Tuesday, June 7, 2011

June Tunes

Yes, it has been a while since my last post. But don’t fret! I have been through several voyages in the meantime and still have Joshua Tree, Holcomb Valley, and Sasquatch posting to do. So in the mean time, sit back, relax, and listen to some tunes. I have made a June playlist just for you.

Enjoy!

Local Natives “Wide Eyes”
Portugal, the Man “People Say”
Beach House “Used to Be”
The Cranberries “Linger”
Death Cab for Cutie “Marching Bands of Manhattan
Death Cab for Cutie “Little Bribes”
The Decemberists “The Rake’s Song”
David Bazan “Cold Beer and Cigarettes”
The Union Line “Strangers”
Pepper Rabbit “Older Brother”

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Joshua Tree

Because of Minerva Hoyt’s dedication, and love for desert vegetation, a beautiful desert had been born again.

It started back in the late 1920’s when Minerva moved to Pasadena. She was a professor’s wife who had a strong, growing passion for gardening and was particularly intrigued by desert plants. Joshua Tree, Minerva’s neighboring desert, at the time was destroyed by those who dug up and burned a majority of the plantation. She devoted her time and energy in hosting exhibits and charity events to raise money and awareness to conserve this run down desert.  Later, Minerva created a proposition to establish Joshua Tree as a National Park. And in 1936, President Roosevelt did just that by signing a presidential proclamation establishing Joshua Tree as a National Monument. Minerva Hoyt’s zealous enthusiasm to preserve and protect Joshua Tree in its poor conditions, is what made it a mystical desert land of growing adventures for us nature folk.

This year will commemorate 75 years of preservation, a newfound respect for barren regions, as well as the commitment made by Minerva Hoyt to conserve this beautiful desert that has become the National Park that it is today.

Thank you, Minerva! Your strong spirit will live on through the beauty of this wasteland where I am more than privileged to find restoration in its brilliance. This weekend I will walk the desert grounds, climb boulders, and breathe in inspiration from Yuccas along with the rest of Joshua Tree’s surroundings.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one

What do you dream of when you’re wide-awake? Where does your mind take you when you need to escape the realities of your present world? Does it stem from your memories or as far away from practicality to a realm so bizarre and magical? 

Everybody dreams and our dreams only consist of what we know. Did you know 5 minutes before we wake up, we’ve already forgotten half of our dreams? If we don’t have control over dreams in the midst of our sundown coma, then why not create your own when conscious? A great way to find peace and tranquility is to roam freely and find that escape.

For example… I take myself back to the road trip Jeff and I took through the Redwoods. I imagine myself laying down in the midst of the trees, rich green moss, and brick red ground. I can see the sunlight peek through the branches with brilliant gleams of light and create illusions on the bark on the tall, green giants. Everything is still yet alive. 


You may envision yourself with a loved one far from home, at the beach with the sand between your toes and ocean mist against your bare skin, or even sliding along glassy slopes under swirly skies where gumdrops fall from trees. Whatever it may be, find that place and settle into it whenever you need a break from the weight of the world. Explore the depths of imagination; or should I say, let the depths of imagination explore you.
 

Monday, February 7, 2011

Artist of the Week: Rodrigo y Gabriela

 
This duo started in Mexico playing thrash metal music. Now with 20 fingers and 2 acoustic guitars, these two souls can play impeccable rhythmic guitar that takes you to a place where you can dance under a full moon and feel every bit of romance, aggression, and adventure all at once.

Listening to their album, Diablo Rojo, sent a sense of thrill through my veins and a conquistador’s impulse to encounter the world’s riches and hidden mysteries. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from this pair, it would be DEDICATION. You don’t play flamenco riffs at 100mph by picking up the guitar once a week. What gets your heart racing like the strings beneath Rodrigo & Gabriela's fingers? What passion, talents, and skills are embedded in your bones? Fulfill your ambition and aspire what you may think is far out of reach.

So pop those headphones in while you’re at your 9-5 pace and tune your Pandora to the Rodrigo & Gabriela station. If you’re not hanging onto the edge of your seat during your dull work day, then there is no hope for you hombre.




Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Promises vs Commitments

This year is a year of commitments!
Today, someone special told me, “Promises are made by people who break them, commitments are made by people who follow through.”

To anyone who is reading this, I am declaring my commitments:
-I will spend more time rediscovering my passions and making use of my creativity.
-I will spend more time completing those back-burner tasks that are so easy to avoid (keeping my home in tip-top shape, getting healthy, and saving more dollars for future goals).
-I will reflect on what’s positive and encourage others around me to see the light in all things.

With this being said, I will celebrate each hour, day, week, and month this year has to offer.

 
I will have a lot to write about… so stay tuned for more posts on my future excursions and discoveries.