Why haven't I heard of him yet?!? Me like!
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1.31.2011
1.30.2011
1.26.2011
No power
Our first significant snow of the season...and we lose power! We've gathered all the candles in the house (which happen to be the Yankee variety...and all different smells) and are playing cards by candlelight. It's kind of nice.
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1.24.2011
1.23.2011
Duet
This song affects me more than I can explain here. First of all, Ray LaMontagne is amazing. The soul that comes from his voice makes my knees weak. This is Ray LaMontagne & Rachel Yamagata. Enjoy.
1.19.2011
who isn't a weirdo?!?
Marc and Angel Hack Life
Practical Tips for Productive Living
blogarchiveaboutrssthought questionsmakes me thinkDecember 21st, 2009 @ 2:01 am by: Marc
Why We Are Weird
Somewhere Else
During my competitive cross-country running days it wasn’t uncommon for me to run five miles at 5AM and another ten miles at 10PM, six days a week. I was competitive. I wanted to win races. And I was smart enough to know that if I dedicated myself to extra training, while my opponents were sleeping or socializing, I would be one step ahead of them when we crossed the finish line.
When I first started these early morning and late night runs, the experience was rather brutal. My body didn’t want to cooperate. It ached and cramped up. And I found out that the only way to endure the extra training was to disassociate my mind from my body, putting my mind somewhere else while my body ran.
Can’t Relate
Over time, I became quite proficient at doing this. I got so good at it, in fact, that I actually looked forward to running. Because when I ran, my mind was clear and at peace with the world – especially when nobody else was around. In the midst of what seemed to be a strenuous workout, my mind was in a soothingly relaxed state… similar to that of a deep meditation.
I don’t compete in races anymore, but I still run almost every day. Even though I no longer have to, I typically still run in the wee hours of the morning or very late at night. And since my friends know that I have a flexible work schedule, most of them think I’m a bit weird for running at such ‘odd’ hours. I’ve tried to explain to them why I do it, and how it soothes my mind. But they can’t relate. So I’m still a weirdo in their eyes.
She Was Right
Last night, I went running on the Pacific Beach boardwalk at 11PM. It was calm and quiet out – just the way I like it. I was about three miles into my run when a peculiar looking woman sitting on the boardwalk’s barrier wall shouted, “Hey, you!” and then waved me down. My first inclination was to just ignore her and continue running. But my curiosity got the best of me. So I stopped.
The woman had long blonde dreadlocks, several piercings in her ears and nose, tattoos on both arms, and a Grateful Dead t-shirt on. She was strumming an acoustic guitar and had a thick, white joint burning in a small ashtray beside her.
She stopped strumming her guitar and began to chuckle as soon as she saw me looking down at the joint. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m legit. I have a medical prescription for it.”
“It’s none of my business,” I quickly replied.
“Anyway,” she continued. “Perhaps you don’t realize this, but it’s pretty late to be out exercising. I’ve seen you out here a few times before, running after midnight.”
“So, what’s your point?” I asked.
“Well thousands of people run on this boardwalk every single day, but you seem to be the only runner I see in the middle of the night. And it strikes me as being kind of weird. So what’s your deal?”
I told her about my love for a quite landscape, and the way in which running soothes my mind. “…like a deep mediation,” I told her.
She smiled, strummed once on her guitar, and took a drag of her joint. “Well then, I’m doing the same thing as you right now,” she replied. “Only in my own way – a way that works for me. Can you dig that?”
I stared at her for a second and then laughed, because I knew she was right. “Yeah, I can dig that,” I said. She winked and started strumming her guitar again. I winked back and started running again.
Conclusion
Some of us run in the middle of the night. Some of us strum acoustic guitars and smoke joints. And others go to church. Or sip expensive wine. Or surf on dangerous waves. Or jump out of perfectly good airplanes. When we try to understand people by personally relating to the things that they do, we usually can’t make any sense of it. Because it’s easier to see weirdness in a sea of normality, than it is to decode the logical methods behind one’s madness.
But when we look just a little deeper, by making a noble effort to understand people by truly listening to why they do the things that they do, they never seem quite as weird. Actually, they begin to seem…
Almost normal.
1.13.2011
extraordinary things are happening
**found this on a blog I stumbled upon. Enjoy.
Right now is a phenomenon. Right now extraordinary things are happening.
Right now…
1.A soldier of sorts is diligently fighting the fight so you don’t have to.
2.Someone who suffered from a severe injury last year is back on their feet.
3.A small group of people are building something that will soon make the impossible possible.
4.Somewhere on Earth a double rainbow is stretched from one end of the horizon to the other.
5.One of the next Billboard-chart-topping musical artists is patiently rehearsing in her garage.
6.A piece of literature is being written that will eventually change your perspective on life.
7.Young children all over the world are singing and dancing before they even realize there is anything that isn’t music.
8.A friend is helping a friend rise above thoughts of suicide.
9.Someone is thinking what you’re thinking, but hasn’t said anything yet either.
10.Two people in your hometown are falling in love.
11.Somewhere someone is admiring a breathtaking sunrise, and somewhere else a surreal sunset.
12.People of various religious backgrounds are in temples, churches, mosques and other places of worship praying, wholeheartedly, for world peace.
13.Someone who has struggled with their weight for the last several years is standing on a scale and smiling.
14.Hundreds of cute elderly couples are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
15.A baby girl just took her first few steps without falling.
16.Two best friends are laughing so hard they aren’t even making any noise.
17.A future world leader is in grade school at recess.
18.Someone is in the process of sincerely forgiving a seemingly unforgivable act.
19.There’s a kid studying hard somewhere who aspires to get to where you are in life.
