~~~7.2.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There is a great, but obvious, secret in this world.  There is a strength and an understanding and a light inside each and every one of us - but do we know it well enough to act from it? 

Something can be most difficult to see once it's closest to our face - it seems distorted, unreadable, incomprehensible - and so we stray away from it.

There is a great, but underutilized, truth that could not be closer to each and every one of us.  That truth is that we are all students and teachers to, and for, each other.  A student and a teacher learn from each other -- no one really teaches.  The student learns lessons from his/her teacher, but his/her teacher also learns how to be a great teacher. 

If the lessons are riddled with judgment and ridicule, the lesson will be lost,the student will not learn, and the teacher will have done more harm than good.  This is the reality of our day to day lives!  This is the reality of our interaction, not only with each other, but with ourselves.

If we can begin to see each other as perpetually in a student <==> teacher relationship, sometimes being the student and sometimes the teacher, we can eliminate or need to judge, rule, or dominate each other; and can change to a way of being that empowers every single interaction that we have throughout the day; with others and with ourselves.

Even with the same person, we can sometimes be the student and other times be the teacher - even changing from moment to moment.  The lessons that we learn are great, regardless of which role we play. 

But can we decide to open ourselves up to such teaching; strip away blame, frustration, impatience, and misunderstanding and just be teacher and student?

I truly think this is a powerful concept, which could change the world, literally.  I am starting to learn this lesson, and it helps if you can begin to see how each situation in life lends itself to this.  These are my thoughts on starting to see where/when/how this cyclical relationship occurs daily.

What is a time of struggle in our lives, but a chance to exercise patience with ourselves and the world around us?

What is a hateful person, but a chance for us to show compassion to someone who most wouldn't consider deserving?

What is a time of need, but a chance to give selflessly when most people would hoard for themselves?

What is a destructive person, but an opportunity for us to show understanding?

What is a hostile person, but a cry for love that we can answer?

What is a fearful person, but a chance for us to offer faith?

What is a bully, but a chance for us to exercise strength through non-violence?

What is poverty, but a chance to be charitable?

What is a hurtful word, but a chance for us to return it with kindness?

What is violence, but a way to prove it is not the way?

There is a way to bring light to any darkness, and it truly is the only way we will ever overcome it.  I know you can do it - I know I can do it.  If we do this together, we will shine so much brighter. 

Each interaction, every day, with every one, including yourself, become the teacher, or become the student, learn your lesson without judgment, ego, or superiority - let's go change the world - from the inside out.

~~~6.29.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To the 'fortunate' this world is filled with excesses.  It's filled with enough stuff that you can have two or three cars, a nice house, six televisions, three computers, enough food to make yourself over-full at every meal, and on and on and on.  Yet, from many people's observations, those who have all of these things still walk around with frowns on their faces; they still don't treat each other with kindness, they don't 'pitch-in' just to help one another, and they don't seem to be at peace with the world they're in.

Maybe, just maybe, excesses of things aren't all they're cracked up to be.  Here in America we are inundated, nearly from birth, with people telling us that we need to always strive to do more, to have more, to build more, to want more; and for what?  For ourselves?  Will this bring security?  Happiness?  Contentment?  Or do we simply amass things, and always do more, and try harder because we're sure that 'the next thing will definitely make me happier than I am now.'  That extra cupcake I'm about to eat will make me feel so much better inside than if I don't eat it.

Is this true?  Or is it possible that our obsession with excess, in all forms, is not what we have to make our lives about?  Can we live happy and fulfilled lives by having just enough, or maybe even a little less than enough?

What happens when our bodies produce excesses of cells?  Don't we call this cancer?  Are more and more cells a good thing?  Our bodies don't say 'if six trillion cells makes a nice, strong human body, surely ten trillion will make it even greater!'  No!  Or, 'if nine months in the womb creates a beautiful, healthy baby, imagine what fifteen months would do!' 

Fill your cup just full enough, or maybe stop a little short; to keep filling is just a waste, or worse.

My thoughts to challenge our ingrained ways of thinking in terms of excess:

If you take long steps, you cannot walk far.  Try taking some baby steps toward whatever it is that you want in life.

Showing off for others does not make you appear enlightened.

