“Pure hell forces action, but anything else can be endured with enough clever rationalization.”

Tim Ferriss

If you haven't stopped reading yet, I thank you for letting me insult the status quo perspective to make an important point. Mediocrity is nothing to aspire too. If you believe it is, please stop reading now. It is not that I think I'm better than you in anyway, we just have the same mindset and you won't get anything of value from reading further.

If your still with me, then you likely believe that you are destined for something more in this life. You are what I define as the Game Changers.
What are the Game Changers you ask? Here are some characteristics of a GC:

• Not accepting of mediocrity, destined for greatness at all costs

• Live life with a never ending curiosity and thirst for knowledge

• Resilient to adversity, with unstoppable drive. Settling for less is not an option.

• A belief that passionate pursuits of self improvement throughout life are vital.

• Values Time and Happiness over bank account balances and the accumulation of possessions

This is just a brief overview, I'll cover GC's in much more depth in a future report.

What these Game Changers know, is that Adversity is what builds character and creates our future successes. The GC's are the polar opposite of the aforementioned sheep.

The sheep on the other hand are overtaken by adversity, they see it as a good time to give up. You likely know many people in your own life with this mentality, I call it the Victim mentality. These individuals con themselves into believing that greatness is unachievable, that the dreamers and doers of the world are reckless, living risky lives. They treasure stability and normalcy over all things. They really would rather live an unfulfilling life, than risk any sort of change. These sheep graze all day within the confining limits of their farm until the day they die within it's mundane boundaries.

Photo Credit- MinutesAlone

GC's are the proud and the few and they are wolves. They take risk and throw caution to the wind and now and again, fall hard. Their advantage lies in the fire that burns inside of them that cannot be extinguished. They are made differently then the sheep of the world. They understand that adversity and failure are merely precursors to success and happiness and are the catalysts for personal growth and understanding. While the sheep huddle together and hide in uncertain times, the wolves fight to the death and win, they know nothing else.

Anyone who plans on doing anything great in this life will face huge adversity and see colossal failures over and over again. When you hit this point you have only two options. Are you a sheep or a wolf?

If you're a wolf and you have just hit this point, do me a favor and smile in the face of adversity. You are damn lucky. You have now within you what alludes so many of us on a daily basis. You now have Motivation on your side which is basically like adding gasoline-soaked hay bales to your fire. Don't let it go to waste for another second and for damn sure stop your pity party right now. The truth is no one truly cares about your problems, they care how you come out the other side. Channel pain, guilt and sarrow into positive energy and quit being so damn sheep-like.

You are a Game Changer so change the game and play by your own rules. Only let people around you who share your mindset in these times, you can't afford to let the weak minded in. Take some personal time and worry only about yourself for once, if your going to change the game, you need to capitalize on this time to produce fruit in your passionate pursuits.

Remember,

"The greatest barrier to success, is the fear of failure"

Sven Goran Eriksson

Decide that you are the only one who can make the decision to get back up and keep failing, learning and failing again. Your fire cannot be put out and therefore you can never truly fail, but rather move step by step closer to your dreams.

This is your game, and there is no telling when the clock will run out. Never throw in the towel, fight till you die and win...

Photo Credit- Pink Sherbet Photography

"Isn't it amazing how things seem to fall into place when you are working in the direction of your dreams?" I asked. My mom shot a sarcastic, but knowing grin back at me "ya, ya I know'' She replied shaking her head.

I was paraphrasing a quote I use often from The Alchemist by Pablo Coelho which says;

"When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream."

Close enough I figured.

Since returning from a 3 month trip to South America, I'd spent the following 3 months mercilessly trying to convince my mom to make some much needed changes in her personal and professional life. It wasn't because I thought I was smarter, I had just seen a new way of life and wanted to help the one person who has done more for me than anyone else if I could.

I would try to implement many of the ideas I'd learned from The 4 hour Workweek By Tim Ferriss and give her the tools nessesary to better manage time and run things smoother. That was the plan anyway...

Photo Credit- Eflon

About a week into this experiment I realized I had quite the task in front of myself. My mother was working 60 plus hour weeks and the tips and ideas I had tried to engrain in her everyday activities seemed to be only aggravating her further.

