As I'm sure the majority of you don't keep up with travel-related news, I feel as though I need to update you on a couple of recent events which will impact the way you travel.

Actor Heath Ledger found dead in NYC apartment

Not that I really ever cared for this guy's acting, but it is fairly significant...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22788914/
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hSnffZ3qPhw5MxwRsbroU0BclsXA

At least the guy went out with his last project being great. Leaving his legacy as the new Joker in Dark Knight is quite the way to go out, along with his Oscar-winning movie "Brokeback Mountain".

Fare thee well, Heath Ledger. Watching you as the Joker will be doubly creepy now.

The beginning of a new era
21 Days until pitchers and catchers report for MLB Spring Training '08.

Many of the Yankee youth movement are already in Tampa working out, or at a private facility in Arizona working out. Work ethic is nice.

It'll be interesting. New manager at the helm in Joe Girardi. Torre is out in LA with some old buddies like Scottie Proctor (who just recently signed a 1 year deal for $1.115 million).

Slight Differences in Volleyball Theory
For those of you who know me, I'm pretty much just an overly obsessed volleyball fanatic, and recently I've been focusing more on the coaching side of the sport working with high school athletes.

Superficial goals lead to superficial training.

Physical goals are necessary in order to continue pushing yourself. My long term personal goals are mostly unrealistic. This way, I am always pushing harder and faster. I have NO goals that are not performance based. Lose five pounds? WHAT? Who cares how much you weigh? The only thing that matters is how you perform. If you truly stick by this mind set, the looks will come.

It won't be quick, and it won't be easy. Pushing yourself to the limit never is.

The majority of the world is lactose intolerant. So why does everybody make such a big fuss when I tell them that I am one of the majority? In fact, all those of you who are lactose tolerant...you are the mutants, you are the minority. I'm normal, you're the ones with mutated genes.

I eat cheeseburgers, I eat pizza, heck, I just had some ice cream. Is it a good idea? Depends on how much I have, but generally no. But I don't care. I love the food that I love, and a little bloating and gaseousness is certainly worth it to me. Its just when I cross the line...thats when the trouble comes.

As you might, or might not already know, I spent my summer working for the Frommer's Travel Guides (more specifically Frommer's.com), and am still currently working part-time for them during the school year. The Frommer's brand of travel guides are, if you haven't heard of them already, the #1 travel guide brand in North America, and recently have been expanding their market-share in the UK and Australia as well.

I get so annoyed when people are referred to as 'great athletes' just because they are exceptional at one aspect of athleticism. I don't care what other people think the definition of 'Athletic' is, but to me it is more than just being fast, or strong. To be truly athletic you must combine to have the following attributes: speed, strength, agility, and most importantly coordination. To be truly athletic you must be able to take the above attributes and apply them to any situation, and therefore be able to quickly pick up any sport set before you.

Take them seriously. I tweaked my hip slightly and did not think it was a big deal. This eventually lead to my knee being injured, which I also did not take seriously. This then lead to my other knee being injured. It got to the point where walking was difficult for me before I realized that I should really take it easy. So if something is bothering you, regardless of your friends making fun of you, or the progress you will lose, or whatever, you should seriously rehab and rest it. I did not do that and I am paying for it big time.

Designer Deaf Babies?

By no means am I a geneticist, or an expert in genetics, chemical biology or anything of the sort. But social commentary? I'm certainly qualified to voice my opinions. Somewhat recently (late December 07), the Royal National Institute for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People (RNID) of the UK issued a statement that deaf parents should have the right to demand screening of their embryos so they can choose a deaf child over one that has all its sense intact.