Sep
7
Happy Birthday Scotty Dynamo!
September 7, 2008 | 25 Comments
Join me in wishing Scotty Dynamo a happy 19th birthday!
I’m picking him up from rowing practice in a few minutes, so I decided to surprise him with a homemade birthday cake. Okay, so maybe it’s not the best looking cake in the world. But, it’s made with love.
Happy Birthday Scotty!
PS Stay tuned for tonight’s talky blog!
Sep
6
Where’s the net, yo?
September 6, 2008 | 58 Comments
In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t often talk about issues that are super-personal. It seems, in some way, strange sharing intimate details in such an open forum.
Nonetheless, there is a big decision brewing in my life, and I wouldn’t be doing our relationship justice if I didn’t share it with you.
For reasons that will become apparent to you early next week, I can’t share the details just yet. Essentially, it’s a choice of jumping into the unknown vs. continuing on a very comfortable, well lit, well traveled path.
In other words, to continue the metaphor, I’m standing on the edge of a cliff deep in some mountain range. The sun is setting behind a distant summit and deep shadows shroud the land below me. Into my ear the universe is whispering, “Jump, Davey Wavey. I’ll catch you.” But my mind is second-guessing the situation’s logic. My mind is saying, “I don’t see the net. Don’t do it!”
If I jump, I’ll be leaving a lot behind. Many aspects of my life will move into the “uncertain” column - including my financial future.
I’m pretty sure I’m going to jump. But I’ve promised myself I won’t make the decision until Monday.
And don’t worry, it’s not a decision to stop blogging. I’d never!
Nonetheless, I’m getting cold feet and sweaty palms. All the more reason to jump?
Sep
6
Hello Earthling.
September 6, 2008 | 72 Comments
Hello there.
In case you’re wondering, this is the universe speaking. You may also know me through my other stage names, such as God, Allah, Zhu, Ek Onkar, Aten, Lord, Jesus, Yahweh, Jehovah, The Light, Tuma, The Great Spirit and countless others. Different labels, same idea.
Since I am all powerful and what not, it was pretty easy hacking into Davey Wavey’s blog. He’s busy getting ready for the gym, looking for a pair of socks that match, so I doubt he’ll even notice.
Anyway, I wanted to tell you something pretty important. Many of you spend lots of time trying to communicate with me through your thoughts, prayers, meditations and chants. Look, I’m not a human. I can’t “hear” shit. I don’t have ears. And I certainly don’t sit in the clouds deciding whose prayers I’ll answer.
Last week, I found it particularly annoying when people in the United States were praying to me, so that I’d avert Hurricane Gustav from hitting the Gulf Coast. It was as though people actually thought if enough people prayed, I’d change my mind. Newsflash: I don’t have a mind to change. Events will unfold exactly as they need to happen - independent of what individuals *think* should happen. However things unfold, it’s perfect and necessary. Even if you can’t see that in the moment.
Here’s the thing about praying: it’s helpful to the people that do the praying in that it brings some level of comfort. But it comes from a place of believing that you know what should happen in your life or the lives of others. It comes from a place of resisting the moment. You humans have great intellect, but you fail to realize that your judgment is pretty shitty. There’s often a gap between what you want and what you actually need to experience. You may not want to get fired - but maybe getting fired is exactly what you need to experience to further develop you as a human being and send you down a more fulfilling path.
So hey, pray all you want. It’s therapeutic, so I hear. But if things don’t turn out the way you wanted, realize that what you wanted isn’t what you need right now. So sit back, enjoy the ride and open your mind, heart and body to the lessons I’ll offer up along the way.
Love,
The Universe, Jesus, God, YHWH, blah blah blah, so on and so forth.
Sep
5
This is it.
September 5, 2008 | 29 Comments
Throughout the summer, I’ve been reading a book titled Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D. in bits and spurts. Laying in a sunny spot in the park alongside my apartment here in Toronto, I finished the final chapter of the book.
Words have tremendous power; every now and then, I read something that truly speaks to my core. In my heart of hearts, it strikes a chord with my soul and elevates my journey with its wisdom. The final paragraph of the book did just that. It states:
To realize, and to make real, life’s potential for the ultimate currency [known as happiness], we must first accept that “this is it” - that all there is to life is the day-to-day, the ordinary, the details of the mosaic. We are living a happy life when we derive pleasure and meaning while spending time with our loved ones, or learning something new, or engaging in a project at work. The more our days are filled with those experiences, the happier we become. This is all there is to it.
That is all there is to it.
The conversations, the ups and downs, washing the dishes, drinking smoothies with a fried, hugging your mom, folding the clothes, washing your pets. These details are really the vast bulk of our lives. When we shift our perspectives to find meaning and pleasure in these little things, we live a happier life.
Happiness won’t come from the outside. It won’t be derived from a bigger salary, a more important title, a degree, an award or some great accomplishment. It comes from within.
Today, as I look out the window, with deep white clouds rolling across the horizon, I rub my dog’s belly with love in my heart. And I realize, yes, this is all there is to it.
Sep
4
Will’s tattoo.
September 4, 2008 | 31 Comments
As promised, here’s Will’s tattoo. Since it’s impossible to read, the translation is as follows: To thine own self be true. I think the tattoo is cute and the message is delightful.
And for those of you who are curious, Will is doing well in New York City. He’s there for university and is enjoying the hustle and bustle of the city - and the adventures that come with life in Manhattan. And, of course, he misses the blog buddies. And maybe even me. We still get to talk on the phone a lot, and we’re still an important part of each other’s lives, despite the geographic distance between us.