I'd hear a myriad of things such as:

"It's not that Simple Rick.", "You think your so damn smart", or my personal favorite "Why don't you get a job and then give me advice"

3 months later we've learned that, It was that easy, I'm kinda smart and I got myself a fulfilling job. So what gives?

After countless arguments followed by wine nights where we'd reconcile and try and meet in the middle, it became clear that we simply needed to call a truce and try and move forward. It just so happened that we had been tossing the idea of taking a short trip to Arizona and checking it out as a possible place to live and work.

Photo Credit - farleyj

After 2 more weeks of her stubbornness and my nagging, we were on the road to better weather for a week in the sun. One week turned into three and what transpired in the process was amazing.

My moms business which she had been bottlenecking and trying to micro manage was forced to run more efficiently without her being around. She ran the business remotely and had orders shipped directly to the customers. Not only did the overall efficiency improve, but clients were getting their orders quicker and writing to thank her for her amazing service.

She began to realize that many of the things she'd been doing back in Seattle had actually been impeding her from being productive and taking away all her free time in the process.

The long days of running 2 businesses and never feeling caught up were replaced with pool side conversations of why we hadn't done this earlier. I could only smile and say I have no idea.

Most importantly of all, she was a different person. The rushed and worried mindset had disappeared to reveal a happy, carefree attitude. Work wasn't a chore but a hobby to fit in between lunch and happy hour.

She was back to being the great mom, successful entrepreneur and go getter that we all know so well. I have to say I don't know too many people more driven than my mother.A few subtle tweaks, I helped with would be paying off for years to come. I'd accomplished one of my goals I'd set upon leaving Buenos Aires and returning to the US, to help simplify my moms hectic life and business.

What's next?

We decided a change was in order in both of our lives and that we love the Scottsdale area. We have both completed our classes to get our Arizona Real Estate licenses and will be making the move down to the valley permanently in less than a week.

Photo Credit- BluEyedA73

And so as the title of this article goes, which happens to be my favorite toast, To New Beginnings and Happy Endings. A new chapter of my Life begins!

Photo Credit- Dru Bloomfield

I am an analytical guy. While I do have a background in Real Estate Sales, I've never been what you would consider the salesman type. My true passion in the business lies in finding great deals and undervalued properties, something I've always had a knack for.

There is no question that the Real Estate market collapse had a devastating impact on many homeowners. With values falling to less than 1/4 of they were in just 2 years, many homeowners have found them selves upside down in their mortgages and facing foreclosure.

This is the news everyone hears, it's no secret.

What I'm going to tell you about today is how you can take advantage of the bad times to build long term passive income.

*I'd like to say that I am not a financial advisor and this information is an opinion, not advice.*

Right now sellers are more desperate than ever to get out of the mess that they are in. For example, one home owner I know is facing a very tough situation.

After buying in 2006, he owed 375,000 on his home which appraised around $400,000. After the market correction, his home is now worth maybe $269,000.

What's worse is he signed up on an adjustable rate mortgage which payment is adjusting from $1,650 per month, to $2,250.

Oh yea an he just had his hours cut from 40 per week to 30 a week and his wife got a pay cut as well.

See a potential problem here?

There are tons of examples just like this that explain further the kind of mess we are in. I know some very experienced real estate investors who are simply sitting on the sidelines right now, not taking any risk as they are unsure of what's coming next.

The flip side of this is that there are many investors in the market currently who are making a whole lot of money each and every day. I spoke with a friend earlier this week who has bought 12 properties already this year and is actively looking for more great deals.

The method to the madness seems to be this:

It seems that right now, property should not be bought based on speculative purposes. It could be argued that it never should be in fact. What this means is property shouldn't be bought with an expectation that it will rise in value.

While I personally think it will see an increase in the coming years in many areas, I will not buy based on speculative purposes alone.

HOW TO BENEFIT FROM A DOWN MARKET

The key in this market seems to be buying based on the income approach to value, or what income the property is able to produce as an investment.

The market today is absolutely flooded with properties that can make you hundreds of dollars a month in positive cash flow. There are investors buying properties that rent for 800-1000 per month that are being bought for as little as $15,000 (that's not a typo) in the Phoenix area.