20.A firefighter is running into a burning building to rescue a perfect stranger.
21.Someone in your vicinity genuinely wants to be your friend.
22.A young mom is lying in a hospital bed and holding her newborn baby twins for the very first time.
23.Someone is taking a shower and singing happily at the top of their lungs.
24.There is someone out there who smiles when they think of a specific moment they once shared with you.
25.An alcoholic just celebrated one full year of sobriety.
26.Volunteers in major cities all over the world are working at homeless shelters caring for those who are less fortunate than themselves.
27.A young man is pulled over on the side of the road helping a young woman change a flat tire.
28.A high school athlete just broke her own personal record.
29.Two teenagers just received their very first kiss ever from each other.
30.A husband and wife who were drowning in debt five years ago proudly hold a balance of zero on their credit cards.
31.Someone is hugging a friend who desperately needs it.
32.A new small business owner just wrapped up his first profitable year working for himself.
33.A grandfather is holding his granddaughter’s hand and they’re both smiling from ear to ear.
34.Someone just placed their spare change in the charity collection cup at the grocery store.
35.A small group of friends are sitting around a table sharing funny stories and cheerfully reminiscing about the good old days.
36.A breast cancer patient just found out her cancer is in complete remission.
37.Someone out there is missing you and looking forward to your next visit.
38.Honest people are working for various government entities to help protect your basic human rights and civil liberties.
39.An emergency room surgeon is in the middle of saving his patient’s life.
40.Someone is holding the door open for the person behind them.
Right now is a new beginning. Right now is an opportunity.
Do something extraordinary.
Right now is a phenomenon. Right now extraordinary things are happening.
Right now…
1.A soldier of sorts is diligently fighting the fight so you don’t have to.
2.Someone who suffered from a severe injury last year is back on their feet.
3.A small group of people are building something that will soon make the impossible possible.
4.Somewhere on Earth a double rainbow is stretched from one end of the horizon to the other.
5.One of the next Billboard-chart-topping musical artists is patiently rehearsing in her garage.
6.A piece of literature is being written that will eventually change your perspective on life.
7.Young children all over the world are singing and dancing before they even realize there is anything that isn’t music.
8.A friend is helping a friend rise above thoughts of suicide.
9.Someone is thinking what you’re thinking, but hasn’t said anything yet either.
10.Two people in your hometown are falling in love.
11.Somewhere someone is admiring a breathtaking sunrise, and somewhere else a surreal sunset.
12.People of various religious backgrounds are in temples, churches, mosques and other places of worship praying, wholeheartedly, for world peace.
13.Someone who has struggled with their weight for the last several years is standing on a scale and smiling.
14.Hundreds of cute elderly couples are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
15.A baby girl just took her first few steps without falling.
16.Two best friends are laughing so hard they aren’t even making any noise.
17.A future world leader is in grade school at recess.
18.Someone is in the process of sincerely forgiving a seemingly unforgivable act.
19.There’s a kid studying hard somewhere who aspires to get to where you are in life.
20.A firefighter is running into a burning building to rescue a perfect stranger.
21.Someone in your vicinity genuinely wants to be your friend.
22.A young mom is lying in a hospital bed and holding her newborn baby twins for the very first time.
23.Someone is taking a shower and singing happily at the top of their lungs.
24.There is someone out there who smiles when they think of a specific moment they once shared with you.
25.An alcoholic just celebrated one full year of sobriety.
26.Volunteers in major cities all over the world are working at homeless shelters caring for those who are less fortunate than themselves.
27.A young man is pulled over on the side of the road helping a young woman change a flat tire.
28.A high school athlete just broke her own personal record.
29.Two teenagers just received their very first kiss ever from each other.
30.A husband and wife who were drowning in debt five years ago proudly hold a balance of zero on their credit cards.
31.Someone is hugging a friend who desperately needs it.
32.A new small business owner just wrapped up his first profitable year working for himself.
33.A grandfather is holding his granddaughter’s hand and they’re both smiling from ear to ear.
34.Someone just placed their spare change in the charity collection cup at the grocery store.
35.A small group of friends are sitting around a table sharing funny stories and cheerfully reminiscing about the good old days.
36.A breast cancer patient just found out her cancer is in complete remission.
37.Someone out there is missing you and looking forward to your next visit.
38.Honest people are working for various government entities to help protect your basic human rights and civil liberties.
39.An emergency room surgeon is in the middle of saving his patient’s life.
40.Someone is holding the door open for the person behind them.
Right now is a new beginning. Right now is an opportunity.
Do something extraordinary.
1.11.2011
1.07.2011
1.06.2011
SoulPancake / SP Content / Explain a Color
SoulPancake / SP Content / Explain a Color
**this is from a discussion on Soulpancake.com. If you haven't been there yet, check it out. I recently purchased the book, and I look at it everyday and journal in it. Anyways...here's the post, click the link to read some amazing descriptions.
Have you ever walked into a building when no one was around? Where every footstep you made sounded like thunder hitting the ground? The dissipation of those footsteps, that silence... that's the color white.
When you plunge head first into a body of water, the silence you experience is kind of similar to white, but when you hear the water lapping at your ears and feel the pressure of the water on your ear drums... that's the color light blue.
1.03.2011
Christmas in Boston
This was a very short trip (thanks Target) but I still was able to visit my mom for Christmas. I almost didn't make it home because of the crazy blizzard, but I got the last flight out before they shut down the airport. Here's some pictures from my 2 day adventure. haha.
NYC
We visited my favorite city for the day 12/22/10. Randomly, we put our names in for a lottery to see a taping of the David Letterman Show...and were chosen! It was so cool. I could walk around New York City all day and take pictures. Enjoy.
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