When I was Will’s age, I spent the summer in NYC. While it was a lot of fun, I realized that life in the big apple unfolded at a pace too fast for me. Now, at 25, I’d probably be able to handle New York’s energy a bit better, and would likely enjoy the challenge of remaining calm among chaos.
Someday, I should recount some of my New York City adventures with you. I look back and can’t help but laugh and smile. I should share the story about how a BBQ lunch in NYC landed me in Aspen, Colorado eating dinner at Bill Clinton’s table. Actually, that’s the strangest story of my entire life.
It’s painful, but funny. And so bizarre.
There’s no place in the world like New York City. And the mixture of youth, adventure and Manhattan can make for an intoxicating elixir.
Sep
4
talky blog: Is porn cheating?
September 4, 2008 | 76 Comments
Scotty Dynamo and I made this video last night - in it, I make my talky blog drag debut. Good stuff. Click below to check it out:
So what do you think? Is watching pornography cheating? Leave your “two cents” in the comments.
Sep
3
A smaller, bigger life.
September 3, 2008 | 34 Comments
Apparently, I’m the only person in North America that has yet to read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. A few days ago, Elizabeth was on Oprah and I was lucky enough to catch the interview. During the interview, Elizabeth was talking about the life that she had left - it was a life chuck full of meetings, work, deadlines and overcommitments. This wasn’t the life that Elizabeth wanted to create; she decided to make a change, stating “I wanted to live a smaller, bigger life.”
It resonated with me. I feel that I’ve created a smaller, bigger life for myself. What exactly does that mean and why is it important?
If you’re reading this blog, it probably means you have internet access. If you have internet access, then you are, relative to rest of the world, material-rich. You may have student loans, debt. or a mortgage, but you’re part of the affluent minority of the world’s citizens. You have a roof over your head, food in your stomach and a handful of change in your back pocket.
But while our culture is material-rich, we’re time-poor. A great majority of people that I’ve encountered in life suffer from time poverty.
While the relationship between material wealth and happiness is nonexistent, there is a relationship between time and happiness. Being material-rich won’t help you; being time-rich will. Norbert Schwartz once wrote: “When there are too many competing demands on our time and attention, our ability to be present is diminished - and with it, our ability to appreciate and enjoy the experience.”
We need to make time to pursue those things that bring meaning and pleasure into our lives. We need to make time to do the things that we really, really want to do - whether it’s jumping from an airplane or sipping your morning tea in the park.
In shorty, in order to be happier, we need to simplify our lives to create more “me” time. (As a side note, “me” time isn’t selfish; no one is hurt when you pursue those things which bring meaning and pleasure into your life. On the contrary, you’ll bring inspiration and light to the people around you.)
Simplifying, for many of us, means saying “no” to both people and opportunities. It means taking a step back and re-prioritizing things. It means asking difficult questions like, “Will I really be any happier after I get that promotion for which I’m working myself so hard?” For me, it meant securing a three day weekend, every weekend.
At the end of the day, our life’s journey is a lot like exploring a museum. If you run through a museum, the beautiful sculptures and paintings are but a blur. But if you slow down and full absorb each piece of art, you can really appreciate the beauty and details. You can savor each brush stroke on the canvas or each curve in a marble statue.
That’s what it means to live a smaller, bigger life.
Sep
2
A case of the “but whats”…
September 2, 2008 | 33 Comments
Our biggest impediment to a happier life is ourself. We, as humans, are notorious for sabotaging our personal happiness.
We have a full arsenal of weapons to conduct this sabotage; one of the most powerful is known as the “but what”. It’s the equivalent of chemical warfare.
I’ll give you an example from my own life:
Over the course of this summer, I have really enjoyed my growing relationship with Scotty Dynamo. Experiencing the summer and this beautiful city with Scotty has been nothing short of amazing. I cherish and enjoy each hour that Scotty and I spend together. I’m really glad our paths have crossed - and I’m quite certain that our paths will remain crossed for the foreseeable future.
And now, it’s time for the “but what”. But what happens when I got back to Rhode Island and Scotty is still in Toronto? What will happen? Will we still be able to cultivate our relationship? Such questions move awareness away from the present moment and into the uncertain future. Instead of enjoying what is “now”, I find myself thinking about “what may be”. And that’s just silly.
While I’m busy thinking about the future, I’m missing what’s happening now. And what’s happening now is beautiful and wonderful - nothing should distract from that.
Today, I shift my focus to today. Goals, hopes, dreams and aspirations are important. But they shouldn’t subtract from the world that is here today. Instead of “but what’ing” my future to death, I will shift my awareness to this moment.
The future is uncertain, and I’ll cross that bridge once I arrive at it. Today is all that’s promised. And I will enjoy it.
P.S. I saw the Rose Lady for the first time today. And she’s a man.
P.P.S. Will got a tattoo - picture and details to follow!
P.P.P.S. Join us for tonight’s FREE Virtual Boot Camp Class at 8:30 PM ET (NYC/Toronto Time Zone).
Sep
1
talky blog: Being Positive in Today’s World
September 1, 2008 | 36 Comments
A few weeks ago, I got an email from someone asking, “How it is possible that one person can remain so optimistic about everything with so much crap going on in the world?” I decided it would be best to provide my answer in the form of a talky blog. Click below to enjoy:
Sep
1
Question: Open relationships?
September 1, 2008 | 76 Comments
What do you think about open relationships? Have you ever been in one? Are you in one now? Would you rule it out in the future?
I want to hear your thoughts.
In the near future, I’m going to make a talky blog on the subject - so I really want to hear where you stand.