Now there is a point of contention among many of the people I've talked with recently that I would like to clear up. Phoenix area real estate is poised for a boom, you can quote me on that.

Why you ask?

People in the Seattle area where I live are very bearish on the real estate market and with good reason. While Seattle hasn't seen nearly the drop in prices as many other places, my bet is that the market here is in trouble. While the more optimistic approach here is that our "strong" economy will carry us through the hard times, I have a feeling that a nose dive is in order for the local market.

Photo Credit- respres

Not only are Boeing and Microsoft, the two biggest employers laying people off and outsourcing to cheaper areas (Boeing- Alabama, Microsoft- India and pretty much everywhere else), but the unemployment rate for people under 25 here is said to be one of the highest in the nation.

Economic aspects are always what everyone looks at the most and with good reason. However, there is a hugely important piece state law that many people seem to be overlooking.

You see in the event of a foreclosure the bank issues the order to a trustee to sell the property at auction and collect the money to pay the lien on the property. In recent years with shrinking property values the amount the bank obtains at auction, hasn't been enough to cover what is owed. This leaves a deficiency that the bank can then elect to sue the owner for.

However in certain states, Arizona being one of them, it is illegal to pursue a deficiency judgement. This means that homeowners can simply walk away from their properties with no recourse other than damaged credit and losing their home that they are upside down in.

This has caused a new phenomenon known as strategic foreclosure which has sent prices ridiculously low in the Phoenix area. Owners who bought in 2006 for $300,000 for example may now have the same $2,000 per month payment and yet have a home which has a market value of $120,000. Many of these owners decided to walk and begin the credit repair process immediately.

Photo Credit- PrimeImageMedia.com

This has also made finding a place to rent much more difficult. I personally was looking for a place to rent and went to 5 different apartment complexes and was turned away from each one because they had no available apartments. By the way this is also in the slowest time of year in Arizona as the summer is incredibly hot and known as the dead season for rentals.

I decided I might as well just buy a house as it was cheaper anyway. The fact is the prices there just don't make any sense and the rental market is strong despite what people might tell you.

In states like Washington prices have remained more stable as strategic foreclosure is not nearly as advantageous knowing the bank can take you to court for the difference owed after auction. This is also placing pressure on the market however. Homeowners are content to try and keep their homes, even dwindling down their life savings to do so even though they might owe $300,000 on their home which is now worth $210,000.

Photo Credit- Phil Sexton

My point is that while values have crashed very quickly in non deficiency states, they are now recovering and the rent market is rapidly improving. While things got pretty ugly in the Phoenix area, they seem to be stable now and even improving statistically. As soon as the inventory clears from the large amount of foreclosures, prices are poised to rise.

However in Seattle foreclosures have not even come to a peak. With homeowners holding on as long as they can, it seems that a bottom for the market isn't insight any time in the near future. Values should will likely continue to trickle lower and lower. The amount of buyers is low and until some sense of confidence is restored, this shouldn't change.

What you can do now

Look into buying in states that do not allow lenders to pursue a deficiency judgment. These areas are poised to recover much quicker and investor confidence will be stronger in these areas.

The biggest point I want to make however is to buy based solely on cashflow. Buying any home in this market based on the idea that values are going to rise is a huge mistake. It is actually why we are in the mess we are in today. Lenders and buyers thought there was no ceiling to where values could rise too. We learned the hard way that this is false.

Buying based on the income a property can produce and whether this amount is higher than the expenses and debt service on the property is the only way to go right now.

Creating positive cash flow in rental properties is one of the best ways to create long term wealth and in many of these non deficiency areas, this may be the best opportunity you will ever have to buy these positive cash flow properties.

The market is ripe for the picking if you educate yourself and know where to buy. If you have any questions or want my advice, please feel free to e-mail me at anytime at RickAGriffith@hotmail.com.I love to talk real estate and always have an in on deals. It's what I love to do and I am quite good at finding great deals.

Until next time...

I have received a lot of feedback from readers since starting this blog and have started to notice some similarities and common comments. I'd like to say thank you for even reading my blog, I'm honored that you care what I have to say.

