Mobile Documentation of Flowers, Bethesda, MD

I woke up this morning on the East Coast, I'm visiting my brother, and I decided to go for a walk.  The last time I was here, it was January and the scenery has changed quite a bit.  Being from the central coast in California, I'm not really used to season changes and I have been astounded by the differences in the trees, the flowers, the animals, not to mention, the weather!

I decided to take the same walk I would take in January, along this one residential road that spits out on both ends to freeway entrances.  The walk seemed much shorter this time, maybe that's because last time it was 35 degrees out?

I was stopped, periodically, by all of the different flowers in bloom.  I've never been one to really marvel at flowers but all of these flowers were so beautiful! The colors were so vibrant and to see them now, after being here in the winter.  I now understand why poets and writers refer to it as "the dead of winter."

I don't know if you can really tell, but this little bushel of white flowers had more fallen flowers around the bush, in the dirt, than on the actual bush.  I thought this was so beautiful.  The flowers were so soft and delicate and it made me think of a lover weeping and using these beautiful flowers to wipe his/her tears and/or blow his/her nose.  I see myself here, because I'm a big advocate of crying and a huge avid participant of the practice, except, in my case, rather than use delicate, beautiful flowers, I have kleenex, but bear with me :)

I had only taken my cell phone with me, I usually don't even do that but unlike usual, I'm traveling with other people (my parents) and we have plans and an itinerary to follow! But the good thing about having my cell phone is that I was able to take photos to share with all of you!

Pretty Purple Flowers

 

Rose 

Beauty

Is there some sort of natural or symbiotic connection between yellow and purple flowers? I always see them growing  together and for years I thought it was the taste of the gardener, wow, must have good taste, but then it occurred so many times in nature that I am convinced that this must be an act of a bigger, more tasteful gardener...

 

Travel

"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." RLS

How true!

I read that yesterday and it totally defines my life's philosophy. I love to travel. I love to see new things and talk to people and smell the smells of different lands. I live to see the landscape and see if I can identify the differences in the plants and animals that are foreign to me. The flavors of distinct regions of the world, or state, or even city, can be so discretely, but at the same time, completely variable. I really value the importance of travel for so many reasons but especially to see other people's beliefs and ways of life, hopefully learn a thing or 2 to improve my own life, even if that improvement comes in the form of knowing that I am satisfied with my life style and don't like the lifestyle that I observed elsewhere.

The other thing that was astounding about this quote is that I find it incredible that someone else, from a different time can so accurately explain my emotions. It's a tribute to the similarity of humans. We may often think about our feelings as unique but how wrong is that? Everything we've felt, other humans potentially have the capacity to feel as well. How amazing is that? To know that you have a sort of emotional connection with a poet from the 5th century BC who spoke a language that is now extinct! Or that people have been falling in love, feeling betrayed, suffered due to their emotions for, well, I don't even know how long but it's been documented in the form of literature since at least the 7th century BC. How cool is that?

I wish for humanity that we hold on to those things we have in common. And that we cherish those priceless things, like love and emotions, even loneliness and sadness.

Il Vecchio

Yesterday evening I had dinner at Il Vecchio, an Italian restaurant in Pacific Grove. It was awesome!

This restaurant has been open for 6 months and what success it has had! It is quite unique in that it was built and decorated by a young artist, native to the area, who now lives in New York. Her work is incredible, see her blog for more on her, her work, etc. She brought wood from NY and everywhere in between there and here and built the restaurant by hand! She made the tables, the bar, the everything and what a beautiful work of art it is! You must check it out.

In addition to the beauty of the place, the food is excellent, the people are incredibly friendly, and the ambiance is just right. The lights are just the perfect dimness. (Is that a word?) The wood gives it a warmth, a homey feeling, so that you feel like you're in a friend's cottage, not a restaurant. It is notable to mention that there are plenty of vegetarian options, gluten free options AND the pasta and gnocchi is made fresh daily! I could sit here and lengthily describe my dining experience to you, we all know I can talk, but I really think you should to go experience it yourself, as all things in life. The drinks are very reasonably priced and so is the food!

Tiramisu, I don't normally do dessert, I was simply being polite (wink wink)

Sea of Change

Yesterday a friend and I attended the TEDx conference "Sea of Change." For those of you unfamiliar with TED, it stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. Their catchphrase is "Ideas worth spreading," and you would be proud to know that they started out hosting their conferences at Asilomar Conference Grounds in 1984!

Basically what it is is experts or experienced people in a specific field, coming together to talk about that field/subject matter. For example, yesterday was Sea of Change, there were all sorts of people who had a personal or professional relationship with the Ocean. We heard from marine biologists, ecologists, students, environmentalists, naturalists, business owners, a fisherman, and even a woman who swam the Catalina Island Channel, English Channel, Bering Strait, the Cook Strait in New Zealand, Straits of Magellan in Chile and the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, among others. Oh, I would also like to mention that she swam the English Channel and broke both the women's and men's records at the age of 15!

It was so inspirational and beautiful. The fact that people get together to talk about what they do, what they are passionate about and what they see for the future. It is brilliant. If you ever get the chance to attend one of these events, do it! Or! You can even host a TEDx conference. Check out their website for more information and/or to watch a number of talks from previous events.

Keep thinking...keep spreading your ideas people, this is wonderful, this is what brings out innovation in our world. This is how we move forward, effectively and positively as a society and as a culture.

Care for your weave

You all know I have curly hair. Well, if you know me you do. It's a common conversation starter. People often ask if it's natural, what products I use, if I ever straighten it, if so, how long it takes, etc.