Boasting about yourself will not make anyone think that you're an accomplished human-being.

If you are self-righteous, you will never be respected.

If you spend your time bragging, your relationships with others will not endure.

Uproot your obsession with more more more!  Throw it out, and leave it behind.  Practice righteous humility every single day.

~~~6.26.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm pretty sure that, at times, we've all felt 'broken.'  This can mean: disappointed, furious, helpless, depressed, overwhelmed, etc.  However, I think that the outside forces that 'made' us feel broken were not truly the cause.  Instead, I think that our perception, and therefor reaction, to those outside forces are what cause us to either sustain or break.

If we can look through new eyes at the same world, that very same world will look different and new.  If we can learn to be soft, pliable and flexible with life and what comes and goes, instead of being stiff, rigid and ego-driven, I think that we could more readily withstand any storms that come our way.

Here is my challenge to you.  Take an idea (or two or three) from this list and keep it with you throughout the week, and see if you can learn to bend and sway with anything and everything that comes at you.  Here are my thoughts:

Learn to yield and be soft if you want to survive.

Learn to bow and you will stand in your full height.

Learn to empty yourself and you can then fill yourself with goodness and kindness, instead of filling yourself with excesses of food, money, compliments, and material objects.

You can be born anew every day, but only if you spend each day giving away all that you are to those around you.  Everything you need will come into your life, but you cannot hoard it, you must give it away to keep the flow coming -- it's like a traffic jam -- keep the cars moving down the road and make room for the next ones to follow.

Learn to be thankful for all that you have instead of always wanting more.  My definition of insanity is to insist that you need what you don't have.  The fact that you're here, now without it proves that you don't need it!  Stop making yourself crazy by wanting more.  Be grateful for all that you are and all that you have.

Stop trying to impress others, instead, be natural.  Be yourself.

Allow those around you to be themselves and to seek and find their own truth.  Your truth doesn't have to be their truth -- everything is not a competition -- opposite thoughts and ideas can still yield cooperation.  Don't always feel the need to judge everything that someone else is doing, saying, or thinking.  Let them be.

Don't boast or brag -- it's a false sense of appreciation.

If you refuse to argue, there cannot be an argument.  If someone tries to start a fight with you and you refuse to fight, they're simply left fighting with themselves.  Don't accept everything that people try to offer you.  If someone offers you hate and anger, and you refuse to accept it, it's all theirs; it's not yours, so don't pick it up and carry it!

If you learn to bend and be flexible with yourself, your surroundings, and those you come in contact with, you will have peace, contentment, and harmony.

There you go -- pick something -- it may seem difficult, it may seem easy, it doesn't matter.  Take what you can and leave the others, but whatever you take, let it course through your veins this week and see what happens.

~~~6.23.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We see it, give into it, feed into it, and spread to each other every day.  What is it?  It is the modern-day syndrome of striving and never arriving.  We are all very well conditioned.  Conditioned to believe that we have to 'prove our worth' as if we're not valuable unless we fulfill certain criteria. 

We learn to see one person's life as being more important than another person's life.  If someone makes his/herself happy and content, they are often seen as lazy, indifferent, and unambitious.

In the midst of such conditioning can we at least entertain the idea of injecting some new thoughts into our conscious and unconscious being?  Can we look inside ourselves and hold two opposing ideas at the same time and gravitate toward the one that truly calls to us?  Can we then go in the direction of that calling, not because we're expected to or because anyone else wants us to, but because we have taken the time to sit quietly and contemplate different ways of thinking, feeling, and living, and have decided to trust what we feel so naturally in our hearts?

These are just a few (of many) ways of thinking about life.  Taking what we have been taught, told, and convinced of, and seeing if that is really what we want our lives to be about, or what we want to leave behind when we are gone.

You will leave this world one day.  How will the world know that you were here?

Contemplate:

Can we place as much time and attention on learning about ourselves as we do chasing after degrees and diplomas, awarded for learning everything that we can from a book?

Can we give up the need to be seen by others as clever and wise?

Can we gravitate away from having to judge every thing and every one as good or bad; as worthy or unworthy?

Could we begin to see that when we hate someone, the hate is not inside of them, it is inside of us?  Therefore, it is us that it eats away at, not them.

