Today while online at my volunteer job I was reintroduced to William Jennings Bryan (he's the dreamboat on the right). Bryan is a history class staple; he stands out from the crowd for being the least successful presidential candidate ever (he ran on the Democratic Party ticket three times and lost each time), arguing against evolution in the Scopes Monkey Trialof 1925 and being the one to modify the Democratic Party with his idea of expanding Federal Powers to help the common man.
Ignoring his evolutionary beliefs, I admire Bryan. The man seems to either have had some serious mental delusions or some serious gumption. Either way running for president three times and failing (and then not curling up into a corner and become a nonworking member of society) says something about your resolve. Currently I am in a seemingly perpetual state of underemployment, trying desperately to break into my preferred field and being told again and again I am in the wrong city/time/career to be young and looking for a job. On the days when being a full time nanny (a step up from my part time status) seems to be the only thing my future has in store, I need a good William Jennings Bryan example in my life.
On the days when even William Jennings Bryan and his dedication of steel can’t pump me up, I turn to travel blogs and my dream of chucking it all to travel the world for a year or two. While cruising my favorite blogs I came upon this, which would be an excellent way for me to prove my dedication if banging my head against the proverbial closed door of publishing doesn’t work out. How amazing would a walk around the world be? You could listen to every single This American Life podcast! For that matter you could probably listen to every podcast ever created! Think of the physical benefits! You could get rid or your gym membership and practically pay for your entire trip! (Okay not true, at all, but you definitely wouldn’t need a gym with this work out plan).
It was while the fantasy of me walking around the world played in my head I found this, which has left me overcome with jealousy and a new life plan: I will bike around a country! I will become the William Jennings Bryan of the biking world, letting my dedication overrule reality (I only own a used mountain bike, get sore after riding six miles and am incredibly scared of going down hills). I feel if Bryan could keep going, ignoring reality and the overwhelming odds against him,then so can I; it's time for me to start picking out my country.
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