Dear dudes on the Buried Life...

Guys, my wife and I watch the show after we put the kids to bed and we love it. We are Canadians living in San Jose CA. I am 32 years old.
Last year I got very sick, spent 30 days in hospital after H1N1 and West Nile Virus I had to relearn how to walk. Funny thing was I am a Hall of Fame Lacrosse player, played for team Canada in two sports and have won a world championship. You can imagine walking with a cane is a tough pill to swallow.
I have stayed positive and am determined to make something good and much bigger than me out of this situation. I decided that what made me who I was before in life was that I pursued my dreams and I was very good at it. So I am getting back to that, something simple but it’s what makes childhood so incredible. Why shouldn't it make adult life just as fun?
I am going to space. I have dedicated myself to going to outer space on one of the Virgin Galactic flights and figure that it should prove inspiring to others to go from a hospital bed to outer space. The flights cost $200K, $20K is due as a deposit. I have called myself the Panhandling Spaceman and I am fund raising the entire amount $1 dollar at a time and trying to convince 200,000 people that I am a worthy recipient. The big project is to create a non- profit called the Dream Cadets that teaches children the importance of dreaming big dreams and empowers them to pursue those dreams, I think that's what will change the world in the future, Kids that feel empowered to do good in the world instead of just accepting how things are. You guys are a good example of that wouldn't you say?
So I'd love your help. It has been a tough year but I am overcoming adversity and am determined to make it the catalyst for something big and wonderful.
Check out the website http://www.iamgoingtospace.com or watch the videos http://www.youtube.com/jrmoss55
I hope you'll agree that my project is worthy and that Sweet ol' bus will come rolling up North on the 101 to help us out.
A little buried but diggin my way out,
The Panhandling Spaceman,
Jim Moss
PS Love your work

A note about inspiration and having dreams...

A quick honest chat about the project…

Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of great questions come up and ensuing banter about the project and the intentions of it. I know that there will be people who don’t take the time to understand what I am doing, or who judge it with whatever opinion they have from the little they know about me or will take the time to understand the project. Truthfully, I don’t mind. I need those people. I need to be questioned and put to the test and reminded that I believe in this. I don’t have it all figured out yet, and I don’t want to. I really am betting that the journey will be most enjoyed through the life changes, the newly developed relationships and the side projects – it will be enjoyed by the lessons I learn about myself. As I set out this course for space, I’ll get a whole lifetime of experience in return.

I appreciate that people will have their opinions and I appreciate that they will take the time to voice them. I also appreciate the people, who come to the defense of the whole thing and the chatter that ensues, the fact that people are taking positions and defending their views, getting in the mix, that is a great thing. Our lives are easily drummed to sleep by the fast paced beating of the economic machine. We don’t take enough time to sit and think, talk, argue about what we believe in and in turn, it seems we eventually concede to someone else’s views. It feels like less frequently we take a new view point or allow ourselves to be convinced of something good and true.

There are many sub-goals for this project of mine, and this increase in awareness, is a personal priority. When Obama was inaugurated, I felt this wonderful tingling inside of me. It was hope and inspiration and it was a feeling I’d been longing for that I hadn’t felt in sometime. I loved it and I want to feel it more often – it was motivating me to be a better person. I want everyone to feel like that.

To inspire others, I’m realizing you have to be out there – sharing your message, hence the blog and the speaking engagements and of course, the mission to outer space. I’m also realizing that it is in these grand gestures that people seem to pay attention. My first speaking engagement will be this week. My niece, Nicole is going to do a project for school that focuses on the mission and my drive to be a leader through my own project. We plan to do some video interviews and have a lot of fun. The exciting part – is our ability to work with new technology to reach so many people in different parts of the world. Her class in Cambridge, Ontario in Canada and I will be Skypeing in from San Jose, California! I am pumped that I can be an inspiration to my niece and I hope that she can be an inspiration to other kids. Inspiration can be very contagious. What was exciting was that she approached me with the idea and I was already brainstorming mini-curriculums to present to other classrooms. This will be a great test-pilot to see how we can increase the awareness aspect of my project. I intend to “Skype” into classrooms to get the discussion going with kids and teens and get them thinking about their dreams and goals. I want to give them advice on how to stay on track and not underestimate their abilities.

