As I lie here, listening to my beloved progressive metal band, Opeth, I ponder my life thus far, and in the near future. The things I’ve done after finishing high school are quite adventurous, and most people would not do them, which makes me feel ’special’ (which is also what my mother calls me… Hmmmm). But I think about the time it’s taken me to accomplish said activities… New Zealand for travel, then three months of working at a massive winery? I’ve been out of school just over a full year, and while I’ve had a great time, I kind of feel like I’m a runaway train, heading into some sort of abyss. Not necessarily a bad thing, but when I hit the bottom, we’ve got issues. Needless to say, I’ve got to find my tracks, and get back on them.

That’s why I’ve officially made it my goal to get to Florida by January. Last January, I failed myself. I let myself down on the one goal I had. I’m not saying that this whole New Zealand thing was a complete failure, I’m just saying that it deviated from my goal. So now that January is fast approaching, this means I’ve got to be saving up my cash like MAD. As of right now, I’ve got about seventy bucks in my bank account (not near enough for a cross country trip… duh?) and about 4 months to make my goal of $5,000.00. Donations for this goal are highly appreciated! (kyle.kruchok(at)gmail(dot)com for my PayPal account) are HIGHLY appreciated. What exactly will you get by donating? You’ll get the good feeling of knowing you helped someone do what they really wanted to do with their life. Live the dream in Florida. Also, great photography will come from Florida too. I digress…

So, while my plans are more concrete than what they were more than a year ago (yet still oddly liquefied), I at least have some sort of figure as to what I’m doing. I figure, that kind of money should be able to get me down there, and into some sort of apartment and let me live for about a month before I must start work. If I live frugally, two months… But that’s pushing it. Either way, I’m going to give it my best shot, and I think that’ll work out. I mean, come on… I lived, and traveled in New Zealand for a month before I started working, bought a car, and payed for hotels and stuff each night with only two thousand bucks. I think I should be able to do this, with five thousand. But, how am I going to make this, you ask?

Stoller Vineyards! I’m extremely excited to announce that tomorrow (technically today) that my internship at Stoller Vineyards begins! It will run until December, for sure, and hopefully all the way until January. This should give me enough hours working the harvest with over time and all to allow me to reach my goal near effortlessly (if it’s a labour job, is it really effortless?), and efficiently. The location is great, the hours are great, and everything about the atmosphere up there I love. People, facility, and of course the work. With those three things in mind, I think I’ll enjoy this harvest more than any before.

Look out Stoller team, here I come.

And for the rest of you out there… you should look out too. I’ll have more updates on how harvest is going, throughout the next couple of months. Pictures are obviously to follow as well. Check ya later!