By that same token, could we acknowledge that loving others is truly a selfish act; realizing that when we love someone, the love is not in them, it is within us, and we are the ones who become light and goodness and virtue from experiencing the love that we create inside of ourselves?

Then, if we can acknowledge that loving others is a selfish act, can we not judge that as good or bad?

Could we risk following whatever inspires us, even if others see it as foolish?

Could we take the time that we need to enjoy our lives, instead of feeling like we always have to try harder and do more; and risk being labeled lazy?

Could we not give a damn about fame or money?

Could we have the means to procure more 'things' but not do so because we opt to offer that money to those less fortunate in some way?  And, in doing so, could we not see ourselves as better or more worthy than them because we gave something to them?

Could we simplify our lives and risk being seen as dull and uninteresting?

Could we take the time to allow whatever comes into our lives in, and let go of whatever leaves us, without worry or judgment? 

Could we stop making ourselves more and more busy?

Could we do these things and be okay if we are called different and strange?

Reevaluate why you do what you do.  Allow yourself the time to go within and answer these questions in whatever way you find most true.  You don't need to live your life by the thoughts, expectations, or dictates of anyone or anything else.  Can you stop striving and arrive?  The choice is yours.

~~~6.22.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've been noticing the slight variations in our ways of 'being' that make all the difference on how we view ourselves, how we affect others, and to what level our ability to be the best 'us' that we can be grows.

It seems to me that a lot of this has to do with doing instead of being.  There is a difference between doing good things and being goodness.  When we are something (as opposed to just doing it) it radiates from us; this is the true meaning of essence; when someone can affect us so profoundly simply through their presence, it's because they are being something instead of just doing it.

If we were to decide to be patience, instead of choosing to act with patience, listen with patience, be a patient person, etc, it would change our entire view of what it means to be patience.  Not be patient, but be patience.  The same can be applied to being kindness instead of being kind; being truth instead of being truthful; being love and tranquility instead of loving and being tranquil.

Just think of how many rules and regulations we let influence (and sometimes run) our lives, that we could let go of if we could tap into this vast resource of being instead of doing.  We will always be doing something - even if we're doing 'nothing' - that's what we're doing; but our actions can be a secondary cause to our being, instead of thinking of ways to be kind, pleasant, and easy-going, choose to become those things; then actions will flow truly and naturally from that which we have become.

Remember, you are a human-BEING, not a human-DOING.  If you want something in your life, or you want to act a certain way, or convey a certain something to those around you, you must be it - then your actions will be that much more authentic, and that will change you, as a human-being.

~~~6.21.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Whether we like to realize it or admit it or not, we are each in some sort of leadership position as it relates to someone else in our life.  You could have an obvious leadership role as a teacher or boss, be in a position of authority in government or the business world; or it could be less obvious: a parent, family member, mentor, etc.

These are my thoughts on how we might adjust our way of 'leading' in order to truly be beneficial to those that look to us for guidance, help, or support.  This is as simply as I can put my ideas:

Whenever possible, say little, and do not tie people down.

The quickest way to be despised and rejected is to lie to those who trust you.

Do not lead, parent, etc by being oppressive or using threats.

Lead by setting a good example, before lecturing or speaking.  Remember, 'b' comes before 'c' in life as well as the alphabet -- first you must 'be' that which you want to 'see'.

The happiest followers, children, employees, etc are those whose 'leader' is felt so gently as to not even know whether or not he/she is even there or even needed.  People will stay happy when they believe that what happens, happens naturally and they can say, 'we did this ourselves.'

Especially parents (but also leaders, bosses, confidants, etc) are not there to lean on, in-so-much-as they are there to make leaning unnecessary.

~~~6.19.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I have had a lot of people asking me lately how to calm their mind, how to find some peace, some contentment, and how to live and unhurried life.  As I may be an unqualified source to be answering these questions, I will still do my best.

It seems that people don't often know where to even start.  This is my list of ways to become more tranquil, content, and still.  Pick anything that stands out or speaks to you, and focus on that until it begins to work its way through you.

Flow as life flows, requiring no other force; and you will feel no wear, no tear, need no mending, nor repair.

Be an observer of your life as opposed to a pushy director.

Be watchful, yet relaxed and peaceful.

Be alert, yet unhurried and confident.

Be yielding, yet willing to be still and wait for clarity.

Be over-polite, like a practiced guest.

Give way, like melting ice.

Be as simple as uncarved wood, before it is crafted.

Be as empty as a deserted valley.

These are your options.  Choose one that speaks to you and hold it silently in your mind.  Be quiet and allow it to work its way through you and, on its own time, it will.

