chillaxing

If I could manage to pull of having weather like this for the next six months my flip flops would be very grateful. Somehow or other the calendar app managed to remain empty, which is a rarity and obligation and frenzy was replaced with lots of time in the hammock, family time and just sort of being in one place for once. 

I'm not the greatest chillier (defined as a state of chill and relax morphing), but I'm trying. As the week begins I'm still feeling a little funk fest from having the flu, but what shall remedy all ailments will be driving to work in the jeep. To chillax or not to chillax, that is the question. 

pre-Octobre

I would like to have weekends and weekdays switch up once and awhile. I would not be opposed to a two day work week followed by five days of zen. Weekends make everything a little bit better. Add a little sun, bike riding and catching up with good peeps and the world seems a little less overwhelming.

We all have days that can seem daunting, heart heavy and ridiculous in all aspects of the word. So when those hours or days surface I will close my eyes and remember. I will feel the sand between my toes, the sun on my face, the flash of riding my bike along the lake and the long chats with good people over a cup of coffee.


I am ending my week sitting on the couch watching tv with Keith and Taylor. There's not any other place that I'd like to be. In the past 48 hours I didn't do a whole lot, but I did. I'm learning, a little slow at times, that you can recharge and have a whole lot of goodness without running around and connecting a to b and 1 to 2. I enjoyed every moment and for that I am pretty stoked.

Comfort free zone

Life lessons come in many forms. Sometimes it's when you least suspect it. At the beginning of the year when catching up with kids I often do an inventory asking where they are now compared to a year ago.   There are times I think I know what's going to be said. Sometimes I'm wrong.

At one point I was met with a vacant stare and watched as wheels were spinning at the question posed. What had changed? Nothing. As we chatted there was the question of what do you do when you're in the same place? When you feel like you're in a rut? When every day is already mapped out and monotony rules.

My feeling is that complacency is a combination of fear, laziness and even confusion. We chatted and this is what we came up with -> danger is found in not only complacency, but getting stuck in the "comfort zone".  Break free . Go beyond what may have been acceptable and stretch yourself to do new, challenging things. Life is not being fully lived if you are comfortable all the time. Be uncomfortable.
Here are a few ideas we threw together::: take a class to learn something new (web design, salsa dancing, pottery, flute lessons etc.), volunteer at your local soup kitchen, help build a house with habitat for humanity, sit with a new group at lunch, learn a new hobby (cooking, snowboarding, carpentry) or take a day trip to somewhere that isn't exactly a to b coordinated.
Be different. Allow yourself to be stretched, challenged and occasionally, uncomfortable. It's amazing when our eyes are open and our ears are receptive where the road can lead and the lessons that can be learned. Bring it on...

The little big things

Every day brings another sunrise and closes with a sunset. Simple concept with beautiful details If you think back from now to the beginning of 2013 how many sunrises and sunsets have you taken the opportunity to see? Every day we're given an opportunity to view some of God's most spectacular creation with brilliant shades of red, yellow and purple. No matter what part of the globe there is a rise and fall of each day and an art show right outside of our doorstep.

With the crazy train nature of the beginning of the school year I've been guilty of allowing days blend together and for losing sight of the beauty of what each day holds, from beginning to end. As Keith and I sat on the beach today with waves crashing on the beach and the smell of a light salt swept along the shore line I was again reminded of the richness and beauty of the little big things in life. I am grateful for the little big things in life. 

musica y verano

Music and summer are two of my favorite things and when combined lovely things happen. You have tunes, flip flops, good people and, most of the time, super chill surroundings. Getting to take in two concerts in 48 hours proved my theory to be nothing short of flawless. 

I love Irish Trad music. Scoring tickets to see the Dropkick Murphys was great and the greatness was reinforced with it being held at the Stone Pony and I was accompanied by one of my oldest and raddest (true word, look it up) friends of all times. The music was great, but Carrie and I realized we were old when the following occurred: 1) one of the only people not clad in black 2) when we were taking pictures of the 'crazy people' in the mosh pit instead of being part of the chaos 3) feeling the need for an early departure after the second inebriated large man fell onto us after a failed attempt to crowd surf. I'm thinking the next show we will stand about twenty feet further from the stage as to avoid a brawl or a flesh wound. Tis but a scratch! 

So we transitioned from Stone Pony madness to VIP box seats for John Mayer and Phil Phillips. We were very gratefully hooked up with seats that I could very easily get used to. That includes getting used to the VIP lounge with their own popcorn machine, appetizers and area of zen. It was a little different from previous experiences squished with a million other people on the lawn (very ok when pertaining to either Dave Matthews or Jimmy Buffet) hoping to not have to wait 43 minutes in line to use the restroom. It may not happen again, but we embraced the gold star treatment and made sure pics were taken in abundance. 

Musica y verano = perfecto : )