The Handsome Blog- Number One

A while back I decided to make something called The Handsome Blog. While this is more "Note" than "Blog", it still gets my point across all the same. What I wanted to highlight as often as I could, are men that are handsome...not only in the "traditional" sense of just looks and charm, but also "handsome" because of there life work or dreams, goals and aspirations. 

With that being said, it took me an unusually long time to decide on who the first should be. While I had the same guy in mind since day one, I really wanted to make sure that he was the right choice to be honored so highly, at least in my world. 

So, after some serious researching and stewing, I have elected my first Handsome Man.

Anderson Cooper.

I can say honestly that he is a motivation to me, and has encouraged me to think beyond what I am just told. His work with countries such as Haiti, Rwanda, Somalia and Bosnia have opened many people's eyes to the terrors and heartache that the residents of these countries face on a daily basis, and have encouraged many people to help in ways they may have never before thought possible. 

Anderson was born into a posh lifestyle, with his mother being the heiress Gloria Vanderbilt. However he wasnt satisfied with the idea of such a luxurious life. At 17, Cooper left his  lifestyle to venture through southern Africa, where he contracted malaria. It was during this trip, while traveling through such "at risk" areas, that would help to define and shape his future career.

Anderson has been steadily rising to fame throughout the years, starting around 1995. He's reported on Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, Princess Diana's funeral and many, many other tragic and ground-breaking stories. 

After graduating from Yale, Cooper traveled to Myanmar with a fake press pass and a video camera. Having met with students who were protesting against the government, he sold his recorded news segments to Channel One (yes, THE Channel One that we all had to watch during school). He followed this up with a stint in Vietnam, where he studied the language for a year and recorded segments on Vietnamese culture, which also aired on Channel One. His experiences abroad took him to more war-torn areas, like Somalia, Bosnia, and Rwanda.

Anderson Cooper is a man that was born into wealth, status, guaranteed success and connections. But he chose to leave all of that behind to earn it all for himself.. and not in a way most would choose.  Its easy to see that he pours his heart and soul into his work.  He is certainly a man that I feel has earned the right to be called an amazing journalist, but above that, an amazing man.