As some of you may know, I’ve come back to visit Corning, NY with my family. We’re friends with a local historian and come down to visit his family and hike the gorges of the Finger Lakes.  My dad and I are also avid collectors. While I have a deep appreciation for knifes (historical and modern) and comic books,  he specializes in Art Nouveau glass. We have a really great time browsing stores and seeing the homes of fellow collectors. Antiquing itself can be an adventure! The thrill of walking into a cluttered shop (my favorite type) and unearthing something special from within a seemingly forgotten pile of bric-a-brac is quite something. It’s true that one must have an appreciation for the present; for what comes daily. Rediscovering the past really helps with this. What have I discovered? Today I picked up a very torn copy of a New York county newspaper announcing the death of Adolf Hitler! I was also given a Cattauragus 225 Quartermaster WWII combat knife as a gift! Holy crap eh?! But, as I’ve written on countless occasions, although the stability of routine can be good for our mental health, so is spontaneity. And this will take different forms depending on the individual. For me it’s what a loosely call “adventure”. But what does that really entail? It’s quite simple, all I want to do is step outside my comfort zone into the unknown. Do something different (maybe wild) and explore the world around me. Why? To find myself.

Update: photo!

Since learning how to longboard and moving downtown, the way I’ve start to see the world around me has changed. Instead of streetcars and the subway, longboarding and cycling have become my primary modes of transportation (aside from walking). I’ve lived in Toronto for my entire life so far. In doing so, one would think that the city would never feel foreign. However, travelling different (and now accessible) streets of my city on my bike or longboard has really shown me how much there really is to STILL see. Everyday has become an adventure now! New shops, interesting graffiti, previously unexplored restaurants, and who knows what else await me every day! Lesson of the day? Turn your commute into an adventure! Explore your city! Who knowns what you might find (just don’t get hurt).

– Daniel