twenty-7even

1. Truck Farming. Ian & Curt at Wicked Delicate have put together a mobile garden. This one's for all the sustainable living folks in big cities who want to grow their own food but don't have any land:

Episode 2:


2. Native Traditions. Those of you that know me well know how much preserving the Native American ways of life mean to me. I've been attending sweat lodges & ceremonies for awhile now, but most recently I had the honor of attending a Sun Dance and undergoing an intense week of purification & ceremony. I will write about it in more detail on my other blog at some point, but the experience definitely needed to be mentioned here, as I am extremely grateful for the opportunity & experiences that shifted me even further into abundance and freedom.

3. Volume Projects. Volume is an interdisciplinary new media project of sorts that brings together musicians & visual artists to create hybrid works together through exhibitions, performances and events.

4. Green Museum is the place I've always fantasized about but never new already existed. In the last few years, my artwork has shifted to encompass more of the sustainable/environmental/global topics that are such a relevant part of my lifestyle. I've been applying for residencies that deal with these topics and feel like I've finally found the right way for me to combine all the desires of my soul & gift of consciousness into my art so that there is no longer any separation between the worlds in which I live. So I was really excited when I found out about Sam Bower's endeavor, Green Museum, which looks like the perfect home for the work I do, and is full of a multitude of others artists working in this genre. I could spend hours pouring over the site - it's so inspiring.

5. Global Family. I've always known people all over the world due to the fact that I've lived in 2 of the most glorious cities in America (SF & NYC) which are always full of people from all over the planet, I love to travel, and have always ended up networking with artists on other countries through sites that foster creative conversation like fotolog, and host a ton of people in my SF apartment through couchsurfing, but since I have been traveling across the country these last 6 months, I have met even more people from all over the globe and have been fostering even deeper connections than ever before. It's like this whole family of lightworkers connects everywhere I go doing this healing work, and I've never quite experienced anything like this before in all my years of travel. It's truly something special & I am grateful for the many gifts and teachers who keep coming into my life on this journey & in this lifetime.

6. Sukhavati is the best Joseph Campbell exploration I have seen so far. Netflix it if you want your mind blown.

7. Lucid dream adventures. I've had vivid dreams & decent dream recall since I was a child, but have always been curious about nourishing those skills & astral projection. The rewards for keeping a dream journal by my bed, sleeping without electronics on & using other lucid dreaming techniques & dream herbs have really paid off. So now I travel by day & travel by night. I love this.

8. Hobo College in Chicago created by "the Clap doctor", Ben Reitman:

the more things stay the same from marc moscato on Vimeo.

9. Reconnections. I haven't spent more than 3 days in my hometown since I was 18. It's just not for me. But a big part of my journey was coming home to do some healing with my parents, and I've reconnected with some of my dearest old friends from childhood. It's amazing how you can not talk to someone for 5 years, some cases 10, and still come together in a loving, positive space.

10. Bon Iver has been on continuous repeat on my headphones, computer, car stereo, and brainwaves for the last few years. Justin Vernon's voice just penetrates all these places in my soul...sigh...Hearing such beautiful music live in 2008 at Outside Lands helped deepen my appreciation, but man, this a capella version of 'For Emma' just blows my mind to a whole new level:


11. Tiffany twin love. One of the friends I reconnected with, I had not seen since I was a bridesmaid in her wedding 7 years ago. Our lives just went in totally different directions for some time, but of course we were brought back together naturally at a time when we were both in the same place again to share our spirituality, love & gratitude for life. Being back home with this kind of support to remind me of who I really am is priceless. And her twins just light up my life.

12. Manasquan Reservoir is a place I used to go a lot when I was in High School. It's one of the most gorgeous places near here to go out in nature, so I'm able to get in my daily 5 miles & be surrounded by trees & water, totally loving life. It's sticky, humid, and super hot here during the day, so having someplace close by to go walk during sunset when it's a bit cooler is perfect.

13. Herb syncs have taken me everywhere. Back when I was sick, I refused to go on meds for a very long time because I believed that nature can heal us. I just didn't have the resources, which was why I moved to SF - to be surrounded my all I needed. I tried meds anyway, out of desperation, but they only made things worse. When I finally figured out what was really wrong 2 years ago, I refused meds again & have been doing a wonderful job of healing myself naturally. And my trust in plants has been vital to this & has helped me see one of my callings. So many syncs all pointing to the planetary herbal vocation.

