Today not Tomorrow

I just took a risk. I am AMAZED at the fact that it is one of the more scary things I've done in my recent past. Right now I'm feeling like it was the scariest thing I've ever done, and all I did was just ask for a little help, from people that really inspire me nonetheless. A little advice, some thoughts, nothing huge. In all reality it's something I could have avoided and figured out on my own. But now people know that I'm serious. Just one small beginning can change alot, yet so often I've found myself putting things off making various excuses and just copping out on some level that leads me astray. Boy I wonder where this new intention of mine is going to take me. I feel an odd mixture of courage and fear in me right now. I need to post the "Rules for Living on the Edge" on here sometime. DING! I just got an idea. Cheers to being radical...

I may have just realized a new theme

I feel good right now. I feel damn good. I feel great. I've got a ton of energy. I wasn't going to hop right onto the internet to type away on my blog, but I felt inspired to because too often I let these sorts of feelings pass by without actually stopping to contemplate and and on some level SHARE where I'm at in life.

One of the prevailing themes so far during my travels is this: You never know when, but there are certain occasions when we meet one person, or have some small conversation, or partake in some new experience, that can completely send your world in a different direction. Maybe you meet your future wife, or soon to be multi-millionaire business partner, or simply a friend for life. Maybe you are graced with some new brilliant idea. Who really knows what can happen? One thing I do know for sure, is that the more you put yourself out there, the more you go past your comfort zone - even in super small ways - you bring yourself more into alignment with the excitment that is life, and the more you attract great things to you. With a little patience you gain a better understanding of the cyclical nature to our days and weeks, the ebb and flow, and you gain a supreme gratitude for the unique being you really are.

I just got out of what I feel to be. Wow, and what a revelation, stay with me here I'm thinking as I type (or is it typing as I think? Or the chicken before the egg, or...?) I just got out of a ten minute meeting which I think just changed my life. Of course it didn't really "change" it because it's a path I've been on, but hot damn! I just talked with one of my professors here and it finally happened. I got a 'lead', I got some more direction, I have finally recieved some guidance to pursue the areas I'm REALLY interested in. Ok let's be honest. I've gotten alot of guidance before. We all have. From our parents, friends, family, God, the Universe, its all the same. Thing is sometimes this guidance screams at you and sometimes you've just got to trust your gut, sometimes you've just got to deal with the rain before you can appreciate the sunshine.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this ten minute experience that I just got out of, but I don't care. I can't NOT read too much into it. I wasn't going to go, had no strong aspirations to do it, didn't really seem like a great use of my time, but I scheduled the meeting, and I've learned that diligence and integrity can open up some pretty amazing doors. I haven't done any further research on the things we talked about because... well because I'm on here, but the point right now isn't about what's next, it's about me finally getting some affirmation from the world that I really truely wooly (as my philosophy professor would say) am pursuing one of my many passions.

The past few days I had been in one of those moods. One of those "I'm grateful I'm in Australia and having a great time but maybe I'm not really 'doing it' in the right way" kinda moods. Problem was I had started to compare my own self to everyone and everything around me. I'm usually really good at just living my own life for the happiness that I find, but every so often we slip. I started wondering if I should be out partying more, if all of this work and self - inquiry, as rewarding as it has been, was really worth it - why bother spending time on creating the life I want? No one else seems to be doing it. But that's why what I'm doing is working. Because no one else is doing it. And I'm not making judgements about how anyone else lives their life, more power to them for the decisions they make. I just needed take a second and remind myself that I'm a freakin superhero, and I'm 'doing EVERYTHING right'.

People just don't do that enough. You should try it sometime, give yourself a little credit. It feels pretty darn good (and if it doesn't right away keep practicing and you'll have that 'winning feeling' in no time...)

Cheers to you and MacBeth, which I'm going to see at the Opera House tonight. Rockin.

Some things that have struck me since I've been here

I'm rediscovering my passion for the environment and during my time here I intend on attracting a way I can integrate that passion with a career in Psychology. There's a few things that strike me as an encouraging advancement in environmentally friendly practices:

1) It's my understanding that legislation has been passed requiring by I believe 2008 that all buildings replace their normal incandescant light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs, and no stores may sell standard incandescant light bulbs or else offending parties may face a fine. Granted there are pretty serious ethical implications in this; whether government or anyone has the right to force people to do this is a question I'm interested in, but on the surface I like it. A simple, small change by a household can collectively yield huge benefits (or detriments depending on which way you go) towards the environment.