Many times comments I read or things people say when they hear of my adventures in person sound something like the following:

• "Wow, your so brave! I would love to do something like that."
• "That sounds amazing, I wish I had the time to do that."
• "Your so spontaneous Rick, want to sleep with me?"

Ok, well maybe I made the last one up...

The truth is however that nothing I've done is something I see as a major risk. While trans versing South America for 3 months or permanently moving to a new state on a whim may seem like a huge risk to many people, the truth is that I am not the true risk taker.

Who is?

Mr 9-5, I can't find time, won't change my perspective and I'll play it safe person, is perhaps the biggest risk taker of all.

Why you might ask?

While many people define themselves based on money or success, we here at LivingBueno live in a pursuit of happiness. We believe that we shouldn't save our happy days for when where old and grey, just because that's the default in the American culture. That our TIME represents a greater value than Money. That laziness and inactivity isn't the pot of gold at the end of a depressing rainbow, but rather enjoying new things, learning constantly and pursuing personal greatness while seeing the world are things we can do and strive toward EVERYDAY.

Cancer kills people, sometimes very quickly. Do you want to hit retirement at 62, having saved as much money your whole life as possible and die one day before that birthday?

I'm being dramatic, but my point is that the future isn't promised and we all have a variable expiration date. Why not live life on your terms now, doing the things that you enjoy.

The fact that I have recently moved to Arizona and I am now working 60+ hour weeks in real estate does NOT in anyway mean that I'm not doing what I want to do. I love looking at tons of homes each day and finding amazing deals, it makes me happier than most things on earth to be very honest.

If you aren't happy and are working yourself into the ground for those illusionary golden years, you my friend are the real risk taker. Social Security may not even be around by the time you "retire".

Living life the way it is meant to be lived is not a risk in my book. It is far from it. Don't trick yourself into believing that you aren't capable of anything you want to get out of this life. It's too damn short anyway, why doubt yourself and waste time.

Do what you love, love what you do, Live Bueno...

Photo Credit seantoyer

So after a week spent in Scottsdale enjoying 100+ degree temperatures and leaving behind the 55-65 degree rainy summer days in Seattle, I have come to the decision that I will be moving to Scottsdale permanently. I already knew this would likely happen as I've been too Scottsdale twice before this trip, but this third venture into the valley absolutely cemented my decision.

Some more big announcements are coming as soon as the details are official. For now I can say that I will be living in North Scottsdale, loving life and working in the real estate industry.

I cannot tell you how excited and eager I am to get things set up here. This is truly an amazing area and a place where I feel I belong.

Much more coming very soon, it looks like I will be Living very Bueno in the near future!!!

P.S. Sorry for slacking on the blog, clearly I've been a bit busy, but you can count on some great content in the near future.

Creative Commons photo credit Vincepal

For example many times in life we will be presented with decisions that may make sense in the short term, but in the longer term or bigger picture are lacking something. Also many times it is easy for people to just keep doing the things they have always done and not consider the positive implications that change can bring.

So considering all these aspects there are really three main points that enable us to make decisions and then act on them. I always ask myself the following questions:

• What is the worst possible thing that could result in saying yes to this opportunity?
• What is the long term positive effect this decision could have on my life?
• Is this something that is reasonably feasible or attainable?

Defining the worst possible outcome and then mentally putting yourself into that outcome helps immensely when considering opportunities. If you can live with the worst possible outcome (without being a paranoid hypochondriac of course) then you know that this might be possible.

Conversely, putting yourself into the best possible outcome that can result from such a situation can help you decide if making the leap is worth it or not. In all likelihood the outcome will lie somewhere in the middle, but simply identifying the possibilities helps you paint the boundaries and decide to move forward or stay put.

Finally it is necessary to decide if this is even possible. Is this just  a pipedream or something that is actually attainable. Being overly optimistic, I think and know many times that people discount their own abilities and make excuses just too avoid change, which can be an uncomfortable disruption of ones routine. However being realistic is also necessary in making such a decision.  For example, despite leaving for Buenos Aires at the wrong time in my life, I had the time of my life and learned priceless lessons on the road in South America. More on that here.

Once picking a desired direction the next step is putting this idea into action. This process is pretty simple and yet often times we neglect or put off doing the following essential leg work.