14. Cattus Island has been another gorgeous place to spend time back near my birthplace. I love the salt marshy lands here full of herons, egrets and tons of other birds I can't begin to name. So gorgeous.

15. Alysia & Grace. Alysia & I have been friends since 6th grade, but it's so hard to stay in touch 3000 miles away with the time difference, so it's been so good to spend face to face time with her & her gorgeous little bundle of joy and talk about so many things. All children are great, but I swear this one is extra special. There's just something about her...

16. Abby & Tommy Anton host the local raw food potlucks out here & I have to say, these folks are super kind souls. We've had some great conversations & plotted some fantastic spiritual art ideas & I'm glad to know that this kind of community now exists near my hometown.

17. Swans. Each day as I walk through my parents' neighborhood, I'm greeted by a gorgeous swan couple. Monogamous for life, these beauties just balance each other so well...there is such beauty in their stillness, a sense of deep appreciation for each other & everything around them.

18. Ducklings & goslings. While I'm on the topic of birds, I need to give some love for all the little babies around that same lake with the swans...seeing them tut-tut around behind their mamas makes my heart just beam. So many beautiful moments in this life.

19. Family healing. I came home to do a lot of healing work with my dad & it ended up actually being resolved within a few days - so powerful to finally have a healthy relationship with both of my parents for the first time since I was maybe 8. There were times I never thought I'd get here, but I must have known or else I wouldn't have put in all the work it took to get here.

20. Twitterverse synchronicities. I cannot get over how many amazing people I connect with in this lifetime in all forms - face to face, on the phone, on the internet. I don't really gravitate towards the people posting what they're eating, watching, etc and the types of people I follow create a beautiful tribe full of metaphysical conversations, love, healing energy, sage advice & a sharing of many different spiritual paths. The syncs that we all encounter in the stream are a very powerful display of the shifting consciousness. And you thought it was just a marketing tool. :)

21. The Grouch & Eligh because I listen to their new album at least once a day, no lie. The Grouch has always accompanied me on my spiritual journey this last decade & it seems we grow at a similar pace or something - I dunno. I just know that I can always relate to what's changing in his words & in my life. His positive, inspiring hip-hop was part of what drew me to move to the Bay Area in the first place - it resonated so deeply with me, my soul knew - this is the energy for you to nourish yourself. So that's just what I did. Thanks, Grouch.

20-six

I rarely post here anymore, as it simply became too time consuming to keep up with two blogs, so while I do find many blessings to be grateful for each day, most of my blogging is done on my raw food & life transformation blog instead. I will continue to post here once in a blue moon, but not very often.

1. Spending months traveling with ultimate freedom In February, I set off on a trip about abundance, being of service, trusting the universe and building community. You can read about my intentions here. I'm so glad I'm doing this instead of the 6 month permaculture sponsorship in Bulgaria. Sometimes things viewed by others as "not working out" are actually the greatest opportunities to pursue something even greater. In the past, I have taken large blocks of time off to travel, like a month or 2, but this was the first time in my life I have traveled with no end date - no need to return back to a place by a certain date, no need to get back to work somewhere, no plans to start any courses, no obligations anywhere, etc. And I have to say, it's been the most freeing experiences of my life. What was originally planned to only be a few months of travel temporarily paused in NJ after 3.5 months on the road, and while I thought it was the end, I got an amazing closure with my relationship with my dad & an opportunity up north near Canada for the summer, and then I will make my way west. So it's looking like that 3.5 months trip is going to end up being more like 8 or 9 months of straight traveling. It's been the biggest blessing of my life to have this freedom and be able to live my life this way and just trust that everything always works out if you follow the needs of your soul.

2. Family healing. After many years, I was able to heal my relationship with my father by finally accepting it for what it is and loving it anyway. Many years ago, I forgave the past & it had little effect on me, but I still had issues with the present and hoped for a change that was not possible, so I changed my need for change and moved into full acceptance & compassion. I knew he did the best he could when I was growing up, but now I know he is always doing the best he can and I understand more about why he is the way he is and am able to be compassionate, but still keep myself safe. It's like I forgot my inner child here when I fled for art school in NYC when I turned 17, and I just came back to stand up to him and reclaim her. Now she's safe inside me, and I'll never abandon her again. The sense of empowerment I feel from knowing several generations of abuse ended with me last week is incredible. Pieces of myself that I had been missing are now intact, and I am glowing with energy and full of love and peace. It was an amazing pause in NJ.

