Day 319: Eleven.Twenty.13

I had a lot of time with myself today. Some thoughts came to me:

I’ve less been active by choice, more by necessity, all these years. Literally not being able to sit still made dance my perfect outlet. I’ve had times in my life when I’m without this life-force and I always find myself in despair. I call it the thing that ‘saved’ me growing up.

I recently had my peace-love-and-art lifestyle chastised. I don’t like being made to feel less than. (Who does, of course?) But this time, I didn’t feel the need to fight back. I didn’t feel the need to prove myself – to MAKE them see the error of their ways.

If anything, it only made my resolve to LIVE this kind of life and REACH those kind of people more solidified. Because I’m telling you, everything, everything is easier, better, lovelier, when you can allow yourself to breathe and soak in any and all forms of creativity. I really, truly believe it to be so. It’s just a matter of being able to tap into that, particularly in a society where we are so often taught it’s not OK to be vulnerable and unique and ‘different.’

Today was the Presidential Medal of Freedom Reception. Sixteen individuals received the highest civilian honor for their “meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” It was a wonderful reminder of what, of course, I know to be true – people receive lifetime achievement awards for making this a safer, better, more loving place to live – not for contributing to violence and hate and ugliness.

—

Sometimes, it’s not about forgiveness but rather about simply letting go. Making the conscious decision to live happy is a powerful thing.

I let go of some built up emotions I’ve been feeling. Just like that. I. Let. Them. Go. Not for show, not to prove anything, but because I really truly no longer want to be burdened by them. I live a fairly drama-filled life. Not anything crazy, mind you. But I tend to thrive in a dynamic and situation-filled world. A friend recently helped me see that perhaps, in the love arena, this isn’t the way to go.

I feel power-full in letting go. My chest feels a bit less tight. My lips are involuntarily curling into the slightest smile. I feel. Content. On my couch. On my own. And that is perhaps the first time in a long time I can say that with any conviction.

Here’s to another day of creativity…

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Day 318: Eleven.Nineteen.13

I can’t wait to see this:

This is just too beyond adorable and makes me want one of each – a kid and a puppy:

Toddler naps with his 2-month old puppy every day

And this, this is just great, (more so the sexy men than the kittens for me, but I will admit, the cats are quite cute, too):

Hilarious Photos of Sexy Men and Adorable Cats in Similar Poses

And… the original Tumblr page that the photos came from – thanks to my friend for bringing my attention to it!:

Des Hommes et des Chatons

Here’s to another day of creativity…

Day 317: Eleven.Eighteen.13

I must first admit that I don’t really like beer.

And I haven’t been too keen on seeing that Heineken is behind all of these art sponsorships lately. It feels like exploitation. Commercialization. Totally my own judgement call – not like I have talked to any of the artists, or Heineken employees for that matter. I would just be admiring an awesome new mural in my neighborhood, and then my eye would get caught on the big beer company’s logo. “Ugh,” I would think to myself.

Now I must admit that I take it all back. (I even drank a beer – it was free.)

I attended the Heineken Green Room event at Liv Nightclub. A free evening that included local DJ talent 2-Tone Jones, California-native J Rocc (one of the most entertaining DJs I have ever witnessed live), with main act Black Thought and surprise guest… Talib Kweli.

I mean, WHAAAA?? It was a talent-packed night in an intimate AND FREE setting.

So, even though my skepticism can’t help but creep out when I see art being pushed by major corporations, I will also admit that it’s not always a bad thing.

Black Thought @ the Heineken Green Room event @ Liv Nightclub

Talib Kweli @ the Heineken Green Room event @ Liv Nightclub

Here’s to another day of creativity…

Day 316: Eleven.Seventeen.13

Had to stop on my way to work (and back up) to grab this shot. I love it.

(I’m absolutely shocked it didn’t get more ‘likes’ on instagram!)

Here’s to another day of creativity…

Day 315: Eleven.Sixteen.13

This day made me appreciate the art of running a restaurant/bar in a way I just never, ever could have before being amidst the madness. Tonight marked a record number of people and purchased drinks.

There was so much opportunity for error. So many many things could have gone wrong. And yet, somehow, even though it looked quite like chaos based solely on the sheer number of people, everyone working managed to stay cool, calm and collected. Well, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But at the very least, everyone on staff worked effortlessly as a team. It really was an incredible thing to watch – and be a part of.

And now, I want to sleep for three days straight.

Here’s to another day of creativity…

Day 314: Eleven.Fifteen.13

My step-mom shared this with me. It’s exactly perfect. And validating. And I want to make every person who has ever misunderstood me read it.

Why Creative People Sometimes Make No Sense

Here’s to another day of creativity…

Day 313: Eleven.Fourteen.13

The internet in my building wasn’t working. I had to venture down to one of the local coffee shops to get some work done. I’m usually all for the communal work environment. I’m building one of my own, after all. In this particular instance, though, I was really trying to be ‘good.’ Which in my world means not spending an exorbitant amount of money on my fancy coffee drink of choice and instead making my own and consuming it in my overpriced lobby, where I can work just as efficiently. So I was flustered when I sat down and couldn’t connect. Flustered again when I got to the coffee shop and realized I hadn’t brought my wallet. Flustered a third time when I returned, wallet in hand, and the woman behind the counter exclaimed, “Oh! I didn’t think you were coming back.”