Like I said - inspiration is contagious and what a great feeling to spread around! I love that people are passionate; it is one of the defining characteristics that make us human. When we lose that and subsequently drone away at life, stop pursuing our goals and dreams, our lives turn into the movie Groundhog Day. The days just keep repeating themselves until we figure out the meaning and the important stuff. It might be cliché but life is too short; people are dying around us, text messaging drivers running over babies, earthquakes in Haiti, 9/11, airplane underwear bombs. If there was ever a time to support the people who are trying to do more with their life, people who are trying to lead us into change, it is now. That might sound self-serving but I really believe it.

In earthquake lingo, I had a minor tremor last September, when the Guillain Barre hit. In fact, as I sit here right now, the bottoms of my feet are still tingling and my big toe is completely numb. One day my 7.2 quake will hit and if I am trapped under the rubble of my own life, when all of the construct collapses down on me, I hope as I lay there and wait for help, I can say that I was awake, I breathed in life, I took chances, I got people talking and thinking, I inspired people. If I can do that, when my time comes, I’ll have done something right.

Thanks for your continued interest and support in my journey through Guillain Barre, life, and my trip to space.

The "I'm Going to Space Guy"
Jim Moss

Goals and Dreams and Inspiration - video blog

I'm coming right out and asking.... please donate a buck or two!

It is time to come right out and ask… Please donate a dollar or two for the cause.
I know there are a lot of friends and family reading this, and it goes to show that actually getting people to click and make a donation is difficult, even your friends and family don’t do it right away. There are many of you that have been meaning to and likely know that you have lots of time so you have just put it off. We all get inundated with so many commercials and suffer from marketing overload, and so we actually consciously act very infrequently. The premise of this whole project is to prove that I can get people to act, in good faith, and spend a minute of their time and a dollar of their hard earned, to help me achieve my goal. If you don’t want to do it, I totally appreciate that and I would love to hear why, but remember you could probably just donate a dollar in less time and be done with it? Think of all of the strangers that you have thrown a buck too and they likely just went got a bottle of booze with it. I promise that I will make your donation into something worthwhile.

So I am asking, can you please click on the link below and donate a couple of dollars?

Quick Update

Can you believe its 2010? Upgrading the website and the hardware to run it.

Well not only is it 2010 but it is already the end of the first week! I hope you all had a great and safe holiday season. I haven’t posted much lately because I am working on the back side of the website and the blog. I have built a new computer that should enable me to integrate some great elements into the web experience and I have installed an HD webcam to begin the video blogging process.

I have received about $150.00 in donations so far, not bad considering Facebook is the only place I have made any post links. The success of this project will rely heavily on clear effective communication and interesting pertinent content. That is the reason for upgrading to video blogging. I am looking for people, people, websites and blogs to link up with so we can increase traffic flow once I get into full swing.

Do you have a blog or website to suggest? (Click here to email me your suggestions)

Are you on Facebook? Click here to follow us via the “I am going to space” page on Facebook

Chat soon

The "I am going to space" guy

$2.00 down... $199,998.00 to go!!!

$2.00 down... $199,998.00 to go!

My Father Ron was the first to donate $1.00 into the send Jim to space fund and now an old and special friend, who just found me on Facebook after 8 years, donated the 2nd dollar. I wouldn't say we have reached the tipping point, but we have started down what is sure to be an incredible path. I am positive it will prove very interesting the trend of the donations and the hopeful viral spread of my project. It also points out another excellent and organic aspect of this project and that is finding old friends and / or being found by old friends. Hopefully some old pals will get in touch and see that I am still the same old Jim from wherever they new me from.

