As a companion piece to what I did during my summer this year, I thought that I would create a list for the first time ever! Is this because I am too lazy to write a full article or because I want to be adventurous in my writing portfolio? The world will never know. Well, here are 10 other things that I did this summer in no particular order.

1.Visited Lake Placid-

This was my second trip to Lake Placid in the Adirondacks, and it is quickly becoming my favorite summer destination. There is something for everyone here, from famous sports history as the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics and the "Miracle on Ice", shopping, hiking, kayaking, fantastic restaurants, and an escape from the rest of hectic New York. I highly recommend you take a trip here.

2. Ate at Seneca Farms

Located in the Finger Lakes town of Penn Yann, New York, Seneca Farms may not look like much but this year it was rated as the best ice cream shop in all of New York. Yes, that includes Lake Effect in Lockport, Hertel Poutine and Creamery, and all the yuppie ice cream stores in New York City. They also serve amazing fried chicken and corn fritters which are little balls of cornmeal deep fried and served with maple syrup. A must try.

3. Got addicted to this podcast

This summer I found myself road tripping a lot and driving between my native Rochester and Buffalo almost every other week. I found that listening to music just wasn't doing it for me in terms of making sure I was awake and alert. I had always wanted to listen to a podcast, I just could not find one that I liked. After searching the internet for a spooky podcast I stumbled upon this one. The stories are written by amateur and professional writers alike and are then brought to like by trained voice actors and the use of sound effects really sets a scary scene. I encourage everyone to listen to at least one episode... if you dare.

4 . Spent a week in Troy, New York

I spent a week in Troy helping my girlfriend to dog and house sit for her sister while she was on her honeymoon. I had never spent much time in the Capitol region of New York but I was pleasantly surprised by how charming Troy was. Many people who work in Albany live in Troy due to more affordable (don't mistake that for cheap) housing and a more suburban atmosphere. Pictured above is a charming farmers market that my girlfriend and I explored. We also attended a free concert series that the city hosted, went to a summer carnival just outside of town, and spent a day in Saratoga Springs.

5. Shot a mortar

During my annual training at Fort Drum this summer I was a medic on a mortar range. The soldiers were kind enough to let me "hang a round" as they called it. After a brief, and I mean brief class I had the chance to shoot a mortar. It was terrifying holding a 36lb explosive in my arms knowing that if I dropped it that I would kill myself and everything within a 100 meter radius of me. Well, as I am writing this now I can assure you that I did not drop the mortar and had a really exciting time.