BG

I've always been very careful with what I spend my money on in New Zealand. But given I've had some really foolish expenses too, which I do not look back on fondly.

Anyway, I recently spent $123 and I'm still wondering whether or not I'm proud of it. On one hand, it's going towards a good cause, charity for the Christchurch Earthquake and all. But on the other hand, that's not what I paid the money for.

I paid the money to watch this guy. The man from Man vs Wild himself, Bear Grylls.
You have no idea how much I love this man. To me, he is the epitome of what a real man should be - tough, wild, disciplined, capable, skillfull, extremely resourceful, and darn good looking. He also tends to portray the image of a loving husband and father, and a devoted Chief Scout, although these qualities could very well be part of his on screen persona. It's ok. I buy it. heh.
So I bought VIP tickets (because regular tickets just wasn't enough) to watch him talk 2 nights ago at the Sky City Convention Center in Auckland. When I first heard he was coming here I was ecstatic! So on hindsight, I think my VIP ticket purchase was a little rash and unnecessary. A regular one would do. But hey, come on. It's Bear Grylls. I don't know when I will see him live again =).

He signed my deuter! =)

So I went to watch, and be inspired. And I was surprised to see how young he looked in person, when he wasn't covered in dirt and blood. And he told us a simple story, of when he went up Mount Everest at the age of 23. I really liked it, because he told it from the perspective a young individual, humbled by the greatest mountain in the world. I thought it was pretty inspiring.

But the other acts that were on that night were pretty good too. Chris Cope was a pretty good musician, a Kiwi based in Auckland. I really liked his singing and thought his little loop pedal thing was quite awesome.

And Mark Inglis from New Zealand, who climbed Mount Everest with two prosthetic legs - he was pretty inspiring too. It kinda puts things into perspective, he's a double amputee, Bear Grylls was 23, and they have both went to the summit of Mount Everest and came back alive. I'm reaching my 25th birthday (as much as I am trying to delay it), and I have both very real, pretty strong legs, and I am no where close to climbing up that mountain.

I think I left the room feeling a sudden sense of urgency to go out there and DO things. GREAT things. There is so much I can offer in my life, to myself and to others. Who am I to let it all go to waste if I didn't at least try? =)