3. Summer Farming. I had wanted to find some summer work on an organic farm, but since I planned to spend the summer in NJ with my folks before heading to South America or New Zealand, I knew I wouldn't be able to withstand the humidity come July, so was looking for alternatives. I vowed last year to never do soulless work again, so wasn't into going back to office work & there is not much in this area except office & retail, so I was extremely thankful that things with my dad worked out as they did and the same night a friend told me the farm he was headed up to in Maine needed more folks. So I'll be spending my summer at Ol' Ways Farm growing the best food ever, eating it fresh from the earth & playing with baby goats, all in a cool summer climate near Canada. I'm so excited, I could burst! Ever since I refused to settle for anything soulless in my life, I have gotten everything I wanted and am extremely grateful.

4. Estonia's Grassroots Country Cleanup Day. Last year 50,000 Estonians got together and did in one day what it would have taken the government 3 years and 22 million euros to do - clean up all the garbage in the country. Truly amazing what can be done in almost no time when everyone comes together with a common goal:


5. Graze the Roof! Graze the Roof is an edible, community-produced vegetable garden on the rooftop of Glide Memorial Church, in San Francisco that my friend Victoria told me about. I didn't get to check it out before I left SF, but am loving reading about their herbal education classes & cooking workshops & will definitely volunteer some time when I eventually get back to California. The whole food/sustainability movement has really taken off, and on my travels I have seen people waking up all over and starting revolutionary programs in their own cities. It's amazing.

6. Another Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture, though this time at UC Santa Cruz. I would really love to be part of their amazing program in the next few years, after I finish paying off my debt and have manifested $4,250 for the six-month course. Once I get my chocolate company past it's first 2 years, that won't be an issue and I'll be able to invest more in myself & my lifelong education.

7. 'Home', the film. 'Home' is a non-profit film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand that has been conceived to take a message of mobilization out to every human being to deal with the current issues affecting our Home, The Earth. It's sort of a mix between Koyaanisqatsi & the BBC Planet Earth series. Because they believe everyone should take part in the effort, the filmmakers believe 'Home' needs to be free, so you can watch it here until June 14th.

8. Craft Mafia. I've gotten really into knitting & my DIY inner child has grown so much in the nourishing SF environment of do-it-yourselfers. I was super excited when I learned about Craft Mafia and their forum for networking, promotion & shared ideas. Lots of amazing events & groups all over the place, which is a nice craft resource when traveling. I plan to spend a lot of my free time on the farm in Maine working on some knitted products for my etsy shop.

9. Spikenard Farm is into Bees & Biodynamics. Through some New Zealand Beekeeping synchs on my travels (one of my goals is to study beekeeping, hopefully in NZ), a friend who is doing some freelance for Spikenard turned me onto them. After my summer farming in Maine, I will be traveling back West to Cali, and would like to make this one of my stops.

10. Indralaya is a "sanctuary of natural beauty and peace located on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington State", which is an amazingly beautiful area. The Pacific Northwest is amazing. The same friend who told me about Spikenard Farm thought I'd like to volunteer here if I make it back to the area. Theosophy, Community & Spiritual Development? Yes, please! It fits in perfectly with the intentions of my travels so if I'm that far West by September, I'll try to be of service there.

11. Free healthcare in the form of a birthday gift will result in my finally getting this pesky mole removed. It's changed size & shape, so it's in my best interest to take care of it now.

12. Turning 30 was awesome. I had a lovely birthday picnic under the Brooklyn Bridge with some of my old (and new) NYC friends. Tons of yummy raw treats, perfect weather, loving friends, the cutest puppy ever, news of sacred unions & life growing in bellies - what more could a girl ask for? It was a perfect day. I've never been one to worry about getting older, and was actually embracing turning 30 since my 20s were so full of health issues & living very imbalanced, so I'm very excited to start a new decade of growth.

13. Moms. They really are just amazing, inspiring, full of love & patience. I am eternally grateful to my mother and the intuitive connection we share. It's something very special in my life, and I am very blessed to have been born to her. Remember to call your mother and thank her for giving you life - it really is the most precious gift if you use it wisely. :)

14. Catching up with old friends. Got to see a ton of old friends from High School on this trip, and while I don't have much in common with a lot of people I knew in HS, it's still nice to see what everyone is doing with their lives and how they've grown.