~~~6.18.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Have you ever had a time where you've had an experience that you just cannot explain?  Have you ever stared at something and seen nothing?  Was there ever a time that you listened for a sound but could not hear it?  Maybe you have encountered that 'something,' that when you try to grasp it, it has no substance.

I believe that when these things happen, that they go beyond our mind, and are molded together as one.  They are molded together as that amorphous something, cast in nothing.

Whatever this is - its surface doesn't shine, nor is its base dull.  Given this, it is only knowable as no thing.  Confront it, and it has no head; walk around it to come up from behind it, and it has no tail.

If we could simply be in it, as opposed to searching for it or trying to grasp or control it; then we could have it.  It's like putting your hand in water.  The minute you try to grab it, you've lost it; but if you just let your hand remain open and be immersed in it, then you have it; such is this way.

~~~6.17.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, it's been a long time, but I'm going to start updating this regularly as I'm doing a self-experiment to see where I can get my self-development to, if I really place my thoughts, intentions, and actions where I want them to be.  So look out world!  Here are my thoughts for today:

Most people fret about themselves and their status; but you don't have to do this.  What is success and what is failure?

If you have prestige and favor, all you worry about is that it will be taken away.  If you have a lowly place, you are still basically afraid.  So both, at the root, make us fearful.  Does this mean that success is a problem?

It means that people are too bound up in themselves.  If they weren't so self-obsessed, they would have no need to be worried.

If you can put yourself aside - then you can do things for the whole world; and if you love the world like this, then you are ready to serve it.

Don't worry what everyone else is or isn't doing - do what you can today (and every day) to make the best world for yourself and for those around you.  Serve, serve, serve.

See, that's it; those are my thoughts for today.  Come along on this journey with me over the next (who knows) period of time - it will be a wonderful ride.

~~~4.30.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I had an idea today.  Here's what I thought: Reality exists only in-so-far-as what we believe our reality is.  For instance, I have a very limited memory.  People tell me all the time about things that I did or said - and if I remember them at all - it's not until some prompting by the person telling me the story.  Why is this?  Well, my reality is that the past doesn't really matter; so I don't put much stock in it, which leads to my not allowing it to take up too much room in my mind. 

I do think that this is important though, because our reality is simply what we think about, and we can always change our thoughts about anything - and following our thoughts are our actions and our feelings - so doing something simple, like changing a thought that we have, could really change our entire reality. 

So where this led me was to thinking about free will; and this may simply be all that free will is - to create your world within this world - to build your own reality based upon what you put your attention on.  What are you putting your attention on?  Do you often remember the good or the bad?  Do you see the beauty or do you see the mundane or ugliness in daily life? 

"The most important choice each person makes in life is whether they believe they live in a hostile or a loving universe." ~Albert Einstein~ Change your thoughts, change your life.

~~~4.28.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More and more I am completely amazed at the power that each of us has to change our lives or our situation at any time.  I know that you might feel bogged down by work, school, bills, expectations, etc; but the reality is, you could truly change your life at any time you want -- you just have to release all of the doubt that plagues you -- and I know that's easier said than done. 

Five years ago i would never have expected the path that my life has taken.  All the risks I've taken, all of the difficult times, all of the success I continue to see, has lead me to this wonderful point in my life.  Each and every day, even if there seems to be struggles, I do feel like the luckiest person in the world; because, through everything, I have followed my passion.  I've taken my life and done things my way -- believing that "the only thing that I can do for you, is be true to me" and "the only thing that you can do for me, is to be true to yourself." 

Find your passion, seek that life that you want to create for yourself.  You are not powerless -- in fact, all the power that you have, in your own little universe, is within you -- it's no where else.  Remember, you are not a drop in the mighty ocean, you are the mighty ocean in a drop -- think of how powerful that is, if you can trust it, tap into it, and allow it to take you.  Today is your day, be that mighty ocean.