2) Rain catching tanks: All over New Zealand, and some areas of Australia as well, people have huge tanks attached to their rain gutters as the ONLY source of their water. I assume they have some sort of purification systems for them due to the pollutants that may be present in rain, and I would have to believe that something like that would be imperative to have in parts of the US as a basic health precaution. Granted I haven't done any research, I don't understand why even areas WITH an abundant supply of water wouldn't take advantage of this.

3) Toilets. I have no idea if it's true that the water flushes in a different direction. The thought suddenly comes to me that I could just look at a sink as it drains - glad I'm open enough to allow these sort of GENIUS thoughts into my life. Anyways, their toilets are designed to conserve water by forcing water into the drain instead of 'funneling' it down, and they have two buttons, as I understand it one's for a 'half' flush, one's for a 'full' flush (for that especially long day in the office).

I have to believe that people in the US do take advantage of these sorts of technologies, I just don't recall seeing stuff like this before (ok I have seen energy saving lightbulbs). If nothing else, it's an area to improve on within the US, or at the very least, a personal aspiration to learn more about. My understanding of this stuff isn't likely to be dead on, so I encourage you to look into it more yourself if you're curious. Let me know what you learn, I love this stuff.

Pictures of Logie - bear make me feel wonderful

Logie - bear is my nephew, Logan. Also known as stud or pimp master Bannan, and similar to my all time favorite superhero Wolverine, who also goes by Logan, but is not nearly at the same level of bad - assness as Mr. Bannan. I feel so grateful he's in my life because I have the privieldge to understand this excerpt below in relation to him and his development. Who do you want to be like when you grow up? I want to be like Logan. Remember Rule Number 6.

"Step 6: Spend some time observing babies, and vow to emulate their joy. You didn't come forth into this world to suffer, to be anxious, fearful, stressful, or depressed. You came from the God-consciousness of joy. Just watch little babies. They've done nothing to be so happy about. They don't work; they poop in their pants; and they have no goals other than to expand, grow, and explore this amazing world. They love everyone, they're completely entertained by a plastic bottle or goofy faces, and they're in a constant state of love - yet they have no teeth, no hair, and they're pudgy and flatulent. How could they possibl[y] be so joyful and easily pleased? Because they're still in harmony with the Source that intedned them here; they have no resistance to being joyful. Be like that baby you once were in terms of being joyful. You don't need a reason to be happy... your desire to be so is sufficient."

Yet again, from the Power of Intention, by Dr. Wayne Dyer.

Remember Rule Number 6

I read this in Power of Intention by Dr Wayne Dyer (from the book by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander - The Art of Possibility). I like it, so here ya go.

"Two prime ministers are sitting in a room discussing affairs of state. Suddenly a man bursts in, apologetic with fury, shouting and stamping and banging his fist on the desk. The resident prime minister admonishes him: "Peter,"he says, "kindly remember Rule Number 6," Whereupon Peter is instantly restored to complete calm, apologizes, and withdraws.

The politicians return to their conversation, only to be interrupted yet again twenty minutes later by an hysterical woman gesticulating wildly, her hair flying. Again the intruder is greeted with the words: "Marie, please remember Rule Number 6." Complete calm descends once more, and she too withdraws with a bow and an apology. When the scene is repeated for a third time, the visiting prime minister addresses his colleague: "My dear friend, I've seen many things in my life, but never anything as remarkable as this. Would you be willing to share with me the secret of Rule Number 6?"

"Very simple,"replies the resident prime minister. "Rule Number 6 is 'Don't take yourself so goddamn seriously.'" "Ah," says his visitor, "that is a fine rule." After a moment of pondering, he inquires, "And what, may I ask, are the other rules?"
"There aren't any."

I went camping over the weekend...

I finally got out of Sydney this past weekend. I met some friends, a bunch of French people (some French some French Canadians) about a week ago, and they invited me along to go camping with them. I was so delighted to go, and so happy to meet this group of people because I just don't think I would have stayed sane if all I did in my free time was go to clubs or pubs and all of that other wild and crazy party stuff. Long story short, I was looking for some people like this.

I started my day off early and packed WAY too much stuff in my backpack. I have no idea how it got to be so heavy, but I knew very well I was only staying for one night. I walked around town, in and out of shops and malls, along city streets, winding among mobs of people in the middle of the wonderfully steamy day - drenched in sweat (sexy) lugging a 40 - 500 pound pack around - looking for a tent for the first two hours of the day before I met up with the four others. I never found a tent that was within my current financial means, but I did find a $15 tarp at zero hour, right before I left the grocery store on our way to the train. SCORE! Now I had the option of sleeping in a tent or under a tarp.

Train ride was great, got to see some of the country side, had a good talk with George from the Czech Republic. He had decided to stop drinking for awhile because he wanted to get refocused with his life, said he does that from time to time. I admire that; when anyone has the wits about them to take a step back to look at any sort of the 'big picture' in their lives is a very purposeful thing.

