Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Bestill My Heart...

Courtesy HuffPost & StarzUncut

Okay... so I knew that I'd be going to Coachella this year. After 4 years abroad, it's only natural to take advantage of the good things living in SoCal has to offer. But this?

I know this is only the manifestation of a leaked rumor - but hot damn. I am all in.

FTW...

...by which I mean 'Food Truck Wednesday', naturally.
Sliders and Tater Tots
I know... December in Irvine is rough.
Blackberry Lemonade

I'm still trying to get my hands on some good old-fashioned lemonana, but until I rock up on Little Tel Aviv (field trip, anyone?) or open my own food truck, this might just do.

Next week: scenes from the picnic tables.

I Can't Get No...


Wow. This is likely the best thing I could have seen today. I've been thinking a lot about resolutions: who I want to be and how to get there.... And I realize that I need to do what ever it takes to stay hungry for more. Knowledge. Love. Understanding. Movement. Growth.

So this year I resolve to give thanks for the people in my life who help my wounded spirit try again in those instances I pause too long, get too comfortable and backslide.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

On Traditions...

Aimee, Bill, Nana
Bunny ears make everything 'gangster'
Regroup for the real smiles....
Frankincense, Gold, Myrrh
Or... 3 wise women prepping for the New Year!

I hope that your holidays are happy!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Anthropology...


A hilarious ethnography on upper-middle class (lower upper class?) urban women who are kind of liberal but whose friends all look like them.

Even though I'm only kind of liberal, I realize that I've said everything in here at least once - with the exception of the stink-eye aided "I'm on the phone" ...because that's just rude.

And to all of my friends who work in computers, I'm sorry.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Courtesy My Nana...

It seems I'm not the only one who has noticed that The Most Wonderful Time of the Year... now spans half of the year. The Christmas Can Can is clever and catchy - enjoy!

Disclaimer: I'm not being a cynical jerk, I just think this is funny.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

...Let There Be Light

Maybe it's because these photos from NASA (courtesy A Cup Of Jo) are so lovely and serene, or maybe it's because our days will start to get longer and warmer (crosses fingers...) - but I feel a little reflection is in order.
East
West

So the biggest change in my life this year is the cross-globe move I made from Israel to the States at the beginning of August. I tell you that there was not a small amount of nervous excitement in that move. But I'm finding that the smaller ripple changes that resulted from that move have been correspondingly profound.

One of my biggest challenges has been holding on to the lessons of material detachment I learned (emphasis on earned) in Israel, particularly now that I'm living in a capitalistic society again. Being able to put that lesson to the test, so to speak, really makes me proud of myself. I also find that I'm thinking about and appreciating the idea of capitalism in a much different way... mostly by reevaluating what it is that I'd like to foster and invest in.

Which brings me to the true joy I've found in my new "extra-curricular" activities. At least once a week (but now that school is done, I aim to spend more time), I work some of the smartest, coolest, and kindest people I've ever met. As a team, we're learning how change our culture and society in positive ways: we examine things like the effects of unity and friendship versus the destructive effects of gossip and "cliques". We think about our impact on the world socially, materially, and spiritually and really think long and hard about the kind of people we want to be: how to be a true friend; how to be wise stewards of our environment.

I am learning so much from these people, who, by the by, are between the ages of 9 and 11.

Spend some quality learning time with children and youth, yourselves - it's the best investment I've ever made!

Happy...!

Source: garancedore.fr via Aimee on Pinterest

So my Papa Jim just sent me an email wishing me a Merry Christmas, and I thought I'd pay it forward in a "may your days be merry and bright kind of way"... particularly as the shortest day of the year is upon us.

What's your share the light in your heart strategy? [wow... that sounds really "my blog is my full time job/hipster about town" to me, too.] But seriously? I'm making pasta with friends tonight and couldn't be more stoked!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

!!!!!!!!!!!

Further to my previous (like 2.5 seconds ago) post - El Ten Eleven will be playing in Santa Ana on the 30th! If you're going to be around, we should go.

Holler.

The Wednes Monster...

Okay. I know... sometimes my ability to be corny and to abuse any and all "pun making" privileges astounds even myself. But I have my very last class and final today... and I'm a little giddy. It may or may not have something to do with the fact that in order to work my full day of work and still get to class on time, I have to come in to work at 5. In the am. As in "oh -dark-thirty" for those of you on military time. But my early morning, first cup of coffee thoughts led me in the direction of how similar Wednes and Loch Ness are - and why do we say "wins-day"?

So I guess we can say that my ability to run with a tangent is equally astounding.

