SHOULD BE INTERESTING. I'm sure I will be a little red speck in a sea of blue. I'm glad it isn't during an election like the last time I moved cities. Arizona, Texas, Washington, and now California. I'm crossing off the list state by state. Wyoming, here we come! Work has gotten better. I haven't felt like I was about to get fired in a while. In fact, I was awarded "Manager of the Quarter" a couple months ago. Re-effing-dicolous.

Have you ever lived in San Francisco? Me neither. I'm not quite sure what to expect aside from expensive rent, state income tax, liberals, Great Whites, Alcatraz, and having to figure out a city that I know nobody in.

Blog Sabbatical

Sorry I took such a long time off of writing and updating this thing: I was too busy worrying about losing my job, defrauding retired people, plotting a coup of Canada, watching unbiased news, injecting steroids, watching the worst Super Bowl ever, losing thousands of my net worth, riding my bike, sending money to thirsty kids in Africa, getting arrested, being born again, dying, being born yet again, getting married, going sailing, soaking up the sun, thinking about how dumb Iran is, wondering how in the world 'change' was elected, going to Bainbridge Island, dreaming about Texas, writing a ballad, wishing baseball season would start, buying plane tickets, wondering what is so stimulating about Obama's package, getting divorced, realizing that we are in worse shape than we first thought, reading theonion.com, and playing tennis.

I realize none of these are reasonable excuses or even reasons for such a long hiatus, but I apologize nonetheless. There have been a number of excellent subjects to write about the last few weeks and I hope that y'all have been keeping up with the news and current events, because I know I have!

G's up, Hoes down

Who Took the Funny Out?

At what point did we as a society make a collective decision to start taking ourselves so damn seriously? When did rights of funny people become the toilet paper that wipes the ass of people without a sense of humor?

Bottom line, we live in a fucked up world.

Take a look around, we live in a place where deadbeats, addicts, religious extremists, political extremists, racists, sexists, bigots, unlicensed taxi drivers, homophobic evangelicals, douchebags, hypocrites, and assholes are the majority ruling class.

Ignorance has become our greatest commodity.

Over-inflated self worth is now a major personality trait.

CNN shows 15 minutes about Britney Spears and what President Obama is wearing before it reports on the carnage in the Middle East.

More people still tune in for American Idol than show up on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November. (If you don't know what that date is, you are part of the proplem)

Everyone needs to relax and tell a joke or a funny story. Laughter is still the best medicine for curing people with a chronic stick up their ass.

That's right... I am posting another gem at Midnight

My how things have changed.

I once held the attention of 200+ Arizona State students, parents, and faculty while delivering an insightful and interesting speach about the positive long term effects the greek system has upon university fund raising, athletic boostering, and academic support.

Now I lose arguements with my 20-month old daughter because she says so.

I once closed bars down until 1 am, only to go out to an after hours party and/or casino until 6 am and then make it early to my 8 am class with my homework.

Now I have MBA homework or a meeting I need to prepare for until 11 pm when I cannot stay awake any longer.

I used to have the most supremely awesome collection of DVD movies in the modern world.

No I have a catalogue of Sesame Street and Thomas the Tank Engine DVD's that hoard all the playing time.

I used to listen to thought provoking music about why the government is oppressing my generation through the capitalistic gang bangs brought on by "Big" government, "Big" oil, "Big" globalization, and "Big" Walmart.

Ok, I still listen to that music, and it only sounds better and more relevant.

I was told once by a very close friend that college would be the best times of our lives. When he first told me that, I gave it little thought but held on to his mantra until now. My only response, I would not trade a second of my life today for a year of my past rockstar like lifestyle. Yes, I had fun, but not like the fun I had this evening making my daughter laugh.

I have it too good now to pass up.