~~~4.6.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We all have something, maybe even several things, that we insist we cannot do.  Often times the thing that we think we cannot do, and that which we would love to do, are the exact same thing.  What would it take to really challenge yourself in this life?  This doesn't meant that your life has to be a challenge, just that through challenging ourselves we reach new levels of ability and achievement - opening new doors and shedding new light on what we are truly capable of. 

My challenge to you, is to take the thing that you think you cannot do, but would love to do, and contemplate taking the first baby-step to get yourself headed in the right direction.  Don't make a leap yet, just a baby-step this time; we will leap later.  Figure out what it is that you've convinced yourself you cannot do, and just think about what the first baby-step would be. 

In order to give, we must give the very thing that we think we cannot do without.  There is no harm here, it's just a thought. 

~~~4.5.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Today I heard myself utter these words: I have to admit, the more successful the music becomes, the more it freaks me out!  Why?  I have no idea, thank you though.

I couldn't believe it.  I had found a comfort in being obscure.  The climb to become more and more well-known is extremely draining.  There is so much to do, and it's you who has to do it, and you who has to push yourself to do all of the things that you would rather not do; but if you didn't do those things, you would pay a huge price - you would remain obscure.

I have no delusion here that I'm getting 'too big for my britches.'  No, my britches still fit quite well.  One thing that I am finding, however, is that sometimes all of the seeds that you plant bloom at once!  All of a sudden you're quickly in a place where you had only imagined before; that's where I am now.

So I guess success is an odd thing to complain about; so I won't complain.  I will just say this: it will be some time before you will know the fruits that today's labor will bring; but be sure to be ready to fill your basket with all that fruit once it is time for the harvest because, if you've worked hard, there will be a lot of it. 

Thank You all for your continued support.  You amaze and humble me day after day.

~~~4.4.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  If there is one person, just one person, that you had better make damn well sure that you don't disappoint in this lifetime, it's you.  I once heard that, "The only thing that I can do for you, is to make myself better.  The only thing that you can do for me, is to make yourself better." I think that this statement holds some profound truths.

I have come to believe, and this is just my opinion, that if someone can do it, we all can do it - no matter what "it" is.  I think that we do ourselves a great disservice when we think that "we're only one person" or "we're only human" or "we aren't gifted with this or that."  I think that being one person and being human are both wondrous things - and that those aren't limiting factors to our existence, but empowering factors of our existence.

It seems to me that the only thing that separates one persons ability to achieve some great feat, from another person's life that is stuck on mediocrity, is simply what that person is putting their attention on.  If you place your attention on being great and achieving great things, at least you will know that you put everything that you are capable of out into the world, and that you won't leave anything behind - because once your gone, so is all of that potential, of everything you could have done. 

By not striving to be great every single day, which is what builds a lifetime, we not only cheat ourselves but we cheat those around us, and we cheat the future generations to come.  I can only expect to create the best world possible, by creating the best me that is possible, and the same with you.  Remember, we don't inherit the world that our ancestors gave us, so much as we borrow the world from the generations that will follow.  Make them proud to know that you were the most incredible you that you could be.

~~~4.3.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I wouldn't say that I'm necessarily the deepest thinker in the world.  I do try to reflect on myself and look for whatever truths I might find through my life experiences.  This may seem simple or incomplete to some of you, maybe even to most of you, but this is the 'easy version' of what I've learned so far in my 28 years:

For as long as you can, be good to as many people as you can; lend a helping hand to all that you can; extend a kind word and a gentle nature to all that you can; fill your mornings and your nights with grace, gratitude and love for all that you can.  Do this, and you will not have to worry about loving yourself, for you will have filled the world with so much love and light that you will have no where to hide from the glow that emanates from you.

~~~4.2.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nothing in life is easy.  Nothing in life comes without paying some price.  I was reminded of this last night as I was talking to a friend.  She works a typical 9-5 job and doesn't like it one bit.  She has had a dream, a calling to pursue something that she feels is part of her purpose, but is nervous to do it.  She gets nervous because there are no guarantees that come with pursuing her dream.  At least her 9-5 gives her a steady paycheck and some security; but like I said, everything in life comes at a price.