I also wrangled up the first official "Space Trip Piggy Bank" (see photo). It is a classic, disney collectors item from the 90's featuring Marvin the Martian. This will serve to hold the cash until I get enough going to justify something a little more technologically sound! On that note the plan is to create a formal ESCROW account that will hold the funds for the space flight and a second Escrow obviously for the funds to form the non profit. My 2 year old son Wyatt was quick to donate some of his pennies and quarters to put a little jingle in Marvin the Martian

Thanks for getting me started, I'll be keeping track of who makes the first donations and you will all have front row seats to the Documentary on opening night.

Jim Moss Bio

James Ronald Moss was born in Toronto, Ontario Canada on March 3rd, 1977. Raised in Brampton, Ontario, he spent most of his 32 years in Canada until his move to San Jose, California in 2003.

Jim, a professional lacrosse player with the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) learned to play both box and field lacrosse when he was only four years old. Since that time, his accolades include; winning the National Men's Lacrosse Championship in 2002, being honored with the Gold Medal for winning the World Championship in Field Lacrosse as a member of Team Canada in 2006, and joining other elite lacrosse players such as Paul and Gary Gait in the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Jim not only had a love of lacrosse, but as a true Canadian, had an equally passionate love of ice hockey. Jim played college hockey for the University of Western Ontario where he captured a Bronze Medal with the Canadian National Hockey Program in the International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Games and professionally for the Huntington Blizzard, of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Through his experiences playing lacrosse and hockey, he had the fortune to visit Australia, Europe and Japan, giving him a thirst for travel and exploration.

Currently employed by STX Lacrosse in sales management, he enjoys working with others who are passionate about lacrosse. His previous experience includes sales management with Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, representing the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. Jim achieved his post secondary education at the University of Western Ontario and at San Jose State University with continuing education at Stanford University. In July, 2007, he welcomed his son Wyatt Douglas Moss into the world and his daughter, Olivia James Moss arrived in November, 2009.

Shortly before the birth of his second child, Olivia, one of Jim's biggest life-changing moments occurred and came in the form of an illness named Guillain Barre Syndrome. Guillain Barre is an auto immune disease that causes the body to attack its own peripheral nervous system. In late 2009, Jim fell ill with the H1N1 virus and as a result, he contracted Guillain Barre and was hospitalized for four weeks. Jim had to re-learn to stand, walk and handle basic daily functions before returning home. Upon returning to his home, Jim continued with ongoing physical and occupational therapy, writing about his experiences along the way. His blog about these experiences:  www.sidewaysisforward.blogspot.com, discusses the ups and downs of dealing with life's everyday challenges, thoughts on how to stay positive through stressful events, and realizing one's dreams and turning them into goals.

Jim is excited to embark on this journey into outer space and looks forward to writing about this his experience along the way. His wife Jennifer and children Wyatt and Olivia are rooting him on and he can't wait to give them a wave from his spot looking down on earth.

  

What I might see while looking down at Earth

This is a similar view to what I will see when looking down at Earth from Outer Space. Have any of you ever traveled to Florida? Well this is what the Pan handle looks like from one of the lowest or closest Earth orbits. The greatest part in my mind is the that you are high enough to actually see where the blue becomes black and the Horizon of the Earth begins and the fact that you can see the curve of the horizon line. I have inserted two features to help you to help me do that. The first is to have you share it on Facebook or Twitter if you use either of those social Networks (see the "share" link on the right). The next is to email this to at least one or two people that you think might find this interesting. You can do this at the bottom of the posts where the little envelope is. 

The only way I am going to raise the 200K is for me to really reach out to a lot of people. If I can get 1/10 people who learn about me to donate a buck, then I need 2,000,000 readers! So for Christmas, do me a favor and help me to promote my blog. I'll have some other tools coming soon to help promote the project, and thank you very much for your help in spreading the word.