Saturday, August 17, 2013

August Rush - Passion Pit

I found them, forgot about them, found them again, and will keep 'em!

Take a Walk by Passion Pit


Friday, August 16, 2013

August Rush - Hallelujah

My intent for August Rush was to discover new music and refresh my playlist. I believe we have a soundtrack to our lives and mine needed some new energy.

Tonight, I'm not discovering new music, but exploring one of my all time favorite songs: Hallelujah. I loved this when I heard Jeff Buckley's version years ago. Listening to Pandora tonight I heard a new version which prompted a search for all possible versions. There are too many to post, but here are a few.

For those who love this song as much as I do, I'd love to know which version is your favorite. This song feels transcendent. It feels as if it was written for my soul to sing. It feels as if it holds the weight of the world, effortlessly. 

The original:



My favorite version:


So good.





Justin Timberlake:


Jon Bon Jovi:




Jason Castro - I remember when he sang this on American Idol:



Rufus:


Regina Spekor - always with her own twist:


Carly Rose:




 Skip to 2 minutes in:

 

Celine Dion and the Canadian Tenors - a beautiful surprise! 



Sheryl Crow:




John Cale:



Susan Boyle:

 

Il Divo -  Translated:

Thursday, August 15, 2013

August Rush - Radioactive

Imagine Dragons by Radioactive

I'm obviously late on paying attention to this one.. 64 million views on YouTube.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

August Rush - Buddy Guy

I'll be seeing Buddy Guy at the Hollywood Bowl later this month. I'm loving this one...
"Damn Right, I've Got the Blues"


Monday, August 12, 2013

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Sunday, August 4, 2013

August Rush - Built By Alaska

Built By Alaska



August Rush - Said the Whale



August Rush - The Arkells

The Arkells "Coffee"

August Rush - The Opening Act (Young the Giant)

Welcome to August Rush!

This month's goal is all about music! I'm not sure what shape this month will take. I'm going to design it... right... now... as.... I ... type ... this...

  • Find a new song every day for a month. (ask friends!) 
  • Play piano. Every day. At least one song.
  • Go see live music at least once per week. 
  • Visit the Grammy Museum! 
Done. Plan in place. 

First new song: featuring Young the Giant. How have I not noticed them before?





Wednesday, July 31, 2013

July Rides Recap

The original goal: A road trip every weekend in the month of July

I had been looking forward to "July Ride" since I first set the intention back in January. I wanted to make sure that I was exploring the world by road and taking trips (now) rather than postponing (until some indeterminate time).

The Portland trip was amazing (flying rather than driving) and the World Domination Summit exceeded expectations. More on that soon...

But my other road trips were overtaken by work that overflowed into my weekends. It's an unhealthy habit to let work take over my life, but I love my job and it's so easy to let it spill over into my personal time. Mostly because my work is so meaningful that it feels personal - doing my part to protect the ocean.

I digress.

So, I flaked on my road trip plan! In week three, I could still hear the call of the open road and I knew I didn't have the time in July to fully respond. Then it hit me... why take short, quick, turn-around road trips when what I really wanted was to drive forward, into the wide open world of the unknown, and to truly explore unconstrained by time and limits!

The new goal: THE GRAND CANYON!

Isn't this one of the ultimate road trips? I was inspired and booked my time off and reserved by hotels that same day. And, travel hacking gave me most of my hotels for free! Thanks Chris Guillebeau!

The trip won't be in July, but it will be a grand road trip and one I can't wait to start! One month away! I haven't been to the Grand Canyon yet so it's the perfect adventure. I'm also staying a few nights in Sedona.

As with most of these monthly goals, I set a course, an intention. Some months, the goal is met as planned. Other months, I may veer off in another direction. But every month, I experience a life I wouldn't have lived had it not been for this plan to live with deliberate intentions. Feeling grateful.

The call of the open road...

Road-Trip.jpg



Thursday, July 4, 2013

Northbound with a Guru Taxi Driver at the Wheel

Today is the first of four "July Rides" and the longest of any of my trips. I'm in the airport now waiting for my flight to Portland for the World Domination Summit.

What am I looking to gain by taking overnight or day trips every weekend for a month?

On the surface, it gives me the chance to see new places and finally make it to places that I never seem to make a priority. That is part of the driving force between all my monthly goals - to not let time just slip away. To set direction. To create. To ship. To live a pro-active life rather than a passive life.

On a deeper level, it is part of my lifelong search for meaning.

These goals place me in places and situations I wouldn't be otherwise, and it is in these places that I most often find meaning and wrestle with the concept of purpose and of truth - existentialism at its finest.

In the cab this moring, I found myself quiet and introspective. Slowly the taxi cab driver started to coax me into a conversation. I was relunctant at first, deep in my own thoughts and recovering from the hustle of running out the door on time. But soon enough, this guru taxi driver led us into a beautiful conversation of meaning and truth. Here are a few of his wise comments...
  • Happiness is a choice.
  • We see the mistakes our parents made, but we can change. We can turn it around and make better choices.
  • A baby sits. A baby learns to crawl, then crawls. A baby learns to walk, then walks. A baby learns to run, then runs. There is a time and a season for everything. (reminds me of Maya Angelou's "When we know better, we do better."
  • When we talk to each other, we both learn. Without talking, nothing happens.
  • We must avoid those that are negative. They will influence us and take away our happiness.
  • It is not how often you fall, but how you get up (and how you help others get up)
He imparted much to me in our brief ride to the airport. All things I've heard before, but his words were especially poignant today, as I begin this trip. As I slowly detach myself from work. As a I hopefully rediscover my bliss.

He also said we work too much. When we have a free day, we mostly "relax" at home. My thought is this and it haunts me as of late: But what kind of life is this? To work. To work. To recover for a day, then return to work.

I love my work. I can list hundreds of reasons why I love my work.

But am I walking instead of running?

Monday, July 1, 2013

July Ride

This month's challenge: to take a trip out of town every weekend. Tackle one direction (North, South, East, West) each weekend of the month to see and experience something new.


Friday, June 28, 2013

Minimalism continued...

This is now past the point of ridiculousness.
Why do I have so much stuff that I never use, wear, or or even like!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Minimalism

Hoping this isn't just one month of simplifying, but a lifelong shift to minimalism!




Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Ten more items out the door!

Sometimes an unexpected item in the back of a drawer can bring back a flood of memories. The emotions can be intense when letting go of items that symbolize so much more. The momentum of ten items a day is keeping me moving forward, thankfully!


Saturday, June 22, 2013

Minimalist Project

In additon to these boxes, and a lot of the contents within, I also (finally) let go of my compost bins (I set the worms free!), two giant pieces of plywood, and everything else that was cluttering my side patio.

Clean. Done. Simple. 


Friday, June 21, 2013

The process continues...


It is hard to part with some of these items. They are beautiful and sentimental! But I never use them. So I saved parts of each collection (one wood bowl and one olive dish) rather than the whole set that I never use.