• Make a detailed plan
• Spring into Action and execute the plan
• Follow through and stick with it

Making a detailed plan is essential. Keep in mind that things will never ever go exactly as planned, however having an outline of your objectives is a must whether your trying to building a home or moving to Fiji. This first step will put the wheels in motion and get you into the proper mindset to achieve your objective. When making your plan remember to be conservative, and do your homework. Get as much information from as many reputable sources as possible and suck it all up while making your plan.

That being said, you can read everything in the world and be an expert on the topic, but there is no substitute for action. When things are in place and your plan is ready, it is time to take ACTION. Making this leap once properly educated is often the hardest yet most important step in the process. This is what separates the dreamers from the doers. If your plan is sound, this step shouldn't be as hard as we all make it. Remember to not let fear get in the way, nothing worth doing is easy.

The final aspect of following through is essential. Why waste time create a plan becoming educated and taking this leap if you don't plan on keeping it going. It won't be easy and will likely suck sometimes. Nothing every works out perfectly. However if you are moving in the right direction things will work out fine and you will be rewarded for your persistence. This is just a general outline I use when considering opportunities or making tough decisions but it has served me well many times in the past. Whether your considering a new business venture or a new line of work, applying these concepts will surely be of service to you, I know they've done wonders in my own life.

By- Rick A. Griffith

As Gary looked ashore, he saw the local surfers starting their bonfires. It was dusk and they had paddled ashore, content to call it a day. Gary on the other hand was determined to hone his surfing skills with every available wave. He’d left his home in Long Island, NY just two weeks earlier and was now doing all he could, determined to fit in with the local surf crowd who had so far been less than welcoming.

As he began to paddle back to shore casually he suddenly felt a breeze of energy beneath him. Convincing himself that it was all in his head he kept on paddling, picking up the pace slightly. Then in his peripheral vision just above the waterline, appeared a fin. His heart skipped a beat.

After all, he hadn’t traveled halfway across the world in hopes of living a better, more fulfilling life just to be eaten by a shark. He paddled frantically toward the shore. Just a week ago a girl had fallen victim to a shark attack nearby and now he thought that he’d be sharing the same fate. Instead of freezing up in fear, he swam like hell back to the shore with nothing on his mind other than hauling ass.

He arrived there bleeding from the coral which had cut his skin, looking as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Are you ok man? Asked a local who noticed Gary’s distressed state.
“I saw a shark and it followed me all the way in, I thought I was done for.” Gary replied panting for air.
 “That shark right there?” asked the local with a sheepish grin.
“Ya man, that’s it!” Gary answered.
“Haha, you were blessed by the surf gods bro, that DOLPHIN just escorted you safely back to shore.” chuckled the local.
“Huh?” Gary was perplexed
“Ehhh, don’t worry about it, grab a beer man, I’ll tell you all about it.” he offered.

The Bonfire

This was Gary’s initiation to the local surf scene in Hawaii. He would become friends with the group and share unforgettable memories over the next 3 months. Just weeks later, the same group of guys he shared brews with on the beach that fateful night, would take him on another adrenaline pumping journey. They offered to let Gary come watch them skydive. Little did he know that upon arriving, he would have a fully paid for pass to take the leap of faith himself. No video, no lessons, just adrenaline and fear. Gary was deathly afraid of heights. 5 minutes after arriving he was loaded up in a pick up truck on his way to a plane loaded with skydiving gear.

“ How long is the free fall?” Gary asked the driver.
 “For the rest of your life” the driver replied in a crazy voice.

Welcome to Hawaii!

But lets rewind…

How did Gary find his way here in the first place. Where does a young man find the time, money and courage to embark on such adventures halfway across the globe from his home in New York?

How do you trade coffee and cigarette brakes at the family auto body shop for swimming with dolphins in Hawaii and dinner with new friends in Italy?

Gary chose happiness.

Working each and every day at the auto body shop had motivated him to want so much more from his life. He began to open his mind to new possibilities and not just accept the traditional path to a life of 9-5 misery. To discover something more fulfilling, something with more purpose.

