Hello my name is ______

Justin, Ryan, and I decided a while back to create this blog in order to chronicle our adventures, or as it sometimes turns out, misadventures.

Up until this point Justin has been making all of the posts on here while Ryan and myself have been being what Justin has put it on many occasions "bitches". Well not anymore!

Hello world. My name is Mark and I would like to let you know that I am in fact not a bitch.

Moving on.

Let me start by telling you all a little about myself. You know a kind of "get to know me" section. Or something like that. Should be fun!

I was born and raised in St. Charles, Missouri. I never really fit in there although that never stopped me from trying.

When I was 19 I decided that school was no longer the way for me and I dropped out. I ended up taking a job and working for about a year before I decided that I needed a change. I wanted to get away. (There is way more to it then that, but I will leave that for my other blog.) So I wound up joining the Navy.

Fast forward 4 years and here I sit. Since joining I have been halfway around the world. I have snowboarded indoors in Dubai when it was a hundred plus out side. I have snorkeled in Hanauma Bay in Hawaii. Walked the streets of Victoria Canada. I've seen the sunrise in D.C. and I've seen the sunset at Sunset Cliffs in San Diego. And that is just a taste.

I have experienced more in the last 4 years of my life than most people do in their entire lives, especially if they are from my home town. I remember meeting people when I was growing up who had never left St. Charles in their entire lives. I remember telling myself, "That won't be me. I'll never be like that."

For me this was where the idea to live my life differently originally came from, although I didn't realize it until much later.

Now you all should know that I am by no means pro Navy. Sure, without the Navy I would not be where I am today, but it is not an organization that I would like to work for any longer than I have to.

I like to think of the Navy as a springboard. It's has given me countless life experiences and eventually (next year) will give me the money I need to get my education.

In the meantime I am going to live life to the fullest and experience everything I can.