Reminding myself of this often lately:
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill
These photos are indicative of my desire to have chandeliers and textured windows and doors. Such inspiring colors.
{Photo credits. Row One: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Row Two: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Row Three: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Row Four: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Row Five: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Row Six: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}
This video brings me so much joy.
I mean. Brilliant. If Minnesota is filled with these kinds of people, I might need to move there.
“Instead of luck, take heart. Take courage. It all starts with showing up.” Chris Guillebeau
I’m working on being present and accounted for… showing up no matter how much I don’t want to, no matter how scary something may seem. If you don’t leave room for doubt, life becomes a lot more productive.
I just discovered (and simultaneously fell in love with) The Avett Brothers. They performed in a podcast of NPR’s “All Songs Considered.” I don’t even know how to describe the music. A little rock. A little bluegrass. Entirely wonderful. Even though I spent an afternoon watching some of their performances on Youtube, I still can’t tell the brothers apart, and some of their facial hair styles confuse me. But the music is amazing.
Love the tender lyrics and beautiful detail shots (the piano, the guitar and the Avett Brothers’ eyes) in the “Murder in the City” video:
Other Avett Brothers songs I’m obsessed with:
“Laundry Room” — How can the rock out that goes from 4:45 to the end not make you happy? So. Freakin. Badass. And it’s pretty cute how they dance and jump around while they’re playing.
“Bella Donna” — Makes me want to learn (even more) to play the guitar.
They’re playing in New York in October. I think I have to go.
• • •
One of my dream jobs is to select the music for a film or TV show. The task almost seems impossible — to find the perfect snippet of a song for a specific scene so that it seems like they were made for each other. “Grey’s Anatomy” always does a good job, and after watching season 3 of “Weeds,” I’m noticing some stellar pairings as well.
Xavier Rudd’s song “Messages” was in a “Weeds” episode and the catchy refrain lured me in. His voice sounded familiar, but I’d never actually heard any of his songs before. Other interesting asides: Rudd is an Aussie, plays the didgeridoo and never wears shoes (as you may notice in the video).
I’ve been a fan of State Radio for a few years and have even seen them in concert in New York. But this song slipped by me until I heard it in “Weeds.”
Not long after I moved to New York, I spotted the coolest tote bag on the subway. I couldn’t see a logo or company name, just a bunch of quotes and affirmations. I wanted this bag, and I stared at it for an inappropriate length of time trying to find some identifying clue as to where I could get one. More than two years later, I’ve finally figured out where it was from.
As I was researching running classes last weekend, I came across lululemon’s website. I have a few friends who are obsessed with their clothes but I don’t really know much about them. While lululemon is mostly associated with yoga apparel, it turns out they have a run club that meets twice a week, which I’m very curious about. So curious that I’m going to visit the store to check out the community running board. And maybe try on some of their legendary clothing.
I poked around the website more, wondering if I’d find anything else surprising. And that’s when it happened. I found what had been on the tote bag:
Eureka!
While this is a prime example of how things present themselves when you least expect it, did I really need to wait two years to learn this? Answer: No.
I read through all the quotes and a few became fast favorites. The more I’ve gotten into running this year, the more I can relate to and understand that “A daily hit of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make better decisions, helps you be at peace with yourself, and offsets stress.” Even when work has been insane, the highlight of my week has been my NYRR running class. It saves my soul and my sanity. I can’t even express how anti-sweating I was before I started running. But there is something glorious in a great workout that leaves you soaking wet, high on endorphins and feeling strong. If Corporate America put down the Blackberries and put on running shoes, I think the world would be a much happier, calmer place.
I also liked the quote “That which matters the most should never give way to that which matters the least.” With the crappy economy and job market, people are sacrificing more of themselves (whether asked to by their employers or of their own will). While working crazy hours in an understaffed office with overstressed coworkers in a position you aren’t happy with may bring in the bank for now, I worry longterm about people being able to draw boundaries and maintain a positive attitude without burning out first. I don’t have a solution, but the quote sums up what I think a lot of people are struggling with…how do you know where to draw the line or how much you should sacrifice? Hopefully I won’t have to wait two years for this answer to present itself to me.
Here’s another selection of my flickr favorites. Interesting to see the themes I’m drawn toward when looking at the order I’ve saved photos. Obviously locks, doors, chandeliers and bold colors were calling my name during this session.
