Adventure as a concept is too often relegated to the realm of make believe, of epic wanderers, of exotic locales and death-defying incidents. To be sure, adventure -- festooned in all of its children's book glory -- includes these colorful illustrations. But it also includes much, much more.
Adventure is a choice and a world view and a lifestyle. Adventure is a paradigm through which all decisions, all hopes, all fears, all ambitions and failures and risks and victories are transformed into vibrant opportunities. Adventure is a daily attack against sleep walking. Adventure is choosing to be totally 100% alive!
![A pool at the Fiesta Americana Grand Aqua in Cancún. [Photo Copyright Chris Ramirez for The New York Times]](http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/03/20/travel/20cancun.span.jpg "A pool at the Fiesta Americana Grand Aqua in Cancún. [Photo Copyright Chris Ramirez for The New York Times]")
New York Times reporter, Maureen Dowd, takes her rye, often irreverent, mix of wit and humor on the road. Check out her 