So amazing. How perspectives can differ... for instance how we often wish some things in life were cheaper, or free, or to have more money naively thinking we would be better off if such were the case. The truth of the matter is that it's good to have to work hard for things, because that investment becomes so much more valuable when we consider quitting.

George commented that he wished his schooling wasn't as cheap as it was (practically free) because otherwise he would have a degree right now. He wouldn't have started and quit his studies on three seperate occasions. He would have a little more direction because his investment would have implored him to continue with the courses he decided to take. In an ideal world the most imporant investment we would respond to would simply be our time and for the sake of life, but in reality that's seldom a tremendous motivator when compared to something like money.

Camping was absolute heaven. Met some Aussies at the train station who took us aboout 20 minutes out of Woy Woy (the town's name) to our semi - destination. We had to get out of this gigantic truck and walk for a bit (ok it was a station wagon, but quite the off - roader) so that we could get past some boulders, rocks, and ruts on our way there. 5 minutes in the sun and we were already wiped out. I loved it. Then we had to hike for 15 minutes down another rocky, winding, slope to our actual campsite. Sandals weren't a smart choice that day... nor the 500 pound 'day pack'... nor the thirty bomb of Tooheys with pack of quickly melting ice in my arms. But I got a great work out. And that ocean was sooo refreshing once I hoped in.

We had a little beach party that night. Some Aussies we met, along with another group of people from the UK, came down to join our group after awhile. They were all dancing around the fire as George switched between singing while playing the guitar (he had a funny song that was amazingly catchy and humorous, hopefully I can get one of the videos up here to share) to blasting out some SUPER sweet beats on his wicked awesome PORTABLE DRUM SET. I want one. It's a friggen box and it totally rocked my world.

I ended the night with a hug smile on my face, my hair embedded in the sand, eyes locked on the stars, fire smoldering, just chatting away with one of my new friends. I decided to sleep on the beach rolled up in my tarp. I had my bed sheet from home and snuggled up in my tarp tube. It amused me. Despite having grown up on Lake huron, I believe that's the first time I've ever actually SLEPT on a beach. All in all, glorious weekend.

I really want to work out some way to keep these posts shorter, but I also have soooo much to share... Oh the tortures that Australia has presented me. Hardy har har.

This made me giggle...

“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant that I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.”
- Mark Twain

Granted I don't really believe this about my father. It just reminded me of when I was fourteen, that was the during the period I was calling him Chewbacca, and my mother dearest Princess Leigha (ignore the spelling - you get the point).

That stuff's HILARIOUS.

Chewy 4 life

Perhaps it could change my life... again.

I haven't looked into this website too much but I'm excited about it so I wanted to share it. I'd insert a link here, but I clearly don't know what I'm doing. Go to www.43things.com if you're curious. I think it has wonderful potential to be a really powerful and effective resource. Let me know what you think.

Books that have recently rocked my world:

The Richest Man to Have Ever Lived by Steven K. Scott
The Heart's Code by Dr. Paul Pearsal

And I'm two chapters into it, but totally in tune with it's message:
The Power of Intention by Dr. Wayne Dyer

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes." - Marcel Proust

Whew, I'm in Australia. I've been here for 9 days now I think? I'm done with classes for the week. I've got them Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and they're all seeming to be pretty cool. Life has never been better. I've just set some new FANTASTIC goals for myself, and I'm staying open to the world and developing a better picture to the career path I want to take - and I've only been gone for two weeks!

New Zealand absolutely blew me away. I'm going back, no doubt about it - 8 days wasn't nearly enough time to spend there, but I"m so grateful I had that time. I could have done all the same stuff just traveling by myself and saved some money, but hoping on the Stray bus tour made it SO easy to meet people. I've had so many insightful fascinating conversations so far. When we were traveling at one point, my buddy Sam made the comment that he didn't realize places like this existed. Mountains soaring right out of lakes like sheets of glass, rolling green hills, wildlife, and adventure all around. The scale and grandness of the places we visited was beyond words, just God - like. I love the sublime.

One of the funnest times I had during that trip was when our tire blew out in the middle of no where. It was after we went to visit a sheep farm, which I find incredibly amusing to be a tourist attraction, where we got to shear some sheep and check out the sheep dogs doing their thing. THOSE GUYS ARE AMAZING... stark contrast to my dog Duffy who wouldn't even put up Pheasant for my dad. It'd be entertaining to work there for a few days, but I'd probably only go back there to get that darn gigabyte memory card full of pictures that's likely laying in some sheep turds. ANYWAYS. We were stranded on the road and our driver had no idea how to change the tire. Some of the passengers took the lead and spent a solid half hour trying to turn the nuts in the wrong direction, which was a funny realization to have, and then we spent a good deal of time more with three grown men jumping on the wrench because the nuts were frozen. Rather amusing.

