In the Pursuit of Happiness

11 things I'm doing in my pursuit of happiness.

In the Pursuit of Happiness In the Pursuit of Happiness

Flying My First Airplane

My experience flying an aerobatic plane over the Nevada desert.

Flying My First Airplane Flying My First Airplane

Travel, Fears, and How They Coexist

On fears, risks, and the rewards of travel

Travel, Fears, and How They Coexist Travel, Fears, and How They Coexist

5 National Parks You May Have Never Visited

Quick, name five national parks in America not named the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, or Yellowstone. What'd… [more]

5 National Parks You May Have Never Visited 5 National Parks You May Have Never Visited

If Everyone Else Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You?

Musings on one of life's paradoxes.

If Everyone Else Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You? If Everyone Else Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You?

In the Pursuit of Happiness

by Spencer Spellman on May 16, 2013

Post image for In the Pursuit of Happiness

Monday I returned from a British Columbia road trip, face planting onto my bed, feeling nearly crippled by anxiety, rather than being relieved to be home. I took several big breaths, attempting to re-gain normal breathing, while mentally cycling through the next 15 days – what I consider one of the most important personal and work [...]

{ 6 comments }

Flying My First Airplane

by Spencer Spellman on May 7, 2013

Post image for Flying My First Airplane

“Do you need another barf bag?” Whip, my co-pilot, asked me as we came out of another maneuver and after I had filled up one already. That’s right, my co-pilot, Whip. And for the intents and purposes of this blog post, you can call me, “Stormy.” Stormy being the pilot name I was given before [...]

{ 0 comments }

Travel, Fears, and How They Coexist

by Spencer Spellman on April 24, 2013

Post image for Travel, Fears, and How They Coexist

I was lying flat down on my apartment floor, paralyzed with fear and pain, beating my arms on the floor, crying, and screaming aloud about why this had happened. A routine Monday morning had been interrupted by a call from my aunt, telling me that my mom had unexpectedly passed away. You see my mom had a [...]

{ 13 comments }

5 National Parks You May Have Never Visited

April 20, 2013
Thumbnail image for 5 National Parks You May Have Never Visited

Quick, name five national parks in America not named the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, or Yellowstone. What’d you come up with? Zion? Maybe Central Park? That last one was a test, as New York City’s Central Park isn’t exactly a national park. You passed. The fact is that while many people may be familiar with America’s [...]

…Keep Reading!

If Everyone Else Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You?

April 10, 2013
Thumbnail image for If Everyone Else Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You?

As a child, I lived my life through stories, and more specifically, what I considered at that time, daring, dangerous, and defiant stories, like those that confronted MacGyver. After our family sat down to watch it together every Monday night, I would excuse myself from the living room, exit through the hallway door, and enter into [...]

…Keep Reading!

Paragliding Over Hawaii’s Island of Maui

April 4, 2013
Thumbnail image for Paragliding Over Hawaii’s Island of Maui

“We’re just going to start walking, followed by a full on sprint, and before you know it, you’ll be kicking your legs against the air, 3,000 feet above the ground.” I feel like that’s probably how a lot of Wilbur and Orville Wright’s conversations began just moments before attempting any number of their flights. That’s probably [...]

…Keep Reading!

The Big List: 30 at Age 30

March 30, 2013
Thumbnail image for The Big List: 30 at Age 30

“His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy.” Yes, that is in fact the beginning to Eminem’s Lose Yourself. However, it’s also my reaction to anything that even remotely begins to raise my adrenaline, such as walking through the Tenderloin district of San Francisco after midnight, traveling to a country that I don’t speak [...]

…Keep Reading!

Las Vegas, my Achilles’ Heel

March 15, 2013
Thumbnail image for Las Vegas, my Achilles’ Heel

“Should we get the margarita in the yard test tube or the strawberry daiquiri in the plastic guitar?” My friend and I went back and forth for a couple minutes, even asking the bartender about specific portions and alcohol levels. It didn’t matter that we weren’t going to drink the entire thing, or even half [...]

…Keep Reading!

Above the Clouds Atop the World’s Tallest Mountain

March 13, 2013
Thumbnail image for Above the Clouds Atop the World’s Tallest Mountain

“Well I hope you don’t get frostbite up there.” Those aren’t the words you ever want to hear from someone, no matter what you’re doing or where you’re going. Yet that’s what my tour guide jokingly said as he greeted me. Was I knee-deep in snow awaiting a trek up to Mount Everest? Nope. Was [...]

…Keep Reading!

The Women of The Traveling Philosopher

March 9, 2013
Thumbnail image for The Women of The Traveling Philosopher

“Momma’s boy.” Those were often the words directed toward me from other kids on the playground as a child, often followed by a shove on the shoulder and other names, some of which included Bucket Head and Marshmallow Man. Let’s just say that my head was somewhat disproportionate to the rest of my body as a [...]

…Keep Reading!

← Previous Entries