I tell wonder-filled stories about hope and healing
Is there anyone who doesn’t love Fall? The slight chill in the air, the beautiful foliage and vibrantly colored sky, the rich and aromatic flavors and scents of pumpkin, apple, and a roaring fireplace. This is the time of year I live for. It’s my new year, the start of something new and exciting. I make the most of these days. I get out there as often as I can to simply take in the air and remind myself that we are all moving forward, that change cannot be stopped and should be embraced.
I love Ryan Adams, and all the more so for quotes like this: “There is nothing wrong with loving the crap out of everything. Negative people find their walls. So never apologize for your enthusiasm. Never ever.”
The negative people I meet—and sadly there are so many of them out there—often think I’m overly enthusiastic, that I’m just too excited about life. And to that I say, “Someday, I hope you realize what you’re missing.”
I do love the crap out of everything—my friends, Phineas, my city, my writing, my creative projects, music, art, books, animals, nature, my home, travel. You name it and I can find something I love about it. Negative people will knock us down; that’s their choice and we can’t control it.Whether we stay down or eventually rise up is our choice and we do control that. Their behavior has nothing to do with us and everything to do with them. Their negativity is a direct reflection about how they feel about themselves, not how they feel about us.
So here’s my advice: take every wall that a negative person throws in front of you and carve a window into it. Crawl through that window and leave those negative people behind.You are not responsible for them. They don’t have anything to offer you and they don’t want the gifts you have to give. That’s their loss, not yours. You deserve to be surrounded by love; don’t settle for anything less.
As part of my audio storytelling class, I need to capture a wide variety of stories. Nothing too complicated – just 3-5 minutes about an interesting aspect of your life. A place you’ve visited, a dream you have, or an experience that altered how you see yourself and your place in the world. Got one? Let me know. I’d love to talk to you, and record it!
Last night I took the first in a series of three audio storytelling classes. I’ve been kicking around the idea of a podcast and this is my chance to learn some of the basics before diving in. The first class was about the art of the audio interview and this is what I learned:
I can’t wait to continue to share what I learn in the next two classes! Got questions? Send ’em on over and I’ll do my best to get the answers for you.
Yesterday I had my regular call of inspiration and camaraderie with my friend, Sara, one of the wisest people I know. When we hung up the phone, I caught a glimpse of this sunset through a grimy alley in my neighborhood. The light was so rich and intense that it stopped me in my tracks. I ran down the alley and snapped a few photos of the light. I couldn’t get enough of it.
It’s moments like these that remind me that the world we live in is so vast, so incredible. It’s full of magic around every corner if only we will allow ourselves the time and space to see it. It’s not always easy to walk around with your heart on your sleeve, which is where mine has taken up permanent residence. I get knocked around a fair bit. The upside to that is I experience so much more than people who keep their hearts neatly tucked away. The don’t get hurt as much though they don’t love as much either.
Call me crazy, but I’m just fine with the tough times if being open and vulnerable allows me to appreciate sunsets like this, to have friends like Sara, and to experience life in all of its wild and wondrous forms.
Kaufman and Hart were right about so many things, especially this – you can’t take it with you. Everything that you can hold in your hands will eventually break or be tossed aside. I don’t collect things. I don’t even like the idea of having too many things beyond the basic necessities. I am constantly amazed by how few material things I need to love a good life. What I collect and cherish are the things that will last a lifetime: the amazing relationships I have with people and the memories of experiences we have together. So let’s put our attention and energy where it really counts: focused on the people who make our lives so worth living.
I can hardly believe that 3,000 posts later, I’m every bit as excited about this blog as I was when I published my first post in June 2007. I’ve received so many blessings by doing this daily writing. This blog has helped me get jobs, start a business, interview and highlight people whose work I admire, and above all it’s introduced me to some of the best people in my life whom I’m lucky to call friends. I’ve been able to share ideas, failures, and successes. I’ve helped and served others through these posts, and that has been one of the greatest gifts of my life.
Thank you for being here, for reading these posts, and for sharing your own stories with me. It’s been an honor, and will continue to be.
This week I’m going to start a 3-week audio storytelling class and I’ve been thinking about different ideas for a podcast project.
I’ve been getting to know the many sides and faces of the D.C. cultural scene in all of its beautiful forms. Though D.C. is largely known for government and politics, there is a very rich creative scene that exists here and it’s constantly growing. I’m thinking about some ways to be a part of this community and to promote its many talents.
I’m excited to see where this leads.
On Thursday night I pulled my quadricep playing soccer. I’ll be limping around for the next little while it heals. There’s not much I can do for a pulled muscle except rest it so I’m spending most of this cold rainy weekend inside reading, writing, playing piano, listening to music and podcasts, and working on my next paper collage. Time and creativity make a magical healing duo.
Last week, I had the extreme pleasure of volunteering with Little Salon DC, a fantastic program that runs monthly artist salons. The title artist is defined broadly at Little Salon DC meaning anyone with creative moxie and the courage to put their creations out into the world in some form.
This month we enjoyed opera, physical comedy, puppetry, poetry, fiction, and homemade jam. It was all topped off with plenty of drinks, revelry, and smiles. 60 of us loaded into a beautiful apartment in the U Street area and by the end of the night, no one wanted to leave. It was truly a collection of 60 of the coolest, kindest, and friendliest people in D.C., all in one fantastic venue. I’m excited to get involved with this incredible effort and to grow its passionate mission.
Here are a few pictures snapped by my friend, Logan, at last week’s event. We’re already looking forward to October’s edition. To learn more, visit Little Salon DC’s website and follow along on Twitter at @LittleSalonDC. Viva el artista!