He quit the auto body shop and began exploring new ways to generate income that suited him better. Months of exploration lead Gary to the discovery of the investment potential of Silver bullion. He began investing in Silver, buying and selling it as a way of funding his new lifestyle, doing the things he always had dreamed of. The silver he discovered was beautiful and even more attractive were the profits he was making from his investments.

What if I could somehow incorporate the beauty of the silver & it’s investment potential together into an item that served a duel purpose? He thought.

The Peoples Bailout- The Border Bribe necklace

He decided to start playing with this idea, incorporating his investments into accessories that could be worn around town. Within a month he had designed a belt, hat, bracelet and necklace which he began wearing proudly around town. People started to take more of an interest in his fashion sense.

Unlike an Ed hardy accessory that quickly losses it’s value after purchase, Gary’s accessories could double in value within a few months, not to mention turn heads. As interest piqued, he began making similar accessories for friends and acquaintances who wanted to invest themselves. The Peoples Bailout was formed.

He began also selling Silver Bullion (large bricks of silver not incorporated in accessories) to investors on his website and on eBay and his business took off. He had done it. He could now do something he enjoyed and was passionate about, making income on his own terms. He could ditch the 9-5 boredom for a new jet setting lifestyle that fulfilled his needs.

“My favorite part about waking up in a foreign country, is that you are always learning something. “ He explained when asked what he enjoyed most about his new lifestyle.
“I go out into the street and talk to people, everyone, practicing a new language with confidence and even picking up new friends along the way.”

How would something like this change your mindset on a daily basis? It’s done wonders for Gary.

“Now when I’m relaxing, I’m RELAXING. Letting only good thoughts into my head, I’m free to thing the thoughts I want too, free from the bills and stresses of home, just looking for activities that make ME smile.”

“When I travel, I don’t look at culture and try to understand it. I LIVE their culture and I WILL understand it. I try to immediately become a local in the way I eat, speak and even dress.”

Gary blending in

“I even started painting motorcycles in Italy and realized that I really do love the auto body business, but on my terms.”

 A Scooter gary painted in Italy

So what now? How does one fill their time in the day once liberated from the 9-5 grind?

Gary structures his business to allow him to take 3 month breaks(mini-retirements) and pursue the things he likes to do.

The most recent goal?

He currently has an opportunity to run for the Achilles Foundation in the New York City marathon, a mighty task he knows nothing about. Fortunately he isn’t one to back down from a challenge.

“I recognize that people may look and say that he’s just lucky or he’s unstable, but that isn’t true. I’m learning not only about the world, but about myself. Those who stop learning, stop living.”

He urges this message to those looking for similar freedom.

“Don’t stop working, just start living. Learn to handle the critics and naysayer’s and remember, Some will laugh, Many will follow.”

No one is laughing now…

You can follow Gary's newest adventures here.



By- John Spada

 Photo Credit o palsson

Think Vegas, but set in a medium sized European canal city. Subtract all of the venue shows, but add a whole lot of sex and marijuana, and a dash of mushrooms, and you have an idea of Amsterdam.

Fun Fact:                                                                                                                                    In Amsterdam hostels, snoring is a large issue because 85% of your roommates have extremely bad cotton-mouth.

Das:
We met Das at a coffee shop called the basement. The shop has a very cool vibe, and during our time there played a bunch of American rap remixes that were perfect for the environment. Das grew up in India, then relocated to the UK, and finally now is living in Amsterdam. Das has a medical marijuana license, and for those of you not in the know, medical grade drugs tend to be of a higher quality then regular stuff. Then you have hash, which is a resin type substance, that has a higher THC content than normal marijuana. Das had medical grade hash, and was more than willing to share during our pleasant half hour conversation. He was an extremely nice guy and, needless to say, after we left the basement coffee shop we were all quite stoned. By the time we got out of there, it was around midnight and we decided to head back to the hostel.

John the Regular:
So with our heads swimming and our eyes bloodshot, we returned to the hostel to find our dorm had nine people, with only eight beds. When you check in, you receive a card with your room number and bunk number, so my natural inclination was, "Everyone show your card for your bunk, if we all have one, I will go ask the manager what to do". Everyone in the room was close to our age and in a similar backpacking situation, except John the Regular. Every person in the room except for JtR held up their cards. We proceeded to ask JtR, do you have a reservation? Do you have a bunk? A card? Don't you think as the 46 year old (admitted pervert), you should maybe move?

