Summer Goal

The goal I have set for my self is something that is always ticking in the back of my head. This goal can essentially be reached at any time of year, with however much time and energy one chooses to put into it. However, to be more specific and time sensitive, I would like to reach this goal by the end of the summer. My goal is to have a full-length, documentary-style, snowboarding edit (20-30 minutes) filmed and edited by mid-August. Although this goal isn't over a yearly timespan, it is still a long-term goal, thus qualifying it as a delayed reinforcer. As David G. Myers argues in Exploring Psychology: Eighth Edition in Modules, that one must learn to except these non-instant rewards in order to live productively (Myers 251.) What makes this goal, or edit rather, specific is that it will be filmed exclusively in Mt. Hood, Oregon during the month of July. Mt. Hood is one of the few places in the nation that has enough snow during the summer months to supply full-sized snowboarding terrain parks, thus making it a popular destination for both skiers and snowboarders. This edit will simply be measured by the time length. 20-30 minutes is rather long for an edit, however we will be snowboarding for roughly a month, making it very achievable. Realistically, my friends and I have been snowboarding for long enough that we are capable of acquiring more than enough footage for this edit. I actually grew up riding and competing with many of these people on the US Snowboarding Team, so the skill level is the least of our worries. I feel that this goal is worthy of this assignment due to all of the essential aspects that are involved prior to completion: Traveling, snowboarding, filming, camping, and editing are all key components just to name a few. The good-hearted work and passion that goes into a project like this makes it a good goal to say the very least. I feel so strongly about this task simply because snowboarding is so dear to my heart. I always feel like I'm missing a big chunk of myself unless I'm sliding on snow. Another reason why this edit is so important to me is because Mt. Hood, Oregon is one of my favorite places in the world, and I've unfortunately been unable to visit this second home for two years due to injuries. There will be just as much work put toward this edit prior to being in Mt. Hood, as there will be on snow. I'm currently getting over a minor ankle injury, so staying strong and healthy until departure is very important. Also, budget is always an issue on snowboard trips as you can imagine. Being frugal, and working hard for our summer funds will be at utost importance. This preparation work would be classified as positive reinforcement, as it is the labor being done in hopes for a positive outcome. I'm counting down the days until we begin our travels, and I look forward to sharing my journey with you all.