Did you watch the KONY2012 video, get mad, and then share it online a few weeks ago? Did you read the reports about Trayvon Martin and then feel a similar level of outrage and share it online this week? I woke up this morning and poured my first cup of coffee and came across two articles that gave me pause. The first a terrific read in The Atlantic about the "White Savior Industrial Complex" and how it is the fastest growing trend in the privileged communities in America. (Yes I am talking to all of us that made sure to get a picture of us with some cute kids in a third world country and use it as a Facebook Profile picture.) Taking aim at KONY2012, Nick Kristof, and Oprah, it is worth taking some time to read through this eloquent rant about the convenient approach that we take towards going good, as opposed to the inconvenient work that it takes to make real change.

The Atlantic: The White Savior Industrial Complex

There is a lot in there to chew on and think about any kind of work that we believe in and want to see done abroad. But then, as I poured my second cup of coffee, I came across a piece reminding me that the killing of the young and the innocent isn't just something that happens "over there." The death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of an over zealous neighborhood watchman who thought he "looked suspicious" is a tragedy on a lot of levels. What is even more tragic is that this kind of stereotyping still happens in our country. But what is the worst is that the same people that got ramped up and mobilized about innocent kids being killed across the ocean have been pretty quiet about it happening in a suburban neighborhood in Florida.

White People, You'll Never Look Suspicious Like Trayvon Martin

I want to say that what KONY2012 has brought to light is a bigger story because it has been going on for years and that Trayvon Martin's murder is an isolated incident. What I want to say is that Invisible Children (an awesome organization by the way) has been building their audience for years and that is why they were able to bring such a voice to KONY2012 and there wasn't a group rallied to roll out the call for justice in the Trayvon Martin case. But I don't think those ideas are actually what I want to say at all.

As I pour my third cup of coffee, I'm realizing what I found myself asking this morning about these two points of view is this: is it sexier and easier to think about a problem that is half way around the world than it is to think about and doing something about a problem that we all know exists right here at home?

On one of my favorite trips so far this year, I headed down under to Sydney and had the incredibly unique experience to speak at the Sydney Opera House as a part of XMediaLab Global Ideas conference. It was a wonderful experience and some of the most fun I've ever had giving a speech. Afterwards, I sat down with author Brad Howarth to talk creativity, success, and Gowalla. I cover a lot of different ways that Gowalla has worked with brands and where we see the location based world going. Would love to hear your thoughts our conversation.

Part One (8:04)

http://vimeo.com/27757606

Part Two (5:22)

http://vimeo.com/27757574

Somethings can only be learned when you're outside of your normal surroundings. Some experiences you'd never agree to do if you were home, but because you're the mindset of adventure you say yes.  When you meet people on the road, knowing they're also away from home, you're more likely to become friends. "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness & many people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men & things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." ~Mark Twain

This video was recently posted and is a part of a series based on "3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food ....into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films..... = a trip of a lifetime."

And it is awesome.

http://vimeo.com/27246366

To see the others, follow this link: http://vimeo.com/rickmereki/videos

200 days. That's all I have. 200 days left until life changes for good and I have to check a new box on the demographic section of surveys. And, only 200 days left to get to Africa and complete my goal to be to all 6 inhabited continents before I turn 30. As I've recently shared and my lifestyle has shown, I love to travel. I love the experiences that happen on the road, the people that you meet, and the bigger view of humanity that is only possible when you go and see it for yourself.  This year has been especially full of travel (100,000+ miles flown this year so far) and I'm thankful for each journey and the continued awesomeness that has continued to develop from each of them.

About five years ago, I decided that I wanted to get to all 6 inhabited continents by the time that I turned 30. At that time I'd only been to North and South America and Europe. I shared that with a few folks and they gave me some positive feedback for having a good dream. I like having dreams that other people think are cool. But, over the past few years, I have really committed to a statement that changed the way that I think about dreams.

"A goal without a deadline is just a dream."

If there isn't a deadline to our dreams, they'll never happen. For some really big dreams that I've had, the only time they've ever happened was when I assigned them a deadline. If there is an open ended timeline for when it can happen, there wasn't any urgency or pressure to make sure it happened. I love that pressure and love the feeling of making it happen. When I turned 29 this February, I had still only been to North America, South America, and Europe and didn't have any trips planned to any other continents. Since then I've been able to check off Asia and Australia.

But, according to my handy "Days Until" app on my phone, as of today, I have 200 days until my 30th birthday. Which means I have 200 days to figure out how to get over to Africa and make sure that this goal isn't just a dream.

If you have any ideas for speaking gigs, philanthropreneurial opportunities, or just plain fun times, I'd love to hear them!

Since the day she was born, my sister Katie has been the first to do a lot of things. The first in our family to get a tattoo. The first to skydive. The first to give up her Thanksgiving holiday to serve people in India. Today she's begun her next first: riding her bike across New York. The whole state. In five days. Katie first told me about her ride last year and that she had found an awesome way to do something adventurous and bring awareness to an issue that is important to her (and the world), human trafficking. There are millions of men, women, and children that are suffering the injustice of slavery and worse around the world and Katie's heart for these mostly unknown and voiceless people group compelled her to action. When she arrives in Buffalo today, she'll be meting up with a group of other passionate adventures from around the world and their bikes and beginning a trek across the Empire State. Each day they'll ride as a team and each night they'll be hosting rallies and meetings in the cities where they'll be staying to bring awareness to the cause and share how folks can get involved and help.

To say that I am proud of my sister would be a huge understatement. She is the most selfless and authentic person that I know and I can't wait to see her next weekend when she rides into the Big Apple.

If you want to keep track of her journey, or cheer her one, check her out on Twitter: @Ellweezie