In my enlightened economical state, I opted for a pot of tea over my usual soy latte concoction. I let the barista choose her favorite green variety for me.

On first sip I was immediately transported to the Japanese Tea Garden inside Golden Gate Park. (The oldest public Japanese garden in the US, I just learned.) I loved that place. I felt so fancy and worldly sitting in the pavilion, sipping a warm cup of tea, nibbling arare and cookies, and looking out over the lovely gardens.

All of a sudden, that flustered feeling left and I was glad for the momentary flashback. Wishing my tea drinking was indeed taking place in the serene gardens instead of in this bustling city setting.

It was such a vivid memory. It almost struck me physically. The smells, the sounds, the tastes. I didn’t know I remembered that memory – where had it been waiting all these many years? And how fascinating that a world away, a lifetime away, it came back so uncontrollably strong. How fascinating we human beings are, in ways not even we, the keepers of these types of experiences, can understand.

Here’s to another day of creativity…

Day 312: Eleven.Thirteen.13

This is crazy. I would do it in a heartbeat.

The craziest OKCupid date ever

In an online exchange after I posted the article and exclaimed I wanted to find a romantic fella like him to take me on this type of grand adventure, a friend told me it was a ‘special’ type of person that would do this (she meant it with love).

It was then I had a sort of epiphany about the kind of person I want to be (am?!), and the kind of ‘special’ a person who wants to be my significant other needs to be. Thank goodness it came when it did. Before that I was swimming in my own salty, wide open ocean of thoughts. Feeling discouraged and downtrodden about the prospect of me ever finding a special someone who lives up to my potential.

Here are a few things that I am now, gratefully, coming to know about myself:

• I live for this type of spontaneity, while at the same time I live a life anchored by details and plans and organization. It’s not a contradiction. It’s what makes navigating open, adventure-filled waters manageable; knowing there is something to keep me grounded when needed.
• I live for this type of creativity. I crave it – no, require it – in equal parts to the oxygen-rich particles my lungs depend on for my existence. This goes well beyond the “forge your own path” mentality. This is about continuously expanding and inventing our reality. Stagnant and status quo will never be good enough to enter my life’s vocabulary.
• I’ve got a full life. This is not me bragging. This is me coming to terms with all I have worked to build. I simply don’t have time to pull someone along for the ride. They need to come equipped with their own full sail, ready to chart even greater distances with me.
• I don’t have a list of required characteristics for my significant other. Except now, it seems I do. Whoever they are, whatever their background (and hopefully, it’s vastly different from mine) they have to, HAVE TO, understand, identify with, and encapsulate the above epiphanies.
• I so want my heart to catch up with my head and let this person in. I don’t want to spend a lifetime of settling in my romantic field all the while planting a rich, abundant life in all other realms.

Here’s to another day of creativity…

Day 311: Eleven.Twelve.13

I spend a majority of my time these days thinking about space. My space. Community space. Other people’s awesome space. Most specifically, how we are going to convince people with space to give us that space. So we can turn it into awesome creative community space for all to benefit from.

—

Flash backwards a few weeks; my boss offered his space – a bar and restaurant – for us to run a weekly party. No begging. No coaxing. No strings attached. He just, well, tried to convince us we should take it.

I ALMOST SAID NO.

I’m not a promoter, I thought.

I don’t know enough people who will come out on a Wednesday night and spend money at a bar to make this viable, I thought.

This isn’t my ideal space, I thought.

—

Flash forwards a few weeks; our party starts Wednesday, December 4th and I’m SO excited about it.

After talking to my collaborators, it became clear how insanely dumb it would be to pass up free, no strings attached space.

So what if it’s not exactly what I envision my space to look like, I thought.

We will make it exactly what we envision a creative party to be like, I thought.

We will find the people to come because it’s a great enough concept to get them there, I thought.

—

It will include all the ‘d’ things that make a party great – DJ, dancing, drink specials… Ours though. Ours will be focused on the ‘a’ things – the art and artists that make this city special. With a little out of the box thinking we have turned a usual thing into something that makes us at ReSourceArts all geeked out – highlighting all the awesome that’s coming out of the creative community in DC, sharing that with the DC community at large, and having everyone benefit from it. (Think art being sold, deals and specials on cool stuff being offered, raffles on one-of-a-kind pieces and experiences, all while there is great music playing and friendly bartenders pouring your favorite drinks…)

—

And the biggest lesson I have learned as I grow into my youthful years of wisdom; I don’t have to do all of this all alone. I’m amassing a small but mighty team with the skill sets to make this awesome.

More info on the party will be available HERE.

Here’s to another day of creativity…

Day 310: Eleven.Eleven.13

I wish I had written this.

I wish I was at the point where I could reflect on, and write this, with some amount of clarity and security.

At least, for now, I’m grateful to have read it.

11 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started My Business

Here’s to another day of creativity…