Lazy River Tubing

There are few pastimes in this world more relaxing than sitting in a one-person raft and drinking beer while slowly cruising down a river.  One of the best locations to partake of this experience is Lake Luzerne, NY in the Adirondack Mountains.  Whether you go with a group of friends by yourselves or join a guided tour, the approximate two-hour journey downstream will be time well spent.

This summer, I took two trips up to Lake Luzerne to go lazy river tubing with my friends Charlie and Rich.  The distance between Albany and Lake Luzerne is 57 miles and is an hour-and-a-half drive by means of I-87 N.  When we arrived, we each bought ourselves a raft at one of the local retail shops and purchased a few 6-packs of beer at a nearby Walmart.  After we got our things, it was then time to drive alongside the lake, down a dirt road to park the car upstream.  Once we found our starting point, we inflated our rafts, waddled into the shallow water, and started our maiden voyage.

With the views of the Adirondack Mountains surrounding you and the sound of water flowing slowly with the current, it’s too much of an invitation to feel at ease and forget about your worries.  The water level continually changes from shallow to deep and, with a bit of luck, you can find lost treasures below.  On the second excursion, I was able to spot a pocket knife that was caught between two rocks.  I navigated Rich (he was in the water already and I was occupied with my beer) towards the spot and he submerged under the water to collect the prize.

An important piece of advice to keep in mind is that it’s important to locate the best place to end your trip downriver before you even start.  The first time we three went lazy river tubing on Lake Luzerne, we missed our exit point by a quarter of a mile.  We had to swim upstream, against the current, in order to get back onto land which was connected to the dirt road that led us to our parking spot.  It wasn’t fun.

I enjoyed both of my trips down to Lake Luzerne tremendously and I discovered a new favorite way to spend some time with friends on the weekend.  If you ever find yourself near Lake Luzerne or another slow-flowing stream/river, I highly recommend taking part in this relaxing experience.

BASSHUNTER…

WARNING:  This post may make you want to listen to Basshunter (stage name of Jonas Altberg), a Swedish singer-songwriter and DJ, for hours on end.

“DotA”… “Now You’re Gone”… “Every Morning”… “Still In Love”

Do any of the songs listed above bring back memories of high school dances, first road trips with friends, or nights without sleep before an AP test because you have the lyrics stuck in your head?  If so, you’re probably already familiar with Basshunter.  If not, you should go listen to Basshunter and then come back and read this post.

Basshunter was the first DJ of the dance genre I enjoyed outside of my obsession with dance hits of the 90s (alongside Cascada, of course, because what teenage boy wasn’t obsessed with Natalie Horler).  Once his first album, LOL, was released in 2006, I was hooked.  His music not only has great rhythm and bass-knocking beats, but also lyrics that actually make sense.  During my 10th grade year, my friends and I would be playing his music in the car, at the beach, by a pool, and everywhere else.  Even during my first few years of college, you would have been able to find me casually dancing out to one of his songs (most likely while folding laundry or washing dishes).

Nowadays, the dance genre is swelled with beat-based music through the multiple styles of EDM.  Dubstep, trap, and house are all characterized by unique sounds and tempo.  Rarely can you find a dance-classified song that contains meaningful lyrics (or any lyrics for that matter).  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a decent amount of today’s EDM but, when I listen to music, I’d rather be able to sing along to it than mimic a “wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man.”  Basshunter had all the right ideas of what dance music should be.

DIRECTIONS: Now go listen to some Basshunter and take a trip (leave the acid- it’s bad for you) down Nostalgia Lane

What is Post DCP Depression? But really… What is it?

After graduating college in May 2014, I participated in the Disney College Program. You’ve probably heard of it if you’re attending college (if you haven’t you’re the human form of Patrick Star), maybe you participated in the program, or maybe you’re thinking about participating in the program.  You may have also heard about “Post DCP Depression”/”Post Disney Depression” which refers to the feelings you may have during the months after the program comes to a close and you leave Disney.  After eight months of post-program, my Facebook feed has yet to be lacking in Disney posts…  It is now time to address the issue.

While not particularly being a huge fan of Disney, I decided to become a DCP because:  1) My best friend from back home was participating 2) After working two jobs throughout college along with full class schedules, I figured it would be a vacation to me.  As my friend and I began our 11 hour trip to Orlando, FL, I knew I was about to have an interesting eight months.  As Florida Georgia Line was playing through the vehicle’s speakers and my friend swerved the car into the shoulder of the highway to avoid getting hit by a tractor-trailer, I began wondering what the program was going to be like.

In this post, however, you’re not going to find out.  You need to experience it for yourself and the one reason I will give to you for participating is:  The friends that you will make there.  The last day of the program was one filled with all sorts of emotions because you know it may be a while before you see most of the people you’ve spent the last eight months with.

Now, back to the main topic that is Post DCP Depression.  For me, it hasn’t existed.  To me, Disney is just a place.  With me, I hold the expectations to see my friends again.  I have lived a lifetime of escapades and Disney was just a short stint in a 23 year stretch of time.  If you believe you are actually suffering from a “severe case” of this “Post Disney Depression” you may want to think about working there.  If you’re not and you’re one of the many that never stops talking or posting about the program on social media, REPENT.  Personally, bringing up Disney every time a fellow past DCP contacts me to make conversation is just obnoxious.  I want to know how much you’re enjoying the fast-paced years of college.  I want to know how much you enjoy the career path you’ve chosen.  I want to know how you are without the mention of Wishes, Illumination, and Fantasmic.  So quit living in Mickey Mouse induced recession and rebel against Peter Pan’s infamous ideology.  In other words, GROW THE HELL UP.

Hola

Hello friends,

The time is currently 12:15 in the a.m in Albany, New York and I have just decided to start my blogging journey.  To kick start this minor event, I will tell you a little bit more about me.  My name is Matthias and I am currently 23 years old.  I grew up in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia all of my life before making my first move to attend college in Harrisonburg, VA in 2012.  Since 2012, I have lived in three states, graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management, and participated in the Disney College Program.  Time really has been flying by since graduating college and I figured it was time to document my life so that my friends and family can keep up with what is going on, so that I might be able to reach out and meet other people, and so that I can use this blog as a sort of journal to ensure that everyday experiences are transformed into lasting memories.  I enjoy reading as much as writing so, if you are reading this and have a blog which you want to receive more exposure, I will be happy to oblige.

THANKS FOR READING