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.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, December 1, 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
(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.
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.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
2wenty. giving thanks
21 words to describe the most perfect Thanksgiving in SF:
...Human chickens dancing to the beat of tribal drums and the sound of Puerto Rican bomba vocals calling for wild generosity...
I couldn't have made that sort of thing up. It truly was a beautiful day. Thank you, everyone.
...Human chickens dancing to the beat of tribal drums and the sound of Puerto Rican bomba vocals calling for wild generosity...
I couldn't have made that sort of thing up. It truly was a beautiful day. Thank you, everyone.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
9teen
1. Having a home base for the next 2 weeks has taken so much stress out of my life. It's only been a day and I've already gotten so much more done and feel so much more steady and focused. The past few weeks were a bit intense. Thanks to Liah for letting me stay at her place while she is in Wisconsin.
2. Sleeping in a real bed for the first time in 2 weeks. I've thought about sleeping on a platform with a thin cushion because I know I feel great when I sleep on the earth during camping trips, but the past 2 weeks has been various kinds of floors with my sleeping bag and it's just not the same as the soft giving earth. Last night I slept so amazingly well.
3. The Haight on a daily basis. It's always been one of my favorite parts of town, so it's cool seeing it from the new perspective of living here for a few weeks.
4. Cliff from Adventure Out. Tanya and I had a conference call with him today to get advice on the sustainable adventure travel company she and I are starting. It was unbelievably helpful and saved us hours of work and investigation. It's always best to just ask someone who is already doing something similar to what you're doing. They can also help you avoid mistakes. Thanks, Cliff!
5. Haight Organic Market is super duper cheap! I bought a whole bag full of delicious produce for only $19.
6. Winter in SF isn't really about death like winter back east was. Here it's a sort of rebirth - everything goes from brown and dry to lush and green. I am hopelessly in love with this city. Cala lillies start blooming everywhere. It only gets 10 degrees colder than in the summer. I can go hiking all the time and be super active.
7. Guacamole is one of my favorite foods. I can make it a million different ways and never tire of it. Lately, I've been really into putting some mango in it.
8. The view from Tanya's office is pretty killer. If I were her, I'd stare out the window all day.
9. Raw chocolate at the mall it was not the most amazing chocolate, but it was decent and the fact that I found it in the mall when I was going crazy for chocolate was great!
10. Traveling with a blender. It makes me laugh how I have been carrying it with me from house to house as I stay in all these different places while I sublet my apartment.
11. Stacey's Books is someplace I have to go in every time I pass by it. It's such a great indie book store, of which there are tons in SF, but not many near Market Street. I love curling up in a corner and checking out some things. I have always loved libraries and bookstores, since I was a child. My mother is to thank for that.
12. Re-reading books. I actually sat and read a book I had read their before, a year or 2 ago. I loved it but didn't want to buy it, and it was funny how I went in and thought of it right away. Maybe it's telling me what I need to do. :)
13. Jalapeno fingers. I've got a slight heated tingle in my fingers from chopping. It's nice added warmth for the 55 degree weather.
14. The sneaker art piece on Liah's wall. She and/or her boyfriend sliced a sneaker in half to see how it was constructed and framed it. It makes me smile.
15. Shiterature in other people's homes. This is what I call the literature tucked in the bathroom for people to read when they poo. The bathroom of the current house I am staying in has an odd assortment of a book called "Gay Science", an issue of playboy, a few copies of Nat Geo, a Kama Sutra book, and some political mags.
16. Big old Victorians with a million rooms are so special. Definitely one of my favorite features of this city. It's all about attention to details and beauty. As a visual artist, this makes sense to me. Form and function, not one compromised for the other. It's smart.
17. Writing for friends makes me feel good. Zach asked me to write one of his recommendations for this 10 Year Gongfu program he wants to do somewhere in NorCal and I really enjoyed writing about his character and positive energy and traits. When you create room in your life for amazing people like that and refuse to accept less, you attract more of them. I am very grateful for the loving, positive, productive group of friends I have in this city.