How to identify the guy trying to squat in your hostel dorm:
1. John would essentially only say three things, I assume because he was a bad liar, and really didn't want to double back on one of his lies.
"I'm John, I'm a regular"
"I'm here until the 30th"
"I've been in a couple popular American movies, such as independence day"
"I'm not here for the weed, I just like the offbeat sex stuff"
2. You must have a card to get by reception, so the guy that comes into the room around noon, and fails to leave for the rest of the day is probably a squatter.
3. He has an outright creepy demeanor, and admits he's a pervert.

So after attempting to get John the Regular to move without having management intervene, we were unsuccessful, and I had to unleash the Canadian bulldog known as Sheldon. Sheldon was one of our traveling partners from Paris, and he's the type that you send to talk to management, because he refuses to take any solution but the one he desires. The manager came to the room, went through the same card process as before, and established the same results. The managers first solution was that I would move to a new room, as I was the last one to return to the room, and was therefore without a bunk. We explained the situation once more to the manager, and in the end John the Regular was moved. It was a very sketchy situation.

Photo Credit Comunicati

How to identify the guy you should follow to the coffee shops:
When you check in around four, he is the American guy still napping in his bunk. This was Bryan, from St. Louis. Another extremely nice, good natured guy, who had an in depth knowledge of which shops were the best, and how to hit some of the crazy bongs that became available. He was our guide in Amsterdam while we became aquanted with the area.

Overall a very enjoyable city, but it also presents a high risk situation for spending a lot of money, as Marcus (aussie friend) did when he became intrigued with some of the more sexual aspects of the town.



The Rules-

LivingBueno.com is a site founded on the idea that life doesn't have to suck. You can do what you love and be happy. You can travel the world before you are 80 years old and see amazing places, while learning important life lessons in the process. You don't have to waste your life in a cubicle and can instead build your own business around the things you really love in life,

And so...

We want your stories!

Send in your story of how you defied conventional wisdom, took a leap outside your comfort zone and enjoyed an amazing experience by doing so. Whether you started your own business, backpacked through Europe or went cliff jumping to conquer your fear of heights, we want to hear it!

We will choose the winners from the submissions and contact them in the coming weeks.

The winning stories will be posted on LivingBueno.com in an upcoming post, documenting just how awesome you are.

The Grand Prize winner will receive an advance copy of CEO of Zappos.com Tony Hsieh's new book entitled "Delivering Happiness". This book isn't even out in stores yet and won't be until June 7th, but we were sent two advance copies one to give away to our wonderful readers.(Thanks Tony). For more information on the book you can visit here,

The deadline for submissions is May 17th and winners will be chosen and contacted by May 18th. Don't miss this chance to share your story and win a great book before it even hits shelves!

Remember you can win simply by submitting a story and many times few people actually do so. If you submit anything at all , you got a good shot! Go do it now, I'm waiting...

Send submissions directly to me at RickAGriffith@hotmail.com

Check the Lifestyle Challenges tab above for more exciting and crazy challenges!

This is the very 1st lifestyle challenge here on LivingBueno.com so I should probably tell you how this whole thing works. I am an addict for accomplishing difficult tasks in short amounts of time. Through intense focus and insane training, I have the ability to conquer things I set my mind to very quickly.

I was recently issued a challenge from my dad as we have recently begun hiking each weekend. Now it's time to make things interesting. Starting in July we will be hitting 8 mountain peaks throughout the Northwest in 10 weeks. This should be a very interesting challenge as I have hiked maybe 6 trails in my entire life to this point.

That being said I'm gonna kick these mountains asses. You heard me right. I've begun training and plan on making my mark ascending these peaks and showing my dad that I'm not one to back down from a challenge. I just received his challenge booklet which is as hilarious as it is informative. I'll have to scan and post some of the info so you can see just how serious this challenge is.

So in the coming weeks I'll be posting updates on this challenge and including a lot of my training here so you can see my progression toward the goal. While this is my first lifestyle challenge, it looks like I will be doing at least 2 other challenges simultaneously in the coming weeks so stay tuned for some awesomeness...