I could write a novel of all the things I've experienced and perspectives I've been exposed to. All in all, my time in New Zealand was wonderful.

I have 3 other roomates in Australia. The one I'm rooming with is from Brazil and the other two are Americans. Three of us hang out all the time, but the fourth guy is always doing his own thing. Fine by me, I just hope he feels comfy in his own house. I didn't really feel like I was in Australia for awhile there, more like America, especially because there are SO many Americans around where I live. But we finally got downtown and saw the bridge and the Opera House. We were just wandering the streets exploring and they kind of exploded out at us from around a bend. It took a bit to sink in, I was like "Oh golly gee, that's a big bridge, and shucks that's a cool design for the Opera house..." and then I wondered how many times I had seen those images in a picture, or painting, or film.

"HOLY CRAP I'M IN AUSTRALIA!" Was the general response I had. So many little things I could write about. But I'll just leave with this little story, and a declaration of my next trip: I'm heading to Manchu Picchu (I think that's how you spell it) for two weeks at some point next year, with my central intention to get a guide to hike through the forest to the ruins. I'm making plans for it as we speak, just trying to stay open to what the universe has in store for me. I decided to do this because of a couple I met.

For those who don't know me well, I'm addicted to anything involving leadership and personal growth, most notably the concept involving the Law of Attraction. So before my trip I devoted (and continue to do so) a lot of time towards creating and attracting to my life the sort of experience I wanted to have while abroad; I'm very much in the learning stages with these ideas though, so I more or less just started toying with it to see what would happen. One of those, "What if it really would work?" sort of things. One little 'experiment' I did was to see if I could attract a seatmate that would in some way change my life, or become a mentor, or just impact me in a really unique way. Well it happened.

I met some pleasant people on my way out, good conversations, but more just exchanging pleasantries. From LA to New Zealand I don't think I even said one word to anyone except when I had to take a piss. But when I was leaving AH CRAP I JUST REALIZED WHAT HAPPENED. Sorry. When I was heading to Australia, leaving New Zealand, I was running late for my plane, I was like the last one on, and some lady was in my seat thinking she was in row 13 instead of 14. I just traded her seats instead of making her get up. I'd have rather sat by the pleasant young couple I was assigned to sit by instead of the OLD people I ended up sitting by.

You see, I was weary from my last flight arriving to Queenstown, that since they were OLD they would try giving me a bunch of pointless insight on how they wish an entire friggen airport would move one entire friggen mountain valley over so that they wouldn't have to drive their car so far or some other amazingly enlightening conversation similar to that... and I was just getting to the adventure capital of the world. WHOOO WEEE. (That reminds me of some eastern saying... wu wei (woo way) I believe it is. Can't remember what it means, go with the flow, or like water, or... geeze that's gonna bother me) Anyways, I'm glad I'm never getting OLD.

Ok I wasn't really that cynical or worried, you don't have time to feel that way when you're on 'cloud nine billion', I asked where they were from when I realized they were Americans and time just 'flew' by from there. They were retired and spent about 6 months out of the year traveling. Hearing their stories got me so inspired to do more, and grateful to be in that seat.

Let me be clear: I don't believe in coincidences, nothing 'just happens' and the more I open myself up to it, the more I've experienced synchronicities like this in my life. I had litterally decided and commited to myself that I would continue traveling for two weeks straight every single year of my life RIGHT before I hopped on that plane, I had already experienced such an amazing new side of life I couldn't bear to imagine not doing more. They implored me to go to Manchu Picchu as soon as I commented about my recent decision.

They left me with a passion. They left me with great advice. And of course, I got their email. What I was looking for though mostly, was the direction they left me with. Another aspiration. Another dream and goal. A vision for future possibilities, and a revived awareness that at any point in time you can meet someone who will become a friend for life, or change the path you walk in a huge, grand way. I don' t think I'm relating very hell how impactful that experience was for me, but that's ok for now, there's more juicy details I can include at some other point.

I freaked out earlier that I didn't meet any hugely inspirational person on any of my previous flights because all of the affirmations I wrote down, and visualizing I did, involved me going to AUSTRALIA, not New Zealand. I forgot, somehow or another, that the Law of Attraction is always giving you exactly what you're asking for, to the 'T' good or bad. These things, of creating and attracting the things present in your life might sound weird or pretty 'new agey' to alot of people, but they're powerful. The more I learn the better I feel, and more exciting my life becomes.

Enough writing for me, cheers to you.