15. Story Waters & Lee Harris are amazing teachers. On the nights of my journey where I've camped alone, listening to their Freedom Tapes on my ipod has been very life enhancing & helped me on my path of abundance. Here's Story Waters & his The Meaning of Life in 700 Words:


16. Lake life. I've spent about 2 hours every day in NJ walking around several different lakes at sunset. I feel most powerful when I spend sunrise or sunset outside in nature just being, so I try to do it daily whenever my schedule allows. In the past 2 weeks of my visit with my folks, I've seen the most adorable baby swans, goslings, ducklings and their sweet, protective waterfoul parents making sure they learn to walk, eat & swim. This is the beauty of NJ that I grew up in, and it's nice to be back in it as an adult for a few weeks, which is the longest visit I've had since I was 18.

17. Lauri Giblin who has helped me on my internal journey more than she will ever know. I'm not sure I would have made it through some of my past trauma without her guidance & support of me stepping into my own power. I'm so grateful to be able to work with someone like her who has so much knowledge from so many origins. It's incredible.

18. Cousins! I am so blessed to have a plethora of cousins who have weathered similar storms with their fathers and come to the same acceptance that I finally reached. Sharing stories has strengthened our bonds. Their support in all this has been immeasurable.

19. Release. Had to trim some of the remaining fat in the relationships portion of my life, and it feels incredible. Each time I release an unhealthy friendship, I am amazed at all the room I create for 5 new amazingly nourishing healthy ones that crop up in the space of all that energy. It's amazing.

20. Lifetime education. I always vowed to be a student for life, and would sometimes get swayed because of financial issues, but through the way I have chosen to create my life in this different way, I am always meeting new teachers and learning something daily on my travels. It's been the cheapest education I've ever gotten, this life on the road.

21. Love given to family, friends, lovers, nature & creatures of life. Giving it is the ultimate experience & expression of who we truly are, and when you are open & giving it freely, you receive it freely from others and the energy just keeps building & building to new heights for everyone. I am thankful for all that I have in my life right now that allows me to experience my true self. It was a lot of work to get here, and I am eternally grateful.

twenty-5ive

1. The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is David Wolfe's non-profit, which is dedicated to planting fruit trees in several communities. I am proud to say I am going to be working on a few projects with them in 2009, and am really excited. I know times are tight, but if anyone is looking for a good cause to donate some year end funds, they are definitely a worth cause.

2. Reservation reperations. When I was in college, I really wanted to spend some time on a Native American reservation doing something good to repair a tiny bit of the damage we, the collective American culture, have done. The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation has a program set up to do just that and through volunteering with them, it sounds like I will have the opportunity to finally do something I've always felt I needed to do.

3. Hike to Tennessee Valley. Found a new hiking spot in Marin, that was suggested by Cem Akin. It was quiet, and beautiful, and exactly what I needed to experience today. Lush green everywhere, birds galore and then the ocean and its healing sounds. It was perfect.

4. Mountain lions always make me happy when I get the opportunity to see them on my hikes.

5. Getting treated to both lunch & dinner in the same day is fantastic, especially when you're low on funds. Thanks to Cem and Noel for fascilitating my meals today.

6. The sun setting later in the day then it did yesterday. Soon it will be 7pm sunsets. Yay!

7. Rafael Casal did an awesome slam poetry piece on ADD. It's awesome.


8. Taylor Mali. While we are on the subject of slam poetry, I'd love to share some pieces by a few of the extremely talented people who have inspired me the most in this realm. This piece is called "What Teachers Make."


9. Beau Sia cracks me up. I first saw him in Slam when I was in college, and quickly sought out more of his work. He's just got such great energy and is so hilarious while bluntly and cleverly making his points.


10. Buddy Wakefield is another spoken word genius. Here's some slideshow someone made to go with one of my favorite pieces of his, entitled "Convenience Stores."


11. Saul Williams is one of the men who started it all for me...Watching him in Slam when I was 18 or 19 led to me immersing myself in the scene in NY and going to poetry slams in Brooklyn and at Nuyorican whenever I could. How do I pick one piece to contain a man who cannot be contained? I'm not sure it's possible, so I'll share the early work that got me hooked, in hopes of turning someone else into a poetry slam junkie. He makes my heart soar.


12. The Ecology Center in Berkeley has some amazing classes, events and programs from green building to permaculture to speakers about conservation photography. You can check their EcoCalendar for the most up to date event listings.

