The first one is saying that he wanted to get a meaning out of life, and not just exist.   I agree with this statement.  When I come closer to my death, I would like to know that my life was a good one and had a meaning.  The second one is kind of saying that people who seek freedom from their normal life, are willing to travel and experience new things.  I agree with this, although I think if someone decides to pursue this, it should be an educated decision.

I like myself the way I am.  I don't really think I would change much, if anything?  Maybe some things that I have done would be changed, but nothing major.  However, if I could go back to senior year of high school, I would go into the Marines instead of college.  I've thought about this decision so many times and question if I made the right one.  When one wants to reinvent themselves, I think they're referring to changing some things they did, not themselves.  It's the actions that make the person.

"Satellite"- Rise Against

You can't feel the heat until you hold your hand over the flame
You have to cross the line just to remember where it lays
You won't know your worth now, son, until you take a hit
And you won't find the beat until you lose yourself in it

That's why we won't back down
We won't run and hide
Yeah, 'cause these are the things that we can't deny
I'm passing over you like a satellite
So catch me if I fall
That's why we stick to your game plans and party lives
But at night we're conspiring by candlelight
We are the orphans of the American dream
So shine your light on me

You can't fill your cup until you empty all it has
You can't understand what lays ahead
If you don't understand the past
You'll never learn to fly now
'Til you're standing at the cliff
And you can't truly love until you've given up on it

That's why we won't back down
We won't run and hide
Yeah, 'cause these are the things that we can't deny
I'm passing over you like a satellite
So catch me if I fall
That's why we stick to your game plans and party lives
But at night we're conspiring by candlelight
We are the orphans of the American dream
So shine your light on me

She told me that she never could face the world again
So I offered up a plan

We'll sneak out while they sleep
And sail off in the night.
We'll come clean and start over the rest of our lives.
When we're gone we'll stay gone.
Out of sight, out of mind.
It's not too late,
We have the rest of our lives.

We'll sneak out while they sleep
And sail off in the night
We'll come clean and start over the rest of our lives
When we're gone we'll stay gone.
Out of sight, out of mind.
It's not too late,
We have the rest of our lives.
The rest of our lives

Because we won't back down
We won't run and hide
Yeah, 'cause these are the things that we can't deny
I'm passing over you like a satellite
So catch me if I fall
That's why we stick to your game plans and party lives
But at night we're conspiring by candlelight
We are the orphans of the American dream
So shine your light on me (shine your light on me)

Because we won't back down
We won't run and hide
Yeah, 'cause these are the things that we can't deny
I'm passing over you like a satellite
'cause these are the things that we can't deny now
This is a life that you can't deny us now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KISf2eNYOHM&feature=related

I think this song is saying that people need to go out and experience life a little more from different view.  Escape from the same tone of society and find your own.  I like it.

Chris McCandless was not foolish in what he did.  However, I do think that he should have been more educated in the wildlife department before he started his journey.  He is simply a man trying to find himself and find a purpose in life.  He wants to get away from society and be his own person; have his own thoughts.  Personally I feel that Chris is a good man and has good intentions.

Well as most people know, I love nature and the outdoors.  When I go hunting, I don't just sit there and stare off into space, I think.  I think about anything and everything, I do some self-evaluating, and enjoy the sound of the woods around me (Until a deer comes along).  After completing all of my education, I plan to have a career outside. My POE is Wildlife Conservation, therefore I will probably be enjoying my future career very much.  I think when one is alone in nature for some time, they find out who they are.  They tend to gather their thoughts about things and start to think for themselves a lot more.  Now a days, too many people just follow the thoughts and ideas of society, and this will eventually get the world in trouble.  Nature has a very unique way about itself.  It is self sustaining and does not have to rely a whole lot on humans.  People can learn a lot, if they would just go out in the wilderness with an experienced person.  Instincts can kick in and one can learn how to live off the land.  One can see the beauty of their surroundings and this may help them connect to their spiritual side; give them some insight on things.

Personally, I favor the plain way of living, such as the Amish.  Yes, I do enjoy technology, cars, and indoor plumbing; but in all honesty, I think I could live without.  The world today is largely based on 'wants' instead of 'needs,' however in some countries needs are not even met.  The U.S. has gotten stuck on the 'high class' way of living and usually put a high emphasis on material things.  Granted, I'm guilty for this as well, but if our nation started living like the Amish, there would be much less chaos.  Material things cause people to get greedy and not think of those in need.  If we only used what we needed and made what we needed, there would be less anxiety in the world; we wouldn't have to worry about running out of resources.  (I always said I wanted to live like the Amish.)

Not much has changed with me.  I'm the same, redneck country girl who enjoys hunting and fishing.  Over winter break, I did a lot of much needed hunting.  I hunted ducks with a buddy of mine, went coyote huntin', and bow hunted.  I was able to do some self-evaluation while sitting in my tree stand.  I've gotta say, I really didn't hang out with friends much.  They would ask me to hang out, and I would say, "Sorry, I'm going huntin'."  I realized that I did not do my best academically during the fall semester, and decided to set a goal to change that.  So far, I started the semester off well, doing my work and limiting my free time to do more work.  This semester will be busy for me, due to softball.  Therefore, I'm cracking down.