{Credits. Top to bottom, left to right. Row One: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Row Two: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Row Three: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Row 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Row 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Row 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.}
One summer in college, my life revolved around the Bravo channel — two “West Wing” episodes in the morning, one in the evening and another at night (though I generally would only catch 75 percent of them. Hello. Summer job). When I wasn’t watching Rob Lowe be beautiful and funny, and admiring Martin Sheen’s perfectly coiffed hair, I discovered other shows on Bravo, like “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and James Lipton’s “Inside the Actors Studio.” Before that I had only seen Will Ferrell mock James Lipton on “Saturday Night Live.” I had no idea how dead-on the impersonation was — the massive stack of index cards detailing everything in the guest’s life; the rhythm and inflection that Lipton uses in asking questions and making statements; the slightly ridiculous wording and analogies. It was brilliant.
I’d camp out in the basement during an “Actors Studio” marathon with pen and paper to jot down good quotes. I became so engulfed in the show that I started talking about “the craft” of acting.* People didn’t really care though. I was entranced by Angelina Jolie’s honesty, transparency and beauty. Robin Williams made me laugh so hard I cried from his spontaneity (”Baby Jesus loves you!“) And, at least for the episode, Lipton was able to keep Tom Cruise’s crazy away. Thankfully I had one friend who watched the show so I didn’t feel like such a weirdo, because most everyone else in my life had never even heard of it.
*I think my appreciation of “the craft” explains why I became so caught up in the Writers Guild strikes in fall 2007/winter 2008. I checked the website multiple times a day to find out the time and location of the next picket. Then I’d calculate whether I had time to go watch during my lunch break. Coworkers joined me a couple times and I always had my camera on hand, ready to document the celebrities. It was a famous person dream for me. I saw Seth Meyers from “SNL,” soap opera stars, actors I recognized but whose names escaped me and Ron Howard. (I was speechless.) Unfortunately, I never made it on the same days that Tina Fey, Robin Williams or Juliane Moore were picketing. While the Guild posted locations ahead of time, they never include the star lineup, much to my disappointment.
At the end of each episode, Lipton asks his guests the same 10 questions. I always looked forward to the responses and couldn’t help but constantly revise my answers too, delusionallly hoping that one day I’d be sitting across from him, answering them in person (I have no aspirations of acting or directing, so I’m not sure how I thought this would happen). Most of my answers have changed since the first few times I thought about them, but here’s where I’m at now:
What is your favorite word? For its meaning: grace. For the sound: Mesopotamia (sixth grade social studies anyone?). It’s just really fun to say.
What is your least favorite word? Retarded
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Coffee, sunshine, running, a good night’s sleep, laughter, conversations when you lose track of time
What turns you off? Inefficiency, lack of authenticity, being inconsiderate
What is your favorite curse word? WTF
What sound or noise do you love? A breeze rustling through trees
What sound or noise do you hate? Cars honking
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Dancer, largely in part to my summer obsession with the TV show “So You Think You Can Dance” and in no part because I actually have any talent
What profession would you not like to do? Sales
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “It’s OK.”
My Saturday has consisted of staying in bed watching season 3 of “Weeds” (an unexpected gift from my parents) while propping my right ankle up on pillows. I’m not quite sure what I did (my three-tier theory also has a three-tier diagnosis: I rolled my ankle while wearing heels for the second time this year. Or I rolled my ankle running on a softer but unlevel surface. Or I just ran too much in a short time span. Therefore, my ankle is sprained, strained or fractured.)
Thankfully, a visit to my doctor on Friday (which turned into a trip to NYU’s Radiology Department for some x-rays) ruled out a stress fracture (the thought of this kept me from sleeping well Thursday night). In an unrelated observation, I passed the Medical Examiner’s Office on my way to the Med Center. The air around it smelled really funny. One of the SARS/swine flu-preventing face masks would’ve been helpful.
Complying with doctor’s orders, I’ve been icing and elevating my foot most of the day and relying on TV on DVD to keep me entertained. One of the characters in “Weeds” said this quote and it has had me giggling ever since: “Thug means never having to say you’re sorry.” (obviously I can’t be a thug if I giggle at the mere mention of being one).
I’m not sure how long I’ll have to keep the icing up, but one day in I’m already bored.
Note to self:
“Griefs, at the moment when they change into ideas, lose some of their power to injure our heart.” —Marcel Proust as quoted in How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain De Botton
Love the idea of taking charge, overcoming the pain and not being a victim.
Jacky Carter