13. WWOOF Bulgaria I just got a 6 month paid sponsorship to study permaculture and biodynamic farming in Bulgaria. I'd prefer South America or New Zealand, but this sort of fell in my lap through some synchronicities, so I feel inclined to do it. The program is exactly what I am looking for, and is full of so many wonderful opportunities. So exciting! It's summer of 2009.

14. Intentional community talks with Adelaide have been abundant lately. We both really want to start a community somewhere, live off the land and be sustainable both environmentally and economically. Our visions are very much in line and I am excited to have a friend who has similar values and is equally motivated to actually do things instead of just talking. It's so exciting.

15. People's Grocery & the Mobile Market is changing the way the food system works. Frustrated by the lack of access to healthy food in lower-income neighborhoods, these folks created a community-based organization to address the quality of life issues. They worked on a few community outreach programs, and then created the Mobile Market, a grocery store on wheels that rolls through Oakland making fresh produce and bulk goods available to folks in overlooked areas of Oakland. Another great example of community in action!

16. Pacific Wildcraft Seaweed in Mendocino is a great seaweed company. Andrew, the owner, has been kind enough to allow me to go harvesting with him in April or May this year. I'm so excited to learn more about harvesting my own food.

17. Amyitis Gardens is another local gardening project I've emailed about volunteering. Started by David Stockhausen, Amyitis Gardens has started a neighborhood-based farming system that works a bit like sharecropping, providing local restaurants with produce grown in neighbors’ backyards in exchange for a discount at the restaurant. Update: You can read a great interview with Peter here.

18. California School of Herbal Studies is an herbal school in Sonoma where I am thinking of studying. Their program sounds really amazing, and will lay a good foundation for the medicinal chocolate company I want to start. I'm mostly self-taught when it comes to herbs, and really like the idea of being immersed in the study for a few months. They also have a lot of really great one day & weekend workshops for people looking to learn how to make medicinal beer from fermented herbs (as it originally was made) or how to grow their own herbs.

19. Alemany Farm is an incredible volunteer-run farm in San Francisco, where I applied for the year long Ecological Horticulture program mentioned in a previous post. This living example of community empowerment is a great place to volunteer. You can attend their regular community workdays on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of every month and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays and learn a lot about growing your own food, and often take home some delicious organic produce in exchange for your labor.

20. Tonic is positively good. I've been enjoying some really interesting green articles on their site.

21. Top Docs has enabled me to watch tons of amazing documentaries for free.

vingt-quatre...

1. Homegrown Revolution. This video is incredibly inspiring:



For more info, visit Path to Freedom or their online journal.

2. Yerba Maté lattes. I've been making some maté lattes at home with almond milk, and it's the perfect remedy for a rainy Sunday. Hello, productivity boost!

3. Completed sustainability applications. I just submitted my application for a year-long Ecological Horticulture Training Program here in Northern California. If I get accepted (which I really, really hope I do!), I will spend a year going through the changing seasons at the farm and learn about permaculture, medicinal herbs, and urban beekeeping! I haven't wanted something this bad in awhile, and hitting the send button on that email was so satisfying. I love anticipation.

4. Tea parties are loads of fun. My friend Tanya hosted a lovely gathering, and it was so great seeing 15-20 people sitting on the floor drinking chai, essences of jasmine, Yerba Maté, and various green teas. Cynthia and I decided to plan an outing to The Numi Tea Garden in Oakland after the holidays.

5. Earthlings. My friend Adelaide sent me this really great documentary that you can watch free online and while some parts of it were harsh, they were done that way with reason, it really makes me feel more responsible than ever to do the right thing. Humanity has the strength to choose differently, and to create a more sustainable way of living, and if we are not part of the solution, than we are part of the problem.

6. Rethinking Homelessness. Good, short article by Shannon Moriarty about removing judgment and looking at the real causes. Living in SF, which has a huge houseless/transient population, this is definitely an issue that I see day to day and it concerns me. We're all in this together.

7. Winter solstice is a magical day. I celebrate it every year and give thanks for all the change that I am able to experience, and for the natural systems that exist in our world. The wikipedia entry actually has a pretty thorough list of all the different cultural manifestations from Celtic to Kurdish, for those of you who seek more knowledge. The Candlegrove Ancient Origins solstice page is pretty informative too.

8. The best green juice combo ever is spinach, celery, apple, parsley, mint, ginger, lime & chlorella. It makes me feel like I'm mainlining serotonin! And it tastes amazing.

9. Fresh from the Earth Spring Water. I'm getting ready to go to some local springs and check out the water so I can give myself the highest quality water, with minimal negative impact on the earth.