Which brings me to the impetus for this little post. This song is the business. It is equal parts meditation and inspiration - really excellent for all kinds of things. Like writing papers, cramming for finals and/or working.

Big shout out to El Ten Eleven for being awesome and just what I needed. Cheers.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Nobel Peace Ladies...

(L-R)
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia
Leymah Gbowee, Champion of Women's Rights (Liberia)
Tawakkul Karman, Icon of the Arab Spring Protest (Yemen)
[2011 Nobel Peace Prize recipients]


"The woman is indeed of the greater importance to the race. She has the greater burden and the greater work. Look at the vegetable and the animal worlds. The palm which carries the fruit is the tree most prized by the date grower. The Arab knows that for a long journey the mare has the longest wind. For her greater strength and fierceness, the lioness is more feared by the hunter than the lion.

The woman has greater moral courage than the man; she has also special gifts which enable her to govern in moments of danger and crisis…." - 'Abdu'l-Baha, from an address given in London.

I don't mean this to sound like man-bashing... because it is not. But it is nice to see the contributions and achievements of women recognized, particularly in the field of peace building and community development.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Happy Friday...


My Chaucer class is winding to a close (the final is in T-minus 5 days and counting) and I'm getting giddy, y'all! Naturally my interweb addiction has become correspondingly more pronounced.

Rawr.

On Thicker Blood...

Via the perennially lovely Fleur

I can't believe that it's been almost three years since I was in Paris. ...freezing, wearing multiple (borrowed) unmatched layers and surrounded by stylish and chic Parisienne's - apparently immune to the cold. *And I mean snow. I know that I'm from Israel and SoCal, so you might not trust my value judgments on what constitutes cold: but this was it!

And I have to say that pictures like this take me right back. Because I'm shaking like a leaf here, and it's only in the 50s during the day (30s at night)... and these ladies are so cute it hurts me. So my recourse is to wear layer upon layer of figure morphing sweater, or to thicken my blood and walk out like a boss.

Which brings to me to my central question: how does DO that! Holler.

On Homesickness....


This was shot literally down the street from my flat in Haifa. These guys - Broken Fingaz - have art up all over the city, but especially in my old neighborhood: Hillel & Masada Streets.

Live in an artist's enclave at least once. It's good for your soul. Or mine.

Major shout-out to Shadi Toloui-Wallace for the head's up. ...she's lucky enough to be in Haifa right now! She also has a new album out that you should totally get. You will love it. Maybe even more than living in an artist's village.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

On Realistic Expectations...


In this rare clip from 1972, legendary psychiatrist and Holocaust-survivor Viktor Frankl delivers a powerful message about the human search for meaning — and the most important gift we can give others.

This is probably the most important thing I have seen all year. As someone who works with young people and is consistently humbled and amazed by the potential and manifest capabilities of youth - and who is also trying to find a position in this world with significant meaning and worth - this short speech really speaks to my heart. I hope that you will also love it.

I hope, too, that you will be inspired to help someone find a place in this world that has meaning for them. To help instill or even restore a persons dignity.

Courtesy Tralalere - original source TED.com

Monday, December 5, 2011

Hit The Ground Running...

The Street Aesthetic of New York City from Christian Andersen on Vimeo.

I know that there are great things about Orange County - but sometimes I have a hard time seeing the forest for the trees. Or, you know... the track homes. This video, courtesy Double Takes, is the business though! It kind of makes me wish I could play it on the inside of my sun glasses when I go for walks.

Christian Andersen - you're my homeboy. Cheers.

The Better To See You With...

Via Bitte Ein Kuss.

They don't even have different expressions... as though their feelings and personalities don't really matter - so let's not draw them. Awesome [she said with not an inconsiderable amount of sarcasm].

In other related news, Doghouse Diaries: rendering equal opportunity stick figures since 2008.

Friday, December 2, 2011

PB & Jokes...


Faced with a long holiday weekend and a week off from school (!!!), I did what anyone unaccustomed to bucketfuls (buckets full?) of free time would do: rearranged my living space. I've moved my bed and really love the new set up of my bedroom - but my penchant for late night book reading times is now is serious need of a bedside lamp.

Hence my perusal of the Pottery Barn catalogue for "inspirational" ideas... like for a Friday morning chuckle.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

...Magnificent


This (Holocene) has been my favorite song since BBC started streaming Bon Iver's new album - so, like, 6 months or so.

I'm so happy that they've finally done a video for it!

Shout out to Tralalere! for the head's up. In somewhat related news, if you're looking for some way to help society and further universal education, check out how the Tralere! family became involved: Capucine's Library. So sweet!
 
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