I have learned that you have to take care of what you have. I treat myself to a hair cut about once every six months and I get really high quality products to nurture it.

It's great, you should find something that is of you, for you and treat yourself to it every so often. I came in and had a tea while my hair stylist cut my hair, massaged my scalp, washed it, styled it and here I am, sitting under the hair dryer, telling you about it! It's a break in the routine. As my aunt always says, you have to break the routine so that you can miss it. And eagerly go back to it, refreshed.

If you want a great haircut in Monterey, visit salon Beija Vu on bonifacio in Monterey. For curly hair, ask for a deva cut with Michael.

Kisses and curls :)

Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten

People often comment about the way their friends or family spend their money. Whether one chooses to pay $4.50 for a cup of coffee daily, $2000 on a fine piece of art, $15 for a salad, etc.

I firmly believe that we are at liberty to spend our money the way we deem fit. Nobody can tell us what is the "right" or "wrong" way to spend money. You may not agree with the way someone else spends their money, but that's okay, don't implement those practices in your life. For example, I don't need to pay $100 to go to a "professional" basketball game, it doesn't do anything for me, but if you want to do that, I don't mind, enjoy, if it makes you happy, by all means, do it! You may not spend $3.00 on a loaf of ciabatta bread from a local bakery, like I do. You may prefer to go to Costco, where you can buy 3 loaves of bread for that price.

What I am getting at is that you are making a lifestyle choice with the way you choose to spend your money. My $3.00 at the local bakery is supporting the bakers and the historic building the bakery is located in, the plethora of cute girls that work behind the counter, a slower lifestyle, where I get to talk to the producer of my food, etc. How cool! I have a personal relationship with the people who make my food and the people who sell me my food, I know that they are using ingredients that are of the highest quality and that we share similar beliefs in ways of life. It's real. You may think that this is putting too much thought into how we purchase our food but if you don't put thought into that, what do you put thought into? The food you eat is what keeps you alive. We often don't think about that in this society. Nobody I know has ever gone hungry. Food is so disposable and abundant that we forget that we need it to survive. It nourishes us. Without it, we would die. Seriously. That used to be a reality and it still is for some people, but for most people in our society, food is a chore or a treat or a vice. Most people eat without thinking where the food came from or where the food is going or what it is doing.

So if you are reading this, I just ask you to think about it. Think about what you consume. Think about how often you consume and who made your food, where did it come from. Who picked that apple? Who, or rather, what, made those crackers? Is the $3 for the fresh produce a better investment than the $.50 for the canned green beans. It is an investment, because, after all, your food nourishes you, the vitamins and the minerals in the food you eat affect your body, they aid in its optimal function. I don't know how much vitamins and minerals remain in canned green beans. You may end up paying the difference in medical bills or your health.

Take time to smell the roses

It's amazing how we often are blind to the beauty that surrounds us. I live in California, on the coast and needless to say, it's gorgeous. I can see the ocean from my house and I see the ocean on my drive to work daily but if I don't make myself, I can go a long time without actually going to the beach! The other day, I was running errands and it was a gorgeous day. The Pacific Ocean was actually pacific (peaceful) and I couldn't help it, I had to go to the beach. It was magnetic. The car drove itself to the beach and I did not resist. I sat on the stone wall that separated the shore from the bike path and watched a father skip rocks with his son, girls tanning on the beach, moms trying to rest as their children dumped cold water on them, basically, your typical beach scene. I sat and just took it all in, I "people watched," relaxed, breathed, just was, and it was really nice.

Beach, to my left (Lover's Point, Pacific Grove)

Beach, to my right (Lover's Point, Pacific Grove)

I think it would be great if we allowed ourselves to do that every so often, even if it was everyday, for just 15 minutes. Stop and take time for yourself, look out at the ocean or the forest or the park and just let go. Let go of the guy who cut you off on the freeway or the person at work who was not-so-friendly to you and just enjoy your surroundings.

Decisions

I think it's really amazing how we insist on putting labels on people or defining people. Maybe that's how we work as humans, to help us understand others, we have to put them in a box with reference to us so that we can relate (or not relate) to them.

Last night I was having dinner with the coaches I work with for the track team I help to coach. One of the men made a bet with me that by ten years I would be 1. married or engaged, 2. have a kid or seriously thinking about it and 3. have a mortgage. Maybe I will have all of these things or maybe I will have none or maybe I will have 1. He said assimilation is unavoidable. What a pessimistic way to think about life! I mean, marriage and children and mortgages are not bad things but I am not assimilating to them. I better get married because I love my partner or have children because that is what I really, whole-heartedly want. And having a mortgage, it's not necessary. Maybe that's the formula people have or had in this society, but you don't have to live that way. You can enjoy your life and not "assimilate." You can be happy renting a house in a different city everywhere in the world, for a year or two at a time. Or you can decide that you don't want to have children. Or maybe marriage isn't for you, and solitude is what you prefer.

Life isn't about assimilating or making decisions because it's time to because society deems it fit. I think you should live your life according to your personal beliefs and level of comfort with the decisions you make. What a miserable life it would be if you just went along with the motions that society demanded of you. Caving to social pressures is easy but I don't think that it's necessary, yea people might give you a hard time, trust me, people give me a hard time about the way I live my life all the time. But at the end of the day, when I put my head down on my pillow to sleep, I am subject to my conscience. My conscience can be happy with the way I am living my life and the decisions I have made and I can sleep peacefully knowing that I have been true to myself. Or I can put my head down on that pillow and suffer the questioning and re-questioning and thinking and re-thinking of the decisions I made and didn't make and am truly unhappy with.

It's all about decisions and having the strength to listen to your heart.

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!"