10. Daniel Vitalis has much knowledge! I love it. He's been one of the greatest teachers I've had, and has been a really large inspiration in my own spring water quests. His knowledge of herbs and mushrooms is also really impressive, and I just love how connected to everything he is, and how assimilates information into the bigger picture. There are some great videos here and on youtube.

11. FindASpring.com was put together by Dhrumil Purohitfrom We Like It Raw and Daniel Vitalis. It is going to become an amazing resource for those who want to trek out and get their own good water, so if you know any local sources near you, please add them to the site and help reclaim our water.

12. Other people's kids especially when they are little, good smelling babies, and you can give them back after a few hours!

13. Amazing friends. I cannot say often enough how lucky I am to have such amazing people in my life these days. I had to trim the fat a bit the last 3 years and get rid of some outgrown, unhealthy friendships, and be more clear about the kinds of people I want to surround myself with (mainly people who deal with their issues and strive to be better people, who are generous and kind and doing things that inspire me), and man, has it paid off more than I ever imagined. I have been blessed with an abundance of amazing people in my life, and this past year I have forged some really amazing friendships.

14. Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an amazing experience: she observed her brain functions (motion, speech, self-awareness) while she was suffering from a stroke and has become a powerful voice for brain recovery. Her TED talk below is truly inspiring.



15. Sprouted grain salads. Made a delicious salad with sprouted quinoa, fennel, shallots, orange pieces, lemon & orange juice, lemon & orange rind, ginger, mint and olive oil. I'm not a huge fan of sprouted quinoa, but it was delicious.

16. This American Life has been a long-term favorite thing of mine. You can listen to it free. Yay, public radio!

17. Green Responsibility makes me feel good. I'm now the 'Sustainability Manager' for a HUGE annual North American campout, happening in June. Someday I am going to get paid to do these things...I am building the steps towards that each day.

18. Aussies. I just love them. Why are they always so awesome?

19. Kiwis. I love them too. I just need to go to New Zealand & Australia one of these days.

20. Oil pulling has become part of my daily routine the past few weeks. My teeth definitely feel cleaner, but I am not sure if it's doing anything else, since I am already pretty low in the toxicity department.

21. Laughter really is the best medicine.

23

1. Roni was one of the greatest couchsurfers I've had yet! I had just gotten back in my place, so I wasn't going to host anyone because I needed to unpack and clean, but something in my gut told me I should open my home to her anyway and it was fantastic. She's a raw foodist too, so we had lots of great talks and it was nice to have someone take full advantage of my blender, juicer and dehydrator all in the same day. She shared her tales of juice feasts and water fasts and was so inspiring. She also gave me a handy piece of information that might prove to be very useful come May. We shall see.

2. Adyashanti was yet another thing Roni & I synched up on, and I remembered seeing something about satsang in Oakland, so last minute I decided to check his schedule and we went to hear him speak. It was humourous, as always, and I felt enlivened by his presence. He just has a way of putting human thought patterns and feelings into such a simple, laughable format that pushes you to expand your consciousness, and I really love that.

3. Community. Dhrumil from We Like It Raw organized a really great lunch at Cafe Gratitude and I got to meet some really amazing locals. The sense of community was very inspiring.

4. How To Make Lots of Money During a Recession is one of the best Steve Pavlina pieces I have read so far. He talks about present day jobs as modern slavery, and abundance mentality versus scarcity mentality. It's a long read, but totally worth the time it takes.

5. Winterfest is the SFBC's annual fundraiser and it was amazing. I was changemaker, so I did money drops to all the posts all night, but I still got to enjoy myself in the process. There were beautiful bikes being auctioned off, as well as some amazing bike crafts like belts made out of old tires and a wind chime made out of gears and spokes. Gotta love creative reuse!

6. Picnics in December. I just love that I live somewhere where that is possible! My friend Sue-Li from New Zealand had her friend Mythily contact me because she was visiting SF, so we had a nice picnic at Alamo Square. She was a total sweetheart.

7. Radish juice is so good. And amazing for you. It's good for thyroid, so I am trying to incorporate as much into my diet as possible right now to see if it helps.

8. Raw Autumn granola is one of the best recipes I have concocted so far. It's dangerous!

9. Geico cuz the people who work there are always sooooo nice. Anytime I have a problem, they get right on making it better.