The price that she pays for this guaranteed paycheck and security is an intense feeling that she is wasting every second of her life that she spends at her job.  That is a big price to pay.  I told her, in my opinion, she had to decide which price was easier to pay; the price of feeling like her life was being wasted, or the price of having to overcome some nerves and anxiety about pursuing something new and different.  That, of course, is a question that she has to answer for herself.

I think there is a lesson in this for all of us though.  Our lives are made or wasted day by day, by the path that we decide to stay on or get off of every single day.  Pile up enough of these days and 20, 30, 40 years have passed.  So, just remember, there is a price to pay for doing something just for the security or normalcy of it - and there is a price to pay for taking your own road too.  Which is more important to you?  Which is the more palatable risk for you to take? 

My final thought is this: One of her concerns was that she would feel poor; not that she would be poor, but that she would feel poor.  Being poor is something that I know a little bit about.  I told her that you only feel poor if you are poor for the wrong reasons, and I really think that is true.  I believe that I'm poor for the right reasons; it doesn't mean that it's noble or easy, it just means that I don't feel poor because my life experience feels very rich!

The wonderful artist who did the design for the "Random Thoughts and Incomplete Sentences" album, David Derr, gave me this advice: He told me that when he made the decision to freelance at art, and to try to make a living at it, that he was often concerned about not being able to pay this bill or that bill; but something always came along.  I will never forget his advice, which I hold near and dear to my heart, everyday as an artist pursing my music.  He said, "You can always do with less money."  That was when I decided that I could do with less money, whenever I needed to!  What I couldn't deal with was not pursuing my dream because I was afraid of it. 

My way is not everyone's way, but never be afraid to ask yourself these questions, and determine if you should stay on your current path, or if there's another road that you would like to take. 

~~~4.1.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I made it to 28 years old.  An entire decade since I graduated High School.  Although I am probably one of the poorest people that you will ever meet - I wouldn't change a thing.  I'm so thankful that I've taken the road less traveled.  My life is uniquely rich.  I've made huge mistakes and learned from them - and I know that day-by-day I'm a better person. 

Choosing to pursue this life as a Roving Vagabond (as I refer to myself) has provided me with experiences that are greater than I could have ever imagined.  Life is amazing.  The things that you can experience if you live your life on your terms is amazing.  If this hasn't been your experience in life so far, so what?!  It is never too late to change that.  Right now decide that you will live your life as you see fit - regardless of what other people will think - because in the end no one has as much invested in yourself as you do; trust yourself the most. 

Decide what you want and go out there and get it.  We will all be in a much better world if you, me, and all of us, are following our inspiration.  What inspires you?  "You've got to jump before your parachute will ever open."  And once you jump, it will.

~~~3.31.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm reminded that tomorrow is my Birthday - Whoot Whoot!  I have never really cared how old I am - is that weird?  There are a lot of things in life that I find myself just not paying attention to and age is definitely one of them.  I think that it can really limit a person, to think too much about their age - because often times we use it against ourselves and not to our benefit; meaning, if there's something that we are really driven or inspired to do, oftentimes we make excuses like 'I'm too old' and 'I'm too young' or 'I'm going to miss my chance.'  Yada Yada Ya.

I think those time or age-related excuses are completely bogus and there is a lot less emphasis that could be placed on how old we are (or aren't).  Just be you - however young or old you feel - just be yourself...yes I know this sounds cliche and cheesy, but I don't care!  So how about just for a day - to celebrate my Birthday - just on April 1st 2010, spend the entire day being yourself, whatever that may be.  "Out beyond the ideas of right and wrong there is a field, I will meet you there."

~~~3.30.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  I wanted to find a way that somebody could easily own my entire catalog of music - meaning all 5 of my current albums plus any albums that I make in the future - and here is what I came up with: For $50 I will immediately put all 5 of my current CDs in the mail to you, then anytime in the future when I release a CD, I will email you to double-check your current mailing address and then I'll put your CD in the mail for free.  I always seek out all of my favorite artists complete catalog of music, and this seems like an easy, inexpensive way for me to offer this to my amazing fans.