Roy Ash once said, “An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew hoping he’ll quickly learn how to chew it.” I’ve always known this to be true. Part of what makes an entrepreneur is the desire to take risks with the confidence that he has the ability to figure it out and make the right decisions when need be. Instinct.

I’m venturing into the unknown, no definite plan, no road map, merely my intuition and a desire to seek out adventure. I’ll be crossing the US over the next few months on a love affair with the open road, my path shaped by visits with old friends and chance encounters on the way to the ultimate destination of Venice Beach, CA. I’m going to use this space, a Facebook photo gallery, and my Twitter account to record and share glimpses of the memories I make along the way.

I left Texas on the 30th of April and have been traveling behind enemy lines in Oklahoma for the past week. I’m rooming with James, one of my closest friends, whom I’ve known since the first week of high school. Just north of Oklahoma City in Edmond, James owns a great piece of property that reminds me of a cross between the Brady Bunch and Jumanji: the house is relatively normal, but the backyard is an absolute jungle. It’s been an adventure in itself tackling the mess with a weed-eater and hacksaw.

Getting away from normal life has been immediately satisfying. I’m focused on the things that get pushed aside by everyday chores, catching up on reading all manner of books and blogs, and am brainstorming new small business ideas. First on the agenda, however, is to secure adequate transportation for my wilderness and urban excursions. I’ll keep you posted.

KANSAS: Saudi Arabia. Not altogether a bad place; has had historical success in oil and basketball, and continues to be a world leader in those areas. However, parts of the ruling family tends to thrive on its excess, much to its detriment; a certain prince’s fondness for American culture (especially for its sweet baked goods) could very well lead to its downfall.

KANSAS STATE: Armenia. No one wants to be here, especially the Armenians. What’s more, nobody really knows where it is. First came to prominence just a decade ago, and nobody can really remember it existing as an independent nation before that. Primary exports: Corn, junior college transfers.

NEBRASKA: Egypt. Was once a great power; its history, through the ages, is matched by few. Has languished in recent years, failing to recognize its new place in the world order as a follower, and not the leader it once was. Its people tend to be the friendliest to its neighbors, though still harboring a long simmering, yet contained, hatred for Israel.

COLORADO: United Arab Emirates. An incredibly refined populace–probably because it’s impossible to make it your home unless you’re incredibly wealthy. Does its best to compete with its neighbors, but has resigned itself to being the playground of the region, instead of one of its traditional powers. Doesn’t have a baseball team.

IOWA STATE: Afghanistan. There’s really no reason that this nation should even exist, and if it weren’t for previous colonial empires, it probably wouldn’t. Easily overlooked over the last 300 years, its people are a ramshackle alliance of groups that don’t belong anywhere else. Wishes to God, Allah, and whoever else that it would either cease to exist, or be swallowed up by Pakistan to the south, or the University of Iowa to the west.

MISSOURI: Turkey. Still trying to figure out how it got mixed up in this region, anyway. They’re a member of NATO, dammit. Shouldn’t they be in the Big Ten?

OKLAHOMA STATE: Syria. Nobody pays attention to them until they start mouthing off to the other nations around it. Will occasionally attack its neighbors, with varying success, with most of its successes coming in areas that others couldn’t care less about, like wrestling.

TEXAS TECH: Iran. Really, REALLY wants to be noticed in the international community. Will go so far as to fake the development of nuclear weapons, or choose homicidal, maniacal, self-aggrandizing men as their president/basketball coach, just to get noticed. Incredibly eccentric as a nation. Has a deep-seated hatred of both Israel and Iraq–and a huge inferiority complex to go along with it. Very arid, dry climate featuring frequent windstorms.

BAYLOR: Lebanon. Everything they do is just a cluster, and no matter what they do, nothing ever seems to get better. Every once in awhile, it’ll nip at the ankles of one of the larger nations, and annoy those other nations off just enough to where they’re smacked down and consequently can’t achieve anything noteworthy for the next ten years.

OKLAHOMA: Iraq. Lies, cheats, and steals to get its way in the international community. If caught doing something wrong, or illegal, its excuse is that “everybody else has done it, we just get caught.” No one wants to live here, but everybody that does wishes they could move away. Recently has undergone minor restructuring due to numerous ethics violations.

TEXAS: Israel. Pretty much everyone else in the region hates them. Can destroy lesser countries at will using incredibly advanced tactics. Not relegated to the stone-age lifestyle of many of its neighboring nations. Home of God’s chosen people.

TEXAS A&M: Palestine. Doesn’t actually exist as an entity to really be dealt with, but loves nothing more than to take pot-shots at Israel, just to tick them off. Economy based on farming, with an emphasis on sheep. Continuously complains that they’re the real power in the region, and that their status should supersede that of Israel. Religious zealotry abounds; small, infrequent attacks on its neighbors are hailed as ‘moral victories.

South by Southwest is upon us once again here in Austin, TX. For those unfamiliar, SXSW is a huge festival split into music, film, and technology conferences and brings thousands of people to Austin every year. The events are well worth the price of admission, but my favorite reasons for attending are the networking opportunities and parties.

It can be difficult to decide which SXSW parties are worth your time, so this year I’m making it easy: I’m throwing my own unofficial day party. Bull Moose & Covert Curiosity Present is a partnership between music blog Covert Curiosity and my company, Bull Moose, and we’re going to be rocking it for six straight hours with seven bands!

The lineup features HEALTH, Hacienda, The Strange Boys, Ume, Golden Triangle, Shapes Have Fangs, and Garotas Suecas. Everything is happening on Thursday, March 19th at Aces Lounge on 6th, kicking off at the crack of noon.

Get more info and RSVP on the Bull Moose home page.

Before you get worried, he’s fine, but my younger brother Josh was in a car wreck earlier tonight. Another vehicle drove him off the road, forcing him straight into a telephone pole. Josh, the tough kid that he is, stumbled out of the car and ran after the other driver, trying to catch a glimpse of the license plate as he fled the scene.

The other driver got away. There was a police officer twenty yards away who somehow missed the entire thing. To top it all off, Josh just got a new (used) car last week. His previous one was totaled when another person hit him.

I hate the overwhelming feeling of absolute terror when you hear something like that. A loved one in a horrific situation. My little brother. Fear, anger, helplessness. Josh is alright, though. Danger averted.

It’s unsettling. The nagging feeling that I can’t always protect those around me. The reminder that someone I love could be gone so easily, so quickly, without warning. All the questions that follow that thought. The need to rely on Someone else.