10. Chef auditions are exciting. I auditioned to be the chef at CS Base Camp in Berkeley for a few months. It was loads of fun, and it would be great if it worked out. It would be weird cooking for people since I've only been preparing raw foods for the last 6 months or so, but it would still be fun. I like to daydream about being a raw personal chef in Hawaii. Someday. :)

11. Raw Pesto rocks my world. Wes is back to visit again (I told you Cali was addicting, Wes!) and I was delighted when he said he wanted to help me make raw zucchini noodles again. We made a pesto with garlic, sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, pine nuts and fresh lemon juice. It took a whole 10 minutes to make!

12. The generosity of friends. My car got towed and 2 of my dear friends loaned me the money to get Betty out of the impound because I have no steady job and would owe the system additional money each day she sat there. Thank you, guys.

13. Tabbed browsing is one of the best things to happen to someone like me, who views 30 web pages at once. How did I function before that feature?

14. King Corn was a pretty funny documentary that I watched today about how insane America's food industry is. It was funny because they did all this research on how bad this stuff is for you and how manipulated the system is, yet they kept eating burgers and crappy food anyway. It's almost like they missed the point of their own movie somehow.

15. Selling stuff feels good. I try to go through my books and dvds a few times a year and trim the fat.

16. Bike Co-ops. My friend Jelani showed me his garage, which he is turning into a space for people to come work on their bikes, build their own from donations, and just hang out. It's going to be amazing.

17. Gingerbread house parties. Totally fun to see everyone having such a great time building their own houses. Having so many stylish creations all made from food packed into one room was pretty insane.

18. Hellos from old friends. I have recently had a lot of old friends get in contact with me, which has been really wonderful. Seems like everyone is crawling out of the woodwork. It's been great seeing how lives have changes and people have grown and how we all relate. It makes me very grateful for the people who have been with me through the various stages of my life thus far.

19. Opportunity is infinite. There are always endless possibilities if you open yourself up to them, and I am very blessed for all the opportunities in my life.

20. Yoga Tree connections are helping me get my raw food skills out there. Will hopefully be working on some retreats in 2009.

21. Diversity. This week I have looked all the many things I am interested in, and the diverse groups of people those interests have brought into my life, and it's really amazing. I can't believe I know so many amazing people who are so active and doing so many things with their lives. It's wonderful.

2wenty-2.

1. Tips for clueless people who got mugged. This is hilarious. Thanks, Wes!

2. Hyper real sculpture is amazing. It just blows my mind.

3. Mike, Justin, Leanne & the Haight house made the last 2 weeks of my life pretty awesome. I love living alone, but having temporary roommates like them made me almost want to live with other people again.

4. Marching Bands being hip. I've seen bands like Mucca Pazza, Extra Action Marching Band, and a whole slew of others completely rock out and make marching bands cool. What I love about this trend is that it's not something being cool again, like the 80s or converse sneakers - it's something that was always looked at as more on the geeky side being reclaimed for how cool it actually is. A friend of a friend said that marching bands are the new punk rock. I like that statement a lot. Rock on, marching bands!

5. Free museum days at the SF MoMA & Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Lots of really great things to make me and my empty wallet smile.

6. Making friends out of strangers is always fun. Thank you, random people I met last Tuesday.

7. Being back in my apartment! I can't even begin to explain how amazing this feels. The first 2 weeks of sharing my place with my subletter panned out far worse than I thought it would, and after a very through saging cleanse of my apartment, I am glad to be back in my own space full of good energy. I feel much less stressed, calmer, and heading back to clarity.

8. My sister is awesome. When we were younger, 8 years made a huge difference and we didn't have a great relationship, but as we've gotten older, we've really developed a great friendship. And she's growing so much lately, it's been beautiful to watch her start to come into her own. She's been a total lifesaver this month by helping me revamp my resume and cover letters, as it looks like I might need to find another office job for a few months to tide me over until my other business stuff picks up.

9. My landlord is being amazingly cool about everything. I never would have thought that would happen, but it is. Thanks, Joel.

10. Cashew spreads with rosemary, lemon and cayenne. Yummy.

11. Twitter is so silly, and I totally love it.

12. Red pears taste gorgeous. I love fall.

13. Closure. Sometimes it takes years, and you've already put the past behind you, but it allows you to let go of that last lingering piece. It's nice.

14. My trail shoes are super comfortable, and I have been walking everywhere in them.

15. Cooking opportunities. I have a dinner "audition" this month to be a live in chef for a short period of time. It's not raw and it's in Berkeley but it could be a really amazing opportunity for a brief stint.