18. Carol Alt at 47 is great publicity for the raw food lifestyle. I can't believe how amazing she looks for her age!
19. Making up is a good feeling.
20. Minimalist rooms are great for focus. I have gotten so much more work done staying in Liah's space. Definitely will be using this inspiration to reconfigure my work area when I am back in my own apartment.
21. Space for myself to just sit and be alone and meditate and focus on all the beauty in my life. Space to work on the things I need to do now. Space to step back from the chaos of the time and be really present.
2. Sleeping in a real bed for the first time in 2 weeks. I've thought about sleeping on a platform with a thin cushion because I know I feel great when I sleep on the earth during camping trips, but the past 2 weeks has been various kinds of floors with my sleeping bag and it's just not the same as the soft giving earth. Last night I slept so amazingly well.
3. The Haight on a daily basis. It's always been one of my favorite parts of town, so it's cool seeing it from the new perspective of living here for a few weeks.
4. Cliff from Adventure Out. Tanya and I had a conference call with him today to get advice on the sustainable adventure travel company she and I are starting. It was unbelievably helpful and saved us hours of work and investigation. It's always best to just ask someone who is already doing something similar to what you're doing. They can also help you avoid mistakes. Thanks, Cliff!
5. Haight Organic Market is super duper cheap! I bought a whole bag full of delicious produce for only $19.
6. Winter in SF isn't really about death like winter back east was. Here it's a sort of rebirth - everything goes from brown and dry to lush and green. I am hopelessly in love with this city. Cala lillies start blooming everywhere. It only gets 10 degrees colder than in the summer. I can go hiking all the time and be super active.
7. Guacamole is one of my favorite foods. I can make it a million different ways and never tire of it. Lately, I've been really into putting some mango in it.
8. The view from Tanya's office is pretty killer. If I were her, I'd stare out the window all day.
9. Raw chocolate at the mall it was not the most amazing chocolate, but it was decent and the fact that I found it in the mall when I was going crazy for chocolate was great!
10. Traveling with a blender. It makes me laugh how I have been carrying it with me from house to house as I stay in all these different places while I sublet my apartment.
11. Stacey's Books is someplace I have to go in every time I pass by it. It's such a great indie book store, of which there are tons in SF, but not many near Market Street. I love curling up in a corner and checking out some things. I have always loved libraries and bookstores, since I was a child. My mother is to thank for that.
12. Re-reading books. I actually sat and read a book I had read their before, a year or 2 ago. I loved it but didn't want to buy it, and it was funny how I went in and thought of it right away. Maybe it's telling me what I need to do. :)
13. Jalapeno fingers. I've got a slight heated tingle in my fingers from chopping. It's nice added warmth for the 55 degree weather.
14. The sneaker art piece on Liah's wall. She and/or her boyfriend sliced a sneaker in half to see how it was constructed and framed it. It makes me smile.
15. Shiterature in other people's homes. This is what I call the literature tucked in the bathroom for people to read when they poo. The bathroom of the current house I am staying in has an odd assortment of a book called "Gay Science", an issue of playboy, a few copies of Nat Geo, a Kama Sutra book, and some political mags.
16. Big old Victorians with a million rooms are so special. Definitely one of my favorite features of this city. It's all about attention to details and beauty. As a visual artist, this makes sense to me. Form and function, not one compromised for the other. It's smart.
17. Writing for friends makes me feel good. Zach asked me to write one of his recommendations for this 10 Year Gongfu program he wants to do somewhere in NorCal and I really enjoyed writing about his character and positive energy and traits. When you create room in your life for amazing people like that and refuse to accept less, you attract more of them. I am very grateful for the loving, positive, productive group of friends I have in this city.
18. Carol Alt at 47 is great publicity for the raw food lifestyle. I can't believe how amazing she looks for her age!
19. Making up is a good feeling.
20. Minimalist rooms are great for focus. I have gotten so much more work done staying in Liah's space. Definitely will be using this inspiration to reconfigure my work area when I am back in my own apartment.
21. Space for myself to just sit and be alone and meditate and focus on all the beauty in my life. Space to work on the things I need to do now. Space to step back from the chaos of the time and be really present.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
