Saturday, April 28, 2012

Let's Dance!



Check out this fabulous video. It is all-inspiring for me. I love to dance, and I love to walk. Heck, why not do both! I think I've actually been caught doing this before, but it was on the outside deck of the ferry from Vancouver.

Get your groove on, baby! Let's dance!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Begin it now


I'm reading "Bringing Yoga to Life" by Donna Farhi. I'm inspired. And I have a few quotes to share:

"Regardless of the specific form of meditation we choose or the specific style or tradition of Yoga we practice, we can begin to channel our energy by asking the questions, 'Are my choices supporting what is deeply satisfying in my life?' And, 'Are my choices leading to long-term freedom or short-lived pleasure?' If we went through an average day asking these questions, our day might look quite different. These kinds of questions lead us to evaluate what is important to us and to choose to what purpose we will devote our time and energy."

And, an introductory quote from a chapter called 'The Freedom of Discipline':

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now." 
-- Goethe

Saturday, April 14, 2012

The Dolphin's Tooth

I achieved something spectacular: I finished a novel. This is wonderful news.



The Dolphin's Tooth, written by Bruce Kirkby, a Canadian, only eight years my senior, is about the fine tuning of listening to that inner voice telling you there is more to life than sitting at a desk, about taking leaps of faith, and ending up on a path to endless adventures and a life worth living. It's a miraculous life story, and the guy is still in his forties.

I couldn't help but notice a little envy creeping around my head as I read his novel. But I also noticed myself turning that envy into inspiration: motivation to create my own reality, to plan adventures with my family and to take opportunities that may at first seem risky or illogical. For adventures like these are the salt of life.

The headings of Bruce's chapters are quotations regarding adventure. Two, in particular, resonated within me.

"The cure for anything is salt water; sweat, tears, or the sea."
- Isak Dinesen

And...

"Of the gladdest moments of human life, methinks, is the departure on a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off, with one mighty effort, the fetters of Habit, the leaden weight of Routine, the cloak of many Cares, and the slavery of Home, one feels once more happy. The blood flows with the fast circulation of childhood.... A journey, in fact, appeals to Imagination, to Memory, to Hope - the three sister graces of our moral being."

- Sir Richard Francis Burton, ZANZIBAR

I'm inspired.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Pop Culture

Do I know the latest fun songs on the radio? What movies are in the theatre? Uh, no. But, I find myself reciting the following in my mind as I sit in the bath:

Ben's band. Bim's band. Big bands. Pig bands.
Bim and Ben lead bands with brooms.
Ben's band bangs and Bim's band booms.



Dr. Seuss is pop culture, right? Well, from many, many moons ago.

I secretly feel kind of privileged not to be a part of the mainstream coolness factor. It's so much easier not knowing about all that stuff, and therefore not caring about it or spending time trying to be immersed in it all.

Plus, my memorization of Dr. Seuss literature probably makes for a much better party discussions, should I ever find myself at a party these days. Ha! Yeah, right.