16. My Sigg comes with me everywhere. And I am always noticing how many places there are to fill it up that aren't public fountains. It's pretty impressive.

17. Old school DJ Shadow still soothes my soul.

18. Meditation without which I would be feeling totally overwhelmed by all that I am trying to do right now. It's a lot, but when you take the time out of business to fall still, you actually get so much more done because your head is clear and you're present. "I don't have time" is an excuse we all overuse, and making time for what is important pays off in the long term.

19. Weird high school connections. I sort of steered away from that stuff on Myspace a few years ago when a lot of old faces started appearing, but different people have been popping up on Facebook and it's been really great connecting with them and seeing where people's lives are. A lot of them are doing really inspiring things. It makes me smile.

20. Dr. Bronner's has proven to make a good temporary shampoo until I can make it to Rainbow to pick up my regular stuff. It really can be used for everything.

21. Planning a trip to LA for a weekend next month. I'm really looking forward to seeing my friends down there.

(21) blessings

1. Taking a break from work. Even though I don't technically have a "job", I still took "black Friday" as a day off from blogging, job hunting, promoting, editing ads, designing new flyers, and all that stuff.

2. Amma. Instead of working, I slept a bit late to recover from the best Thanksgiving ever, and then went to San Ramon to see Amma. I've never seen someone so full of love. She is so giving, and her teachings make me smile.

3. Forage SF is a great new project I am getting involved with. I sat down with Iso, who forages wild mushrooms and sells them to SF restaurants, this week to discuss his new fantastic venture and how I might fit in. I was delighted to find that we were easily able to brainstorm about a million and one different things, which I will surely post about here as they come to fruition. I am really excited about his project and the vast potential it holds.

4. Hiking in the dark and meditating by trees on the lit up trails at the ashram. What beautiful moments I shared with others.

5. New connections. A few people with lots of potential to be important forces in my life appeared this week. We shall see how the unfolding events play out with each of them. I am really excited and thankful for all that is happening in my life right now.

6. Cloud Cult is an old band, but I am thoroughly addicted to them now. Check out 'Take Your Medicine' and 'When Water Comes to Life' on their music page.

7. Raw Indian Feasts. Tanya and I made a feast of raw Indian dishes. They were all pretty amazing, and I was high on my food for hours after.

8. Raw Chocolate Mousse is so addicting and good for you too! I love guiltless desserts. I just got all my temporary roommates addicted to it to. Gotta spread the love...

9. Half Moon Bay was beautiful, warm and sunny today. We stared at the ocean for a long time, and talked a lot. I was out of it today, so this was exactly the kind of Saturday I needed.

10. Wonderfalls is a really, really, really good show. I am not much for TV, so when I find a show I like, I get really into it. It's bizarre, hilarious, and the bartender is really cute. Definitely an added plus.

11. Betty. Even though I walk all over town, and am an avid bike person, my car gets mad love. Betty has driven across the country and over an abundance of mountain passes from NY to SF, been to Burning Man and 95% of the National Parks in California, as well as a million drives up and down the coast. I heart her.

12. Chipotle Olives from Rainbow. Yum yum yum.

13. Justin's 14 cup Food Processor rocked my world this weekend. I made some tasty raw Thanksgiving treats for Will's potluck. I need one so I can make everything at once instead of in smaller batches like at my house. Time to check freecycle.

14. Freecycle just deserves its own post. In a world full of waste, it's so inspiring seeing so many people implement all these little changes that add up to a big huge change on a planetary level. Yay, freecycle.

15. Blessed water that I am adding to my larger container of water to make it last longer. Something about taking home blessed water in cheap plastic containers just cracks me up, yet does not dilute the significance of the water itself. Life makes me smile so often.

16. Getting to know dysfunction is great. I love having chats with people about their families and the craziness that ensues and being able to understand that special kind of chaos that helps make you who you are and bonds you to one another.

17. Weird dreams of which I have had plenty this week. I emailed one to Kirsten for this dream collaboration art project we have been talking about for a long time now. It seems the time is finally right. Her illustrations are simply amazing.

18. Packing jobs via Jon. Thanks, Jon. That will help with my rent.

19. Travel daydreams are causing me to want to get another office job, at least for a little while to pay off the rest of my debts and save for a ticket somewhere.

20. Lessons learned from human relationships and having 2 people really understand each other enough to communicate well. I am eternally grateful for these kind of friendships I have in my life now.

21. Anticipation of getting my place back.